baked potato – The Cookie ChRUNicles

When deciding which day to feature as my What I Ate Wednesday post this week, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at what I ate on Saturday, otherwise known as, long run day.

There are some Saturdays where I am absolutely beyond starving immediately following my run which continues through the day, into the night carrying over into Sunday, no matter what I do.

But then there are plenty of Saturdays where I am just normal hungry without getting hit with the appetite monster until a day or two later, if at all.

This Saturday in particular was just a regular appetite day, with no rhyme or reason as to why, although, I do find that eating within the 30-60 minute window following a run (more like 30 minute window for me) absolutely plays a role in setting me on the right track for the day more than anything else.

Waiting too long to eat after you run (especially a long run/race!) not only hurts your recovery but will definitely affect your hunger level in a not-so-nice way.

Pre-run oatmeal:

Since early morning oatmeal heated up with berries involved is not very photogenic, I took the picture before warming in the microwave.

Peanut butter was added after the picture was taken.

I can tolerate blueberries before running but if it’s a race morning, I usually skip them just in case.

Trader Joe’s jelly beans go in my pocket for the road (I mean, run):

Post-run breakfast:

I quickly jump in the shower after I run and then proceed to eat as fast as possible.

I am always starving after I run, especially after long runs, which makes it easy for me to ensure I eat a recovery meal in the crucial refuel time frame.

If I get any meal right in terms of balancing my protein -> complex carbs -> fat, it’s this one right here.

The usual cooked oatmeal served cold in an almost empty peanut butter jar mixed with berries, Skoop B Strong (love it!!), a dash of salt (sodium!) and a little plain greek yogurt topped with the new Love Grown Foods Sweet Cranberry Pecan Oat Clusters and of course, more peanut butter.

Lunch:

Okay, sit down for this one.

I made a smoothie.

Yes. You heard me. SMOOTHIE.

Does this make me a healthy living blogger? OMG. I know. I never thought I would smoothie it either.

But, you see, I didn’t have time to get to Red Mango before my son’s baseball game and I sort of felt like something sweet and cold and Amanda told me that if I did it right I would fall in love….

It was a spoonable smoothie. Thick. Chewable.

It was basically a blended up version of what I had for breakfast only I added spinach and I really don’t know if I did it right but I really liked it!

In the mix: cooked oatmeal (texture!), frozen bananas and berries, Skoop B-Strong (totally obsessed by the way), a little PB2, a spoon of greek yogurt, spinach, ice and some water.

On top: The Cranberry Pecan Oat Clusters because I need to chew and obviously more peanut butter because I live on it.

I am a sweet tooth by nature but especially after long runs.

All I want after a long run or race is simple and sweet — basically, breakfast or frozen yogurt (and maybe now smoothies) all day long.

So anyway, I always get nervous that I will need a snack while I am out and about.

The afternoons will sneak up on me and attack me with hunger that can be so extreme it makes me nauseous.

I actually didn’t need my snack while watching my son’s baseball game but I did need coffee.

Free cup free cup!

After baseball we were getting ready to go to the Islanders game. My son wanted to eat dinner at the game, I really didn’t and at this point in the late afternoon, I needed something more than a snack of cereal in my stomach.

I quickly made some of my favorite peanut butter roasted brussels sprouts for an easy salad.

Add diced apples to the brussels sprouts as they roast and then dried cranberries to top it all off, trust me.

And, as usual lately…

Baked potato kick still going strong.

I don’t know why I keep choosing big white baked potatoes over my beloved sweet but there is something so satisfying to me, not just my taste buds but the rest of my body too, so I am going with it until the craving settles down.

We planned to go out for dessert after the game but I packed a snack with me in case I got hungry during the game.

Diced apples sprinkled with cinnamon in a baggie. The cinnamon helps keep the apples fresh. So so good!

You already know the full details regarding what we had for dessert…

Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating today!

[bctt tweet=”OMG I had a smoothie. And liked it #wiaw #smoothies #runner #eats”]

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What do you crave after long runs?

Are you careful about eating within the refuel time frame and do you feel the difference if you miss the window?

Are you a smoothie drinker? Favorite combination lately?

Don’t let this scenic summer photo from Saturday’s long run on the boardwalk fool you.

The bright sunshine was relentless throughout the run and trying to find a shady spot was impossible to the point where if I ever run this route again in the summer, I am considering one of those umbrella hats and won’t care at all how funny I look.

My shadow makes the run look fun and effortless but that is a mirage.

Enjoying my post-run meal that I packed along with lemony water on a boardwalk bench after over thirteen miles makes life all unicorns again.

My giant magenta water bottle matches my sneakers.

Suddenly I started adding strawberry greek yogurt to the tops of my Red Mango parfaits which makes the yogurt kind of match my pink theme too.

I have always loved dining at Houston’s but don’t do it often enough anymore and really need to because dinner over the weekend was just terrific.

I also need more gigantic baked potatoes in my life this week, with the sprinkle of salt on the skin of the potato to keep my electrolytes balanced and happy.