I headed to the gym today with plans to take a 30-minute strength training class at the gym. Since the class didn’t start until 6 a.m. and Ryan and I usually arrive a little before 5:30 a.m., I began my workout with 30 minutes of cardio split between the stair master and the elliptical.
I then wandered into the class about five minutes early to set up and overheard the instructor telling a woman that today’s class was only going to focus on upper body strength training. I worked my arms yesterday and don’t train the same muscles back-to-back (gotta let them rest!), so I changed my plans and headed to the weight room for an express leg workout that looked like this:
|
Exercise |
Reps |
Sets |
| Squats | 20 | 4 |
| Deadlifts | 20 | 4 |
| Lunges | 15 (each leg) | 3 |
I used rather heavy weight, so the workout, while short, still had me feelin’ the burn!
At first not taking the class put me in a bit of a mental funk and I felt like just calling it a day and heading home. I tried my best to rally and re-commit myself to a decent leg workout and it ended up totally fine. Plan B workouts sometimes work out. (<—Horrifically lame pun… But I still kind of love it.)
Breakfast
Breakfast today was rather odd, but rather good at the same time.
I made myself a plate of scrambled eggs and stirred in a few crumbled Wildwood vegetarian meatballs that the company sent me to try a few weeks ago.
I’ve been snacking on the veggie meatballs straight out of the fridge for a few days, but incorporating them into my scrambled eggs took them to a whole different level. Who knew veggie meatballs for breakfast would be such a hit!?
Another hit from this morning’s breakfast?
Marylou’s coffee!
When I was in Massachusetts last month for a Reebok event, a bunch of other bloggers and I fell in love with Marylou’s iced coffee thanks to Tina who raves about the Boston-based coffee chain on her blog.
About two weeks ago I sent Tina a silly text that said something along the lines of, “I’d like some Marylou’s right now. Please and thank you.”
Little did I know that I’d receive a package that contained a bag of Marylou’s coffee a couple of days later! The card said the coffee was from the not-so-mysterious “Iced Coffee Fairy.” I wonder who that could be!?
I made myself a cup of peanut butter wonderful iced coffee with the Marylou’s blend using the technique Tina posted about on her blog yesterday. Delish! Thank you, Tina!
Now for a little behind-the-scenes of PBF fact: I take nearly all of my pictures at our dining room table, but we’ve only actually enjoyed one meal at this table (Friendsgiving) since we moved in!
We eat at the smaller table in our kitchen, but the lighting is way better in the dining room.
Things you never needed to know! 
Happy Birthday Leslie!
I must take a moment to wish a very special girl a very happy 23rd birthday before signing off for the morning!
Happy Birthday to my little sister!
A couple of weeks ago when I was hanging out in St. Pete with Leslie, she needed to submit a baby picture for something and I fortunately snapped a photo of one of my favorite baby pictures of her as we were looking through photos. (If you follow me on Instagram – I’m @pbfingers – then this may look familiar.)
What better day to share this photo with you guys than on her birthday?
Apparently someone was not a fan of pony rides as a child.
I just want to pick her up and give her a hug whenever I see that picture. Leslie, please know that lots of birthday hugs are coming your way today! Happy, happy birthday! I love you!
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Aww happy birthday to your sis!! I’m not a coffee drinker, but even I am intrigued by the flavours that Mary Lou’s has!! I live in Canada so I don’t think I can order it up here, but if I’m ever in Boston it’ll be my first purchase!
I saw her iced coffee recipe, and need to try it!
Happy birthday to your sister!
Happy Birthday to Leslie!
Happy birthday to Leslie! You girls are both gorgeous 🙂 And that iced coffee looks SO amazing!! Yummm, I’m craving some now.
That coffee sounds amazing! I want to try Tina’s iced coffee recipe. It sounds good. 🙂
Happy Birthday to your sister!!
That coffee sounds amazing. Peanut butter everything is my favorite! Happy bday to your sis!
Haha love it! I feel like everyone has at least one baby picture like that. I have one of the big purple McDonald’s character holding me and I’m bawling my eyes out and look horrified! I was deathly afraid him! Happy birthday to your sister!
i saw tina’s homemade version of peanut butter wonderful yesterday, and i definitely need to get my hands on some of those ingredients to make it! i SO wish we had marylou’s here in utah!
I need to head up to Boston and get some Mary Lou’s coffee stat! What a cute baby picture of your sister!
I look forward to reading your blog every morning as your positive outlook on life, and your enthusiasm for everything you do, really takes me to a good place at the beginning of my day. You are blessed. Thank you for your sweetness.
I couldn’t agree more. You put it so well 🙂
I will have to try out the iced coffee recipe. I’ve never had MaryLou’s but I am addicted to Starbucks iced coffee.
How sweet of Tina to send you some! 🙂 Mary Lous sounds incredible!
That is so sweet of Tina! I really want to try Marylou’s when i’m in Boston for HLS but I don’t think we’ll be near them. I’ll have to check it out on google maps!
HI! SHOUT OUT from Malaysia! Happy Birthday to your sister! Your blog inspires me to eat healthy everday! Thank you!
So, I live in MA, but the closest Marylou’s is about a half hour out of my way (rude). It literally NEVER occurred to be that I could just buy the beans, and make it at home. Duh. Thanks for the tip 🙂
I LOVE you and Leslie’s relationship, Julie … I’m the same age as your sister! Cool 🙂
Aww your sis was an adorable baby- happy birthday to her!!
Happy birthday Leslie! Iced coffee sounds fab right now!
I really have to learn how to brew iced coffee the proper way, it sounds delicious. I also should pick up some yummy flavored coffee like Mary Lou’s to brew up. Have a great day, happy b-day to your sister. ^_^
AW Happy birthday to your sister! I’m loving iced coffee too lately 🙂 PS – I am trying your 1000 rep circuit workout today… eeeek!
ah! hope you like it! i was pretty darn sore the next day! 🙂
Is it weird that when I looked at the first picture of your breakfast this morning, all I saw was the cookie monster? (bagel = eyes, eggs = mouth).
Happy birthday Leslie!!
ha! love it!
Morning Julie,
I saw your recipe for tropical Salad with citrus viniagrette
dressing in the Publix greenwise magazine, and my hubby and I had it last night, I had to change it up a lil
to what I had in the house, but it was awesome and we loved it. I am a blogger too, so was telling my readers
about it, and gave them my rendition but also wanted to direct them to your blog to give you the credit and so they could see your recipe as well, but I can’t find the recipe
anywhere on your blog……….so could you please write
me back asap and tell me how I can get them to the recipe as I would like to post this today asap, since I didn’t post yesterday. I live in Florida too, in the central Fl area, so pleased to meet you hon.
Blessings, Nellie
You have a very nice blog by the way.
I love how you set up your dining room table! And Happy Birthday to your sister 🙂
I do that with my food photos also – sometimes my husband jokes that our dining table is merely the foods photo studio and not a “dining” place at all. We usually eat around the coffee table or at the island in our kitchen. Funny how we buy furniture and have entire rooms centered on a lifestyle we don’t really abide by
happy birthday!
Aaww, your little sis and I share a birthday!! I am so jealous that you got to try Marylou’s coffee!! If I am ever in the area over there, it’s the first place I’ll be going!
whoops…that comment above was meant for you! happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Leslie!!! That baby picture is precious even though she looks less than excited. I love looking through old photos like that!
I love Marylous! I actually didn’t know until I started following Tina’s blog that if you order one of the speciality coffees there they mix it with whipped cream! Delicious.
Happy Birthday Leslie! 🙂
You’re breakfast looks like happy face!! ha ha.
See the ‘eyes’ (the bagel) and the ‘smile’ (eggs).
Love it.
Way for making plan B work for ya this morning!!
I saw the peanut butter iced coffee on Tina’s blog yesterday and my mouth started salivating right away. Looks so YUM!!!
Happy Birthday to your lil’s sister. She is lucky to have such an awesome BIG sister such as yourself!!
Ahh Happy Birthday to your sister!!
I love when plan B is a great one too. Way to rally and get in a great workout nonetheless 🙂
Happy birthday to your sister! My husband’s was yesterday and my niece’s is today as well!
aw happy birthday to your sister! what cute pictures! and WOW 5:30 am is eeeeearrrrly!!! i don’t think I’d ever be able to maintain that routine! Way to go! 🙂
haha aw your sister’s so cute! so jealous about the peanut butter iced coffee- that sounds amazing. i’ve been looking for some in the grocery store / online, but can’t find any other companies/coffee shops making it. does anyone know where i can find it (besides going to marylou’s)?
Aww you and your sister are SO cute!!
At least you found out about the strength workout before the class started!
Happy Birthday to your sister!
Aww the pictures of you and your sister are all so cute! I’d always wished I had a sister… but I got stuck with 2 younger brothers (quite the opposite).
I just bought a travelers mug for ice coffee, similar to what you have, so i can start bringing my coffee from home. I’ll be trying our your/tina’s recipe soon! Have a good day!
Yay for the coffee fairy!
And Happy Birthday to your sister! 🙂
You and your sis look so much alike! I never thought of eggs and meatballs but that sounds yum! I love how you always keep your dining room table set! I noticed that in your other pics. My DR table is not set daily..all the dishes are stored away in the china cabinet and like you I have only used my DR table once and I lived in my home 3 yrs lol. 🙂
AH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! =D You two are gorgeous by the way!
Hi Julie,
Do you think that the exercise prescription that you are putting out to the masses (and pinning) will change once you learn more about the science behind exercise? Hopefully with your personal training education, you will learn a bit more about that science – it’s real, not just something you can make up with no education.
Hi Megan! That is definitely part of my motivation to get my personal training certification. I’d love to learn more and improve this blog with that education.
Happy Birthday to Leslie!
WOAAAAHH so surprised this morning when I saw that you had mary lou’s! Im from the south shore (MA) where mary lou’s is located! Toasted Almond is to die for! I need to try peanutbutter wonderful though, you can never go wrong with mary lou’s!
Soooo, to get the Iced Coffee Fairy to come visit me, I just have to send a text? Hmmm…I think I can do that 😉 hehehe
Happy Birthday to your sister!! 🙂 And wow, you are pretty lucky to have a Coffee Fairy who knows your address!! 😉 I would use a visit from her right about now haha!
Your dining room table is gorgeous!! I love the setup, especially the candle centerpiece. Beautiful. (I’m also oozing with jealousy, because my apartment currently has 0 tables for dining, and after a whopping one meal without a table, I’m already going crazy haha).
Happy birthday to Leslie!!
YAY! So glad you’re enjoying the Marylou’s! 🙂
it is great! thank you so much for sending it you glooorious iced coffee fairy! 🙂
awww hahah what a cute adorable picture of Leslie! I love baby pics. And happy birthday Leslie! I’m sure you’ll be reading these. 😉 Also, I’ve been sooooooo dying to try the pbwonderful coffee! So stoked that Tina posted a method for it. Now I kinda want to come up with a coffee brew that’s just straight out pb flavored! lol
Omigosh what a wonderful surprise from the iced coffee fairy! I love iced coffee and Tina’s mix looks truly delicious!! Happy birthday to Leslie too! You too look so much alike! What a wonderful gift to be best friends with your sis!
Happy Bday Leslie!! You know I live in MA, but have never been to Mary Lou’s! I need to check it out, although its’s kind of a far ride for me just for coffee!
I am curious – How much weight do you use when squatting and lunges? I did my leg workout yesterday and I am feeling it today, which I love 🙂