Sometimes a little change is all I need to rejuvenate my workouts.
I am really, really enjoying my new workout plan. Concentrating on one major muscle group leaves my muscles feeling worked and fatigued by the end of my strength training.
I love it!
Today’s workout began with 20 minutes of light cardio on the elliptical. Then I hopped off to complete this leg workout:
| Exercise | Reps | Sets |
| Squats | 100 | As many as it takes to get to 100 |
| Lunges | 15 each leg | 3 |
| Deadlifts | 15 | 3 |
| One-legged leg press | 15 each leg | 3 |
| Step ups | 15 each leg | 3 |
| Hamstring curls | 15 | 3 |
Ryan gave me the idea to begin my workout with 100 squats. When he worked out with his friend Ben, a personal trainer, for a month (the same guy who led the blogger boot camp), Ben would have him attempt to do 100 squats in a row. If he couldn’t get all 100 (which usually he couldn’t), he would just break them up and rest when he needed to until all 100 squats were completed.
I did 50 in a row before doing 25, then 10 and then 15. It was intense… but in a good way! I actually think I could increase my weight a little bit, but I wanted to start at a weight within 15 pounds of the weight I used for squats in BodyPump just to try it out.
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning was more than blog worthy!
I finally got it right. My long-awaited pumpkin protein pancakes!
I made a batch for Ryan and for myself and the minute Ryan bit into his pancakes, he said, “These have to go on the blog!” That’s the seal of approval I needed to share the recipe with you guys.
Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Serves one (makes three medium-sized pancakes)
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions:
- Spray pan with cooking spray and heat to a medium heat
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend with an immersion blender until batter is relatively smooth and all ingredients are fully mixed
- Pour batter onto the warm pan to form three medium-sized pancakes
- Allow to cook until edges start to harden, about three minutes
- Flip pancakes and allow to cook until batter is no longer runny, about two more minutes
- Top with syrup, nutmeg or desired toppings and enjoy
I have a feeling these pancakes will be popping up on the blog quite often as the seasons change and the weather becomes cooler.
I’m so antsy for boot-wearin’ weather!
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Your pancake pictures were just too tempting! I immediately went into the kitchen to whip up a batch. For anyone who needs to use a regular blender, add about a half cup of milk/milk substitute to get the blender churning. I used light vanilla silk and added a couple drops of vanilla extract for some extra punch! I was also out of honey so I used a tablespoon of Smucker’s sugar free syrup. They turned out great! Thanks for the idea, Julie! Off to enjoy my food coma until class! 😉
awesome!! so glad they worked for you!
100 squats? My legs feel like jello just thinking about it! Thanks for the recipe too. I feel like pumpkin pancakes are a hard one to master because the pumpkin really changes the consistency of the batter to be very moist!
Looking forward to trying ’em!
I love the idea of cottage cheese in pancakes to pack a protein punch but I just have one question- does it make the pancake all lumpy?
not at all. the immersion blender took out all of the lumps!
I just made these exact pancakes this past weekend! I used Greek yogurt though instead of the cottage cheese and they were delicious! Loving that pumpkin is back and readily available I have about a thousand pumpkin recipes that I want to make!
Yay, glad I’m not the only one breaking out the pumpkin! These might make an appearance on Sunday for pancake day 🙂
Julie, I am loving your new workout plan. I am training for a half right now, and I feel like I’ve been neglecting my weight workouts in favor of running, but I like how you break it up to totally fatigue whatever you’re working. I am thinking of doing something similar. Maybe a legs day, then an upper body day, then a back/abs day.
you can make these in the food pro, ( I make a similar recipe) and the lumps disappear.
Those look so good! I’m sipping pumpkin iced coffee and I can’t wait for fall either…except I hate to wish the cold because then it will be never ending!
Girrrrl 100 squats!? Will you be able to sit tomorrow? Ya know, without sorta falling into your chair?? 😉
Mmm those pancakes look good. Is there any substitute for an immersion blender? Like: Stir for 35 minutes until arm falls off.
I just made the statement that boots are the ONLY good thing about winter! I’m shopping around for a splurge-worthy pair and have a whole Pinterest page devoted to the process!
I’m thinking about splitting my workouts up instead of doing full-body every time. I feel like I could devote two days a week to just lower body and one day to upper body maybe.
I can’t wait to give these a try!!! I had your sausage stuffed acorn squash recipe last night and it was delicious! Although I used ground turkey instead of sausage since that’s what I had. I’ve saved the other half for tomorrow night! (Would eat it today, but I’m stuck at school all day, don’t get home until 8:30!)
Great tip on the squats. I usually baby out after doing 40 – 50, but 100 sounds like a good goal. Fatigue those legs!
I’m so trying those pancakes. The muffins from the other day were a great success so I’m sure these are awesome too. Love pumpkin time!
These sound (and look) SO yummy! I don’t usually eat cottage cheese. Do you think greek yogurt would give it a similar texture without changing the flavor too much?
I am SO antsy for boot weather too. I just dropped off a bunch of boots to be weather proofed and shined and there maaaay be a new pair on the way from piperlime. 🙂 NYC is still pretty hot and muggy, but I will be ready to rock when the temperature drops!
you honestly can’t taste the cottage cheese in this recipe AT ALL, but i think greek yogurt would be a great substitute!
I am so ready to wear boots too! I have lost 55 pounds, and will be buying a pair of taller boots this year. I never wanted a pair that went over my calf before because they would have been too tight! So excitingt!
Wooo I loooove protein pancakes! and I’m so excited for the fall cooking mmmm pumpkiiiin!
Those look deliiiiish!!! And I’m super excited for boot weather, for SURE!
Pumpkin pancakes are perfect this time of year! I have a recipe I love to use with protein powder and flaxseed, other than that very similar to your recipe. Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
~Kari
kariburghardt.blogspot.com
Those pancakes look tasty and seem like a great way to ring in fall. Yum!!
Perfect recipe for fall! Love it 🙂
haha I’ve been eating these (not exact same recipe) quite a bit lately~punkin is always such a feel good ingredient, especially in the am! 🙂
Oooh, now I want to try starting with 100 squats next workout!
I need protein pancakes in my life!!!!!
Oh yummy. This is definitely my kind of recipe. Thanks for sharing it Julie!
I just bought big-girl boots that made my bank account sad but my heart happy. 🙂
what kind of syrup do you use??
it was a maple syrup that comes in a container shaped like a maple leaf. not sure what the brand is called!
Oh yum these look glorious, I am excited they are probably going to make a regular appearance on your blog 🙂
May I ask, how long do they keep you full for? I enjoy pancakes but haven’t made them in so long because they never keep me full and in all honesty, I fear being hungry! Ugh the joys of disordered eating, but I am so getting better 🙂
these are really filling… prob because of all the protein and fiber. i’m usually hungry an hour after eating regular pancakes, but these kept me feeling satisfied for much longer.
100 squats! You go girl! 🙂 I broke out the pumpkin pancakes already too. There is no going back now. 😉
100 squats!? I am totally trying that out tomorrow.
Those pancakes look awesome!!! Also, I can’t believe you did 100 squats!!! Holy crap!
I love pancakes, and pumpkin — those look amazing! I’ll definitely be trying this recipe when I get my hands on some pumpkin 🙂
I can’t wait to make these! YUM! I think it will be a perfect weekend breakfast treat for my pumpkin obsessed boyfriend! 😀 Thanks so much!
a) I just made a protein pancake recipe from Tina over at Carrots n Cake and LOVED them. I love pumpkin even more…I’m making these as soon as I get my hands on another can of pumpkin + some cottage cheese.
b) Love that you are splitting up your workouts too! My core plan for the week now includes chest on Mon, legs on Tues, off on Wed, back on Thurs, arms Fri with 20 min of HIIT on the elliptical most days. Sat I do yoga once in a while or just do cardio. It works so well!
c) 100 squats?! Love that idea, especially because I never know how to start my leg workouts and just settle on a random leg machine most times.
Just curious, when you say “increase the weights” regarding squats, what kind of weights are you doing? Are you just holding dumbells down by your side or lifting them as you are squatting?
i had a bar with weights on the side that i balanced on the “meaty” part of my shoulders.. i used a normal squat rack.
Wow 100 squats?! That sounds super hard!! But I like what you’re doing by focusing on one section for your workout- great idea! And these pancakes look delish! I would never have thought to add cottage cheese?! I don’t have an immersion blender, but can I’ll try blending in just a regular blender!
Yay for gluten-free pancakes! Delicious.
Very excited to try your pumpkin pancakes… Also, I don’t know if you are fan of banana’s but you can used banana to make a pancake base just like you use the pumpkin…
I’m sure this is a silly questions, but being new to blogging I need a little help. How do I link my blog in the Name field without assigning the whole address.
Thanks, Sarah
Oats, cottage cheese, and pumpkin? Um, yeah. I’m making these this weekend.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I recently have developed a gluten allergy and haven’t found many recipes yet for delicious pancakes that use everyday ingredients. I will definitely be making these!
How much weight did you use for the squat
yum yum yum, these pancakes look healthy AND delicious!
I’m so excited for the pumpkin pancake recipe finally! I can’t wait to try them out! Perhaps over the weekend! I still need to go buy some of the ingredients!
oooh. yummy!
Insanely jealous you worked out…my sorority is participating in recruitment this week and I have decided extra sleep>working out…I miss it!
I’m really excited about this recipe. Every protein pancake recipe I’ve seen involves protein powder, which doesn’t sit well with my stomach. This sounds really great and I love the pumpkin addition!
I love the 100 squats idea! I read about it in an Oxygen magazine, and thought it was awesome! 😀 I’ve been totally inspired by your leg workout, and cannot wait to do the same one tomorrow…thanks so much for sharing and for the inspiration! <3 xyx
I can’t wait to try these! I’m craving all things pumpkin right now.
I LOVE pumpkin. Seriously, I feel like someone could win my heart just by baking me a pumpkin pie.
Yum! Those look amazing! I can’t wait to make them 🙂