Factoid Friday

   Hello, hello!! And happy Friday :) I’m excited for whatever the night brings! We don’t have any set plans for the night as of yet because we are slackers and leave everything to the last minute, but I’m sure we will find something to do. Today started with a quickie 35 minutes on the treadmill- and I’ll be honest with you- I jogged for 20 minutes of that. I just really wanted to break a sweat and thought that it would be ok for me to pick up the pace for a few minutes. (I can’t WAIT for this whole rest business to be finished) After a quick shower and a smoothie (which I drank in the car) I headed out for some studying at Panera Bread. My mom met me there for a little chat session after I had been there for a few hours. 

     This week I didn’t really get a whole lot of studying done- with the lack of sleep and the adjustments of my meds for a few days (to see if that was the problem- It wasn’t) I couldn’t stay focused the few times I went out to get the work done. Thankfully today I managed to get a chunk done and plan on doing a bit more in a few minutes, but first: 

Factoid Friday

   1. I have drank at least 110 Ounces of water today (That’s just over 13 cups!) This is not including the coffee or the smoothie I had this morning- but I must have been pretty dehydrated because I am still thirsty! 

    See that huge bottle of water? That thing alone is 50.7 ounces.
 
    2. This sticker in the photo above reads, “Sorry for driving so close in front on you” James got this for me this Christmas because I always feel like people are riding my ass- or tailgating as normal people would call it- and I freak out.. In reality, I have a tiny little car (Toyota Yaris) and every other car on the road is at least 10 inches higher off the ground than mine. So it always seems like their headlights are in my back seat.. Plus I drive a standard and I have this fear that I’m going to roll back and hit them when I try to take off.

   3. Even though I told you that I was going to take the time durning my rest week to write down some fitness goals and find a new workout plan/strategy- I didn’t. Instead I just spent an hour trying to pretend that I did it so I could write about it now.. I usually work better under pressure.. Today, not so much.

    4. I’m obsessed with my personal blender. I use this thing at least twice a day. Today: smoothie and this:

   No no, it’s not another smoothie- it is actually Strawberry mouse: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 scoop Isopure strawberry protein powder, 1/2 tsp honey, and splash of vanilla.
      I whipped it up for my afternoon snack and it was so fantastic- I topped it with whipped cream..  and pretty much shoved my face in there to lick the bottom. YUM!

   5. I ate Ice Cream two nights in a row- and I don’t feel bad about it.

   6. I saw the Hunger Games yesterday with Paula after we went on a hike. Somehow we managed to go to the “Baby Movie” which basically means they keep the lights on, the volume lower and there were 7 moms there with their babies.. While I’m glad for moms to be able to take their babies to the movies- I would really like to be told before I buy a ticket that it is one of these showings.. Fortunately the babies were all pretty good!

  7. Lenny Kravitz as Cinna- My god.. you can wear gold eyeliner like its nobodies business.. You are one sexy man (as if you guys didn’t know that from the photo above)

What are your Friday Factoids… lay em on me! 


What are you weekend plans? I have work both mornings- boo! I’m hoping to get a good workout in one of those days and I’m thinking of doing this one from Shareitfitness.com

1500 WOD
10 rounds of

100 jump ropes
10 burpees
10 sit ups
10 push ups
10 squats
10 pull ups

Happy Weekend! 

Who says you need to be a kid.. or have a kid?

    Thank goodness I got some sleep- let me tell you it wasn’t pretty.. I even had to break out my stuffed animal that I slept with for over 20 years- he does the trick every time… I don’t care.. call me a baby :-P  I’m well rested and I can take it now.. Two days ago would have been another story.. and I’m pretty sure I would have called my Dad to tell on you.. 

     Two other childish things happened in the last couple of days:

     Tell me you made english muffin pizzas as a kid- I know I did.. The inspiration randomly struck me on Tuesday- though this version was a little more grown up.. Made with Eziekel bread with homemade marinara sauce and a sprinkle of basil (that counts as a green.. no?) It was fantastic.
     Easter is around the corner.. and we ALWAYS color Easter eggs.. I don’t have to wait to have a kid to do this shit.. I’m a kid already (plus I’m married to one) and dogs count as kids anyway:

   What I didn’t show you- we color Samdog with the left over dye every year too.. it probably borders on animal abuse.. but he likes it- he thinks he looks like a ninja and who am I to argue? I mean look at this badass Mother Effer-

   I know his scary face just made you pee yourself a little.. It’s ok.. he has that affect on people.

       We are still holding strong with the whole “rest week” and I haven’t gotten my heart rate bumpin’ in days- it’s driving me bananas. I can’t wait to work up a sweat in a few days.. counting down.. seriously. Until then I’m trying to procrastinate and not study.. damn it.. sometimes I have to be an adult I suppose.

Bags are packed..

    No, I’m not going anywhere- I’m talking about these huge bags under my eyes:

   I haven’t slept in days and its really starting to bum me out. It all started Saturday night- I fell asleep alright but woke up at 2am and tossed and turned until I had to get up at 5:45am. Sunday night was the same, only this time I fell asleep at 11pm and woke up at 12:30am. By the time Monday morning came I was not exactly thrilled- but got up at 5am to go tackle an hour of “active rest” walking on the treadmill with Paula. I felt off all day, not only because I was tired but because I had all this nervous energy buzzing around in my body. I linked it to lack of intense exercise since thats what I’ve been doing for 3  months straight and tried to get some studying for CPT done.
   I went to Panera Bread since Starbucks was closing due to the passing of one of the employee’s (so sad :/ my thoughts are with you all! ) I grabbed a mug so I could have unlimited coffee while I tried to cram but ended up drinking only a few sips before my stomach felt funny. It turned into a rather unproductive study session to say the least- and now I’m really getting stressed about falling behind.
   The rest of the day I felt the same way and developed a headache to boot.. But I still had an appointment to get to for our taxes and a class to teach. By the time I got home at 7pm I shoveled some food in and zoned out in front of the computer for a bit until I realized that I was falling asleep sitting up. I literally went to bed (or tried too) at 7:30pm..
    I tossed, turned, flipped and flopped- but not a single ounce of sleep. I tried the couch with TV on in the background, James gave me an amazing massage, there was music… but nothing… NOTHING worked..  I may  have gotten 10 minute intervals over the whole night for a grand total of 2 hours.. if I’m lucky.
    I still went to the gym this morning for 30 minutes of treadmill walking because I didn’t want to leave Paula hanging and as soon as I got home I set the alarm so I could try to get a little nap in before getting ready for work.. No dice. I dragged my ass into the shower and got ready for work- talking myself out of calling in sick- but when I got there I found out that I wasn’t on the schedule.. Hey thanks for letting me know!
    So here I am back in bed attempting to fall asleep again- couldn’t so I’m complaining to you.. Which I’m sure your thrilled about! hah.. Sorry kids I hope your Tuesday is better than mine… Hope to see you next time and greet you with a smile.. bags Unpacked.

Livefit Phase 3 COMPLETE! + Review and Photos

    I can’t even begin to tell you how proud of myself (and Paula of course) for finishing out this program. I have NEVER done any type of workout program like this in the past and I am very excited about the results; For me the body changes are important- of course- but more than that the unwavering discipline and dedication that I have found within myself. In just 3 short months I changed my body and my attitude about myself and my goals. I woke up at 5AM each and every single morning to get to the gym at 6AM; I didn’t miss a single workout; didn’t make a single excuse; didn’t tell myself I couldn’t do it… nope, none of that.. Somewhere mid-program I began to uncover this person I had buried beneath all of that self-doubt and bullshit- a person that helped someone else do the same thing and realize their potential (Though I believe that Paula taught me and gave me so much more)- a person that isn’t afraid to follow her dream, take a chance, and be fearless.

    Let’s get on with it shall we?

Pumped after the final workout

Had to share those hard earned sweat stains ;)

    The last workout of Livefit was an hour of cardio. Like the Saturday before, we decided to split it up into 20 minute sections. Treadmill/Arc Trainer/Treadmill.. I ran 15 minutes each time on the treadmill (spending the first five minutes walking at a fast pace to warm up my leggin’s ) The time flew by- which was impart I’m sure to the excitement of completion.. After a quick wipe down of the machines and a few fist pumps in the air- a couple high fives and a few heel kicks (ok.. I forgot the heel kicks.. Damn it!) we were done and enjoying the post workout glow… My husband is adorable and is taking me to pick out a pandora bead as a symbol of my accomplishment because he is so proud of me.. I almost cried.. He is the most supportive and amazing man a girl could ask for <3

    Finally- we get to the “after” photos.. Keep in mind (as always) that I’m no photographer, some pictures are a bit blurry.. and the composition is all wrong I’m sure.. and I’m in my undies- but you don’t care.. right?! 

 

  See Phase 1 and  Phase 2 for there complete reviews.. But lets check out this side by side…   

                    (Before)                              AND                   (After)

    Livefit Phase 3 was probably my favorite phase. I like jumping around the gym looking like a nut- I swear it makes other people laugh and lets face it it is so much more fun to be silly and have a great time while kicking ass and taking names. I was challenged for sure. The first two weeks were intense; with the combo of higher reps/plyo supersets, finished off with sprint intervals- I left the gym a sweaty mess each and every day. The last two weeks were circuit style with 30 reps per exercise on the leg day and 20 reps per exercise all other days- taking no rest until you finished all 6-8 exercises- rest for 3-5 minutes and repeat the whole thing 3-4 times; Then end that with 30-40 minutes of cardio with Saturdays being 1 hr cardio only days. I didn’t love the circuit style workouts on the days where we had to use multiple machines- which at our gym were scattered, making us take up the whole place-  but that was my only complaint was the inconvenience. 

    The Livefit program was AMAZING.. I don’t have a single negative thing to say about it. Yes there were days that we were at the gym for over 2 hours and that sucked; Yes there were times when I didn’t want to be on the treadmill for 30-40 minutes; Yes it was hard and I was sore a lot; But I LOVED every single minute-  and I will I’m sure do it again someday. 

      So Jamie Eason… Thanks so much for kicking my ass, being so sweet that I couldn’t have hated you even if I tried, and for being an amazing inspiration for me. 

Factoid Friday + What I’m doing after Livefit

   HEEEEEEYYYY kids! Happy Friday :) Today has really been the most productive day I’ve had in a while, which is the perfect way to start the weekend. I packed a whole lot in: Livefit workout (1 day left!!!) yoga/stretching, vacuumed the entire house (and I even used the little corner attachment- thats some serious vacuuming) Folded all of the laundry that had been sitting in the baskets for at least 4 days, washed all of the dirty stuff and hung it on the line to dry, dishes, went to the lawyer (I’m in litigations with the bank where I fell and busted up my ankle way back in Sept 2010- swollen foot picture coming your way) 

   We met to go over the demand letter- and I found out the total cost of all the medical bills- well over $19,000! I couldn’t believe it- just the Physical Therapy alone was $14,000 since I went for nearly 8 months.. Holy Moly.. Let’s hope I don’t end up having to pay for any of that. 

     After the lawyer I had lunch, fed the mutts and studied for 3 hours. It was about time to take a break and check in with you anyway.. so lets get to it!

Factoid Friday

 - I’m a thorough note taker. I took 16 pages- front and back of notes for just one chapter in the book. If I keep going at this rate I’ll go through all 100 sheets of the notebook in 5 chapters. 

- I have a ridiculously long tongue- Anyone else out there who can do this? 

(It only counts if you have big bug eyes at the same time)

- I can swim but I can’t float- at least not for more than 3 seconds before my ghetto booty  rock solid glutes pull me under. True story.

- I hate getting shots or getting blood taken.. Obviously I’m not afraid of needles- two tattoos and a billion piercings would have never happened otherwise. However the feeling of blood getting sucked out or injections pushed in makes me gag and freak. Eyebrow piercings do the same thing.. gross. 

Moving on.. 

    What the heck am I (and Paula- since she is my gym partner for life.. no options) going to do after Livefit Program is complete? 

    I have put off thinking about this for some time. I wanted to give all of my attention to the Livefit program instead of worrying about what my next step would be. Well for the last two weeks I’ve felt the pressure to figure it out- and also determine how long I would “rest” afterwards. 

    Now that we are 1 day away from completion I have mixed feelings- I’m pumped that I completed and that Paula stuck it out too.. Making this the first ever exercise program that I followed and completed! But I’m also bummed… it was a great run Jamie Eason.. (Phase 3 recap coming soon!)

    After doing some research and self-assesment I feel that the best thing for my body would be some rest. On top of all the workouts, I’ve been teaching multiple classes a week, studying like crazy (which is a ton of work for my brain.. meds or not)  and I have a job where I’m constantly on my feet, running around like a lunatic hoping no one throws pancakes at my head (it’s happened).

      James and I were talking about the amount of time I would take off from weight training- he suggested no less than a week.. and I thought- “A week? Your flippin’ crazy!” Paula and I talked about it too- and decided that we didn’t want to get out of the 6AM gym habit, but I still didn’t know how many days to take off or what we would actually do if we still showed up at 6AM every day. I came across this article The Importance of Rest, which made up my mind. First I was annoyed and ashamed that I have to admit to James that he was right.. but then I’m going to take a whole week off from weight training. I still plan on hitting the gym at 6AM- 6 days a week, but it will just be low impact cardio. 

     I’m still trying to decided which program will come next.. I’ll take suggestions!

How often do you take rest days? 

Hit me with a Friday Factoid about yourself… ready… go! 

quick- recap + Counselor Confessions

   Class was great Monday night! I threw them for a loop when I asked them their fitness/health goals- and since none of them had any in mind I gave them homework.. Hah..I’ll be expecting answers next week- and if I don’t get them.. they might be doing 100 burpees.. I’m kind of mean like that. But I think it’s important to have some goals that your working towards..
   
     I didn’t mean to leave you hanging guys.. I posted Monday and then apparently there was a time- space glitch and its Thursday over here. That sure flew by! So let’s do a quick recap shall we?

Tuesday
- Livefit workout @ 6AM with Paula
-20 minutes late to work (slow day made peanuts for cash)
-Went to counselor (more on that in a bit)
-Supported the husband and dart team at their match with Laura

Wednesday
-Livefit workout @ 6AM with Paula
-20 minutes late to work- I can never be on time
-Went to two pharmacies to get my ADHD meds (this stuff is like gold apparently and its always a treasure hunt.. especially now that I take two separate doses)
-Took Hydro for a walk around the neighborhood with my buddy Laura and her dog Sam
-Made an amazing pasta dinner complete with homemade marinara sauce (amazing.. why has it been so long?)
-Went to Wine and Cigar night- drank 2 glasses of Cupcake Riesling and sat by the fire having some hilarious and inappropriate conversation- well into the night

Thursday
-Livefit workout @6AM with Paula
-Studied and FINALLY finished reading/note taking on the chapter that would never end
-Dogs ran out of the yard at an old lady walking her dog and scared them both half to death (OMG I felt like the biggest ass ever.. once I actually CAUGHT the dogs and got some type of control over them I apologized a million times and made sure the little dog was alright- my dogs did nothing but sniff and bark at her as the chased her running around the old woman…) Epic Failure as a dog mon..
-Proceeded to reprimand dogs once inside behind closed doors.. little bastards
-shopped with Paula- got some jeans for $12 and two chairs for our deck:

 (Can’t wait to hang out in these bad boys!)


Back to my counselor appointment….
      We had a little revelation.. I like to be the center of attention.. I know.. mind blowing right?! Haha.. But seriously folks, there are a lot of factors here that are overly personal so I’ll spare you- this leads me to the actual revelation:
    All I’ve ever wanted was to be the best at something.. anything.. I just wanted to be special.. stand out among the crowd. 
    While some might argue that this is what everyone wants on some level- and I do believe that to be true- its much more than the general wanting to be good at something.. You see I’ve always been good at some stuff- not that I would have ever admitted that before. More specifically I have always been a natural athlete- and while I was very good at these activities quickly, I was ahead of my peers already so I never really had to TRY all that hard to be the “best”. And this is where the issue started. (looking back on it now) Anytime something was actually a challenge, I would make excuses; I would quit; I would be very hard on myself; I would feel like a failure; all of which spiraled into “I’m not good enough”
     “I’m not good enough”
So many times I would udder those words to myself- and why? Was because I actually had to push myself? Because I was afraid that my best wasn’t good enough- I would just stop trying.. what a load of SHIT! 
      The things I have missed out on because I was too afraid to try my best and fail.. and instead tried just enough to get by..  Dance, Softball, Karate, School, Swimming, Track, etc. You name it- I sat back  and instead watched it all go.
     My biggest regret- I regret not doing my best and sticking with Swimming.. because I could have been amazing and gone on to break records and make something of myself or not… But I just quit.

     The truth is every time I think about what I left behind the day I left the pool- I am so mad at myself. I’m mad at my parents for not making me stick with it (not that I’m blaming them at all) I’m mad that I didn’t have enough confidence in myself to try an be great..


So what have I learned? 
 I will never regret anything else in my life.. Ever. I will give each and every goal 1000% (yes 1 thousand!) because I want to know and truly believe that I tried my best and fought for it.. Even if I fail- it’s not failure.
   
I don’t know what or who I’m supposed to be- but I am pushing myself each and every day to be the best possible version of myself. That’s what makes me special.. That’s what makes me something. 
Seriously- (Mustache serious) 

Just In Case + Sweaty & Salad Beast

    It came to my attention that my video of handstand pushups wasn’t working.. How rude.. I have since fixed the problem and in case you missed it:

    Monday Monday… I can tell you this much, even though you are the only day without Cardio for the remained of Livefit.. you didn’t fail to make me a sweaty monster

 … G-ross.. I did the 4 round- 30 rep each circuit with 50 lb barbell. (Squats, leg press @100, Stiff legged dead lift, lunges and calf press @20 lbs)  Note: I went down 10 lbs in the calf press because last week my Achilles Tendon hated me for 3 days after- with the lighter weight I am pain free!
    After stretching/foam rolling, smoothie and shower, I headed to Starbucks for coffee/study time. I’m having a tough time with this section.. it is taking forever.. and I still have more pages left in the chapter! I hung out until 11- and headed out for my Doc appointment for my ADHD meds. We will be increasing my dosage and also adding a second dose of the Instant release variety around 2 or 3 pm. This dose will be optional depending on what I need to get done in the later part of the day.. I.E. if I need to study- teach- or otherwise be productive VS. down time or just hanging out.
   
    After my appointment I was starving and was really happy that I remembered to bring an apple for the short drive home.. just enough to wait for this beastly

(Romaine, Cukes, Carrot, Tomato, Roasted Brussel sprouts, olive and Artichokes)

(I also had plain greek yogurt on the side)

Now it’s time to prepare my class for 6! 

Work + Workouts

     I almost forgot how good a yoga practice can be… 45 minutes of morning yoga before I hit Denny’s for my second weekend shift. I got some handstands, headstands, and backbends in to get the blood flowing to the brain.. because you know- it takes a whole lot of brain power to wait tables ;)

Shit that happens to a denny’s waitress-
    Waiting on a table of 7- along with 5 other parties. I ask them for their drink order and one of the guys orders a water for now and an OJ for later. With a smile I say, “You might have to remind me to bring the juice, sometimes I forget, haha” (You know because its not busy or anything.. why can’t you just have your juice now?) He in return gives me a blank stare and says something rude. I return with all of the drinks and take their order- when he orders he makes sure to say, “And my Orange juice” with a snotty attitude. Their food comes up in two trays- I deliver the first and before I bring the second I grab the juice- (There was no way in hell I would forget that juice.. ) I drop it and everything off and stop by the table a few more times to check up on them- of which they barely take notice or acknowledge me.
    It comes time to pay and the juice guy gives me his credit card- which says “See ID” so I walk back to the table and say “I need your ID” and the guy responds.. “Oh, someone who knows how to read” I respond, “Yeah we’re not all morons.. thanks” (It kind of just flew out of my mouth.. oops. )
-------------------
    My boss also informed me that I will be working all weekend- every weekend until further notice.. Great..

    Saturday mornings workout was an hour of Cardio. We decided to split it up between the treadmill and the arc trainer.. 20 minutes treadmill- 20 minutes arc trainer- 20 minutes treadmill.. Surprisingly it went by quickly and we finished out week 11 with a sweaty bang!
     I headed out to work- and then went to pick up Paula and met up with Melinda and Kristin for a hike around the woods.. Unfortunately the sun never actually came out- but it was still plenty warm and  decided to shine through after we got back to the car..
      The rest of the night included a trip to the Sprint Store (again) to try and fix James’ phone, dinner and Skinny Girl Margaritas around a camp fire!


What did your weekend look like?

     

Ramblings+ Handstand Push ups + Factoid Friday

  Ramblings
    Sometimes it pays to be that annoying person that calls to fight a medical bill. As it turns out my new insurance hadn’t started until Jan.1 and I had gone to the doctor Dec 30 with those new cards. Leading me to get an additional bill of $83 which was on top of the $20 co-pay I had made! Now the company is going to bill the original insurance, so here’s hoping that they pay and I can keep that $83 in my bank account… Fingers Crossed…
    Paula and I are one day away from the end of week 11 Livefit Trainer… I can’t believe it went by so fast! We have been really loving that the workouts have been shorter- back to about 90 minutes- but the way that the circuit style workouts are… sometimes means that we are taking up quite a lot of machines at once, bouncing all over the place. We have also been splitting the longer Cardio sessions between machines just so we don’t go crazy with boredom…

Handstand Pushups 
    For a while now I’ve been working on my Handstand holds- which I’ve shared with you before and your probably sick of hearing about ;) But a few weeks ago while I was at the gym and chatting to Ryan (our first real gym buddy) about yoga and teaching, Handstands and Handstand pushups came up.. him asking me if I could actually do a handstand pushup… and me being me.. I said’ “Uh.. I don’t know if I can do one.. I think I can, let’s see” and I immediately kicked up against the wall and pushed two of them out! Not only did I shock and impress myself (I had never ever done it before) it got Ryan in that competitive mode and attempted it himself. He did a couple too! We then decided that we would practice and have a rematch- this time to see who could do more, instead of just being able to do it- in a couple weeks…
       Of course I’m not about to let a boy beat me.. (it’s healthy competition!)

       

       So here is your mission.. should you choose to accept it.. include some handstands in your workouts- they build shoulder, forearm, finger and core strength.. They are super fun and just plain awesome.. Then you can add some handstand pushups if your feeling brave (I would suggest a nice soft pillow between your hands the first time), juuuust in case- you don’t want to smash your gorgeous faces! 

Factoid Friday

    - I went to the dentist Wednesday for a cleaning and I have a small cavity..  I got lectured about flossing for like 10 minutes and told that I need to take my lip ring out because it’s going to give me stress fractures in my teeth.. I know I have to floss and I try every single time I leave the dentist to get in the habit- it lasts 1 week usually.. So here we go again- lets keep flossing!

   - I LOVE broccoli and always have- even when I was a little girl- I can’t go a whole week without it, ever. Cauliflower on the other hand- I never liked until a few years ago. I know they are from the same family and are similar but I still don’t love the stuff.. Usually I have to roast it with some honey or maple syrup and chili powder, but I keep trying to like it steamed.. Then this happens: 

   I added it to my lunch yesterday along with Broccoli, Brown Rice and Tofu (all had been prepped earlier in the week and I wanted to use some stuff up) Turns out I don’t like it reheated and ate around in like it had the plague..  My puppies were the recipients of my remains.. (Food will never go to waste with those garbage disposals)
    - I am obsessed with the Summer Olympics- Most importantly swimming (duh) and gymnastics.. though I love track too.. Ok Ok.. I love it all. for the 2008 Olympics James and I had to “borrow” cable from our landlord who lived downstairs so that I could record and watch every little bit- I say borrow but we actually had his brother sneak us into the basement so we would connect to his line.. Ok- maybe it was stealing more than borrowing.. lol.. but we disconnected it right afterwards :)
     - This year, we still don’t have cable or TV for that matter and I’m already working on James to buy an antenna so that I can get my fix (we own our house so there is no way around it this time) In the meantime I found the  2012 AT&T American Cup Gymnastics on Youtube yesterday (Who knew they could actually have an almost 2 hour long show on there?)

There was a short Interview with Nastia Liukin where she was asked about her attempted comeback after her 2008 Olympics all-around gold medal- this made her part of a small group of woman who won the all around at the American Cup and proceeded to win all around gold that same years Olympic Games. While she said it was much harder to get back into the gym than she anticipated, she hopes to make the team for her skills on the uneven bars and beam- and at 22 years old that’s impressive in the world of gymnastics where most of the competitors are 16-18..

What are your weekend plans? 
    I have to work all weekend- but I’m hoping to get in a hike with a few friends and some rest!
Do you watch the Summer Olympics? Whats your favorite sport?

Warrior Dash, Hydro-face

      The weather the last two days have had amazing weather around here. Yesterday morning- post workout- I attempted to get some studying on. I got about 15-20 minutes in until my friend Melinda started text messaging me…. Guess what I’m doing June 9th-----> The Warrior Dash!

  Yup, 3.11 miles of racing through 10 obstacles, Including jumping over fire and a mud pit under barbed wire- I’m pumped!!! Melinda and I will be raising money for St. Jude’s Hospital and hope that our connection with the yoga studio will help us raise some funds. 

     Well after all the excitement of signing up- I’ve never actually done a race of any kind before-There was no way I was going to study. So we decided to take the mutts for a walk and a swim. Check out how cute her dog Daisy and my little Hydro face are… I think they are in love <3

      

 They were hilarious- racing each other out to the stick and attempting to swim back with it when they both had a hold. I laughed so much I was struggling to breathe- I love these kids!

    By the time I got back home I was starved so I made some food and again attempted to study. I finished reading the chapter (which was only 3 pages) and tried to move on to watching the videos through the E-learning center- Instead I fell asleep for a little over an hour.. Oops. Thankfully I woke up in time to teach my class, which included lots and lot of jump-squats. 

    They had me regretting life when I woke up for the gym this morning- plyo workouts are no joke! Including this mornings workout- I worked out 4 times in 24 hours. Maybe its a was a little much, but hey sometimes you have to do these things. 

A few things to note: Its really important to refuel and rehydrate after working out so much- I know you know that- because you kids are smart! But, Well rehydrating leads to having to pee every 20 minutes and each time is like squatting again and again. My inner thighs are burning!

     Now I’m attempting to recover here on the couch, watching the Wonder Years and being smothered by that mutt up there.. Have a good night! 

   

     

Sunday Ramblings + Adding Protein Variety + Day 71

    First lets start out with this awesome photo I came across on Pintrest 

 BADASS! 

    I immediately sent the photo to Paula asking if we could make something like this happen. I mean maybe not the heels because I’m pretty sure I would break my ankle- though it wouldn’t be the same without them.. 

      Sundays have been pretty lame around here. For a while now I have been working at the Toaster each Sunday and by now you all know how much I love my job, haha. Well yesterday was no different- except that it was probably one of the crappiest in a while. I should tell you that the all you can eat buffet that was down the road from us closed down ( Maybe I did tell you? Who remembers these things..) So since then we have been serving some very interesting characters. I felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off and was stuck there for far too long, making only $85. Usually I bring home at least $130- 175 during a 4-5 hour shift on the weekend (The only reason I still work there BTW) People are just super rude and treat us even more shitty than usual for $2 or $3 a table- most of the time it just feels super degrading scraping the tip of change off the table. Plus someone decided to write the N word on the front walk-way…Nice people huh? Seriously- what is wrong with the world? 

     After James and I both got out of work we went to grab a coffee and sat in the sun for a bit before browsing in a couple stores nearby. One of those stores happened to be Vitamin world and James may or may not have spoiled me with something new.

     I know I told you guys that I didn’t really like the Strawberry one and that I wouldn’t spend $50 on protein again.. (But again James bought it for me- he totally spoils me I swear)  and that was true but I have to admit that this product has really grown on me.. and now I actually really kind of love it. Hey I’m a woman.. I can change my mind- it’s not only allowed, its kind of the law. We went with the cookies and cream version (There were 8 different ones!) I tested it out with 1/2 cup greek yogurt and it was delicious. I have yet to make a smoothie with it but I’m sure it will be just as good. 

      I also bought a couple things to try out:

                  

    Actually James had this bar before and told me I would love it. There is no way I would eat this whole bar, unless I was having it instead of a meal, but I sometimes buy bigger bars like this and cut them up for little bite sized snacks- plus it makes them last longer- at $2.50 per bar that is really important! I like this bar overall, but I’ve had better. While I love that protein taste and texture usually, this one was a little dryer and a bit more crumbly. But it is a nice treat to have once in a while- it’s like a protein version on a snickers bar. 

    Finally I came across this protein while checking out the sale section:

 I’ve seen Jay Robb products at Whole foods before- but its expensive and I couldn’t commit. So this was a perfect opportunity! (There are 12 single serve pouches in there) This product is made with milk that has not been treated with growth hormone and it is sweetened with Stevia. I tried it out this morning after my workout (Crappy picture quality coming your way!)

1/2 Cup whole milk, 1/2 Cup water, 1 pouch “Tropical Dreamsicle”, 1 T flax oil, 6 frozen strawberries

    Verdict: YUM :) It definitely tastes like creamsicle (and the flavor was strong enough to cover any trace of the strawberries- which I added because I didn’t have ice and I really prefer a frosty kind of smoothie) I feel like it’s just sweetened enough with the stevia- though it does have that taste that comes along with the stuff- which isn’t uncommon in products that have stevia in my experience. I don’t think that I could drink it every single day like the chocolate and strawberry proteins, but it’s definitely a good switch-er-up. 

BTW I’m starting to think I have a little problem: 

Anyway.. Let’s get on with things…

   Day 71 (Week 11!) Paula and I were able to grab a barbell and stick near the leg press machine the whole time- no walking and jumping around for us today!  We had five exercises, 30 reps each- completed back-to-back- with no rest until all five were completed. (3-5 minutes rest after each circuit)  

Barbell Squat @ 40 lbs

Leg Press @ 110 lbs

Stiff-legged Dead Lift @ 40 lbs

Lunges @ 40 lbs 

Calf Press @ 30 lbs

     This was a speedy workout- we were done in just about an hour.  (There was no cardio today) What a break from all of the recent 2 hour days! I really enjoyed this workout and even though it was shorter I still left the gym a sweaty mess.

    On the schedule today? Homework… which I’m going to attempt to get done this morning so I can enjoy the amazing weather that we are supposed to have. I also plan on doing some prep work in the kitchen for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week. (Brown Rice, Hard Boiled eggs, Granola and some veggie prep.)
What are your Monday To-do’s? 

Week 10 Complete!

    Hazzah- Who is excited about completely smashing day 69?!

              That’s right.. this guy! Woot Woot!

     We hit it hard today- I don’t know if it was going to the gym an hour later (which we have been doing on Saturday’s since it is the weekend and everything) or if we were pumped to finished out the intervals and plyo, but we were on a mission. By the time we got to the Cardio Interval training we were both sweaty but ready. Normally I keep the pace at 8.0- which is what Livefit trainer actually tells you to do- its been challenging enough, but I really wanted to go all out and get out of my comfort zone. (While I have been getting sweaty and a bit out of breath I felt like I could do more) So I went up to 8.5 just to see how it was. After 5 minutes I decided that it was still not pushing me enough… So I went up to 9.0!
     That was the kick in the pants I was looking for. When I first increased the speed, I thought to myself, “Maybe I should go up to 10.0?” because it didn’t seem any more difficult.  But after the first 10 minutes of 9.0 speed- I was sure that I made the right choice to stick it out.. I wasn’t even able to talk.. which if you know me in real life (and lets face it can probably tell by the way I ramble on) I talk a lot.. I was down to my sports bar in no time- and I was actually DRIPPING sweat. And of good god.. my hair.. Oh man, it looked like I just came out of the shower..

    I took this 15 minutes afterwards.. and it was still pretty soaked through. I love getting sweaty and feeling like I kicked ass- and I totally got that this morning.. but peeling your clothes off afterwards.. Not a fan.. Seriously gross.. gross.. gross! 

     Thankfully a shower can do wonders.. along with a blow dryer! 

    The husband is finally home from work (he has been working 7 days a week.. a total of 66 hours- 10 hours each weekday and 8 hours each weekend) and we are off for a walk..

  What are your Saturday Plans?

  When is the last time you had a good sweatin-like-a-pig workout? What was it?

HAPPY WEEKEND! 

Making some space, Lifting some weights, and Hitting the books- Hard + Factoid Friday

  Hey everyone! It’s FRIDAY! While I don’t have normal 9-5 Monday through Friday real job hours, I still appreciate a Friday. This week I really appreciate it because I have been studying my ass off; my eyeballs and brain feel like they might combust at any moment, while my note taking hand is stuck like Chandlers hand post Ms. Pac-man:

   But wait.. let me back up a couple days.. We have had a desk upstairs in the random unused space for a while now- something that I “Had to Have, I’ll put my computer there.. etc.” But the truth is that I really don’t generally like sitting at it.. I guess when I’m reading blogs or typing mine I gravitate towards a more comfy “creative” space like my bed or the couch. I blame it on my Macbook Pro for being so awesome and portable but really I just didn’t want to clear out the desk space to make it more welcoming. Now that I actually have to do “real” work and study like crazy I figured I needed a space that wasn’t already in use. James isn’t a fan of accidentally laying on pens, notebooks and the computer when he comes to bed. So after two days of bed studying- (the first day was productive, but the second day I fell asleep for over an hour, oops) I finally got annoyed enough to be proactive:

    We even made a special trip to buy a lamp because the overhead light isn’t bright enough for late night study sessions. Fantastic! I even studied there that very day and got some good work done, about 2 hours full. While I realize that doesn’t seem like a long time to most of you, it is an eternity for me. I don’t think I had ever studied for that long prior to treatment for ADHD. While I can feel and see a small difference I notice that its “magical attention powers” tend to wear off around 3pm.. and distractions and sleepiness hit me HARD.  Hopefully the doc can give me the “Instant release” version to take for the afternoons where I need the extra attention for studying.

     Paula and I are one day away from finishing up week 10 of Livefit trainer! I know I mentioned it a few days ago- but let me reiterate- this week has been tough. Sure the workouts are the same as last week, but both of us have felt like we are dragging ass. We pulled through though, and Paula even did all 30 minutes of the intervals at 5.5 today! (I do them at the recommended 8.0) I’m so proud- she really has come so far!

     After the gym I did a little stretchy stretch and cleaned up before head to Starbucks to study for 2 hours.. (this is one of the reasons I’m happy it’s Friday because I worked hard all week and now I can take the weekend off!)

FACTOID FRIDAY!
    - My handwriting is all capital letters. I don’t know why or how this started, maybe I thought it was cool? I also write my letter “E” as a backwards 3.

    - I don’t like when my food touches on my plate, Ever. Most of the time I eat things separately out of bowls, kind of like courses. (I have gotten a lot better about this- it used to make me gag! -I’m kind of a nut job) And it really grosses me out when people mix corn in their mashed potatoes, bleh.

    - This made my day; I love my students and feel so lucky to be their teacher. Seriously girls your amazing. Most of the time I feel guilty because they totally teach me more than I teach them.

Anne 

6 hours ago

I found the pic! This is how I felt last night doing those one-legged chair things:). You are the BEST teacher! I love your classes! You're gonna be an awesome personal trainer.

   

Maybe you can help me out… Day 66 Livefit Trainer.. Shit that happens to a Denny’s waitress..

Does this match? Its kind of hard to tell exactly what colors they are.. but the shirt is light purple and the pants are a shade of green..

 

 
    Looks like it matches to me! I was getting ready to hit up a yoga class at the studio before teaching my own class last night since I totally slacked on stretching post morning workout in an attempt to make it to work on time. Turns out it doesn’t matter if I skip stretching, skip showering, sleep in my work clothes, sleep in the parking lot at work or just never leave from shift to shift… I’m still late.. Damn it!  So I took basic yoga (which also happened to be the first time I’ve taken a class since I don’t even remember when.. unless you count the classes I actually teach) Class was pretty decent, a much slower pace than I really care for, but it was nice to stretch it out. I added a bunch of vinyasas (Flow from Plank-Chaturanga-updog-downdog) to make it more my pace.. and felt pretty relaxed afterwards. Unfortunately only one student showed up again for class and so we ended up skipping out. (She prefers it when there are other students around so she can feed off of the others energy- and I personally am a much better “fitness” teacher in a group setting) Instead we ended up chatting for a bit and called it a night.
     While I wanted to stick it out longer (it’s been about 6 weeks), this day/time wasn’t drawing students so I told my boss we are going to squash it.. Boo! However the Monday night is going strong- so fingers crossed it keeps building!
   
As I was driving home something popped into my mind… and I made a snap decision.. 



 Yup.. I couldn’t wait any longer.. I had to replenish my EAS chocolate whey protein.. Forget finishing that other stuff first.. Pshh.. almost a week with out you was far too long.. I made a smoothie as soon as I stopped smooching the bag.. mmmmmm.. I missed you!

      This mornings workout was one of the shorter ones of the week, but for some reason both Paula and I were struggling.. We were both feeling weak and sluggish but managed to pull through:

EXERCISE	Set #1	Set #2	Set #3
Superset:	XX	XX	XX
Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets 15 reps	15	15	15
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 15	15	15	15
Working Set Active Rest:	XX	XX	XX
Cable Crossover: 3 sets of 15 reps	15	15	15
Plyo Kettlebell Push-Up: 3 X 12
Working Set Active Rest:	XX	XX	XX
One-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Squat: 3 sets of 15 reps, each side	15	15	15
Jackknife on Bench: 3 sets 15 reps
Superset Active Rest Combo:	XX	XX	XX
Side Lateral Raise: 3 sets of 15 reps	10	10	10
Upright Row: 3 sets of 15 reps	15	15	15
Burpee: 3 sets of 10 reps
Triple Set:	XX	XX	XX
Dips: 3 sets of 15 reps
Roman Chair Leg Raise: 3 sets of 15 reps
Push-Ups: 3 sets of 15 reps
Cardio:	XX	XX	XX
30-second sprints on treadmill; Level 8; 30 seconds on/30 off; 30 minutes total		XX	XX

     Burpees, and the last triple set were EPICally difficult today- I was a gasping- super sweaty mess, which is really embarrassing when the handsome Marine is a few steps away.
    P.S. Paula took her measurements and she is down 7 total inches- just from phase 2!!!!  Go Paula!

Shit that happens to a Denny’s waitress (And the shit I say in my head while I have a smile plastered on my face)

- 8am customers want two chocolate milkshakes- Ummm, Hi.. I don’t know if you realize that your kids probably don’t need to have milkshakes for breakfast- there isn’t an epidemic of childhood obesity or anything and why did they have to pick chocolate? Scooping the chocolate ice cream is like trying to cut granite with a butter knife.. Don’t you know I just did a whole lot of upper body work?!
     And here’s the real kicker.. The bill came to $47.68 and you gave me $50 and said “keep the change!” Obviously you need the money more than I do.. or your just assholes.. Have a nice day.

 
   Well the weather is AMAZING here in RI today (in the 60’s!!!) so James and I are going to hit up Providence for some coffee and walking time as soon as he gets home from work.. What are you doing this evening?!