The rain is currently coming down pretty heavy outside my window. Wet and dreary weather would have worked perfectly for me had I planned on a rest day for today.
Keyword phrase here: Had I planned.
I can’t plan rest days. I can consider a certain day of the week where I may want a rest day to occur but more often than not, I go by how I feel.
Yesterday needed to be my rest day. I ran a whole bunch last week and even though I wasn’t sore or stiff or anything like that, I knew my muscles needed a break and couldn’t wait for a rainy day.
Had I chosen to run yesterday simply because the weather was more suitable, those miles would have been complete junk on tired, useless legs.
Instead, I feel refreshed and ready to run this morning even if it means running on the treadmill because the rain seems to be too heavy even for a rainy runner like me.
You know you took a rest day when you wake up eager and itching to run on a treadmill.
I do not adjust what I eat to cater to rest days. I still eat an early breakfast and then another two hours later, as if I had run in between.
Sometimes I am not as hungry and sometimes I am just as hungry as if I ran six miles in between meals.
I don’t see the point in skimping on meals just because you didn’t run because if you are hungry, you need to eat, and, your body still needs fuel for recovery and strength for the next run.
Anyway, food lately….. Lots of pots of oatmeal have been cooking on my stove since I have been eating bowls for breakfast…and lunch.
Loaded up with berries…sometimes served warm…sometimes served cold…sometimes mixed with greek yogurt…. and the other day, oatmeal swimming in lots of skim milk because I had a random and crazy strong craving for milk.
Do I even need to tell you there is peanut butter mixed in? I should really count how many times I open up the jars of peanut butter in a day, would be an interesting statistic.
I bought a can of pumpkin the other day because I missed it and also because I wanted to try Arman’s Three-Minute Grain-Free English Muffin.
I really love adding pumpkin to oatmeal but right now it’s all about using the pumpkin to make Arman’s recipe.
I didn’t slice it but next time I will. I think I will be making a lot of these muffins because I love short ingredient lists and easy preparations.
I am going to try making them with chia seeds in place of the egg whites next.
I realize there is a salad along with the muffin in the above photo but I have laying low on the vegetables for the most part this week.
My stomach needs a rest day from vegetables sometimes just like my legs do from running.
It’s not that I haven’t been eating some vegetables; I still probably consuming more than most of America, I am just being a bit more selective in my choices and keeping the portion sizes to a minimum.
Roasted asparagus (and roasted plum tomatoes above) tend to be easier on the tummy than broccoli so I have been pairing it with lots of sweet potato wedges and my favorite chick pea and avocado mash.
My son isn’t really a vegetable eater at all but he does accept lettuce, especially when I offer it with tacos.
I am the master of throwing together fresh, healthy and homemade tacos in a flash. Shredded chicken which I cook and shred myself, mashed chick peas (because I had a can open and didn’t want to open the black beans), corn, taco seasoning, tomato paste and a drop of tomato sauce.
I will share a more in-depth recipe for the tacos soon but please take note at how I mash chick peas into his tacos and he is pretty clueless. I need to mash some more things on into the mix like I used to do to get him to eat more vegetables.
With the right seasonings and texture, I can even get him to eat vegetarian tacos.
I may take some time off from major vegetable consumption but never a hiatus from fruit.
I love fruit. However, sometimes I think its sole purpose is to keep me from just eating peanut butter and chocolate straight from the jar and bag.
While little compares to chocolate fudge cake, brownies, cookies and sundaes, fruit with peanut butter and chocolate will always hit the sweet spot.
. 
I will never grow tired or bored of this combination. Ever.
Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating today!
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Do you plan your rest days?
Do you sometimes need a break from vegetables?
Favorite oatmeal mix-in’s lately?
Anyone else still drink dairy milk?
YES on a break from vegetables..I’ve been having a few more of them recently, and like you, my body is loving it!
Glad you liked the muffin- try it with a whole egg over the whites too- asnd slice and toast! I was craving milk the other day too- I asked for foamed milk plain at the coffee shop lol.
Arman @ thebigmansworld recently posted…[WIAW] When protein isn’t the star component
OOoh…as in one whole egg instead of 2 whites?? I’m all over that! 🙂
Emily @ It Comes Naturally Blog recently posted…A special day
I made it this morning with the chia seeds – delicious! I should try it with an egg, my son would love it too!
Gotta try that muffin recipe. I love pumpkin as a baking ingredient, and I love it in my oats, for sure. Right now I’m mixing in cherries (as you know).
And I can’t really plan rest days. If I do, I feel too much pressure to REST and then I get all antsy because I’m not moving. So it is best if I just let my body tell me when it needs them!
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Lorna Jane’s NOURISH #WIAW
Definitely try his English muffin recipe. I really like it.
I am always so impressed with how good you are at listening to your body. That is SO important as a runner, and it really will help you stay healthy. I do have planned rest days on my schedule, but if I am feeling extra tired or something comes up, we will change things around because in the thick of my training I don’t have rest days as such. If I really need one, we will add one, but for me running 9 miles can be doable if I take it very easy and listen to my body.
i think I am going to have oatmeal for breakfast…..hope you are proud 😛
Tina Muir recently posted…Fish with Peach-Mango Salsa
I am proud and I hope you enjoyed it! As far as rest days, I am with you in that I can certainly run my miles even when tired or need rest but sometimes I just know I am better off not running and taking the rest day just so the next run can be great and speedy rather than have a bunch of slow runs on tired legs.
I barely had any veggies while I was off in Vegas, and my stomach loves me for it. I think I’m going to continue the trend and keep my veggies to a minimum for the next little while… which shouldn’t be too hard to do since I’m kind of back to being addicted to cereal lately, aaaaand would gladly eat it for every meal of the day. Oh! And I still drink dairy milk… usually only in my coffee though.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. WIAW … absence makes the heart grow fonder .
I don’t drink much milk at all except for in my coffee or when I have a random craving as I did the other day.
We got fresh blackberries in our CSA this week – such a good oatmeal mix-in! And I drink raw dairy milk and love it 🙂
Jaclyn @ BumpSweat recently posted…34-Week Bumpdate
I should buy blackberries next time I see them on special.
I ran 10 miles in torrential downpours this morning. I don’t know who I am anymore. I’m usually HUNGRIER on rest days. Like, cannot stop eating all day long hungrier. Good for you for listening to your body and getting ahead on the rest day! It’s tempting to plan according to the weather (I’ve certainly done it) but the fact of the matter is our body needs rest when it needs rest. I hope your treadmill run wasn’t too boring this morning 🙂
Sarah @pickyrunner recently posted…My move to Baltimore
I ended up hungrier yesterday than usual so I totally get the rest day hunger. I can never figure out my appetite…I ended up squeezing my run in outdoors in between the rain . I got really lucky!
I had to buy pumpkin especially for Arman’s muffins this week too 🙂 Let me know how it goes with the chia egg – would love to try that.
Emily @ It Comes Naturally Blog recently posted…What I ate Wednesday #26
I did the chia seeds in the muffin this morning and worked really well! I think it didn’t rise as much without the egg white but tasted just as good!
That’s a good point about the dairy – most blogs I read don’t drink dairy milk. I do have a suspicion it makes my acne flare up, but I always get it if I’m having a cappuccino when I’m out (purely for the foam!) and sometimes buy raw milk from the farmers market (just wish they didn’t charge so much!)
Cat recently posted…(WIAW) What I Ate Wednesday #43: Carrots and Eating Al Fresco
See, I knew I wasn’t crazy when it seemed like no one drinks dairy milk. I have a slight almond allergy so almond milk doesn’t work for me (although I probably wouldn’t like the taste of a nut milk anyway)….I don’t consume much dairy but the little bit in coffee and oatmeal is never a bad thing.
I keep seeing Peanut Butter & Co. at my local grocery store. I’m curious, is it worth the extra $?
Carmy recently posted…Run for My Life
Yes! Best peanut butters ever. I am never without at least 12 jars in my pantry…I order it by the case from Amazon so it is cheaper per jar.
Craving nutbutter now…always 🙂 Oats too!
jill conyers recently posted…Letting Go of Control
It’s not even normal how often I open a jar of peanut butter in a day. You would think I would be sick of it by now.
Hello Meredith,
Delicious looking WIAW eats today! I am intrigued by Arman’s Pumpkin Grain-Free English Muffin, which I jotted down and am going to make!
Glad you took a rest day yesterday…listened to your body. 🙂
Hopefully the rain will let-up there, soon, so the sun can come up.
Have a great rest of your week!
~Amy 🙂
Amy recently posted…WIAW #5 – Croissant, Scones, Crepes, Egg Salad Sandwich & More…