Thursday, May 31, 2012

Well, That's Done

Today I woke up feeling exhausted and with a headache. Maybe that's because you worked out a total of four times yesterday, Amanda. Clearly you're not in your peak condition anymore. Let's get there. Don't worry. It's not over exercising for the sake of over exercising. Just because I like doing fun things and those fun things require a lot of energy. What can I say?

POINT IS.

I did not work out this morning, as I've been slowly slothing through trying to get accomplished. So I decided to make this the first day I commuted to class! I got there on time and everything like that. No trouble finding a spot to put my bike. I mean. It was 8:30am during the summer, there had better be a spot. Class was nice. Then I biked home.

And I don't know if you know this about North Philadelphians. But they like to jaywalk a LOT. I can't exclude myself from that group. But. Do not cross Broad Street when there are cars (AND BIKES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH) coming at you. Thankfully (I guess) I hit him and not a car. He got my tire against his shoe. I got a bloody ankle and a banged up knee.

LAME. PEDESTRIANS, PLEASE DO NOT SUCK.

But I digress. Today's a busy work day for me because I bop around from class to internship to Rita's. So this is just a mid-day, "hey how are you?"

And because it's Thursday, I want to leave you with something fun/motivational/nonsensical from now on. Most likely from Pinterest. Thursdays, frankly, are awfully long for me. So sometimes I need a little something to get through. Maybe you do too! :)

I would really, really, really love this. PLEASE. {p}

Do you have any rules for pedestrians out there? Or. What's your favorite animal?

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Teacher Tuesday

I hope all of you are enjoying the great weather outside. My shoulders are a bit browned from sitting out after class and I've had so much water today I almost wet my pants in my class. But that means I'm not dehydrated, right? :)

So I want to update you on a few things about my life.

Mainly that I went to yoga to day and started to use my bike to commute to work. It's one of the most awesome feelings when I get out at 11 after a looooong night of putting up with customers. I just get on my bike and zone out (I still watch traffic, Dad, don't worry) on the way home. It's a beautiful thing! COMMUTE. DO IT.

Also something that I want to tell you about? My new love and affection for Train. I've always loved their songs, but this is the first time I've become obsessive about it. It's been on my iPod all day and I just know that  my neighbors are in love with their music too.

This one I find particularly feisty and exciting. :)

My mind is buzzing about with ideas for choreography for the fall. So maybe I'll get a reign on that and give all those dancers out there some insight into my mind. If you're into that sort of thing.

I have to go grocery shopping and I'm excited for my eating this week. This is quite a nice pattern I'm getting into. I worked out this morning (She Sells Sea Shells thanks to Tone It Up) and this afternoon (the aforementioned yoga) too, so I'm kicking the week off right. YES. It feels good.

Now! During class today I was thinking about how I'm learning all of this information, maybe somebody would be interested in it too. So I'm calling today Teacher Tuesday. :)

Teacher Tuesday Hooray!

So today in Motor Behavior, we were talking about the different body systems. And we got to the Adipose System, which is comprised of the body's tissues. Specifically, we were talking about those cells that fat resides in. People always wonder why it's so easy to put fat back on after hard work and write it off as this, that, or the other thing. Oh ho ho! There's a physiological explanation!

First off, females tend to gain 26 pounds between age 20 and 50. Males, however, only gain about 18. (These are averages, ladies and gentlemen, not the law!) I don't know about you, but I'm a female at the beginning of that age group, and I'm not a huge fan of having that already against me. Granted, it makes sense. We need more fat to work as insulation and cushioning for those babies we're going to be brewing. Gross.

Did you know that we can "empty out" those cells that store fat, but those cells themselves are always going to be there? Unless you want to suck them out with a vacuum, you're always going to have the option of filling them with fat again. Picture a balloon. Even if you empty it of air, that balloon will still be there. AND it's going to be easier to inflate (i.e. fill with fat) the second time! That, my friends, is why it's so easy to gain weight back even if you lose it. Those cells are already stretched and ready!

[pinterest]
The lesson from here, as per usual, is that you need to exercise and eat right!! Especially as you grow older. But also when you're younger. So you should just do it all the time and every age. :)

 Did you learn anything exciting today?

Monday, May 28, 2012

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope everybody's having a wonderful day. And goodness knows, Rita's is open, so feel free to stop by because I'm one of the lucky ducks working there. Woohoo.

So before I head over there, I'm thinking about something. Last week I did the 5 Day Slim Down from the Tone It Up nutrition plan. I didn't take my measurements or weigh myself (I am vastly unprepared), but by the end of the five days I felt pretty fantastic.

BUT.

I spent so much time focusing on food, I kind of forgot about my exercising. Sure, I still did it. But it was a little lackluster. And that's really what I care about.

So I'm confused.

I want the best of both worlds but I don't even know how to balance such a thing. So I'm just throwing that out there. My goal this week is to balance better.

So enjoy the rest of your day. :)

Leaving you with thoughts of cool. :)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I Get It Now

When I was a little kid, I was the one who wanted to be outside most of the time. I would INSIST upon playing catch with my dad until he complained that he couldn't see the ball anymore because it was too dark. I'm sure he just wanted to go in at that point, but I wanted to stay out longer.

My partners in crime. Kate and Greg. :)

My best friend, her brother, and I would play games involving balls and swings, backyard soccer, and ride our bikes in undeveloped developments. That last thing right there. That was my favorite. :)

Well, last night, I suited up once again.

Er. Helmeted up.

Helmets can be sexy too, see?

Out to Kelly Drive we went as the sun was setting. I didn't want to come back in. Sure, my shirt had awkward sweat points and my head was schweating. Sure, my butt hurt every time I shifted a tiny little bit. But I loved every second of it. We went for around 7 miles, although I can't quite be sure. Next time we'll have to track it. Or at least take notice of when we turn around.

There are our bikes all cozy in the corner.

Please, do me a favor and go for a bike ride. Even if you don't have a bike, a bunch of places will let you rent them! That might just be in the city, I suppose, but it's worth a try to search for a place! I know for certain Philly has bike rentals along the river. It's quite lovely!

It's a great option for low impact cardio and it is a HECKUVALOT nicer than sitting inside on a stationary bike, but that's an option too! Spinning is wonderful and it gets your heart going. But sometimes I think it's nice to have this option. It's quite relaxing, for those of us who have problems sitting still and relaxing!

DO IT!!!

But I can't promise you you'll be comfortable sitting the next day. :)

And with that, I leave you with my artwork of the day:

You didn't think it was actual art, did you? You're welcome, Chiang and roommates.

What was your favorite activity as a kid?

Monday, May 21, 2012

Oh No, My Cookies!

Today is my first day of doing the Tone It Up program. I'm super excited about it, and I went to bed last night and couldn't stop thinking about it. Because I'm a nerd, but we already knew that. My first day of summer class was today, so I thought it would be perfect timing!

I woke up and my body did not so much agree with me. I was trying to do the Bikini Blaster #1 from Blogilates (I can't do all Tone It Up or I'd get antsy) and I started feeling not so hot. I was sweating in a weird way that wasn't actually producing sweat. So I assumed I was dehydrated. So I drank some water, as well as my Bombshell Spell and kept going. Only to run to the bathroom a few minutes later and moan and try desperately not to throw up.

Cookies are too wonderful to toss. [pinterest]
I choked down a Banana Split (which is DELICIOUS, by the way) and got myself together for class. During class I had a chocolate ZICO coconut water with some Perfect Fit protein mixed in. I grabbed an apple after class and I'm making lunch as soon as I finish typing this.

So hopefully the throw up scare was just a fluke. I don't know if it's psychological, but I feel pretty great today besides. My class wasn't bad at all and my building was wonderful. Temple is remodeling a lot of buildings and Pearson (where most Kines classes are) now has a light up ceiling. My classroom looks into it so there was a nice red/blue/green glow as he was going through the powerpoint. So while learning Motor Behavior, at least I'll have a nice light show!

Definitely better than nothing. :)

How's your Monday?

Thursday, May 17, 2012

All or Nothing

I've been doing some thinking. I've been feeling guilty for not starting Tone It Up as soon as I bought it. And I'm also feeling bad for not posting some incredible insane workouts that I'm doing. Especially because I know FitFluential is watching me. ;)

Stressing over this is not good in my life! I promise you!

I've been really struggling with the All or Nothing principle here. In my brain, the situation has to be absolutely perfect, or I will fail and need to start over again. Is that completely ridiculous? Yes. But it's the fear of that failure that holds me back sometimes.

And I know it holds all of you back every once in a while too!

I've been doing some reading at work, as per suggestion of Clare from Fitting it All In.


I'm not overly religious, even though I went to Catholic school for a huge chunk of my life. I was very hesitant about the title and didn't want to be preached to. And it isn't doing that at all. And I'm also gaining stuff from it on a completely other level. I've learned a lot about myself!

And you'll get a post on all of that later. :)

The point is: I feel like I need to be the absolute shining star of perfection when it comes to fitness. Being a personal trainer sort of begs that of you. Same goes for nutrition. I want to instill excellent ideals in everybody all around me and I can't do that when I'm scarfing down wings.

But I am 21 years old. I am TRYING. I can't expect to be perfect right off the bat. And so while I may not be blowing anybody away with new information here, I'm working on the fundamentals of change. You know. Baby steps.

I have my meals planned out for today, for instance. I've got my internship in an hour and then I head straight to Rita's for a closing shift. I need to have organization or I might fall back on some unhealthy choices. Whole Foods is on the way to work! And while I might not have oodles of nutrition falling out of my fridge (because it's quite empty, to tell you the truth), that doesn't mean I have to fall back on fast food.

I'm also not going to struggle through today in heels because I'm walking to work and if I walk a little swifter, all the better for my heart rate. There's deodorant in my bag, so there's no need to worry.

I finally bought a bike lock and a helmet. Next week begins my commuting to school, internship, and work. It's going to be a lot of time on that bike. And I'm scared! I am terrified to ride in Philadelphia traffic. But it's better for me in the long run (assuming I don't get hit), so I'm going to make that healthy choice!

You see? Choices like those that aren't groundbreaking. But they aren't any small task either. And dangit, I am proud. I will get to that uber-knowledgeable state. But I've gotta start with the foundation, or nothing's going to stick.

I guess third grade lessons are important.

Something else that's important?



This was about third grade. Maybe later. But it's been stuck in my head ever since I titled this post. So listen to it and have a great day. :)

What small steps are your foundation?

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Leftovers

This is going to sound slightly crazy, I know. But today was one of those days that I woke up and I was excited to eat my leftovers.

I know.

Last night, Paul and I made the No-Bake Summer Lasagna from Everyday Food: Light. We happened to make it with pasta because we have bunches and bunches of it. So the nutritional facts from the book were probably a bit off. But it still tasted deeeelicious. It had tomatoes in it so I'm super proud I ate it. And enjoyed it. :)

Yes, well, here it is.

Back in January when we moved in, I had a Barnes & Noble giftcard and I thought it would be nice to pick out a cookbook. Paul chose this one after standing in front of the fancy "New Year New You" table for a good amount of time. So according to his methodology, it's the perfect fit.

You'll notice that this is not Tone It Up. I know how it goes with excuse making and "Start right now!!!" but I really am waiting until next Monday. I just don't think it is a good idea this week to make myself a hundred more times cranky than I would be by messing with my diet. If you catch my drift. So I'm printing everything out this weekend and grocery shopping on Sunday. I'm really, really excited about it and I can't wait to share!

I'm off to run a bunch of errands. I need to pick up a book to read at work, because I'm not sure what I would do without it and I FLEW through Still Missing. And then I'll be at Rita's. Yippeee.

But at least I'll have a yummy dinner!

Do leftovers make your day as much as they make mine?

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Day Off

My days off are few and far between, even now that summer is here. But today has been WONDERFUL. I really haven't done very much.

[pinterest]

Last night I went out with Paul and his friends for another twenty-first birthday extravaganza! It was really nice to go out with five guys, except for the fact that I did not get as many free things as usual. Life is rough sometimes. :)

I did, however, have a drink with energy drink in it without thinking about it. I know people rely on these things like it is their job, but I have absolutely zero tolerance for them anymore. So even though it was a tiny tiny little bit, I needed to go home and sleep.

I HATE ENERGY DRINKS.

And you wonder why I can't handle them. [pinterest]

But today I woke up, cleaned a bit, and decided that some stretching was in order. I got a website off of a tweet this morning that I really wanted to try. It's called Do Yoga With Me and it is absolutely free so I am sharing the love. They have a whole beginner section and I did the 30 minute session for the shoulders. At the end it had a two minute relaxation. Well. I didn't realize the video had ended and was busy relaxing...so that got extended. :)

Now that the dance season is over, I am going to do my best to incorporate stretching into my day. I don't want to come back and have the usual stiffness problems.

Did I officially make a goal for summer?

PRODUCTIVITY.

Does your body absolutely not allow energy drinks? Or am I just absolutely mis-wired? OY.

Monday, May 14, 2012

The Talk

So this weekend I had The Talk with Paul. Not about where babies come from (although, I was informed by a four year old that God puts them there) or bodily changes or anything that usually inspires the two capital T's. No.

No. We aren't getting married.

I wish I could run on a beach.

For some reason, I was really antsy about bringing up the idea of joining Tone It Up to Paul. We really enjoy going out to dinner and dessert is included more often than not. But after feeling constantly tired and hungry, I decided there needed to be a change.

So I have officially purchased the Tone It Up nutrition plan. And I know a lot of people don't understand why or think I'm crazy. But Paul doesn't, and he's the only one who has to live with me. So as far as I'm concerned, I'm good to go. :)

Although making him pick up my sister is probably crazy.

I am really excited about this, but actually very very nervous and overwhelmed. It's not like they don't spell it out or anything like that, I just always get that way. So if anybody wants to send me words of support, I will be listening!

YAY TONE IT UP!!!!!

Are you on this program? Do you love it? I am so excited. :)

Thursday, May 10, 2012

I Thought Rainbows Were Nice?

My summer life has been pretty wonderful so far. Days full of errands and working out and nights full of sticky water ice. This is the life, yeah?

Well. There could be some beach involved, if I had anything to say about it.

They look so painless! [pinterest]

I guess the closest I can come to the beach right now is my Tone It Up! Beach Babe DVD. Today I did Bikini Arms, Booty and Abs. And let me tell you, I thought rainbows were supposed to be nice. But doing the abs work out last, I was struggling!

That being said, it really was an "Awesome Workout" as Karena likes to remind us. :)

On one of my errand runs this week, I got myself a library card! I sound like such a nerd it's absolutely ridiculous. But I did. I had never been into the Philadelphia Public Library, so I was overwhelmed. It's so lovely! I also tried to exit without showing the nice security guard my check-out receipt so I set off the alarms.

Whoops. Always need some sort of attention.

But when I was there, I picked up the book Still Missing by Chevy Stevens that Julie at Peanut Butter Fingers suggested for her online book club for May! I lovelovelove her blog but I've never participated in these because I didn't want to buy the books, but with my newfangled library card I have no excuse! ;)



So far, I LOVE it. I will post a review after I'm done and I'll link to Julie's page when she posts on the first of June!

Are you reading anything good lately?

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Summertime!

I wish I knew where I found this. I love it.

Yesterday marked the last day of my junior year of college. It is for real flying by. So I went in yesterday to take my last final and then had lunch with my biff and PEACED out of there.

And then, of course, was greeted with this message this morning:

I JUST finished and you're welcoming me back?!

Regardless of that one class, I think this summer is going to be one of the most wonderful summers around. Ever since highschool I can remember thinking "THIS SUMMER IS AWESOME!" But then each year it gets better and better. And I am SUPER pumped for this one.

And what better way to kick it off than to visit my favorite park.

Citizen's Bank. :)

YEAH PHILS!

Aw yeah. Check the skills.

Cheesin' it up.

They lost to the Mets. Which was a headache. But it was still a nice outing! And we're going back next Monday, so hopefully things look a little better by then. Oof.

Today I'm running some errands and I'm heading into work at four. I get to close tonight, so I'm sure you can see the enthusiasm on my face. Besides that, I am hardcore fighting the urge to workout. I'm giving my legs ONE MORE DAY of rest before I kick it back into gear. So I'm trying to chill. But it's really hard when the majority of your twitter feed is from FitFluential members.

I am STRUGGLING.

But I foam rolled and I feel one hundred percent better. Walking down the stairs at the stadium last night was so rough. It got to the point where I started side-shuffling down the stairs because it was a different motion than just walking. I thought it would make it better. And it did!

That, my friends, is some analytical thinking at it's finest. ;)

Are you as disappointed in the Phillies so far as I am? Rough start to the season.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Running Down Broad

Spoiler Alert: We finished. :)

THE BROAD STREET RUN WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS IN MY LIFE.

It was my very first race, you know. I've been pretty pumped about it for a while, as you might recall. And today, the day was finally here! :)

I found some friends! :)

I don't have any fancy splits. Or intricate details. But I can tell you all about it if you'd like!

Mile One

I had some pretty intense nervous jitters. I think I drove Paul a little crazy. I had underestimated my speed way back when we started training and I was all paranoid about starting in a different corral. WHATEVER. But this mile was just unforgettable. The feeling to finally be racing after all I've put into it? Brilliant.

Mile Two

I knew my friend Emma was coming up at a water station so Paul and I desperately tried to look for her. I spotted her face and literally flew up in the air and called her name so I could wave. It was wonderful. And I'm so thankful for her (and the rest of the volunteers)!

Nick Keith, if you are reading this, yes I stole this from your Facebook. :)


Mile Three

We were starting to hit Temple area here. I was SO excited to see some of my girls out there bright and early supporting! I sprinted over to Audrey to hug her and the lady behind me said "I NEED ONE OF THOSE! Where's mine??" It was cute and I was so excited. Then I saw Laura and Alice and their sign and I jumped up and down for them as well. :)

Mile Four

I don't remember this mile specifically, but I remember a WHOLE bunch of people cheering and me smiling my face off like a goof. And I still spilled water all over my face. I hadn't gotten the trick of water stations down yet.

Mile Five

My mom and dad came to cheer us on!! That was our excitement for this mile. :)

Check the excitement. Can you see it?

Mile Six

Chugging along. I wish I had more to say about this mile. But alas, I do not. I think I may have mastered the water coming up though!!!

Mile Seven

We decided to cheers with some sports beans here. I could tell I was getting a little worn out and I knew I was ready to push the last couple of miles. So we swiftly took some beans and water and kept running!

Hey little guys! You did me well. :)

Mile Eight

Halfway through this, somebody shouted "YOU ONLY HAVE A MILE TO GO!" They lied.

Mile Nine

Running past the stadiums was really cool. :) Especially because Paul and I bought tickets to see the Phils play tomorrow night at the last minute. Sort of as a celebration. Sort of because we're addicted to Crab Fries Phillies games. But my mom and dad sped down here so they could see us again!

I was too speedy, clearly. But who's that handsome guy?

Mile Ten: THE END!!!!!

Crossing the finish line was completely unreal. I felt so great the entire race. I never doubted myself for a second. And I ALMOST cried as we approached the finish line. It was so overwhelmingly exciting. And of course Paul and I finished holding hands and screaming our heads off. Can't wait to see a picture of that. :)

FINISH TIME-1:46:00 on the nose :)

Look at our medals, ma!

I want to congratulate every single runner today! I know it was a HUGE race so it was a little crazy, but I absolutely loved it. I know I'm not a crazy fast runner, but I'm really proud of myself for doing this. It was a great, great day!

It also sparked some sign-up interest in me. :)

I also want to thank those who donated to Uplifting Athletes in my name. I got to $300! Could be more, but it's still three hundred smackaroons!

"My" donation is really from my two aunts that sent me checks!

Did you run any races this Sunday? What about Broad Street?