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Back to Reality

End of Vacation
First off, I want to say thank you all for your continued support regarding this trip. I didn't have time (for obvious reasons) to reply to each comment. I did indeed read them all - some multiple times even. You guys are the best! I wish you all could have been there with me.

Unfortunately, all good vacations must come to an end right? But I was determined to cram in more vegetarian/vegan food! On the way to the train station, we ended up stopping by Grocery 13 (we had stopped in previously and wished we had more time to sample the food) rather than the Reading Terminal. I think this was a better option to be honest. Wandering around the Reading Terminal with luggage would have been tricky. This kept us on track and let us sample more food. We got a tofu, carrot, pistachio wrap, a falafel-feta wrap, and sampled 2 items from the salad bar: a yam and apple salad and a tofu and bell pepper linguine with peanut sauce. Everything was SO good. I was very impressed. Though, eating it in the train station wasn't exactly the ideal location of course. But sometimes you just have to make do. Sorry the pictures are kind of sucky....

Last night we got home around 9:30 pm and the temperature was 98 degrees! Apparently we missed out one one extremely hot weekend with heat indices reaching 115. Anyway, exhausted is an understatement of an adjective. I did start to unpack things and got all the workout clothes in the wash. I immediately realized that there was no way I was going to be making it to work by 7 am, so I texted my boss and let her know I would be in late. I promptly hit the bed and crashed hard.

Getting Back to Workout Routine
I didn't sleep in as late as I was hoping - 7 am. Figures right. I did decide to go ahead and get my workout done though before I was able to talk myself out of it. I opted for legs with a focus on hams, glutes, calves. I did the following as 3 sets of 8 reps unless noted.

SS#1
Step up with rear leg lift
Deadlifts

SS#2
Plie squats - 3 x 8 single, 4 3-count low-end pulse, 1 7-count low-end pulse -
Calf raises - 3 x 15

SS#3
Rear leg slide back lunge
Single leg dead lift

Front leg elevated lunge
Glute roll ins on ball - 24 reps
Single leg glute presses on ball - 2 x 16

I followed it up with Cathe Friedrich's MMA Boxing. I ran out of time for abs though so I did abs from Low Impact Circuit after work. It was actually a bit funny to watch the DVD and think about the fact that just days ago, I had been standing on that same filming set. I actually giggled. It was also a little depressing not having the over-the-top energy of 100+ other people pushing through beside me and hearing Cathe live and in person. Alas, next year.

Getting Back to Reality
Work was tough I won't lie. I felt so incredibly out of sorts, distracted, and plain old frazzled. I kept thinking about all the things that needed to get done around the house and errands that needed to be run. Ahhhhh post vacation chores and errands.

While I really enjoyed my vacation (understatement), I am ready to get back into my normal routine. But man is that hard to do. You'd think it'd be super easy to just jump right back into the swing of life, and it's really not. Part of me is still on the vacation high, part of me is desperate for reality, and part of me wants to incorporate the high and reality (if that makes sense). I want the best of both worlds please.

Right now, the one thing I am craving more than anything, is home-cooked meals. The problem, however, is that I don't even know what to make at this point. What is the one thing you always want when you're on vacation - food? your bed? your shower? I realize how much I love my own toilet!

I do enjoy my own cooking too, and rarely take vacations where I can't be the one doing the cooking. Jason was very kind and made a stop into the Argenta Market on the way home. Neither of us was in any mood for a full on grocery trip. He picked up some necessities to get us through until the weekend. Oh yes, fresh veggies galore!

I decided to make Roasted Veggies & Tempeh with Garlic Barley. For the veggies, I simply cut up carrots, onions, green bell peppers, sweet potato, new potatoes, squash and zucchini and tossed in a small drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and rosemary. I marinated the tempeh in balsamic vinegar and then roasted everything at 450 for about 15 minutes then I added the squash and zucchini and cooked another 10 minutes.

I cooked the barley per package directions flavoring with a liberal amount of minced garlic, black pepper, and parsley and topped with green onions and nutritional yeast flakes. 

This soooo hit the spot for a healthy, home-cooked meal after being away from my own kitchen.

Comments

  1. Haha...I always try to prolong my return to reality for as long as possible whenever we come back from vacation :-)

    Welcome back! I know it must feel SO good to be back in your own kitchen! As nice as vacation is, there's just something about being home!

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  2. I ALWAYS want a home-cooked meal after a vacation! and I too laugh when I do my first Cathe workout after the RT. It is so surreal isn't it?!

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  3. Ah, alas a good potty.

    I am totally with you on just wanting to get back to your normal routine. You can feel off sometimes on vacation and it's good to get back at it -- which you are clearly wasting no time doing!

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  4. I always wish I could have an extra day off just to get back into the swing of things when I come home from being on vacation! I'm glad you had such an amazing time!

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  5. Your wraps look great! And I'm wish you, as much as I LOVE vacation, I really enjoy getting back to a regular schedule.

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  6. I have no idea how you went right back to work today. Today would have been a regroup day for me at home.

    Most times there is nothing like home cooked food. I love eating out but even when it is vegan I know it isn't anywhere near as healthy as what I make for us. Your dinner sounds great, I bet it tasted really good too. ;-)

    I hope you get back into the swing of things soon,
    Ali

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  7. Woah the MMA Boxing looks intense! But it looks like fun!!! I normally get bored with workout DVDs... but that one looks really fun!

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  8. That wrap looks amazing! You always have good food and fab workouts!

    xo

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  9. oh but the food still looks delicious as can be! i always have an appetite for a wrap- theres something so incredible about them! anything goes, kind of like with salads :)

    xoxo

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  10. girl there is nothin better than coming home BUT gettin back into the swing can also suck. and the laundry, mail, no food in the fridge, ugh that all totally sucks! I hear you!

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  11. I feel ya. As much as I love to travel, I do really like getting back into my normal groove. There is something so comforting about it.

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  12. Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg You've most definitely prolonged your vacationing this summer girl! Envious ;-)

    Jolene @ To Be Determined Surreal may actually be an understatement if that's possible. Glad to know I'm not alone in laughing about it.

    Nichole @ Live for the Run No I did jump right back into my normal life feet first LOL.

    Madeline @ Greens and Jeans I usually do try to build in an extra day off, but just didn't feel like I could this time. Sigh.

    Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries I just wish I could have the fun of vacations and the normality of reality too. Is that possible????

    Alicia @ Vegan Epicurean Normally I do take an extra day to regroup, but work was busy and I had some projects I really needed to attend to. It was fun trying new vegan/veggie foods at least.

    Liz @ Living Vegan It's lots of fun really. It gets your HR way up there surprisingly enough. Plus there's something fun about just punching!

    Erica @ Fashion Meets Food Thanks girl!

    Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel I am getting more into wraps. It's fun finding places that serve them to get ideas of what to stuff them with. Guess you're right though - anything goes,

    Averie @ Loves Veggies and Yoga What is it with laundry - it's the one chore that never ends.

    Tina @ Faith Fitness and Fun There really is isn't there.

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  13. oo dinner looks gooood. it is hard to get back in the swing of things--especially if you have to get to work the next day! Im shocked you managed to get a work out it-- you go girl!

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  14. Welcome home! I am so glad that you had the trip of a lifetime...and yes, reality is good and bad. I always miss food when we are gone. I am a schedule eater, like a 2 year old, or I get grouchy. I hope the rest of the week runs smoothly for you! Have a great day!

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  15. that wrap looks so good
    too bad vacations don't last forever

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  16. oh yum! Home cooked meal gets everything back on track after vacation. Hope your catching up on some rest.

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  17. That meal looks awesome! I totally know what you mean about craving a home cooked meal (especially veggies) after vacation. I feel like I always get a shortage of veggies when on vacation and I go into withdrawals!

    Sorry you're having trouble getting back into the swing of work - it's totally expected after such a fun and crazy trip. Just push through till the weekend, and I'm sure you'll feel much better by Monday!

    Sending a hug your way:)

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  18. I always love getting back into my kitchen after being away. That meal looked really good!!

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  19. Kenzie @ A Healthy Purpose In hindsight, I should have requested another full day. Live and learn right??? I thought the workouts would get me back into my routine better.

    Sarena @ The Non-Dairy Queen Thanks girl! LOL like a 2-year old, that's a perfect way to put it.

    Tanya @ Tanya's Daily Product Reviews I think every day should be vacation fun!

    Lindsay @ Cotter Crunch Rest? What's that ;-)

    Candice @ ChiaSeedMe Thanks so much sweetie!!!! Veggie withdrawals and huge salad withdrawals were definitely what I was experiencing. I had veggies, but not quite the same as I normally would.

    Kelly @ Healthy Living with Kelly There's just something about being in your own kitchen isn't there???!!!

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  20. It's really tough bouncing back from vacation. It took me at least 2 or 3 weeks to feel back in the swing of things! Now I want a stay-cation!

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  21. Ahhh I can remember when I would return from vacations and need to go back into the office. It was pretty darn hard! Who invented this 9-5 anyways?! Hmmmm

    I am so happy you had a wonderful time and it just sounded like so much fun!

    Was it hard getting back into that workout?!

    xxoo

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  22. SO jealous of the food from Grocery 13...it looks delicious!

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  23. Kara @ My Wellnest Oh I certainly hope it doesn't take me that long or I'm in deep trouble!

    Kris @ iheartwellness I completely agree with you on the 9-5 thing. The workouts on Tues and Wed were great actually. I needed to get back to doing my regular workouts.

    Dawn @ Florida Coastal Cooking It was really good and there were so many other things I wanted to try!

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  24. I always miss my knives! thats kind of weird and scary tounding, but I'm a chef and I'm VERY protective and in love with my knives! So glad you had a wonderful time. Getting back home is always bittersweet for me. But you do learn to appreciate what you have. And yes, getting back to routine is so hard for me as well. usually i am also incredibly jet lagged so I fall asleep at noon and wake up at 3am!

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  25. did i say "tounding"?! i obviously meant "sounding "

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  26. I'm glad your trip rocked! Thanks for sharing it with all of us readers :) I totally know what ya mean by that just-got-home feeling. Sometimes I think coming home from a trip is MORE stressful than leaving for one! It's difficult to come back to reality and a routine!

    The first thing I crave when I get home is a nice home-cooked meal and a shower in my own shower. Those veggies look awesome--what a great homecoming meal!

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  27. Eden's Eats Oh after staying in a condo and using other knives, that is one of the BEST things about getting home. We've actually thought about splurging on a travel set even!

    Laura @ B Foxy Fitness Glad you enjoyed reading the posts and seeing the pictures. It was fun to share actually!

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