Manic Monday

Just another manic monday...

Monday's are always a little crazier than the rest of the week since you're trying to get settled into your work routine after a relaxing weekend. My Monday is no exception-- I'll be at the office all day and then will be at a basketball doubleheader this evening. It's taken me about three years, but I've finally figured out how to make it through a day this long without crashing. Here are my tips:

1. Get plenty of rest the night before.
This is really important. If you know you're going to have a long day, rest up for it. That doesn't mean going to bed really early, it just means getting a quality night's rest. Since my days are getting longer and longer, I have to stay up later than I have been. I'm usually in bed by 9:30 in the fall, but beginning in January I try and stay up until 10 p.m., just so I'm more alert later at night when I have to work.


2. Get your workout out of the way first thing!
After a good night's sleep, you should be bright eyed and busy tailed when your alarm goes off before the dawn, and you should be positively giddy to pull on your workout clothes and work up a sweat! By waking up and working out, you've already taken time for yourself. You also don't have to worry about working out later in the day. As you've probably gathered by now, my "workouts" often are a simple walk with the dog. Good for me and good for the pup. I usually try to tack on some weight training, yoga, or cardio session after spending some quality time with my four-legged friend.

3. Eat healthy and often!

I'm one of those people who gets extremely cranky and tired when I get hungry, not to mention my mental focus goes out the door when I get pangs in my stomach. The solution is to eat every 3-4 hours throughout the day, make you're getting your nutritional bang for your buck from your food, and planning.  I'm very fortunate to have a job with flexible hours that allows me to come home in the afternoon to grab a snack and pack my dinner, but if you can't come home during the day make sure to bring healthy snacks with you. By healthy I mean foods that have nutritional value. For instance, I used to snack on pretzels and diet soda every afternoon. Low calorie? Yes. Low fat? Yes. Nutritious? NO. Last time I checked there weren't many vitamins, minerals, protein, or fiber in soda and pretzels. Here's what I eat on a typical day that requires me to be at work late:

7:30 a.m.-Oatmeal, banana
12 p.m.-Salad with soup or whole grain toast
4 p.m.-Salad
6 p.m.-Peanut butter and jelly during the basketball games
9 p.m.-Apple while I finish work at the office
10 p.m.-Orange and tea while I unwind at home

This morning, Kobe and I walked, then I did an upper body and abs workout (specifically, Tamilee Webb's I Want Those Arms and I Want Those Abs. Alas, as much as I want her arms and abs, I don't think that's realistic for me.) Breakfast was oatmeal and a banana. Lunch was a spinach salad with craisins, walnuts, and feta, and a small bowl of black bean soup with a dollop of sour cream.