Ab Circuit and "Oatmeal" Concoctions

It's Friday! Which doesn't mean much to me, since my longest days are Saturday, Sunday and Monday. But I love the excitement that seems to be in the air on Fridays!

After my epic workout day Wednesday (when I'm supposed to be tapering, nonetheless), I took it easy yesterday. I started my morning with a super slow four miles. As expected, my legs were pretty shot and I just enjoyed my time in the quite, dark morning.

I taught classes last night, and thought I'd share the ab circuit I put my class through!

In case you don't know what some of the exercises are, I've linked videos to most of them:
Hollow Rocks
Bicycles
Toe Touches
Russian Twists
Hip Raises
Inchworms

For this circuit, do each exercise for 2 minutes before continuing to the next. After each plank, do 15 inchworms before continuing with 2 minutes for each exercise.

Have fun! It should take 20-30 minutes. And you will definitely feel your abs the next morning!

I also made the most delicious breakfast yesterday. It's a little on the bizarre side, so stick with me.

I've tried really hard to get into oatmeal. I'm not sure why, but I just couldn't make it a regular breakfast. I always just felt too full and heavy afterwards. Now that it's getting colder, I've been craving warm foods, especially in the morning just after running.

I've read about "Oatmeal minus the oats" in the blog world before and always skimmed over it, dismissing the trend as way too out of the ordinary for me. I'm not sure what changed my mind, but I tried it Wednesday morning and had it as an afternoon snack yesterday, too.

And I LOVED it! Reading the recipe, it just sounds so strange. But I promise it is delicious. It left me full from all the protein (nuts, eggs), but didn't give me that too full feeling that I get when I eat a huge bowl of carbs first thing in the morning.

Oatmeal (minus the oats)
Adapted from Carrots 'n Cake

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if desired)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together the almond milk and eggs, then add the walnuts, flaxseed, cinnamon, banana and vanilla. Mix well.

Heat the mixture in a medium saucepan, stirring frequently until the desired consistency is reached.

Top with anything! I've been rocking the almond butter lately, but berries or more banana would be good, too!

I pretty much killed my jar of almond butter yesterday. If that's not a clean jar, I'm not sure what is!!