Good morning! I am in such a good mood this morning, and I think its because I squeezed in a fun living room workout.

 

The oldest excuse in the book is "I don’t have enough time to exercise!"  But after my running hiatus due to my knee injury and picking up a second job, I discovered that you don’t have to drive to the gym or run 4.0 miles for it to "count" as a workout — you can get a great workout in your living room in 30 minutes or less!  All you need is some weights, a mat, and some jamming music!

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Here’s my routine.  It took exactly 30 minutes and I got a decent sweat in!

 

  • Physical Therapy Stretching moves
  • Jumping Jacks, 2 minutes
  • High Kicks, 2 minutes
  • Shadowing Boxing with 3 lb dumbbells, 2 minutes
  • Military Presses with Leg Extension with 3 lb weights, 12 kicks each side
  • Jumping Jacks, 2 minutes
  • High Kicks, 2 minutes
  • Shadowing Boxing with 3 lb dumbbells, 2 minutes
  • 30 push-ups
  • 100 bicycle crunches
  • 10 wall squats, held for 10 seconds each
  • 20 decline push-ups
  • Jumping Jacks, 2 minutes
  • Physical Therapy Strength Training moves

 

Coffee Oatmeal

 

After my workout, I showered and cooked up a delicious and caffeine-laden breakfast:

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Coffee Oatmeal has to be one of my favorite creations!  It’s so caramel-y tasting.

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My oatmeal contained:

 

  • 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup almond breeze milk
  • 1/2 cup hazelnut coffee (brewed)
  • 1 sliced banana
  • Toppings: chopped almonds, flax, drizzle of maple syrup

 

Operation Beautiful

 

The Monday Notes are available on OperationBeautiful.com!  Here are two of the most creative:

 

LR at Blue Eyed Heart posted these notes throughout Target, hitting up the fad diet books, videos, and scales…

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Heather at Be Well and Take Care wrote, "I understand that magazines have to make money through advertising, but it’s problematic to be reading a "healthy living" magazine about eating well and working out to find an ad for a product designed to make women obsess over yet one more flaw they need to fix: cellulite. So many women have it, all ranging in body size (heck, Jillian Michaels, Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and so many other prominent figures, who are beautiful and have healthy bodies) yet it’s still seen as a flaw. "  She posted this note in a magazine:

operationbeautiful-cellulite

See all the Monday Notes on OperationBeautiful.com!  And remember that it’s Monday, so we all need a little extra love — post an OB note today, take a picture, and send it to me at seebriderun@gmail.com!

{ 35 comments }

 

  • Sam June 22, 2009, 4:39 am

    I really need to try coffee oatmeal! Do you cook it on the stove or in the microwave?

    http://smallchangesaddup.wordpress.com

  • Casey @ Double Scooped June 22, 2009, 4:40 am

    Love squeezing in morning workouts – they really set the tone for the day.

    Today is my first day at work, so I'm nervous about doing anything that can push my time limits, but once I get the hang of my schedule I hope to do a daily morning workout!

  • Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point June 22, 2009, 4:43 am

    sam – stovetop! i just think it tastes better and its worth a dirty pot 🙂

  • Steph Runs the City June 22, 2009, 5:03 am

    coffee in oatmeal is genius! looks great, and i bet it tastes great too- i need to become more creative with my oatmeal toppings 🙂

  • Sarah (Running To Slow Things Down) June 22, 2009, 5:12 am

    Coffee oatmeal just sounds sooo good!! Unfourtanetly I bought some instant, 1-minute oats, so I'm going to have to get through these before having an exceptionally tasty bowl like that. haha…

  • leslie June 22, 2009, 5:13 am

    operation beautiful makes me smile every single day. i love those notes. have a great monday!

  • Catch Me If You Can June 22, 2009, 5:25 am

    Operation Beautiful is a great thing you started. I love your positive out look!! I start PT today hoping to learn some of those magic stretches 🙂

  • Becky June 22, 2009, 5:33 am

    The coffee oatmeal looks amazing! I need to try. I love seeing all the Operation Beautiful notes, I need to get on making my own!

  • jenngirl June 22, 2009, 5:52 am

    You're so right that we do NOT need a gym, treadmill, or spin class to get a great workout in! I need to keep telling myself that 🙂

  • recipesforcreativity June 22, 2009, 5:57 am

    LOVE the two OB notes you featured today, those are fabulous! I'm hitting the grocery store and the department store myself today, and already have some written up in my purse!

    PS – what a creative bowl of oatmeal!

  • Nutritious is Delicious June 22, 2009, 6:19 am

    I'm going to remember my post-its this time when I leave the house! 🙂

    Thanks for reminding me to use my little spoons! I forgot about them!

    And I just saw your last post…..SWEET CAR GIRL! 😀

  • katherine June 22, 2009, 6:22 am

    Your morning workout looks awesome! I'm totally going to try that and will report back on the sweat session 🙂

    Have a great day!

  • Brandi June 22, 2009, 6:22 am

    great workout!

    watch out for the blind spot in the that Pacifica – my husbands' parents had one for a while, but couldn't stand that you couldn't see very well, so they traded it in for something different.

  • Carolina John June 22, 2009, 6:28 am

    that sounds like a good workout and oats today. I do a lot of bodyweight workouts behind my desk while on the job. it's good stuff.

  • K from ksgoodeats June 22, 2009, 6:31 am

    Another form of getting my caffeine! I love it!!

    By the way, your cringe worthy saying – SO TRUE!! I hate that saying as well! Haha, why do guys think that's a good thing to say?!

  • Rose June 22, 2009, 6:33 am

    Great at-home workout.

    Love love today's notes!

  • AWK June 22, 2009, 6:35 am

    I just ate my oatmeal and my tummy is jealous. Could you give me more details on how you made yours?

  • hookedup June 22, 2009, 6:37 am

    Mirrors have not always been my friend. I have been skinny and tall all my life, and have endured the beanpoles, mop( I had big frizzy hair), thinners and the like, and have always felt too skinny. My mother always told me there are people out there killing themselves to look like me, which I guess is true but I wanted curves. About a month ago I started working out and now I am falling in love with my body. I may never have outrageous curves but I am liking what I am seeing. I am also loving Operation Beautiful, the scale and the mirror say so many things to different people, it's nice to be reminded of the bigger picture. Thank You

  • Emily June 22, 2009, 6:37 am

    Coffee oatmeal looks delish! I am so inspired by Operation Beautiful!! Visit my new blog (in your spare moments), loveandlibations.blogspot.com

  • Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point June 22, 2009, 6:47 am

    awk – in a pot, mix together oatmeal, milk, and coffee (or water). turn heat to medium and wait until almost all of the liquid is cooked off, stirring occasionally. add sliced banana and stir, cooking on low for a few more minutes. viola!

  • seesaraheat June 22, 2009, 7:30 am

    I love the note in the magazine, so true! And stovetop oatmeal is the best 🙂

  • Danielle C. June 22, 2009, 7:34 am

    I love the morning workout, your routine is a great idea! I actually made the time to get up this morning and make a quick trip to the gym.

    There's just something about starting the day with a workout that motivates me all day long!

    Must…try…coffee…oatmeal…soon!

  • Christina June 22, 2009, 7:43 am

    Coffee oatmeal sounds amazing! Definitely trying that tomorrow.

  • Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now June 22, 2009, 7:50 am

    The not on the cellulite cream is genius!

  • BethAnn Caputo June 22, 2009, 8:13 am

    The coffee oatmeal looks delicious! Also…I live in Northern Arizona and when we go to Phoenix an umbrella is almost ALWAYS necessary. Do you ever exercise in the middle of the day or do you usually find it best in the morning or at night because of the heat? I'm lucky because I don't have to deal with the humidity…it's all dry heat here on the west coast. Hope you have a great day!

  • BethAnn Caputo June 22, 2009, 8:14 am

    Oh and also…I love coming up with my own circuits. I miss taking classes at the gym so I try to mix it up a bit and make it similiar. I wish I had a treadmill or something of the sort to add in sprinting and what not. Oh well! I probably wouldn't take advantage of the great outdoors if I had one though…

  • insideiamdancing June 22, 2009, 8:14 am

    Thanks for the morning work-out tips! I agree that it doesn't take long to squeeze in exercise on hectic schedules and for me, gives me MORE energy to go about my day!

    I need to try coffee oats one of these days…

  • Matt June 22, 2009, 8:24 am

    Mmm coffee oatmeal! I'll have to try that! You just use coffee in place of the water right?

  • Johanna B June 22, 2009, 8:24 am

    I am loving the Operation Beautiful posts. I put one up on my bathroom mirror. I'd put one up in the lounge at work but I'm afraid everyone would laugh at me.

  • Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point June 22, 2009, 8:28 am

    matt – yup

    joanna – no way! many people have overheard their coworkers talking about their notes (w/o knowing who posted it) and everyone has loved them!

  • Trainer T.s Fitness June 22, 2009, 8:54 am

    I left one at my gf desk drawer….I wonder if she knew it was from me. Sorry I could not snap a picture but I love this concept…take it world wide! Please 🙂

  • Holly Noelle June 22, 2009, 11:58 am

    Coffee oatmeal!
    OMG!
    I am soooo trying that!

  • heyitstay June 22, 2009, 3:31 pm

    Wow great oatmeal idea!!

    And yes – stovetop is definitely the way to go!

  • Egg Beaten Angel June 22, 2009, 5:22 pm

    Hi Caitlin!
    Don't worry–I'll be sending in my OB notes as soon as I get 2 more up at the dentist's office. Can't wait 😀

    Keep up the great work!
    Egg Beaten Angel
    my blog: imstillfighting.blogspot.com

  • Meghan June 24, 2009, 9:51 am

    I LOVE THIS COFFEE OATMEAL! I started a job this week and am still on college time (not waking up before 10am) and this has been a Godsend…so tasty! And I don't feel bad for having caffeine…not AS bad 🙂

    Thanks!

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