I was going to post an Nsync song to start out this post, seeing as it's payday. But apparently I started out another post with it. Oops. Deal with it. HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYBODY!
Let's get this started, shall we?
Day 12: My biggest accomplishment in life. Woah. Um. Honestly, my biggest accomplishment hopefully hasn't happened yet, because I'm always wanting bigger and better things. But so far, I'd have to say I felt most accomplished when I figured out the track I wanted to take. I've talked before about how I was every major under the sun before I turned to Kinesiology. But once I set on that pace, everything just fell into place. I would sit in Anatomy & Phys class spellbound by the information I was learning (who the heck talks about anatomy that way??) and everything just felt right.
Then I went on to become way more involved in my blogging than I ever thought I could be. I discovered FitFluential. I discovered Fit Approach. I tested for my personal trainer certification. I'm waiting in anticipation to hear back.
And I feel happy. Truly happy. :)
Day 13: The question is: would I rather be rich or healthy? My answer is healthy, and it's as simple as that. I need to be healthy to do the stuff that makes me happy. That's all there is to it.
So I'm officially opening donations. ;)
You'll hear about my workout on Monday as part of the Weekly Chase, so for now we're moving right along....Today I vlogged about vlogging!!
I'd love to hear your tips and tricks. And I'd love to watch your vlogs. So comment! Discuss!
Happy Wednesday! I don't have anything super substantial to speak about today, so I'm going to do a quick post about my life! Which means, my friends, it may be all over the place. And I'm not apologizing, ya hear?
I've been a big, big Maroon 5 fan for a while now, so I bought this yesterday in a crazily excited state. I've listened to it a couple times now and I like it! I'm not sure it's my favorite CD of theirs, but we'll see. We'll see. "One More Night" passed the run test yesterday! So that's always a good thing! I think it just got released recently. So this is probably old news already. But give it a try!
On a completely unrelated note: I need a great banana bread recipe. I took a picture with instagram but I'm pretty dysfunctional when it comes to that app. Is there a way to get those pictures on your computer so you can (for example) put them on your blog? I can only get them when I tweet them. And I don't want to tweet everything!
...Then I tweet about it anyway.
BUT YES. THIS IS A CALL FOR BANANA BREAD!
[pinterest]
Lately I've been wearing skirts on my bike when I commute. I wear a pair of booty shorts underneath every time unless I forget. I think for the most part it's fine, until the wind blows and people stare. SOMETIMES I WANT TO DRESS UP, OKAY!? I should be able to do both.
My plan for today.
Speedwork confuses me. I've never done it before. I'm new at this. I feel so dumb but I really don't know how to do it. I don't have a track available to me that I know of. But I'm on the hunt, trust me. Good old Hal Higdon says this:
If you want to run at a fast pace, you need to train at a fast pace
several days a week. This training schedule for intermediate runners
alternates interval running with Tempo Runs..An interval
workout usually consists of fast repeats separated by walking or
jogging...Walk or jog between each repeat. The best
place to run 400-meter repeats is on a track, although you can also use
an accurately-measured road course. Run the 400s at about your pace for
5-K, or 10-K. (from here)
This just intimidates the pants off of me. Which is bad because people are already staring because I don't wear them on my bike.
I'm currently waiting for my post race breakfast to be done cooking. And I thought I'd tell you all a little bit about my morning. It started pretty plain. If you ignore the tutu that I'm wearing, it could have just been a normal day.
Actually, even if you bring the tutu into account, it's still a very normal day.
Check it.
He decided not to wear one. Unfortunately.
We were up bright and early to head over to the Please Touch Museum in Fairmount Park to participate in the Philly Color Me Rad 5k!
After the race, a lot of people were commenting on how there was no way it was a 5k. But I just mapped it and it looks like it was. Unless my mapping skills are subpar. Which they very well may be.
BUT ANYWAY. 5K.
There isn't too much to report about this race, I guess! It was a lot, lot, lot of fun! I didn't keep track of any time or distance and it was awesome to get blasted with color. A lot of kids were running and I think they were absolutely adorable! I got a lot of compliments on my tutu as well.
And then Paul and I got into a color fight, just to make sure we were thoroughly coated. This picture was before the big color explosion celebration at the end. Also. Somehow I got a 'stache that looks very similar to Hitler's. That's embarrassing. But mine's blue and purple. So it's way better.
SO MUCH COLOR!
And then we took more pictures. Because it seemed like a picture moment. You know?
But no matter how many pictures I show you, you won't understand the amount of color on you until you do it yourself. And then try to shower it all out. It took a good half hour shower. At least. Can't wait to see the water bill this month.
So before I go, I need to make a confession. This was the first time I ran since the Broad Street Run. That was on May 6th. One month and eleven days hiatus. I feel guilty, because running is one of my "things." But I'm back. And I am ready to go! This morning felt great, and these miles FLEW by. Like. Completely. I don't know if it's the color or I'm actually a better runner...but something is working. I never thought I'd roll out of bed and go run an easy 3.1 miles in the morning and not even bat an eyelash. (Note: I think it was the G Series Chews that I won from Bess Be Fit. :))
Awesome!
And it's a good thing because half marathon training starts in a week. :D
Welcome back to the week, everybody. I biked to class and took an exam this morning already, so I am feeling pretty done even though it's only 10:07. LAME. But I'm going shopping with some friends soon and then heading home to see my sissy-poo graduate.
So let's rewind to the weekend, shall we?
It happened.
You may recall me telling you about this exciting Boot Camp that was going to happen. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I didn't have my camera because I still haven't found the battery charger so...that kind of sucks. Haha. I didn't want to take my phone out because I really wanted to be immersed in the event. So I'll just run through some highlights.
DELICIOUS yogurt and granola. Somebody needs to tell me what kind of yogurt I ate. Oh my gosh. And I came home with some bags of Kind granola. YUM.
Morning yoga. I love starting the day off this way and wish I could do it every day.
PureBarre. Holy Moses. I was definitely feeling it yesterday. I would be interested in doing a class with all of the actual tools, but alas, I am not made of money. Also, some lady did not understand personal space. So I had to deal with that the whole time. Pet. Peeve.
Bootcamp with Holly Waters aka my newest idol. Oh my gosh, she kicked my BUTT and I loved every single second of it. I e-mailed her right after because I'm a spaz and have some class recommendations from her. I'm way beyond excited. :)
Free lunch and cooking presentation.
First one to complete the hardest rock wall they had open. NO BIG DEAL. At least that's what the guy told me. I felt so hardcore. And have already looked up places to climb.
Nutrition lecture, which was really informative. And I will probably share some information on here later in the week!
Honestly, this event just reminded me how excited about my life I am. It was perfect and I cannot wait to go back next year. It's just a shame that I've got so long to wait.
Yesterday I had a nice rest day and took it in the form of a Franklin Square adventure. Paul and I walked from our apartment to get a little bit of action in for the day.
I got a hole in one this hole. Not a big thing.
My ball was purple, of course.
Licking the Liberty Bell ala HIMYM.
:)
Our mini golf final score was 45 (Paul) to 43-ish (me), so I'd say it was pretty successful. We also had a Square Burger Tasty Cake Shake. And it was yummy and four thousand percent worth it. :)
Hello everybody! I've got a glorious day off with absolutely NOTHING to do today. After staying up last night reading, I was bright-eyed and bushy tailed at 10:30. I guess if you think about it, that's sleeping in a lot compared to when I usually get up. But I used to sleep in waaaaay later than that. Look who's growing up!
So with a big wide expanse of time in front of me (Sorry guys, I gotta milk it. Next week is CRAZY!), I'll probably get my fitness on at least one or twelve times today. It's the perfect boredom buster, if you ask me! I just can't go too crazy because I have got a LONG day ahead of me tomorrow.
A long and exciting day, that is!
So excited! :)
Be Well Philly is hosting this event and I am way past excited, I think. You can still sign up through here if you get super jealous of me and want to come too!
I think I know my schedule for the day. But I have a problem with forgetting what I signed up for. So I could be lying to you. But not on purpose! If you can't read them, just click on them and they'll get bigger. Or the full schedule can be found here!
And do you know how much it cost me? TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. WHAT?! They even give you breakfast. This is too out of control for me.
I have to say, even though this is super exciting, I am REALLY nervous. I kind of get anxiety when I walk into a fitness class for the first time and I don't know anything about it. That's really good, right? ;) But I figure this is kind of a huge jump for me to get over that! I know absolutely nobody going, but I don't even care if I'm the loner in the corner. I'm going to enjoy it the best that I can! So if you see a lonely blonde girl with a pink yoga mat not talking to anybody but full of excitement, come say hi!
But really, if anybody is going let me know. :)
What is the coolest fitness event you've ever been to? I think I'm gonna like them!
I wish I could show you my twitter feed and just how many hashtag-national-running-day tweets I've seen today. It makes me so happy to see. :)
Not a bad logo either!
Somehow, I've forgotten to mention on the blog that I've been signed up for a half marathon for a little while now. And I want to remind/tell everybody out there that they are offering a $20 discount on marathon/half-marathon registration today!
Why yes, I am talking about the Rock n' Roll race series.
Logos everywhere!
I wanted to save the Philadelphia Marathon Series for when I run a marathon for the first time, so this was the race that won out for the fall! I'm excited to race again in Philadelphia! And I'm also really excited to be training for something again (June 25th, not like I'm counting down). I kind of bobble all over the place in terms of my running when I don't have a specific goal to work towards. I got rejected by my training buddy for this one because he wants to run by himself (even though he wouldn't be doing it if it weren't for me--I digress), so that sure lights a fire under my competitive butt.
But I was nice enough to remind him to register! I may be a good un-affected by competition girlfriend after all. :)
But yes!! Have a wonderful run today, please! I've got an interview that I don't want to be late/sweaty for, so I won't be doing mine until later. And if the interview runs long, I'll be running on the treadmill downstairs at 11:30 at night. But I gotta celebrate somehow!
WELCOME, JUNE. I am so excited that the J-month season is here. Not January. You know what I mean. I don't have much to report on today, but I'd like to come up with three goals that I want to achieve this month! I think three is a nice number to start with. Also it doesn't seem like a crazy overwhelming number. So without further ado!
Strength train at least 2x a week. So I follow this amazing woman, Kelly Olexa, on Twitter. She's the founder of FitFluential. And she tweeted something about how she wishes people would stop wanting to "tone up" and start wanting to be strong. Obviously, I have nothing against the phrase toning up (or I wouldn't have bought their plan for $150 ;)), but I think she's on the right track. You gotta WORK for it. And I want it. So I'm gonna work! I put out a help call on Twitter and was pointed in the direction of Workout Nirvana. I've been plodding around her blog and doing some planning.
Stretch every day for a month. I've mentioned on here before how I've been doing some yoga now and again. But during a period of time that I'm not dancing excessively, I gotta stay a little bit bendy!
Run for fun! I have a Color Me Rad run in Philly coming up on the 17th. And I only know how to train to be stressed and to doubt myself. I shatter that self-doubt as soon as I start the race. But this is a FUN 5k! And my first! So no stress. Just gotta have fun! In my tutu!
Bonus: Try my darndest to pass my personal training certification. I certainly don't know everything about fitness. But I'm learning! And I'm studying! But if I don't get it the first time around, it won't be the end of the world. And I'm not just saying that so I don't fail. I promise!
And so that's it! That's all I have to say for today! :)
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. :)
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.
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.
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!
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. :)
School is so close to being over. I had my last day of classes today and I couldn't be happier. I mean I guess I could. My professors could have cancelled all of my finals. BUT. Regardless of those tests, summer is coming. Granted, that means I get to start new classes, an internship, and work a lot more. But I think it's going to be better. :)
World Dance Day '12 at Northern Liberties. :)
So while it may look like I'm neglecting my blog ridiculously, I WILL be more dedicated to it in roughly one week. And hopefully I'll have a lot to blog about. I have some goals in the meantime!
Choreograph a piece this summer.
Get a library card instead of thinking about getting a library card.
Try all sorts of workouts. And then actually blog about them.
Eat (and cook!) better!
Go on adventures!
Become a FitFluential Ambassador? That would be cool. I've got a looooong way to go, I think!
Keep dancing.
Become a certified personal trainer. (Test is on 6/16!)
Ride my bike more.
Go to the beach.
RUN!
Have an amazing summer before my senior year! I'm so lucky to have two of them. Ayyy.
I'm really excited. I'm going to see the sunrise at Penn's Landing earrrrrly tomorrow morning because Temple is officially on study days. I've never actually seen a sunrise before. So I'm really excited. :)
Workout for the Day
I started my morning with the HIIT the Beach workout from the Beach Babe DVD. I quite liked it actually! It was short but I was definitely sweaty. That was my first time using the DVD, so I'll definitely tell you more about it as I discover it! I'll probably do a review too. Maybe.
Tonight is my last day of dance for the semester and we get to spend time with all of the new members this evening. We're going to have a stretch/strength session and then watch our DVD. It's going to be lovely. I love those dancers so much and I can't wait to be the captain of this crazy ship. :)
I have done everything on my training plan this week like a good little girl. Yesterday that included going to a yoga class at my school's fitness center.
This is exactly what it was like, I can assure you.
Guys, I really want to be good at yoga. You know. That whole dancing thing kind of requires some flexibility. And I was REALLY tight after my sunset run on Tuesday. So I know I needed it. I forgot to bring my mat to school, but didn't let that excuse me and used the junky ones at the fitness center that a million other people sweat on.
But whatever.
I liked the instructor for the most part. She had some nice calming music going on in the background, which I fully appreciated. She had us do some balances too, which were super fun. But like. Did we really have to go into Downward Dog four hundred times? Am I missing something? I don't even think I'm doing the freaking thing right and I actually know how to do that one. Second guessing myself is my number one talent.
Somehow I don't think I can do that one.
I know the point of yoga goes way beyond being good at it and being flexible. Am I doing everything wrong? How do I do it right? YOGA BLOWS MY MIND, OFFICIALLY. I can't figure it out.
That being said, I left class feeling very stretchy and calm. So at least I'm doing something right. Or I'm really good at tricking myself.
Today I went for a rough three mile run, did a lot of school work, and cheered the Phils on from afar. Hooray! Happy opening day! I LOVE THE PHILS!
I would wear this around.
I do have something in the works that I might get a tutu for. But that might have to be white. :)
So today I rolled out of bed without making my boyfriend pancakes, which I had promised ever-so-sweetly to do. That was before I fell asleep in my comfy bed and actually slept through the night. So I did NOT wake up at seven thirty. And I'm not sorry about it, because if he really wanted pancakes he could have made them.
So there.
Instead I sent him this picture because he never gets to see me looking like this and it makes him think I am the most attractive girlfriend in the whole wide world.
My first sweaty picture. How precious!
You see? I think it's very good. To get to that state, I started my morning off with some banana peanut butter toast that was actually melty and delicious and got to work. As I said last night, I was planning on doing one of Fitnessista's workouts, but I saw an ab circuit from She Rocks Fitness on Bess Be Fit this morning that I decided to give a go. And it kicked my butt abs. I didn't use all of the equipment because I didn't want to get gross germs anywhere downstairs so I modified and still felt the burn. Trust me on that.
Then somehow I ended up here.
I was waiting to cross the street and realized I didn't take a picture.
A three mile run was on the agenda and that's precisely what I did. I did not go fast, but I got it done. And, to me, that's what counts at this point. I was really worried I wouldn't be able to do it. But I got it done and got a beautiful prize at the end. Some people were Rocky-ing it up the stairs, but I had to get back to my apartment to shower before class. Which is incredibly overrated.
So in conclusion: beautiful and productive day. And it's still sunny outside. Thank you very much. :)
I will keep on dancing that long. Or at least that's what it feels like right now. It also feels like my head is going to explode, but that doesn't mean I'm going to slow down! Everything I read seems to say that if the sickness/allergies/bothersome feelings reside above the throat/lungs you're good to go. So I'm good to go. Especially after missing a week of training. I'm not backing down!
Yesterday called for thirty minutes of cross training. I danced for five hours. I think that counts! Today was stretching and strengthening. I went to dance tonight and planned to do some work back in my apartment gym, but my feeling bad is not having it. So I'm not skipping it and I'm pushing it until tomorrow!
NOW! A look at the week ahead!
Tuesday: Three mile run and leftover strength from today! I'm planning on using Fitnessista's Schweaty March workout to get my heart rate pumping. :)
Wednesday: 35 minutes cross training-I think I'm going to try to fit in a spin class, otherwise I'll just be on the bike at the gym! I also have some dance and am reviewing with other people so there's lots of dance on the plate too!
Thursday: 2 miles and strength training. I have yet to decide what I want to do, but hopefully it'll still be beautiful enough to run outside!
Friday: REST.
Saturday: Run for four miles! Hopefully outside again.
So that's that! Keep dancing!
What do you do when you're feeling a tad under the weather?
I know Funday is usually reserved for Sunday, but I feel like sometimes Monday gets a little bit sad when it gets such negative names attributed to it. It's really alright!
This morning, my alarm went off at six o'clock. After a quick five minute snooze, I cruised on autopilot to get out the door because I had everything picked out from the night before. It wasn't until I was on the subway that I realized I was awake before seven o'clock. And you know what? It felt awesome!
First step of the day: YOGA
It was totally worth the wake up call. At first I felt a little uncomfortable because I'm generally a "go hard or go home" gal when it comes to working out, so yoga felt a little slow. But man, by the end of it I was feeling so stretchy and bendy. I'm sore, but that's an awesome feeling. And I've learned some new stuff that I'm going to use to keep my muscles happy!
Then I came home and went to bed for another twenty minutes.
But then I woke up again, don't worry! I had peanut butter and jelly oatmeal and took a shower! I promise I was productive!
Next step: Survive classes, meetings, and tests!
Totally done and totally productive!! PLUS I GOT AN A ON MY ANATOMY TEST. WOOOO!!! Then: Strength? Training?
Turned into lunch hour. And got moved to Wednesday because dance was going to run later than was originally planned. And I wasn't properly fueled. But that's my own bad. Finally: DANCE, DANCE, DANCE!
I did it.
I topped of the day with a chat with the biff out in the beautiful evening weather. Spring is coming. I can feel it in my bones. :)
First day of Spring at Penn's Landing! 2010. Holy Moses. I'm such a hip-jutter-outter.
I have written out a to-do list and a schedule for this entire week. My life is getting crazy and it's honestly pretty great. But maybe I just think it's great because Spring Break is in sight. And that means a BREAK, of course!
It also means Spring Cleaning in the Paul/Amanda apartment. Finally. We tend to be a little messy because we're both running around so much.
Speaking of running around...BROAD STREET RUN TRAINING STARTS NOW!!!
A reason that I have everything planned out is because running ten miles is a little intimidating at this point in my life. So I'm going to try to not overdo it but get it done. So here's my week in an exercise nutshell and I'll fill you in as the week progresses!
Sunday: That would be today. I had dance rehearsal for four hours. YAY.
Monday: Yoga at seven in the morning; strength training with Chiang and Paul; InMotion rehearsal in the evening
Tuesday: THE FIRST RUN!!! Two miles!
Wednesday: Maybe yoga in the morning again if I need it; Spinning at the IBC; InMotion rehearsal in the evening
Thursday: Two miles! Also strength training thrown in there!
Friday: REST!!
Saturday: Two miles again
Now I'm off to bed because that alarm is in the back of my mind. And I know it's going to be painful. I'm such a whiner.
I'm currently in the middle of deciding whether I want to go to two group fitness classes today or one. I should probably take it easy but I have this thing where if I take it easy I feel like I'm lazy. Can you relate?
Besides making important decisions such as that, I wanted to use today's blog post to talk about a book I recently read. You may have heard about it.
Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life
The first and only comprehensive nutrition book
written for the vegan athlete. Thriveis a long-term
eating plan that will
help you develop a lean body, sharp mind, and everlasting energy,
whether
you’re a professional athlete or simply looking to boost your physical
and
mental health. One of the few professional athletes on an entirely
plant-based
diet, Brendan researched and developed this easy-to-follow
program to
enhance his performance as an elite endurance athlete. Brendan clearly
describes why it’s easier for the body to utilize nutrient-rich foods
in their
natural state than refined, processed foods and how to choose
nutritionally
efficient, stress-busting whole foods to maximize energy and health.
And
because plant-based foods are more environmentally friendly to produce,
you’ll
also help the planet while improving your personal health.
Let me preface this by saying that I am NOT a vegan. I have nothing against the lifestyle or anything like that, but I haven't really thought that much about becoming one. I was interested in reading this because A) I'm a nerd and like to read about stuff like this and B) A LOT of blogs I read had been talking about it and I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.
I trust that this system works because this guy is a professional Ironman Triathlete. And that is superimpressive to me. The first couple of chapters describe how the diet actually works and some of the foods that are included in the diet.
The absence of healthy food in the diet is a form of stress.
While I was reading this book, I found myself interrupting my boyfriend's game of Madden to tell him a new fact I just learned from the book. So it certainly opened my eyes and my interest.
He then goes on to provide a bunch of recipes and a twelve week meal plan that follows the Thrive Diet. I was super intimidated by some of the ingredients, but perhaps eventually I can throw some into my diet. I think one thing that is really great about the book is that Brazier says that you can NOT just throw yourself into it, you have to ease into this, just as you would any other big life change.
I would definitely recommend it if you want an interesting read and some ideas to try out. I can't exactly preach about how effective and how awesome it is because I certainly don't know myself.
So that's just my two cents about it! Perhaps later I'll come back with a meal I tried or something like that.
