Hello there my lovelies!

Hi lovelies!

I know I disappeared yet again. This whole full time job and full time school, along with working out and trying to see friends and family thing is stressful. I have been a crazy busy bee with studying and trying to do everything at once, that I haven't even had time to get my 6-8 hours of sleep a night, so I do apologize that I haven't been keeping up with this, but I have missed it so very much... and have been having a difficult time eating healthy on weekends... so alas I am back... and promising to change and update this regularly.. and maybe perhaps change my blog around to feel refreshed, renewed, and ready to start again!

Let me start off by saying that I did a 30 day challenge of being Vegetarian, and although I struggled the first 3 weeks, I really do miss it. I learned so much out of it, that I have actually decided to perhaps eat more vegetarian and only eat meat if I really really have a craving for it. Of course, eat what you want... so I'll try to go along with my taste buds.

Another interesting fact is I am slowly getting into oatmeal and enjoying it. I am so excited about this, but have to come up with a couple different recipes so I don't get too sick of mine too fast.

Third I want to announce that.....

I will be running the Chicago Marathon On October 11, 2009!!!
I am very super duper excited about this, but nervous at the same time. I have to get serious about losing these last couple pounds and preparing myself for this journey of training. I am hoping to get one of my friends at work involved in running the 1/2 marathon with me in Sept. but we shall see.

What a couple of weeks it has been. I have to say that as much as I didn't have an appetite this weekend, I noshed at food that wasn't healthy at all, and have not been very hungry when I should be. Probably doesn't help that I am sick and that I didn't work out since Friday, but after all of that, I am jumping back on the saddle (maybe a little too late... since I get my weigh in tomorrow with my trainer, wonder if I bring him enough paczki he'll let me wait till Friday!) Whatever the case will be I will see, not too worried because I will hit the gym for a couple hours tonight after my study session with a couple girls from class. And then of course I will be baking into the wee hours of the morning... god I love this, but I don't.

Anyways enough with that, I need to get some work done so let me post up my breakfast and then hopefully (and I know it is about 20* right now, but I am still keeping fingers crossed) that I can go for my walk during my lunch hour,even though I am sick and there is some snow on the ground, I can do it... or so I hope... I'm a trooper... so my trainer said when I walked in sick on Friday to the gym for our appt.

So breakfast consisted of my Tropical Oatmeal. I wish I had a picture, but maybe by Wednesday I'll get the hang of taking pictures. The tropical oatmeal consisted of:

1/2 cup oats
1/2 scoop of ISOPURE creamy vanilla protein powder ( I use this as an alternative to milk, and give it a protein kick!)
1 chopped dried fig
a sprinkle of raisins (i think about 6-8)
1/4 c of a chopped peach (canned-sweetened with splenda)
1/4-1/3 cup of diced pineapple
3/4-1 cup cup hot water
1/4 cup room temp. water

What I do is mix the dry oats with the protein powder, dump the fig and raisins in. I usually just eyeball the hot water and pour over the oats until I like the consistency. I pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds (it tends to get cold when I pour the hot water on the oats). Stir around, pour some room temp. water over an stir while doing this (again, pour until you like the consistency...don't pour too much because it might get cold again.) I dump the fruit on top, and ENJOY!!!

I don't like my oatmeal too sweet and hot, so this is just right, the cold fresh fruit just hits the spot giving it some citrus, while the dried fruit gives off the sugars. It's not too milk so I can still enjoy a cupa Joe in the morning, although I tend to hold off on it until I'm ready for a snack, and I'll enjoy it then. Of course, you can always change the fruit used, this was what I had on hand at home today, but as soon as I find some berries I'll probably change it around, because I love my pineapple with cottage cheese... so we'll see.

I hope all of you have a good start to your week this morning, and I will update you after my walk.

p.s. I enjoyed a Jasmine Green tea and 2 cups of water with this meal (I'm trying to tally up how much green tea I can drink in a day, along with how many cups of water).