I’m glad you all like a little motivation for your Monday! I hope it helped all of you all to have a great and productive day!
Monday was pretty good around here.
I started the morning with a little greek yogurt:
My breakfast consisted of: plain greek yogurt, chocolate protein powder, honey, and some frozen berries.
This has been my new favorite breakfast for quite some time now.
I had my first day with the organization I started volunteering with. I spent a little over 2 hours meeting everyone and helping them around their organization.
Everyone was so welcoming and I am hoping to head back to help some next week to volunteering in their food kitchen and eventually help tutor some children after school.
If you on the fence about finding an organization to volunteer with, do it! It will be worth it! I was nervous at first but everyone was so helpful and welcoming.
After I got back it was time for my first running test of the week.
It was FREEZING and I am pretty sure the wind was in my face every single minute of the run.
I ended with 1.25 miles on all soft grown which was also covered in snow.
This is my cold but happy face after a successful attempt. There wasn’t any pain which is another awesome sign!
After I finished the run I bundled up and heading to the gym for some weights.
I know a lot of people hate on Ugg boots, but I promise you if you live one winter up here you will invest in at least one pair and they will be the best thing ever!
I focused on biceps and triceps today and it felt good to lift weights.
Before I left the gym I decided I’d get an easy spin session in.
I kept it on a really low gear and relaxed and listened to music. I have to say I was really dreading going to the gym, but once I got into it I was feeling so much better!
I had to drop Wes off to study tonight and head over to meet someone I am pet sitting for over the holiday, so since I didn’t have time to make dinner we stopped by Wegmans for a stop at their salad bar.
It was delicious, green, and just what I needed!
I like to try to plan out my foods, but sometimes it just doesn’t work.
Remember my meal planning attempt last week?
Well after a lot of different things that went on last week I got one meal prepared that was “planned.” Every other night was something quick or we had to grab something on the run.
I am not counting out meal planning completely, but until our lives get a little more normal I don’t think it is really something that is reasonable for me.
Do you volunteer anywhere or have you?
Are you hosting your Thanksgiving this year or traveling somewhere else? It’s going to be a quiet one here with just the husband and I, but we Skype with each of our families.
I am so excited that things went well on your test run – my wife ‘graduated’ from PT yesterday, just daily exercises but can start slowly back on the elliptical machine (which she did this morning).
Totally get the cold feel – yesterday morning my run was 12F with decent wind meaning close to 0F wind chill. And how can it possibly be that I run a route that goes in all directions, yet the wind was constantly in my face? 😉
We volunteer and donate whenever we can, and being in a fairly small area, we can see the impact of what we do – very rewarding.
For Thanksgiving it is just the four of us – my brother was going to come but is hanging around home with his girlfriend and her kids. He is always driving somewhere, so while I’m a bit disappointed I think him staying close for once is a good thing.
I hope the four of you have a great thanksgiving! I know how it is to be disappointed, but I’m sure you all will still have a great day!
I completely understand that! I don’t know how but no matter what direction I turned the wind STILL seemed to be in my face!
Hope your run today went well!
Today’s run was great – 30F, still a bit windy but not bad, with an inch or so of fresh snow. One of those dark and silent mornings … not too cold, just pure joy. 🙂
Meal prep is tough! For the longest time I would buy stuff to cook Sundays..never get around to cooking it and then in the mornings when I was leaving for work- thought to mysefl “oh well I’ll just buy lunch today!” I am just now starting to get in the groove!
Maybe I just need to give it another go here soon – it could have just been it was a tough week 🙂
Glad you were pain free. That breakfast looks delicious, although I seriously love my oatmeal with blueberries every morning. I’m spending thanksgiving with a friend’s family. I’ll go with whoever has me at this point!
Oatmeals an blueberries are another great go to for me as well! I have a few breakfasts I like and I rarely tend to switch it up 🙂
Congrats on your run! You will be back at it in no time!
Meal planning is really tough, especially with a busy/hectic schedule. I really wish I had the patience and time do it, but right now, it is just not realistic for me either. Maybe one day!
Glad I am not the only one! I tried and maybe I will get back to it but last week it was just not happening!
I had one run over the summer which I was running near our family farm, and the path way was essentially a square, the wind was hard on the way out, the way to the left, the way to the right, and the way back. I was seriously thinking that in a square route shouldn’t there be at least one of those paths have the wind behind me?? Not that day! That’s partially why I do not run outside in the winter time (well that and the not so shovelled walkways).
Meal planning definitely takes practice. It’s a skill that needs to be developed – don’t give up! Sometimes what works for us (family of 5) is having 3 or 4 ideas for quick & easy meals, with all the ingredients on hand so that we can be more flexible instead of assigning a night for each meal. We also like to have some nights as ‘theme’ nights. For example, when my boys were in evening swimming lessons, Thursday nights became ‘crock pot night’ because then everyone could eat when they had the chance. Often Sundays are our ‘try a new recipe’ night. And sometimes the plan goes right out the window because life happens.
Love this! Thanks for the tips 🙂
glad you had a pain free run! meal planning doesn’t work for me either, life always seems to pop up and i feel like i always end up with lots of wasted food at the end of the week…
Yes that is how I felt! I will probably give it another shot or two before throwing in the towel but last week was just not the right time!
I’m so happy to see you running again, and especially to see that radiant smile!! I am also ecstatic that you decided to bite the bullet and volunteer – as I’ve said, it’s done SO much for me personally, and I honestly do think I’ve gotten just as much out of volunteering as I’ve helped out. I can’t wait to get back at it! What is the organization you are working with? Good for you!!! And – I loved the motivational quotes, just didn’t get a chance to say so yesterday! <3
It is with a local church and basically I am just doing whatever they need but I love it and it helps me feel like I have some what of a purpose! It is such a great thing!
I really hope where we move next has a girls on the run because that organization seems amazing!
I’m so glad that you are running again! I’ll never forget my first run back after my metatarsal stress fracture. it was glorious. I host thanksgiving every year because we have the most room. My husband and I are only children so we have both sets of parents over. Plus, this year my running buddy and her family are coming!
I won’t say I am completely back to running YET but I am getting there that is for sure! Slow baby steps!
That is so nice that you are able to have both sides of the families over and that is so nice of you to invite your running buddy! I really wish I had more of those around here 🙂
Meal planning is hard and grabbing a take-out isn’t the end of the world. You will find the more you plan and shop for your meals the easier it will get. I started meal planning years ago for budget reasons and it took a couple of months to get on track with it but it was worth it.
Yeah I think I need to give it another shot! It would save us money and help me out, maybe once all the craziness of the holidays are over!