Hardcore Porn

I began this post last night–at 10:30pm–then realized that there was no way that I would be able to produce something of quality. So instead of staring at a computer screen for an hour, I decided to catch the end of the show Hardcore Pawn with my dad. Side note: my mom once got tongue-tied and inadvertently told me that my dad was watching hardcore porn and not pawn. Needless to say, I was mortified when I thought my dad was watching X-rated television and that my mom was readily telling me about it. I mean who would name a television show Hardcore Pawn anyway?

We had a good laugh when we cleared up the miscommunication, and I must admit that the show is interesting! Let’s move on to a less raunchy topic, like food. Breakfast yesterday morning was one of my new favorite combinations: Justin’s chocolate peanut butter on a toasted English muffin topped with sliced peaches. So good!

The rain in the morning kept my workout indoors, so I turned my sunroom into a yoga studio and turned on ExerciseTV to complete 35 minutes of stress-relieving yoga. I’ve been getting headaches a lot lately, but a soothing session of yoga always helps.

Since I knew I would be out for a while, I blended together a filling smoothie in the blender. Though I’ll use bananas in my smoothies, I don’t always love the overpowering flavor that it gives. I think I solved my problem–I loaded up on cocoa powder. This protein shake was delicious, extremely filling, and full of health benefits.

Chocolate Covered Banana Protein Shake

• 1 banana
• 1 heaping scoop of chocolate protein powder
• 1 handful of spinach
• ½ cup Almond Breeze or milk
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 tablespoon Hershey’s special dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 cup ice cubes (about 6-8)

1. In a blender, blend together the protein powder, spinach, banana, and Almond Breeze.

2. Once your mixture comes to a smooth consistency, add the xanthan gum, cocoa powder, and ice cubes. Enjoy!

Before getting the kids from various camps, I had about 10 minutes to run into Old Navy. I had a specific item in mind, but ended up coming across a few pieces that I liked. Old Navy is always hit or miss for me; at times I’ll go in there and feel as if every item in the women’s section is an exact replica of the clothing in the girls’ section, just bigger in size. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cute–for a 7-year-old girl. In opposition, there are times–like yesterday–when I feel like Old Navy nailed the trends.

I picked up a couple pairs of gauze shorts and a pretty ruffled top and was pleasantly surprised when it was all on sale. In fact, the prices are always reasonable, so I never mind paying full-price for a hidden gem when I spot one. Can you believe that the dress I wore on my birthday in Mexico cost a mere $20? Old Navy isn’t my g0-to place for a great outfit, but every now and then I find something that makes a great addition to my wardrobe.

Between running errands, doing camp pickups, and working, I ended up being out for 12 hours yesterday. I was exhausted when I came home, so I was glad to see that my dad took matters into his own hands and picked up a pizza. I was not in the mood to cook! For a fast meal, I had a slice of veggie pizza with some moldy broccoli on the side. Just kidding, it’s actually onion powder sprinkled on top. 😉

I actually also fit in a short strength-training workout after dinner. To warm up, I did 15 sets of stair-sprints and 50 jumping jacks. I then completed 30 minutes of weightlifting, focusing mostly on my arms, and finished up with push-ups and some ab exercises. I didn’t have much time yesterday, but I managed to squeeze in over an hour of exercise. You just have to do what you can, it all adds up!