matty the cat

so, i made it through tuesday! i woke up early, had some coffee and headed to the gym, where i managed to crank out an awesome workout.

workout summary:

• intervals: 9 x 400; alternating between 400 meters on @ level 8.5 (about 7 min. mile pace) and 400 meters off @ level 6.0 (about 10 min. mile pace)
  
  
• total distance: approx. 4.5 miles
  
  
• calories burned: approx. 600
  
  
• weights: 30 bicep curls, 30 tricep curls, 10 dead lifts, 20 shoulder presses, 30 upright rows, 50 sit-ups

i really pushed myself this morning, and i really think taking yesterday off made that easier for me to do- although don't get me wrong, this was one tough workout.

you'll notice that the distance and calories are just estimates- that's because after doing one set of 3 intervals, i hopped off the treadmill for a quick water break, and did that again after a second set of 3 intervals. the treadmill re-set itself, so i didn't have an exact total when i was done with my workout :(

this is where a heart rate monitor would really come in handy! do you use a heart rate monitor while working out? if so, which one? i'm eyeing the Garmin Forerunner 405 which i hear is great for calculating pace and distance, which is what i am really interested in more than calories burned, although it wouldn't necessarily be bad to know that either. i have a feeling i burn a lot less calories than i think!



i really don't love eating before i workout in the morning, unless i have a long run or a race, but i did start feeling a little depleted mid-way through the workout this morning. i guess maybe having something small before i leave the house might not be a bad idea...

today's eats:
today's eats were pretty good, although there were some repeats from yesterday (i tend to make the same thing for lunch, and sometimes the same thing for breakfast, for a few days, or every day, during the week because it's easier to shop for and plan meals that way- then the next week i switch to something else!).

breakfast was ALMOST the same as yesterday, but with a twist. i had 1 packet of trader joe's maple brown sugar oatmeal, made with 1/2 c. water. 1/2 c. skim milk, and 1 banana. i also added 1 packet of justin's organic honey peanut butter on top- yum! the peanut butter really added to the meal and made it extra special, and really filling!



i had been wanting to try justin's for a while, and finally bought some packets when i stopped at whole foods the other day. this might be my new addiction! and i love the individual serving size- it's still more than enough nut butter, but not too much (sometimes i just can't help taking a tiny drop more when i'm scooping from a jar!).

i also had an iced coffee with a few splashes of silk chocolate soy milk, and 1 packet of stevia.


i drank about 2/3 of the cup- it tastes a little like an iced mocha with the chocolate soy milk.

lunch was the same as yesterday- one garden burger veggie burger topped with one slice soy cheese, tomato, and mustard on 1 slice sprouted wheatberry bread. and strawberries on the side! no pic today- i was hungry and ate half of my lunch before i realized i forgot to take a picture.

for a snack, i had one fudge graham zone bar. i know these aren't the best bars out there, in terms of them being as natural as some other bars, but i do like them. i try not to eat them all the time, but they're really filling, so they're great if you're going to have a lot of time between meals. also- they totally satisfy if you're looking for a sweet snack/candy- which i sometimes crave in the afternoon at work. i feel like it's a better choice instead of hitting the m&m jar, which would still leave me hungry.

i did have the cliff z bar the other day, which also felt like a sweet treat, so maybe that could be a better option than the zone bar in the future...

dinner was good- 1 trader joe's sweet italian chicken sausage, asparagus, tomato and mushrooms sauteed with garlic and non-stick cooking spray, and 1 big scoop of a Near East whole grain rice blend.





and for desert, 2 more tj's mini ice cream mouthfuls- thank goodness they were the last 2 in the box!

and finally, i save the best for last- it's time for matty the cat to make his debut on the blog! i just couldn't help myself...



i'm sure there will be many more pics of this crazy kitty to come :)

alright, off to watch the amazing race finale from sunday- goodnight!