Hello lovelies! I hope you have been enjoying your weekends. This weekend has been very much dominated by work for me, but Alfie has been on call this weekend so that somehow seems to make up for it.
![IMG_4356[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43561.jpg "IMG_4356[1]")
A very frosty countryside on this morning’s run.
Early yesterday morning my muscles were in need of some major stretching. I went for a short run on Thursday (a bit of a challenge in the dark in a no so well lit village!), which was followed by some strength work using my own body weight. Since moving and not having found a gym my muscles seemed to have become unconditioned as my home workouts are not as intense as my gym workouts.
I found a lovely 55 minute Hatha yoga flow on YouTube that I really enjoyed. It’s quite gentle but still stretches you out. I’m finding it really difficult to wake up with these darker mornings which means I rarely feel my best at 6am, but this yoga flow really revitalized me and got me ready for the day. Yoga is definitely one of my favourite morning exercises.
![IMG_4336[2]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43362.jpg "IMG_4336[2]")
After my yoga session I was going to have a smoothie, but spotted a persimmon in my fridge that I just had to be eaten. Persimmons are far too good to be blitzed in a smoothie, so I had this one chopped up with a pear, Greek yoghurt, almonds and dried mangoes.
![IMG_4339[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43391.jpg "IMG_4339[1]")
Later in the morning at work I snacked on some dried figs and an apple. I have been on bit of a dried fruit binge this week- I just can’t seem to get enough of the stuff!
Lunch was a simple salad of romaine lettuce, quinoa, chick peas, tomatoes and cucumber…
![IMG_4341[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43411.jpg "IMG_4341[1]")
In fact I have been eating this same salad for the past couple of days. After packing away my grocery shop at the beginning of the week I prepared the romaine, tomatoes and cucumber and stored them in the fridge in a large salad box. Having the basis of a salad already made up in the fridge has been such a time saver this week. I’ve been adding little additions throughout the week to change it up a little.
In the afternoon I snacked on some plain Popchips…
![IMG_4353[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43531.jpg "IMG_4353[1]")
I can never get tired of these! =)
For dinner I used the leftovers of the chilli con carne that I made up on Friday night using the last of the soy mince in the freezer and added some plain socca wraps on the side.
![IMG_4343[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43431.jpg "IMG_4343[1]")
This was such a quick and simple meal, but boy it was delicious!
![IMG_4347[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43471.jpg "IMG_4347[1]")
Dessert was a snacky plate of 99% dark chocolate dipped in peanut butter with some chopped pitted dates on the side.
After this mornings run I made sure that I got my smoothie in…
![IMG_4354[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43541.jpg "IMG_4354[1]")
It included frozen raspberries, a huge scoop of strawberry hemp protein powder, almond milk and water, yum! It was really cold, but I soon warmed up again with some vanilla chai tea.
![IMG_4358[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_43581.jpg "IMG_4358[1]")
For lunch today I took some of the Carrot and Red Lentil Soup that I made the other day. It kept me full for hours.
Well I’m off now for a bit of a pampering session. I haven’t painted my nails since the wedding so I’m going to do that cosied up onthe Tv with some red wine. 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your evening!
Do you have any little time saving tricks that help you get through a busy week?
What is your favourite type of yoga? I find that mine tends to vary depending on my mood and what my body actually needs.
I do usually try and cook up a big batch of beans/quinoa when I have a day off to last through the week. I’m totally with you on the dried fruit, can’t get enough medjool dates lately, so good!
I’m a sucker for dates, so addictive!
Thanks for the link to the yoga workout – I need to get back in to doing yoga regularly but there’s not always enough time to get to a gym class. x
Your welcome 🙂 I know that feeling oh too well at the moment!
That frosty picture looks so pretty.
I like the yoga for runners podcast, and that is the only one I have found that I can actually do, so I stick with that!
Yoga for runners is an awesome podcast- glad you enjoy it!
What beautiful pictures. Much as I dislike winter, frosty sunrises are so lovely 🙂
My biggest time-saver has to be making big portions of dinner in advance and freezing – plus putting porridge ready to cook the night before.
Frosty morning’s are pretty aren’t they. The seem to make the cold that little bit more bearable. 🙂
I’ve missed a few of your posts, so first of all congratulations on your marriage! It sounds like it was a wonderful day and that you had a lovely mini-moon.
I love frosty runs, as long as it’s sunny and the pavements aren’t too icy. I enjoy hatha yoga a lot. The classes I take are ashtanga, but that’s quite full-on,so I dial it back a bit for my home practice.
Thanks for the congrats- it has been a bit of a whirlwind. I love ashtanga yoga too and currently on the look out for a decent class.
Yum, everything looks delicious, you have me craving a berry smoothie now!
That smoothie was yummy! I hope you managed to get your fix! 🙂
I wish I could exercise on a morning! I can barely get a shower haha.
Your snacks here look SO good. I must try some of them!
Oh it’s definitely so much harder getting up early in the morning now it’s so dark. It feels like no one in the world is up but you. Ive never gotten into yoga really, but I really love Pilates.