Atrophy

My goodness! 

I feel like I’m losing muscle and my body is turning into blah by the day…I don’t know what happened to my motivation, but somehow I have managed to avoid physical activity for nearly two weeks.  Unfortunately, I can feel it in my tone and general fitness.  Even MORE unfortunate is how little I seem to care.  Ok, that’s inaccurate, I definitely care.  I just am too tired and unmotivated on my days off to take action.  No worries, I have a plan. 

But first, my past few days of work eats.

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Clif bar, Odwalla bar, apple, salad x 2

MUST.GO.GROCERY.SHOPPING.NOW.  How does the fridge get empty so quickly?!  Where does it all go? [insert obvious answer here]  Since I was operating with minimal options, I got a bit creative, and filled in the gaps in my lunch at a local health foods store on my lunch break.  (So add in a bag of Happy Herbert’s honey wheat pretzel sticks and hummus)

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The veg ensemble had layers upon layers, including spinach, steamed kale, raw green bell peppers (my least fave bell pepper, but Kyle’s fave…sacrifices people, sacrifices), steamed carrots, shrooms, cherry toms, and dried cranz.

The other tupperware had edamame/corn with Bragg’s liquid aminos.  It’s climbing the charts into the favorites zone. 

Work was so nice.  I only had two patients, and even though one of them made 4 visits to the bedside commode before 10 am, I wasn’t too busy and the day was pretty relaxed. 

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For my dinner appetizer, I munched my way through more of the honey wheat pretzels that I bought at lunch…

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Then, inspired by Gigi, I decided some Health is Wealth meatless “chik’n” nuggets would be the perfect accompaniment to my already gourmet dinner. 

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Everything is better when coated with hummus. 

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Chocolate pudding (‘fu, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, agave nectar)

After packing up the next day’s work eats, I snuggled up to finish my latest book (Push by Sapphire) and hit the sack.

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Two apples, a whisper of pretzels, chocolate hazelnut Larabar, PB&J Larabar, and two salads.

These salads are getting…interesting.  And by interesting, I mean desperate.

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In the mix we’ve got spinach and romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, green bell peppers, cukes, and dried cranz.

Well, I was in such a choppy mood, I just kept right on going…and made a whole second salad!  I mean, why not?  I figured this way I wouldn’t have to think about dinner after getting home after work.

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Which I did!  But I spruced it up with some hummus, BN squash, and BBQ sauce.

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By the way, there was no BN squash to be found at the store last time I went grocery shopping, so (the above) was made from frozen cubed squash.  Wow.  Having previously only eaten fresh squash, let me just state for the record, there is NO comparison!  This went straight from frozen to mush, with no in between.  I guess this could be good for making soup or mashed UNpotatoes (or any time you need to puree the squash), but that’s about all.  Also they were way more yellow than I’m used to, which makes me think they weren’t at the height of their ripeness when they were frozen.  I’m brainstorming what to do with the rest of them…and I think I have a great recipe in mind.

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I was in a fruity mood for dessert, so I decided on two apples and banana ice cream/smoothie-in-a-bowl (frozen banana, ice, coconut milk, xanthan gum, arrowroot, agave nectar).

Tomorrow I have a pretty hectic agenda, but I’m going to start brainstorming a game plan for February (think exercise schedule).  I need diversity and something I can stick to. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering whatever happened to the rest of my FAQs, I’ve been slowly but surely answering them, and adding them to my Q&A tab.  Feel free to check them out.

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Comments (34)

  1. Angharad

    Motivation is so hard to muster in the winter! I’ve been running through the ridic cold Minnesota winter but we had one warm week and now the cold just seems too much to bare. I’m trying to mix it up by starting up Body Pump again (I feel like I got beaten up right now after last night’s class!) and maybe training non-seriously for a half marathon in may…goals help!

  2. blueeyedheart

    Random question: have you ever tried Tribe’s “pizza” hummus??

    <3 <3

  3. elise

    pizza hummus???? (i guess you can consider that “huh” response a no)

  4. Mama Pea

    Those nuggets make us proud, sister!!! You just need ketchup and Annie’s Cowgirl Ranch for dipping…and a side of peas. Dora plate is optional.

  5. welshsarah

    Yeah, I know the feeling with exercise. I love running and yoga but have zero motivation at the moment. It’s just too cold and dark to leave my sofa. I’m interested to see your february game plan as I need the inspiration and help! x

  6. molly @thevegandorm

    I find that taking classes is a great way to stay motivated – for me, yoga especially.
    It’s so hard to stay motivated when it’s cold out! Fortunately, I’m back in Houston, running in the sunshine in shorts and t-shirts.

  7. Susan

    What gets me going to the gym is knowing I’ll actually be warm for a few hours! Also, maybe taking a class would help, since you’d be signed up for it? Just throwin out stuff here…

    Even your “desperate” salads look delish!

  8. Jenna

    Good job on coming up with a plan fir february !
    Sometimes it Ios good to give your body a rest though!
    Jenna

  9. BroccoliHut

    Mmm honey wheat pretzels sound pretty perfect right now. Where did you find that brand?

  10. Gabriela

    I love your constant tupperware salads- isn’t the beauty of a salad that you can just throw whatever in?

    I still need to try the Bragg’s you keep talking about! Where do you get yours?

  11. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)

    I happen to like your desperate salads. Dried cranz rock with greenery 🙂

  12. julie

    i’ve got to get me some braggs pronto. where is you get churs girl?

    glad happy herbert makes you a happy camper! the winter months will be over soon enough and we shall overcome no?

    i know its not on your tops but tribe hummus makes me a happy herbert haha

    oh btw i need to know how push is!

  13. Diana (Soap & Chocolate)

    Yeah, boyf loves green peppers and I love the red ones…or anything other than green, really. What is up with that?! Obvz us ladies got expensive taste, but what else is new…

  14. cmb0096

    Hahaha–I saw your caption “everything is better when coated with hummus” and then saw the picture UNDER it (instead of over it) and thought you really were eating a bowl of hummus with a few cranberries sprinkled on top! I love hummus, and I am def guilty of taking a spoonful here and there, but eating a bowl with a spoon?!? That is a little much, even for me, lol! Glad to see you haven’t resorted to that yet 🙂

    Courtney

  15. elise

    well, lets not cross it out…yet 😉

  16. Holly

    shoo girl…i was in that same predicament! i think letting the funk run its course (although hard for me to accept) was the best thing i did. i definitely felt a little ‘softer’ but the muscle came back so fast. i am back in action again, and so will you.

    ummm inspiration by gigi? LOVE IT!

  17. katecooks

    i am right there with u on the lacking motivation front. its a major thing to eek out 30 minutes of exercise lately, on a good day. right now i just painted my nails (effort!) but i am supposed to be writing press releases. so i dont think that counts 🙂

  18. kbwood

    love your smoothie in a bowls!!

  19. Jenny

    I blame the cold weather for my motivation (or lack thereof) bring on da springggggg!

  20. aletheiazoe

    I echo your lack of motivation to care to do anything about fitness-slacking.

    However, once you start, it’s easier to keep going. Trust. I’m working on it too. 🙂

    Why does your chocolate pudding look like hummus?! It’s orange!

  21. jenngirl

    Hope you get a day off soon to relax, you deserve it!

  22. elise

    the link didnt work?

  23. elise

    hahaha, i know, right? weird lighting i suppose…

  24. elise

    painting nails is definite effort…in the winter, i would be willing to call that exercise, haha

  25. elise

    seriously…i always seem to like the $$$ products better. its definitely a female thing.

  26. elise

    push was great! its sad (as expected) but so interesting, and its a speedy read…

    i got braggs at WF (where else?)

  27. elise

    i got my braggs at whole foods…most health foods stores should have it

  28. elise

    a local health foods store…ive seen them randomly around, but never consistently anywhere. i dont think they have them at WF either…hmmm, maybe its a NY based company? no idea…

  29. elise

    im thinking classes are def the way to go…at least til i get my groove back

  30. s.

    delurker alert!

    this stank weather has GOT to go. i too feel like a blob because of my lack of motivation… the couch just seems way more awesome than the treadmill right now.

  31. elise

    um, hi, are you my twin? i agree a million and ONE percent.

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