Day 44: All About Autumn

EXERCISE
Today I took advantage of the sunshine and I ran a 5K around the lake in my neighborhood. It was sunny, and perfect weather and temperature for a run, to enjoy the fall colors, sights and smells of the season, before it's gone.

I LOVE Autumn!!

The hot-chocolaty mornings, and toasted marshmallowy evenings... and best of all, leap into leaves!!!
Well, actually, I drink hot tea, not hot chocolate, and I don't toast and eat marshmallows, both would defeat the purpose of being "good" and making healthy choices...but... and come to think of it, we chopped down the only deciduous-leafy trees last year, so there aren't any leaves to jump into (or to rake - yay!). This is actually a quote from a Pooh-Bear movie.. but I digress... (pooh-bear laugh)..






What I LOVE about Autumn

I love the way the long autumn light stretches through the leaves, and sets the leaves on the trees ablaze, like a golden stained glass window. I love the way the air smells; sweet and crisp like the apple laden trees, and spicy and earthy with turning leaves.

I love the sound of the leaves crunching under my feet as I run, and the feel of the sad, long, stretching sunlight on my face and the luke-warm breeze.

I LOVE the bright colors of fall. The gold, orange, yellows and reds, played off against the greens of the stubborn trees and the blue of the sky.

And I love the stubborn Dahlia's who hang on until the last of the season. Dahlias are one of my favorite flowers :)

I saw my first "woolly bear" caterpillar, inching it's way across the road. I love woolly bears :)

I love SELF-IES!!! Or so a reader told me "self-portrait picts" are called :) Well who else's face would you see on MY blog? Pooh Bear?

What do you do after a fall 5k? Stretch of course, silly! Then, I went inside and made myself a yummy protein shake -  
a pumpkin spice Chai protein latte that is!

My Pumpkin-spice Chai Protein Latte

1 cup almond milk
1 cup liquid Chai mix
1/4 tsp pumpkin emulsion
1/4 tps pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp Truvia
1 TBS soy protein powder

Mix all using a "magic bullet", blender or shaker bottle and enjoy as is or over ice. I suppose it'd be yummy warmed up too!

*And NO, there is nothing having to do with an apple in here, that was just the other part of my post-workout snack :)





FOOD
Breakfast: 3 breakfast cookies, 1 HBE, 1/2 an apple, 1 cup of Earl Grey tea
Snack: 3 small breakfast cookies, 1 HBE, 1/4 an apple
Lunch: the other half of my BLT sub from Subway
Snack: 1/4 an apple, a pumpkin-spice chai latte
Dinner: 2 HBE, a few medium bell peppers, a BIG apple for dessert

The fall food-temptations continue! Look at what they served at youth group! Yup, both regular AND pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies with milk! What do I say? No to that and a great big YES to my great big apple, and veggies that I brought with me. It's amazing how easy it is to say no to those cookies, when you get a great big bite of juicy, sweet apple in your mouth.

Here's what I was up against... COOKIE MONSTER!!
No sweat! I brought snacks of my own ;)

Tip of the Day
When you are going somewhere, prepare! If you are going to a cookie-exchange, Seahawks watching party, youth group meeting or anywhere where their might be temptations, bring a snack along to counter your craving. If you like crunchy, salty or savory snacks, bring and eat a few bright, crunchy bell peppers or pickles. If you have a sweet-tooth, bring a piece of fruit... and here is the key; when others eat their food, pull out and eat yours! It won't do you any good to sit there drooling over something and debating with yourself as to whether or not you should have even a taste. DON'T!! It's a slippery slope. Just grab your fruit and veggie snacks that you bring. It's amazing how you will trick your brain into no longer wanting a sinful cookie if you satisfy your sweet tooth with something sweet but healthy. I don't know if this one is a repeat or not, but oh well, it's a GREAT TIP and I used it tonight with NO problems or back sliding.


Thanks for reading everyone!