Green Smoothie + HIIT Workout

Avocado in a smoothie is the best idea EVER.

I've been wanting to make a green smoothie for some time now. Finally, I had a couple ingredients to make it happen. And it was yummy! A definite keeper.

Green Smoothie
Serves 1

Ingredients:
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/3 avocado
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup plain Almond milk
- Optional sprinkle of Truvia or stevia for sweetness

Directions:
- Add to blender and enjoy!

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Mmmm the avocado made this so creamy. It was delicious. You really can't taste the spinach. It had a hint of natural sweetness from the banana, but I added a sprinkle of Truvia for just a tad more. This smoothie was a great way to refuel my body after a sweaty gym session with protein, healthy fats, and fiber.

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Last night I was in the mood for a run. Not just any run, I wanted a heart-pounding, sprint until you can't any more, run. Whenever this urge strikes, I turn to HIIT (high intensity interval training). My go-to interval workouts are on the treadmill. Tone It Up has a great collection of HIIT workouts for the treadmill and overall toning. Check out their Pinterest page for some ideas (see above link)!

Last night I did about four miles on the treadmill with this workout:

I absolutely love this workout. It's short, intense, and gets the job done. Also, you can scale it to any fitness level. HIIT workouts are beneficial because you burn more calories, lose more fat, during a shorter period of time versus doing longer steady state cardio. I followed Cupid's Cardio up with my favorite Body Pump class, which satisfied my sweaty, hard workout craving.

Do you have a favorite workout? What do you like to do when you're really wanting to push yourself physically?

What I'm sMiling About Today

Life is amazing. I love the fresh, bright green leaves. I love living in Chapel Hill. I love myself more everyday. I love those around me more every day. I love the feeling of happiness. I love spring - it's my favorite season! I love Earth Day because it's my birthday!!! April 22!

I clearly have lots that I'm loving and smiling about. I just want to scream these from the mountain tops! Hopefully they'll make you smile too :)

1. I had a 3 day weekend! Three days should be mandatory. Two days is such a tease. It was so nice to sleep in Friday, Saturday and Sunday. My body needed it so bad!

2. This song. So good!



3. Being super lazy on Friday morning. I had to remind myself that it's ok not to do anything and that this is what I've been wanting. I tend to be a little high-strung when it comes to doing all that I want to do and forget to relax and just be.

4. Finished reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Please read this now. Warning - I spent the last third of it sobbing into my pillow making funny noises, but the first two-thirds I spent laughing out loud. I was also head over heels for Augustus Waters because he reminds me of Justin :)


5. Going shopping for real clothes not workout clothes. Finally bought a couple spring items to add to my wardrobe since my racer back tank tops are are stocked up for a while.

6. Getting to spend Easter with Justin...our first holiday together!


7. Two of my amazing friends are getting married this weekend!! April 21st!



8. I'm beginning to appreciate yoga. Add it to my list of fitness loves. I'm having a hard time fitting in all the running, spinning, strength training, yogaing, ellipticalling, walking, and more into my schedule. I guess it keeps me from getting bored! For the longest time I felt like yoga was just a bunch silly moves that people did because they thought it was cool. I'm really beginning to love focusing on every move, learning its name, and improving my form each time. Hopefully I'll be doing this one day...


She's simply amazing. She's also my new blogger crush - Peanut Butter Runner.

9. I'll be in my mid-20s this Sunday! I don't know if this is really something I'm smiling about. I love birthdays because its a day that people shower you with love and act like you're this wonderful blessing :) but I don't want to get old! I wish I would have listened to my mom when she told me to quit wishing I was older...now I miss my childhood days. However, the future will be amazing. I need to remind myself to slow down and quit wishing all these big moments would get here already because honestly they'll only happen once and then you'll be on to the next one...time to start living in the moment.

10. Sunday dinners. I love it when Justin and I cook together. It's so much fun having a partner help you chop, read ingredients and just have fun together. This past Sunday we made beef and broccoli stir-fry. We went all out in our attempt to be authentic and purchased a wok from a Korean grocery store and then went American by buying frozen dumplings...yum! Dumplings will be our next recipe adventure :)

So that is life. It's wonderful. It has its stressful times, but when I reflect on the people and moments that truly matter, I am a happy girl. :)

Fat Burning Workouts for Turkey Day

T-2 days until we turn overselves into butterballs after consuming every amazing dish.

But if you're anything like me, you want to enjoy the day but also not gain 10 pounds over the holidays.

A friend recently asked me for some workout ideas, and thought what I sent her might interest others who are wanting to burn fat while still enjoying that piece of pumpkin pie :)

The one workout that will be best is high intensity interval training (HIIT). These workouts are relatively short, but they burn calories during and after your workout, which makes them more effective than doing a leisurely run.



60 minute toning + running intervals (See above video. I think I'm going to do this one on Thanksgiving!)

30 minute treadmill intervals (I about die doing this. It's quick and burns lots of calories during and after your workout)

30 minute elliptical intervals (In case you're not in the mood for running)

Fat Blasting Stair Workout (Do you have stairs around? This looks awesome!)

50 minute Elliptical Intervals

Treadmill HIIT + Core Conditioning (I love this ab video. Haven't tried it yet, but definitely will soon!)

Question

How are you staying fit over Thanksgiving? Anybody doing a Turkey Trot?!

I want to do a Turkey Trot sooooo bad, but I don't want to pay $30 :/

10 Tuff Miles

Sometimes running is all rainbows and butterflies.

But sometimes it's just tough.

Sometimes a three mile run is just as hard as a 10 mile run. The distance doesn't matter when it's just plain hard and your body doesn't want to move.

This weekend's run was one of those mentally and physically hard runs.

I was exhausted from my weekday workouts and even though I was so excited to run, the magic just wasn't there.


But I did finish! And sometimes that's all that matters.

It's these mentally challenging runs that I remember during future hard runs, and I remind myself that I did it once before and I can do it again.

The mantra that got me through this weekend's run was "pain is temporary." I repeated this to myself from miles 2 through 10. I also kept telling myself "you can do this." I love mantras :)

I feel kind of bad for Justin during these type of runs because I'm a pretty irritable person to be with when I'm not having a good run. I take out my frustration on him and act like he's the reason I'm having a bad run. Note - sorry Justin! Thank you for sticking it out with me. And you know I really want you there :)

In the end - I'm happy I was able to check it off the training list and wrap up the week with quite the workout schedule:

Monday - Spin Class (60 min)
Tuesday - Body Pump (am) + 3 mile run (pm)
Wednesday - 5 mile run
Thursday - Body Pump (am) + 3 mile run (pm)
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 10 mile long run
Sunday - Rest

Whew - I'm whooped, but oh so ready for spin class in the morning!

Despite being super sore on Saturday, I did manage to fit in some fun with the highlight being The Rockette's Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the DPAC.


Source

The Rockettes + Girlfriends + Dinner = a lovely Sunday evening.


We started our girls night early with a 4:30pm dinner at Cuban Revolution in Durham. It has a great atmosphere and reasonably priced meals. Also, it's walking distance to the DPAC, which was perfect for us!


There are some awesome Broadway shows coming in early 2012 that I want to see so bad - West Side Story, Chicago, Wicked, and Memphis (winner of 2010 Best Musical Toney Award). Looks like I know where all my money is going next year :)


Overall, The Rockette's show was definitely fun...lots of singing and dancing, but they keep it interesting...there's even real camels in it! I don't recommend going with a boyfriend because it would probably be too girlie for him, but hey, maybe he'll like it ;)

Now I'm all in the holiday spirit after seeing 10,000 Santa Clauses tonight!

Question

Has anyone else seen the Rockette's perform? Any recommendations on dance or Broadway performances that are a must see?!

2 Year Anniversary

11.11.11.

What a special date!

Justin and I celebrated our two year anniversary this past Friday :)


We went to Magnolia Grill in Durham. I've heard a lot of great reviews about this restaurant and knew it would be the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. We asked our waiter for his recommendations because everything looked so delicious, and he said the chef is most proud of his seafood entrees because they're local fish that are shipped in from the North Carolina coast every day.

We decided on the grouper and flounder. Yum! We especially loved the banana foster desert :)

This evening was very similar to the night we actually started dating. Two years ago....Justin and I went to dinner together and were supposed to go to a Carolina basketball game, but got so wrapped up in our dinner conversation that we missed it.

This past anniversary was also the same day as the Carolina game on the aircraft carrier. Since we're older and wiser now, we made reservations at 5:30pm (old people dinner time) and then finished in time to catch the game! We love our Heels!

The next morning we woke up bright and early at 7:30am to run 9 miles and get the weekend started.

It was a chilly 30 degrees! Brrrrrr.


Doesn't he look like he's having fun already? Ice on the car was not very encouraging, but I was still all smiles and ready to run...


I love my new pink jacket! It's a the perfect running jacket for these cooler temperatures. It has a nice fleece lining, but still thin and warm. I thought I would wear it for the run, but I knew how hot I would get so I stuck it out with just a long sleeve shirt.

Definitely need to invest in some gloves because our hands were chilly!


Ever since my run with Anne, I knew I wanted to go back to the Tobacco Trail for my long runs. It's over 22 miles of trails for bikers, runners and walkers. It's generally pretty flat, but you can definitely notice slight inclines/declines along the way.

It ended up being a great run...


Followed by endorphin overdose...


Not sure why I like to jump in the air after my long runs, but it always seems to happen :)


The fall leaves along the way were truly breathtaking. I felt like I was in runner's heaven on that trail.

Overall it was the perfect anniversary - date night, Carolina basketball and a long run - doesn't get much better than that :)

Fall Running + Taco Night!

There's no season like fall to make you fall in love with running.


The air is crisp. The colorful leaves add beauty to my running trail. The sound of the leaves as they crunch under my shoes make me feel one with nature. I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be at that moment. I feel home.

My running trail is home?

Yes, it's my home. It's where I go to get away. Where I let out all frustrations and just feel happy when it's all over.

See...a sweaty sMile from Callie...


In order to get my runs in before the sun goes down, I have to do them as soon as I get home from work! I'd much rather sit down and unwind, but in less than an hour it's pitch black, and I'm a scaredy cat.

I usually groan about this, but once I wash my face and put on my shoes, I'm actually excited and ready to roll.


I really didn't think I'd be able to run 4 miles today after Body Pump yesterday. I'm so sore that I can hardly walk up stairs. It hurts!

(PS - this was my first Body Pump class in a month thanks to my new workout buddy Thuy! She just joined my gym and has been my motivation to wake up at 6am for the class. Yay!)

I told myself I could run whatever pace I wanted as long as I got the 4 miles done. Somehow they went pretty well.

Refueling was an easy decision since my adorable roomie texted me earlier today claiming it was Taco Night!




For the record: Peter (Hannah's boyfriend in the above photo) ate 10 tacos!!! Machine!

Yum..yum...yum. I'm so full.

Hopefully my legs will magically recover over night because it's another 6am Body Pump class with Thuy in the morning.

Question

Does anybody else actively run and strength train?
I know they're both important, but it's so hard to run when your muscles are sore!

Are you a taco night fan?

A Crisp Saturday Run + Tuna Salad Recipe

There's nothing better than starting your day with a run.

Mine and Justin's training plan calls for long runs on Saturdays, which we LOVE because we can knock it out first thing and then play all weekend!

This week was a cut-back week, so our long run was 5 miles. Easy breezy, beautiful Covergirl 5 miles.

It was a crisp 48 degree morning! I didn't bring a long sleeved running shirt with me, so I borrowed Justin's :)


It's kind of pathetic that it actually fit me pretty well ha.

I even got him to do the running pose with me...


Yayyyy...we love marathon training!!!!!

This was our first week that neither one of us missed a workout. So proud! I'm even more proud of Justin since he's known to skimp on the weekday runs in favor of only doing the long runs.

The other week when we were doing our long run, I whizzed passed him in the last tenth of a mile and gave the victory dance at the end. This was my plan again today until he decided to run a sub-8 pace during the 5th mile. GRRR!!


I was originally running a 7:50ish pace during the 5th mile, but admitted defeat and backed off while Justin just cruised without me...so sad.

He makes running a sub-8 pace look like he's just having a relaxing run. I feel like if someone saw me running that pace they'd clearly notice that I'm sprinting and out of my element.

I'm pretty sure I looked like this in my attempt to keep up with Justin...


Source

Either way, it was such a relaxing yet invigorating run. I could definitely notice a difference during this run after doing all three training runs earlier this week. I can tell my body is getting used to running again, and it's beginning to feel more natural than forced. Then again...it doesn't hurt that it was only 5 miles. I'm sure next week's 9 miler will be singing a different tune. Also, this course was super flat, and the hills in Chapel Hill are a killer on the calves!

Even though my tummy was feeling a little shook-up after my last speedy mile, I knew it was necessary to get some food in my belly.

It's important to fuel your body properly when you're constantly running, and the time period after your run is especially important. The meal should be a balanced healthy carb to protein ratio in order to help repair and build muscle (source).

What better than a super high protein tuna salad sandwich? Easy, cheap and delicious!


High Protein Tuna Salad Recipe

Serves 4 to 5
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

- 10 oz Solid White Albacore Tuna aka 2 cans (drained)
- 6 oz plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
- 3 tbsp Sweet Pickle Relish
- 1/4 of a Sweet Yellow Onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 tsp Curry Powder
- 1 tbsp Dried Parsley
- 2 tsp Dried Dill Weed
- Sprinkle of Garlic Powder

Directions

Drain tuna and mix it with the yogurt, relish, finely chopped onion, and dried seasonings. Thinly slice the tomatoes and add it on top of the tuna. Serve sandwich on whole wheat bread.

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I made this recipe the other week and healthified the version I found on AllRecipes. I love that website! Yogurt instead of mayo is a healthy substitute that reduces the unhealthy fat found in mayo and adds lots of protein. Protein = feeling fuller longer + builds muscle.

Now it's off to watch lots of football! GO HEELS!!

Question

How are you enjoying this beautiful weather?

I've noticed a lot more people are running and walking along my normal running route. So nice to see everyone being so active!

New Running Playlist!

I love adding new music to my running playlist!

It gives me such a burst of energy and turns what can sometimes be a routine into something a little more exciting.

Check out my new tunes...

Good Life - One Republic
We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris) - Rihanna
Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
Without You (feat. Usher) - David Guetta & Usher
Stereo Hearts (feat. Adam Levine) - Gym Class Heroes
You Make Me Feel...(feat. Sabil) - Cobra Starship
It Girl - Jason Derulo
The One That Got Away - Katy Perry
Beautiful People - Chris Brown
Viva la Vida - Coldplay

Rihanna's "We Found Love" was the first song to play, and I think I was almost sprinting to it because I love it so much!

These definitely added a little pep to my step during today's run. I wasn't quite in the mood to run when I first got home, but once I added these I couldn't wait!

Adding new music is a great way to motivate yourself to workout. Other tips include buying new workout gear or trying a new class. I was actually supposed to swing by the Nike outlet today to pick up some winter running gear, but got off work a little too late.

I guess I have something to look forward to next week!

Now I'm off to stretch these tight muscles out with some vinyasa yoga. Mmmmm.....

Question

What are some of your tactics to motivate yourself? What keeps you excited about exercise?

The Harder I Work - The Better I Get

The best part about running is that it's the gift that keeps giving.

Running in itself is a gift. I'm thankful to be healthy and have two strong legs that can carry me through as many miles as I make them.

Sometimes my legs hurt and sometimes they're sore, but I am able to run, and that is the greatest gift of all.

I've learned so much about myself as I've tacked on the miles week after week, month after month.

I've learned to persevere when I want to quit. I've learned that pain is temporary. I've learned that running never gets easier, I've just learned how to tolerate it better. I've learned that hard work will always produce results. I've learned that I'm so much more than I thought I could be. I've learned to believe in myself. I've learned that the sky is the limit. I've learned that I can achieve anything as long as I work for it.

The lessons I've learned in running are ones that I can equally apply to my life.

Running has become more than a weekly mileage goal - it's a way of life.

It keeps me sane. It makes me happy. And in turn - I'm a better person for it.

Plus - the more I do it, the faster I get, which is pretty fun :)

This past Sunday, I went for a long run of 7 miles.

My calves were tight and didn't feel to "springy." I told myself that I was just going to run by feel and not look at my pace.


Holy moly, does anyone else see mile 1's pace? 7:36??

I had no idea I ran this fast until I uploaded my workout. I quickly bragged to Justin! He was equally impressed. We both didn't know I had it in me ha.

I for sure thought I was slow poking it in the 9 minute range. This would explain why the middle miles lost their juice.

I generally don't run for time. I rarely look at my Garmin during my runs, and just run by feel because that's how I enjoy running the most. It's so much more fun to me when I'm not stressing over my pace and just enjoying the moment.

However, as much as I enjoy running by feel, I do have goals in my head about how fast I'd like to run. It's been very rewarding to see my pace improve by about a minute per mile over the past 8-9 months.

When I first started running on a regular basis back in late February, I was running a 9:40 to 9:30 pace. Now I'm running in the 8:40 range. Woohoo!!

Here are a few inspirational running quotes that I identify with most:

I've learned that I associate running with my best self. When I go through a dry spell, not training, it indicates that the rest of my life is a little messy or worn down. Running strips away something like what Virginia Woolf called "the cotton wool of everyday life" so that there is nothing between my intimate insides and the air and light and landscape unfurling under my sneaker treads. It's release through motion.
- Amanda Gladin-Kramer, Runner's World reader

There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you, laid bare, is the soul.
- Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers blog at Runner's World.com

In the end I have to hold myself accountable. It is my career and my responsibility to do what I need to do to be the best I can be. I had to make a change if I really wanted to reach the goals I had set for myself. I had to get out of being comfortable and get into a situation that was going to really push me.
- Kara Goucher on joining the Oregon Track Club Elite group

The quotes say it best.

Question

How do you feel about running? Is there a particular exercise that makes you feel similarly?

Run.

Source

The above explains me perfectly.

The fat day was yesterday, the dysfunctional family is always, and frustrations are gone once the run is over.

I run to be the best version of myself.

However, I don't wake up every morning excited to hit the gym, nor do I come home from work all energized and ready to pound out some miles.

Nope, this week I've been in much need of some workout motivation, and turned to Pinterest to help me out. Enjoy!

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Alrighty, now it's time to get off your butt and get moving!

Happy Fall!

I almost want to cry at how fast time is flying by.

My eyes may or may not water when I think about this because I'm 23 years old, and I feel like I have so much I want to do and not enough time! I'm loving every second of the moment and want to hold onto it as much as possible yet I'm highly anticipating all the great things to come.

Maybe this month I will focus more on being present in the moment as opposed to going with the flow.

I guess this would be a good way to segway into my...

October goals!

1) Write, think or say what I'm thankful for at the end of every day.
Hopefully this will help me reflect on the day and try to be more "present" instead of letting the days slip by into one blur.

2) Eat more veggies.
I eat lots of fruit, too much peanut butter, and not enough greens. For some reason this seems hard to me. I love veggies! But I really I'm just lazy when it comes to them. Next week I'm planning on making a big pot of ratatouille to eat for lunch throughout the week so that should help!

3) Up the weight.
I've been consistently going to BodyPump twice a week for about a month now and plan to start adding more weight in order to continuously challenge my muscles. Change creates change, right? ;) I started this today by adding more weight to the back muscles segment. It felt great! I don't know how I'm going to go up in biceps or chest...maybe I'll wait until November :)

4) Just run.
Fall is the perfect time of year to take advantage of running! It's this weather that makes me fall in love with running. Since my half marathon, I've been running about 3 days a week (in addition to cycling), which includes one long run on the weekends. This is perfect for now. I want to maintain this if not add a fourth run into the mix.

5) Find a place to volunteer.
I've been meaning to do this for a while, and was reminded of it since my friend Elisabeth is making moves to volunteer in her area. I think I want to find an organization that works with young girls or women. I have some ideas and will keep you posted on where I end up!

Workout Update

I'm really, really loving my routine. For someone whose only gone to the gym occasionally, not consistently, I'm beginning to feel like I live there.

I'm especially drawn to it because of the Les Mills classes. These classes are located at gyms all over the country and have become very popular. The classes are structured by music tracks and energetic instructors. I guess this is why I love them so much. Whether it's cycle or BodyPump, you're moving your body to the beat of the music and pushing yourself to your limit.

My weekly routine looks a little like this:

Monday: BodyPump
Tuesday: 30 minute intervals on elliptical (or 4 mile run)
Wednesday: RPM (cycling)
Thursday: AM: BodyPump PM: Abs Sculpt + 30 minute cardio intervals
Friday: RPM
Saturday: long run
Sunday: rest

My muscles are so sore by the end of the week. I'm trying to stretch as much as possible because it really does help!

Question

What are your October goals?? Do you like the gym or do you prefer to do at-home workouts/outside exercise?

I much prefer exercising outdoors, but I love to have a variety of both!

Interval Workout of Death

I think I almost broke the treadmill tonight.

That thing has shaking all over the place. I don't think it's meant to go to an incline of 15, I doubt I'm meant to be climbing an incline of 15 for that matter.

I was a huffing and puffing machine during my 30 minute interval workout. I was that awkward girl who makes noises every so once in a while out of pity for herself.

If you're in need of a 30 minute workout that will most certainly make the most of your time, please write or print out the below workout and hop on the treadmill!


Sorry that chart is so tiny! Check out Julie's post at Peanut Butter Fingers for a larger version since that is where it's from :)

She said it was the hardest workout she's ever done on a treadmill, so naturally, I wanted to do it.

When I looked at the speed and noticed I would be walking and jogging up hill, I had my doubts. I know walking up hill is no joke, but this was seriously no joke.

Note: Don't hold on to the handle bars when it starts to get steep! That's cheating :)

What I loved most about this workout is how I felt like I might really die. My heart was pounding, I was losing my breath, and I really just wanted to omit those last two intervals! But I didn't, and I told myself, "You can do it!"

What I love even more than feeling like I'm going to die is realizing that you survived, and then you feel like you can do it all over again. Crazy, huh?

Question

Do you ever feel like you can't go on but once you do, you feel like you want to do it all over again?

No, maybe it's just me??

BodyRock + Booty Call

Holy moley.

I'm obsessed with BodyRock!

Granted I haven't done any of the workouts yet, but I can't stop watching the at home workouts!

I found this gem of a website through The Fitnessista's Focus On: BodyRock post today.

It's basically free at home workouts, but their mainly high intensity interval training (HIIT), which leads to maximum fat burned in a short amount of time. These are the workouts that produce results. Please just look at Zuzana's bod...


I love athletic bodies.

Ok now check out this awesome workout that I can't wait to do - hopefully tomorrow!



Talk about intense.

Ugh, I'm now obsessed.

Now I'll just have you let you know how obsessed I am with it after I actually do it :)

What I really love about what I've seen so far is that Zuzana offers several at home workouts that tone your whole body, incorporate cardio, and you can do them in as little as four minutes and still be about to die. Yikes!

Lunch

I was so excited about my super cool turkey sandwich today! I added a little something, something to make it extra special - pesto.

Pesto + avocado + turkey sandwich = something to look forward to.


I tried low sodium turkey for the first time today since it's healthier, and it seemed a little bit more dry and less flavorful, but the pesto made up for it :)

Mid-Afternoon Snack

Can you say peanut butter cookie??


I got this tasty idea from Carrots 'n' Cake. It's the perfect recipe because it only calls for three ingredients and takes 2 minutes to make. It doesn't get better than that!

Peanut Butter Cookie

Ingredients

- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp liquid egg whites

Directions

- Combine ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and mix well.
- Scrape batter off the sides of the bowl and flatten into a cookie shape.
- Cook in microwave for 90 seconds.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!

Workout

I did a double today! Three mile run in the morning plus an evening workout consisting of an Abs Sculpting class plus Body Pump. Phew - I am whooped.

I was only planning on doing the strength training today, but as I was lying in bed last night, I came across this video:



I'm almost embarrassed that I was motivated by a video called "Booty Call", but hey, it worked!

These are the Tone It Up girls who also have great at home workouts and meal plans. They have a Booty Call once a week, and this week's challenge was to wake up 30 minutes before you normally do and break a sweat. It could be dancing, cycling, walking, running, whatever you wanted! I thought to myself, "Hey, I can wake up 30 minutes earlier and break a sweat!" I guess I'm a sucker for challenges :)

This actually ended up being the best decision I made all day. I woke up at 6am and hit the pavement for the perfect 3 mile run in 63 degree weather. Heaven. I honestly don't think I've had a run that nice since last spring. I was so at peace with myself and my thoughts. It was truly therapeutic.

Question

Have you heard of BodyRock or Tone It Up? Have you done any of their workouts?! What's your favorite lunch go-to?

I've done one of Tone It Up's HIIT workouts on the treadmill, which I loved and was only 18 minutes! #Winning

Going Back to Class

...but not the academic kind.

Me? Back to school? Ha.

I do toy with that idea, but in all seriousness, I just don't think I have the motivation for it.

I'm talking about going back to the cool classes - group exercise class!

I love it so much. I love my solo runs, and doing my own various forms of exercise independently, but honestly, it gets a little boring.

I guess I really enjoy classes so much because I feel energized when surrounded by a group of people who are like me. We may all be in there for different reasons, but we're there, and we're pushing our limits to be healthy, active individuals.

Today I did Body Pump followed by 30 minute intervals on the elliptical! Boy I am beat! My body pump instructor was so outgoing and brought so much energy to the workout! It was the first time I broke a real sweat in that class. I was feeling a little lazy about the elliptical afterward, but I sucked it up and did the 30 minutes I originally planned for in the beginning.

I think this is the beneficial part of writing out my workout goals at the beginning of the week because I feel so much more accountable to them. I really just wanted to do a chill 20 minutes, but in the end, I'm happy I pushed my limits.

Last week was pretty much a rest week after the half-marathon, but I still managed to fit in a couple quality workouts:

Last Week's Workout Recap
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Body Pump + 20 minute elliptical
Thursday: 30 minute intervals on elliptical
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 4 miles (8:54 pace)

Ok...so maybe I took quite a few rest days, but this week I'm back with vengeance! I must note that Sunday's run felt amazing. It was the first one since the half marathon and my legs felt completely rejuvenated - almost bouncy. I ran my favorite route, which is on campus. This is hands down the best place to run because I'm constantly motivated by all the other runners and active people on campus. From bikers to older people walking, everyone is moving! I love it.

Question

How do you plan your workouts? Do you just wing it or do you write out your goals at the beginning of the week? What are your favorite group classes?!

Sweaty Elliptical Love

I was so tired today.

I have got to start going to bed before 11pm!

However, there's nothing like a workout to wake you up at 7pm.

Today's workout was supposed to be a cycling class at 5:30pm, but work kept me late and it was up to me to find a workout to do by myself since I missed all the group classes.

Insert Fitnessista's Boredom Buster 30 minute elliptical workout.


I really loved this workout! I usually despise the elliptical and get so bored. But this kept me engaged the whole time and it did fly by! Next time I'm going to do a 45 to 60 minute one.

Fitnessista and Peanut Butter Fingers both have great workout pages on their blogs. They have great options for a range of workouts (running, elliptical, strength training, etc.) for whatever time frame you have in mind (30 min, 45 min, etc.).

It's workouts like these that make me happy that I'm not on a training schedule. As much as I loved training for my first and second half marathons, I love doing a variety of exercises as opposed to focusing on just one.

Music

Tonight I jammed to Pandora's station "Down" by Jay Sean. This is such a fun one! I highly recommend it.

Question

What are your favorite workouts? Any favorite group classes? Any cardio machines (ie. elliptical, stair climber, bike) that you enjoy the most?

I really dread the treadmill. I did it a few times this past summer, but after a couple times I get too bored and my calves tighten. Maybe I should try an interval run like the above elliptical one to add some excitement.