Hello, hello, and happy Monday!

This morning was a repeat of last night. I had pumpkin on pumpkin again! I just can seem to get enough pumpkin, can I?

Saturday – pumpkin pancakes

Sunday – pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin ice cream, and a pumpkin spice latte (I forgot I had that yesterday)

Monday – Pumpkin granola oats with a pumpkin cookie on top

I broke into the last of my Nature’s Path goodies today!

Flax Plus pumpkin granola!

I made 1/2 cup of rolled oats, and topped them with 1/4 cup of granola.

Check out all the pumpkin seeds!

 When I was making the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies yesterday, I made a few mini cookies from the very end of the batter that didn’t have any chocolate chips.

Like this one right here!

I thought maybe it would be a good idea to crumble it on top of my pumpkin granola oats.

I was right. It was a grand idea :)

I forgot to mention last night that the cookies were more muffin like than cookie like. Which is why I think it is completely acceptable to have these cookies for breakfast :)

On a fitness related note, check out these tips on how to increase your metabolism:

1. When you Roll out of Bed

Eat (a good) breakfast Every. Single. Day. If you don’t, your body goes into starvation mode, so your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy. What should you be having? Morning munchies that are slow to digest and leave you feeling fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, like this power breakfast, recommended by  

Sip java: Sisterhood of the traveling spill-proof mugs, rejoice! A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing, says Robert Kenefick, Ph.D., a research physiologist at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. Honestly, could there be a more perfect beverage?

Guzzle your water cold: Chase your morning joe with an ice-cold glass of H2O. Researchers at the University of Utah found that volunteers who drank eight to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water per day had higher metabolic rates than those who quaffed only four glasses.

2. When You’re At Work

Pick protein for lunch: Cramming protein into every meal helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat does, even at rest, says Donald Layman, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois. Aim for about 30 grams of protein — the equivalent of about one cup of low-fat cottage cheese or a four-ounce boneless chicken breast — at each meal.

Brew up some green tea: “It’s the closest thing to a metabolism potion,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., author of Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever. The brew contains a plant compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning.

Undo damage with dairy: Hey, it happens. There are days when no salad on earth can possibly overcome the seductive power of French fries. But you can make up for it with a calcium-rich afternoon snack, like eight ounces of milk or six ounces of low-fat yogurt. Calcium helps your body metabolize fat more efficiently by increasing the rate at which it gets rid of fat as waste (yes, that kind), reports a study from the University of Copenhagen. Sorry, supplements don’t have the same effect.

4. When you Work Out

Mix things up with intervals: You’re always looking for a way to shorten your workout, right? Well, step up your intensity and you’ll burn the same number of calories or more in less time.  Whether you ride, run, or row, try ramping things up to rev your burn: Start by doing three eight-second all-out, can’t-talk sprints with 12 seconds at an easy pace between each effort. Work your way up until you can do 10 sprints over 20 minutes.

Take it slow: This isn’t easy, but when you strength train, count to 3 as you lower the weight back to the start position. Slowing things down increases the breakdown of muscle tissue — yeah, it sounds bad, but all that damage you’re incurring is actually a good thing. The repair process pumps up your metabolism for as long as 72 hours after your session. But pass on those featherweight dumbbells — you need to use weights that are heavy enough that you struggle to complete the final few reps.

5. When You Get Home

Eat Nemo’s pals: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are loaded with hunger-quashing omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help trigger the rapid transfer of “I’m full” signals to your brain. A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon nets you 90 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin D, which will help preserve your precious calorie-craving, metabolism-stoking muscle tissue.

Skip the second mojito: Another reason not to overimbibe — knocking back the equivalent of just two mixed drinks (or two glasses of wine or two bottles of beer) puts the brakes on fat burning by a whopping 73 percent. That’s because your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores, report researchers from the University of California, Berkeley.

Hit the sack — early: When you sleep less than you should, you throw off the amounts of leptin and ghrelin — hormones that help regulate energy use and appetite — that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who snoozed fewer than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index. So make sure you get at least eight hours of rest.

Based on the above suggestions here are the things I think I do pretty well:

• Eat a healthy breakfast every single day
• Sip Java and water
• Incorporate intervals into my workouts
• Hit the sack early

Which means I need to work on the following:

• Have a calcium rich afternoon snack
• Strength train more slowly
• Drink more green tea
• Eat more omega 3’s or take a fish oil supplement
• Skip the second glass of wine or beer!!

What do you need to work on?