Happy Friday! I actually can’t believe that it is Friday. This was my first full week being at Metro and it flew by. I feel so lucky to be here and definitely know that it was the right decision for me to take this job. Everyone has been so welcoming and I’m so excited about really getting into the swing of things. That said, it’s been a pretty exhausting week. Anytime you shake up your routine there’s always a period that feels a little, “what am I doing, what’s going on, how do I fit it all in?” I had to take a break from the blog last night. When I finally got home after 8 p.m. I was done. It was all I could do to make dinner before passing out.
One of the questions that I receive most frequently is how I balance a busy work schedule with exercise, eating healthy and having a social/family life. I am the first to admit that I haven’t had much balance with that since making the big job transition back in September. There was a definite period of time where I really just had to do whatever it took to make my new career successful. And one of the hardest things about making a career out of what you love is setting boundaries between work and life…because you enjoy work so much that it doesn’t feel like work. I have finally reached a point where I’m ready to stop functioning like a robot and get back into more of a normal routine and I think this job will allow for that. I just have to figure out what this new routine is going to look like.
I know that I was just posting about shaking things up earlier in the week and that still ties into all of this. I’m craving a different routine because I have gone into survival mode over the past couple of months and been so patterned in an effort to make everything happen. There just hasn’t been the time or the freedom to break out of my pattern. That opportunity is here now.
Does that make any sense? Or are you just more confused now? 😉
Here’s something a little easier to digest…Thursday eats!
Banana oatmeal with blueberries. Topped with Justin’s Maple Almond Butter and Crofter’s. I’ve been on a huge oatmeal kick ever since I discovered Coach’s Oats. I am loving the texture of them.
Lunch featured more leftover eggplant in the form of a sandwich on a whole wheat English muffin.
The highlight of my Thursday eating was lunch dessert. I am obsessed with Cadbury Cream Eggs and must eat many of them every time Easter rolls around!
Chobani pineapple for an afternoon snack before I taught BodyPump.
I had to come back to Metro to finish up a few things after teaching BodyPump. When I finally got home after 8 I was starving and exhausted. I pretty much pulled whatever I could find out of the pantry/fridge/freezer and cooked it. I sliced sweet potatoes and covered them in coconut oil and Dizzy Pig’s Pineapple Head and roasted them with the broccoli, cooked the millet with chicken broth and then fried an egg to go on top of it all after assessing my meal and deeming it needed more protein.
I was able to let it all cook and do its thing while I took a much needed hot shower. I topped it all with a sprinkle of feta because when in doubt, add cheese. Right? Random but good and healthy dinner.
What’s your Easter candy weakness? Like I said, I’m all about Cadbury Cream Eggs but I’m embarrassed to admit that I used to love Peeps!
Sadly, I still love Peeps! My mom used to buy me a pack every year and open them so they would be the right level of “staleness” by the time Easter rolled around. So gross.
Balance is tough, and I struggle every day to balance work/life/exercise. It’s amazing to me how you’ve done it all this time but I’m glad to see you breaking through. Have a great weekend!
i still like peeps too! i just haven’t had them in forever. haha – LOVE the “staleness” comment. i love them freshly opened. 😉
i’m not sure how i’ve pulled it off either but it’s not possible to maintain this pace forever!
Jelly beans are definitely my downfall for Easter. Although, seeing Kimberly’s comment on Peeps reminds me that I love those too. My husband likes to make them explode in the microwave – talk about gross.
Balance is VERY tough. I definitely struggle with this. In my last role, I ended up in a position where I was commuting about 2.5 hours per day, working for 9-10 hours in the office, an additional 1-2 outside the office plus a few hours on weekends. Routine was the only way that I managed!
i like the starburst jelly beans! exploding peeps sounds like a mess! gross!
i hope your current routine is a little less demanding. that sounds intense!
Reeses Eggs!!! For some reason I can pass up regular Reeses cups without hesitation (well, most of the time), but give me an egg-shaped Reeses and I go bonkers! Now that I’m typing this out, I think I am going to need to go downstairs and see if they have any Easter-themed Reeses. Yummmmm….
totally just ate one…at least is was miniature-sized.
winnie – i have a definite appreciation for peanut butter eggs. i think they’re better than normal reese’s because there’s MORE peanut butter! 🙂
My husband loves the original cadbury cream eggs, but i’m a total sucker for the caramel filled version of the eggs. Good thing they are so insanely rich and gooey, I can only handle them very seldomely! Which is good!!
i’m not sure that i’ve tried the caramel version…i love the original so much! 🙂
Coming out of survival mode can be hard and weird, but it sounds like you’re in a good place, Jen. 🙂 I’m sure you’ll find some good balance once your new routine becomes, well, more routine!
this year my easter weakness are the pastel colored peanut m&ms. i bought a giant bag for my desk…bad idea, but at least i have coworkers willing to help me kill the bag!
i totally hear you on following a routine as a way of survival during crazy work/life weeks. it’s easy to fall into patterns, but i don’t think it’s always a bad thing! my routine helps me plan workouts, meals, and personal time. but it’s hard to be flexible when i’m so hard minded about staying on my own time table!
i LOVE peanut m&ms! yum!
i agree that patterns aren’t always bad…i’m just kind of sick of some of mine! 🙂
That is such a typical move for me…add an egg. I almost always do that to make leftovers appealing and a bit different. Luckily, I really like eggs, so it all works out.
Dying to try coach’s oats. I am pretty particular about texture, so your comment sparks my interest.
i love eggs too and my plate just seemed lacking last night. the egg was the perfect way to finish it off. order the oats. they’re great!
I love the Reeses Eggs!
peanut butter eggs for sure.
I have been on a big oatmeal kick lately and buy the bulk rolled oats at Earthfare. Coach’s Oats sound great! Can you get them anywhere local or do you have to order them?
i usually get the bulk rolled oats from EF too but i received the coach’s oats as a gift. from what i can tell on their website they are available in a lot of stores but i don’t see a directory. you can order them online. worth it!
I have a real low sweet tooth, dessert is not usually on my radar I’ve been like that since I was little (it drives my friends and family bonkers!) My favorite treats are dark chocolate. I love Theo Chocolate, an amazing company from Seattle (I’m in the Pacific Northwest). I love their 85% bar. All I need is a bit of chocolate!
if only i didn’t have such a huge sweet tooth! i’m jealous. that chocolate bar sounds amazing!
Where did you buy Coach’s Oats? I have never seen them in stores!
i received them as a gift so i’m not sure where you can buy them. i’m sure you can order online though. they’re worth it!
I buy them at Costco!
Snickers Easter Eggs! Oh so good and only avialable for a limited time. Sadness.
And yes, cheese on everything!
oh…i don’t know that i’ve ever had a snickers egg. yum!
i am not sure i should have read these comments – now i’m trying to plot to get to the nearest candy aisle and raid all the pb eggs and pretty pastel peanut m+ms! in the next hour they may be gone from my zipcode 🙂 i think it’s fitting you would eat Coach’s Oats – you just need a whistle!
I go insane over Cadbury Mini Eggs. It’s just chocolate with a hard shell in a little egg shape, but they are a billion times better than M&Ms. And now I need them immediately.
I LOVE Cadbury Eggs too! Yesterday I couldnt resist when i saw them at the drug store and bought one for myself, and one for my boyfriend to try- he had never had one! Delish. I ate mine BEFORE dinner, and 1/2 of his as dessert (he is sweet and knew I really wanted it).
Hi Jen! Love your blog, I’ve been a long time reader—first time commenter 🙂 Peanut butter and running are perhaps my two favorite things on earth, therefore it’s only natural for me to click with your posts! I just wanted to say I love how you photograph (some of) your food outside! It adds such nice dimension to the pictures. Also, I am a big Cadbury MINI egg person—the little eggs that are solid chocolate. But it’s all good, really..except for perhaps Peeps 😉
I. LOVE. CREAM EGGS.
Also a sucker for Cadbury Mini Eggs. I have to buy the small individual packages or else I will mow through an entire big bag all by myself!
Love the Cadbury Carmel eggs! I used to love Peeps & my Dad buys me a package every year (just gave them to me last week!). I will share them with my kids this year since I just can’t eat them like I used to, haha.
I’m glad you had a great first week and love that Sullie joined you today! I just discovered coaches oats too. It’s been buzzing around on twitter. I forgot about cadberry eggs. Mmmm, that’s gonna be on the brain now!
I started a new job about 2 months ago and the first few weeks, I was so tired! It’s hard to be mentally “on” all day, learning new things.
I’m a big fan of Cadbury mini-eggs.
Love this. I’m currently at a point in my life where I’m deciding what career path I should focus on – one is more what I live and love in my own lifestyle, and the other is more “work” that I think I’d enjoy and be successful at, but isn’t something I’d do on my own otherwise. It’s a tough one and definitely creating a lot of stress right now, but I know I’ll find what’s right for me!
Cadbury Eggs are my vice. So good! Not many people I know like them though, so it’s good to know im not alone! Congrats on week one of the job! It sounds as if you are finding your groove!
Jen,
I love Cadbury Creme eggs, but my favorite candy at Easter are Cadbury Mimi eggs (the ones in the purple shell) . What is worse is that all my friends know and the bring me bags and bags of them! I make my husband hide them from me so I won’t eat too many at a time.
Hmm I don’t know if I have a favorite Easter candy/weakness…I am more excited about the Easter Lunches with our families! Yummy food!