Sadie and I were able to pound out five miles without feeling too overheated, though judging by my sweat-soaked sports bra, you’d think we went running in the Sahara.
Needless to say, a hot breakfast simply wouldn’t do today .
You know what that means…
Smoothie!
Smoothie time!
Today’s smoothie contained:
- 3/4 c. frozen strawberries
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 scoop All the Whey strawberry protein powder
- 5 ice cubes
- 3/4 c. water
- 1 small handful of spinach
I whirred everything up until this thick, creamy delight was ready to be slurrped down.
Cold 'n' Creamy
Post-Run Treat
Served in Ryan's Cup
Toward the end of my run today, I started thinking about this smoothie.
During the last mile or so of my runs, I always think about my “reward” following the run. It’s never anything amazing, but it helps motivate me to crank out the last mile.
Today’s reward was this smoothie, followed by 10 minutes of stretching and cuddling with Sadie. (The cuddling was forced upon me, as Sadie doesn’t understand that sitting on the floor to stretch doesn’t really involve her.)
Do you reward yourself with a special meal or other treat after a tough workout?
I try to stay away from rewarding myself with cookies or other indulgent foods after a tough workout. I think healthy foods refuel me better and leave me feeling more satisfied. Refilling my tank with fresh fruits, whole grains and high-protein yogurt = instant satisfaction!
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I ran 5 miles yesterday morning and came home and made myself a green monster. Along with that, I had a peanut butter finger!!! that was a special treat for me!
Ahhh, smoothies in the heat of summer are so perfect. I crave them, June through August!
Since I work out after work, my reward is dinner. A smoothie would be nice, but not quite what I want for dinner.
Julie, how do you know how much of everything to put in your smoothies? is it just trial and error?
definitely just trial & error. i just do a little o’ this & a little o’ that & hope it turns out okay. after making 3 smoothies or so, it become pretty easy to guess what will & will not work.
Haha my cat loves to rub her furry body all over my sweaty self when I sit down to stretch, It’s lovely.
Thinking of your post-run meal is always a good way to power through a difficult run. Anything that gets me to food faster!
Sometimes I use food as a motivator, but sometimes (when I’m working real hard) I obviously can’t even think about eating without throwing up. But on days when I’m just weight-training or something, breakfast is generally a great incentative to hurry up and crank out the last couple sets!
I usually picture myself in some big race to motivate me towards the end of my runs! Dorky…but it works! 🙂
Ohh, I want that cup!! The “R” can also stand for Rachel… just sayin… 😉
I’m tellin’ you girl, we’re on the same wavelength! I enjoyed myself a delicious strawberry banana (& cantaloupe) smoothie this morning too! 😀
Hey! New reader to your blog, but I totally get the post-run reward as a motivation to churn out those last few miles (or sometimes, to go on the run to begin with). My favorite reward after long runs is half a cantaloupe stuffed with yogurt, peanut butter, cereal, and mixed fruit.
I love rewarding myself with a big, cool green monster! It’s the best!
ash – i seriously have got to try making some of your smoothies. the pumpkin one the other day looked delicious. also i loved the part about sadie. dogs are cute like that. if i ever try doing a workout video at home, my family’s three little dogs will try and give me kisses during any of the floor portions
Julie, do you know you were mentioned on yumsugar the other day? Congrats to you!
I do tend to think about my next meal or snack that comes after I workout. It is usually a green monster. Totally fulfilling!
I love reading about how it is hot other places, it helos me know that there IS heat somewhere! As I sit here shivering under blankets, robes, and heavy duty clothes, I need some sort of hope!
I love having a green smoothie to recharge me after a sweaty workout. It works wonders and keeps me full so that my fingers don’t stray towards the ice cream or stuffing myself with bread. Yogurt and fruits are good too!
Out of curiosity, how many different flavors of protein powder do you have? It always seems like you’re using a different one everyday!
i have five: chocolate peanut butter cup, strawberry, cupcake batter, vanilla & cinnamon. sometimes i’ll take a scoop from ryan’s stash as well (he always has plain choc. on hand).
My dogs do the same thing. I sit on the floor to stretch and they are alll over me. And then the licking ensues b/c Im all salty and it’s just gross!
CUPCAKE batter! Please let us know what store you get that from (sounds amazing). Maybe you should do a post on your protein powders – as weird as that sounds I’m new to protein powder and would love to know more
i buy it online at nutraplanet.com! 🙂 all the whey is the brand.
thanks!
Hey Julie! How are yah dear? You probally already know this, but justy thought I’d let yah know your Pumpkin smoothie recipe you made the other day is featured on Fitsugar.com! How cool!:)
http://www.fitsugar.com/Vegan-Cherry-Dessert-Ab-Exercises-Lauren-Conrad-New-Face-Got-Milk-Campaign-8816564 (hers the link!)
so exciting!!!!! :o)
Ahh I bet Otwon is on fire. My bro said it’s business as usual down there in the heat. Glad you are going on runs early.
I have a BlenderBottle and on the days that I do hard workouts, at least 2x a week, I have that little guy waiting on me. Delish! I also like Clif Builder bars, they really pack a protein punch.
My dog constantly drops the ball on me when I am lying in the floor, they need a workout too:)
i reward myself always with some sort of post workout meal!! whether it be a smoothie or yogurt and kashi…always need to refuel afterwards!
Question: Do you eat before you run in the morning? I can never eat before I run, but I run on the treamill and I think it would be different if I run outside in the heat. I’m going to start to move my runs outside soon so thats why I ask.
Thanks girl!! Hope you are having a great day!!
no i don’t. i get SO crampy if i eat prior to running. i am trying to work into it slowly though. before my long run last saturday, i ate a small handful of nuts which seemed to go down okay. as i do more long runs during my half marathon training, i’m going to try to incorporate some kind of fuel (gatorade, gels, etc.) during my runs.
My dog Chester does the same thing! When I try to do yoga and he lies down underneath me…when I try to do crunches/abs, he lies on my face!
Having a 90lb black lab on your face is quite an experience!
I usually reward myself with a delicious coconut water after a really hard workout!
I definitely reward myself with this delicious recovery drink post-workout. It’s chocolate protein powder, a little skim milk, a little water, ice cubes, and lots of cocoa powder. It’s amazing, and it certainly helps me push through a tough sweat sesh.
Any reason for not putting the xanthan gum in the last few smoothies? I really enjoy your blog too 🙂
i honestly just forgot! they’ve been pretty thick on their own though, which is prob. why it has slipped my mind. i still love xanthan gum!
Hahah, your comment about Sadie not letting you stretch is sooo true. My parents had a yellow lab growing up and when any of us got down on the floor to stretch/lay down – whatever – they took it as an excuse to climb all over us. Hilarious
Sounds HOT in FL!!!! I’m in WA state and I wish it were hotter here–maybe not THAT hot, but still, it’s supposed to be summer/1
I made a post-hot yoga smoothie last night and wanted to tell you I used the method of adding guar gum to thicken it. I made it with frozen cherry/berries and almond milk and also added some maca, pro powder and chocolate greens mix. It tasted alright but kind of had a weird consistency….maybe I added too much guar gum? How much do you usually add?
i use xanthan gum & usually a tsp. is plenty!
Julie, I live in Orlando too so I understand the heat, except it’s hard for me to be motivated enough to run or bike when the instant I walk outside I already feel myself starting to sweat. I normally run a mile and it’s difficult to be motivated, so how do you motivate yourself to run five? Also, did you find your smoothie recipes from somewhere or do you just experiment as you go? 🙂 Thanks!!
what time do you go running? if it’ after 8am, i honestly feel like it’s too hot for me! i’d definitely recommend completing outdoor workouts before 7:30 a.m. in florida in the summer. it makes a huge difference! also, you can plan your runs so you can loop back to your house for a water break or swing by a nearby gas station to grab some gatorade & cool off for a couple of minutes too!
my smoothies are 100% trial & error!
Julie, I k now I’ve left other comments to this effect,but I just had to say- I’ve been following your blog since the beginning and it just keeps getting better! Thanks for providing such a welcome break (er…three breaks) from my day! And I don’t know if it’s because you write for a living or what, but you are a really, really good writer. Have a good one!
thank you so much! that means a lot.
Hi Julie!
I’ve been reading your blog for a little while now but this is the first comment I’ve made. I really enjoy reading your posts and your great recipes! I was wondering where you got your smoothie cup? I have been looking for one just like that!
bed bath & beyond!