Class is back in session. And after six weeks off, it feels soooooo good. What feels even better is being able to say I’ll be done with school THIS YEAR.
Sunday was my first day of clinicals and it was….fast and at times chaotic and totally new, but I learned more in 12 hours than I have in the past 12 weeks I feel like. Learning in the classroom and learning in clinical are two different ball games. If it were up to me, we’d do 70% of our learning in clinical and 30% in class. But considering I have class from 8am to 5pm with only a couple 10 minute breaks on Wednesdays – that’s not happening.
Backing up to yesterday, all day I felt a bit like a zombie. I’m usually a pretty good sleeper, but Monday night I crawled into bed at 10:45 exhausted, but then couldn’t fall sleep until 2am – I’m blaming the two squares of 99% dark chocolate I had at 9:30pm. I texted my Nutshell client I had at 7am and asked her if we could reschedule since without sleep my brain is mush and I didn’t want to sacrifice the quality of our session. I’ve been seeing her for almost two years off and on so thankfully she was very gracious. I slept till 8am and laid in bed for a bit before getting up. Not feeling awesome, I skipped my planned workout class and instead grabbed a mug of coffee and made some breakfast.
I can’t stress this enough – if you have not gotten enough sleep, do not work out. Do not work out. Do not work out. You are only making matters worse. Your body is already stressed from the lack of sleep. Anything other than very low intensity movement like walking or light yoga increases your cortisol levels even more…meaning more stress. And that doesn’t nothing to benefit your body mentally or physically. What you need to rest. Not exercise.
Breakfast was the usual this month of two eggs scrambled with tomatoes and spinach, roasted butternut squash topped with cinnamon + coconut butter, and banana with cashew butter. Plus two cups of coffee. I cut myself off at two since being jacked on caffeine and being a little sleep deprived is a hormonal frat party.
I had a Nutshell client at 9:30am and then spent the morning wrapping up errands and some freelance projects. I pondered heading to a yoga class at noon because it’s my favorite instructor, but vetoed that and instead walked to the gym to sit in the steam room. Ahhhhhhh YES.
Because I posted yesterday’s lunch on insta, here’s Monday’s lunch of kale massaged with olive oil + sea salt and topped with roasted butternut squash, brussels, beets, TJs garlic chicken sausage and avocado. Followed up by the juiciest grapefruit and a couple squares of dark chocolate with dates and sunbutter.
I organized some school things for the semester and returned some things to Patagonia in the afternoon before sitting down to write this post around 3pm. And before my 4pm Nutshell client, I snacked on an energy ball and some carrots with sunbutter. Plus a kombucha – heyyyy probiotics!
For dinner, I biked over to Nick’s apartment and we walked to Inday. This place is right next door to his building and so deeern good. You choose whatever base you want – we went with the brussel + caulilflower “rice” and then they top it with some sort of slaw, beets, butternut squash and some other veggies and then you pick a protein. I went with the grilled Indian spiced salmon. All for like $12. Inday, stay around forever.
I was exhausted and Nick had a work call at 9pm so we watched an episode of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and I headed home to crawl into bed. Grabbed a handful of these sweet potato chips when I got home, drank some tea and packed my lunch and bag for class.
The older I get, the more I realize I do not function on less than 7 hours of sleep. So the rare days I don’t get 7 hours, aren’t pretty. But, that’s life and if that means slower movement and a slower paced day, that’s okay.
Cheers to Wednesday!
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I’m so glad your hopes for whole 30 seem to be happening…and that you slept in:) not being able to fall asleep is he worst!
And as always, everything you are looks amazing!
I am totally with you in wine topic! I am student and glass of red wine after exhausting day seems amazing, but it doesn`t sound like healthy habit. Everything good in moderation.
I always try to shoot for 8 hours of sleep and feel so much better throughout the day, so I hear ya. Super impressed with you biking in this cold weather- I haven’t touch my bike since December! Also agreed on the wine/booze- I”m doing a dry January and it’s super amazing to wake up feeling awesome on the weekends 🙂
not drinking makes such a difference! 🙂
it’s cold, but biking is such an efficient way to get around the city so I’m just bundling up! 🙂
YES for sleep. I always tell people that nothing else matters unless I’ve slept enough (kind of exaggerating, kind of true). $12 for a decent sized dinner in NYC? Steal.
Hi Robyn! Whole30 looks so delicious and I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it. I’m curious to hear how you feel about eating more meat?
I’m really not eating a lot – 2 eggs at breakfast and maybe an ounce or 2 ounces at dinner so through out the day 4-6 oz total so feeling good about that!
Ever since starting grad school, exercise just hasn’t been a #1 (or 2 or 3) priority. Sometimes I feel bad about it, but honestly I like having the extra energy to be present.
I try to not drink coffee to late or else I’m bound to be lying with thoughts flying trying to go to sleep.
Another great post about such an important point! After yet another morning of struggling through a workout after minimal sleep (sigh, when will I learn), I’m so happy to have this post. I’ve already decided tonight I’m getting that full 8 hours of sleep and probably even making tomorrow a rest day. As always, thank you for your perspective Robyn!
Sleep >>>> exercise 🙂
thanks for reading melissa!
“hormonal frat party.” ha. You are awesome. PS Love KeVita! The mango is my faaaave!
Great post again. I need to be reminded of this constantly?
I was wondering how you decide to divide your calories for the day?
Do you shoot for 3 meals around 500 calories, and then 500 calories devoted for snacks?
I want to make sure i’m eating enough without counting.
Otherwise I intuitively eat all day, without any restriction, and still find myself under-eating at the end of the day?
500 for a lunch o dinner!??. I bet i will end up starving at 500 calories meals!.
I don’t really aim for a certain number at meals but just eat according to hunger – typically though breakfast is one of my bigger meals
email me to chat more if you’d like! 🙂
Great post and tips as always <3
Those sweet potato chips are my favorite! Have you tried plantain chips? If not, you MUST! I’m so addicted 😉
plantain chips are AMAZING!!!!
I agree for sleep over a workout any day! when I don’t get enough sleep, the thought of exercising makes me even more sluggish and tired. I have been dying to try that Inday restaurant too, I’ve heard so many great things about it!
I have felt the exact same way – I am so sleepy lately that I’ve had to push my workouts to later in the day and take afternoon naps.
I LOVED this post! You are so wise and your food always looks fantastic 🙂 Hope you’re having a great week Robyn!
DITTO to your last 2 paragraphs. Wine as water.. that’d be amazing. But so encouraging and refreshing to not be focusing on food so much!
Totally agree about the learning in class vs in clinical. As a nurse I love hearing about your NP program and all things nursing related.
Thank you for this (and all your posts, seriously)! Skipping a workout in favor of sleep used to be a very difficult decision for me to make, but I’ve come to realize how much better life is when I just sleep in if I can.
It’s so awesome to hear that Whole30 is working well for you physically and mentally!
what are your tips for stress eating? Tonight I overate during dinner and then proceeded to eat 1/2 banana with almond butter and chocolate. I was full, but felt rushed and couldn’t stop.
Thank you <33
Be aware of that. Maybe it is not overeating. It is just reactive eating happening because undereating.
great question! I’d love to address this in Q&A video, thanks for asking Rachel! 🙂
I love your posts, and it’s always so wonderful to see your WIAW posts. These are such a good reminder of what it means to truly nourish yourself well with adequate fuel throughout the day. I love your message of rest over stress! In a world where this seems to be the exact opposite of the message we receive, you are a breath of fresh air. Thank you!
I love that you LIVE what you preach. Your life is such an example of freedom, balance, and just a LOVE For taking care of the temple that Jesus has bought with a price. <3 You are SUCH an encouragement! Thanks Robyn.
AMEN!
you are so sweet and encouraging! Thank you for reading!! 🙂
xo
love all the colorful food choices!
Hi Robyn- I’m curious why your body trains do store fat when you’re tired- I’ve never heard that before. Is there a minimum hours of sleep you recommend? Thanks!
when you don’t get enough sleep, cortisol levels rise – cortisol is an energy storing stress hormone. Exercise also causes cortisol levels to rise- so if you’re lacking sleep AND you exercise your cortisol levels are higher than normal and stay elevated which can lead to energy storing
DEFINITELY at least 7 hours – 8 ideally!