Hello!
Workouts
Tues – 30 minutes on the elliptical.
Wed – Upper-body strength training.
Thurs – 30 minutes on the elliptical.
During the last stage of my lifting program, I added a day of upper-body work, which I’m continuing through the program’s fourth stage. I switched it up a little and now do 3 sets of 8 reps of:
Plank rows
Incline dumbbell press
Underhand pulldown
Shoulder press
Wide grip lat pulldown
Narrow pushups
Once again, I tried to alternate push and pull exercises, but any suggestions/critiques would be greatly appreciated!
Eats – Birthday Edition!
Because it was my birthday on Wednesday (25 years old, woop woop!), I was fortunate to eat many delicious things.
1) Cue shitty restaurant photo – pan seared barramundi and veggie burger.
The barramundi was served with cockles (bivalves), malanga (root vegetable), bell peppers, mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, cilantro, and mint. The veggie burger was topped with pickles, avocado, bacon, tomato, cheese, a sunny-side-up egg and “Kaya sauce” (sriracha + mayo). I had never heard of barramundi before, but Michelle had recently written about it, so it was a very fun coincidence indeed.
The best part? I had hella coupons so this was FREE.
2) Homemade ice cream. Am I insane, or does anyone else remember seasonal flavors of ice cream, like gingerbread, eggnog, and peppermint?
My husband had never heard of gingerbread ice cream before, but I insisted (and continue to insist) that it used to be in grocery stores over the holidays. Why isn’t it everywhere? People love seasonal flavored stuff.
Anyway, since Chris is a wonderful, wonderful husband, he borrowed an ice cream maker from a friend, lugged it home on the bus, and whipped up a batch of vanilla ice cream that was so rich, creamy, and subtly sweet…with crumbled gingersnaps stirred into it. Heavenly. Oh my goodness.
3) Curried cabbage + soy chicken + couscous.
Because cabbage can smell so strongly, I ate this in my office as quickly as I could. Regardless, I heard someone walk past my door saying, “It smells like cabbage!” and I totally confessed. Allie and I were chatting about how our coworkers are used to us bringing in food that looks and smells insane, but I still get a little self-conscious.
Meal Planning
Thank you SO much for all of the amazing comments, suggestions, and tips on my post about meal planning. Since starting school, I can definitely use any help I can get. My plan for this weekend is to spend a solid stretch of time in the kitchen on Sunday, preparing enough food to get me through breakfasts, lunches, and a few dinners over the next week. I hope I have enough plastic containers?
Any advice for my upper-body workout?
Do your coworkers think you’re crazy during lunch time?
How the heck did I miss this post?? And your birthday?? So, a week belated, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, you lovely lifting lady! Mine’s next month, and I’m already pulling in all the free-birthday-stuff coupons (and scheduling trips to froyo, starbuck’s, Dunkin’ donuts, oh yes!). Speaking of seasonal flavors–gingerbread froyo is the most amazing stuff ever, but of course it disappeared right after the holidays. My wallet says thank you, but my tastebuds are sad.
Oh my gosh – birthday freebies! I had no idea it was such a common thing! I totally signed up for DnD and SB…and I also googled this list ( http://www.frugalliving.tv/free-stuff/birthday-freebies.html ) and signed up for a bunch more
Gingerbread froyo! I missed this. Why is it not around all year???
Umm, that list is amazing! I’m signing up for all of them! Well, all of them that you can still get as an adult. Why do kids get all the free stuff??
And gingerbread and peppermint really need to be year-round staples, I never get enough during the holidays!
How has school been going since you started? And happy belated birthday! 25 is a big deal
Thank you, Jenica!
School has been okay, considering that it’s school. I’d rather be in Buenos Aires!!
haha you and me both
Heck yes for free dinner! AND I NEED THAT ICE CREAM
Jealous!
Come back to Pittsburgh and I will make us so much ice cream!!!!
Happy belated birthday, Alex! I hope you had an amazing birthday! I love homemade ice cream and your looks so delicious. You go girl!
Thank you, Dana!
It seems crazy to be eating ice cream when Pittsburgh is SO COLD!!
My coworkers are usually jealous during lunchtime
Haha – you must be doing something right, then! My coworkers always say, “Oh, um, that’s nice,” when they see my lunch
Oh wow that sounds amazing!!!
Sorry I accidentally posted it before I was finished! I meant to say that ice cream sounds amazing!
Happy 25th Bday!! 25 was probably one of the most fun ages I’ve ever been. I’m sure you’ll have a great year!
Thank you so much, Jess! 25 has been going really well so far
Happy belated birthday! YAY for coupons out the wazoo!!
Thank you, Allie! Coupons make my world go ’round!
Oh I didn’t know it was your birthday this week! Happy birthday Alex!! Glad your hubbie was sweet enough to make you the perfect sweet (…ha… HA… haha… puns.. ok I’m done.)
Haha!!!!! Thank you, Jessie!
Happy belated birthday! I hope it was great! Seasonal ice creams are my favorite. Pumpkin and eggnog are some of my favorites.
Thank you, Alaine!
I’ll have to try eggnog ice cream next year
Happy belated birthday, love! I’ve never heard of gingerbread ice cream, either!? I need to find this! And I’m definitely guilty of bringing in strange smelling/looking food to work. Oh well, maybe all of our coworkers learn a little something new with all of us bloggers strange food
Thank you so much, Alisha!
I couldn’t find gingerbread ice cream ANYWHERE, but I KNOW I have had it before! Why isn’t it everywhere? It should be everywhere.
I bet you’re also the token “health nut” in your office
Happy belated birthday, Alex! Hope you had a great day!
You’re a girl after my own heart with the upper-body strength training. Some of my favorite exercises include lat pulldowns and free motion shoulder presses. I usually force myself to do some pushups, too; I’m not too good at those, which means I should probably do them more often. 
Thank you, Carrie!
I love lat pulldowns, especially since I can’t do pullups yet. I also really love shoulder presses and I’ll throw pride to the wind and tell you why: I can totally see my muscles flexing when I press the weight up! Makes me so stoked
Your upper body workout looks great! If you want a little variety, try adding pull ups and tricep dips. Pull ups tend to kill me so I usually use the machine for a bit of assistance
Thank you, Sun!
Pullups totally kill me, too, but my gym does have an assistance machine, so I’ll have to give it a shot. I’m always surprised by how much it uses core muscles!
Seasonal ice creams are the best! And happy late birthday
Thank you, Courtney!
I should open an ice cream shop that sells seasonal flavors all year!
Happy Happy Birthday!! Cheers to free meals (and ice cream!)!
Thank you, Patty! I couldn’t have said it better myself
Yes! My co-workers think I’m crazy during every meal.
I am just starting on weight-lifting so I can’t offer any advice but I’m glad to read about what you learn
And omg. Pumpkin spice ice cream! Why isn’t this available all year??
I’m excited to hear about your weight lifting experience! I LOVE it so much – more than anything else, it really gives me peace with body image.
& pumpkin ice cream – I KNOW, RIGHT????
Yum, I LOVE ice cream. I never made it at home though…Happy Bday!! 25 is a good age to be
Thanks, Sarah!
This was my first time making it at home – super easy and lotsa fun!
Happy Bday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like you had an amazing b-day dinner! Funny that you mention the b-fish (can’t spell it for my life lol)
Omg! I so get you about co-workers making comments about food. So I brought some red rice to the lab and people took turns guessing what it was. It ranged from buckwheat to quinoa… It was actually quiet amusing!
Thank you, Nadiya!
Haha! I love being the token “health nut” with weird food in my office
curried cabbage? that sounds super interesting. happy belated birthday lady!
It was tasty, but smelly!
Thanks, Alex!!
How funny is that coincidence about Barramundi?!? Awesome. Happy belated birthday!!! Yay!
I split my upper body lifting into two days, where one day is back and bi’s, and the other day is chest and tri’s. It works for me, but I should probably switch it up soon. Although I’ve been loving adding full body, functional moves in between the upper body specific stuff.
Thank you, Michelle! I had to explain to my husband why I was suddenly obsessed with barramundi
Splitting upper-body work is a really great idea. I bet you do lots of pushups on the chest/tri day! I like focusing on different muscle groups like that – it also gives them more time to rest.
Happy belated birthday, friend! I hope it was wonderful, and it sounds like it was.
I eat lunch at my desk every day because I don’t get paid for a lunch break, and I’d rather use that time to work, and leave earlier. I’m good about not bringing anything too offensive but I was getting bored with my lunches, so I brought a salad with tuna as my protein. Not too out there, but it definitely has a strong smell. I’m sure my co-workers hated me at that moment. Oh well!
Thank you so much, Angela!
I would totally eat at my desk, too. I actually brought tuna for lunch the other day (it’s so easy!), but I compromised with the world by eating it cold, instead of microwaving