Ooo, the weekend.  Is there anything better? 

And is there anything better than oats on a weekend?  No.  Absolutely not. 

I Eat

My lunches have been uber boring, as have my dinners.  Just imagine some chicken and broccoli.  I did have some awesome sushi at Sushi 88 with a friend this week but forgot my camera.  Guess that means I have to go back…

Breakfasts, on the other hand, have been divine!  Here’s my oat recap:

Blueberry/Roasted Soy Nuts/Pumpkin Oats.  Yes please.

 

And more pumpkin oats.

And some chia-ed up oat bran.  This was my first go with the chia seeds.  I added about a tablespoon to the oat bran after it cooked for a bit, along with a whole nan (!) and let it thicken.  After about 10 minutes, it definitely bulked up a bit, and I stirred in some water and reheated on the stove for a minute or two. 

Verdict – good, not great.  The chia seeds I used were already sprouted, so maybe that’s why I didn’t get the chewy chia effect everyone seems to rave about.  I must solve this mystery…

I’m eating raspberries like they’re going out of style.  Why?  Costco, baby!  A whole tray to myself! :)  Oh yes, and I brought home twins: two huge jars of Maranatha almond butter.  We’ve been reunited at last.  Now I just have to finish off the almost-done jar of lame almond butter in the fridge… oats in a jar are in the very near future.

And speaking of reunions, I had quinoa last night after… hmmm… a long, long time.  I forgot that it’s actually tasty.

 

Never made quinoa?  For 2ish servings, boil 1 c. water and once it’s rollin’, add 1/2 c. quinoa grains.  Be sure to rinse the quinoa first!  It has a nasty film on it that will make the cooked grain taste bitter.  Don’t ruin your meal.  Once you’ve added the grain, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes (sometimes less).  You’ll know it’s finished when the water is mostly absorbed and the little springs pop out.   That’s definitely the best part.

It’s a nutty tasting grain and works great in salads – maybe that will be on next week’s lunch menu.  It’s also got loads of protein in it, which is great for a grain. 

But don’t embarrass yourself, like I have, and ask someone at the store where to find “kwin-oh-wa”.  They’ll look at you like you have three eyeballs.  It’s pronounced “keen-wah”.  Phewf!  Embarrassment avoided.

I Move

Nothing too exciting in the exercise department.  I hit the gym last night for a great upper body workout, biked there and back.  Lots of walking to and from the office.

I’m trying to take a more relaxed approach to exercise.  When I was working out a lot more, especially in the mornings, I was hungry all the time.  My body felt a bit out of balance and mentally, I was thinking about eating/exercising too much because I was either wanting food or sore from working out.  In the last several days, my appetite has calmed down, I’m sleeping better and feel more zen-like.

I’m still exercising regularly, but I feel like the balance between life and fitness is more natural.  I’m taking a page from Polly and Heather who seem to have a good sense of how balanced exercise can be natural, simple and just as good for you – if not better – than excessive exercise.

So thanks, ladies!

Food for Thought

And the debate continues – does it matter what time of day you eat as it relates to weight loss/gain?  Scientists have once again studied mice by feeding them at different times, but keeping exercise the same for all of them.

Lucky mouse who got to eat the late-night doughnuts.  I wonder if he had many tummy aches.

Here’s the article if you’re interested in what they found.

I say… if you’re hungry, eat something.  If you’re not, don’t.  But maybe that’s too simple.

Adi

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 5th, 2009 at 3:03 pm and is filed under Breakfast, Gym, Health, Oatmeal, Restaurant. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.