Is Zucchini Bread a Vegetable?

I will randomly select a winner for the OXO spatula giveaway tomorrow (Friday, December 16) at 5 pm EST. You can still enter until then; just check out my original post to learn how to get your name included!

A lot of folks on Twitter and Facebook (<--exciting new Facebook URL!) have discussed their indulgences lately. Even almost all the healthy living blogs I read have been focusing on their holiday cookies and treats. I guess the holidays just do that to you! While I haven't indulged in any more sweets than usual (because, let's be honest, I average around three cookies per day anyway), I have noticed a sharp decline in my vegetable intake and a lack of round, balanced meals. Today, for example, I ate leftover banana pancakes for breakfast, leftover pasta for lunch, and, for dinner, scrambled eggs with zucchini bread. Does zucchini bread count as a vegetable? I ate three pieces thinking that I would be eating more vegetables that way. I really love when my warped logic results in more baked goods. (Oh, and don't worry, I still ate three cookies for dessert. I'm a champ.)

On a healthier note, I got an e-mail from a friend yesterday asking about how to get motivated on those days when you just can't imagine working out. Don't we all know those days too well? Those days when the couch feels especially comfortable, when your favorite episode of Friends is rerunning on TBS, when you absolutely cannot tear yourself away from the computer. I know I struggle with this type of day fairly often, but far less now that I'm in the habit of working out at least five days a week. Here are my tips for getting off your tush and out the door on those just-wanna-be-lazy days.

• Just do it. Right away when you get home, just get your gym clothes on and head out. I notice that when I don't sit down or check the mail or get distracted by TV/e-mail/Internet, I'm a lot more likely to just get through my workout.
• If you're not in the mood, you'll get in the mood eventually. Once you get started, you're that much closer to being done! I often find that about 5-10 minutes into my workout, I'm actually enjoying it and feeling really good, even when I was dreading it at the start.
• Try something different. A lot of times I'm way more motivated to try something fun and different, even if it means just changing my running route. I'm always interested in trying new classes, new videos, new hikes, and usually that's enough to get me going on a down day.
• Positive visualization. Sometimes I figure out my workout in the morning, and then all day I think about it. Somehow visualizing myself doing the workout makes me more excited about it, and by the time I get home I feel pumped!
• Take it easy. Rest can be good and is super important. But if you know you should be doing something, just go do something, even if it's not an intense cardio workout. Just a long walk is a lot better than nothing! A nice 30-minute walk is perfect on these days. When I feel like I don't want to do anything, then doing something at all is an accomplishment.
• Grab a buddy. If you're halfway through your work day and already dreading the post-work workout, call a buddy and agree to meet for a sweat session (that sentence sounded very magazine-esque...hmm...). When I know I'm meeting someone, I can at least look forward to good conversation and hope to be motivated by my friend's energy. We can push each other to get through it.
• Use your resources. On weekend mornings, I like to mix things up and try to find something unique to keep me from getting bored. Often I'll go online to check out workout ideas and adapt them to fit my energy level and ability. You can check out some of my own workouts here.

If all that isn't enough to motivate you, I found an incredible video on my friend Michelle's blog. Even just the first three minutes are fascinating, but I recommend the whole thing. It certainly makes me feel ready to tackle my workout tomorrow!

And if that still doesn't do it, well...then enjoy this video, courtesy of my brother's fiancee, while you chill out on your couch. And then make sure you work out tomorrow! :-)

Scout would never let us do this to him.