Werkouts

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If your first instinct upon reading this post title was to think of Miley Cyrus, we can no longer be friends (but secretly let's stay friends because I still think it's funny). While I did not do much twerking (read: none), I did do much werking. Werking out, that is. One of my most frequent email inquiry questions is how much I work out and what combination of activities I use. I don't do the same thing every week, but here's a recent sampling:

Wednesday: Spinning, 60 Minutes

My husband has become a total Spinning fiend. He even purchased some special customized shoes for his large feet so that he can clip into the pedals. He spins two to three times a week, so I try to join him as much as I can. Sometimes, spinning can bore me (I like to hop on the treadmill with a movie on my iPad, y'know?), but this week's class with Kayla as the instructor was very challenging (and we listened to Miley Cyrus more than once, so.. yeah).

Thursday: High Performance Pilates (HOT!) @ The Mercury Method, 60 Minutes

I had taken a lot of Mercury Method classes, but had yet to try the Pilates. I have pilates at my regular gym, so I figured I should spend my Mercury Method mornings trying out other things I couldn't get elsewhere. Finally, I decided to try it because Lara was teaching it and, let me just be frank here, I think I love her. 

Having now tried the High Performance Pilates class, I am a total convert. It is the perfect combination of being extremely challenging but not being too rough on my bones or wrists (I have old lady wrists, so fragile). Let's also not forget that, because it is Pilates, the vast majority of it is done on a mat. Perfect for a 6am class. I hardly even have to stand up...

Friday: Full Body Weights, 45 Minutes

I did a full body routine with my husband. The couple who works out together... stays together? I hit the gym with Mr. G on Friday morning at 6am to do a full body workout. It was hard and I was cranky to be awake, but it was worth it!

Saturday: 4 mile run with the dog

I know that some people run outdoors all year long. I am not one of you. I am not a fan of running in extremely cold weather, and with my gym just a short jaunt away, I would much prefer my trusty treadmill. So, as the cold weather looms ahead, I decided to get some outdoor running in with the pup.

Sunday: 4 mile run, 20 minute stairmaster sprint

It was kind of rough, for no good reason other than my mood.

Monday: Skip

I woke up feeling woozy and light headed, so I decided to opt for a skip day.

Tuesday: Runner's High (HOT!) @ The Mercury Method, 60 Minutes, + Body By Science, 20 Minutes

Runner's High is another of my favorites, and ever since I ran a 5k in 23:23 after taking my first Runner's High class, I have sworn by it. This class did not disappoint, but I will admit that some of the moves are really hard at 6am.

Wednesday: Skip Day

We had planned to spin again, but neither of us were feeling it, so we went out to dinner instead. Makes sense, right?

Thursday: High Performance Pilates (HOT!) @ The Mercury Method, 60 Minutes

Yep. I went back. You already know why.

YOUR TURN:

• How was your week in workouts?
• Have you ever done hot pilates?

Back Into The Swing

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It took a while, but we're finally back into the swing of normal life after getting married and having an awesome honeymoon in Costa Rica. To me, "normal life" is only normal when I'm back to my routine (If you're into Myers Briggs, I'm a total "J" and like need to plan things out).

Since returning from my honeymoon, a lot of people have jokingly asked me if I was going to stop caring about food and fitness now that I'm married. The answer is... drumroll please... no. I am not going to stop caring! But I am definitely going to give myself a bit more leeway than I did during wedding prep. ;-)

FOOD:

I'm now obsessed with heirloom tomatoes. I know, I'm late into the game on this one, but it is definitely a game changer. I have been slicing them up and sauteeing them with a little bit of oil and spices, then either eating them plain or topping them with fried eggs, sriracha, and nutritional yeast.

Eggs and Avocado. It's pretty much my favorite combination, so I've been eating it for breakfast fairly frequently. Instead of making egg white omelets all the time, I am doing one full egg and two egg whites. Packed with protein without going overboard on fats or cholesterol. 

Have you noticed what the above two pictures and the one below all have in common? Sriracha. That stuff is my jam sauce.

Another thing I occasionally sriracha-up is fish. We've been eating blackened tilapia like it's nobody's business, and lately we're pairing it with fresh vegetables from the farmer's market. Below is zucchini. 

WORKOUTS:

I am working out most days... but not all. I skipped a bit when I was in Holland, and have skipped a bit in between. For the most part, I am working out early to get it out of the way and feel accomplished for the rest of the day! That means a lot of 5:20 wakeup calls... and lots of pre-workout drinks...

I've also been running up my bill at The Mercury Method. If I run there and back, it is by far one of my favorite workout days. Unfortunately, as the days get shorter and light disappears, it's dark out in the morning when I would like to run there (and would be dark out when I finish the class if I go at night). My husband is not a huge fan of me running around the city in the dark without our personal bodyguard dog, so we'll see.

Speaking of the dog... this lady here has been getting a few runs outside, but she's really excited for the fall weather to set in so that I can take her on longer runs. She overheats if we are out for too long in the hot 90-degree days we've been having so frequently lately.

As far as a typical workout week goes, right now, I don't have one... but I can tell you what I did last week!

Monday: Spinning

Tuesday: Barre Fly at Mercury Method

Wednesday: Spinning

Thursday: Weight lifting

Friday: Skip

Saturday: Skip

Sunday: Bodypump

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• How do you feel about skip days? Sometimes I really value them. This past week, between Bodypump and Spinning, I hit my legs pretty hard and was super sore. It really helped to take a few days off to let them recover!
• What are your reset foods? I like to load up on veggies and lean protein.

Absent Minded Professor - WOTDs

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At my gym, there are lockers with keypads you can use to lock them. This means I can no longer just search for my lock and know that my stuff is inside... because all the locks look the same.

Earlier this week, I totally effed up and forgot where my stuff was. I mean, they all look the same. I had to get someone to let me into like five different lockers before we found my stuff. Pretty sure she thought I was some kind of gym locker bandit. 

Now, I have to resort to things like taking a picture on my phone of my locker number, or writing it in pen on my hand. Actually, the above picture is from when I signed up for a spinning bike and thought I'd forget what my number was. 

This is the story of my life... complicated theories? Got it down pat. Logic games? Nail it. Remembering a simple number? Impossible.

Wearing the same pants over and over? Check. Okay, no, I don't wear these Ellie camo workout capris every day... but I have worn them twice this week and taken a picture in almost the exact same pose. Time to throw those babies in the wash...

And finally, an awful "I just woke up, why the eff am I at the gym?" picture. This is real life, folks. Also, I was terribly pale in that picture. Don't worry. The situation has been remedied.

WORKOUTS OF THE WEEK:

Wednesday: Juice Cleanse, No Workout

Thursday: Juice Cleanse, No Workout

Friday: First day off Juice Cleanse, No Workout

Saturday: 20 Min Ab Work, Spin Class

Sunday: CXWORX (Ab Class)

Monday: Body By Science, Muscle Definition Weights Class

Tuesday: Pilates

Wednesday: 4 Mile Interval Run

I've put together a pretty awesome plan for the next few weeks. If you haven't noticed, I'm a huge planner, especially when it comes to food, workouts, and travel. Here's a sneak peak of what the tentative exercise regimen will be: Weights, Resistance, Cardio, Weights, Resistance, Cardio, Weights. 

The Pendulum Has Swung

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I know, I usually put up my Workouts-Of-The-Week post on Wednesday. I've been really busy, both at work (with a class on presenting for impact), and in regular, lovely life. #oops

Last week, I mentioned I'd been trying to diversify my workouts. It's like the pendulum swung so far into I-Love-Running territory that I'd forgotten anything else exists, and then it swung right back into No-Thanks-Running territory. So, you'll notice that I did not run even once in the past week. And you know what? I feel fine. In fact, I'm stronger and have more of what you might call tightness in my muscles, which I'm loving.

Wednesday: Pilates, 60 Minutes
This class was totally packed, but I stayed anyway. I did, however, vow to alter my schedule a bit to do Pilates on Tuesday or Friday mornings, when there are like 4 people, rather than Wednesday nights, when there are like 20.

Bodypump Wake-Up Call?

Thursday: Bodypump, 60 Minutes
I just... love... bodypump. It totally missed out by skipping it for a while and didn't even realize how much I was missing. Yes, waking up at 5:30 sucks sucks sucks sucks. But, being done with an amazing workout by 7am feels utterly amazing.

Set up for Barre Burn

Friday: Ballet Burn Class, 60 Minutes
I'm an awful dancer. I'm considering stopping this class simply because I feel bad forcing other people to watch me dance. Normal, human dancing = fine. Ballet dancing? No freaking clue what is going on. I also insisted on wearing shoes and was the only one. #loser

Saturday: TRX Class, 60 Minutes
Loved this! Can't wait to try another and post a review. Bodyweight training is the bomb.

TRX Class - Note the Hanging Things

Sunday: Active Rest - 9+ Miles of Walking
Yeah, we walked everywhere. Not much to say other than read this post on how I ended up walking almost 20 miles last weekend.

Monday: 30 Minute Cardio Circuit, Body By Science
I wanted to try a new cardio class and showed up a few minutes late but still went. It was awesome. We did a ton of jump roping and I ended up burning about 200 calories in that 30 minute class alone (which is HARD for me because I'm little, I guess?). After, my fiance and I did Body By Science. #sore

Tuesday: Pilates, 60 Minutes
Rolled into the early-morning-pilates again and yes, it was totally worth it. In life in general, I love large groups. With workout classes, not so much. So I loved how small this class was.

Wednesday: Stairmaster, 60 Minutes
I had missed a class I wanted to take, so I hopped on the Stairmaster with the book I'm reading for book club. 60 minutes later, I was drenched and happy.

Thursday: Bodypump, 60 Minutes
Victory. Another early wake-up call.

Early Bodypump Class & New Elle Clothing

QUESTIONS:

• Do you like taking group fitness classes? I obviously do after this week's summary! Sheesh. My favorite is probably Bodypump, but TRX and Pilates are giving it a serious run for its money.
• Have you ever tried a Bodypump, Pilates, or TRX classes? What'd you think? 

Diversifying Workouts - WOTDs

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Just like when you invest your money, diversifying workouts gives you the best returns. I think I did a pretty damn good job making that happen this week, for the most part. I did a hot pilates class at Mercury Method, a Bodypump class, a 6 mile run and abs class, a long bike ride, long run, aerobics, and a basic pilates class.

Does anyone else aim for diversity? I know it's hard to add diversity into your routine when you're training for something on the horizon, but from what I've read, it sounds like even people training for the marathon include different types of runs.  Let me know in the comments what kind of diversity you're adding this week!

Wednesday: 
PM Mercury Method "Strength" Class with Lara

As I predicted, I loved the Mercury Method classes even more when taught by their creator, Lara. She was very intentional about walking around and fixing our poses and postures. I was totally surprised when I got home and my calorie counter said I burned 352. Before, I was typically burning between 180-210 in these classes (though the real benefit, I think, is more muscular than mere calorie burn during the class). Granted, this 352 does include my walk back from the train, but that was only about a 10 minute walk. So, I was pretty impressed by the number.



Thursday:
AM Bodypump Class

Lawd, how hard it is for me to wake up at 5:30 for a 6:00 workout class. So difficult. But still, so rewarding. I hadn't been to Bodypump in probably about a month, so it felt really hard. Like, I felt like a total beginner again (almost). I'm pretty excited to go again tomorrow and see if I can build my strength back up.

Friday:
6 Mile Run and 30 Minute Abs Class

I mentioned that I haven't been running as much lately. I'll explain more about it later, but I realized that the frequent long runs were actually not making me look or feel any better. Instead, they were kind of depleting my nutrients and making me ravishingly hungry. So, I took a break, and am working them back in with more moderation. Friday's run was just short of 6 miles in just over 60 minutes, including a walking incline warm up and cool down, some basic tempo running, and some 8.5mph sprints. I paired it with an abs class that was pretty easy after the Mercury Method classes.



Saturday:
1 hour 40 minute Bike Ride

I had really wanted to take a spin class at the gym on Saturday, but after a leisurely breakfast, my fiance convinced me to take a long bike ride through the city to the lake. It was definitely a fun and interesting ride (still terrified by riding through traffic), but I didn't feel like I got nearly as much of a workout as a spin class would have afforded me. Total calorie burn rang in at 350. Lame.



Sunday:
1 hour walk with intermittent sprints

On a whim, we ended up driving out to the suburbs on Sunday for Church and Easter fun. By the time we got back home and finished some errands, it was kind of late. Instead of hitting the gym at 8pm we decided to go on a long walk. I went on a few sprints, but mostly just enjoyed a leisurely walk with my man and pup. It was pretty awesome.



Monday:
30 Minutes At-Home Cardio

This was honestly kind of lame of me. I got too tired for a real workout, so I simply did some fun aerobics while we watched The Americans. I created two circuits and did each of them twice, then called it a day.

Tuesday:
AM 60 Minute Pilates Class

For some reason, making it to a 6:30 class was much easier than the 6:00 time slot. I was thrilled that the class was pretty empty, so it was enjoyable. I got to watch the sun come up all the way during the class. Bingo. Reaganing. Winning. Duh.


Wednesday:
3 Mile Speed Run, 60 Minute Pilates Class

I'm planning to get to the gym a bit early to do a speed run and power it out. The pilates class I love and enjoy going to has now changed from a 45 minute class to a 60 minute class. Hey, more ab work for me! Can't complain.


QUESTIONS:

• Do you diversify your workouts?
• What's your favorite workout to do?

GRATITUDE:
Dear body,
Thanks for letting me try lots of different workouts. I'd appreciate it if you started responding to them, because you're awesome when you do that.
Love,
Carly

Getting Hot - Yeah, it's a Pun - WOTDs

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Guys, I got really hot this week. Yeah, that's right - I'm punny this morning.

Nonsense aside, this week was way different than my normal workouts. In fact, if you were to compare it to previous WOTD posts, you'd think I were a different person. Why? I didn't run once.

Workouts for the week! Never mind "At Home DVD," because there was no DVD involved... just dance moves.

Wednesday

Skip

Despite having the best intentions to start my Mercury Method deal last Wednesday, I just couldn't kick whatever cold or virus was attacking me. I ended up eating almost a whole pizza and sleeping all day. Seems fair, right?

Thursday

Self-Guided Cardio - 45Minutes

Wearing a heart rate monitor, I burned about 400 calories in my living room just jumping around and... well, dancing. My fiance and I were watching The Americans and I grabbed a jump rope, put my shoes on, and started moving. Not the fancy, fluid, perfect moves of a Zumba instructor. No, this was much more... uh... raw. I was pretty much doing it Liz Lemon style...

Friday

Mercury Method "Strength" Class [Instructed by Natalie]

I finally started my 6 Day Mercury Method deal on Friday and it was... well, glorious. As it turns out, I'm pretty sure that this Strength class I started with is my least favorite of the three classes they offer. That's by no means an indication of how bad this class is... just an indication of how great the others are. Also, this instructor has a beautiful British accent. Doing a workout in almost a hundred degrees while being told what to do by a Brit? #Reaganing

Super Red-Faced thanks to The Mercury Method

Saturday

Mercury Method "Stamina" Class [Instructed by Meredith]

On Saturday, I tried Mercury Method's "Stamina" class and thoroughly enjoyed it. I took a "Before" picture with the intention of taking an "After," but my brain was in such a calm state after this class that I didn't even remember to take one.

Yeah, I was that girl who takes a selfie in the bathroom.

Sunday

Mercury Method "Control" Class [Instructed by Jacob]

So far, this was my absolute favorite class. I was extremely sweaty, but three glasses of wine the night before and too much coffee the morning of could also have contributed to the sweat. My body was in serious detox mode.

I've mentioned a few times that I'll be doing a Mercury Method review... and I know you're probably thinking "Aren't you pretty much doing that now?" Well, the answer is no, I'm not. I actually have a bit more detail about the classes and the instructors to share later, once I've tried them all (I have yet to try the instructor who designed these classes, Lara - that's today's class). So... wait for it.

Anyway, Jacob was insanely helpful and walked around correcting form and fixing posture and making sure everyone was kicking their own ass. It was perfect and I left extremely satisfied.

Monday

Mercury Method "Control" Class [Instructed by Natalie]

After loving Control on Sunday, I was pretty pumped to go back to Control on Monday. It was the only time I could make, so I didn't have much of a choice, but I figured it would do double duty on my abs. It did not disappoint. I was on fire.

Tuesday

Ab Ripper X

We had a Potluck with a group of other engaged couples at our church, so I didn't have time to hit up Mercury Method. I got home at about 4:30 and we had to leave by 5:45, so I busted out an Ab Ripper X video (courtesy of P90X) and finished prepping what we were bringing (Chickpea-based Cookie Dough Dip).

Wednesday

Mercury Method "Strength" Class [Instructed by Lara]

I'm pretty pumped to go back to Mercury Method today, because I will finally be taking a class from Lara. She's the badass who opened this place and designed the workouts, so I'm expecting it to be even more amazing with her at the helm (yeah, Lara, if you're reading this... get pumped! and be nice to my wrists...).

What about YOU?

• Have you ever tried "Hot" room workouts? What did you think of them?
• Have you ever used a limited time deal to kick start your workout regimen?

  
AND NOW FOR THAT GOOD OLE' GRATEFULNESS:
Dear Body,
Thanks for not only being 'okay' when I totally change things up on you, but for actually responding WELL to it. You make me want to be a better... man. Err. Woman.
Love, 
Carly

Wardrobe Malfunctions and Rest Days - WOTDs

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Last week, I was competing in a Hackathon at work (wrote about it slightly here), so my brain was all over the place. It was so hectic, between Hackathon stuff and Engagement Party stress, that I was pretty worried about my workout schedule. After all, I had to fit into a pretty tight dress. The stakes were high. Dun dun dunnn.

 

Everything ended up working out (hah, pun intended?), but not without some scheduling on my part. I can change my work schedule as long as I get stuff done, so Tuesday and Wednesday, I worked 7-330, and then 730-4 on Thursday. It was kind of brutal at first, but I ended up liking it so much that I'm doing it again this week. Lesson learned - the good kind! :)

WEDNESDAY: Upper Body Weights Routine (45min), Pilates (45min)
This is pretty much a Wednesday-Usual. But, I did arrive at the gym a bit earlier than normal, so I was able to do even more upper body weights than I typically do. Wedding shoulders, here I come!

I was running out of exercise clothes (my laundry is currently haunting me, but I still don't feel like doing it - why?), so I threw on some tight running/biking shorts with one of my fiance's plain white T's on top. This is a horrible outfit for running - but for lifting weights and yoga, it wasn't bad.

THURSDAY: 30 Minute Stairmaster, CXWORX (30min)
I got home from work and got ready to hit the gym with Justin. I decided to take it easier on my joints and did the Stairmaster for 30 minutes instead of running. Then, I did a CXWORX class that was pretty weird.

There was a girl in this class that was ME. Like, almost to a "T." She was the same height, same build, same dark0brown-hair-plopped-on-top-of-her-head. Same color eyes, same lack of makeup. We even stood next to each other and made some of the same faces in the mirror as we worked out (embarrassing? I think not!). She also had on an engagement ring. No wedding band. IS THIS AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE? Okay, probably not. But still, it was weird. In all of my distraction and pondering of The Matrix, I failed to snap a pic. #oops


FRIDAY: 45 Minute Run, Ballet Burn (45min)
I got to the gym in time for a 45 minute run before the Ballet Burn class I had really enjoyed the week before. I was honestly very excited for it. My run had gone well, and I was pretty pumped to "feel the burn," so to speak.

Unfortunately, things went downhill from there. [Now begins the rant] Instead of the bubbly red headed instructor who was sweet as hell from the week before, we had a sub - a really harsh, loud drill sergeant. Good for Bootcamp? Probably. Good for Ballet? Hell no. This was honestly one of the worst classes of my life. Nothing was particularly difficult since we only did each move like 4-8 times before moving on. The real burn in ballet burn class is when you repeat a move until the muscle cramps... no cramps here. On top of that, her mic was up so loud that she was screaming at us. Like, I plugged my ears a few times. The entire class, I debated leaving, but felt too bad (people pleaser? yes) so I stuck it out. [Now ends the rant]

Ultimately, I'm just really grateful that I had built in time to go to the gym early for a run. I left work at 3, so I had more than enough time to squeeze it in before the 4:45 class. If I hadn't done that, I think I would have left the gym very discouraged.



SATURDAY: 4.5 Mile Run (40min), Cardio Boxing Circuit
In anticipation of the day's festivities, I squeezed in a solid 4 and a half mile run and a cardio boxing circuit before my hair appointment. I worked out in my parents' basement, which can occasionally be creepy because the treadmill faces away from the rest of the unfinished part of the basement (so, in theory, I couldn't see a serial killer come up behind me). Good thing there weren't any serial killers lounging around down there.



SUNDAY: Rest Up
I seriously needed a rest day after the Engagement Party. I ate almost a whole "White" pizza from our very favorite Coalfire, and Justin and I lounged around and watched the movie Couples Retreat. #WorthIt

MONDAY: Yep, still resting.
Between Daylight Savings and recovering from the party, my fiance and I both felt like H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks. So, we took another rest-day and finished watching Harry Potter. Yet again... #WorthIt

TUESDAY: Slow 9 Mile Run (took me like 1:40)
I honestly still felt like I was easing back into it yesterday. You would have thought I would be super fresh and energized after two days off... not the case. It's like I was injured or sick or something. My body is just tired.

I had a total wardrobe malfunction at the gym that ended up being totally humorous and awesome. Basically, I've been spoiled by the Nike running pants and capris that my fiance bought me. So, when those were dirty (remember that heaping, haunting pile of laundry? yeah... still growing), I grabbed another pair of yoga capris from my drawer and packed them for my run.

Proof that I'm spoiled now? Within two minutes of putting these other pants on, I was miserable. The seams on the inside of the pants were super itchy and I only got a few minutes on the treadmill before freaking out and hopping off. What's a girl to do? Head to the locker room and flip them inside-out. Yes, seriously. I borrowed scissors from the front desk to cut my tag off, then went on my merry way running on a treadmill with my pants on inside-out. #NoShame

Evidence of Tag-Cutting

WEDNESDAY: Full Body Weights, BBS
Today is actually going to shape up to be an atypical Wednesday workout. My brother is taking the train in from the suburbs (he's home from Ohio State for break). We're going to head to the gym from downtown, but I'm not planning to ditch him for Pilates, so we'll see what happens.

Questions:

• Any workout wardrobe malfunctions? How did you deal with it?
• How do you typically feel after taking rest-days?

And now for that gratefulness I've been practicing:
Dear God,
Thanks for helping me find humorous solutions to wardrobe malfunctions. Janet Jackson would be proud. It's all in the attitude, not the circumstances - thanks for the reminder.
Love, Carly

Movie Watching on the Treadmill and other WOTDs

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Last week was a lazy week, so this week I made up for it. Mostly. 

I also ate a lot of cheese and bought some delicious ice cream sandwiches. So we should probably just call it a wash :)

Wednesday

30 Minutes Weights (Arms, Shoulders), 45 Minutes Pilates
I think I've almost perfected my arms and shoulders routine. It's basically a circuit of exercises that build on each other, so that there is no break in between and you don't put down your weights for about 7 minutes of arm exercises. I end up having some serious burning going on afterward.

Also, why do I love Pilates so much? Lawd, it makes me happy.



Thursday
60 Minutes BodyPump
I am so not a morning person, so any time I make it to the gym for 6am Bodypump, I feel like a freaking rock star all day. This time, I totally overloaded my weights for almost every exercise, so I not only felt like a rock star, but also felt like a tightly wound rubber band all day.
Ready. To. Snap. Is it bad that I loved it?


Friday
45 Minutes Weights 

Saturday
9.3 Mile Run
I woke up on Saturday morning knowing I had a full day that would start around 11. Still, I was determined to get in a long run. My arbitrary number was 9 miles, so I set out to make it happen.

I watched most of the movie "This Means War" on a treadmill. I warmed up, did mile 1 at 6.0, mile 2 at 6.5, mile 3 at 7.0, mile 4 at 7.5, mile 5 at sprint intervals between 8.5 and 6


...followed by this delicious beast:



Sunday
Rest
For some reason, it's hard for me to take skip days. I have to sit there and rationalize it with myself. After the insane (for me!) run the day before, I decided I owed it to myself.

Monday
4.8 Mile Run, Body By Science
I used to take a weights class before Body By Science, but lately, I've just been running. HBO wasn't working on my iPad, so I watched a bit of The Mindy Project and I don't know what else, and ended up ringing in at just shy of 5m by the time my fiance arrived.

Then, Body By Science. I upped my weight on almost every exercise. I'm still really excited about the leg press. I upped my weight to 210, but still feel like I could have done more. It's crazy what your legs will let you do!

Tuesday
30 Minute Tempo Run, Arms/Shoulders/Abs Weights
I was so tired yesterday afternoon. I walked slowly to the gym and spent a solid ten minutes just changing my shoes and putting on my heart rate monitor (I had already changed into my running clothes before leaving work). I was just feeling really slow and sluggish, for some reason (read: I ate too many pecans. Can this make you cranky and slow? I'm going with yes).

I got on the treadmill and watched the last 15 minutes of "This Means War," with Reese Witherspoon, which I watched most of during my long run on Saturday. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but I guess it was cute. Still think she chose the wrong guy! After that, I tried to start the movie Wanderlust, with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, but just wasn't feeling it. Wop wop. Cranky.

For some reason, this workout just didn't go well. I was in a bad mood and couldn't shake it. Then, after a pretty short 30m run, I hopped off and tried to do some weights. Still cranky. Not sure what it was, but hopefully today will be better...

Wednesday
9 Mile Run

A Lazy Week - WOTDs

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I checked out a new dentist office yesterday. I had a semi emergency surgery last fall, when my wisdom teeth randomly decided to come in without warning me with any pain. My back molar is sort of tipped/twisted/moved over from that, so I figured I should hit up a dentist.

I tried White, on Chicago Ave. It's in the West Town / Noble Square area, and is my new favorite place. Ever. The lounge is totally modern and fancy, and I got to watch none other than HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL as my teeth were cleaned. Are you kidding me? I'm totally sold.


ANYWAY, now on to... Workouts!
On to workouts... this week has been a bit light for me. I started a new medication that is leaving my stomach feeling a little off, and I've been much busier than average. Those two elements added up to leave me with less hours logged in the fitness realm. I'll be back on the horse this week.

Wednesday
45 Minutes Pilates
I still love this class with the fire of a thousand suns.

Thursday
6 mile (60 minutes) run, 30 minute bike ride
I had a nice long run while watching some show on Netflix about wedding planning in New York (I think it's called Wedded To Perfection?). The show makes me pumped for my wedding yet insanely stressed about it at the same time, which is somehow perfect for running. I do my best running under just a bit of stress, I think? Normal?



Friday
Rest
Justin and I had planned to hit up the gym for a nice run, but then plans changed a bit. My parents dropped off their puppy, FatBooty (fine, you can call her Rena if that sounds offensive, but trust me, she loves it). Once FatBooty was there, we just wanted to relax and play. With a pup this cute, can you blame us?

Saturday
Full body weights, 1 hour Spinning Class 
To make up for Friday's skip, we did double duty on Saturday. We arrived for our spin class about an hour early, signed up for our bikes, and then did some serious weight lifting. I started with the new armsandshoulders routine I've been perfecting, then moved on to just about everything else.

 



Sunday
5 mile (45 minutes) run, 15 minutes rowing, Abs
The rowing machine is weird, and this was my first time on this one. I'm not sure how I feel about it -- I kind of just feel like a dork who's about to fall on her butt.

I'm also still in a bit of pain from this ab machine. I did three 45 second sets at 90lbs, then moved on for a while, and then came back to it a bit later and did it again. I'm just now getting over the deep pain I caused myself. Humph.



Monday
Skip
I told you this was a lazy week, right? Well, on Monday, I had to work fairly early, and then I met my friend Emily at J. Crew for some Bridesmaids Dress Shopping and dinner. That meant no workout for the day. I don't regret it :) It was some much needed fun time.

Tuesday
Skip
I woke up early to try to get a run in, but my stomach was having some issues. I felt really sick and ended up just sitting on the couch drinking coffee, kind of staring into space. Oh well. I think my body needed a bit of recovery, and I'm hoping that I'll be back in full force after resting Friday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Wednesday
Shoulders/Arms and Abs Weight Training, Pilates
I'm looking forward to feeling the burn with some of my fave weight exercises, then cursing myself for 45 minutes during Pilates.

Just kidding. Somehow, despite how difficult Pilates can be and the burn I always feel in my core, I am never angry during! HOW DO YOU DO IT, ANNA?!

Your turn...

• What justifies an unplanned rest day for you? 
• Do you ever feel bad about it, or do you expect that it will give you more excitement when you get back in the game?

Power of Intention and Personal Records - WOTDs

Tweet this!
I just realized that I'm wearing the same black shirt in half of these pictures (okay, like two, but still). I swear I am not insanitary (and everyone knows you really can't re-use the moisture wicking shirts -- they just soak up sweat and reek anyway). I promise I did my laundry and washed this shirt... multiple times in one week... I have just been throwing it into every load I run... excuses excuses...

I don't care. I love it.



Wednesday
Arms/Shoulders Weights Training, 45min Pilates Class
Word of the day: Peace
I've been trying to focus some of my weight training on my arms and shoulders. It wasn't a focus area of mine in the past, but now that I'm looking forward to a wedding dress late this summer, it has become more important. I also am incorporating a lot more back work.



Thursday
5.5 Mile Run
Word(s) of the day: Runner's high
I did a long run on my lunch break, and it was pretty much amazing. I'm a total nerd, so I finished the last episode in the World Without End miniseries on Netflix. Stop judging me :)

This run was pretty good. I have not historically been a huge runner, and when I was somewhat into running, I rarely got above 5 miles, so this 5.5 at a somewhat decent pace was very uplifting.



Friday
2.5 Mile Run, 30 Minute CXWORX (Abs Class)
Word of the day: Sleepyhead
Oh man, no matter what I do, it's hard to make it to the gym before work. The abs class is at 630, so I typically try to make it to the gym by 6 to get in about 30 minutes of cardio before the class. Lately, my fiance has been joining me for this Friday morning routine, which has been a total treat!

Occasionally, I skip the morning cardio and head to the gym for an afternoon session, but I wanted to be all gussied up and ready for our double date that night, so I stuck with the morning routine.

Saturday
6 Mile Run
Word of the day: Netflix
My fiance was extremely sick on Saturday, so I headed over to the gym all alone and left the poor guy at home in bed. After my 5.5 mile run on Thursday, I was feeling pretty inspired to try to up the ante a bit. And, particularly because I was proud of myself for drinking enough water and taking enough vitamins to hit the gym after a night of drinking, I felt like taking on the world treadmill.

I'm pretty ADHD about running, so I have to have some good old TV to watch. But, the gym TV stations don't quite do it for me. I hate running through long commercial breaks (I'm looking at you, Kardashians. Why are your TV shows like 60% commercials?), and I want my shows on demand, so I stick to my iPad. As a result, this was the day I fell in love with the Mindy Project.



Sunday
200 Push Ups
Word of the day: Lazy
My fiance was still feeling sick, so we had a pretty lazy Sunday. We had a Homeland marathon and I did 20 push ups in a row at the beginning of each episode. This wasn't a huge feat by any means, and part of me feels like it doesn't deserve to be considered a workout, since I broke it up into so many pieces... but it definitely did some work on my arms, abs, and upper back/shoulders, because I felt it the next day. Thumbs up.

Monday
Body By Science (Weight Training) + Shoulders, Back, and Abs Weight Training
Word(s) of the day: Feel the burn
My fiance and I did our typical Body By Science weight lifting routine, but beforehand, I hit my shoulders and arms pretty hard. I'm planning to share an arms and shoulders routine I've been crafting that uses multiple exercises to burn out a few muscle groups, but that's for another day.

I also had a leg press PR during the last set of Body By Science, and lifted 190lbs on the Leg Press. I was mighty proud. It's nothing compared to my fiance's 720lbs (he's super tall a giant and has a strong lower body), but whatever.



Tuesday
8 Mile Run
Word of the day: Accomplishment
Okay, so technically, this run was just over 7.9 miles. I was in kind of a time crunch because my fiance had to pick me up to go get ready and head over to our church for a pre-marriage class we are taking, so I pushed it till the very moment I had to get off the treadmill.

I watched a few episodes of The Mindy Project, but then Hulu Plus started bugging out around 4 and a half miles, and I was starting to feel tired. So, I switched to Netflix and put on The Secret. Justin and I have been obsessed with it lately, and it was really the perfect Pick-Me-Up to get me inspired for the rest of my run.

I'm pretty sure this is a personal record for distance for me. I know a lot of you are intense runners and have run marathons and all that jazz... but for me, this is a big deal. Since being slide tacked in Soccer my Freshman year of High School, I've had a bizarre pain in the lower, outer side of my left knee that tends to flare up around mile 4. It was impressive to be making it to 5 and 6 miles earlier this week, so making it to (almost) 8 was kind of mind blowing. The power of intention and positive thinking! During my run, I just kept saying "my legs feel fine" and "thank you for such a comfortable run," etc. And it worked! This was my second PR this week, so I think I'm on a roll.



Wednesday
Plans: 30 Minute Arms/Shoulders/Upper Back Weights, 45 Minutes Pilates
Word(s) of the day: Good Vibrations
After watching The Secret, I've been working on the way my inner dialogue works. I'm sure I'll entertain you with a whole story later, but basically, I've been changing my thoughts from worrying about whether I'll have a good workout to simply telling myself that it will be awesome and being grateful in advance for that.
So, my plan for today is to rock my upper body and then do my favorite Pilates class.