Dresses, Tea, & Oatmeal Messes

Today's sips:

Coffee: 2 cups
Tea: 1 cup Green, 1 cup Rooibos Orange, 1 cup Yerba Mate

So today was somewhat productive! Shopping-wise I would say it was very productive =D

Took advantage of Ann Taylor LOFT's 40% off any full-price dress offer. Bought these beauties:

Dress # 1              Dress # 2 

Then I made a pit stop in this herbal tea shop that I've grown to LOVE. They have about every kind of loose tea you can think of and you purchase it by the ounce. My mission was to get Yerba-Mate. I have heard of the benefits of yerba-mate or "mate-yerba." Potato Potata. The guy in the tea shop let me get a good whif of it from the barrell just to see if I was hardcore enough to stand the strong smell and flavor. It smells like grass. I told him that I could handle it and got 2 ounces. I want to see for myself how energized it makes me feel. Here is some info on yerba-mate, courtesy of this website:

• a good detoxifier
• produces deeper sleep
• boosts the immune system
• relieves allergies
• increases energy
• possibly reduces the risk of diabetes and hypoglycemia
• relaxes muscles
• burns more calories
• increases mental focus
• improves mood
• possibly increases the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the heart during exercise
• decreases hunger cravings
• possible prevention of some cancers
• possible reduction of heart attack and stroke
• beneficial to the digestive tract

Though, I've read conflicting stories that too much yerba is not good, I will take that with a grain of salt. I don't plan to chug the stuff like water, just a couple cups a day (:

Today's Eats:
Breakfast:
HUGE oatmeal mess - 1/4 cup steel cut oats, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 banana, (half mixed in, half on top), dollop of greek yogurt for the creaminess, drop of vanilla, shake of nutmeg, and 2 tsp cinnamon. All covered with 1 Tbs Sunbutter, 1 Tbs chopped hazelnuts and...the grande finale...a mini Luna Peanut Butter bar crumbled on top!! Wow, that makes me full just typing it. This oatmeal mess probably equaled to around 550 calories. It was delicious and kept me full for hours!
Lunch:
Salmon salad from Atlanta Bread Co. I only dipped my fork a few times in the dressing to smear on my salmon, but it's hardly worth mentioning calorie-wise. The salad consisted of romaine lettuce, a small piece of salmon, and about a handful of a bean and corn mixture. Very low cal and so filling.
Snack:
Marble Slab was conveniently next door, so I just had to get me some! I got a small no sugar added, fat free vanilla with dark chocolate chips and blueberries. I had to scrape some of the yogurt in the trash, because it was too much. Perfect lunch cap!
Another Snack!
Grapefruit. I like to peel everything off and just eat the flesh.
Dinner:

A small portion of one of my favorite Kimchi's: Ojing-Oh kimchi! That would be squid ;) with a mixture of different veggies like rhubarb, cabbage, and peppers. Extra spicy and extra tasty! Looks something like this:

Hm, I don't feel quite right. I think it's because my Green consumption for today is pretty low. Maybe I'll whip up a green monster after my workout, we'll see.

Going to run to the gym (1.5 miles), do some weight lifting for about 45 min, then run back!

- So the gym key didn't work :( I don't know why?! So I turned around and did some light weights: arms and abs. Calling it a night with my Yerba Mate. I think I brewed it a little too lightly, because the taste is not very strong. It's not bad at all though! Quite earthy, but refreshing :)