Aliment: WIAW: The Food & Fitness Beach Edition

Wednesday is becoming my favorite day of the week...why? Because I get to reflect on what I've been eating (and with this month's theme - how I've been moving) and join up with Jenn and a great group of blogger gals on Peas & Crayons. If you're unfamiliar...click here and you'll be quickly be brought up to speed. If you know the deal, read on my friend!

In the summer my family and I live for the beach, the ocean, the sound of waves crashing and seagulls pilfering our goldfish stash (the crackers not actual fish.) The sight of my kids frolicking in the waves brings a salty mist to my eyes- oh the youthful joy!

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This is sorta, kinda how it goes...

Early wake up...usually around 6 am and I stumble to the kitchen for my berry favorite breakfast. Seriously I eat this every. single. day. and it never gets old, in fact, even writing about it now sets my mouth a-water.

Then I join Katrina and Karena my favorite fitness friends for a quick workout session on the beach. Okay, not really on the beach. I'm in my living room on my yoga mat (it's orange, it could almost pass as a beach towel if you look at it from far away) but K&K the healthy-living gurus are at the beach and we set to sweating under the blazing California sun...or perhaps that's just the lamp in the corner. A girl can dream. Check out Tone It Up! for fitness, nutrition and lifestyle videos, advice and a solid dose of Vitamin D (that's D for dazzling smiles.) Oh and all their workouts (which are thankfully short, but effective) are free on youtube!

Then I hear the stirrings of sleepy feet and set about making the family breakfast...and pack a cooler with lunch...and make smoothies for the ride...The kids often request something along the lines of strawberry, banana, coconut...but as a consenting adult I whip myself up a Flex on the Beach thanks to the island hopping inspiration of Sarah Metheny aka Mama Pea of Peas and Thank You.

When taking it to go- I pour it in there...not so fancy.

We hop in the car and drive, drive, drive, listen, listen, listen to an audio tape to pass the time and drink, drink, drink our smoothies. When we arrive at the beach everyone is eager to play in the sand, hop in the waves or if you're me and the Atlantic chills you to the bone, just wade in inch by inch until the sun blazes hot and I dive in.

We spread out our beach blanket and often have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, carrots, fruit and loads of water. What you see it resting on is a reusable wrap from Againbags. We love them! Although the lunch itself isn't terribly exciting, I don't have to worry about anything spoiling and aside from the containers I put the food in there isn't any waste or anything else to remember to bring (like silverware.) I also toss in a few snacks for the afternoon, but oftentimes everyone is having such a blast these go uneaten.

When the sun begins to melt toward the horizon we reluctantly pack it up and head home or occassionally stop for a quick dinner at any of the many roadside restaurants that pepper the ocean's edge.

This time we stopped at the aformentioned and I got me a "panini" with swiss, spinach, portabello mushrooms and a yummy pesto-mayo. It wasn't quite a panini because it was served open-faced, though it wasn't advertised as such. Oh well. With sand everywhere, my hair windswept, red-cheeked and a long ride home I didn't really care.

My little mermaids contentedly shared their own version of the sandwich above, but fought over the pickle, then we packed back into the car and said a sad goodbye to our beloved ocean. And if only to assuage the tears I surprised/plied them with an ice cream cone with sprinkles, but they melted fast!