That 5 a.m. alarm sure came early this morning!
After getting out of our normal early-morning workout routine for the past couple of weeks, it honestly felt good to be working out before the sun came up.
There’s just something about checking my workout off my to-do list first thing in the morning that sets my day in motion in a positive way. It’s those endorphins, I’m tellin’ ya.
Some unforeseen great news? Our drive to the gym only took us 11 minutes! That’s nine less than we initially predicted!
Workout
My workout began with 20 minutes on the elliptical beside Ryan. We laughed because we both felt more fatigued than usual. I guess skipping 5 a.m. workouts for a few weeks will do that to you. (Side note: If you want to be a morning gym-goer but can’t seem to get yourself out of bed, you may enjoy this past PBF post: How to Work Out in the Morning.)
After our time on the elliptical, Ryan and I split up to do our own weights workouts.
My session included three sets of 15 repetitions of the following:
- Leg extensions
- Hamstring curls
- Tricep pulldowns
- Chest press
- One-legged leg extensions
- Super set: Bicep curls + Front shoulder raises
- Super set: Push ups (on my knees) + 30 bridges
- Ab work on exercise ball
Breakfast
When we came home from the gym, I made us a hot breakfast. It sure feels good to have access to not only a legitimate kitchen but also all of my usual kitchen supplies.
Since it’s almost September, I figured a fall favorite – pumpkin oatmeal – was appropriate.
I changed up my usual pumpkin protein oats a bit and made pumpkin banana oatmeal for us to enjoy.
Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal
Serves 2
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 large banana, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/3 cup pumpkin
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Nutmeg, to taste
Instructions:
- Boil 1 3/4 cup water
- Add oats and reduce to medium heat
- Allow oats to cook for three minutes
- Add half of the banana slices and brown sugar to the oats and continue to cook on medium heat for another minute
- Stir in pumpkin and cinnamon
- Allow to cook until oats thicken, about two to three more minutes
- Pour oats into a bowl, top with remaining banana slices and sprinkle with nutmeg
This breakfast tasted like fall in a bowl.
And speaking of fall, I am so over the heat in Florida right now. As Ryan and I were moving a bunch of boxes into our new rental house yesterday, it was in the 90s and we were dripping sweat. I cannot wait for the days of scarfs, boots and cuddling on the couch wrapped in a blanket. We have a good two months to go before that happens in Ocala…
Question of the Morning
- What is your favorite season? Why?
When I lived in Illinois I loved summer. Now that I live in Florida, I’m all about the fall! I love the beginning of the holiday season and I feel like fall just has a certain coziness to it that I adore.
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I 100% agree about the coziness of fall. It’s my favorite season by far!!
Mmmm that oatmeal sounds de-lish! My favorite season is fall! I love how the air is brisk and cold yet hot enough to be able to walk outside =]
I live in Wisconsin, so I love spring and fall. I grew up in Illinois, too (Grayslake, which is in the north-east corner of the state). Where did you live?
i lived in palatine (a northwest suburb of chicago). loved it there.
I definitely agree with you about summer in Florida. I used to live in Miami and we’d pray for a good 60 degree day. Now living in Michigan, I appreciate the warmer temperatures…just wish winter wasn’t so long!
I love everything about fall – the flavors, the colors, and being able to wear jeans and scarves again! That pumpkin banana oatmeal looks absolutely delicious and perfect for a fall breakfast!
FALL all the way, mainly because of pumpkin ; )
I love fall too, but I’d take the blazing heat over winter any day! I hope we have 2 more months of summer!!
I LOVE summer! I love the heat (although not when it gets oppresive!) & I’m a teacher so no work = complete awesomeness!
I was NEVER a morning person but have been doing a lot of morning workouts the past year, especially this summer. I also love having it done and over with and the rest of the day to do everything else on my list!
Summer is my #1 favorite season because I am a beach bum, but fall is a close second. Here in MD the temps stay warm in the fall so we can still do plenty outside. And I LOVE pumpkin beers 🙂
Oh my goodness, this just sounds amazing.
I saw a “Pumpkin available” sign at the DD drive through yesterday and I’m pretty sure my heart fluttered several times. I’m convinced that pumpkin and fall are pretty much the most amazing things in life 🙂
I can’t wait to start adding pumpkin to everything again, but summer is definitely my favorite season. I’m all about the sunshine!
I’m a spring kind of girl from Texas 🙂 But yack I can only imagine moving tons of boxes in 90 degree weather. On Saturday it was 110 here. 110! WITH humidity! I wanted to crawl in a ball and turn the AC to like 60 hahaha.
The fall season is always nostalgic for me. Holidays, family, yummy food….I love it all. I also really love fall fashion!! You can’t beat a cozy sweater with boots!
Good luck unpacking and organizing!
There really is nothing like Autumn in NYC. It’s so crisp and cool. We go apple picking, leaf jumping, there are bonfires upstate. The farmer’s markets are overflowing, the decorations are particularly beautiful.
That bowl of oats looks fantastic! Can’t wait for everything pumpkin.
My favorite season is Fall. It means warmer clothes, but it’s not so cold that you can’t get out and do a lot of outdoor activities. I miss wearing boots!
I love LOVE Summer. I also love Winter because it means the holidays. Fall has some great fashion though!
I was thinking about pumpkin overnight oats on my run this morning–with apple slices for dipping! Need to make that happen soon.
I’m a summer girl for sure. I’ve always loved the heat and I’m actually a little sad that it’s over. 🙁
I live in Chicago now, so summer has become my favorite because Fall just makes me dread the winter ahead. But when I was in SC, and even growing up in Kansas City, Fall has always been my favorite: crisp cool air, cute clothes and boots, football, and the anticipation of the holidays! Oh and my birthday doesn’t hurt either.
Pumpkin seems to be a theme this weekend. I made a pumpkin pudding Saturday morning, mmmm. I guess none of us can hardly wait for the Fall!
Pumpkin oatmeal sounds so delicious but I’ve never been able to get into it! I wonder if I was maybe adding too much pumpkin? I would add about 1/3 cup for 1 serving and you did 1/3 cup for two–that could be my problem!
I’m all about fall. 😀 FAVORITE season! Actually, to be honest every season is my favorite when I begin to anticipate it. Then by the end of that season I’m all ready for the next one.
I absolutely love fall. It gives me such a cozy feeling and I love the anticipation of the Holiday’s!
Mmm, pumpkin definitely just popped back onto my radar! I haven’t thought about it since last winter, but you better believe I’ll be downing 1-2 cans/week once the cool weather hits. 🙂
My favorite season is definitely summer, however I find myself looking forward to the crisp fall air now that I live in swamp-land Washington DC. 🙂 I only wish that we could go from fall to spring! Winter is waaaay too long. But then again, I feel more inspired to bake when it’s cold out…And that’s a very, very GOOD thing. 🙂
I recently moved from IL to TX and I know it sounds weird, but I miss the “smell” the winter now. The crisp cool air made me want to cuddle up with my hubby, and read a book all night. I never thought id miss the winter…but it turns out, I do!
I live in Illinois and I love the fall! By the end of the summer, I am so sick of the fall that the cooler weather is a treat. I love being outside in the fall, fall sweater, and Halloween!
Fall is definitely my favorite! It’s my birthday season, I love the breeze in the air and the anticipation (but not yet the craziness) of the holidays. You’ll get to feel even more fall weather in Ocala than you did in Orlando! When I lived in Gainesville, the fall season was amazing.
I also can’t wait for fall, especially with the 100+ temps we’ve had in Texas for months it seems! I’ve been making fall recipes to try and change the weather. 🙂 Fall had always been my favorite season -the food, crisp weather, comfy clothes, Thanksgiving! I wish it lasted longer here. Winter and Summer seem to last FOREVER but Spring and Autumn are shorter.
Fall in Indiana, is hands down the greatest. The running weather is perfect, my birthday is in late October, You can have the greatest snack mix ever (Candy Corn and Roasted Peanuts), also, candy is on the menu for all meals since its sells everywhere for Halloween, apple orchards may just be the next best things to farmers markets, Libby Canned Pumpkin is NOT scarce, and also its Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs!
Mmmm I’ve just been LOVING pumpkin oats and yogurt lately!! who says we can’t start early? 😉
I live in Illinois and I personally love the fall. At this point, I’m sick of summer. The weather the past week has been perfect. I get up for my morning run and its in the 60’s. I tend to sweat a lot when I work out and this temperature keeps the sweat to a minimum.
My only problem with the fall: allergies. Harvest season bites the big one but the temperature makes it all worth it.
Spring, because it feels like the world is waking up.
I really love the Fall! Everything about it makes me happy…changing leaves rustling on the ground, pumpkin, apples, cranberries, chunky sweaters, curling up with a hot cup of chai on the couch…it’s all good stuff 🙂
So excited that fall is coming! Time to hoard some canned pumpkin 🙂
I love fall. It has the best food!
I always love the transition seasons– fall and spring are my favorite. However, the smell of burning charcoal in summer reminds me of camping and I love that too! …just don’t love summer in SoCal. It’s in the 90’s every day here too!
I’d be a big fan of fall if it just led straight into spring.
Fall is my favorite season too 😉 Especially now that it’ll serve as a reminder of when my baby is due. And how can you NOT love a season that is all about stuffing your face with awesome food!?
Yes! Fall is my absolute favorite! It’s got everything I love: new fall fashion (:-) ), football, cooler temps, beautiful foliage, halloween (my fav holiday!), turkey & gravy, and oh did I mention COOLER TEMPS for running outside? 😉 I’m with ya on waiting on Fall to get here!
I agree with you; fall is my absolute favorite!! i love the colors, the crispness of the air, the smells (who doesn’t love pumpkin everything???), and the anticipation of the coming holiday season. I also love apple cider, sweater dresses, boots, scarves, and vests. Seriously so excited for fall to come!!!
Fall, by a landslide, but now that I live in Portland, that may change. I hear it rains here just a little bit (read: everyday for 9 months!). Oh vey.
You’re absolutely right! Chicago summers are so tough to beat! Concerts, baseball games, and the city beaches are wonderful for the mid-20’s 🙂
Personally, even loving the Summer…I am a fall girl. Something about football season, jeans and hoodies makes me feel super cozy!
you’re making me miss chicago even more!
Come visit anytime!
Great! It’s good to be in your home I guess! And I think that because you go the to gym early you might have less traffic therefore you arrive more quickly!
By far, my favorite season is fall! I love the cool crisp air the most, and always think back to my parents house growing up filled with family, friends, football and good smells coming from the kitchen! I also love all the pumpkin goodies everywhere!!! I’m also looking forward to fall this year so I can get some relief from this heat! Being pregnant in the summer is not fun!
LOVE THIS!!! I am making it tomorrow.. Thank you for the inspiration 🙂
woo! hope you like it!
Your pumpkin oats look tasty!
I’m sipping pumpkin spice tea for the first time this year. Today seemed like the perfect day to break it out because it was chilly on the way to the gym this morning. Fall is definitely in the air.
winter is my favorite, especially living in florida…because it’s the ONLY season (if you can even call it that) in which the humidity dies down enough for me to not have to fuss about my hair as much.
i spent the first 7 years of my life up north (NY and MN), and i swear the snow-bunny in me never left. i would love to retire in colorado or somewhere equally beautiful year round, with lots and lots of snow in the winter.
must say though, i LOVE fall as well…especially the annual return of the pumpkin spice latte!
Mmmm i love pumpkin and all things fall. I made something similar to this the other day! I can’t wait to stock up on pumpkin for the year, I’m down to two cans. It must feel great to be in your own kitchen!
I love all seasons, which is why I’m a great New Englander! Once I get tired of one, the next is right on its heels. Winter can get quite long, though.
mmm i love pumpkin anything!! Pumpkin oatmeal, bread..beer..you name it! i love fall..its definitely my favorite. the clothes are the cutest and the food is soo comforting!
I heart fall! And I love that everyone else seems to be on board as well! 🙂
This is my first fall that I won’t be returning to classes so it’s going to be a different September, but I’m looking forward to crisp mornings and falling leaves!
ps. I think pumpkin oatmeal is on the menu for tomorrow’s breakfast…looks delicious!
Summer is my favorite! Living in NC, the seasons are long enough to make me always anticipate the next season (EXCEPT winter)! Can’t wait for fall…and definitely can’t wake to make a bunch of pumpkin recipes. Great oatmeal recipe…definitely making this sometime this week 🙂
I love the fall! Everything about it: the fall-like drinks, the fashions, the weather. It’s the best. 🙂