A Sunday Well Spent...

I've seen this pin floating around recently, and it is SO true! After a nice post-church Sunday nap, it feels good to get a few things done. Spending some extra time on Sunday- even just an hour or two can help you start your Monday on the right foot. 

A few things that I find helpful are prepping some food to make meals easier during the week- this can be as easy as a grain, a veggie, and a meat to throw add into lunches or dinners. 

Options for food prep to make your week easier:

• wash and chop lettuce for salads
• cut up fruit to have for snacks or add to your yogurt
• grilled chicken to add to salads or lunches 
• make a large batch of quinoa or brown rice
• chop veggies to have as on the go snacks
• boil eggs
• make a large batch of soup in your slow cooker 
• overnight oats
• pre-portion your usual go-to snacks (pretzels, pirates booty, pita chips, etc)
• mason jar salads

This week I prepped boiled eggs, tuna salad (basically just tuna + mustard+ some boiled egg white), ground turkey, green beans, and brown rice. I made the rice in my rice cooker for dinner tonight (we had lettuce wraps) so it was easy peasy to add a few extra servings in to have for left overs (tomorrow we'll have burrito bowls). Ground turkey is one of my favorites to prep- it tastes delicious re-heated and its easy to mix up with rice for a yummy protein-packed lunch. 


Other easy things to make your work week start off on the right foot: make sure you have (at least some) laundry done, pack your lunch and gym bag, make sure your keys are in the right spot ;), wash sheets/towels, etc. It always feels good to go to sleep in an organized home on Sunday night...

Have a great week!

Motivation Monday: Beauty Must-Haves for the Gym Bag

It seems a lot of ladies are deterred from working out, not because the time it takes to actually workout, but because of the travel/workout/shower/get ready time...which can be a lot. (See this Post by the Hollywood Housewife.)

When I leave the gym, I usually go straight to my afternoon nanny job. While this doesn't require a full shower/blow dry session, I usually like to freshen up. There are other times I'm going somewhere I need to look a bit more presentable...Here are a few of my beauty must-haves.

Tinted moisturizer- This is a double-duty product to use after wiping off my face when a workout is over. Evens out my skin, and gives me a little moisture as well. I've also used the oil-free (in the summer) and both are great! 

Dry Shampoo- I've tried several brands of dry shampoo, and I keep coming back to this $2 baby from Target (although I did recently try the Dry Bar brand Dry Shampoo and loved it, but for $20 I'm just going to pretend it never happened)

Body Spray- The little bottles of PINK body splash at VS are great. They are perfect for tossing in your gym back. The scents are fresh, but not too heavy.

Cucumber Wipes- I love these. They are great for taking make-up off before a sweaty workout or cleaning up after. I don't always take my make-up off before working out, but if I know it will be a particularly sweaty day (yoga, cardio, leg day) then I will. The cucumber scent is fresh and not over-powering at all. 

Lip Gloss- I usually just throw on some burts bees, but for some extra color these NYX lip butters are great. They go on so smooth and are only a few bucks at Ulta! 


Other musts: 

Deodorant- Obviously. I love Degree Men's deodorant!

Burts Bees- My ultimate must have. My husband and I have several tubes lying around. I've tried a lot of chap stick and lip balm, but this is the best (and the only things that works in dry Utah winters).

A Hat- When all else fails, and your hair isn't cooperating. Fortunately, ball caps are in! I have a black nike cap to wear with workout outfits and a navy JCrew cap I picked up on sale. There are tons of caps available right now- perfect way to cover up a bad hair day, protect your skin from the sun, and look chic while doing it! 

Bronzer- Again, depending on where you are heading will change how much make-up you'll want to throw on, but a nice dust of bronzer will give a little color and glow. I'm currently looking for a new one, so I don't have any good suggestions in this category! 



What are your post-workout beauty go-to's?

Try Something New!

Happy Sunday! Spring is almost here and I am loving the longer days. It's always good to switch up your routine when in a rut, especially after a long winter. This week I tried spin for my first time and I loved it! I plan on making it part of my Saturday Morning from now on. I can't believe how much fun it was, and how much I worked up a sweat.... I'm excited to bring my husband next week! 

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Accountability for the last week....

I have been sticking to my plan this month and it feels great. Here were my workouts for the last week:

Monday- Back/bi's 
Tues- Legs 
Wednesday- shoulders 
Thursday- Cardio 
Friday- chest/tries
Saturday- Spin 
Sunday- Rest day 

I made a big effort to increase my weight or reps in my workouts because I felt I was getting into a rut, and not pushing myself. I noticed a big difference and was super sore! You will be amazed at what your body is capable of if you just push yourself! Staying in that comfort zone isn't doing you any favors...

This time of year it's so much easier for me to hit the gym, and get out and be active. I'm happy I've stayed pretty consistent in the gym this winter, but I've kicked it up a notch this month, and I feel really good. It's amazing what those endorphins can do for you. It's not only easier for me to get my exercise in this time of year, but I also crave fruits and veggies like crazy! I've been on a smoothie kick and I don't see it stopping any time soon. Smoothies are difficult to drink when it's snowing out, but now that it's a a bit warmer I cannot get enough! I'm perfecting my green smoothie and will be posting soon...


SO...Try something new this week...a new recipe, vegetable, workout-- anything! 

Happy Sunday! 

Motivation Monday: Spring Break

Happy first week of March! Daylight savings is around the corner, and so is Spring Break! My family is spending spring break at a cute little beach house in Santa Barbara which is just the motivation I needed to get my butt in gear. I got serious last week and got all 6 of my workouts in (a nice change form the week previous, when I was lazy and sick). 

As additional motivation/bribery for myself, I told myself I could schedule a facial once I got all my workouts in. I had a 30% off facial at my gym, and I'm scheduled for next week. Worked like a charm. Figure out what motivates you and do it! 

Last week's workouts were as follows: 

Monday- Back/Bi's
Tues- Cardio/Abs
Wed- Shoulders
Thurs- Cardio
Fri- Legs
Sat- Chest/tris and light cardio

I plan to stick with a similar schedule for the remainder of the month pulling from the Jamie Eason bodybuilding.com workout plan as well as the Muffin Topless workout plan. Both are great.

SO. If you are looking for motivation, just remember- spring and summer are around the corner! Now that the weather is warming up, get outside for a little extra physical activity and enjoy the fresh air. I believe that any body is a "bikini body", but that everyone should also feel confident on the beach or when pool-side. It's no fun being self-conscious when you should be enjoying life and having fun. So do yourself a favor and put in some extra work this month. Make YOURSELF proud. 

Happy Monday! 

Motivation Monday: Weekend Motivational Event Re-cap

This weekend I attended the Motivational event put on by the Instagram Famous Amy- aka @fitamysuzanne. She lives in the area and I actually met her through mutual friends a few years ago (before her fitness journey started), so it felt a little "stalker-ish" going, but I am so glad I did. My husband came a long and he enjoyed it just as much as I did.  Amy shared her story of how she went from a mom who wanted to lose a few pounds to an IFBB pro in a very short amount of time. It was so inspiring to hear from someone who was so "normal" but wasn't content with remaining average. There are so many people who claim they "don't have the time" and she really puts that excuse to rest. She's a nurse and a mom, and trains for competitions a few hours a day. She talked about priorities and basically said, if it's important enough- you will make time.

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Her coach Shane, of Team Heugly also spoke at the event. He talked about the importance of having goals- goals that seem so far out of reach, you question whether they are achievable. This really made me think. Shane's words about setting specific goals and taking steps each day to get there really stuck with me. It really made me think about what I want out of my life, and what it will take to get there. He emphasized having someone who believes in you, and this made me so grateful for my husband....


The last speaker was Jasmine- aka @jazzythings- The healthy dessert extraordinaire. She spoke about having passion and healthy food (which is her passion). She left her high profile job a while back to follow her passion for cooking and you can tell she does everything 100%. Not only is she insanely motivating, but she is hilarious! I am excited to attend the event she is hosting next month! 

I left this event feeling so inspired. Even though the speakers mostly talked about health and fitness, their words really apply in any aspect of life. I'm still buzzing from the event. It left me feeling so positive, uplifted, and motivated to work for what I want in life....it also reminded me of an experience i had last year....

I remember sitting at my cubicle (at a job I held previously). I looked around and I felt like there were so many people who were just content being there. It was a great company and an ok job, and they felt fine about their current situation, and most didn't really seem to have any intent to make any changes. As I looked around I felt bad, and I knew that I wasn't going to just hang out and let life take me along. I knew that I had to work hard, but that it would be worth it! I think I should mention that this wasn't coming from a place of conceit or arrogance. I didn't feel bad for them. I just knew I wanted something different. I'm still working for my "something different" but the event this weekend really made me want to kick it up a notch.

(really poor iphone camera quality haha)

Motivation Monday: Beating the January Blues

As much as I love the fresh start of a new year, January may be my least favorite month. Coming down off of the holiday high is unpleasant enough. But after the post-vacation unpacking,taking down Christmas decor, re-stocking the house with groceries, and looking at the December credit card bills- there is still a whole 31 days of January (not to mention 2-4 months left of winter). [insert #whydidileaveSanDiego? here]  This year seems even worse because there are 5 work weeks in January. Woof. So to combat the winter blues, I've been thinking about what keeps me going (i.e, not staying in bed/crying). And this month I can't even shop, so there goes retail therapy.....

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• Take a long, hot bath. The more bubble bath, bath oil, and candles- the better. I'm still planning on trying this lovely little idea via Into the Gloss. Oh, and don't forget your favorite Pandora station. (for baths, I enjoy Lily Allen or Lana Del Ray.)
• Get outside. I don't care if it's for 5 minutes just do it! Bring along that music and it won't seem so gruesome. 
• Keep working out. The only thing that's worse than the winter blues is the fat winter blues. Avoid that at all costs. Just remind yourself that summer bodies are made in the winter, and keep thinking about the pool/beach/warm body of water you'll be hopping in as soon as the temps are above 50*) 
• For the nights when staying in is the only option (I'm looking at you, Polar Vortex) there is one word- NETFLIX. Some favorites on Netflix include Gossip Girl, White Collar, Psych, New Girl, Breakfast at Tiffany's.....and just this week I realized all 8 seasons of Desperate Housewives are on there. SO if you don't see me for a few days, that's where I'll be. (Don't forget the popcorn, and if at all possible, warm/bearded husband ;)
• Find something to look forward to. A long weekend, a girls night, a ski trip, date night, ANYTHING. Just put it on that shiny new 2014 calendar and let the count down begin. This makes a huge difference.

 Here's to the next few months of wishing I lived in a warmer climate....

What are your tips for beating the January/Winter Blues?

Motivation Monday: New Years Goals/Resolutions

This year, I've decided to do resolutions differently. Instead of trying to overhaul my whole life in January (which is neither realistic nor practical), I'm breaking things up month by month and giving each area 30 days to focus, and hopefully establish new habits. I was inspired by this post by the Hollywood Housewife, the book I read in December (The Happiness Project), and this post which I came across on Pinterest.

Rather than plan my whole year right now, I'll be breaking goals down into categories, and assign each category a month of it's own to focus on. In my situation--early 20's, husband in college, and lease up on my townhome in the summer-- it's really not possible to plan a whole year at a time, so this is a good way to ensure success.  I will plan the first couple of months (and may not even do this every month--and continue as the year progresses. I really think this isn't so much about "resolutions" either- more like goal setting and implementing in an organized manner. But I just so happen to be starting in January. 

This month will be focused on Finances. I'm 23 and feel like I don't have a lot of budgeting and financial experience/knowledge, so I will be reading Dave Ramsey's book, while doing a spending freeze for the month. The holidays did a number on my bank account, so this is the perfect time to get back on track. I plan on only spending on the necessities (groceries, bills, gas) in addition to one planned ski day we have while my husband's cousin is in town. Other than that, the only other thing I want to buy is a planner, which I actually intended on purchasing last week. 

February my focus will be on organization. I will divide the month into segments in order to focus on small projects including cleaning/organizing my closets & bathroom cabinets, and re-vamping my filing system. I also plan to use some of the tips on this post by a Healthy Slice of Life. 

The following months will include things like spirituality, emotional health/positivity,enjoying the great outdoors, and love & marriage. I love this method because it's not overwhelming and actually gives me a plan to accomplish what I want. A win-win, really. 

I will probably be doing updates as the year goes on giving more specifics of each month, and what's working/what isn't.

What are your 2014 goals and resolutions? What's your plan to stick to them this year?

What I Learned in 2013

Like I said before....2013 was a great year. I definitely learned a lot (which is to be expected since I'm at the ripe old age of 23...) Early 20s are such a weird time. For the first time in my life I'm not "supposed" to be doing anything. It sounds weird, but I feel like there were set mile stones that I could check off or align myself with. Driving, college, internship, graduation....And now I'm stuck in a bit of the early 20s limbo. Establishing myself, working on my marriage, and attempting to start a career. Here are a few little nuggets of wisdom I picked up throughout 2013.

People's lives aren't as they appear on Facebook...or Instagram...or Pinterest....and on top of that...life is better lived in the moment. Not through social media. No need to compare my everyday to someone else's best day. 

When you get what you "always" wanted, it usually isn't might not be what you expected-- I found this to be true a few times this year. But I would have never known if I didn't try. Such a conundrum. Fortunately nothing is permanent. The important thing to remember is that "what you have now, you once yearned for". The reality is, I should be proud of myself for achieving a goal, and excited to reach for something new.

I feel the happiest, and most on top of my game when I'm working out 4-5 days per week. I don't look at it as time lost, or sweat shed anymore. It's for my health, especially my mental health. It helps me organize my time. It's "me" time, but if I'm lucky I'll catch my husband out of the corner of my eye ;) And the added bonus is I weigh the same as I did when I graduated HS. minus the christmas weight of course ;) 

Marriage is more fulfilling than I ever could have expected or imagined. I'm thankful each day for a husband who loves me unconditionally, and forgives me at the drop of the hat. It's not always easy or fun [but it usually is with him] And man...there is not another soul on this earth I'd rather spend my days with. Can't believe that we are headed toward year 3 of marriage....just a toddler when you think about it.....

Worrying won't get you anywhere. I seem to forget this one. A lot. So much that my phone wallpaper now says RELAX. 

And most of all, experiences, travel, and quality time spent are more precious than anything money can buy (unless it's a Louis bag). My love language is quality time, so this is a big one for me. 

I'm looking forward to a new year. I love me a fresh start....and there's nothing I find more fulfilling (other than actually bringing said goals to fruition) is working on my goals for the year. And all I really want, is to come out on the other side of 2014 feeling that I enjoyed the moment, and feeling (at least mostly) at peace with myself. There will always be people who push you to do things, try things, be a certain someone, etc. But lately I'm finding it a challenge to discover what I truly want for myself. 

Cheers to a fresh start, and a happy & healthy new year! xoxo

Motivation Monday: Finding Balance

Finding balance can be difficult at all times of the year, but especially during the holidays. The season is in full swing, and the parties and family gatherings will continue for the next few days. Everyone puts so much emphasis on what happens between Thanksgiving and New Years, but really- if the emphasis was placed on what happens between New Years and Thanksgiving, the last month of the year wouldn't (and shouldn't) really matter. 

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Vacations and parties can be difficult health-wise, especially when you aren't the one buying the food for the occasion. But if you practice balance (eat some of your favorites, but don't forget some fruits and veggies) and make a commitment to get back to your normal routine as soon as possible (i.e. don't wait until New Years Day unless absolutely necessary) then there will be no harm done. What's worse than feeling guilty about eating too much pie, is looking back on your life and realizing that you haven't been enjoying it. Obsession is never healthy, and it's important to relax! The holiday season brings the importance of family traditions. While some (or all) of those traditions may be food related- try starting a new tradition  that isn't- anything from a Christmas walk in the afternoon, ice skating, etc. But remember to enjoy. 

Merry Christmas!

xoxo

Motivation Monday: Staying on track during the holidays

The holidays can be a tricky time if you're trying to stick to a healthy diet or lose weight. I wrote this article a while back for one of the contracts on the wellness program I work for. They are doing a Maintain Don't Gain challenge for the holidays, and I thought I'd share the article.

Maintain Don’t Gain: Tips for navigating holiday parties in the healthiest way possible

The Holiday season is upon is which means food, food, and more food. Between the pies, hot cocoa, and appetizers at holiday gatherings, this time of year can be tricky when it comes to maintaining healthy habits. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the food table at your next holiday party.

·     Don’t arrive hungry. Eat a small protein rich snack before arriving. This will prevent you from eating out of starvation, and allow you to think before you eat. It will also keep you from filling up on carb-packed appetizers. If you do show up starving- start with the veggie tray (but go easy on the Ranch).

·     Scope out the table. Before you pick up a plate and begin filling it, take a look at everything that is available. If one of your absolute favorites is there, by all means, enjoy some. Just be sure not to over-indulge on food you aren’t crazy about. 

·     Sample Sizes.  If all of your favorites are on the table, use small portions so you can try everything without going overboard. 

·     Water, Water, Water. If you feel you must have a glass in your hand while socializing be sure to drink water. If you decide to have something else, be sure to at least alternate- every other glass should be water!

·     Beware of The Buffet Mentality. With so much food available it can be tempting to stuff yourself. Be sure to slow down as you are eating. After your first plate of food, take at least 20 minutes to relax and allow your food to digest before going back for seconds. You will probably realize what you had was enough to fill you up!

Inspiration Sunday

What will you do today to help your week go smoothly? 

Here are a few things I'll be doing:

• schedule workouts. This  one is easy-- I'm on Week 4 of Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer...after week 4 I will give an update, but so far I am loving it. I'm already feeling stronger and seeing results. 
• do laundry, and make sure my gym clothes are clean (and packed in my gym bag)
• do a little food prepping to make the week easier (probably just boiling some eggs and baking some sweet potatoes to have on hand)
• RELAXING of course! 

Happy Sunday! 

Motivation Monday-- What motivates YOU?

There are a lot of things that motivate me- both external and internal sources. I don't just mean motivate me to be physically fit or healthy, but to get out of bed in the morning, go to work, have career and school aspirations, etc. 

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External motivation sources include things like positive reinforcement from others ("what a good grade you got!" or "wow, you are looking so fit!") or aspiring to be like someone else or gain what someone else has ("if she can do it, so can I!") 

Internal motivation comes from within [obviously]. What really motivates me internally is knowing that I am capable (self-efficacy) and knowing that I can get passed the obstacles in my way. I am not internally motivated all day everyday- which is why external motivation is important. However, it's essential to realize that you can only be motivated by others so much. Your pinterest boards and Instagram motivators can't actually get your butt out of bed in morning, get you to the gym, make you apply to college-- thats all YOU.

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I am really fascinated by sources of motivation due to what I do for work. I work for a corporate wellness program and have the opportunity to talk with and coach participants of the wellness program. Some people are very motivated. They obviously haven't always been (which is why they have to work with a coach in the first place), but once they began working, they realized they could succeed. Other's fall back on excuses and try and take the easy way out, setting the most basic and easy goals possible. Of course, everyone starts somewhere, and there's no way to force anyone to be motivated- but that brings me to my point. What motivates you? 

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Things that motivate me:

• my faith 
• past successes
• past failures
• seeing other people, my age, doing what I want to do
• the prospect that I could actually get to where I want to be. what's more exciting than imagining your dream self- and then setting goals (and working toward them) to get there?? And FYI my dream self is a small co-business owner with my husband (wellness/personal training business), MBA grad, and lots of other things ;) 
• speaking of my husband- he inspires me to be the best I can be- find people in your life who motivate you! And more importantly, get rid of the toxic naysayers  
• compliments/words of encouragement from others
• and yes- pinterest boards-- there is power in visualization, and pinterest is certainly the best place for that. 

I'll be the first to say that following your dreams can be scary! I think this is because of two main things. 1. not completely believing in yourself. 2. the naysayers. those damned negative nancys who will try and talk anyone out of anything. Don't listen. 

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^^ Thanks Bill, I needed to hear that today. 

Stop Waiting.

I saw this on Pinterest and I loved it. It's too true. It applies to every aspect of life. I spend too much time waiting for the weekend to arrive, or the next vacation, or losing 5 pounds or whatever. There's no reason not to just enjoy now. Coming from someone who suffers from anxiety-it's definitely not always easy to enjoy the moment, but it makes for a happier and more peaceful life. And I am trying to make a conscious effort. 

We spent last weekend up in the beautiful mountains of Park City (definitely enjoying the moment), and Fall has officially arrived in Utah! It's my favorite part about this state. Growing up in California, I never really experienced "seasons", so fall is a treat for me every year. (Although I do miss the beach terribly and would move back in a heartbeat. #californialove)

And just being honest here-- as I am sitting here writing this post thinking about what I am currently happy about I immediately thought "tomorrow is Thursday- 2 more days till the weekend!" I have got some work to do on changing my mindset.  But it's never too late, fortunately. 

my cute hubby <3 

In this very moment I am thankful for my sweet babe of a husband sitting next to me, the fuzzy blanket that's currently keeping me warm, and the delicious fall candle burning right now.   

on the alpine slides- and finally breaking out that beautiful Jcrew vest


Stop waiting to enjoy your life! Time is too precious, and you deserve to be happy right now.  

Have a healthy weekend....

Happy Friday! If you are anything like me, then it's more difficult to keep a healthy diet on the weekend due to being off of a schedule. 

With date nights, going out with friends, running errands and the temptation for fast food, it's difficult to make healthy choices (plus, i rarely want to cook dinner come Friday night). I encourage everyone to live a little and enjoy some treats every now and then, but there's nothing worse than waking up on Monday morning and thinking "I blew it this weekend!" You can avoid that feeling by keeping a few tips in mind:


1. Plan ahead. If you aren't familiar with a restaurant's menu, look at it online ahead of time. Most restaurants have a healthy option menu these days (my favs are CPK and Cheesecake factory). If all else fails, order grilled meat or fish with grilled veggies or a salad.

2. Go Halvsies. if you don't want to eat off the lower-cal menu (or if there isn't one) split an entree with someone. Restaurant portions are WAY too big for one, and this is a good way to make sure you don't over eat (while saving some cash).

3. Drink water. sodas and alcoholic beverages are filled with calories. If you are drinking skip the fruity (calorie-laden) drinks and go with something simple.

4. Skip the bread basket. I can sometimes control myself if there's bread at the table and just not eat any of it, but if I do take a piece, there is no turning back. Don't fill up on a meals worth of calories before your dinner even gets to the table.

5. Choose the restaurant. If you can, choose a restaurant you're familiar with. I always do better going to places I know (where I know what I like and that it's tasty). Sometimes I will go to a shopping center with multiple places to eat for lunch and I'll eat at Chipotle and my husband will grab Five Guys or firehouse subs or something and then we will meet up and eat together- do what works for you! (My husbands metabolism is much better than mine, sadly) 

6. Don't show up starving. I know your parents always told you not to ruin your appetite before having a meal, but it's ok to ignore their advice. Have a healthy snack filled with plenty of protein and fiber so that you aren't starving when you arrive. This will cause you to eat less, and make less impulsive decisions (appetizers, anyone?) 

I plan on having a lazy weekend....There's rain in the forecast, and Netflix is calling my name.  Have a great weekend!!

What tips do you have for staying healthy on the weekend?

Motivation Monday: Screw the Scale

So. I put away my scale for a while because I was developing an unhealthy relationship with it. A few days ago I decided to take it out (I'm really not sure why) and I was unpleasantly surprised with a larger # than I was expecting. I'm definitely at the top of my "normal" weight range. For a few days I let it bug me, but at this point I realize- there is no reason to let that stupid little number control my happiness. I'm back on a routine, and I feel good. I feel strong. I fit in my clothes. So WHY do I give a damn about the number on the scale?? 

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Scales are great and definitely serve a purpose when you are trying to monitor weight-loss, but at this point I'm not. I'm trying to lean out a bit while also building muscle, but I don't anticipate my weight will be dropping drastically anytime soon.  

But sometimes I need a reminder that I am not defined by my size or my weight. And neither are YOU. 

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Back to School...

Sadly, I'm not going back to school this year. It's funny because this time last year I was thrilled that for the first fall in 18 years I wasn't headed back to class. This year however, I'm sad and I feel ready to go back! Time to start figuring out which masters programs I'm interested in...

Eventhough I'm not going back to school, I still love (and will always love) the back-to-school season. I can always get behind new office supplies and some fresh wardrobe pieces. Fall also feels like a "new beginning as well- it's a good time to set goals for yourself.

I think mini goals are essential in all aspects of life, but especially health and fitness. If you have goals to "drink more water" or "lose 10 pounds" but don't have an action plan, you will not be successful. Mini goals are more specific goals with a shorter time period, which allow you to focus on progress over the short term instead of the long term-- this fall, whether you're going back to school or not--set some goals for yourself! And make them SMART goals....

My goals include:

• Workouts 4-5x per week. 2x cardio and 2-3x strength training. [Since my new gym is really close to work, I am able to go in the afternoon as soon as I'm off work.]
• Drink 60+oz of water per day [filling up my water bottle 3-4x per day]

Remember to do what is realistic for you and your current life. 

Change

I mentioned previously that I joined a new gym, and I was excited to use my personal training sessions to get some fresh ideas for workouts. I got so used to the same old routines at my apartment gym that I always am kind of overwhelmed when I walk into my new weight room and see all of that equipment. 

So- I had my first meeting with a personal trainer- a sweet little blonde girl who kicked my butt. A lot of the workout was using TRX which I had never used before [much harder than they look]. The workout consisted of an upper body circuit, a lower body circuit, and an ab circuit. By the end I had sweat dripping down my face. My session was 2 days ago and my abs are still sore! (which i love)

My point of all this is to try something new- boredom will not facilitate effective workouts. Try something new and don't be afraid of change! 

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Do a workout from a dvd (or youtube!), go to a new class, dry a different piece of equipment- working out shouldn't feel like torture! Or just go outside for a walk or jog instead of using that damn treadmill.


I am happy that I already got my workout in for today, and I plan on lounging for the rest of this rainy day. :) 

Happy weekend!

Motivation Monday: Confession Time

The last few weeks of my life have been pretty stressful for my husband and myself due to new jobs and a move (not far, but a move nonetheless). During this time I've been MUCH more lenient with my workouts than I have been in months. I gave myself a break because a)carrying boxes down 3 flights of stairs is a pretty good workout (also all of the cleaning/other labor that comes with moving) and b) I was busy, etc, etc. and c) I was used to working out at the fitness center at my complex, which after moving, obviously is no longer available to me. 

our new (town)home

The truth is though, I feel more stressed and more anxious than I have in forever. Of course this had to do with the move and job change, but I honestly think it had a lot to do with not exercising as well. Exercise is great for anxiety and depression, and I thoroughly reap those benefits. It's important to remember that exercise is great not only for your physical health, but for mental health as well!! 


SO tonight I went to Lifetime Fitness, a gym near my new job, and I got myself a membership after falling in L-O-V-E with the beautiful facility. And I already feel so much better. I got in a great workout with my husband and I feel good. 

Know what motivates you--for me that is not just looking good or feeling good about myself-- but feeling good on the inside. Feeling happy and secure. I know myself well enough to know that exercise has a huge impact on my stress and anxiety levels, and I will do whatever I can to keep those low (and avoid a panic attack). 

Figure out what motivates YOU!!

that's good enough for me!

Back at it....

I took a last minute trip out of town last week to see my family in California. Since I knew we'd only be there a few days, I let myself induldge a little (okay, a lot) It's just rude to say no to Mom's fresh blueberry muffins and stuffed french toast not to mention amazing BBQ on the 4th of July--but by the time I left I was feeling yucky. I feel a huge difference in myself when I'm eating well vs eating junk!  I think every once in a while I need to remind myself of why it's so important to keep a clean diet!

Fortunately, since I've been back I 've stayed consistent with my meals and workouts. I honestly think the key to getting back to work is having it in your mind that you'll be back at the gym soon after getting home- and then going-- No excuses! I knew I'd only feel worse if I put off my workouts, and I'm glad I had the will power to force me to get off my butt and go.

I don't regret the indulgences I had, and to be honest I felt like I needed a break. I was feeling burnt out, and no longer looked forward to my workouts before we left. With a few days off I felt rejuvenated and excited to be back in my normal routine....listen to your body!! There is reason that when starting a new workout routine you shouldn't go crazy hitting the gym 5 days per week, because after a few weeks, you probably won't enjoy it anymore. Start slow. Habits change over time, not overnight! 

A few tips for getting back into a healthy routine after some time off:

• drink a lot of water
• get your butt up! if you don't feel like a full workout, go for a long walk or jog to get your body moving again
• stock up on healthy food- no need to tempt yourself with more crap
• go easy on yourself- what's done is done and you can only move forward

I made this for dinner on Monday and it was so good! Quinoa salad made with roasted corn and peppers topped with blackened chicken and avocado- delish! Even my husband (who doesn't usually lie quinoa) loved it. 

Happy almost weekend!!

Workout Wednesday: Shoulders and Abs

This week I am linking up with Skinny Meg for Workout Wednesday! 

Tonight was shoulders and abs for me- one of my favorite workouts! Strong shoulders are a very important part of sculpted arms-- it's not all about the biceps!


shoulders

3 x 8-10

[remember to always do a few warm up sets first!]

standing front dumbbell raises
dumbbell arnold press
dumbbell lat raise
dumbbell upright row
standing dumbbell press
dumbbell shoulder shrug



abs
when doing abs i usually do a circuit of 4 movements
repeat circuit 2-4 times, with 20-25 reps

tonight I chose:

mountain climbers
crunches w/ heels on swiss ball
plank 
russian twists w/ medicine ball 

annnd  my shoulders ;) 

happy hump day!!