Some thoughts and discussions from me.
Raiding My Parents’ Cabinets {WIAW}
It’s safe to say that during my week visiting my family and friends, 75% of my meals were eaten out of a restaurant. I guess that’s what happens a lot of the time when you’re away from home. Consequently, this week I’ll be focusing on a lot more lean meat and vegetables, and not so much beer and burgers.
^lunch at Whole Foods, before I’d been able to get some groceries
I actually got a salad this time! Included was greens, daikon radish, red cabbage, chicken, roasted eggplant, and artichoke hearts. Random fact: I am not a huge raw veggie fan. In fact, most of the time, when I make salad, the only raw veggie it contains is lettuce (or another green leaf.)I actually did enjoy the daikon (whatever that is) in this salad, though!
Whenever I visit Illinois, I’m learning that it’s a fast and furious race to see all of my loved ones – and what a better way to catch up than over a meal out? Yep, it was a pricey and calorie-laden trip, but worth it to visit with my friends and family.
Needless to say, today’s What I Ate Wednesday post spawns out of one of the days that I was home. I can’t really tell you which day, because I had no sense of time or date for the 7 days I was away from Colorado. I actually think this might have been day 1 or 2, because I went to the gym on this particular day… Anyway, let’s get to it!
Each night I was “home,” I logged at least 8 hours of sleepy time, which was great. I didn’t wake up to an alarm clock once, and thought I could really get used to this. Usually when I woke up, I went straight to the kitchen to make some breakfast:
…which typically looked something like this: 2-3 eggs, veggies, and some avocado.
After downing some breakfast, I would get dressed and head to the gym with my mom. She’s a cardio junkie, and loves her spin class and the elliptical, while I stayed downstairs in the weight room. My workout looked something like this:
-10 minutes of mobility and dynamic warm up work
-40 minutes of lifting – front squats, overhead press, RDL’s, chin ups, push presses, and stability ball planks
-10 minutes of metabolic work – I think I did 1-legged squat thrusts, split squats, and push ups this day…
Then I ran upstairs, grabbed my mom, and headed on home. Actually, we stopped at GNC first, and grabbed something she needed, plus about 5 Quest Bars.
Before last week I’d only tried two: coconut cashew and chocolate chip, both of which I love. Now I realize I do not like the PBJ flavor at all, Chocolate Brownie tastes like a tootsie roll with a weird aftertaste, and Cinnamon Roll as well as White Chocolate Raspberry are pretty good.
When we got back home, I had my post-workout meal:
Protein oats, cooked like this: 1/2 c. oats cooked in 3/4 c. milk. As soon as the oats are done, turn off the heat, and add your protein powder (right now I’m loving Poliquin’s chocolate – very high quality stuff) and stevia, if needed. Then I topped mine with some peanut butter and plain whole Fage. And MOAR coffee!
I can’t remember what I did the rest of the day…maybe shopped? maybe saw a friend? maybe bummed around with my dad? Somewhere in between one of those, I managed to make myself a salad. I never make myself salads!
I think it had spinach, red pepper, sunflower seeds, avocado, and chicken in it, with ranch dressing on top. I was a little heavy handed with the ranch, and ended up adding more spinach leaves later. I was also a little heavy-handed on the peppers, and left some of those in the bowl 
Since salads never really satisfy me, I also had a cup of Fage yogurt with some cereal mixed it it, about 30 minutes later.
Weird, I’m really drawing a blank on what I did during the day most days I was at my parents’ house. Somehow the time passed by, though, and very quickly. That night, I met two of my good friends, Jessica and Steph, out for dinner.
I went with a cheeseburger and their seasonal veggies, as well as a pale ale. This was pretty good, but something was off about how the veggies were cooked. I didn’t eat too many of them. And after we all finished out meals, we hung out in our booth for a good hour just continuing to catch up. We finally got the hint after our waitress not so subtly came over and asked us if we were still having fun. 
I probably also had more Fage and granola when I got home, since that’s what happens every other night of the week. Someday, I know I’ll get burnt out on that nighttime snack, but for now, it’s my jam!
How do you prefer your veggies: raw or cooked?
My side salads usually end up just being lettuce or spinach leaves and dressing, but that’s more out of laziness than anything else 😉 I definitely prefer my veggies cooked most of the time!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted…WIAW: Thanksgiving Dessert.
ahhh this makes me long for MY HOMEHOME, too.
Miz recently posted…If we had coffee…
I’m with ya. I wish I made myself more salads!
Jackie recently posted…{Tasty Tuesday} Super Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
Not remembering what you did when at your parents – I totally get that. But who really minds as long as you had a great time, right ;)?
I’d say I eat the hugest part of my vegetable intake cooked, too. There are definitely more raw ones in summer but during the colder months they mostly sneak their way into my day in soups/stews/casseroles – basically whichever lunch I’m having.
Miss Polkadot recently posted…Just like your average blogger
Cinnamon roll, cookie dough, and coconut cashew are my favorite Quest bars. I could eat any of them if I’m being honest though, especially if they’re warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds.
As for veggies, just depends on the vegetable as to whether I like them better raw or cooked! I’ll really eat them any which way though!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries recently posted…Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookie Protein Shake
I’m definitely with you on preferring my veggies cooked. I’ll eat certain things raw, but definitely prefer cooked, for sure.
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Oh Garmin, This Is The Beginning Of A Beautiful Friendship
I mostly preferred cooked veggies, but it depends on the type of vegetable and the dish I’m eating. I love raw cauliflower!
Natalie @ Free Range Human recently posted…A Day In The Life
I am never sure if not remembering your say is a good thing. It either means you had so much fun or did something a little inappropriate! ahah
LOL! It just means I have a bad memory and all of the days ran together 😉
Looks like a great workout and delicious eats! I usually prefer my veggies cooked just for a little more sweetness, but I do enjoy the crunch and freshness of raw veggies.
Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves recently posted…WIAW: Strange But Good
I love raw veggies but can only eat a few on their own. All the others I love mixing in something else: salsa, cottage cheese, pb, hummus, salt & pepper. I say raw veggies need partners — and it’s usually one of those! 🙂
lindsay recently posted…my thinking spot.
i don’t like the PBJ one, either! i actually only like four.. CCCD, white choc rasp, apple pie, and coconut cashew. that workout looks perfect. miss you! finally found some time to open my feedly and have 1000+ blogs to read.. haha won’t make it through that, but i had to come here within my first few minutes of reading because i love your face.
janetha recently posted…app happy.
When you’re on vacation for even just a few days don’t you feel like every day just runs into the next – it’s so hard to remember what you did and when!
I just bought some avocados I have to remember to eat them!! and make guacamole!
Depends on the veggies – for example: carrots = raw, broccoli = steam, squash = baked 🙂
-Sammy
Sammy @ Peace Love and Ice Cream recently posted…Halloween 2012 – Meet the Flintstones