This morning I awoke feeling a little stressed out. My email inbox was basically screaming at me after I neglected it over the past few days, so I skipped my morning workout and started working promptly at 6:45 a.m.
Once I started checking things off my to-do list and started to feel like I could breathe again, I decided to tackle one of the more fun things on my list… making granola!
I had two jars of my peanut butter granola to make as part of a fundraiser I agreed to contribute to and you better believe I ate a bunch of the delicious oat clusters in the process.
As I was making this granola, I got a genius idea for another granola recipe that I hope to make in the future. Stay tuned! 
I ended up eating a lot more of the leftover granola than I intended to, and was left feeling quite lethargic… which left me feeling less than motivated to get my butt to the gym.
Workout
I knew I’d feel better after a workout, so I drove to the gym and completed this steady state cardio workout:
- 15 min. elliptical
- 10 min. run
- 5 min. inline walk
- 25 min. elliptical
After just 10 minutes on the elliptical, I got into my groove and my “meh” feelings subsided. Exercise is a great attitude adjuster!
While working out, I listened to my iPod while reading the closed captioning on some trivia shows.
I must say that late morning television is a lot better than the television that I usually see at the gym between 5 and 7 a.m. At 5 a.m. infomercials and the news rule the channels (not that I don’t love watching all the different meals you can make with Ronco “set it and forget it” machine).
In the late morning, trivia shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? are on, which entertain me a lot because I can still jam out to one of my workout playlists while distracting myself with trivia! Win, win.
Snack… Lunch
When I came home from the gym, I figured I should grab lunch, but my stomach still felt quite full from this morning’s granola overload.
I kept lunch on the lighter side by eating snacky type foods full of beneficial nutrients.
A cup of Oikos honey fig Greek yogurt topped with Multigrain Cheerios was paired with purple grapes and pistachios.
This was my first time trying the Oikos honey fig yogurt and I really enjoyed it. I typically top my plain Greek yogurt with honey, so I had a feeling I would like this new flavor and I was right!
In other news, tonight’s dinner includes vegetables!!! Can you believe it? I’m a little shocked myself. Can’t say I’m going to miss those hotel dinners…
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Sometimes all it takes is getting the clothes on and the butt out of the door to the gym 🙂
Seriously, what would we do without a good workout?! It makes the day SO much better!
Enjoy your veggies tonight!!
Just what I needed to inspire me to workout…feeling so lazy today! 😉 You go girl!
Can’t wait to see what you’re making tonight! 🙂
Those grapes look great. Have you tried them frozen? I was at a conference this week and had down time so I headed up to the pool. A few moments later a hotel worker started handing out cups of frozen purple grapes. It was the perfect summer snack and definitely cooled me down! You should try it!
YAY for veggies!!! Welcome back!
I couldn’t agree with you more about exercise being a great attitude adjuster! Those first 10 minutes or so can be a little rough, but past that makes it definitely worth it. I’m relieved I’m not the only one this morning that had a hard time getting in an early morning workout… Sometimes you just have to do what you’re feeling and will be best for you at that specific time.
I still need to try making some of your peanut butter granola! I think I’m a little nervous to with the fear that I’ll eat it ALL!
Enjoy your veggies tonight! After a full day with nothing green I ate a ginormous salad for lunch today that was amazing.
So glad you’re reuniting with veggies tonight!
And goodness, aren’t pistachios addicting? I swear I could eat them all.day.long!
haaa. Ryan and I sometimes randomly get sucked into “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” if we come across it at night. Quality entertainment, right there.
The granola looks tasty… cute ribbons 🙂
I love grapes! I wish they were cheaper! When they go on sale for $0.99/lb, I stock up like crazy! Plus, frozen grapes > nonfrozen grapes
I’m so with you on the working out being an attitude adjuster. I ALWAYS feel so much better mentally and physically after a hard, sweaty workout!
I’m always motivated by one of your older posts where you said to workout because you CAN. Remembering that is usually all it takes!
Stonyfield Oikos is my favorite greek yogurt by far! I didn’t know they had a honey fig flavor. I’ll have to try it.
Glad you’ve got a kitchen again! Veggies are the best! :] Enjoy them tonight.
The best cure for a “blah” day is to workout! Glad you motivated yourself to do it! 🙂
I love your peanut butter granola recipe. I make it at least once a week and just made it yesterday with almond butter. So I can’t wait to here your latest idea.
I totally agree about late morning TV. I always get stuck with the morning news at 5:30am and it can get so depressing. Not the best way to start the day!
So I saw raisinetes in one of your recent meal posts (this morning I think?!) and it made me remember that I had a box in my desk drawer so I added it to my yogurt today and I am in LOVE! They are soooo good!
Those jars are so cute. I love things like that. They make great gifts and are a fun homemade project- great idea!
Your granola looks incredible!!!
I definitely feel that a good workout improves my mood about 99% of the time!
I have been eating pistachios like they are going out of style!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay veggies! I haven’t been on the veggie train either…it’s difficult to do when you are out and about having a good time, or living in temp. housing!
I have missed reading as I have been super busy and not by a computer a whole lot! I look forward to catching up on your posts ASAP! 🙂
Julie, thank you SO much for donating your peanut butter granola to my online bake sale. Because of the generous donations of the bakers and bidders, the online bake sale raised $735! I’m totally blown away by this and couldn’t be more thankful for everyone’s help. Thanks again! 🙂
I *always* feel better after a workout…that is, unless I’ve been snacking during it. Then sometimes I feel a bit yucky. 😛
Can’t wait for another granola recipe :). Whenever I don’t really feeling like working out I always tell myself that I usually feel better once I start doing it- and it’s true! Sometimes I watch funny shows while I’m on a cardio machine and the laughing sometimes messes me up haha.
Mid-day my gym has Housewives reruns on and it totally makes me happy.
I agree–late morning television is always better than early morning. I used to be an avid Blind Date watcher 😉
I love the new oikos, its super sweet though so I’m a little afraid to look at the sugar content :C
Just be careful not to say the answers out loud. I was watching Jeapordy last week at the gym with my headphones on and yelled out ‘Ohio’. I got some funny looks.
That fig flavor sounds refreshing and something I’d like.. we used to have figs all the time when I was a kid growing up!
I always watch the news at the gym.. it’s the only time I’m really paying attention the tv with complete attention most days haha.
All that granola looks too amazing!
Now that I don’t have a meal plan, I’m gonna have to figure something out about food.
sometimes I feel that way too, I have to get other things that are stressing me out done before I feel like I can go workout! Other days I know my workout is what I need to get past to begin the rest of my days, so I do that first, like today!
This is silly, but what’s an inline walk? I did a bootcamp class this morning for the first time at my gym. Yikes was it ever bootcamp. I was dying during it, but so happy I did it! 🙂
You know, the other day I actually spent about five minutes pondering how one could go about actually making an egg patty. muffin tins? microwave? couldn’t figure it out. Hahaha I guess that is all we need to know about why you shouldn’t eat them!
Yay for vegetables at dinner! There’s nothing like being back in the kitchen 🙂
Yay for non hospital food 🙂
I loveee working out first thing in the morning, but the TV selection is horrible. I like mixing it up in the afternoon and being distracted by juicy shows on TLC and E! 🙂
I recently made your peanut butter granola for two of my clients, and they gobbled it up right in front of me! Soooo good. 🙂
There are a total of 15 (I think) TVs at the gym I go to in the morning. So there is usually a lot to choose from to watch. However, one side of the gym is all news and informercials, and the other side of the gym is HGTV and “Boy Meets World.” So depending on what kind of cardio I do usually depends on what I end up watching. I chose the stationary bicycle today (knees were sore from running yesterday!) and watched the news and an infomercial on Sensa.
Still, I would rather get up and get the gym out of the way in the morning. It beats going when it is overcrowded after workd! And it helps me start my day off right.
Honey fig yogurt? Get in my belly.
Exercise totally cheers me up too! It’s the best! I got to watch Regis & Kelly while I worked out today! 🙂
Gotta love those endorphins! Exercise is thee best 🙂
Working out is a *great* attitude adjustment! -If only I could exercise over lunch hour! I bet I’d be a better person!!! 🙂
I love the idea of hopping from one maching to another to beat boredom.
yum, honey fig greek yogurt. I never saw it. Looks awesome though!!!!!
Exercise is the greatest mood booster for me! It’s so much better than sitting around being moody or lazy!
I just made my first batch of granola last Saturday and it was love. (Adapted from/inspired by your cinnamon chia seed granola, in fact!). I can’t wait to experiment with more varieties of homemade granola, because it is SO. GOOD.
I tried to make that granola the other day and got sidetracked. Even one minute over the timer going off and I burned it! Wahh! lol. I can’t wait to see the honey fig Oikos in stores around here! It sounds tasty! 🙂
Roasting veggies is my favorite way to prepare them. They’re so yummy and even left over, they taste great. I burned the first few batches I made too. But now we’re old pros!
The hardest part of working out is definitely the getting ready part! Once I’m there, I more often than not get into the groove of things and end up having a great workout! Nice job 🙂
You’re so right…exercise is an amazing attitude adjuster. I’m doing the same this morniong – a little work, then headign off to get my sweat on at the gym 🙂 Thank you for the timely affirmation and inspiration! You granola looks deeeelicious! xyx