Personal Training

New Workout and Pumpkin "Oatmeal" Recipe!

Posted on by Naomi
It has been a whirlwind of a weekend over here! I celebrated the birthday of the most important lady in my life; my Mother. She is my rock, my role model, my inspiration and my greatest support



Before dinner on Saturday night, I kicked off the day with a session at the gym. I really love my weekend workouts because it is total ME time. During the week when I workout, I workout where I work and it can get crazy if I happen to run into clients, book a client last minute, have to squeeze in my workout or what have you. Basically, the weekends is my time to really put aside as least one GREAT workout on either Saturday or Sunday. I posted a timed workout on my Facebook page the other week and went through it shortly after. I loved it so much that I kicked it up a notch and did it again, for time
10 ROUNDS FOR TIME

10 KB swings

10 knees to chest sit ups

10 squats

10 Burpees

***I completed this workout in 18:56 (taking two short water breaks and stopping the time briefly) I never know what the ‘etiquette’ for timed workouts go as far as water breaks. Do I keep the time going? Or stop the time as I take my water? I was in charge of the workout, so I just decided to pause the time for my water breaks. No big deal! The burpees are the hardest part by far. They get pretty sloppy toward the end but I tried to keep my form the whole time! 

After I finished Part 1 of this workout I took a little break and then went through a core circuit:
10 MINUTES AMRAP

10 KB windmills
10 side plank dips
10 TRX pikes
10 Medicine ball wall squats

**Run 400 meters as fast as possible


The workout was challenging yet do-able and left feeling refreshed and accomplished. I never like to leave a workout feeling fatigued and totally pooped. Too many times I see people who will only consider a ‘good workout’ one in which they cannot walk afterwards. Those people are the same ones who may find themselves dragging throughout the day with lower energy levels and find themselves unproductive in other aspects of their life and in work. I am not saying this is EVERYONE, but what I am saying is that fatigue and overall soreness is not an indicator of a phenomenal workout. It is OKAY not to be so intense. When did it not become okay to just have a refreshing, fun workout that leaves you feeling energized, not fatigued and great about yourself?
I love  knowing that not every session has to have a specific outcome or goal. Not every session has to have a plan. It can be hard to realize this if you are so used to a workout schedule, but I want to challenge you to mix it up. I want to challenge you not put so much pressure on your workout regimen and see what its like to do what you want on the days you want, taking rest when you feel you need it and working hard when you feel you want to. Know your body. Know your limits. Know when enough is enough and when you can push further. Its a completely freeing and amazing feeling you just must find it. 
This was my sister-in-law and me on Saturday night at dinner. We went to Scampo in the Liberty Hotel in Boston. This is one of my favorite restaurants and I was SO excited that my mom chose it as her birthday dinner

Mom and Uncle having a blast
 Me and my food. I ordered the Branzino fish which was served with white shrimp and whipped beans with fried fennel and sauce bouillabaisse. My dad placed an order of the roasted purple cauliflower  which was also incredible! 
We ordered lots of appetizers for the table to begin with! Scampo has a large menu including a mozzarella bar! Above is the king crab with avocado and green mustard oil

This is the arugula salad which was served with a light lemon vinaigrette, endive and toasted pecans.
Unpictured was the homemade pizza that we shared as an appetizer as well. We went with the classic tomato, fior di latte and basil. it was packed with big chunks of Roma tomatoes and buttery mozzarella. To. Die. For
The beautiful birthday girl!  What did I get her? Lululemon Wunder Unders of course! My mom is a workout fanatic and loves Lulu but doesn’t always treat herself. I picked her up a pair of black crop Lulu’s which she loved!

Sunday I spent the day with my Mom, Sister-in-Law, Uncle and Cai (my doggy nephew) We met the cutest Teacup that was 1lb! She was just getting to know Cai.


How cute are these pups together?!
——
What else have I been up to? Well I experimented with some coconut flour. I recently got some and just had no idea what the heck to do with it first! I have come across some really delicious looking recipes that incorporate coconut flour and had never tried it. I was more curious than anything to give it a shot. Before I share the recipe, I want to just put it out there that I am not following the Paleo diet or anything near it. I knew if I didn’t say this I would get floods of emails and comments asking why I was using coconut flour and if I am following the Paleo diet. I am not. I am simply using coconut flour because I am curious, I love coconut and why not try something new? I will NEVER be a believer in cutting out entire food groups for no other reason than because “that’s what everyone is doing” if you are gluten free because you have celiac disease or because you are gluten intolerant, this is one issue but if you are going gluten free or Paleo because your best friend is? Not the best idea. Ok onto this recipe. I browsed a few ‘oatmeal’ recipes using coconut flour (obviously not using oatmeal but coconut flour in place of it) and came up with this pumpkin “oatmeal” bowl

Pumpkin “Oatmeal” Bowl (Paleo Friendly)
Serves: 1 hungry human

Ingredients

  • 2 T coconut flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2-1 banana depending on the size of banana. (I had a BIG one so I cut it in half)
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
  • 1/4 C water 
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C canned pure pumpkin
  • 1 egg, 2 egg whites
Directions
  • Place almond or coconut milk, banana, water and coconut flour in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and crack in the egg and egg whites. Stir with a fork.
  • Add in the pumpkin, spices and vanilla extract shortly after.
  • Bring everything to a simmer, stirring every 20-30 seconds or so.
  • Place in a bowl and EAT. 
  • I topped with some almond butter but you can top the bowl with any nut butter, flaked coconut, coconut oil. Get creative!
HAVE A GREAT DAY! 🙂

Question: What ingredient have you experimented with lately?

Naomi
Naomi