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.

This Week's Workout Schedule

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Another week in the books, yall. I'm calling it a success. I'm gearing up for my bachelorette weekend, which involves some clothing I am rather excited about (not to mention... SHOES!). Stay posted for a photo dump.

WEDNESDAY: AM Cardio

I'm not going to lie to you here, I have no idea what I did on Wednesday. I know that I followed my plan, and my calendar just has "AM Cardio" from 6-7am. Other than that, I am clueless. 

Obligatory "Hot Room, Legs and Towel" Picture. Wonder if Lara is sick of me taking these yet!

THURSDAY: AM Bodypump, PM Runner's High @ The Mercury Method

For some reason (read: went out to dinner the night before, so I was probably on a carb overload -ALSO I SAW MICHAEL JORDAN, which I've mentioned 8124 times), Bodypump was a breeze on Thursday morning. I upped my weight on almost everything, but still felt like I hadn't worked that hard. Bizarre, because usually, I feel like I'm going to die during Bodypump.

So, in the afternoon, I hit up a Runner's High class at my favorite new spot, The Mercury Method. The class is geared at stretching and strengthening the big and tiny parts of your body that contribute to running. One of my coworkers is a runner and mentioned that even attending just one of these classes had significantly improved her pace, so with the Run for Boston 5k coming up, I figured I'd give it a try. IT. WAS. AWESOME. 

FRIDAY: Skip Day

I took the train up to the suburbs for my mamasita's birthday, so I decided to not only take a day off, but also eat a ton of food and have a few cocktails. Seems like a good idea before a race, right?  I'm only partially serious...

I didn't turn my Heart Rate Monitor off immediately after crossing the finish line, because I continued to move around and wanted to get an accurate idea of how many calories I burned by running a 5k, just for future reference (Priorities...). It ended up being about 350. Not particularly impressive.

SATURDAY: Run for Boston 5k
My actual time for the 5k was 23:23, which is awesome given my encounter with Michael Jordan on Wednesday night. Oh, and also awesome given that it's a PR. #Winning

In all honesty, I'm not sure if it was a fluke or what. I run somewhat frequently (maybe 2ish times per week), but I don't train for races because I have a serious case of what I like to call "Workout ADHD." My running consists of...

• 3-4 mile runs with my dog which are taken at a leisurely pace
• 4-7 mile runs at the gym while catching up on TV shows (read: trying to watch Game of Thrones without exposing the entire gym to a nude scene)
• Leisurely 15 minute runs (no idea on distance) to/from my classes at The Mercury Method

I definitely have the race bug after this last race - as soon as I crossed the finish line, I started strategizing on the next weekend I could run, and am planning on an 8k, 10k, and possibly a half-marathon (don't hold me to that, I have ADD, remember?!). That said, I refuse to follow a training plan, at least over the summer, so we'll see what happens.

I am obsessed with a water bottle. Is this normal? #Halp

SUNDAY: Bodypump & CXWORX

This is so very quickly becoming my favorite workout day of the week. It's awful and lasts forever, but I feel so solid and accomplished afterward. 

Also, check out my cute new water bottle! It's glass (with a silicone casing), which I am loving because it seems safer but also tastes much better. This picture doesn't quite capture its neon orange color. My fiance made me choose the neon orange instead of neon pink because "Orange is a Dutch color." Note: It's pretty much the same as the BKR (at the same price), but it holds 19.5oz instead of 16oz and it's skinnier in my bag, which I needed for commuting to work/gym.

MONDAY: 5 Mile Run + 20 Minute Stairmaster
I got on the treadmill with the goal of watching The Bachelorette, only to realize that it's set for "Web only viewing" on Hulu, so I couldn't watch it on my iPad. I considered downloading ABC's app, but was working with about 18% battery (If you fail to plan ahead, you plan to fail? Not me!). I ended up watching an episode of Modern Family and then something else I can't remember.

TUESDAY: Pilates & Shoulder Burn Out

This is becoming a usual, as well. I love walking out of a pilates class with sore shoulders! Post-workout-green-smoothie totally happened.

WEDNESDAY: Runner's High Class @ The Mercury Method

Happening tonight... we'll see!

What about you?

• Do you plan all of your workouts in advance or do you go with the flow? I have a few days per week that have turned into a plan (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday), but the rest of the time, I just see how it goes.
• Do you run most days of the week, or just a few like me? 

Werkin It Out

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I went to DSW on my lunch break yesterday in search of a new clutch. No dice. What did I end up doing? Trying on a badass pair of heels. 

Are these considered a weapon? 

I was so tempted to buy them and wear them for my bachelorette party weekend, which is coming up this month. But that's when I realized: I already have a few badass pairs of heels that I haven't had a reason to wear yet. I guess it's time to bust those babies out.

Time to work those calf muscles...

Just because it's creepy looking doesn't mean you have to judge.

Wednesday: 15 minute Elliptical, 30 minute Treadmill

On Tuesday night, I had my first dress fitting for my wedding gown. Because I was out in the 'burbs, I ended up having dinner with my mom and sister and just crashing at my parents' house. In the morning, I finished watching The Bachelorette (seriously, when you watch it on Hulu, there are so many commercials that it's just like watching it live). After about 30 minutes, when I was on the treadmill, my mom came down and hopped on the elliptical next to me. It was too cute.

My "5:30 is too early for a wakeup call" face.

Thursday: Bodypump 

I've been recording my Bodypump weights in a note on my phone. Ever since I started doing that about a month ago, I've been able to increase my weights in almost everything. I also now feel like a badass because I'm pumping more weights than almost everyone in the class. Lesson: You can lift more than you think.

I just take notes of how much I lifted, and how I felt. Then, when I'm loading up my bar for each track, I reference my notes. If last time was easy, I increase the weight. If it was "good," I typically increase there, too. If it was "good/hard," I leave it put. And if it was "very hard" (or sometimes just "FML!"), I might drop it down so I don't injure myself. That's my basic method right now.

And yes, this was followed by the Mean Green Post-Workout Smoothie.

Red in the face = happy runner

Friday: 7 mile run

I have a love/hate relationship with long runs (Note: Some of you think 7 miles constitutes a "short" run. You're super heroes. I'm not). When I am in the habit of making my runs last a long time, I enjoy them... but it makes me hungry angry hangry if I do too many of them in one week. I'm currently experimenting with eliminating gluten from my diet (more on that later - I started having allergic reactions to gluten - boo), so it's hard to find much that satisfies me, because all I want is a pretzel bun or pizza. I'm trying to incorporate longish runs about once a week, so that I keep my endurance but don't over-do it on my joints (or appetite).

Hot class + Hot outside = Lose the soaking wet shirt, woman.

Saturday: 20 minute run to The Mercury Method, Barre Fly Class, 20 minute run home

I used to either drive to The Mercury Method if it was an early 6am class, or have my fiance drop me off and pick me up if it was a later one (there is limited parking in the area). Lately, I've started running to the class. It's perfect because a 20 minute run gets my heart rate up, which keeps it a bit higher during the entire hot workout (it's 98+ degrees! yikes). Then, my run home tends to be part run, part cool down walk, depending on how exhausted I am from the class.

CXWORX tools

Sunday: Bodypump, CXWORX

Back to Bodypump. I love you so much, Les Mills.

I was also super excited for the CXWORX class. I used to go fairly regularly and saw great results, so I'm trying to keep this part of my Sunday routine. Thank God they're both in the same room and one right after the other! Makes it so easy on me.

Monday: 40 minute run

I had a pretty lame run on Monday night. I was major struggle town and alternated between a 6mph jog and a 4mph walk on a high (8-12) incline. I was in a bad mood and there was a lot of "Debbie Downer" talk going on in my head, and I'm convinced that those were the culprits. 

Shoulder Burn-Out in Solitude in the Pilates/Yoga room

Tuesday: 60 minute Pilates class, Shoulder burn out

After the 60 minute pilates class, I did a shoulder burn out routine. Basically, I start with 10 lb weights and do a variety of shoulder exercises. When 10lbs is too much, I drop it down to 8lb. Finally, after I can't do that, I drop it to 5lb. It ends up with totally burned out shoulders and only takes 5ish minutes. Refueled with some protein after that.

Wednesday: We'll see!

My plan was: 20 minute run to The Mercury Method, Control Class, 20 minute run home. But, there's apparently supposed to be a crazy awful storm until later on, so I'm not sure if that will be do-able. I may end up doing my own workout in the apartment, just to avoid being struck by lightning. 

Workout Wednesday and A Sneak Peak of Me in White

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It's Wednesday again, folks! After an eventful evening of dress fitting in the suburbs (there were some issues... that's all I'll say...), I'm back in Chicago!

While I'm obviously not about to share any images of my dress, here's a little sneak peak from the fitting appointment:

That robe is so freaking comfy. I want it in a million colors. I want to live in it.

Anyway... workout time.

Pre-class. You use a wooden bar in 98+ degree heat.

Wednesday

30+ Minutes Running

Barre Fly Class @ The Mercury Method

My plan for Wednesday was to head over the The Mercury Method to try out one of their new classes. I ended up coming from home, so I ran over (takes about 17 minutes, so precise). I was worried that I'd be late, so I had to run pretty quickly and my heart was PUMPING by the time I got there. That translated to a high heart rate during the entire class. By the time I got out, I was exhausted and could hardly run jog walk home.

Marry Me!

The class, itself, was pretty intense. It incorporates a bit of dancing, a lot of abs, and a lot of arms. As it turns out, I must have been pulling the bar too far back, because I actually injured the area around my sternum (it happens to me in Bodypump if I have lazy form on the chest fly). I was in pretty severe pain during the night on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Tisk tisk. Bad Carly.

Thursday
30 Minutes Stairmaster
15 Minute Dog Run
I usually do BodyPump on Thursday mornings, but after spending most of the night unable to sleep because of the aforementioned chest pain, I decided it wasn't worth it to wake up at 5:30 for a hard weights workout. Instead, I did a pretty painless stairmaster workout on my lunch break, and also took the dog for a short run before getting ready to meet my parents for our menu tasting.

Friday
15 Minute Interval Sprints
15 Minutes Abs
60 Minute Spin Class
On Friday, I tried my first Friday afternoon Spin Class. I was slightly worried but ended up LOVING it. It felt so good to get out of a class at 6:50 and be so worked out. I walked home afterward and made my fiance and I a delicious meal of lemon and pepper salmon with a side of broccoli. #YUM

Saturday
Skip
After having some bad pain in my sternum/chest area on Friday night/Saturday morning, I decided to forgo a workout. Plus, I had lots of exciting wedding meetings!

Sweaty hair post-Bodypump-and-CXWORX

Sunday
BodyPump (60 Minutes)
CXWORX (30 Minutes)
Sunday is fast becoming one of my favorite workout days of the week. Once I realized there were back to back BodyPump and CXWORX classes, I was sold. They're in the same room at the gym, so I don't even have to do any work or hustle to get to the next one.

Monday
Muscle Definition (60 Minutes)
I went to a muscle definition class that was pretty fun. The trainer does his own music mixes and it was pretty awesome. Like taking a class to clubbing music. Lots of energy.

Let's go, pup.

Tuesday
30 Minute Run
I had to get to work pretty early, so I didn't have a lot of time in the morning to make a workout happen. I ended up just taking the dog for a run. We went about 4 miles in 30 minutes, which felt like a decent workout because I'm still kind of new to running outside so it always works new muscles in my legs than the treadmill.

If you're ever wondering why I take my dog on a lot of my outdoor runs, it is for two reasons. First, she makes me feel VERY safe. I feel like I can run through any neighborhood because, if anyone tried to mess with me, she would protect me. Second, I cannot explain how happy it makes her to be taken on a run - which in turn makes me so happy. Her smile throughout the run makes me want to run more. This picture, taken ten minutes after getting back from a run, should explain it all...

I love you, I love you, Yes I do, Yes I do.

Wednesday
20 Minutes Stairmaster
20 Minute Run
I slept at my parents' house in the suburbs on Tuesday night, because I had been up there to have my first dress fitting. I have to catch a 7:05 train to make it to work on time, so I got up at 5:15 (ouch) for a run in the basement.

The unfinished part of my parents' basement is where the elliptical and treadmill are. It's kind of scary and makes me feel like someone's going to sneak up on me and try to kill me. Seriously. It's sometimes a huge distraction and I find myself looking over my shoulder.

Nothing an episode of The Bachelorette can't fix, though!

You're creepy.

What about you?

• Do you ever find yourself having weird pain after new workouts?
• How many skip days do you typically have per week?

Variation Station

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I have my bridal dress fitting this upcoming Tuesday! I'm so excited to see the dress again, try it on, and see how it will look when it truly fits. In anticipation, I'm trying to stay consistent with my workouts and follow some kind of plan instead of the "seeing what happens" approach I sometimes take. 

This week was pretty varied. I included a few runs (mostly short runs with my dog), Bodypump (weights), TRX (body weight resistance), Pilates, hot Pilates, Ballet Barre Burn, and Spinning. As far as variation goes, I made it happen.

For those of you who are worried about my dog on a long run: yes, we take many breaks. Mostly sniffing breaks.

Wednesday: 45 Minute Interval Run

Thursday: Bodypump (60 Minutes) + 30 Minute Stairmaster Sprint

Friday: TRX Class (60 Minutes) + 60 Minute Run w/ the dog

Saturday: Hot Pilates Class (60 Minutes) @ The Mercury Method

Sunday: 60 Minutes Barre Burn Class (awful) + 60 Minute Run w/ the dog

           -Oh my gosh this class was awful, boring, and really not a workout at all. I had to take my dog on a run/walk afterward just to blow off some steam at how frustrating it was being stuck in a 60 minute long class that felt like a waste of my time. 

Monday: Spinning Class (60 Minutes) + Bodypump (60 Minutes)

           -I had all the time in the world on Monday, because my fiance was taking a practice GMAT, so I had like 4 hours to kill before we could do anything together. I ended up taking two classes and then cooking a bunch of food. Sounds about right.

Tuesday: Pilates Class (30 Minutes) + 20 Minutes Stairmaster

Wednesday: 60 Minute "Barre Fly" Class @ The Mercury Method

            -I haven't taken this class yet, so I'm slightly nervous because it is arm-focused and that is not my strong suit. Here's hoping I can make it through the class tonight without dropping something!

Question:

What about you? How much variation do you get in your workouts?

Workout Regimens are Always Tentative

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Last week, I shared my tentative fitness plan. Well, you know what they say. The best laid plans of mice and (wo)men... often go awry when you're having fun?

I actually didn't stray too far from the plan, but there were a few deviations. On Saturday, instead of Spinning, I did a leisurely 4 mile run. I was in recovery mode. You know why...

Then, instead of taking a Muscle Definition Class on Monday, I opted for a 3 mile walk/run because my sister was in the city for an interview. How can you not hang out with your sissy? Not possible. So, instead of going to the class, we had hummus and salads in the beer garden at Grandview Tavern.

Other than that, I think I pretty much nailed it.

Wednesday: 3.5 mile interval run
Thursday: Bodypump (60 minutes), 15 minute Stairmaster Sprint, Body by Science (BBS)
Friday: Mercury Method Hot Pilates Class ("Control" class, 60 minutes)
Saturday: 4 mile run
Sunday: Bodypump (60 minutes), CXWorx (30 minutes ab class)
Monday: 3 mile walk/run
Tuesday: Pilates (60 minutes), 3 mile run
Wednesday: Treadmill HIIT, 4 mile total run

Some thoughts... I apparently have done a lot of short runs this week. I'm not exactly sure why or how they slipped in there, but 3-4 miles seems to be my go-to. It's easy to squeeze that amount of time in, I guess.

Also... I love bodypump. Planning to post later about how I've managed to increase my weight, but let me just say... you can always do more than you think.

QUESTIONS:

• Do you set an exercise schedule in advance or just wing it?
• Have you ever tried Bodypump or another weights class?

Technological Malfunction (and Workout Schedule)

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It's been an interesting week in workouts. Other than the pictures I posted in my review of TRX classes, I only have one picture from this past week of workouts:

I'm trying to be positive here, but there is one thing that has been driving me nuts during my workouts. My Polar Heartrate monitor just flat out stops working. In the middle of a workout, it will suddenly show "00" for my heartrate (obviously wrong) or will say "Check heart rate transmitter!"

The monitor and strap? The strap is definitely too big, and tends to slide around a lot despite being on its smallest setting. But, if I am on a machine, the machine still picks up the data from my heart rate strap, even when the watch is showing no data. This leads me to believe that the culprit is not, in fact, the strap, but is instead the watch, itself.

So, what the hell is going on with this thing? It is so insanely frustrating to be in the middle of a workout class and have my heart rate monitor malfunction not once but twice in just a 30 minute class. Argh. Hence, I've taken no pictures of my workouts the last few days because I spend an unreasonable amount of time wondering if something is going to malfunction.

HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE?

Okay, moving on. Deep breaths. Chill out, Carly. Done and done. Here are my workouts for this week... (picking up just before I left off, since last week's workout post was on Thursday).

Wednesday: 60 Minute Stairmaster
Thursday: Bodypump Class, 60 Minutes
Friday: TRX Class, 60 Minutes
Saturday: Active rest - about 9 miles of walking
Sunday: Active rest - about 9 miles of walking
Monday: Extreme Cardio Class, 30 Minutes; 15 Minute Stairmaster Sprint; Body By Science
Tuesday: Pilates Class, 60 Minutes
Wednesday: (Planned) 4 Mile Run, Upper Body Weights

QUESTIONS:

• Do you use a heart rate monitor or other fitness tracking equipment? Does it ever malfunction? Obviously, I'm having this problem. Hopefully, I can get in touch with Polar and resolve it.

GRATITUDE:
Dear Future In Laws,
Thanks for getting your son the Jawbone Up for his birthday. Suddenly, we are walking EVERYWHERE, which means I have an automatic HEALTHY excuse for an active rest day. 
Love, 
Carly

Workout Wednesday - WOTDs

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Wednesday:

5 and a half mile run & 45 Minutes of Pilates

On Wednesday, I made it to the gym for a lunchtime run. Instead of walking, I took the trusty VW to the gym, which meant I could get there, fit in a decent run, and make it back all within a reasonable lunch hour time period. My company allows me to work from home sometimes, so on this particular day, my schedule was perfect (since my gym is closer to my apartment than my office). 

Running on my lunch hour meant I would watch just about anything I wanted, because the place was almost empty, so there wouldn't be creepers everywhere watching my screen. I ended up watching an episode of the World Without End Miniseries, which is based on a Ken Follett book. Let's just say there are a few... graphic scenes in that show, so a lunch time run was a great time to watch it.

 

 

Thursday:

Bodypump

You know the drill. I love me some Bodypump. I also love when my hair still looks good after a workout. So rare, but it happens a lot with Bodypump. It's a lot of hard work, but you're not running or doing a lot of hopping around, so your hair tends to stay in decent shape. The sweat level does necessitate some dry shampoo, though...

Friday: 

15 Minute Stairmaster, 30 Minute CXWORX, 40 minute Light/To-Tempo run with Netflix

This was the day I got my special new toy, a heart rate monitor. I'll save my explanation of Polar HRM vs Garmin GPS for another day (really, I think it's preference, but for my workout habits, I have a legitimate argument for HRMs... stay tuned). I know, so much suspense. Not.

Anyway, I'd done a 15 minute stairmaster workout and CXWORX before work, but then the awesome toy arrived. Once that toy arrived in the middle of the day, I was itching to try it out, so I went back to the gym. 

Thank God for Netflix, which provided the entertainment for the run. The picture below may actually be from a different Netflix run (they are frequent!), but you get the gist. My current Netflix running shows: Alias and World Without End. I'd love to watch 30 Rock on the treadmill, but my fiance and I make a point to only watch that together. That's love, people.

Saturday:

20 Minute HIIT

This was hardly a workout, to be honest. I'm calling it HIIT, but it really just meant that I ran out of time before my cousin arrived on the day of my Speakeasy Party (to help me set up this awesome spread!), so during the 20 minutes before she got into town, I put something on TV and did jumping jacks, jumping rope, and pretty much jumped around like a total freak. My fiance was giving me some interesting looks.

Sunday: 

Skip

I was tired. So tired. The Speakeasy party had me up until like 3am, which is pretty rare for me. And, to be honest, the alcohol consumption was just enough to discourage me from doing anything strenuous. This day consisted of going with my cousin for her to try on Bridesmaids Dresses at J. Crew, getting Fro Yo, taking a long nap on the couch, and watching the Superbowl while eating pizza on the couch. Yeah. At least we were enjoying ourselves!

Monday:

6 Mile Calorie Burn Run, Body By Science (Weights)

On sort of a whim, I decided to plan out my run (I rarely do this) and stick to a commitment to run on the treadmill until my fiance showed up. I got off work an hour earlier than he did on Monday, so I was at the gym by 5, and he typically doesn't get there until about 6. That meant I had an hour to kill before he arrived for us to do our weights routine together.

I came up with this workout and was actually really thrilled with it. By breaking everything up into mile long sections, I was able to create smaller goals for myself to work toward during the run, which made it much more enjoyable. It also meant that I burned a motherload of calories, since I was challenging my heart rate and making it rise up and lower down using intervals.

During the interval periods, I alternated between a sprint for .2 miles and standing on the sides of the machine for .05. If you add it all up, that means I really only ran 5.6 miles instead of 6.0. I don't mind it, because my body really did need those breaks during the sprints (especially since there isn't a break directly following the sprints; there's a jog). If you're trying this workout and want to actually run all 6 miles, I'd suggest lowering the pace to a walk (4.0ish) or slow jog (6.0ish) in between the interval sprints.

Tuesday:

30 Minutes Upper Body Weights, 50 minute Spin Class

One of my coworkers teaches classes for the gym group I go to. He was teaching a Spin class at a nearby gym, and two of my other coworkers were going to it, so I hopped on the bandwagon. It was an awesome and sweaty class. I tend to judge the value of a Spin class based on how red my face is when I get out. It's a very scientific measurement, I promise.

Wednesday:

I'm planning to go to 45 minute Pilates. 

Getting a run or some weights in after would definitely be good, but honestly, I seem to walk out of that Pilates room in such a calm state, that sometimes I just can't bear to ruin it by getting pumped up again. If you know me, you know I'm very rarely even keel and calm (I'm usually kind of bouncing off of the walls), so when I chill out, I like to cherish it. We'll see how it goes :)        

 Your Turn:

• What was your favorite workout this week?
• WHAT SHOWS SHOULD I WATCH ON NETFLIX/HULU/HBOGO DURING MY LONG RUNS? Seriously. I need your help!

GNC Rocks My Socks

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Post-BodyPump Butt Kicking, with a cute pup behind me

Today is Thursday, which means I took a 6am Bodypump class, per my workout plan. It is so hard to get myself out of bed at 5:35, though (to drink coffee, wash my face, and put my contacts in before leaving). Especially given the fact that, at about 9pm last night, my fiance walked up to me with two glasses of Maker's Mark. Tisk tisk. Love him.

Basically, Bodypump kicked my butt hard and in a good way, but it wasn't the Maker's Mark that did me in. We had a different instructor today. For some reason, she really inspired me to up my weight on everything. I was simultaneously so happy and so mad at myself for doing that. In the long run, I'm happy with it.

Also, can I just say that my favorite workout tank is totally misshapen from the wash? Check out how crooked the open back netting is. I knew I should have air dried this baby, but I forgot. Now it's totally crooked. I've actually had a few friends tell me they thought it was supposed to be crooked. Nice white lies. Whatever. I'll take it. I'm still gonna wear the darn thing.

Now, let's talk about my GNC obsession.

I'm working on some pretty awesome fitness posts right now, all of which are geared toward getting yourself "Wedding Ready" (or beach ready, vacation ready, whatever your goal is). I've got some "Shake Revolution" posts in the works for snack or meal replacement that's packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins (so it will keep you full and satisfied, meaning less snacking). In anticipation of those recipes, I went on a bit of a binge shopping spree on GNC's website.

You're welcome, GNC.

 

I have seriously been stalking this shipment in excitement, because I was so pumped about the blender bottles they had on sale at the time.

My total purchase:

• Green Coffee Bean Extract
• Mini Blender Bottles (x4)
• Women's Ultra Mega Vitamin
• Mega Men Vitamin (For my fiance)
• Hair, Skin, and Nails Formula

I've been checking online nonstop and the shipment is supposed to arrive today. Here's to health! I'm excited to have multiple blender bottles to use for my protein, fiber, and vitamin mix shake (coming soon).

Anyone else make some impulse purchases lately? Sometimes, I tell myself that, as long as the purchase is going toward my overall health, it's okay. So, this purchase feels like something I should pat myself on the back for!

Workout Wednesday - WOTDs

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It's so cold out in Chicago that I'm actually blow drying my hair. This is quite an event, in that I generally do it once every month or two, simply because my hair is quite long and I'd rather spend time on other things. Oh, and there's always my irrational fear: flipping my head over to blow my dry my hair freaks me out because I feel like the girl from The Ring (Warning: Do not click that link if you're scared of her. I squealed in fright just because of my Google Image Search. Oh, the things I do for you...).



Now, #WOTDs... Ever see people posting on Instagram their "#OOTD?" Also known as Outfit Of The Day, it's an easy and awesome way to take a selfie without feeling too weird about it. So, if that's acceptable, I'm convinced #WOTD is also acceptable.

Workout. Of. The. Day. I tried to stick to my plan, but am hoping you'll call me on it if you think I've failed :)


Wednesday: 15 Minute Stairmaster & 45 Minutes Pilates
This is normally one of my "Choice" days, so I decided to try something new. My gym had a 45 minute Pilates class that I was able to make it to after work. It was amazing. The thing I love about Pilates, as opposed to Yoga, is that it rocks my core so hard that I can feel it the next day. And, on top of that, I walk out feeling like I'm floating on sunshine because the class is so calm and relaxing (despite my abs and upper legs wanting to SCREAM the whole time). I'm planning to make it back for another Pilates class today, if my schedule allows it.



Thursday: Bodypump
Ever since I first tried Bodypump, it has grown and grown on me (you'll see that I took two classes this past week). I'll be sharing more about my so-called Bridal Bootcamp later, but basically I am changing the way I do Bodypump in order to accommodate my fitness goals for my wedding in August (yes, this August!). I'm upping the weight on all of the upper body tracks and keeping the wait fairly steady on the lower body tracks. More on that over the next few weeks - stay tuned for a whole series of Bridal Bootcamp posts.

Friday: Skip
Friday is not usually a skip day. Generally, I do a Stairmaster Sprint and a 30 Minute CXWorx class on Friday mornings. But, I was actually out in the suburbs on Thursday for a special something (come back tomorrow to find out!). We didn't get back until fairly late, so I decided to ditch the workout and take a rest day. Basically, instead of working out, I drank coffee. In the dark.



Saturday: Arms, Shoulders, and Back Weights & 60 Minute Spinning Class
This day rocked my world quite literally. I started with some completely new weights workouts for Arms, Shoulders, and Back (Again... stay tuned for more info on these... I know, I'm a total tease. Get over it.). Basically, I totally 'destroyed' my upper body using weights immediately before destroying my lower body in a spinning class.

A note on spinning classes: Man, how much you trust the instructor really makes a difference in the quality of your workout. On Saturday, we had James as an instructor, whose classes I am pretty much obsessed with. He gives us a lot of information and warns us about what's coming. Mostly, I just appreciate that his class is well timed, well structured, organized, etc - so that, when he tells me to give it my all, I trust him and push myself to the limit instead of holding something back just to be safe. I walked out of that class totally red-faced and feeling like I was about to puke.

You can be sure that I followed this workout up with a delicious protein shake and lots of water. It was very necessary.




Sunday: Kundalini Yoga
After Saturday's insane workout, my body just needed to chill out. Justin and I took a Kundalini Yoga class, which was... interesting. Not my favorite thing ever, and I didn't feel particularly challenged by it (other than my challenge to not get up and walk out). Read my review in this post.

Monday: Bodypump
Yet again... Bodypump. The instructor on Monday is a different woman than the Thursday instructor, and they handle their classes slightly differently, so I enjoy going to both. The have very different energies, so to speak, so it makes both of these classes amazing yet different.





Tuesday: Full Body Weights & 35 Minute Stairmaster Sprint
This, sort of like Saturday, was pretty much an 'ultimate' day, in my opinion. I totally rocked the weights by doing an entire Body By Science routine, then alternating between lower body exercises and upper body exercises. I also didn't take any intentional breaks between machines (so, my break just consisted of the time it took me to get up, switch machines, set up my weight on the new machine, and start the next exercise), which meant that my heart rate stayed elevated pretty much the entire time.

Then, I switched to the Stairmaster Sprint workout, where I read my beloved Young Adult book, because I'm writing a young adult book, so it's kind of like research... right? At least, I'm telling myself that.

All in all, this workout took me about an hour and 20 minutes, including some time to run down to the locker room to grab my Kindle in between weights and cardio.




Wednesday: Pilates & Megan Fox's Butt Workout
I'm planning to do this after work... fingers crossed!

All in all... Cardio/Pilates, Cardio/Weights, Skip, Cardio/Weights, Yoga, Cardio/Weights. Not bad, but it's obvious that I go heavy on the days that combine cardio and weights. Those are the days I feel most accomplished with my workout.

What about you? What aspects of your workout week made you feel most accomplished?

Bodypump Is A Weird Name for a Workout

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I tried a Bodypump class for the first time yesterday morning. My gym runs a class from 6-7am, meaning I had to wake up at 5:30. So painful. Thank God for my alarm, which says "If Katniss can win the Hunger Games, you can get your ass to the gym this morning." Can't let down Katniss, can I?

For those of you who aren't familiar with Bodypump, it's a weight-based fitness class that lasts 60 minutes. It's made up of multiple tracks/songs, each of which focuses on one or two muscle groups.

Equipment: You use a barbell with various amounts of weight (you can change it up between tracks, as long as you grabbed enough weights to set aside for a quick change). You also use a mat (for crunches/pushups), free weights (optional), and an aerobics step (used for lunges and also for lying down during a few arm exercises).

Structure: The class had a warm up, then squats (quads and glutes), chest, back, triceps, biceps, lunges, shoulders, and abs.

At first, I wasn't sure about the class. I didn't sweat enough to merit washing my hair, which would generally make me feel as though the workout was a failure. Yet, I definitely felt the burn, and now, a few hours after the class, I can tell that my muscles definitely got a good workout.

I've heard that it can take a few times to truly reap the rewards of Bodypump, because everything is weights based, and it can take you a few tries to get the correct weights dialed in for yourself. You typically commit to a certain amount of weight on your bar before each track, so you're stuck with it for the next 3-5 minutes. I tended to go a bit light, because I feared getting stuck in the middle of a track with weights that were far too heavy. Next time I'll go up a bit.

Overall, I love getting the workout in so early in the morning (though it's painful to get up) and I can definitely tell my body got a good workout. I'm planning to make it a regular Thursday-morning thing... we'll see how that goes.

Have any of you ever tried Bodypump?
Are you trying any new workout classes this week?

Skyfall Advanced Screening

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Bf and I saw an advanced showing of Skyfall last night. I only get today to gloat, so bear with me here. The movie was (obviously) awesome. It's a James Bond movie, after all, so it's bound to be filled with beautiful people, creepy characters, awesome scenery, and badass cars... that end up blown to bits, as usual.

And Adele's amazing voice during the always epic Bond song. It's been stuck in my head all morning.



The invitation was from Cadillac, who hosted the event in order to gain enthusiasm for their new line of cars, Cadillac ATS. They ran the event through Klout, which is how they found me (and a hundred other Chicago area folks who are social media nerds).

The invitation said "Red Carpet," so I was a touch confused, at first. What does "Red Carpet" mean? Do I have to dress up? Not to mention that I squeezed in a Stairmaster Sprint at the gym, so I had ~30 minutes to get ready (including the shower). The invite didn't specify black tie or anything, so I decided to go halfsies. I wore tights, a cute dark gray dress, and a faux fur jacket. Oh, and the greatest Stella and Dot earrings on the face of the earth, courtesy of my mom.

After we got our wristbands, they gave us free tickets for the event and food/drink. Once we got upstairs, there was a "Cocktail Hour." Seriously. Cocktails before a James Bond film. What could possibly be more fitting?

And yes, my friends. There was a red carpet. There weren't any celebrities on it, but it still felt awesome to walk on red. I sneakily snapped a pic for you as proof. :)

What about you guys? Are you planning to see the movie? What are your weekend plans?