Good morning! After my less than nutritious food choices yesterday, I’m off to a great start this morning! I even woke up and ran 6.25 miles before work! Watch out, the healthy train is back in motion! (I’m such a dork!)

Breakfast this morning was dominated by Barney Butter (aka the greatest nut butter on earth). I enjoyed 2 enormous scoops with my oats today.

Also in the mix: whole cranberries, sliced almonds, and ground flaxseed meal.

For the cranberries, I added them to my oats before putting the oat mixture in the microwave. After about 2 minutes, the cranberries came out warm, soft, and tangy.

At work, I made my usual mug of java– today, Italian Roast with vanilla soy milk and agave nectar. Under my mug is 9 pages of meeting minutes that I have to type up this morning. Fuuuuun!

Over-Packing and the QOTD

So, guys, I have an over-packing problem… a pretty serious one, actually. Packing for our week-long honeymoon took me days… and I still packed way too much! Even just going away for a weekend poses all sorts of problems for me. I’m one of those people who pack for every possible occasion and every possible weather situation. This is great because I have all kinds of clothing (and stuff) to chose from, but it’s insane because I bring so much (crap) with me!

Our weekend trip to NYC is only 2 days long, but I started packing last night. I know, it’s ridiculous. However, packing has gone fairly well so far… no major over-packing issues. Last night in the middle of planning what to bring, I actually googled some tips for not over-packing, which were very helpful and might actually make a difference! Some of my favorite tips are below.

• Try to match up just enough outfits for number of days you are going on vacation. Reusing articles of clothing to make new outfits gives you a large variety with a smaller amount of clothing. One way to do this is to have the majority be staple colors such as whites, beige, browns and black. Throw in a few colored or patterned pieces to add variety.
• The easiest way to have a lot of options is to pack accessories. Shoes are too bulky to carry a lot of, but be sure to have a casual pair and a slightly dressier pair. Remember, you can buy cheap flip flops just about anywhere, and you can throw them out at the airport before coming back home. Women especially can pack things like scarves, belts, and inexpensive jewelry, which will make any outfit unique.
• Pack the clothes into the suitcase by rolling them. For shirts fold lengthwise before rolling, for pants fold in half lengthwise and then half horizontally. This allows you to fit more into a small suitcase. Be sure to keep clothes that wrinkle easily on the top.
• If all else fails, just pack as usual, then take half away. You probably will not need most of it, and unless you are trekking into rural or uncivilized areas of the world, you will be able to pick up anything you couldn’t pack.

Do you tend to over-pack? How do you prevent over-packing?

My stomach said “muffin,” but my brain said “oatmeal.” My stomach really wanted a warm, toasted, slightly sweet and spicy, slathered in Smart Butter muffin for breakfast. However, my brain interrupted and reminded me that a muffin would not hold me over until lunch and that oatmeal was a much better option. I really wanted both foods for breakfast, so I made it happen by combining the two in a delicious bowl of pumpkin muffin oatmeal.

Measurements:

• 1/4 cup dry oats
• 1crumbled pumpkin muffin
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp of chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
• Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds on top

The combination of oats + muffin really was the best of both worlds! The chunks of pumpkin muffin added a new and interesting texture to my oats. It blended nicely, giving the oats a hearty, not mushy consistency. The muffin also contributed some yummy pumpkin spice flavor. With a spoonful of Barney Butter, breakfast was soooooooo frickin’ good!

Tone Your Arms in No Time!

I had planned to hit the gym in our building this morning for some upper body strength training, but when my alarm went off at 6:00 am, I was just too pooped for a workout. I slept in for another 30 minutes, but managed to squeeze in a quickie 15-minute arm workout while watching the news.

• 15 push-ups on the Bosu (squishy side down)
• 15 tricep dips off the coffee table (or chair)
• 15 bicep curls while standing on the Bosu (10 lbs dumbbells)
• 15 bent over rows using Bosu (squishy side away from you)

Repeat 2-3 times

Question of the Day

What is your favorite part of your body? What part do you like to show off the most?