A Lady Goes West

A healthy lifestyle blog by Ashley Pitt

Stories about food and yesterday’s meals

By 38 Comments

Hi guys! It’s Wednesday again, so of course, I’m here with a daily eating recap. But before we get to that, check out this guest post that I wrote on Heather’s blog yesterday, “The top five health and fitness mistakes people make.” I enjoyed writing this post for her while she was away and am happy some new people have found their way to A Lady Goes West because of it. Welcome!

As someone who reads a lot of blogs, as well as writes a blog, I know that I love to learn a little bit more about the person behind the words and pictures. That being said, today’s food post is not your regular recap of meals. What you see below does includes photos of what I ate all day yesterday, but it’s also a little look at my history of eating and a little bit more about me. So here we go …

Breakfast at 7 a.m.

Overnight oats breakfast 11.11Coconut protein overnight oats with a banana and some green tea.

For many years, I worked out first thing in the morning. When I lived in Orlando, I would be up just after 5 a.m. each weekday on the treadmill or heading to the gym to teach a super early BODYPUMP class before sitting at a desk all day. After moving to San Francisco and going through a few career changes, my workouts are now usually done at lunch-time or in the evening when I teach or take classes. I can honestly say the best thing about this change is not that I no longer have to wake up super early each day, but it’s that I get to have a full breakfast as soon as I get up. I love breakfast. Something about digging into a hearty bowl of overnight oats, sipping on some hot tea and reading the news in my pajamas makes me incredibly happy. I love a routine, and my morning routine is a good one.

Mid-morning snack at 10:30 a.m.

Morning snack 11.11This tub of protein-filled pumpkin goodness is so tasty, it made my list of Friday Favorites last week.

When people say that they don’t snack, I don’t understand them. How are you not hungry between your meals? And don’t you like food? I wouldn’t say I look forward to my snacks as much as I do my main meals, but when you’ve got a sweet treat like this to nibble on, why wouldn’t you want to reach for it? Yes, I’m a snacker, and I’ve been a snacker for years and years. There were days early on in my professional career after college when I didn’t eat between breakfast and lunch and would hit that hunger slump late morning and try to power through. Had I only known then that eating more often instead of less was actually a better way to be healthy, I may have saved myself some hangry-moment grief. Now I know. And as I’ve said before, there are times when my snacks are pretty big. This day of eating shows snack restraint, but that’s not always the case.

Lunch at 12:30 p.m.

Lunch 11.11Baked sweet potato covered in cinnamon with fried eggs. Yes, I mixed them together. Yes, it was delicious.

Long-time readers of A Lady Goes West know a secret about me. For maybe eight years, I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch every single day. Yes, I would branch out on the weekends or go out to lunch occasionally, but PBJ was my jam. I mixed up the bread choices, the nut butters, the jellies, and sometimes threw in a banana, but PBJ was my mainstay. It was only early on in 2014 that I dropped the PBJ from my diet. I didn’t make any other changes at the time and just started adding more variety for lunch. I never once got sick of eating PBJ every day, and part of that is because I like to eat the same yummy foods in a small rotation day in and day out. But I did realize that maybe I should get some more fresh vegetables or fruits into my mid-day meal, especially being someone who works in the fitness industry and advises others to do so. Will I go back to PBJ? Sure, but only once in a while. Nothing really changed when I stopped eating that same sandwich daily, but I’m sure my insides are thanking me.

Mid-afternoon snack at 5 p.m.

Snack 11.11Cottage cheese, Trader Joe’s raw-nut trail mix and a chopped up organic gala apple, all combined into a lovely parfait of sorts.

I used to set “self-regulated” times for my meals. I would tell myself, you should always eat your breakfast at XX time, your lunch at XX time and your snack at XX time, just to be consistent. These days, I eat when I want, when my tummy is about to growl and when it makes the most sense with my schedule. Sometimes I’m not even all the way hungry yet for my afternoon snack. But if I’m heading out to teach two hours of group fitness, in which I have to do the workout, then I know I better down that snack beforehand, because I’ll need the energy. Changing my outlook on the timing of my meals doesn’t mean I eat any less, it just means I’m a little more laid back on the when.

Dinner at 8:45 p.m.

Dinner 11.11Spaghetti squash, sauteed spinach, marinara sauce and some turkey meatballs. A very popular dish in my dinner rotation.

I’ve always eaten dinner late, and I grew up eating dinner late. In the Pinder household (oh, you didn’t know? That’s my maiden name! You’re looking at Ashley Pinder, folks, only been a Pitt for two-and-a-half years), we typically sat down to dinner at the table or on our TV trays around 8 p.m. There were times in college when I ate dinner much earlier, but that was only because of the social need if I had plans to head out after. I know people say you should eat way before bed to digest, but I tend to think that food is food. I’ve never worried about eating dinner late, because I seem to be running fine on my current schedule. Some days I don’t walk in the door until 8 p.m., so Dave and I do the best we can to eat at a reasonable hour. I’m sure one day we will need to eat earlier once we have some big life events, but until then, we’ll do what works for us.

So there you go, that’s not only a look at what I ate, but it’s also a little bit of information on me. We all grow up, change our ways, learn new things and get rid of or take on new eating habits. Today, I’m pretty sure my eating is the healthiest it’s ever been when it comes to eating real and clean foods. But, I’m also pretty sure I eat more big indulgent dinners out on the weekends than I ever have before as well. I have no doubt my habits will continue to change, but what will never change is this: I love food.

Alright, I’ve got some work to do, and tonight I’ll be teaching my regular double-header of BODYATTACK and BODYPUMP. Yes, my belly will be full of a snack, which I’ll consume before I go whether I’m hungry or not.

Check back tomorrow for something fun. And with that, go have a great day!

Be friends with A Lady Goes West

If you’re interested in this “What I Ate Wednesday” post, then maybe you’d like to hear from me again. Keep an eye out for future posts by following me on Bloglovin’, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And for some other daily eating recaps:

  1. A full day of eating in pictures
  2. Another full day of my eats and drinks
  3. Real food isn’t always pretty
  4. Do you have a balanced dining out strategy?
  5. What I ate and drank all day
  6. Three meals, two snacks and a shake
  7. Food trucks and rest-day eating
  8. Plenty of protein at every meal
  9. Colorful fuel for a day of training
  10. Long days of training require a lot of food
  11. Making do on “What I Ate Wednesday” 
  12. Healthy foods for a rest day
  13. Who doesn’t like pictures of food?
  14. A look at a full day of eating in pictures
  15. Snapshots from a day of delicious meals
  16. Pictures of food, because you like them
  17. Food pictures and the juice cleanse that wasn’t
  18. A look at what I really eat in a day
  19. What I ate in the Sunshine State
  20. My weekend eats and a little narrative

Questions of the day

What’s one good thing you’ve eaten lately? How’s your week going? Have you given up any foods before? If so, what and why?

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About Ashley

I'm a mom and fitness instructor in Charlotte, North Carolina. And A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness, wellness and clean beauty tips, as well as stories from my life.
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Comments

  1. Jennifer Thornburgh says

    Oh my goodness, I stumbled across your blog and when I saw your picture I thought you looked familiar….but then when I read the last (maiden) name I realized i know you!! I think we took a dance class together and I am pretty sure you went to school with my brother and we know some of the same people…..small world =) I take bodypump at the YMCA downtown in Orlando and i like reading your thoughts on the new releases.

    Reply

  3. Emily @ Sweets and Beets says

    I really enjoyed reading this little history! 🙂 And your day of food was all my faves! I totally did the PB&J thing every day in high school and college… I remember starting my first internship junior year and feeling like a little kid bringing it every day. No shame! 😉 Glad I branched out a little, haha. Have a great day!
    Emily @ Sweets and Beets recently posted…This Day in History + My Year in PhotosMy Profile

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  4. Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says

    I loved reading your mini stories associated with each meal/snack. I’m the same with my morning routine – I thrive on it and love it. I like being able to work myself into the day. I do better this way.

    I also don’t understand people who don’t eat snacks! What?! 😉 I’ve always been a snacker too and typically eat something between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, and something after dinner as well.
    Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries recently posted…What Hunter & I Ate Wednesday {Toddler Meal Ideas}My Profile

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  6. Audrey says

    Amazing post! How do you manage to make food posts so interesting? 😉 I love your quip about “snack restraint” – snacking is so important in my life. It stops me from binging at meal time or feeling like food is off-limits. Your dinner looks crazy good. I love spaghetti squash so much, I honestly like the flavor more than normal pasta. Do you ever find yourself getting hungry in the middle of the night? I almost always have to wake up for a little snack.
    xoxo
    Audrey
    Audrey recently posted…Win a year of free skincare. #LetsBeVain.My Profile

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  7. Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says

    I love the way you weaved in tidbits about you through food. I would give anything to be able relax and enjoy my breakfast but as you know, I’m stuck in the 9-5 rut that you used to be in. Except I don’t get up to teach BodyPump before work- you were seriously dedicated! And obviously meant to end up where you are now. 🙂

    I’m also shocked that you ate PB&J for 8 years straight. Wow!
    Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted…Colorful CassisMy Profile

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  13. Diane says

    Your post has made me hungry! I’m glad you said that you thought “food was food” no matter what time you eat. It seems I often hear that I should eat before 6 p.m. or whatever BUT if I do that then I’d have to go to be at 8:00 because I’ll just get hungry again 🙂 Thanks for sharing what seem to be very good eating habits!
    Diane recently posted…Racing ThoughtsMy Profile

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  14. Catherine | The Single Diaries says

    PB&J! Thanks for sharing more about your food history. It gives me hope that I can change my habits. I tend to go through periods of eating the same things over and over too. In college I was never without a box of cereal, though since my move my only consistency when it comes to food is my morning coffee.
    Catherine | The Single Diaries recently posted…Downward Dog DissMy Profile

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  15. Jana says

    The snack with apples, cottage cheese and nuts looks awsome, i think i will have it today… 🙂 Also thinking about changing my excercise plan – having troubles with running in the morning and wanting to eat biiiig breakfast….

    Reply

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