Girls on the Run

Happy Friday!!!

I don’t know if it was just me, but this week went by reallllyyy slloowwwwwww.  I’m glad the weekend is here and I can spend some quality time with Bailey and galavant outdoors.

Yesterday was a good routine – type day.  Work went by slow, for no particular reason, but I did get to attend our kWOW (kCura Women in the Workplace) lunch event which was really nice.  It was potluck style so everyone brought a little dish or snack to share and then we came up with a bunch of ideas on what we wanted to accomplish as a group collectively.  The breakout group I was in talk a lot of volunteer opportunities in the area and I was introduced to the organization Girls on the Run.

Have you heard of them before?  It’s a youth development program that helps girls of different ages prepare and complete a 5k in their area.  Through this goal, the coaches, running buddies and volutneers of the organization teach these girls how to live a healthy lifestyle, have self confidence and what it feels like to accomplish something you put a lot of hard work into.

Once I heard about this organization, I immediately knew it was something I wanted to help out with.  I did a lot of research last night and am going to fill out their online volunteer application so I can help with their 5k event that is coming up this May.  So excited!

After work, I headed straight to the gym to complete an awesome 40 minute treadmill workout (I saw awesome lightly because I was on a treadmill and not outside so it was only half awesome).

 

This baby really got my heart rate pumping and was perfect because the brown line was running super slow and I almost convinced myself to just head home.  I can’t stress enough that I have those days a lot, but when I remember how I feel after my workout it almost always convinces me to get back in it.  The mind likes to play tricks, you see.  Sneaky! Sneaky!

I followed my workout with a lot of foam rolling and stretching. obv.

There is a Whole Foods across the street from my gym, so I made a quick pit stop there to grab a small load of groceries and then went home and whipped up this:

Just shrimp and salad.  Easy, simple and delicious.  My salad had AMAZING fresh organic leaf lettuce, yellow bell pepper, avocado, goat cheese and little pepperoncini peppers.  LOVED IT.  I’m making an extra one for lunch as we speak.

This weekend will be half busy and half low key.  Tomorrow I have to get my 9 mile training run in and then head up to Wrigleyville for a BvB sponsored event.  Sunday I have no plans thus far and I really really hope it stays that way!

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone.

Xmas Came Late & Running Mile 8

Good morning, friends!  I hope you all enjoyed the weekend!

I was very much looking forward to my Saturday all of last week as I finally got to use one of Brian’s Christmas gifts that he gave me – A wine tasting tour in Michigan!

He got a deal on the tour through Living Social, so I was not really sure what to expect going into the day.  I was pleasantly surprised, however, when we got downtown Saturday morning and saw a giant coach bus waiting for our arrival.  I will just say off the bat that everything about the tour, hosted by Cannonball Productions, was so well organized.  I was glad to see that having a bathroom on a bus full of winos was a top priority!

It took us two hours to get to our first winery – Lemon Creek.  We were immediately ushered into their tasting room where we got to sample five of their wines including their signature ‘ice wine’ for $3 extra.  Have you ever heard of ice wine?  I hadn’t either, but apparently it is a very popular staple in Michigan.  The grapes are picked during a chilly night – harvested at less that 17 degrees Fahrenheit.  Each of the grapes that are picked only create ONE drop of ice wine.  Since it is so concentrated, the wine is super sweet and is termed ‘The Nectar of the Gods’.  I’m not a huge fan of sweet wine, so this wasn’t really my thing, but Brian had no problem finishing off my pour 🙂

We were able to spend 45 – 50 minutes at each winery and although that sounded like a long time initially, the day seemed to go by very fast!  Lemon Creek was good, we enjoyed their Chardonnay and Dry Rose, but their pours were the smallest of the bunch…

Next on the tour was Baroda Founders Winery.  We were able to get a tour of the production room before our tasting and lunch began.  The owner himself gave us a tour and showed us how they make their most popular wine – Luce Del Sole ( which means sunshine).  I very much enjoyed the tour and that specific wine that he poured for us himself, but unfortunately I did really care for anything else that I tried there.

The final two wineries on the tour were my absolute favorite: St. Julian and Round Barn.  The woman who was assisting Brian and I with our tasting at St. Julian was phenomenal.  My favorite of our six tastings was their Syrah and I may or may not have taken home three bottles! Did I mention that their pours were over double the size of Lemon Creek?  Win!

My favorite part of Round Barn, however, was not their wine.  It was their signature bourbon and beer.  We also got six tastings there, as well as a souvenir tasting glass and the woman who took care of me could just tell that I was in need of a grand finale tasting.  She had a bourbon cocktail that literally knocked my socks off – psych! I wasn’t wearing any socks 😉  She had mixed their bourbon with one of their apple wines that had been mulled for hours and OMG it was like heaven in a glass – the perfect drink for a fall day.

While I got my bourbon on in the main tasting room, Brian ended his tour at the brewery.  Their beers were equally as delicious and Brian got a growler for us to enjoy on the bus ride back to Chicago.

 

Our Loot!

I would highly recommend this tour to everyone!  For $75 you get round trip transportation, copious amounts of wine, free lunch and a bunch of new friends.  I was also grateful that the tour got us back into the city by 6:00 p.m. as I had plenty of time to recover before my eight mile training run the next day!

I was surprisingly not too dehydrated when I woke up on Saturday, but I made sure to drink plenty of water and eat tons of protein to get my body up to par.

Lindsay and I both knew that there was a possibility we would be running during a Thunderstorm, but Mother Nature was pretty good to us!  Since we knew it was windy along the lakeshore path, we routed ourselves through the Lakeview, Roscoe Village and Lincoln Park neighborhoods.  With Lindsay’s wedding coming up in the fall, we always have so much to talk about that the run goes by quickly.  I swear she is the best running buddy, I don’t even bother bringing headphones anymore.

I felt pretty good after the run, my hamstrings and butt were super tight so I made sure to spend extra time stretching those out.

The rest of the night was spent on the couch eating DELICIOUS Thai food and watching Game of Thrones – EEEKKKKK!

Fun, Relaxing and Adventurous

One of my best friends posted this picture last week and man do I wish it would come true.

This weekend was the perfect mix of fun, relaxing and adventurous.

Friday I met two of my best girlfriends out for happy hour at Howell’s and Hood.  Being there made me really excited for summer because they have such a great outdoor patio.  We had a couple rounds of wine and appetizers, including a DELICIOUS steak salad.

When our waiter asked how we wanted our steak cooked we all replied, “medium rare” at the same time.  I love having girlfriends who have the same taste in food as me 🙂  P.s.  Is there any other way to eat steak?

After round one, we decided to head over to The Berkshire Room for a few cocktails.  The space there is absolutely gorgeous.

One of my favorite things about their cocktail menu was that they had an option to let the bartender build you one.  All you had to do was give them the type of liquor your wanted – ‘GIN’ – duh and then your flavor profile.  I chose ‘spicy’ because it sounded very intriguing.  The cocktail ended up being one of the best gin cocktails I have ever had.  The drink included some delicious Hendricks, Ginger Beer, Fresh Orange and some kind of bitters that I forgot.  All of us had a different variation of the ‘build your own’ and we were all very pleased.

In the beginning of the night I told myself I would take it easy, but one thing lead to another (like many girls nights do) and I ended up having a wickedly awesome hangover Saturday morning.  I know it was an absolutely gorgeous day out, but all I wanted to do was curl up in a dark room and watch a movie in my sweat pants.  As motivation to get out of the house, my same two girlfriends suggested that we go see ‘Divergent’ at the theatre, so I was in.

I read the first two books while I was in Hilton Head and was very happy with the movie.  I know there were a lot of things missing that I wish they would have included, but overall I think that they did a really good job of sticking to the book and WOW is Tobias hot.

Like for realz.

Saturday night Brian and I had dinner plans with his family.  Brian’s cousin, Diane, is an excellent cook and invited us over for a full feast.

Homemade canape’s.

Beef tenderloin, brussel sprout salad and these awesome duchess potatoes.

Everything was so fresh and delicious.  Brian and I went home full and happy – it was the perfect fuel meal for my 8:00 a.m. running date with Ms. Lindsay.

We had 7 miles listed on our training plans and had an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day to complete them.

Lindsay and I ran a simple down and back along the lake and had a blast catching up/gossiping while running with everyone else that was out.  I never need to bring headphones when I run with her because she keeps me so entertained.

The 7 miles went by quickly and I was really pleased with our pace time.  Technically I jumped from 5 miles (last week’s Shamrock Shuffle) to 7 miles so I was a little apprehensive going into our run about how I would perform.  The good weather and great company made it easy to stay fresh on my feet and I felt really good as we stopped at the 7 mile marker.  Bailey was so proud of us.

The rest of the day was spent outside keeping my legs fresh and taking much needed stretching breaks.  Bailey accompanied Brian and I outside and demanded that we make a pit stop to enjoy a couple of delicious brews on a dog-friendly patio.  We were happy to oblige.

We ended Sunday evening on the couch per usual watching our favorite season premiere – GAME OF THRONES.  By the end of the episode, I was calling Bailey ‘my dragon’ – she cannot be tamed.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!  Cheers to a productive Monday.

 

Morning Mantras

When I was in Middle School my family and I went on a ski trip out west over winter break.  My parents put me in skis at a very young age, so our annual excursions were something that I always looked forward to.  They were also something my dad got really psyched about.  My dad is an avid skier and always loved the fact that I could keep up with him on the black diamonds.  Kind of.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked skiing and was good at it, but I wasn’t always as enthusiastic about going down moguls or steep slopes as my dad was.

I’ll never forget one season we were at Snowbird in Utah and my dad and I took the first gondola out in the morning.  I’m always nervous on the first run of the day, but on this specific day my senses were heightened because of a major snow  storm that was rolling in.  Snow storms = very low visibility.  When we got off the tram, the wind was so loud rushing past my helmet I could barely hear my dad telling me which way we were skiing out.  As I traversed down the path to get to our run, I started to get really anxious.  Snow was flying everywhere and I could barely see the skier in front of me. Every minute or so I would spot a neon orange flag that would mark the edge of the mountain.  So what did I do to help solve the issue…?  I cried.  Naturally.  I blamed my dad for taking me on such a difficult run the first choice of the day.  And then I manned up.  I dug deep and repeated a mantra in my head.

I don’t remember what I said to myself exactly, but I remember saying it out loud.  People passing by probably thought I was crazy, but it got me down that damn slope.  And you know what, when I turned around to see what I had accomplished… it wasn’t that bad.

I’m sure many of you start your day with mantras and don’t even realize it.  Whether it’s psyching yourself up for the work day or getting up early to go to the gym, most people talk to themselves whether they like to admit it or not.

Yesterday was no different for me.  I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. to go to the gym so that I could jumpstart my day.  When the alarm went off, I wanted to stay in bad.  Really really really wanted to stay in bed.  It’s freaking zero degrees outside here in Chicago with a negative wind chill.  Why in God’s name would I get out of bed to go outside?  The only thing that got me out of that damn bed was my morning mantra.

Yup.  Make fun of it all you want, but it works.

Once I got to the gym, I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill.

The first half mile or so was a bit droggy, but once I got in my groove I was good to go.  And you know what?  I felt like money once I was done.  Kuddos, Lindsay.

After my run, I spent a good 15 minutes stretching and foam rolling.  I have a lot of races coming up the season and foam rolling is something I am devoting my time to.

After my shower and quest bar break, I headed to the brown line to head to work and was greeted with a beautiful morning sunrise.

Something I never would have seen if I had decided to sleep in.

Work flew by and before I knew it was time to go home.  I was supposed to play in my coed soccer game after work, but felt really fatigued at the end of the day and decided to listen to my body.  There has been a nasty cold going around the office and I really hope I haven’t caught anything.  Since I wasn’t really in the mood to cook up anything fancy, I decided to go for one of my favorite comfort food staples.

Pasta.

This creation was super easy and quick.  I chopped up some trader joe’s chicken sausage and sauteed them in a bit of olive oil until they browned.  Then I added a tablespoon of butter, half a cup of dry white wine and a tablespoon of garlic and let all of those ingredients simmer away.  While all of this was happening, I cooked up some whole wheat penne until they were perfectly al dente.  Before draining the pasta, I chopped up a half a cup of tomatoes and threw them in the sausage mixture. Once the pasta was drained, I just tossed it in with the mixture and topped everything with a little parmesan cheese.

Perfection.

What is your go to comfort meal?

Theatre and Tasty Treats

Just another manic Monday!!

This week is going to be absolutely crazyyyyy – work wise, so let’s do this.

Yesterday was a great day to start out the week.  Brian and I slept in a little bit and were surprisingly not struggling from the celebrations from the night before, however, we were HUNGRY.  We had big plans for lunch, so we kept our breakfast light with some Greek yogurt and Intelligentsia coffee.  The best freaking coffee in Chicago, ya heard?

Once we were nice and perky, I took Bailey out on a quick walk and started to get ready for the day – more importantly the day Brian planned as my birthday gift!  On the agenda?  Lunch at one of my favorite pizza places in the city and then tickets to see The Book of Morman at the Bank of America Theatre.

Once I was all beautified, we hoped on the red line and headed out to La Madia.  We were literally the first one’s in the restaurant which was awesome 🙂  Our waiter brought us our menus and asked if we wanted some cocktails – it was noon on a Sunday – heck yes we did!  I went with a nice Pinot Noir that I knew would pair well with the pizza while Brian stuck with a local craft beer.  Is red wine too aggressive for a Sunday afternoon?  Not for me!

As an appetizer, we split the Chopped Italian Lettuces salad which came with Gorgonzola, Spicy Walnuts, Shaved Pear and a spicy Balsamic Vinaigrette.  First, the portion was huge!  We each got at least two or three portions out of it.

Second, it was delicious.  Light and crisp with just the right amount of texture.

For our main meal, we split the Margherita pizza.

Yum.  Enough said.

We took our time eating and sipping our beverages before heading over to the theatre.  Once we got there, there was only 10 minutes until the show was going to start so we headed straight to our seats and read through the playbill.

The Book of Morman was awesome.  I know i’m one of the last people to see it in Chicago, but it was totally worth the wait.  The musical was so well written and the music was fun and upbeat – Brian were laughing the whole time.  If you’re like us and have waited until the last minute to see it, I highly recommend you grab some tickets and go see it!  You will not be disappointed.

The rest of the evening was spent at home, relaxing on the couch and hanging out with Bailey.  We did watch the popular documentary ‘Fat Sick and Nearly Dead’, which was extremely interesting.

It’s amazing how much juicing and detoxing have helped people turn their lives completely around.  Brian actually has a juicer, which we never use — so we are now inspired to try and get a glass of fresh juice in 2 or 3 days out of the week.  I just hate having to constantly clean the thing!

#lazy

Once we finished the movie and felt a sudden surge of health consciousness  we headed to Trader Joe’s to grab groceries for the week and make dinner.  Both of us were still pretty full from our lunch, so I whipped up some quick salads and enjoyed a glass of Zico Tropical Coconut Water.

Which looks like juice!  Love love love Zico.

To jump start this week I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m., hopped out of bed and headed to the gym.  It’s Monday morning so I was not exactly as chipper as can be, so I decided to do one of my 35 minute tempo runs on the treadmill that would help wake me up.  The various levels of running really helped me get into the groove and work up a good sweat.

0-5 minutes  7.0 incline  4.0 speed

5-9 minutes  1.0 incline  6.8 speed

9-10 minutes  1.0 incline  8.0 speed

10-15 minutes  7.0 incline  4.0 speed

15-19 minutes  1.0 incline  6.9 speed

19-20 minutes  1.0 incline  8.5 speed

20 – 25 minutes 7.0 incline 4.0 speed

25 – 29 minutes 1.0 incline 6.8 speed

29 – 30 minutes 1.0 incline 9.0 speed

30 – 35 minutes 7.0 incline 4.0 speed

After that was complete, I stretched for a good 15 minutes and did a lot of foam rolling.  My quads were super tight from all of the lunges/squats that I did at the fusion yoga class on Friday.

What is your favorite workout to kick start the week?

The Celebration Continues

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little sister, Kristan! This diva FINALLY turned 21 today and I cannot wait to celebrate with her tonight 🙂

Fun fact: My sister has never been that much of a drinker, but when we were in Paris together my mom forced her to order wine everywhere because it was cheaper than ordering a diet coke! In honor of this historic memory, we are taking her out to the Paris Club tonight in River North. I’ve heard some good things about their food, but i’m more excited for the champagne!

Anyways, back to the grind.

Yesterday’s work day flew by with the help of a quick refreshment/snack break at Starbucks. Did you know that their “Treat Receipt” promo is back? If you order a coffee in the AM and keep the receipt you get any cold grande beverage for only $2 after 2:00 p.m. I took full advantage of this discount because I am my mother’s daughter, and because I was really craving their very berry hibiscus cooler.

So crisp and refreshing! Just what I needed to motivate me through the rest of the day.

After work I headed straight to the gym because the heat index was unbearable. I completed a light 3 mile run on the treadmill followed by a lot of stretching and foam rolling. I tell yah, I do not miss running on the treadmill whatsoever. I get so bored, it is really hard for me to keep my focus/motivation.

When I got home after the gym, a very special something was waiting for me in my mailbox…

MY LOLLAPALOOZA WRISTBAND! I’m so excited for the festival I can hardly contain myself. However, I am also a bit scared as I have never been and large crowds tend to scare me. Welp, no turning back now!

On the menu for dinner was exactly what I made the night before – plus a fried egg! Brian was so jealous of my meal he wanted me to recreate it for him, and I happily agreed as I’m pretty sure I could eat this almost everyday for a couple weeks before getting sick of it. So many combination choices!

His and Hers – I like my fried egg well done 🙂

Hope you all are staying cool in this heat wave – don’t get too crazy out there!

Sweat Inducing Workout

Good Morning, Sunshine!

I have a GREAT workout to share with you today 🙂  This week had been good, but a lot has been going on so I find myself thinking about a million different things after I leave work.

As some of you may know, yesterday was ‘National Running Day’ and in honor of the glorious holiday I came up with a perfect sweat-inducing workout.  Instead of running outside, I decided to head to the gym… why, you ask? It was such a beautiful day!  Well for one, the gym is never crowded these days so I like all the room I have to explore.  Second, my workout focused on incline and pace and the best place to gauge all of that is on the treadmill!

A 40 min. “Tempo Run” was slotted for my half-marathon training and so this is what I came up with…

Oh man, this workout was good.  The middle running portion is what really gets yah – but it is so worth it.  If you’re looking at this and thinking… “I can’t do that”, um YES YOU CAN!  If a 6.5 treadmill pace is not comfortable for you as your normal pace, adjust it!  Customize what feels good to you, but make sure it’s challenging.  Also, it helps if you have a really killer upbeat playlist.  Mine was full of lots of Calvin Harris and David Guetta – the perfect tempo to keep me going.

MIND OVER MATTER.  Here are what the final stats looked like:

This was one of those workouts that left me feeling so accomplished, especially because I was sweating like a maniac — this is where the empty gym thing is a plus!

After my run, I grabbed a foam mat and focused on stretching.  I brought my iPad with me and pulled up the Tone It Up! ‘Bikini Booty’ workout and completed the session 3 times.  I was definitely feeling the burn!

Because I was such a sweaty mess, I ended up showering at the gym and taking full advantage of their sauna which I rarely do!  It was the perfect end to my workout.

By the time I got home I was starving!  I opened my fridge and decided that I wanted something meaty – but healthy — stuffed peppers sounded just right.

Southwest Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• Two Large Bell Peppers (I had red on hand)
• Ground Turkey (I used leftovers from my turkey tacos)
• Frozen Corn Kernels
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Quinoa
• Black Bean Salsa
• Hot Sauce
• Olive Oil Spray
• 1 Medium Tomato – diced
• Taco Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Cooking the quinoa according to package directions in a saucepan.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, grab your ground turkey and start cooking.  I already had some precooked, preseasoned ground turkey on hand – but if you are doing this from scratch – cook the turkey in a pan for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.  With three minutes left, add the diced tomatoes, corn and black bean salsa to the pan and stir until warmed through.
4. Slice your bell peppers in half.  Scoop out the insides and rinse through making sure not ribs or seeds are left.  Spray a baking dish or pan with cooking spray and place the peppers hollowed side up.  Bake these for 15 minutes until just tender.
5. Once the quinoa is done, combine with the meat mixture in a large bowl.  Taste the mixture and add salt – pepper and hot sauce if desired.
6. Pull the peppers out of the oven and stuff with turkey and quinoa mixture.  Top with the grated cheddar cheese – enough to cover the peppers.
7. Bake again for 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and gooey!
8. Enjoy!

These little babies were do delicious and just the right amount of food.

Once again, Brian and I ended the night watching Castle, but right as we were ending a VERY INTENSE episode – our Tivo restarted!  Yes, we have Tivo and yes we were both screaming at the t.v.  We were not able to recover the episode and therefore I went to bed not knowing the ending.  The little things in life…

On a brighter note, two days until the weekend!

Mini Abs Circuit

Hi there!

I woke up bright and early and headed to the gym for a great workout this morning.  The best part about going to the gym during the spring/summer is that it is not crazy busy like it is in the winter!  I warmed up on the elliptical for 15 minutes and then completed a 3.5 mile run on the treadmill – my first run since my sickness.  My legs felt good and I am so happy that I am back into my normal routine 🙂 After my run, I stretched, foam rolled and completed a little abs circuit.

Foam roller… You’re my best friend.

My ab circuit looked a little something like this:

One of the things I looked forward to the most after my gym workouts is the shower! The shower at the gym is Ahmazing… It blows my little vintage apartment shower out of the water.

On my way out, I grabbed a Banana Nut Muffin Quest bar to fuel my recovery.  Have you ever had a Quest protein bar? They are one of my favorite brands! All natural ingredients with 20 grams of protein – plus they taste delicious.

Last night I had my BvB flag football practice and I remember craving a Quest bar right before we started.  Thanks to my gym, I’m all stocked up now!

Practice yesterday was great – the weather was amazing and we had a ton of girls show up.

More girls that show up = more game situation drills = awesome.

On my walk home, I was amazed by how lush the area by the lake is already.  It seems like it just happened overnight.

On the menu for dinner was something I missed during my toast and applesauce streak – Chicken Sausage and Quinoa!

I just sliced up the sausage and sauteed it in a pan with cooking spray for 10 minutes just so the edges got nice and golden brown.  I laid the sausage over a bed of tri-colored quinoa and squeezed fresh lemon juice over it.  Quick, simple and delicious!

After dinner, Brian and I caught up on ‘Game of Thrones’ and ahhhhh that show is so good! I’m so sad there are only 2 episodes left… But that means ‘The Newsroom’ is starting soon! Can’t wait!

On a more serious note, I also watched the news and kept updated with the tragedy that occurred in Moore, Oklahoma.  As fascinating as watching ‘Storm Chasers’ is, one tends to forget the damage and heartbreak tornadoes can cause.  My thoughts and prayers are with all that were affected.

See you tomorrow, friends.

Bikini Challenge – Be Active!

Good Morning!

I can’t believe it is already Thursday, the weekend is so close 🙂

Yesterday was a busy whirlwind of a day.  My morning started out with my usual breakfast – soy misto, Greek yogurt and some sliced fruit.

Around noon, my HR team and I had our monthly team lunch and ordered from this loop hot spot called Cafecito!  They are known for the pressed Cuban sandwiches, but I was in the mood for a fresh salad and ordered their chopped version which came with mixed greens, grilled chicken, garbanzo beans, roasted red pepper, hearts of palm and some corn.  I inhaled it so quickly I did not snap a picture for you! Mi dispiace!

After work, I headed to the gym to complete a 45 minute interval run.  I honestly was not really in the mood for running, so the various intervals really helped my legs warm up and keep me from getting too bored.

My run was followed by the Tone It Up! Sunkissed Ab video that is part of their Bikini Series Challenge.  That tornado move is so good!  Only 8 weeks till summer 🙂

Dinner was leftover guacamole quinoa salad with jalapeno chicken sausage and some haricot verts.  Plus, one glass of white wine – just because!

The Tone It Up! Bikini Series Challenge is really helping me stay on track to eating clean, lean and green.  What I really love about the Tone It Up! girls and their plan is that they tell you it is OKAY to have a cocktail or two every once and a while.  They even have great “clean” cocktail recipes on their webpage – some made with coconut water that are so delicious!

Before bed, I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. and woke up bright and early to complete my Thursday Challenge!

I started my morning with the Bikini Strap Challenge that focused on toning all those areas where the straps of your bikini cling to – loved it!  I completed this challenge at home while waiting for the bus to come to take me to my gym.  Once I got to the gym, I completed a brisk 3.5 miles on the treadmill followed by some serious stretching and foam rolling.  This workout left me feeling fully energized and ready to tackle the day!

As I have stated many times before, I highly encourage you to check out the Tone It Up! page and see if this challenge is something you could commit to.  Karena and Katrina are really great motivators and I look forward to all of the fun challenges I get to do each day.  Once my marathon training starts next week, I will have to alter their plan a little bit to fit my needs – but i’m not too worried about it.

Have a fantastic Thursday!  Get out and be active!

Protein Party

Good Morning!

I set my alarm for 5:00 a.m. last night so that I could head to the gym and have a productive start to my day.  I have a lot going on tonight in preparation for our trip to North Carolina, so I wanted to knock out a good workout when I had the chance!  My time at the gym went a little something like this…

If you have never used a foam roller, and you are a runner… I highly recommend you start.  The foam roller is a vital and healthy tool for runners to use during their warm up or cool downs.  It improves your circulation and assists with recovery after a long run.  It basically feels like an intense deep tissue massage, so don’t be alarmed if it does not exactly feel good the first time your start rolling.

Also, if you are new to running and are wondering how to run LONGER and FASTER – you need to start incorporating strength training into your weekly workout routine.  Once you start running at more intense distances you will also find that your body will recover faster because strength training makes your body more efficient.  A lot of people, women specifically, think that incorporating strength training into their workouts will make them look “bulkier”.  I have found this to be the opposite.  If anything, my body has transformed into a more lean shape once I started and I feel 10x more confident about the way I look 🙂

After my cool down, I showered, got ready for work and ordered a protein shake for ‘Protein Bar’.  The shake I got was called the ‘Sears Sucker’ and had vanilla whey protein, Greek yogurt, almond milk, raspberries and a banana.  The nutrition for this shake came out to: 20 oz: 266 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 130 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 28 g protein.  This is my go-to shake from protein bar.  It is delicious, filling and really packs the protein punch when I do strength training in the morning.

It’s a protein party in my mouth!

As I mentioned earlier in the post, Brian and I are heading out to North Carolina tomorrow to visit my “little” sister who goes to school at East Carolina University.  The weather near ECU is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL – 85 degrees and sunny!   However, the weather in Chicago is going to be a real problem.  We are expected to have a large storm system move through the area that will last the entire day.  Thee weathermen are predicting 3-4 inches of rain, which would equate to over 20 inches of snow!  Crazy.  Hopefully we aren’t delayed too much, but I have no problem posting up at a bar somewhere while we wait 🙂

Since we are leaving town, Brian and I didn’t go grocery shopping because we didn’t want anything to go to waste.  Last night after my TEMPO RUN TUESDAY workout, I got take out from our favorite local BYOB Thai place – Joy’s Noodles & Rice.  I got the Chicken Pad Prik and it really hit the spot 🙂

I will be heading to my parents place after work tonight to drop off Bailey.  I always feel so sad when we leave her for an extended weekend… but I know she has a lot of fun running around the “woods” of the suburbs.

Happy “Friday” to me and GO SABRES!