I feel a little funny. Why? Well, because my butt is not out completing a long run right now. Instead it is sitting and pondering grocery store lists. And yummy meals that will still fit a budget. I foresee a lot more beans in the FFF household this week. Consider yourself lucky that technology has not discovered how to share smells via computer yet. Although how cool?! I would stalk How Sweet all the live long day if anyone ever were to create Smell-A-Blogs. And then cry a river of sadness because you all would certainly not hang around my typically smelly ways.

Now, if you would please forgive my tangent. As I was saying, I’m putting off my long run until tomorrow to give my legs a bit of time to recoup from getting back my workout motivation this week. Yet somehow I still ventured on a family hike this morning?

I may not have much logic for how I rest my legs, but I do have logic when it comes to saving money on food. Free stuff = use it = save money = good. I’m a genius! I should patent this equation along with Smell-A-Blogs and become a millionaire. What’s that you say? Not likely? Now, don't go crushing my dreams!

Ahem. In the name of saving on food, I dug out some of my free Fitbloggin samples for breakfast this morning. A Click Mocha flavored protein drink and a serving of Coach’s Oats.

The Click protein drink serves up a dose of caffeine for energy and a decent balance of carbs (12 g) and protein (15 g) to have as an easy pre or post workout option. <--- We’ll just pretend I ran. 😉 I’m typically a fan of coffee flavored things and this sounded like something I would enjoy. In fact, in my past protein shake chugging days, I would always do a chocolate protein powder mixed with iced coffee. I decided on using the Click in a similar way by blending it up with 3/4 cup each decaf iced coffee and vanilla almond milk.

To balance this out for a full meal, I cooked up the packet of Coach’s Oats using my handy dandy microwave method – add just enough water to cover the oats, a few dashes of cinnamon, and microwave for 3:30 on 50% power. The 50% power is key. Then, I add a little extra almond milk to get it to the consistency I prefer, a small bit of maple syrup for sweetener, and the toppings du’jour.

Thoughts on these products? I liked the Click drink okay. Don’t think I would ever buy it because it didn’t blend into a super smooth consistency, which I prefer. Nevertheless, I’ll still happily use my 3 other packets.

As for the Coach’s Oats…LOVED THEM! They seemed much heartier than my regular rolled oats but still cooked up quickly. I find steel cut oats or a similar option hard for me because they don’t keep a creamy consistency unless you cook them for 10+ minutes on the stove top. And you saw a day in my life yesterday. No time for stirring stove top oats. Or cleaning an extra pan. Because then I wouldn’t have time to share the FFF Features and we wouldn’t want that now, would we?

point-where-you-pretend-to-agree-and-humor-my-self-indulgent-ways

So glad you’re so excited! I will now stop jammering and give you the FFF Features of the Week!

Featured Personal Post: Blog Tips from Fitbloggin

Featured Workout: Elliptical HIIT Session

Featured Meal: Chicken & Strawberry Salad

Featured Cuteness: Baby B Eyeing the Bottle of Mommy Milk

Featured Reading: If I recommend them, they’re good…so go check ‘em out!

Kelly @ Laughter Strength Food

Tessa @ Amazing Asset

Annette @ Enjoy Your Healthy Life

• On a scale of 1 – 10 (10 being vomit-inducing), how awful does something have to be for you to not eat it even though it’s free? I would say an 8.

After getting home from the Fitbloggin conference Sunday afternoon, I quickly determined we had NO groceries. Promptly following that realization, I stated the obvious that I did not feel like grocery shopping and wanted to enjoy a low-key evening with la familia. Enter a pizza dinner out with my loved ones.

And I was eyeing the pizza like Baby B was eyeing that bottle of mommy milk!

Sometimes plain cheese is all you need for satissfying pizza. As long as it gets doused in red pepper flakes. I like some heat with my pizza!

While this dinner out with the family certainly tasted delicious, I could feel the effects of eating quite a few meals out and different than my normal choices starting to impact my body. I knew the only thing to do would be to jump right back into my normal eats the very next meal. Healthy eating can taste just as good, after all! Over the last couple of days I have crammed in the healthy and delicious goods as much as possible.

Breakfasts

oats with strawberries, raisins, and natural peanut butter

 
oats featuring coconut, dried cherries from Choose Cherries, and peanut butter 

Lunches

black bean wrap (with cheese, salsa, spinach, & tomato), carrots + hummus, and my free sample chocolate probiotic bar from Attune

 
sandwich (whole egg, spinach, tomato, Laughing Cow blue cheese), carrots + hummus, and a sliced apple

Snacks

 
yogurt bowl featuring Chobani peach, Erewhon Mixed Berry Crispy Brown Rice Cereal, and almonds

green smoothie (almond milk, frozen banana, spinach) and blueberry muffin Larabar

Dinners 

egg scramble (with mushrooms + onion + goat cheese) and sweet potato

delicious salad – details coming later 

After just two days I already feel so much better. I am so thankful that I now recognize how much quality fuel does for my body. I want to get back to eating foods like I show above…and not because I “should” or to “diet”. I used to have a really, really difficult time going back to healthier eats after a vacation or any time where I would “fall off the wagon” of whatever restrictions I had set on myself. I viewed eating in such a manner as a chore and not something to enjoy. I wouldn’t want to give up my “fun foods” and so I would often end up in an extra week or two of binging.

Now, just feeling the difference in my body motivates me to break out the spinach and oatmeal. And happily. Eating in this manner truly pleases me. It is no longer an issue to return to better-for-my-health meals (I hate using the term “good” or “bad”).  I credit that ease to finding ways to prepare meals so they taste good and working hard over the years to get more in tune with my body. Plus, it also helps knowing I don’t have to deny myself things like pizza for forever either…because each meal is just that – one meal. Dining habits don’t have to turn into a chain of overeating from going outside of standard meals for a couple days. I just remember that each meal is a choice. And I choose to eat what leave me feeling good – physically, mentally, and tastily.

• Is it difficult for you to jump back into healthier habits after being away from them for any length of time?
• What foods do you CRAVE when you get back to normal eats?