I made it back to the gym!
Funny how that seems like more of a treat when you’re injured.Â
I’ve ditched the crutches and settled for a limp. Â Crutches suck, btw. Â I can deal with the arm strength aspect, but the chafing! Â Lawd that sucked. Â Anyway, I made it to the gym. Â I rode the stationary bike verrrrrrry gently and did some back (all seated – safety third!).
It was a struggle, but I was happy to be moving around!
It’s actually pretty easy to do a killer seated back day. Â Because I can’t put much pressure on my lower half, I lifted lighter weight and did 20 reps (4 sets, as always).
Here’s what I did:
- Pronated lat pulldown machine
- Wide grip cable pulldowns
- Close grip cable pulldowns
- Leverage high row
- Seated ISO row machine (close grip)
- Seated ISO row machine (wide grip)
Here’s my day of new home eats.  Read on and link up to Jenn’s WIAW baby at the bottom!
Breakfast:
The usual morning cocktail followed by the gelatin gummy gelation I mentioned Monday.  Vegas actually thinks it helped her tummy!
They did come out a little thick… will add more liquid in the next batch.  (For those who asked, I use this gelatin.) Â
And then breakfast:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFhC1UsmjWH/
Lunch:
I meandered down to Whole Foods to grab a rotisserie chicken for lunch.  Have I mentioned that it’s a 5 minute walk to WF from my new place?  #danger
Anyway, I made a rotisserie chicken and pasta salad for lunch.  It’s based on this recipe for the Smoked Mozzarella Penne Pasta Salad that Vegas LOVES from the prepared foods counter.
My modifications:
- Added rotisserie chicken
- Used gluten-free quinoa penne
- Subbed non-fat Greek yogurt for half the mayo
- Omitted the salt
It was good, but had too much vinegar.  Next time I’ll cut it in half.  Same for the garlic.  I love garlic but I think 3 giant cloves was a bit excessive.
Snack:
Another Fit Body Bakery “cookie”.  I say “cookie” because they turned out more fluffy, like a scuffin.  That’s a good thing in my book!  They aren’t really sweet and each one has 6g of protein, making is a good pre-workout snack.  Especially with the drizzle of Buff Bake White Chocolate Peanut Butter… I almost was too late for a pic!
Dinner:
After my workout I met a friend at my favorite Mexican dive.  It was mole night – they only do it twice a week because mole sauce has like 45568921 ingredients and takes forever to make.
I had both kinds. Â Holy moly, was it ever good!
As per usual, brown food looks like poo when photographed.
The shocking thing about this is that I didn’t have a single drop of tequila. #willpower
[Tweet “Killer back #workout for injured lower body and #WIAW link up!”]
***
No #strangebutgood Friday post this week.  I’m taking a little break from it… it’s kind turned into having to moderate people that link up like 5 recipes that aren’t applicable.  An, let’s be honest, it’s not like 50 billion people link up. 😉
Have you ever had mole?  I swear it tastes better than it looks!
What’s your favorite prepared food item at the grocery store?Â
Ha! I was just scrolling through and saw that mole picture al out loud said, wtf is that?! Brown food is not the pretties! But I’m glad it was tasty! I hope your recovery goes smoothly!
Believe it or not, I’m not usually a fan of mole. I did have some different kinds in Mexico and they weren’t bad, but I wasn’t really into the whole sweet almost savory taste? I would definitely try it again. Especially since that photo looks sooooo appetizing;) nice job staying active while injured!
Mexican mole is amazing, and I think that the worse the mole looks, the higher likelihood that it tastes amazing. The only good part about going to the gym on crutches is that everyone looks at you like you are a) a badass or b) out of your mind, and I appreciate both of those sentiments.
HA! Both are probably true for both of us. 😉
Yes brown food is tough, but mole is flipping awesome! My kitchen lighting makes everything look bad no matter what the color though.
Wow that is definitely now what I thought mole looked like (ps nice work on “holy moly”… I see what you did there). Glad its appearance didn’t take away from its taste…
I’m happy for you getting into the gym! Hope your limp doesn’t stick around for too much longer. And yes, chafing friggen sucks.
Thank you for acknowledging the corniness. 😉
Crutches do suck! Try being on them for 3 months like I was last year. I will do anything to stay off them again.
glad you made it to the gym! thanks for the link up 🙂
I’ve never tried mole! What’s it like?
I definitely feel so happy to go the gym after too long of not being there! It’s feels like a luxury.
I love it – it’s lie savory cocoa. There are a ton of spices and every recipe differs slightly… so you’re always in for a treat!
I laughed when I saw your comment about the mole sauce. Every time I post some brown food, I think, “There is just no getting around this.” Mole may not be pretty, but it’s so delicious. I always have to ask at restaurants if they use nuts in theirs, and I’m always so happy when they don’t and I can have it.
Mole, lentils, beans… none of it ever looks good, but it’s so yum!
I give you major credit for riding the bike and making it to the gym on crutches. Dannng! Also, if I lived 5 minutes from WF I Think I’d be broke.
The whole needing a back-link to Peas and Crayons is lame. I have one and the InLinkz thing says I don’t. Why do we still need that? Also, bonus points for the Michelle Tanner GIF. And that salad…yum! Jealous that you live so close to Whole Foods.
Crutches do suck…a lot!
Mole sauce is so good! As long as it has that authentic deep spike of cocoa in it…to die for!
Is there any thing cocoa doesn’t make better?? 🙂
That pasta salad looks amazing. I would be in so much trouble if WF were that close. And sadly, I wanted to like mole sauce, but I just can’t get into it.
Thanks! It hasn’t been SO bad… I make more trips, but I buy less each time. I’m thinking (hoping) it evens out.
Whole Foods in walking distance would be the death of my wallet for sure! I attempted to make Mole once, it didn’t go very well.. ha ha I didn’t even know what it was I was just trying out the recipe. Life lesson learned, try traditional version at a restaurant before attempting to make yourself.
I noticed when I back to gym after the break, it feels so refreshing! I am like all new human then.
Congrats on getting back to the gym!
Thank you! 🙂
I’m sure it felt great to be moving at the gym and I hope you are feeling good!
I need to look into this chocolate chip creation you have there at breakfast. I’m sold on anything with chocolate chips these days 🙂
I love using yogurt (and kefir) as a salad dressing ingredient too! They are delish with lemon, pepper, acv, and mustard.
Good luck on your recovery!:)
I think I had ‘mole’ once, and it was super good. . . It’s always too bad when a really tasty food doesn’t look good on the camera, but in a lot of ways I think it’s a secret blessing because that means you can just eat it without having to take a picture… It gives foodie bloggers a break. 😉
Wow, the more you know! I always dreamed that San Diego was perfect 365 days a year! Maybe 364. You get the gray too?? Although we must get it much worse in New England.
Your breakfast looks delicious and colorful. Is there anything bell peppers can’t do?
Rotisserie chicken pasta salad might be my new obsession.
It shocked me too! Don’t get me wrong though… it’s nothing like the east coast. I do really miss those spring thunderstorms though.
I Loovveeee mole & I really hate that about brown food haha it it’s so good. Hope your recovery keeps getting better. Injuries suck!
Seriously. Brown food is just incredibly delicious food in disguise.
I know it’s lunchtime right now, but I’m sure it’s not just the hunger that’s making all these meals look absolutely amazing today.
Awwww… thanks Kate! That’s how I feel when I see all your burger creations. 🙂
Congrats on making it back to the gym! I might have to try that workout with my foot injury!
You totally should have written “Holy Mole” instead of “Holy Moly”
Yes, this is what goes through my brain after spending all day long staring at a computer “working” all day.
You’re welcome.
🙂
HA! Valid point. 😉
You turned down tequila. I am impressed. Now why they hell would you do something silly like that?!
I dunno… I’m so ashamed. Silly healthy(ish) kick.
No tequila?! Bummer! That mole looks gross (as they always do) but I am sure it was amazingggggg 🙂
I’m happy your back exercising and off those dreaded crunches. That mole looks authentic, dark, creamy and tasty.
Have not had Mole in forever-I don’t even know if I like it or not 🙂 Great to see you back in the gym doing what you can
Woman, you are insane for going to the gym right now! I mean, it’s pretty bad ass but it’s still crazy. I am so jealous that you live a five minute walk from Whole Foods, but you’re right that is quite a dangerous position (it sure would be for me). I have never had mole though I would love to try it!
If you like Mexican food you HAVE To try it. Good mole is a real treat.
So glad you are able to ditch the crutches. That is awesome progress. And crutches suck balls.
LMFAO! I was just compared to Michelle Tanner because I threw an Olsen Twin like tantrum the other day….. Clearly I needed to work out harder that day so as to NOT HAVE HAD enough energy to throw said tantrum.
Did you see they are 30?! I feel like I must be 60. HA
Good for you though for getting back in the gym! You have to start somewhere! Your food looks really good. That lunch salad looks amazing! I’ve never tried quinoa pasta, but it sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing!
rotisserie chicken is the BEST!! because of the simplicity but also just how GOOD it is! Whole Foods for the WIN!
the fact that vegas likes the morning cocktail makes me happy! well her tummy that is. and this workout… LEGIT! BUFF back!
Right?! I’ve got her eating homemade gelatin gummies in the AM too. Mwhahaha!
OMG if whole foods was anywhere near walking distance from me I mind as well just accept that I would be forever broke,…. more then normal #StudentLifeProblems. Now that you have seen good results from the gummies I’m gunna have to pull out the gelatine sheets collecting dust in my cupboard and try them out myself. As a fellow foodie, wandering groceries stores is probably an issue as you pick up the randomist things and are thinking “this is so cool, I must have it..” regardless of whether you actually have a plan for it or not. Food hoarding at its best ha
I hear you! I go to Whole Foods when I’m just bored. I leave with the weirdest stuff. Poor Vegas.
that mexican is drool worthy. I WANT. love me some mole! can i make a request: a leg day workout easy on the knees?! most i find online are a bit too easy! i’m doing my physical therapy… but slowly… and miss the weights *cry face*