Many studies have shown the benefit of working out in the morning vs. other time during the day. Here’s a simple break down of why http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/morning-exercise
Day 2:
7:00 am, woken up by my lovely yet annoying alarm. I was supposed to wake up at 6:30, but I forgot to set the alarm. First error of the challenge. Set your alarm!
I used to do the lemon, very warm water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup detox drink every morning. However, it became a bit too tiring with all the mixing and cutting. My short cut? EmergenC packages. I put a package of EmergenC in a full glass of very warm water right after I wake up. Vitamin C is crucial in a diet plan because it not only boosts your immune system, it also helps burn stored fat in your body. http://www.elitepersonaltrainersnyc.com/blog/vitamin-c-weight-loss/
Ran 2 miles in 25 minutes. Started running fast with my roommate, then she took off. Then I began the walking and running routine. Though it was much longer than I wanted, I was still very proud. Early morning run is the best! Everything is so fresh, not many cars, many early risers also walk, run, bike. I feel like a hardcore athlete just because I was up early running! I also use the #mapmyrun app to track my time and mileage. Highly recommend this app. Background music: Gospel music radio on Spotify to lift up my day!
Came back home, start right away with the #7 minute butt workout app. I love this app because its only 7 minutes, and the exercises are broken out into little chunks so you don’t feel overwhelmed or bored. Time flies so quickly that way too! I’m not a fan of working out, and I love this app! There’s also the #7pmbellyfat app that I rotate with this one.
Breakfast: 2 eggs cooked in olive oil. I heard from someone that you have up to 20 minutes after a workout to insert protein into your body to restore and build muscle. Here are some food ideas for you too if you don’t like eggs http://www.buzzfeed.com/moerder/the-14-best-things-to-eat-after-a-workout#a8ou7v. I also added spinach into my eggs, 2 big handful of the spinach, no salt, just siracha hot sauce. A big glass of water before I eat and right after.
I love listening to the news in the morning. BBC is my go-to news. Today, more Ebola updates and the routine news about war and conflict zones. I keep wondering if I should plan a trip soon to these countries to really learn about the real situation. My other dream is to be a news reporter. Coincidently, while I was scrolling down the news list, I found this : http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28982126 “Brain ‘can be trained to prefer healthy food'”. This is great, and it just gave me more hope for all of us! We were not born to love all the food that we eat, but we were trained to do so. That explains why people in different countries love the food they eat yet still be able to love other food in other regions after they keep trying them!
Came to work, and pretty soon it was almost time for lunch. About an hour before noon, a voice in my head was telling me I was hungry, so I started to look for food. Then, I thought about the bbc article. I could train my brain to not want to eat junk food. I filled up my coffee mug with 18 oz of hot water and threw in my black tea. Drank almost all of the tea in 20 minutes. I was not hungry any longer. Lesson learned: try to differentiate between hunger and thirst. Sometimes your brain is just confused, and you have to help it out! Best option: drink water first, give it sometimes, and if you are still hungry then eat. http://www.livestrong.com/article/441564-difference-between-being-hungry-and-thirsty/
Lunch menu items: left over grilled chicken from the weekend Dassel festival. Red quinoa cooked in chicken broth. Raw red and green peppers sliced up. Yum!
I love quinoa. I started cooking large batches of them and began to add them into most of my meals. Asians love to eat rice, and as an Asian, I have struggled to not eat rice or rice noodles. Quinoa is a healthy substitution with much less carb and high in fiber and high-quality protein. http://www.myrecipes.com/healthy-diet/super-foods/health-benefits-of-quinoa-10000001874000/
Guilty pleasure of the day: I did have a tiny bite of the left over brownie my roommate made over the weekend. It was delicious!
Dinner Menu: Lamb chop served with steamed broccoli and drizzled with balsamic sauce and a side of garden salad topped with a light vinaigrette and lots of feta cheese! My Gramma’s famous beef noodle soup for my sick roommate, she has been overworked and under sleep! She is one of the best pastry chefs I have ever known, not only for her amazingly creative and delicious deserts but also for her beautiful soul.
Ended the night with a cup of black licorice tea and popcorn cooked in coconut oil. Almost finished the JulieandJulia movie. 35 more minutes to go, but yawn… I have to go to bed early to wake up early for the 3rd day of the challenge!
By the way, did I mention I ran/walked 3 more miles after work while my lamb was marinating with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper?
Quarter Life Crisis 