Ten Things Tuesday

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1. DO YOU LOVE RYAN GOSLING? Then do not, for the life of you, watch "All Good Things." That movie will make you hate your life and Ryan Gosling at the same time. My fiance and I tried to watch it, and... let's just say he is creepy and, dare I say it, unattractive. Yes, that's right. I said it. It IS possible for Ryan Gosling to be unattractive. Sorry, girls. Also, did you know he is Canadian? I had no idea.

2. I've been so freaking lazy this past week. Like, just not wanting to work out. In fact, I pretty much just want to eat toast. So, in an attempt to GMST (Get Muh Sh*t Togetha), I put together a plan. I'm a total excel addict, so naturally this happened in excel form and became color coded. Speaking of being lazy, please note that I took three days off this past week. I seriously never do that. Naturally, this next week is a bit more intense than usual. We'll call it Operation GMST.

3. Can you believe I left my apartment and walked to work today with this hair do? I had to hop in and add this picture as soon as I got here and realized that I looked like a freaking rooster. My fiance didn't even notice as I walked out the door looking like a crazy person. What gives?



4. I'm a total follower. My friend Kelsey sent me this picture on Sunday...After which I promptly purchased Jillian Michael's "Hard Body" on Amazon. Planning to try it... eventually. Crap. Guess I'll have to fit it into Operation GMST.

5. Chia seeds. I'm obsessed. I like it with frozen berries. I like it with jelly. I like it with bananas. I like it with peanut butter. I like it with coconut flakes. Shoot. I just like it. Why does it taste so freaking good and make me so freaking full? I don't even want a morning snack between bfast and lunchie anymore. Planning to post another recipe this week. :)

6. Also... Kettlebells. Dying to try this workout. But am always a little too nervous to try it at the gym. Perhaps I just need to buy my own? (Here I come, Amazon...)

7. Feeling like you don't have much to offer? Maybe like you don't have the right credentials or you aren't as awesome as you think you should be? Check out this group of total 'losers' and re-evaluate how awesome you are. Ready, set, go: “Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive., Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zachaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. That’s quite a group of misfits, but God used each of them in his service.” (From Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life).

8. Heard of Miracle Berries? Apparently, it's some kind of berry from Africa that, after being ingested, makes everything taste wonderful and sweet. Seriously? It sounds like a drug. I'm tempted to order it in tablet form (called "Miracle Frooties") and have a try. I mean... a berry that makes everything taste amazing for 1-2 hours? Shoot, I could finally finish the celery in my fridge...

9. Let's talk about GIRLS. Am I the only one that got totally sick of Hannah's mental issues? I feel like that show was on a hilarious path and then suddenly they decided to make her a new kind of crazy. Stick to one kind of crazy, people. That said... (1) I am super happy for Marnie, and seeing her face at the end as she stared at her lover was kind of heart string tugging because I totally know what it feels like to look at someone and be like... #damni'mlucky. But at the same time, UGH she is still so annoying. (2) Way to go Shosh. The moment when she suddenly screamed and stood up out of her chair during her fight with Ray was priceless. (3) Best line of the season? "I was always here." So, there IS someone who doesn't want her to clean up when she breaks a glass! That's what they were going for... right?

10. We're in the market for a new bed for Hazel, the dog. While surfing the net, as the kids say (ha), we stumbled upon this bed. WOW, that dog is happy. And so refined, with the fire in the backround. I'll bet he reads many leather bound books. I guess I should buy that bed because then MY dog will be that happy and refined, right? 

Items in this post that you might want to jump on and buy:

Fitness Multi-Tasking

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It's a blessing and a curse. I pretty much have to multitask. During college, I couldn't really even sit down to watch a movie without having something else to multitask with (bake cookies, write a paper, read for class, waste 4 hours on stumbleupon.com...).

Sometimes, when I'm working out, I get bored because I'm not multi-tasking enough. Does this happen to other people? I used to solve the problem by bringing schoolwork to study while on an elliptical or treadmill... but now, with no schoolwork, the problem is back! What's-a-fitness-buff-ta-do?!

Last week, I solved the problem! My new favorite workout gear: Sidereel.
Yes, okay, I know it's a tv-gawking website. But it is FREE and AMAZING. Can we have a round of applause, please?



I was on the elliptical for over an hour on Saturday because I just had to finish three whole episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians (it's a guilty pleasure, okay? Stop judging me!).

My Jillian Michaels workout went by in a flash because I was watching an episode of Lie To Me (now that one is legitimately a good show, go look it up!).

So thank you, Sidereel, for being a multi-tasking fitness buff's best friend.

Here's what I'm watching during workouts these days...

We Can Work It Out

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Disclaimer:  This is a workout-related post... and, I know, not everyone wants to listen to the Fitness Field Marshall.  If that doesn't pique your interest, don't cry.  I still love you.  Just for you, I'll be back later with some more love.

When I first got really into fitness, I often search the net for other workout schedules to learn from or try.  Actually, I still do that fairly regularly, just to keep it fresh and confuse my body.  Because that's fun.  

Kanye's Carly's Workout Plan:

    (Source)

Breakdown:

Cardio:
5 mile run
15 min Jump Rope
60 min Elliptical
Insanity Pure Cardio

Weights:
Jillian Michaels (No More Trouble Zones)
Weights Class

Abs: 
Jillian Michaels (No More Trouble Zones)
Ab Ripper X
Insanity Abs

Review:


Okay, good things about this schedule: Good mix of cardio and weights.  I've learned that too much cardio without enough weights gives very temporary physical results without adding much actual fitness to your body.  It is also really hard on my body joint-wise and muscle-wise and I end up with sore knees or shin splints.  Let's not grind our bones into the ground, shall we?  Similarly, too much weights without enough cardio might make us physically strong, but without cardio we can't see those muscles as well.

Bad things about this schedule:  No stretch day.  Other than my cool down stretches and the 15 minute post-weights class stretch, I didn't have an opportunity to really stretch my muscles.  No Yoga.  No Stretch X.  The result?  I'm sore.  It's not horrible, no -- and sometimes, to be honest, I like feeling a little sore because it reminds me that I really worked out hard.  But the soreness is not necessary - it just adds the mental comfort of knowing you kicked your own hiney.  I much prefer to stick in one day a week devoted to really stretching my muscles (like P90X Yoga).  I find that I'm able to perform better because my muscles stay feeling fresh.  That means my runs get longer and my weights days are more intense.  So, taking that day to rejuvenate is worth it by the end of the week.

Moving forward:  I'm planning to... (1) add a stretch day next week, (2) get some new workout music, and (3) substitute a long bike ride in place of what would be a run in order to change it up, surprise my muscles, and get a good cardio workout in without pounding the pavement.

Mantra:
Someone busier than you is running right now.

Want to get the workouts I did?