Wake Up, Slow Down, & Eat Breakfast

Lately, even tho it's been 90+ degrees outside, I have been craving a yummy sweet N' healthy warm breakfast to pair with my ever satisfying morning cup. 

I love cinnamon and the health benefits are outrageous so I started there. I went to my "go-to" spot for recipes, a.k.a PInterest, and found a recipe that made my tummy grumble. And coincidence?.. it's from Gaby's G-Free Blog! 

Cinnamon Quinoa Bake

...is your mouth watering yet?

http://meaningfuleats.blogspot.com/2012/10/cinnamon-quinoa-bake.html

This is so tasty and is the perfect partner for a cup of joe' or tea; if you're crazy and don't like coffee :)

And like it says above, I am a firm believer in enjoying a leisurely breakfast. Life can be so crazy and get away from you before you know it. I like to take the time in the morning to slow down and start my day at the right pace. It really sets me up! If you can enjoy a relaxing morning, even if it's just an hour, then when the rest of the day gets bogged down with business, you know you at least had that hour to make a healthy breakfast, have a quiet time with the Lord, sit around and talk with your best girlfriends, or cuddle in bed with your huni :)

<3 Gabrielle

Work Lunch Ideas

If you're anything like me, working an 8-5 job 5 days a week really puts me in an eating rut. I find myself eating the same things everyday, which I don't mind, but I like to change it up every now and then. Its easy to get stuck with sandwiches or eating out, so I try to keep things interesting in the bagged lunch area.

Here are some of my recent favorites when it comes to a packed lunch:

-Grilled Chicken Salad

Nick and I grill 10 chicken breasts on Sunday night to last us through the week, and you can add any toppings you like!

-Chicken, Brown Rice, Broccoli Slaw

My own creation: stir it all up with some asian dressing

-Jamie Eason's Turkey Zucchini Burgers

Click here for the  recipe- a great make-ahead meal!

-Tuna Avocado Toast

Don't use mayo, avocado does the job. Packed with protein!

-Mekenzie's Mashed Chickpea Salad

Click here for the recipe

-Turkey Wraps

Can't go wrong with this classic, but try switching it up by using lettuce or collard greens, or a spinach tortilla!

Hope you enjoy these delicious lunches! Let us know if you try them. What's your go-to for a packed lunch?

~Lauren

Rise and Shine

Picture coutesy of Mekenzie's early morning Wash Park Run last week!

I am a creature of habit. I love a spontaneous road trip or adventure; an impromptu happy hour or a pick of game of volleyball. But typically, schedule is how I live my life. Living by routine is comfortable and natural for me and it’s how I keep my sanity in my very busy life. In a previous post about my life essentials, I mentioned how I can’t live without my day planner and it’s still as true as ever. That little book tells me where to be when and who to meet at what time.

Working a full time job can make it challenging to get in the workouts that we would like. It seems like other obligations take precedence over our physical activity and the gym time either gets cut short or doesn’t exist at all. Typically, I like to do my training in the evenings after work. It’s written in the planner that I go from 6-7:30. That’s my time- uninterrupted and full of time to decompress from the work day through a good sweat. However, about half of my days during the week, this is not possible because of various evening obligations.

I have become a morning workout girl on these busy days. It wasn’t easy at first but I love the satisfying feeling of being done with my exercise for the day by the time I get into work. It frees up my evenings and still keeps me on track for my fitness goals. For many of us, schedules are busy after work and if it’s not a small group meeting, it’s a dinner party or sporting event that keeps us from making it to the gym. My advice- do your work out in the morning, that way nothing can interrupt your time or goals. Trust me, no one will be asking you to hang out at 6am, so it’s pretty much a guarantee that this will fit into your schedule.

When I transitioned into morning workouts, I found these tips helpful.

 

Plan Ahead

Set out your gym clothes before you jump into bed the night before. This will prevent you from digging around your drawer at 5am looking for a matching pair of socks. Have that your lunch packed and ready to go for the next work day. Then when you’re walking out the door you can snag it from the refrigerator. If you are showering and getting ready for your work day at the gym (like Mekenzie does) have your work clothes packed and in the car- it’s one less thing to load in your arms or think about in the morning.

 

Start Easy

For the first couple of times you start your morning workout regime, pick exercises that you enjoy doing. Don’t do a plyometric work out if that is the thing you dread most. Choose a work out you like and stick with that the first couple times. Choosing a group fitness class is a good option.

 

Find Accountability

For me, the best thing for my fitness goals is accountability. Knowing that the girls will ask what I did for a work out that day motivates me to get out of bed and hit the gym hard. If possible, plan to attend a class with a friend. Choosing the 5am cycling class with a co-worker will motivate you to not let her down and will encourage you in the midst of the 10 minute hill climb. Even though, I am 60 miles away from my favorite work out buddies, we still hold each other accountable through picture messages. I can count on a sweaty picture of Kenz and Lo most mornings!



Thanks for letting me embarrass you Kenz.

 

 

Commit to it

Don’t get discouraged if the first week seems really challenging. Your body is learning to a new routine and it will adjust. The workouts will become easier each time you do them- so don’t lose heart, commit to morning workouts and your body will thank you later!

Enjoy it

Find great satisfaction in the feeling you have after your morning workout. Take a couple minutes once it’s completed and notice how amazing it feels to have it accomplished so early in the day. Also, enjoy the feeling at 6pm when you normally would be working out and realize that you have already finished your regime for the day. It’s a very gratifying moment.

 

 

I hope you find these morning workout tips and tricks useful.

 

-Er

National Running Day!

Rumor has it...its National Running Day!

 It started off with just a couple of 5K's in college. Simple, sweet, exciting 5K's and than one day I woke up to find myself training for my first half marathon, the Horsetooth half. I still haven't decided if this was a terrible choice for my first race or not. It only gets easier from there I guess. It was a brutal course. The start of the race begins at 5,195 ft above sea level and takes runners by the second mile on a nearly 600 ft. elevation climb up what is named "Monster Mountain" (yeah they weren't kidding). Dam Hill comes next between miles 4 & 5 and "Bingham Hill" could have  killed me between miles 7& 8. I ran this race as a novice and definitely didn't know what I was getting myself into. Lauren, who happens to be the most consistent and awesome runners of all time was my companion for this first race. She gallops up hills like there's no tomorrow. They don't phase her. She practically carried me through the finish line as I was crying to quit the last mile. And after that...racing was in my blood for good.

My next race was the Denver Rock and Roll. I ran this one with Lauren and Erin which made for great accountability during training season and SUCH a fun race. Its an exciting course with lots of changing scenery as you wind in and out of neighborhoods, downtown street filled with huge buildings, rockies stadium, pepsi center, great parks and more. Rock and Roll puts on the best races too.

While I was living in Kansas City, Erin and I decided to run in the Malibu Half Marathon. My cousin Amy was training for the Kansas City Half marathon and our training plans were virtually the same. Our races were a week apart so I spent many early mornings with my cousin training in the dark before the day began and I would head off to work while she got the kids off to school. The night before her race she asked me to jump in illegally and run with her. I stopped for a bottle of wine on Friday after work, carb loaded with her famous spaghetti dinner and ran the Kansas City Half early on Saturday morning. A few of my other cousins were racing as well. It was so fun to have a little family posse and see Aunts and Uncles along the way cheering us on.

A week later I flew to Malibu for my getaway race with Erin. We started the race on the beach running all along the Pacific Coast Highway and ending with the beautiful scenery we started with on Zuma beach. They were handing out Mimosas so you better believe Erin and I stuffed our pockets with post race swag, grabbed a mimosa, and plopped ourselves down on the beach to soak up the sun and glory of that beautiful race day.

On Memorial Day, I got to run in the Boulder Boulder with Lee. I think a 10K is the such a great race distance. We had such a blast meeting up before and after work to train 12 weeks before the race and I loved every second of race day with all 6'6 of him running by my side. The day could not have been better.

Running is my therapy, my social outlet, my passion, my hobby. It challenges me, frustrates me, and brings me so much life and joy. Its so hard and so rewarding all at the same time. I love that so many people in my life enjoy running as much as I do. I love the competition, I love the challenge of meeting a goal time, I love the adventure of discovering a new trail, I love a new pair of shoes, I love packet pick up, I love pre- race peanut butter toast with banana, I love post-race meals, I love free swag. I love to race, I love to run.

Happy National Running Day! Thanks for letting me reminisce with you!

~ Mekenzie

New Facebook Page!

Hello to our dear readers,

We have made a new Facebook page specific to our blog, where we will be updating all the new posts and fun happenings rather than using our personal pages.

We would love it if you would go and 'like' our page!

www.facebook.com/SerendipitousGirlsBlog

Happy Monday!