The closer I get to my competition, the more fun I have.
Ask me again in 2 weeks and I may tell you different.
Right now life revolves around the gym, food, and work. I love all three of these, so why wouldn’t I be ecstatic? Here’s how my typical Saturday goes down:
1. Wake Up, Eat, Get Dressed
I started my day with a delicious combo of oats, TVP, egg whites, cinnamon, ginger… and cheesecake.
The cheesecake part was thank to a Loranne Cheesecake Flavoring. I topped with frozen cherries and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.
2. Go to Competition Suit Fitting
No pic till competition day… but I LOVE it!
3. Posing practice and Back/Tri Workout
I did this at my trainer’s gym, which I love because it’s an actually a training gym vs. a fitness club. The icing on the cake was that I was the only one there for the last half of the workout, which was amazing.
Clearly this called for a photoshoot.
4. Meet with 1st Personal Training Client
I am SO excited to be working with a former roller derby teammate. She is going to kick ass in the gym too!
5. Grocery Shop
I hit out massive Buford Highway Farmer’s Market and bought a TON of food for less than $70. Including this new to me fish – Sheepshead:
6. Cook Dinner
I couldn’t wait to try my Sheepshead, so that’s what I had. It’s delicious – a mild, meaty white fish that’s low in fat and high in protein.
Seafood is one thing I prefer to prepare simply. I baked this fish with lime and a dusting of Indian spices. Eaten with bok choy sautéed with garlic, green onion, and coconut oil, and roasted portobello with a runny egg, and a slice of Ezekial.
7. Clean Out/Organize Work Emails
This was a productive activity while watching FSU beat the you-know-what out of Clemson. Goooo ‘Noles!!!
8. Eat dessert
The following is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Designer Whey and Smari. As always, all opinions are my own.
Dessert is my favorite par of the day. Even better was the fact that I got to try 2 new things: Designer Whey Vanilla Almond Protein Powder and Smari Icelandic yogurt. I normally make my protein bowls with Greek yogurt, but I am loving this Icelandic too! It’s very similar to Greek in that its super thick, high in protein (higher than Greek, actually!), and the plain is low in sugar.
I decided to create a pumpkin protein bowl using the ingredients. What resulted was a Pumpkin Almond Protein Batter that made me a little sad when I was over. It tasted like cake batter.
Overall, it was a marvelous weekend!
Pumpkin Almond Protein Batter
- 1/2 C pumpkin puree
- 1/2 C Greek yogurt
- 1/2 scoop Vanilla Almond Protein Powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of cloves
- 5-6 drops stevia
- 1 T unsweetened almond milk (or other liquid)
- Optional toppings: cocoa powder sauce (cocoa powder + liquid + stevia), cherries, cacao nibs, popcorn
Combine everything in a small bowl and mix until smooth. You may need to add more liquid to achieve desired consistency.
Top with your favorites and enjoy!
*You can sub any vanilla protein and add 1/4 tsp almond extract
***
Did you notice anything in that pic of me? I went dark for the winter… every time I look in the mirror I double take at the dark haired girl.
Have you ever tried Icelandic yogurt?
What does a typical Saturday look like for you?
You’re looking great girlie! Ready for competition!
You look amazing Laura!! Love the suit AND so excited for you and your first personal training client!!
Thank you!!! Your teaching journey has been an inspiration!
Can’t wait to see you in the SPARKLY BLUE THING… Because I gotta see someone in it, I sure as hell wouldn’t be CAUGHT DEAD IN IT… My future husband will NOT EVEN have the luxury of seeing me in it, LMFAO!!!!!
AND WTF I am so envious of this fish market of yours. YOU KNOW I am obsessed with seafood………… And I have NEVER TRIED sheepshead. I like really really really fatty fish though……….. Maybe I wouldn’t like it as say.. Chilean Sea bass?
PS: I don’t always go to the window, but when I do, I go to the wall as well. LOL .
Nothing is as good as sea bass… but sheepshead if like 1/15th of the price. 🙂
I’ve never heard of sheepshead fish or of Icelandic yogurt, but both intrigue me! Good luck on your competition–you look strong!!
Highly recommend both! And thank you!!! 🙂
LOVE the new twist on the protein batter- will definitely be giving it a go as its easier to dump pumpkin out of a can than grating carrot or zucchini each time 😉
My saturdays at the mo are boring with the gym being my highlight but once exams are done and dusted, some epic brunching wil be happening!
PS rocking hair!
How are you grating? I just use a hand grater and can get a carrot shredded in less than a minute. Plus, it’s a decent finisher move after bicep day. 😉
You look great beauty! I either work (ER nurse) or prep food, clean the house, run errands, grocery shop, ya know, the sunday things 😉
Cleaning… knew I was forgetting something I should do. 😉
Sounds like a productive Saturday! Normally I get up to do a workout, but this weekend I slept in and took a rest day. Bliss.
You look great girl, I love the new color! And that Cake Batter? Want! I need to make it. Happy Monday!
Sleeping is a MUST! I’m not a morning person.
LOVE that bikini, so sparkly and pretty. And that runny egg…. drool!
My Saturdays are usually work, work, work and then I try to convince myself to leave the house and be a normal person on a Saturday night! Love the new hair and can’t wait to see you in the bikini (how creepy does that sound?!) 🙂
I have no concept of creepy at this point. LOL!
Love that you topped your bowl with popcorn- can’t beat the sweet and savory combo! Although not as healthy as raw almonds, honey roasted almonds are awesome in yogurt bowls! Although procrastination tends to show up in full force on Saturdays, I try to get some work done so that my Sunday is completely free!
I’m so glad that you did not actually eat a Sheep’s Head. Ewe! haha! 😉 Anyway…you are looking fantastic! Keep up the good work!
I like Icelandic Yogurt but not smari. Didn’t like it at all. LOVE Siggis.
Love your posts and ideas! You look great and are having fun!
Really? I found the two brands to be similar. Did you try the plain?
oh my gosh that pumpkin almond protein batter looks amazing!!!!!
OH I LOVE THE DARK HAIRED GIRL.
I was very follicle fun—until the child 🙂
I NEED to regain that fun.
good choice of fish, yogurt, and suit! love it all, as usual! and love the recipe. SO CLOSE to competition, you got this!
I’m always looking for new ways to use up pumpkin that’s been left over from baking, and mixing it into yogurt with some protein powder actually sounds like a great idea.
Lookin’ good, lady!
Thanks! Let me know if you try it. 🙂
more protein than greek yogurt?!! I can’t wait to go get my smari!
Dumb figure training question: what’s the purpose of the belt around your waist in the gym pic? I’ve seen that before but never knew what it was all about.
It’s to support your back – I use it on leg days and days where I’m going especially heavy.
Got it! Does it have a big pad on the back or something, or does it look like a regular belt all around? I fractured a vertebra in a car accident in high school and had to wear something that was kind of like a metal cross in the front with a big lower back support pad in the back.
Some have a little padding in the back, but many are just leather. Definitely not as hard core as a back brace! That’s a terrible injury – I’m glad you were ok!
Love the darker hair. And the protein batter looks delicious too.
Love pumpkin and protein powder mixed into yogurt! I’ve never tried Icelandic yogurt…I don’t think I’ve ever seen it around here, actually.
I am exhausted after reading this!!! 😉 I should say that I used to do that much when I was younger – no more! 🙂
I think that recipe looks delish! Never even saw that yogurt as part of an FF campaign – never heard of it either!
It helps to get it done so I’m not to exhausted during the week!
Your dessert is pretty much my breakfast every morning … minus the protein powder and plus chia seeds! Loving the hair and the fact that you had your first training client!! I’ve only had Siggi’s Icelandic yogurt (I’m so sure that’s what they want me to say on a sponsored post – sorry!), but I like it! And thanks for sharing about Sheepshead … will be on the lookout.
LOL! If I was a brand, I’d want to read about the alternatives people are trying too. I’ve had both. 🙂
I have tried the Icelandic yogurt – Sigis? It was really good, a little thicker in consistency I thought. And I am heading over to check out this cheesecake flavor!
I can actually buy the Loranne oils at a local cooking store. You might check if you have one!
Yay for your first PT client! Look at you!
A typical Saturday for me involves waking up early but staying in bed and chatting with Vishnu for 30 minutes, going for a run, cleaning, watching college football, dinner with friends. I LOVE Saturdays!
Are you going to try to go to the Tech-UGA game? We should tailgate!
Well a typical Saturday I look like a chicken with it’s head cut off running around trying to get my shit together. Ideally I’d spend the whole day baking but that rarely happens!
LMAO! I think we could be headless twins. 😉
Sounds like a great Saturday to me! Typically, I sleep in until 7 (yeah, that’s late for me) on Saturdays, have coffee, watch an hour of mindless home improvement or cooking shows. Then run and goof off the rest of the day. Saturdays are complete do what we want days.
Congrats on the client! That is awesome!!!
Looking good!! Love all things pumpkin- I used to eat it straight out of the can when I was a kid, warmed up with some cinnamon sugar. 😉
That sounds really good!
You know I really like Icelandic yogurt too, but it is SO outrageously expensive I just cannot justify buying it :-/
You are gonna rock that competition!
I thought I was gonna see a pic of you IN the bikini. 😉 Looking good girl. Sheepshead… I wanna say I’ve tried it. You’ll need to let me know how it is.
LOL! You will in 3 weeks. 🙂
See #6 above for the Sheepshead verdict. 🙂
YAY for your first client – she will do well under your direction!
I love your new hair color, looks great on you! right now my hair is SO SUPER LONG, and I was considering a cut the other day… I have had it as short as yours many times, such a fun and easy style…
happy week my dear!
Short hair is soooo much easier. I couldn’t go back to long… but maybe if I was in Portland. It’s cold! 🙂
Never had Icelandic yogurt but it sounds good…especially in the way you made it. PS – Your poses look so on point and natural.
Mmmm….pumpkin batter. Congrats on your first PT client – that’s so exciting!! Are you training her in person?
I am! She’s actually right down the street from my trainer’s gym. 🙂
Amazing. So proud of you!
Oh yum, everything you have been eating sounds good! Especially that dessert bowl. Vanilla flavoring is good but I always love to add almond and of course you know it’s going to be tasty if pumpkin is involved. I’m so excited for you tht your competition is getting closer, your going to rock that cute little blue suit!
Lookin’ good! Hard work pays off! That’s awesome that you’re training clients already! How’s that going?
Thanks! We have our first session tonight. 🙂
Yumm! The pumpkin almond butter looks awesome! I’ll have to try it for sure.
Thank you! Let me know what you think. 🙂
Cute suit!! I get to actually see you IN PERSON at the competition!! 🙂
Wanna train me?? lol! I’m so weak its sad….
PS… LOVE the hair!
I am SO excited to see you!!!
I’d love to train you. You guys should move to ATL! 😉
Yum! I love the Smari yogurt 🙂
Only two weeks away…wow, I can’t believe it’s almost here. I expect to see lots of asparagus. 🙂 I had some in a wrap today and thought of you.
My typical Saturday involves lots of cooking, grocery shopping, errand running, afternoon delight, blog stuff, cleaning and/or yard work and a nice evening with the Hubby. Whatever doesn’t get done on Saturday, I roll over into Sunday.
3 weeks. I messed up last week. But I am eating asparagus as we speak. Or as I type. You know what I mean.
It makes me so happy to know that you’re happy. xo
NOM NOM that looks fabulous! I cannot believe how cheap your seafood is…no wonder why you stock up on it and eat it all the time. I would too. Love the new hair color…makes your eyes POP! Glad you are happy and training is going so well. 🙂
It’s it awesome?! It’s cheaper than meat!
Thank you so much! My hair stylist is my hero.
I love the Buford Highway Farmers Market I really think you can get anything there. When you buy fish do you have them cut them up or do you do it… I found when your paying by the pound and they filet them you loose half the fish. What do you do?
I have them cut it up. It’s so cheap to begin with… and I don’t think I could stomach it. 🙂
Omg, that’s got to be the best use of the most interesting man in the world meme! Love it! And hell yeah to having the gym all to yourself…love that!
I swear you find the most obscure seafood! I’ve never in my life heard of sheepshead…why in the world would they name it that?! Such a bad mental picture! But I do love the Indian spices! Meghan hooked me up with some bebere spice (I think that’s how you spell it) for a curry dish I want to try, but I might have to slap some of it on some salmon I have lurking in the back of my freezer sometime soon…and definitely with some bok choy on the side! That was one of the things I nabbed up for super cheap at the international market a couple of weekends ago…luckily it’s still holding on! Haha!
You know, Danielle messaged me specifically about doing a review on the new DW and Smari, but I haven’t heard anything back from her. I hadn’t heard of the Smari brand until I got the email, but now I’m even more curious since I know it’s got 20g of protein per cup…that’s awesome! And well, almond flavored anything is the key to MY heart…ok, really it’s peanut butter, but just go with this! 😉
I like the layout/theme of this post, but is it weird that it’s kinda making my eye twitch that you didn’t go for 10? Lol
The next fish I want to try is called Butter Fish. How could that not be delicious?!
I have a recipe for berbere – it’s based on this one from Janet: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/ethiopian-lentils-in-berbere-sauce-yemiser-wet/. So flippin’ good. Try it on squash.
You like Greek yogurt, so you’d really like the Icelandic too. I think this is a rolling campaign, so you may hear back next month? I hope you do – it’s good!
I know, I know… I got too tired by 9 though. You know my night owl ways. 🙂
Sounds like quite the day! Looking fabulous, can’t wait to see the suite on! We of course weren’t as happy about the Clemson FSU game. Luckily it was the night before my race, so I was fine turing it off and going to be early.
What a fun suit! Food looks delish (that seafood and your ever-interesting evening eats! I need to make more of them!) and it’s so neat you’re getting close to the event…Can’t wait to live it through you!
Thank you, Bonnie! I think you should come to Denver with Heather and I for the second one. 😉
Yay for PT! I scheduled my NASM exam for Dec. 12th, so I’m in the home stretch. What are you certified in? (I’m sure you’ve blogged about it- I’m a space case.)
That’s awesome – congrats! I’m doing Lee Haney’s IAFS certification, specializing in bodybuilding.
I love reading about how people spend their day and stuff!! I think it’s so awesome that you love working, working out and cooking/eating. I think a lot of people actually aren’t happy with their lives, but I can tell that you really, really are.
Love your posing skills, too! I can’t wait for your comp.!!
Hi Laura!!! Love reading your blog daily! So inspirational and I give you tons of credit for balancing your life so well 🙂 Also you deserve a ton of credit (and snaps!) for rocking those fitness competition bikinis!
I love that tank that you’re wearing in your gym selfie, it’s one of my favorite quotes, where did you get it from?
Thanks!!!!
Thank you so much Devon!
The tank is from Firedaughter on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FiredaughterClothing