You guys rock my socks off.
Thank you so much for all of your love and support on my last post. As a blogger, it’s not always easy to put yourself out there for all the world to see (and judge), but the benefits of being part of such a warm and loving community far outweigh the costs. Love you much *is smitten*.
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So today was crazy for a couple of reasons.
First, our weather was bipolar…
[it’s raining, it’s pouring, Amanda’s [not] snoring (I hope…)]
[You are my sunshine… my only sunshine… you make my haaapppyyyy when skies are gray]
Second, and more importantly, my appetite was completely in.sane.
I blame breakfast…
… and the lack of chocolate in it. I had some strawberries that were on their last legs (can you imagine strawberries with legs?), and decided to make strawberry banana eggified oats this morning. Why I didn’t go the extra step and add chocolate is beyond me. Uhm. Amanda? Hello? Chocolate covered strawberries? Match made in heaven? Any of that ringin’ a bell? Apparently not. But never fear; chocolate did make an appearance later on in the day…
… or maybe two appearances…
[Chocolate pudding + almond butter = life changing. Trust.]
Fiiiiiine. Three appearances…
[Chocolate chip cookie dough ball and cocoa ginger snaps to go]
There may have also been some hummus and chips…
A pimped out rice cake…
(topped with cottage cheese (!!), almond butter, and honey)
A yogurt mess…
Aaaaaand a few handfuls of this stuff…
Lunch and dinner were also had, but will remain unpictured because I couldn’t be bothered to take a picture of lunch, and by the time I had satisfied my belly enough to operate a camera without having to fear that I might take a bite out of it, my dinner wasn’t looking all that pretty. Actually, I’m not trying to put on a show here – this is real life. And this is my half-eaten dinner…
… and probably the ugliest picture that you’ll ever see around here, so please don’t let this isolated incident scare you away. What you’re looking at there is the mangled remains of a quinoa bake (based off this recipe), some hummus, some cottage cheese, some blueberry jam, and a hardboiled egg.
Ugly, but delicious; and satisfying enough to tame my hunger… for now. Rest assured that another snack will be eaten before I call it a night.
So today has been a little crazier than usual in terms of how ravenous I’ve been feeling, and the strangest part of all was that it was a rest day. I was too busy with work this morning/afternoon to get a workout in, and when I finally got some free time at the end of the day, I just wasn’t feeling the exercise bit so I decided to sit down and do some blogging instead. Yay! 😀
Actually, now that I think about it, my appetite today wasn’t all that strange – ravenous rest days are a pretty common thing for me. I seem to be hungrier on days where I don’t work out than on days when I do…. especially if I’m feeling sore after a kick-butt lifting session (which I am today).
Do I feel guilty for eating extra and not exercising? No. Why? Because I take it as a sign that my metabolism is firing up, and that my body needs the extra fuel to repair and build muscle. Sure it’s kind of daunting to feel hunger creeping in every hour, and to constantly be making treks to the kitchen to satisfy that hunger, but it’s better than feeling my energy, performance, and mood plummet because I’m not fuelling properly. I enjoy being at the top of my game, and if my body needs a little bit extra in order to keep me there, then so be it.
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Do you find yourself hungrier on rest days than on days where you work out?
Totally. I find that especially with running my appetite is usually way off, so when it returns on my rest day I damn well make the most of it! I think its because our bodies are repairing and need those extra nutrients. All your eats look amazingly yummy as always!
I find that I’m more hungry on work out days. Especially after long runs too. I figured that my body just needs that extra fuel to recover. Loving the pimped out rice cake yum! 🙂
Ahhh man, I am a hungry MONSTER on rest days! At first I totally struggled with it..I mean no exercise but eating more?? Umm no, can’t do that because it doesn’t make sense. But now I have accepted it and realise that my body needs the extra for recovery and I embrace it by making extra muffins and cookies hehe! Not that I need any excuse really 😛
I soo soo want those cocoa ginger snaps..I may have to try making my own..watch this space!
Hehee! Love this post! You write so well. Love your style!
I ALWAYS feel hungrier on rest days In the past it would ‘worry’ me but I’ve totally started to embrace it! Our bodies aren’t stupid and like you said, they need the fuel to repair sore muscles. As long as we’re not using ‘junk’ to fuel our bodies, there is no reason not to respond to our body’s hunger cries!
I am always much more hungry on my rest days, I think that my body is just trying to prepare for another workout experience and needs to gather a lot of strength and power, so I don´t blame it for making/letting me eat more of delicious snacks and such 🙂
OoO, your breakfast looks so delicious! And I could not agree more- chocolate would be heaven on that! But there is always tomorrow.. 😉
I have always been like “.. Rest day=No need for fuel”. SO wrong! Im changing my mind on EvErYtHiNg at the moment! Because I know I need to change my mind to change my habits! Now, I think that restdays arent useful as long as I dont eat! Yesterday was my restday,and I surely made up even more excuses to not eat! Luckily, hunger reminded me that my body was hungry even though I didnt workout (duh..), and I ate 😀
I really look forward to the day I see hunger as a sign that my body works- cause that is really what it is!
Love you <3
You’ll get there, hun <3 You've already come so far, so don't give up 😀
i’m usually hungrier on workout days – like a heavy leg day or intense intervals. and everytime you write ‘pimped out rice cake’ i pack up laughing- i imagine this little bad ass rice cake with his shades- too cool for school – ruling the kitchen!!
I do find myself hungrier on rest days — maybe because my body is busy healing/building/fixing. Even though I may be hungrier, I also honor the messages my body gives me — it most likely has a reason that it needs more nutrients.
Even your ugly food looks delicious 🙂 I find myself generally more in touch with whether or not I’m actually hungry on rest days… maybe because of less ups and downs? I still have trouble telling whether or not I am truly hungry or if I just want to eat. ah!
Yes!! Rest days I am so much hungrier! Today was one of those days!!
If strawberries had kegs, haha! So funny!
Love ya girl!!
I rarely have an appetite, so I envy you.
I am always hungrier on rest days. Today, oh my god, I didn’t work out. I was up at four for Marine stuff then when I got home at like 1, I slept for six hours. I’m sure if I was up, I would just be eating.
I definitely get hungrier on rest days (as does pretty much everyone from the looks of it)! I firmly believe it’s because working out has a way of surpressing your appetite — really, just doing SOMETHING that will keep your mind off food usually keeps hunger pangs at bay. But it’s probably also your body rebuilding as you said. Good reason to honor your hunger 🙂
I’m definitely more hungry on rest days. Of course, exercise release endorphins that actually suppress appetite..which is strange since you’d think that’s when we’d need food the most!
i was super hungry today too! But thats okay with me….I love to eat!! Haha! I love those shasha cookies! Their delicious!
I’ve been having the most intense cravings for gingersnaps lately and then I just saw them on your blog. Girl, I’m seriously considering going out to get some right now (even though its almost 9pm)! and I promise I’m not pregnant! haha.
I think on rest days our body’s are, well, resting, and realize how much energy we’ve used the passed week and will be needing the coming week, so it’s both replenishing AND refueling. At least that’s what I’d like to think 😉
As long as you’re not craving gingersnaps AND pickles, then I won’t ask any questions 😉
i had pudding today too! well soy pudding! but i had a chocolate pudding with my oats this morning. call me a 5 year old, but i.love.pudding.
I love rest days, and I love embracing the ravenous appetite that comes with it. I used to struggle a lot — but now I remind myself that my muscles are rebuilding and I’m getting stronger. Just as the rest is necessary, the food is too! I love that you had cottage cheese and almond butter on a rice cake — one of my favorite snacks ever, and it’s been way too long since I’ve had it!! Next time you’ll have to put some chocolate on there too – that would be heavenly.
Oh hunger…when am I not hungry? I don’t know if I’m hungrier on rest days, but I’m at least “as hungry” as I am on exercise days. For some reason, the days that I am the hungriest are when I run. It doesn’t even have to be a hard run- it could even be easier and shorter than my interval workouts, but I’m always hungrier after it.
Oh, and quick question! What kind of camera do you use?
I use a Canon EOS 7D.
YES i’m the same way! I’m always hungrier on my rest days, without fail. Running tends to supress my appetite a bit, so I have a feeling that I spend most of my days in a little bit of a calorie defecit. Then when my body has a chance to stop dealing with the stress of running, it’s like “….oh YEAH! I need to eat! gimme food, woman!!” I take the opportunity and FEAST. today was a rest day for me actually and I couldn’t get full haha.
I love your breakfast! strawberry-banana combos are THE best….and you’re right, adding chocolate would’ve been a (three-way) match made in heaven!
I’m always hungrier on rest days or on days that I lift weights. And I’m afraid you did not mention how many more days you have until you move. Just sayin’…
😆 35! I was just afraid that I would start to annoy people!
What brand almond butter do you use?
Those little heart cookies are so cute.
Sometimes the ugliest and messiest things are the most delicious.
I use Maisie Jane’s http://www.maisiejanes.com/
It’s one of the only almond butters I can find up here that doesn’t “contain traces of peanuts”, and I’m lucky that I love the taste of it 😀
DUDE I’m always a cray cray ravenous animal on my rest days, it’s like my appetite just can’t be satisfied! By the way, that pumped out rice cake looks so dang good, you always come up with the tastiest ideas! 🙂
I am usually a MADWOMAN on rest days (I pretty much stay in the kitchen all day). I agree–just your body repairing from the hard workouts and everyday activities! I feel like sometimes exercise, especially cardio, actually curbs my appetite–at least for a few hour after. Then it hits me like a ton of brick in the afternoon or at night! Love those little cookie dough balls, I need to make some! Yumm!
I definitely am hungrier on rest days – and then it makes me have to work EXTRA hard not to let guilt hit. It can be tough sometimes. But it is one of the things that you’ve just got to push through – and listen to your body!
Those chips are the bomb are they not?
They are made with lentil flour which is not on my meal plan so I was rebelling and it felt good.
Delicious rebellion.
I don’t think I work out enough to have a proper rest day, but I can see why you’d be hungrier.
My appetite is pretty much always in ravenous mode, but even more on rest days! I swear my coworkers think I’m crazy, walking back into the break room for yet another snack every hour. I feel bad for the guy in the cube next to me – he has listen to my munches all day 🙂
I’m definitely hungrier on rest days, too! Glad I’m not alone 😉
And I agree with the comment above. Even your “ugly” picture is gorgeous!
So funny that you say that! Today is a rest day for me and I have done nothing more than sit behind a desk. Yet, I am pretty sure that i haven’t stopped eating all day! Muscle recovery is tough.work.
Pita chips and hummus are a match made in heaven, no?
Just as I suspected- even your “ugly” pictures look goooood.
I’m not too good at taking rest days(yet!)-so its hard to say if I’m hungrier or not. I am really trying to get better at giving my body rest though.
All your eats look particularly delicious as usual!
Xxx
Haha I love the pimped out rice cake! looks amazing. I actually am extra hunrgy on days I lift weights. Sometimes I feel guilty when I eat extra and don’t work out, but I just try to remember that my body deserves a break now and then…and extra cookies 😉
I think my appetite depends on the time of the month. I’ll have endless hunger for one week, and feel normal the rest of the month.
I’m not too sure how exercise affects my hunger…
Yes! I’m always hungrier on rest days and lifting days! I love how in tune you are with your body! It inspires me to get there as well. I mean everything you eat looks amazing!
I fins strawverries go off so quickly, so not fair! I do love them in porridge though. Was you doing work as in education, studying? When I was at college I always found I was more nibble I blamed by brain working too hard!I do find that I need to eat just as much as I do when I exercise as on my rest days.
No, I was work working unfortunately 🙁 Lots of errands and time on the computer. But I find the same thing happens to me when I’m studying… I get really nibbly!
i like how you think, hungrier bc your metabolism is working on overtime, even on rest days! ps: i was laughing so hard when i saw the “pimped out rice cake”–love that phrase. and cut your hair so we can be twinnies 🙂
Did you do it?!?! Girl! You better be showing some pics stat!
I think it’s natural to be hungrier on rest days. It happens to me, and I’ve heard a lot of people talk about it as well. Sometimes I find that exercise temporarily takes away my appetite. I guess it all catches up when the body is at rest! I think I eat about the same amount of food on rest days as I do on days when I work out. I might eat a little bit more on exercise days, just because I make a conscious effort to eat back the lost calories. But there have definitely been days when I’ve eaten more on recovery days! Hey, that’s what recovery is for, right? Our bodies need food, just like an engine needs gas. Eat up! I want a cookie dough ball right now.
DEFINITELY on rest days!! I am so with you there!! And I know that my muscles are just hungry and want to be repaired, and that’s cool, so I’ll feed them WITH YOUR DELICIOUS MUFFINS. Seriously, I’m never gonna stop going on about them cos I had FOUR today and they are so freakin’ good!! 😀
!! I haven’t made those in a while and now you’re making me crave them!
I’ve heard other people say similar things about being hungrier on rest days. I haven’t experienced that myself, but my rest days usually end up being filled with lots of errands/work/things not around the house. I love your pimped up rice cake!!
On the rare occasion I actually get up and do something that bears resemblance to a workout my appetite is not as ravenous…probably also because those are the days I have more of a full schedule and no lazy time to dinner-scheme