Breakfast/ Exercise/ Fitness

Get Up and Go!

Good Morning!

Well I was super excited to hit the gym first thing this morning! It was great working out with actual people again! Before I left I had a cup of coffee and half a clif bar. If you aren’t a morning worker-outer, try drinking coffee to rev your system up. Seriously, caffeine does help!! Provides a little extra “get up and go” when you need it most. At the gym I just ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes….then I stretched for awhile since my legs are kind of sore. When I got home I made a new breakfast! Fruit, yogurt and muesli! πŸ™‚ I combined 6 ounces of Dannon plain lowfat yogurt with 3 ounces blueberries and 2.5 ounces muesli cereal. I topped it off with half an ounce (what was left in the bag) of my flax granola. It was really good and a nice change! I used to eat muesli, fruit and yogurt every morning when I lived in France because that seemed like the only other breakfast option other than a croissant. As much as I love croissants, there was no way I could eat one every morning and still fit into my jeans! This combo packs in whole grains, protein, dairy and fruit. It should keep me going til lunch…or at least I’m hoping it will!

I have a fun day today: after school I’m coming home to make lunch then I am driving to Tampa for the rest of the day and night. It’s Ryan’s dad’s birthday today and we are having a really fun big family dinner at Flemings—yet another fancy steak place! Ryan has a HUGE family and I think there are like 20 people going! I’m super excited πŸ™‚

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Coffee and half a clif bar pre-workout. 125 calories.

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Total breakfast (clif bar included) was about 566 calories.

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This has been sitting in the back of my pantry FOREVER! Glad I tried it this morning because its actually really good!

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  • Rachel
    January 29, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    I drink coffee before I work out too, it def gets me going, plus I don’t feel as sleepy afterward. The only caution is that you have to drink LOTS more water with it since caffeine dehydrates you.

  • KK
    January 29, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    Good Morning Jenna! I was hoping you could help me figure something out… This morning for breakfast I had about 1 1/2 cups wheat bran flakes, 1 cup of strawberries, 6 almonds, and 6 oz ff vanilla yogurt all mixed together, then I had a banana. I was still hungry so I had an apple 20 minutes later. Sad to say, I’m still kinda hungry! Do you think I need more protein? The wierd thing is my breakfasts are NEVER this big. I’m actually trying to put on some healthy lbs. so I thought by doing things like adding the almonds and eating portions it would help. Any advice on this or putting on some healthy weight? Thanks!

  • KK
    January 29, 2008 at 2:42 pm

    Oops, I meant to say by eating “bigger portions”.

  • Arika
    January 29, 2008 at 3:31 pm

    I used to eat museli almost every morning when I lived in Berlin! It must be a European thing. I found it really sticks with me just like oatmeal, and is a nice change when I get in a winter breakfast rut.

  • cait
    January 29, 2008 at 3:38 pm

    Hi Jenna,
    I love your blog πŸ™‚ I am a 21 year old recovering restrictive eater. Your blog helps me a lot to see how I can eat without restricting, and even indulge! I have a question to you and other readers…because of my restrictive eating, I am constantly planning my next meal and thinking about food, which only makes me hungrier. Do you have any tips to keep my mind off of this? Also, I tend to eat on a schedule and not listen to my body when it is hungry…do you have any suggestions for this? Thanks! Have a fun day today!

  • aimee
    January 29, 2008 at 3:40 pm

    I ate museli when I was studying in Vienna and Berlin as well! Love the stuff!

    I tried making the granola last night (with modifications of course!). Had it with yogurt this morning and it’s so great! I love being able to make my own!!

  • Laura
    January 29, 2008 at 4:04 pm

    Do any of you exercise to videos in your home. I would love to do that since it saves so much time, but it’s hard to motivate yourself at home. What motivates you though to really follow through? How do you do aerobics if you are exercising at home? Thanks!!

    Any video and ab video recommendations?

  • Mandy
    January 29, 2008 at 4:12 pm

    Hey Laura!

    I have been working out at home for five years now. I just don’t have time to get to a gym, unfortunately! I work full time and have a 2 year old, so the only time I have to work out is first thing in the morning. It’s actually great for me… I get it done and don’t have to worry about it the rest of the day!

    I make sure I have my work out clothes, what video I’m doing and equipment ready to go for the next morning… no excuses!

    I think the hardest part is getting started… once I’m going and into it, I’m feeling good and feel a great sense of accomplishment when I’m finished.

    I have been doing various videos… I do aerobics and weight training at home. I love The Firm videos, Cathe Friedrich, Jari Love & Turbo Jam. You can find all of these (except the Turbo Jam videos) on http://www.collagevideo.com.

    Working out at home has helped me maintain a 100 pound weight loss… and I think I get just as great of a work out as I would anywhere.

    I hope that helped a bit… let me know if there is anything else I can help with!

  • Laura
    January 29, 2008 at 4:33 pm

    Wow thanks! And congrats on the 100 lbs! I have heard of turbo jam, I never know which infomercial ones are good though, the sales pitches are hard to read through. Is that your main form of cardio?

    For strength training for a beginner, which video: frim, cathe, or jari would you recommend? Thanks so much I really appreciate it! There are SO many videos out there!

  • Laura
    January 29, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    Sorry, Mandy one more question, do you eat breakfast before or after the videos?

  • Mandy
    January 29, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    Thank you! And no problem! πŸ™‚

    I can definitely attest to the Firm workout informercials… I know a majority of the ladies who have been in the last few infomercials. They got there by hard work! Also, the instructors I know are “real” women… who have real jobs… live real lives… they’re not paid actresses. I haven’t seen Turbo Jam’s infomercial… I heard of the videos from a friend… but they are a lot of fun!!!

    I would say for a beginner with weight lifting, try The Firm. Cathe & Jari are a bit more intense with their weight training. For cardio, turbo jam is a ton of fun… i think any of the videos would work for starting with cardio, though. Cathe is a bit more complicated with her foot work, so that one takes time to catch on to, though πŸ™‚

    I would suggest checking out http://www.collagevideo.com. They have almost every work out you can imagine – and even have clips of the work outs so you can see what each video is like!

    There are a ton of videos out there… I have tried quite a few and the ones I listed are the ones I like. ALthough you may try them and not like them at all! It’s all trial and error, I think!

    I personally don’t eat before I work out because I have to get started within 15 minutes of waking up! So I get some water and get going…I do eat after as soon as I can!

  • Brianne
    January 29, 2008 at 5:12 pm

    Hey Jenna, I hope you don’t mind if I advertise my own blog. I just started it.

    green-and-lean.com

    =0)

  • Ashley
    January 29, 2008 at 5:35 pm

    I love to eat raisin bran with plain yogurt and fruit like bananas and strawberries chopped up in it. This muesli breakfast reminded me of my favorite breakfast. Its really good!

  • Sam
    January 29, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    Jenna, you clearly have mastered time management! How do you plan your meals and grocery shopping. That is, on the weekend do you do it all? I find even looking up recipes and reading the reviews is very time consuming.

  • aimee
    January 29, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    Laura, I also left a huge plug for the Firm on Kath’s blog (breakfast for today). I really love those videos when I can’t get to the gym or on the weekends. It’s worth it for the money!

  • Katie
    January 29, 2008 at 6:00 pm

    I made a modified version of the granola too, and am so impressed with the results. It’s so easy and versatile and as Aimee mentioned I love that I made it myself–no additives and ingredients I don’t like. Thanks, Jenna! (These types of no-fail recipes really build my confidence in the kitchen!)

    All – What is the “technical” difference between museli and granola? Many of the mixes seem pretty similar in content. Is it that granola typically has a sweetened coating? Just wondering…

  • Sam
    January 29, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Do you eat the cliff bar immediately before working out? or do you wait some time? Is that half a bar in the pic! It looks so small.

  • jenna
    January 29, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    Sam,

    I go grocery shopping either on Saturdays or Sundays…always on the weekend because my weekdays are so jammed! I make a list during the week of meals I want to make then plan out what ingredients I need to buy! I try, obviously, to shop for “cheaper” meals or meals that I already have some of the ingredients for. And yes, that is half a cliff bar. it was actually the larger half, too! I eat it right as I’m about to work out…I dont wait 30 minutes or anything. I have found these to be easily digested and they dont upset my stomach or anything if I go running right after eating one.