It's getting hot in herrrre

After a much needed girls' night in with wine and cookies, and Magic Mike of course, I woke up today motivated and ready for a productive day off.

The morning started (very early as per usual -- 7am) with my new obsession Dunkin’ Donuts Gingerbread coffee and a delicious pumpkin oatmeal mug cake! I made these addictive pumpkin molasses cookies earlier in the week and was left with half a can of pumpkin sitting my fridge and no idea what to do with it.

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
Recipe: Nutrition Nut on the Run

So to fuel up a few hours before what was promised to be sweaty and challenging workout, I made this protein and fiber packed breakfast mug cake!

Pumpkin Mug Cake

At 11:30, off I went to experience the hottest (literally) new trend in exercise.

The Mercury Method is a fusion of yoga, Pilates, strength training and cardiovascular exercise in a heated room, set to almost club-like beats. The classes promise to improve your flexibility, strength and stamina.

Lucky for me, they just opened their first studio in Chicago, right by my house! AND they were offering free pilot classes to get a feel for the neighborhood and help train their new instructors.

The studio is sleek and modern with heated floors and giant ceiling fans to distribute the 98.6 degree heat.  New to Chicago, the staff was eager to adjust class schedules and incorporate feedback to meet the needs of their new clientele.

The class itself was incredible! I left class feeling strong, sweaty and centered. Each exercise was rooted in core strength but targets all the major muscle groups, and some I had forgotten I had! Serratus Anterior push-ups, holy cow, if it weren’t for med school I wouldn’t have even known these muscles existed, but I felt the burn.

The instructor, Diana, was motivating and provided much needed comic relief with a well-placed swear word, or endearing catch phrase. My favorite was that she called our rest pose, downward dog, “Man’s best friend” and I was very grateful when it came along.  I was so focused on the heat and wiping the sweat out of my eyes that I didn’t have time to doubt my abilities and cranked out each challenging exercise. Including push-ups, on my toes! A personal goal!

Super sweaty post-class with our awesome instructor, Diana

I highly recommend the Mercury Method!  It combines all the best aspects of my favorite exercises into one quick hour and for the city it is super affordable. Check it out!

They recommend you come hydrated, caffeinated and lightly fed…This mug cake isn’t quite light…but it kept me full and energized from the time I woke up at 7am through class at 11:30 and until lunch at 1pm! 

Pumpkin Mug Cake

Hands on time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

What you need:

• 1 ripe Banana
• 1/4 cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
• 1/4 cup Egg Substitute, or one whole egg
• 1/2 Tbs Molasses
• 1 Tbs Chocolate Chips
• 1 Tbs Walnut Halves chopped
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mash up the banana in the bottom of your mug. Mix in the pumpkin, molasses and egg. Add the spices to this mixture. Next, stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top and microwave for 2 minutes. You want the center to still look a little wet. 

The cake is about 400 calories, perfectly portioned for a healthy breakfast. To me, it's okay to spend a lot of your daily calories at breakfast since it fuels your entire day. There is that old key-to-health proverb..."Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dinner like a pauper."

What you get:

Have you realized how much I love bananas? They are nutrient powerhouses, I eat one every day! Oatmeal helps to reduce your cholesterol, stabilize your blood sugar (helps to prevent diabetes), and has tons of fiber to keep you full. Pumpkin is also full of fiber (being full helps you eat fewer calories throughout the day). Pumpkin also contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant which may help fight cancer cells AND WRINKLES! Surprisingly, pumpkin has even MORE potassium than a banana, almost twice! Potassium is essential before and after a hard workout to balance electrolyte loss in your muscles and sweat. Finally, pumpkin is a good source of vitamin C. It's perfect that pumpkin is in season in the Fall and Winter, to help you battle those changing of the seasons colds!