SATURDAY

Hidy-there beautiful people, and happy SATURDAY!!! YAYAYAY.

 Seriously cannot tell you how good it felt to be sitting in the car driving back home from school Friday afternoon knowing there was a full weekend ahead of me. Both mum and I sort of just let out a sigh of relief that it was Friday and it's times like this that I thank my lucky stars I am given this break every week, because I do not know how I would cope just going and going and going non-stop (it's like a rest day... for your mind/soul :P)

Anywho, today definitely wasn't a restudy for my body (mind and soul were quite content with a little extra sleep-in however before the sweat-session commenced) seeing the return of my beloved long-run-Saturday! *Squeal!*

^ This is a picture of my legs post-run.... they sure put in a mighty effort today!
So I woke up naturally at around 6:05am (soooo much better than the typical 5:25-5:30am weekday get-up) sauntered around a little, put on my running gear, did some dynamic warm-ups and then headed on out.

I was in a positive mood all of yesterday arvo and night and thankfully that seemed to carry through to the morning and to my run.

Lookie at how happy I appear- this is post-run too!

It was one of those runs where I legit could have just kept going and going and going. I felt strong, powerful, fit. My breathing was steady basically the entire run and when the thought of turning back around for the loop back home crossed my mind, I just wanted to keep going. So keep going I did!

And this is me realising that I just ran a heck of a lot of K's and am kind of hungry so need to stop snapping pics and whip up some brekky!

15.45km keep going that is!! That's probably the furthest I've run since my glorious (hint: not) days when I over-exercised my way up to 20+km every second day. But have no fear, this time I'm working up slower, doing just one long run a week, and going as far as my body seems to feel good (sometimes the body just did not want to run 22km- can you blame it- and yet it was long-run second day and I would force my body to do the run anyway- no wonder I became extremely fatigued!!)

I was super chuffed with myself and still felt good as I walked into my house and immediately needed some sustenance (I prefer to work out on an empty stomach; draw-back= ravenous monster upon finishing exercise!)

 Enter breakfast. I knew I needed carbs. Oats sounded good. I knew I really wanted some of my home-made almond butter- #nutbutteraddict, I also knew a green smoothie had to be featured because, well, I'm addicted. And they also hold so many nutrients while tasting amazing and are so easy to ingest!

And so a breakfast of almond butter oat balls and banana green smoothie was created and Steph was one happy, fed, camper (don't ask me how I managed to spare time taking pictures while my body was screaming food because I don't know. Or maybe it was all the 'taste-testing' I did while making this brekky... :P

To make the oat balls I simply threw 3/4 cup rolled oats, 4 pitted dates, 1 teaspoon maca powder, 1 HEAPED tablespoon almond butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and around 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk into the vitamin (any blender/ food processor will work) and whizzed until smooth and combined. Rolled into balls and popped in the freezer for 20 or so minutes whilst I made the smoothie and foam rolled and stretched and drank water!

The smoothie was simply 1 large frozen banana, 1 handful chopped, frozen zucchini, 1 handful spinach, 3 big scoops greek yoghurt and water- whaz and serve!

 Inside view^^

 I just quickly want to emphasise how much of a big deal it is to eat enough each and every single day, because if I compare how I felt on this run compared to how I felt on my Wednesday morning beach run, the differences are paramount.

Tuesday (day before Wednesday :P) I didn't eat a sufficient amount of food- for me, my body requires a lot!- and my dinner just didn't have the fuel I needed to power through a fasted-cardio session on the beach. Come Wednesday morning, my legs were tired and heavy, my breathing rough and off-pace, I struggled immensely and pushed myself harder than I usually ever have to. Sure, I felt super-powerful and amazing after ward, but comparing it to today where I felt like I could run and run forever??

The difference was on Friday I ate. And I ate enough to fuel my body, to fuel the amazingly efficient, energy-burning machine that it is. I ate a big breakfast. I ate a substantial lunch. My dinner contained complex carbs, fibre, protein- and even the 2 big squares of dark chocolate after dinner were just as essential!!

So yes, my friends, eat today to fuel for tomorrow- you will notice the difference; especially in your workouts!

Your turn:
What was your best workout from the week?
Do you feel a difference when you eat substantially less the day before a big workout?
Fav food to fuel your body to smash a workout? Bread/ pasta and heaps of veggies usually do it for me the night before a big session!

That's it from me today folks; I have a MOUNTAIN of homework to get done for the week to come and it's not going to get completed with me enjoying myself blogging all day!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, take some time out to just enjoy yourself, do something you love, move your body in the way that feels awesome and as always; EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS!!! Bye for now friendly friends! :D