Morning!
I got a good night’s sleep last night and woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the week and my new class that starts tonight. For breakfast I made a big bowl of oats (not instant) with 1/2 cup rice milk, 1/2 cup water, some pb, banana and blueberries. It was deliciously creamy. I’m going to try to get outside for a run in a little bit before I pack up and head back to Orlando. I am going grocery shopping today for another really inexpensive (hopefully $40!) shop. I keep tweaking my list down and thinking of what I already have in my cabinets so I don’t have to spend extra money. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Happy Monday!
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 1:20 pmLeigh:
For all your morning exercisers who also work what time do you wake up? I tried this morning, accidently turned off my alarm, but still with getting dressed, shower, making breakfast etc, it’s hard to fit it all in!
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 1:21 pmJenna, do rolled oats hold you over as long as steel cut? And instant as long as rolled?
Jenna or other vegetarian type people:
Why is hummus considered a good source of protein? Most hummus servings only have 1 gram of protein. While, I use more than one serving it still only adds up to a small amount of protein, especially compared to something like pb, beans, or nuts.
Kelly
March 10, 2008 at 1:26 pmI’m reposting this under this morning’s post…
This may be crazy but has anyone else woken up in the middle of the night hungry? It happened to me and I could not go back to sleep so I got up and had an apple and some yogurt. Should I have not eaten anything at all?
Kelly
March 10, 2008 at 1:29 pmLeigh- When I exercise in the morning before work I get up around 5:45. I literally thrown on my sports bar and tennis shoes and run out the door. I don’t go to the gym but rather I run in our neighborhood and then depending on the day do a 20-25 free weight workout. If I workout before work I can get a good circuit type workout in in 35-40 minutes. I don’t eat anything prior and I have not problems (it just depends on you personally). When I’m done I have breakfast which takes about 15-20 mins. and then shower, dress and leave. I usually leave the house around 7:30 and I’m at work by 8:15-8:20 ish. Some people have to wake up more but I just GO. I’m running probably still half asleep but by a 1/2 mile I’m good. 🙂
Becky
March 10, 2008 at 1:44 pmKelly – that happens to me and I thought I was nuts! Part of my problem is that I’m a light sleeper so that any feeling of physical discomfort wakes me up. I usually try to ignore it but now and then grab a piece of fruit or something.
Which leads me to my question, does anyone know of natural sleep aids besides the basics (white noise, cover your alarm clock, etc.). I fall asleep fine (wake up at 5 am for work so no problem being tired at night!) but tend to wake up at 3 am to go to the bathroom and often have a VERY hard time falling back asleep. It’s so annoying, and I don’t want to rely on Tylenol PM (although I used it last night, had a great night’s sleep, and feel wonderfully refreshed today).
Cara
March 10, 2008 at 1:51 pmHave a great day and a great first class! I can’t wait to hear about what you buy, it will give me tips on how to whittle down my own list. 🙂
Romina
March 10, 2008 at 2:02 pmOh boy I wish it wasn’t so cold in the morning so I cold go for a run. Can’t wait for spring! Best of luck with your inexpensive shopping. =)
arimcg
March 10, 2008 at 2:13 pmI wake up at 6:23 (yes, I’m serious…those extra three minutes are PRICELESS). I leave the house at 6:35 to catch the bus to the gym, but I’m really fast! I also don’t eat breakfast beforehand (If I feel hungry, which is rare, I’ll grab some pretzels or something) and I have everything together so I can run out the door.
And Leigh, hummus is a good source of protein because of the chickpeas (which are a legume) and the tahini. If you get a little bit of protein from a bunch of different things, all together you’ll hit your daily needs.
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 2:15 pmThanks Kelly! Do you eat anything before your run? Also, what do you eat after? I find oatmeal takes me forever to cook.
Yes, and have woken up hungry before, I don’t have a go to snack, but I can’t sleep hungry, so I eat anything that’s quick to make.
sp
March 10, 2008 at 2:25 pmMel H,
Law school was great. First year is an adjustment, with all the reading and fighting the urge to be petrified! Its not exactly legally blonde, but I had a great time in law school. The Bar on the other hand, was HORRIBLE, but then again, I live in Texas, which has one of the hardest BAR exams, because of our lawyer population, and it lasts 3 days instead of two. Good luck with lawschool! Hope it all works out.
Elizabeth
March 10, 2008 at 2:36 pmBecky – try melatonin. You can get it at any pharmacy in the nutritional supplement area. It is what your body produces naturally that tells you to sleep, and if you just take it a few days in a row before bed it can help you get into the swing of sleeping properly. I often use it when travelling and recovering from jet lag – works well for that too.
Lindsay
March 10, 2008 at 2:45 pmEnjoy school & good luck @ the store! By the way your dog is just too cute!!!
Grace
March 10, 2008 at 2:54 pmSP, Mags, Mel H.:
I’m in my last year and last semester of law school. I go to school in Kansas City. The three years flew by! I know I’m going to miss it, especially when I’m in bar prep. I guess I’m going to have be a grown up soon! SP, any tips on how to stay sane during the bar??? Hope all goes well for those just starting or about to start or mid way through.
Eliza
March 10, 2008 at 3:00 pmLast night by mistake I left the yogurt out on the counter and put tea in the fridge! Must have been tired!
Anyway, is it okay to eat or should I dump it?
Nadia
March 10, 2008 at 3:02 pmhey Grace,
I went to law school in New York and honestly, hated it. lol. But then again I had some VERY stressful times apart from school that made law school far less “enjoyable” than it would have been.
As for the bar exam…I agree with SP, it’s not exactly a pleasurable experience. I was sick for a month just prior to the exam and couldn’t go to any of the classes…so i decided to actually cancel my scores right after taking it. Started a new job and going to just to take it this July. My advice though on staying sane is to have a good doable schedule. Don’t make goals that are so tough that you start to fall behind because that can get stressful. For example, don’t expect to do 100 MBE’s and 2 essays in one night. Make a manageable schedule and stick to it! Good luck…I guess I’ll be in bar prep mode soon too.
Kelly
March 10, 2008 at 3:05 pmLeigh- If I’m working out in the morning before work I don’t typically eat anything. My wokouts are shorter 35-40 mins with running and weights with no rest between (you get a lot of bang for you “time” buck). After my workout I’ll usually have one of the following:
-Wheatabix (2-3 squares, mixed with stoneyfield low fat vanilla or flavored yogurt and berries and flax) I’ll also usually have banana on my way in to work about 15 minutes later
-Puffed Kamut with berries, flax and yogurt
-Barbara’s Puffins with vanilla yogurt and a banana
-Toast with apple butter and yogurt and some fruit
-Oat Bran or Oatmeal with bananas or berries and flax and sometimes PB.
It really just depends on how hungry I am. I honestly eat the oatmeal much less than the other things just because I eat oatmeal more for a quick comfort meal at night. I just don’t crave it in the morning unless I’m RAVENOUS and cold. My favorite of all the breakfasts is the wheatabix, yogurt, fruit combo. It’s like a giant fruit and yogurt parfait. You get dairy, fruit, healthy fats, and whole grains (fiber!).
On the morning that I work from home or the weekends I’ll usually have breakfast first and then workout about 30-45 mins later. It really just depends on the person if you need to eat first. I don’t have a problem powering through my workout so it’s not a problem, plus, like I said, I have shorter workouts. If I was working out for more than an hour or so I might be different. I hope that helps!
Cait
March 10, 2008 at 3:19 pmHelp! I’m a college kid home for spring break and I am having horrible binge eating problems. I am a restrictive eater, and while at school, I try to keep any “problem” foods out of my apartment. Now that I’m at home, and there are foods I don’t normally eat around, I’ve been bingeing a few nights in a row. I feel so guilty…any suggestions???
Aimee H.
March 10, 2008 at 3:26 pmJenna, OMG – I bought some red pears this weekend (I hadn’t seen them at my regular grocery store before) and they are seriously the best! I’m usually a Bosc fan, but these have so far been the most spectacular pears I’ve ever eaten.
Laurie
March 10, 2008 at 3:27 pmI work out in the mornings before work. I get up at 5:40 and have a half of a banana and then head to the gym. I typically work out for about an hour and then shower, get ready, and eat breakfast (usually more fruit, yogurt, and cereal) and I can leave my house by 8:30.
I also have the problem of waking up in the middle of the night! I have had some success with melatonin but don’t want to rely on it. I find that going to bed later actually helps. I’d love to hear any more suggestions about this annoying problem.
Diana
March 10, 2008 at 3:33 pmLong-time lurker on this blog, taking the plunge posting something! For Jenna and anybody else who can’t splurge as much on groceries as we would love (which seems to be…just about everybody!) this is kind of a cool article, even if you’re not vegan: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue2/vj2006issue2mealplans.htm
I really enjoy the blog and the comments, and also all the other blogs I’ve linked to from this site!
ChocolateCoveredVegan
March 10, 2008 at 3:41 pmNothing beats a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning!
I’m not in a sorority at SMU; I was my sophomore year, but it just took up so much time… I do miss it, though. Oh, and the cupcake recipe is from the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.
Good luck with your shopping!
ChocolateCoveredVegan
March 10, 2008 at 3:42 pmP.S. I absolutely LOVE Pei Wei!!!
Mel H
March 10, 2008 at 4:45 pmThanks SP! Congrats again on the bar..thats a huge accomplishment!! thanks for the well wishes Grace, I’m sure you will do awesome!! I love to read and wtire (I’m a journalism major!) and I’m pretty organized..so hopefully I’ll be ok!! First I’ve got to get in…it’s so nerve racking just waiting for responses…I hate getting rejected! haha! Take care
Mel
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 5:19 pmMel, where are you hoping to go?
Nadia, if you don’t mind my asking where did you go to school and what job will you be starting? I am still a sophomore, but am thinking of going to law school in ny. But I debating law school because the legal market is overflooded.
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 5:19 pmGrace ans sp do you know what you will be doing next year yet- that’s so exciting!
sara84
March 10, 2008 at 5:56 pmHi Jenna,
What are your thoughts about carnation instant breakfast???
I just started having it as a snack b/c I find it really fills me up……
should I really be having it as a meal replacement?
Nadia
March 10, 2008 at 6:20 pmI went to St. John’s law school basically because they gave me a full ride and I had a crazy amt of debt from undergrad – went to NYU. I really hated living in a suburban area after living in the city for so long so that contributed to hating the experience there.
The job market is tough but it’s not hopeless. Most law school graduates work for small firms for a couple of years or do contract work until they find a job they like. I always wanted to do public interest work but not realistic if I want to have enough money for rent, paying back loans etc. Usually you have to settle for whatever job comes your way because the market is so competitive. Ofcourse your chances of getting a better paying job increase if you’re in the top 10%, in law review etc.
I worked for a solo practitioner for a couple of months after law school (hated it…he was a jack ass). I’m not working for a personal injury law firm on the defendant’s side – representing insurance companies, landlords and the like. I def. enjoy it. You do have to start early when it comes time for you to apply for jobs. It’s a frustrating experience but it’s like that for most…to avoid it, work really hard in law school and get on law review 🙂
Nadia
March 10, 2008 at 6:22 pmoops…meant to say, “I’m now working for a personal injury firm”
Ana
March 10, 2008 at 6:27 pmI don’t have problems waking up at night, but i do have trouble FALLING asleep. I’ve used melatonin (which is all natural) but have recently switched to using tylenol simply sleep (which is SUPPOSED to be non-addicting and has minimal side-effects). Though it slightly freaks me out that I have to rely on a pill to sleep-I prefer being all-natural-this has REALLY worked for me, and I have experienced no side-effects whatsoever! Also, having simple carbs before bed (ones that digest faster) can help you sleep. Your metabolism is still working at night (and if you haven’t gotten enough food in, it’s very understandable that your body would wake you up). I usually have a glass of hot milk or cocoa before bed (or in the rare occassion that I do wake up hungry-which I have), and have found this to work well^_^
JLO
March 10, 2008 at 7:01 pmRegarding lawschool:
http://lawandletters.blogspot.com/2007/11/why-you-shouldnt-go-to-law-school.html
As a lawyer, I can say that every word of it is true.
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 7:11 pmJLO, without reading that I know it’s all true. I have heard it all, I wouldn’t be going in naive. If you could do it again, what would you do.
What type of law do you practice- big or small firm?
Elle
March 10, 2008 at 7:11 pmJenna,
I love your blog, and respect all the work you are putting into making it even better! Great job!
Question: does anyone have a problem with “grazing”? I do , and it’s gotten really out of control. I eat pretty healthfully 80% of the time I would say… I exercise at least 4 times a week and I am at a helathy weight. But my problem area is getting in my kitchen and just having a few crackers here, a small peice of chocolate, bites of leftovers… that type of thing… and I KNOW all those calories add up & I know I am not fully enjoying my food because I am eating it so quickly while standing. This has been a problem for years for me & I have tried to get it under control, and sometimes do but tend to fall back into this habit easily.
Please help!
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 7:13 pmNadia…..sounds like you will def. enjoy your new job! 🙂 Good luck with the bar.
Laurie
March 10, 2008 at 7:21 pmI’m with JLO! I work at a big firm and despite the nice paycheck, I most definitely would prefer to be doing something else. But I also don’t want to waste my education! I loved law school but billable hours are terrible!
jenny
March 10, 2008 at 7:35 pmhey do any of you live in new york city. if you do, what restaurants do you recommend that are cheap yet healthy.
Also, lately I have been waking up in the middle of the night in need of the bathroom. I have been doing it so much that my body just HAS to wake up at that time. I have no trouble falling asleep after but i wonder if this is major issue. I never had this problem before.
Beth
March 10, 2008 at 7:37 pmElle – I find the times that I do the most grazing is when I’m famished and don’t have a meal planned/ready. I would recommend really putting a menu together and sitting down for your meals. If you have to snack while you’re cooking, try to rely on healthy snacks like carrots and hummus, apples with peanut butter or something similar to hold you over. If you are actually sitting down and eating three meals a day, this might just be a compulsive behavior that you’ll have to work through.
Leigh
March 10, 2008 at 7:45 pmLaurie….what would you prefer doing instead? How did you get a job at a large firm? any tips, I know it’s competitive.
I hear people say that all the time not to go into law, but then isn’t that just the grass is always greener on the other side? What would you do instead that’s better?
JLO
March 10, 2008 at 8:05 pmLeigh,
I work at a boutique firm: big firm work, small firm mentality, so in a lot of ways, the best of both worlds. Most of the time, I like my job. I have NO idea what else I would be doing if I hadn’t gone to law school. I worked at a law firm before law school, so I knew what I was getting into. I would encourage anyone with a true love of law to go to law school. But anyone who chooses law school for lack of better ideas or, better yet, under the misguided notion that all lawyers are wealthy, will soon be unhappy.
jenna
March 10, 2008 at 8:32 pmSara,
I used to drink CIB but then stopped immediately after thoroughly reading the nutritional label. That was back when I drank milk…I just think a ton of those ingredients are highly processed and there are much, much better ideas for a snack (think fruit or nuts or whole grains) than that. I don’t like to eat/drink anything artificial so it just didn’t really make sense to me. But its better than a candy bar, I suppose!
Grace
March 10, 2008 at 9:01 pmOn law school, I totally agree you shouldn’t go for the money. Although, you shouldn’t be discouraged by hearing that you have to go to a top 10 school to get big firm job. I know plenty of people who went to my school and have gotten jobs at the big firms. I haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to do. I have a few options after law school, so we’ll see! I’ll let you know when I decide. I’m a big advocate for doing what you love, even if it means less money.
Phoebe
March 11, 2008 at 6:04 amEliza — I think your yogurt is probably fine. Yogurt keeps much better than milk does and I once left a carton of milk in the basement overnight (in the bag with canned beans and cereal for the basement storage shelves!) and called the store to ask if it were OK and they said it should be fine. In fact I’ve done that twice, so I’m sure it’s OK, especially if the yogurt had never been opened.