Good morning!
I can’t tell you how excited I was to log on this morning and have a functional work space to type up this post. I did lose the Internet for a few minutes, however, (which was super weird and unrelated to previous issues I’ve been experiencing) but I digress.
Today I have a full day of unfiltered eats to share with you along with a quick and sweaty stability ball workout you can complete in 20 minutes or less. Read on for details!
What I Ate Wednesday Tuesday
My morning started with a breakfast I hadn’t seen in a long time… good ‘ol oatmeal! I skipped the sweeteners while making it, topped it in berries, and drizzled it with agave nectar before diving in around 8 a.m.
Does anyone else think the bowl looks upside down? In my mind, the bowl should be rotated 180 degrees so that the berries are pointed down, not up. I’m so weird.
Anyways, I spent – literally – my entire morning trying to revive my blog from the black hole of Internet disappearances. I truly apologize to anyone who was trying to access the archives… believe me, I was just as frustrated as you were! It seems as though things are running smoothly and back to normal today *knock on wood*, so hopefully we won’t run into server issues for a long while.
Powering me through several phone calls to my hosting company and lots of trials and errors were two of my favorite go-to snacks as of late, both of which were featured as suggestions in last week’s healthy snack ideas to pack for work.
Sea Salt and Veggie Popchips & Blue Diamond Roasted Salted almonds
Oh, and I’m pretty sure I filled that bowl up about three times.
Once we were live again, I threw together a lighthearted post that ended up taking three times the normal amount of time to publish, thanks to permalink issues. Thank goodness that disaster is over too.
Lunch couldn’t happen quick enough when I finally made it over to the kitchen to make something around 2:30 p.m. We are limited on groceries this week, so I knew what I wanted to make as soon as I saw deli ham in the refrigerator.
Grilled ham & cheese sandwich on wheat bread with a side of cucumber slices
I seasoned the cucumbers with Nature’s Seasoning and ended up bringing out the hummus to dip them in too. Yum!
Sometimes a nice hot and pressed sandwich is just what you need. It tasted great and held me through the next few hours of teaching at the gym.
I took advantage of my break at 7 p.m. and threw together a core and booty circuit to complete before my last class started. It was quick and sweaty, and I thought some of you would like in on it as well!
Disclaimer: Although I am a certified personal trainer, I am not necessarily your personal trainer. The workouts I post are what work best for me and might not be the right type of exercises for you. If you decide to give this workout a try, please listen to your body and rest or modify as you see fit. I always recommend consulting a doctor or health professional before making changes to your diet or fitness routine.
You only really need one piece of equipment for this workout: a stability ball! Extra points if you have access to an ab wheel.
Exercise Breakdown
ab wheels (or stability ball roll outs if you don’t have one)
(or lose the ball and try side planks with hip abductions!)
stability ball bride to leg curls
(go for the version at the :40 mark if you feel comfortable)
single leg squats (or touchdowns)
I had about ten minutes to change and get ready for my last class of the night, so I grabbed my current protein drink obsession to refuel.
I wrapped things up around 9 p.m. and came home to a pleasant surprise shortly after… dinner made by the hubby!
Teriyaki marinated chicken, rice pilaf, and broccoli sprinkled in Parmesan cheese
He also made a batch of pickled cucumbers by slicing and soaking them in vinegars and ground pepper. They were delicious!
I ate every bite of my generously portioned plate (thanks, Scott) and had plenty to keep me full for the rest of the night. No dessert this time! Who am I?
***
All right, friends. I’m off to a doctor’s appointment (I promise the vague references to what is going on will be explained sooner than later…) and plan to check back in later this afternoon to share my latest workout playlist.
Happy Hump Day!
If you liked this WIAW post, you can always find my latest What I Ate Wednesday entries by exploring the “WIAW” tag on the right hand sidebar.
Questions of the Day
• Who does the majority of the cooking in your home?
• Do you ever use a stability ball for your workouts?
When Scott was loaded with events and rehearsals during the NBA season, I could barely get him home for dinner, let alone cook anything. Now that the summer is here, I am enjoying having him here, and he has been the main chef in the kitchen! I’m so grateful he enjoys putting meals together while I’m teaching classes at night. I’m in a bit of a cooking rut, so it couldn’t have come at a better time. I hope to get back to creating more in the kitchen soon!
![[in our elementary school era] 🚌😭
Skyler did great walking into KINDERGARTEN with a big smile on his face this morning. I, however, was a bit of a mess on our walk home. 🥹
It’s wild how fast these 5 years with him have gone … 7 since we moved to NYC and into our apartment, dreaming of the day our kids would someday go to the *awesome* school right down our block. 🏫
That day is today, and I still don’t believe it — feeling allll of the emotions and thanking God for placing us here and for being able to trust His timing through the journey. 🫶🏼 #hbshinnyc
SO proud of you, SK - you are going to rock your first year at your “big boy school” - WE LOVE YOU !! 🩵👑](https://lifeinleggings.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
I love eating cucumbers like that, it’s my favourite. Sorry about all your site issues, that’s so stressful. I’m so technology challenged that I would be freaking out.
I’m just happy they’re fixed! (Fingers crossed.) And it looks like we need to make more cucumbers since they’re already all gone. Whoops!
I’m totally spoiled by my husband. He’s a much better cook than I am, so he does most of our dinners. Vinegar cucumbers are the best in the summer! Proof you’re a southern girl at heart haha.
Kelly @ Kelly Runs For Food recently posted…Lessons on packing enough for lunch {WIAW}
Wow, you are spoiled! We both go through phases around here. I’ll be really into cooking and then get over, and the same with Scott. Glad to see a fellow Southerner out there! 😉
We totally take turns cooking at home too! Some nights I cook, some nights he cooks, and some nights we cook together. Love your eats!
Hannah @ Sprints & Scones recently posted…Weekending {8/3}
That’s the best way to do it! Thanks Hannah, I hope you have a great week 🙂
I love using the stability ball for jackknife type crunches, your lower abs feel the burn so much! I hope all is well with the doctors!
Do you like adding nut butters to your oatmeal? We ran out of berries this morning so I had to suffice mine with some chopped up apples, but it always feels naked without a dollop of almond butter ;)!
lifewithniki recently posted…WIAW | Active Days and Cookie Bites
Ohhh jackknife exercises are great! And challenging. Get it! Ahhh, I used to add almond butter all the time, then I got over it. I couldn’t tell you why. I NEED more almond butter in my life. Like now.
I love doing like pike and knee tucks with the stability ball while in plank!
Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Dijon Tilapia With Peach Zucchini Salsa
Yes! Pike tucks are awesome! Happy Wednesday 🙂
Ohh I love pop chips! Happy Wednesday girly!!
Erin @ Her Heartland Soul recently posted…Black + Wood Look
Thanks Erin! This week is already flying 🙂
Holy Oatmeal!! I can’t remember the last time I had a good ole bowl of oatmeal. It’s been YEARS!
We do all our cooking at home. My boyfriend and I love to be in the kitchen so it’s a fun way for us to unwind and talk about our day.
Sabrina Alexandra recently posted…What I Ate Wednesday: II
I know, I go through phases of LOVING oatmeal then despising it. 😉 Love to hear you guys enjoy sharing cooking duties!
Now I’m craving a good grilled sandwich with lots of melty cheese… I was planning on something else for dinner tonight, but now I’m thinking panini sandwiches are where it’s at thanks to you! 😉 I hope your server doesn’t continue to give you anymore issues. That’s so frustrating. Thinking of you with your doctor’s appointment today! xo
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries recently posted…Keeping My Protein Intake Up in Pregnancy
Usually my mom does the cooking at home. But when I am on break from living the dorm life, I tend to overcrowd her in the kitchen, so I can cook too! Having to eat practically very meal out, it’s nice to be able to cook for myself!
Julia @ Lord Still Loves Me recently posted…WIAW: Birthday Food!
I actually don’t cook dinner ever. I’ll make breakfast or simple salads. My husband does all of the cooking and he’s an awesome cook so I leave him to it lol. I do love to bake though 🙂
Krystal // The Krystal Diaries recently posted…Body Shaming
Breakfast for dinner is truly underrated. I’ve been enjoying simple dinners with Scott out of town this week!