What I Ate Wednesday #22 - So Many Changes!

Before I begin this WIAW post... How is it already Wednesday again?! I feel like I literally JUST posted my last WIAW!
*I'm pretty sure I say that more often than not...*

Okay, anyways!! This past week, I've changed up my meals a TON! I'm not only very proud of, and happy about that, but I've also treated myself a couple of times with no regrets. Yep, that's right. I think I'm turning into a different person! 
Love this months theme! Thanks, Jenn!

9/26/12 - Dinner: I LOVE breakfast. And I love it even more when eaten twice a day!

Breakfast for dinner -- super healthy & low calorie cinnamon pumpkin spice pancakes topped with Biscoff spread, bananas, granola, a drizzle of light maple syrup & cinnamon + pumpkin pie spice, alongside an egg white scramble and warm cinnamon green tea.

These came out incredible. My pumpkin pancakes have never came out so good!

9/27/12 - Breakfast: oatmeal is best out of a jar.

This is what I like to call my "little bit of everything" oatmeal!

Cinnamon roll protein egg white oatmeal with granola + a few pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch + frozen blueberries + banana slices + a crumbled up leftover delicious banana pumpkin oatmeal muffin (so sad they're gone!) + White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter!

9/28/12 - Breakfast: mocha cocoa egg white (with some yolk... Oopsies!) oatmeal with a sprinkle of oatmeal raisin granola + a few Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares + banana slices & frozen blueberries + a bit of plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + some of a crumbled banana pumpkin oatmeal muffin + White Chocolate Wonderful.

9/28/12 - Lunch (part of it, haha): things I will ALWAYS eat (in moderation!) and NEVER give up: spinach & feta cheese-y bread from Dominos. Not sorry.

9/28/12 - Snack: this re-started my love for mug cakes. This was definitely one of the most delicious, SUPER clean & healthy, low calorie dessert/snacks ever!

A mini pumpkin & banana oat microwave cake with homemade strawberry almond milk "ice cream"… (Yeah, it really was as freaking fabulous as it looks and sounds.) Also had some apple slices & a nice warm mug of cinnamon green tea.

9/29/12 - Breakfast: I had work for the first time in weeks from 12pm-3:10pm (originally, it was until 4:00 pm, but we didn't have enough business for me to stay any longer), and then I went grocery shopping with my mom, so I needed a nice hearty breakfast!

Baked cinnamon pumpkin spice egg white oatmeal with lots of toppings/mix-ins! A sprinkle of oatmeal raisin & pumpkin flax granolas + Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares + a few banana & apple slices/cubes + some plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + a drizzle of maple syrup + banana nut granola peanut butter & Biscoff spread. Delicious.

9/29/12 - Dinner: my semi-healthy dinner that made me incredibly happy. Hehe.

All I had eaten since my breakfast at 9:40 am (it was around 5:45 pm now), was 1.5 mini apples & a few grapes. I got off work early (like I previously mentioned; around 50 minutes early), but I immediately head out food shopping with my mom after! She thankfully brought me an apple, but that obviously didn't fill me! Haha. Anyways! My dinner was EXACTLY what I wanted (eff you, disordered & restrictive thoughts and habits!) -- a 9-grain honey oat sub with bacon & tons of vegetables & salsa, and a sweet onion teriyaki chicken & vegetable salad. Freakin' perfect!

9/30/12 - Breakfast: the best post-workout breakie; OVERFLOWING. oats. in. a. jar.

Pumpkin cinnamon roll protein egg white oatmeal with granola (plain & pumpkin flax) + a few Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares (no, I will never give them up!) + banana slices + some plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice + a bit of Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter + shredded coconut… All inside a nearly-empty delicious Biscoff spread jar.

... Perfect.

9/30/12 - Snack: one for the best cookies I've ever eaten. Really.

Super soft, mouth-watering pumpkin cheesecake cookie by Pepperidge Farm. So good. So, SO good.

(I planned on having it as a nighttime snack, but I couldn't help myself and I had it in between lunch and dinner!)

10/1/12 - Breakfast: YAY! HAPPY OCTOBER!

Carrot cake egg white oatmeal with granola (plain & oatmeal raisin) + Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares + banana slices + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + raisins + shredded coconut + maple "frosting" + a drizzle of maple syrup + a dollop (or two...) of Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter!

10/1/12 - Snack: mini blueberry microwave muffin topped with a delicious maple "frosting", granola, banana slices, and some melted Biscoff spread.

 I had this with some more homemade almond milk "ice cream", and my usual apple (and pear) slices!

{Recipe coming soon!}

10/2/12 - Breakfast: German chocolate cake inspired protein egg white oatmeal! Topped with maple & peanut butter "frosting" + granola (instead of nuts because I have none) + banana slices + some Cinnamon Toast Crunch (of course!) + Biscoff spread + cinnamon!

This was SO freaking good. I know I overuse that saying, but it WAS! I promise!

10/2/12 - Snack: guess who treated herself to an extra delicious scrumptious cupcake instead of refusing it when she really wanted it? This girl! Yay! Today (October 2nd) was one of the Autistic kids that I work with in school's birthday, and someone made him cupcakes... So, I enjoyed one with the rest of the lovely kids! I loved it, and I’m proud of myself, and I don't even care how lame that sounds. At first, I'll admit that I refused it. Then, I went back and got one because 1. I RARELY “treat myself” (which I'm trying to change, as you can tell!) and 2. I really did want one. So, yes, this was fabulous, and no restricting went on the rest of the day, which makes me even more proud!

10/2/12 - Snack: I cannot believe this was real. And that I created it, all on my own, on the spot.

On-the-spot successful recipes make for the best recipes... Am I right?!

Anyways! This beautiful creation was a microwave completely clean protein brownie, on top of some plain Greek yogurt and cinnamon, all topped with homemade pumpkin spice almond milk "ice cream", Biscoff spread & White Chocolate Wonderful, granola & some crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch (I. Can't. Get. Enough.), banana slices, shredded coconut, cinnamon, some more melted Biscoff spread, and a mini dollop of Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter.

I had it with a sliced apple and pear. You can say I ended my Tuesday fabulously.

{Recipe coming soon!}

10/3/12 - Breakfast: I was so happy to have a FULL SERVING(!) of OIAJ for my breakfast today! Yay!

Pumpkin spice egg white oatmeal with granola (plain & pumpkin flax) + some Cinnamon Toast Crunch, of course + banana slices + a bit of plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + shredded coconut, all inside a nearly-empty Dark Chocolate Dreams jar! Perfection in a jar.

My workouts are located here-izzle, as always!
Oh, what else "fun" happened within the past week, you ask? Well, I finally got to work again! Even though it was only for a little over 3 hours, it's better than nothing, right?
Oh, and I got a new tattoo!

I've been REALLY wanting to get this done, and I'm so incredibly happy that I did. It's just a small reminder to stay strong and keep pushing everyday. I love it.

P.S. I'M SO HAPPY IT'S OCTOBER! This means the beautiful weather and the HOLIDAYS are on their way!! YAY!! 

What I Ate Wednesday #21 - I Love Fall!

Fall.
The weather, the food, the holidays, the sweaters, the colors... just about everything is quite perfect about it. One of the only things I truly love about living in New Jersey, is the change of seasons. (And that's it, really...) I don't think I'd ever be able to live somewhere where the weather was one way all year round. That'd be lame.

Btw, can you believe we're already into our last week of September?! I'll admit, this month, of all months thus far (this year), has gone pretty slow... But, still! IT'S ALMOST HOLIDAY TIME! 

Anywaaaaaays! This past week has been full of another batch of new meals, which is actually quite surprising for me! I'm proud. Very proud. I'm glad I'm getting (sort of) out of my super routine-y habit of eating the same things all. the. time. I've also been changing up some of my workouts, which is quite the A+ on my part!

9/20/12 - Breakfast: surprise OIAJ are the best way to start the day!

We had this jar of natural peanut butter for quite awhile, and my mom had finally finished most of it off in my sister's sandwich for lunch that she prepared that morning... And I couldn't let the jar just sit and go to waste!

Cinnamon apple spice infused egg white oatmeal with oatmeal raisin granola + apple slices + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon & Stevia + a leftover pumpkin muffin... All inside a nearly-empty natural peanut butter jar! This = delicious. I love OIAJ more than I love a lot of things. (And just oatmeal period...)

9/21/12 - Breakfast: I decided to try out sweet potato oatmeal for the first time... And I absolutely loved it! This was sweet potato & pumpkin egg white oatmeal with pumpkin flax & oatmeal raisin granola + banana slices + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + the last of my pumpkin cupcakes.

Scrumptious!

9/22/12 - Breakfast: my first day of fall breakfast had to be fall-themed, of course.

Baked pumpkin spice-chocolate swirl egg white oatmeal with oatmeal raisin & pumpkin flax granola + banana slices + plain Greek yogurt + Biscoff spread + a sprinkle of cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice + a drizzle of maple syrup. I baked this and ate it inside one of our fall dishes! Hehe. It looks like so much food, but I promise it was one serving and not six! Hahahaha...

9/22/12 - Tea time!/"Snack": found this pumpkin spice chai tea at a Pepperidge Farm thrift store, and I automatically had to get it!

The taste is VERY strong, though, so I had to add some almond milk, Stevia & cinnamon to be able to drink it all. But, nonetheless, it was so warm and comforting. So lovely for the upcoming weather!

9/22/12 - Dinner: made dinner for my family -- baked chicken wrapped in bacon with Guy Fieri marinade & minced garlic! Put mine over a biiiiig salad! 

Protein, I love you. (And, bacon, I love you almost more than I love chicken. But not quite. Sorry...)

9/23/12 - Breakfast: sweet potato pie oatmeal was in store for my post-workout breakfast on Sunday!

9/23/12 - Snack: I decided to get experimenting with baking again... And these muffins/muffin tops (since they didn't rise very well) came out even better than last week's muffins/cupcakes. They're seriously so incredibly delicious and moist... even over 24 hours after they were baked! It's amazing how something that's only 34 calories (I miscalculated and thought it was 37... not that it's much of a difference/not that it even matters the least bit) is SO delicious and HEALTHY! I think I'm gonna turn these into a bread recipe soon... 

9/24/12 - Breakfast: cocoa banana protein egg white oatmeal with some Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares + banana slices + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + a leftover, still SUPER moist & delicious banana pumpkin oatmeal muffin (crumbled up) + White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter.

One of my favorite combinations ever: chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. Literally perfection in it's simplest of forms.

9/25/12 - Breakfast: this was SO good. Strawberries + chocolate = always a good combination.

Strawberry shortcake egg white oatmeal with granola + some Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares (hehe... always!) + banana slices + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + a leftover (STILL moist & delicious) banana pumpkin oatmeal muffin + Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter. Mmmm, so good.

9/26/12 - Breakfast: I love being off from school and being able to workout early and eat a yummy post-workout breakfast!

I was so determined to have OIAJ for my post-workout breakfast this morning, that I made my dad and little sister sandwiches for lunch tomorrow with this peanut butte... And I also gave my little sister half a sandwich with some, too... Hahahahahaha. I know I'm pathetic, but I truly don’t care! Hehe.

Pumpkin spice infused egg white oatmeal with some granola (plain & pumpkin flax) + a few Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares + apple cubes + plain Greek yogurt + cinnamon + a leftover (... still perfect) banana pumpkin oatmeal muffin, all inside a nearly-empty (with around 1 tbsp of PB left... That's right, disordered thoughts! I have no regrets! ) Omega-3 peanut butter jar! SO. FREAKING. GOOD.

Aside from the food, this past week has definitely had it's up and it's downs. But, one of the MAJOR ups, is that people (a lot of them!) are voting me for "most changed" for our senior classes' superlatives! That might not mean much to some people, but it means the absolute world to me. (It also gives me a giant boost of motivation!) It means the world because people are noticing how much work I put into changing myself... When I lost weight (I was nearly obese, btw. I didn't lose weight just to fit society's definition of "skinny".), I gained confidence, which was something I never had before. I also became more outgoing and just happier all-around. I'm so happy people are noticing that.