Race for the Cure 5k

This weekend, my college girlfriends and I signed up to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Lombard, IL.  This event was special for two reasons:

1. We are all Zeta Tau Alpha alums and Breast Cancer Awareness is our philanthropy.  In college, we used to charter a large bus to pick us up in Normal, IL (Illinois State University) and drive us to the Race for the Cure event in Chicago.

2. One of our closest friends had this philanthropy hit home when her mother was diagnosed earlier this summer.

Since it’s not always easy to get all of us in the same place for an extended period of time, we decided to make a ‘weekend’ out of it.  My friends and I whom live in the city drove out to the burbs Saturday to hang out with several of our other friends to have a good ol’ fashioned girls sleep over.  Wine, cheese and chick flick movies were all involved.

The next morning we were up bright and early to get to the event by 8:00 a.m and to meet Brian who drove up to participate.  The race start and finish was located in a mall parking lot, which was really the perfect spot because no one is at the mall at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning.  The lot was full of women and men alike dressed to the nines in full out pink.  Pink socks, skirts, homemade pants, boas, ribbons, hats… you name it.  There was a large stage where people were dancing and playing music, getting pumped up for the race and lots of vendors there handing out free goodies.

At 8:30 a.m., the race began!

5k’s are really such fun races.  It’s a long enough distance to get in a good workout, but not too long where I feel like i’m going to pass out.

A lot of the people racing with me were super friendly, giving each other high-fives and screaming out encouraging mantras.  It was an all-around feel good kind of race, especially because you knew that the donations were going towards such a wonderful cause.

The course took us out of the mall parking lot and into the surrounding neighborhood.  It was a pretty perfect day to go running except for a few strong gusts of wind here and there.  I wasn’t complaining though 😉

I had an awesome time running the race.  Surprisingly, the cheese and wine combo from the night before was not hindering my stride and I ended up running a pretty decent race!  I didn’t PR my 5k time, but I did place 3rd in my age group which was pretty neat.

Of course, there were really only 50 people in my age group… but I’ll still take it!

After the race, we hung out for a while.  Enjoyed roaming the tents eating fresh watermelon, coffee and donuts.

Check out these amazing watermelon carvings!  The man who created these did them live so you could watch him make one from start-to-finish.

It was a great way to spend a Sunday.  I love my college friends so much and am so glad we continue to stay best friends even though 4 years has already passed since we got to live carelessly at our old stomping grounds.

 

How to stick to your fitness routine

Hello Hello!

Last week, my company wrapped up our 60-Day fitness challenge.  The event was a success!  We had over 50 employees stay committed during the entire challenge and some of our employees saw amazing results (I’m talking over 8% body fat loss and several inches off their waist and hips).

The question that now burns deeply in all of our minds is… now what?  Well, we have a major product release and user conference coming up in less than a month, so our kFit program is taking a breather so people don’t feel overwhelmed.

The answer: get into a routine as quickly as possible.

Staying active, staying motivated and staying in great shape is all about routine and consistency.  For some, the kFit 60 Day Challenge was the first consistent program they had followed in several years.  All I gotta say is DON’T BREAK THE HABIT!  Here are some helpful tips on how to maintain an active lifestyle.

1.  Join. Join. Join. Join.

Join a gym, box, running club, studio, or league.  Join something that is going to help you stay consistent a couple days out of the week.  Currently, I belong to a gym, play on a coed soccer team Monday nights and joined the ClassPass program so I can find out what types of fitness studios I really enjoy.  I love love love HIIT conditioning and using heavy weights to build my strength.  I was so happy to find that by joining ClassPass I was able to find a HIIT studio winner … more on that later.

2.  Mark your calendar.

Nothing holds me as accountable as creating a calendar of my weekly workouts and posting it somewhere public.  If I come home early and Brian see’s that I have a 5 mile run written down, he won’t let me sit on the couch and blow it off.

3.  Find a buddy!

One of my favorite things about our 60-Day challenge was the fact that it was group training.  We all supported each other, did the same damn bear crawls together and we were engaged and excited to be there.  If you can find a friend, spouse, significant other who wants to be just as committed to an active lifestyle as you, it will make your fitness routine that much more fun!  Hell, maybe you will find someone through joining a studio or league.  Cough cough. Do it.

4.  Measure yourself.

When you take your hip, waist and body fat measurements and re-evaluate yourself every month, it really shows how much effort and commitment you are putting into your routine.  The body fat % scale does not lie, folks…

5.  Make it fun!

Don’t run every day if you freaking hate running!  Do activities that you truly enjoy and will make you go back and do it again.  I can’t tell you how awesome it is to try out new fitness classes (spin, barre, conditioning, strength, pilates, yoga, CrossFit) and find something you truly become passionate about.

Now that I’ve given my little rant, let’s hold myself accountable – shall we?

This weeks workouts:

Sunday – 60 minute spin class/body pump at GO Cycle.

Monday – Soccer.  (I got a stomach bug this night and only played half a game, but it’s better than nothing!)

Tuesday – 3.2 mile run.

Wednesday – 60 minute conditioning class at my new favorite… DHF Lakeview! (Again, more on that later).

Today – 4 mile run.

Friday – Rest.

Saturday – 45 minute spin class at Go Cycle

Now go out there and get. it. done.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Another weekend has come and gone…

This one was full of lots of activity, laughter and of course… wine 🙂

Saturday morning started with a nice 4 mile run on a blue bird sky day.

We are now entering my favorite season to go on runs and I can’t wait to get back into race mode with a few I have scheduled these next couple of months.

After I dropped Bailey off at home (oh yes, she came with me!), I headed out to the grocery store to stock up on some items for the weekend.  Specifically, items to make chili and cornbread for football Sunday!  When I got back home, I realized I forgot to pick up items to bring to the Carrie Underwood concert I was headed to that evening.  I frantically pulled whatever was in my fridge/pantry and came up with this awesome pasta salad:

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

• 1 lb. cavatappi pasta
• 1/2 cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. First, start by making your dressing for the salad.  Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Place a large pot of water over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Cook your pasta according to package instructions or until just al dente.  It should be noted here, that you can use what ever fun pasta shape you have in your pantry.  However, I would not use a long linguine or spaghetti type noodle for this dish as it wouldn’t hold the dressing quite as well.
3. Once your pasta is cooked, set aside to cool.
4. Dice the cucumber, olives, sun dried tomatoes and place in a large mixing bowl.  Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and the vinaigrette.  Add the spinach and toss to coat.  I find it easier to toss the spinach once the vinaigrette has already been added.
5. Top with crumbled feta cheese and enjoy!

We enjoyed this and so many other great items at our Ravinia picnic – shout out to Kristin’s veggie “deep dish” pizza!

The concert itself was just okay.  I love Carrie Underwood, but she didn’t have an opener and only played for an hour and half so we all left a little disappointed.

Sunday morning, Brian and I headed over to Kendell College for an extravagant brunch to celebrate the graduation of our family/friend, Diane.  Diane took a year-long culinary class through the college and we were able to see all of her hard work come together as the brunch was completely hosted by the students!

We dined on so many great dishes…. (and sipped on lots and lots of prosecco!).

The favorites among our table were the grits and leek gratin.

Our weekend ended on the couch watching endless amounts of football and enjoying homemade chili and jalapeno cornbread for dinner.

Pretty successful weekend if I do say so myself!  Hope you all enjoyed yours 🙂

 

Flip Belt Review & Discount Code!

For years I have been that girl running on the trail with my phone in my hand.  I’ve tried the arm band, but in the summer it would give me a bad tan line.  I dug out one of my mom’s fanny packs and it slid around my waist like a hula hoop.  I bought a hydropack, which is great for hydration on the go, but is too difficult to maneuver my phone out of.

It wasn’t until the Rock N’ Roll half marathon expo last year that I first heard about the Flip Belt.  I was pretty content with my normal routine – phone in hand – but when I was given the opportunity to review the Flip Belt by my FitApproach community, I was all in.

The first thing I noticed about wearing the Flip Belt on my runs was the fact that it DID NOT move. Additionally, I was able to fit everything I need into my belt:

• Keys
• ID
• Credit Cards
• Cell Phone

… and there was still room for more.

My favorite feature is the little clip for your keys to attach to in case they have a mind of their own and try to wiggle their way out.

Another thing I loved was that It wasn’t awkward running with the belt and having my headphones in at the same time.  When I run with my phone in my hand, the headphones always get tangled and in my way.

One thing to note is that the belt is NOT waterproof, so if you’ve been hitting the pavement like me in all this summer rain be sure to wrap your phone in a plastic bag.  The Flip Belt is made of quick dry, wicking fabric so it won’t cause any discomfort if it touches your skin.

In the little time I’ve had with my Flip Belt, I’ve worn it running, out on my walks with Bailey, to the gym during my weight workouts and at the grocery store (hands free!).

Being the boring person I am (kidding! Kind of…) I chose their ‘slate’ color as my belt of choice, but there are SO many different fun colors to choose from.

Below is a picture of my using the belt aka – Flipping it … hence the name.

Super simple, you just stuff your stuff into the slits and flip the belt when you’re all done.

I highly recommend you all try this and lucky for you I have a great discount code to offer!  Visit the Flip Belt store, shop around and enter sweat33 to receive 10% off your order.

 

Click to tweet about it when you’re done!

Until tomorrow, friends 🙂

My Favorite Protein Pancakes

Howdy!

Well this week started with a bang, I have so much to get done before our road trip to West Virginia it’s unreal.

The good thing is that I had a nice and relaxing weekend to get all geared up for an ultra productive week.

Friday, my coworkers and I enjoyed some adult beverages after work.

This delicious New Glarus Wisconsin Ale brewed with Cherries.  Yum.

… and the Southern Tier Brewing Pumking at home.

(no, I didn’t buy the whole case unfortunately).

You might be thinking… Lindsay… it’s just way to early for such fall type drinks.  Well you are wrong, my friend.  This girl right here lives in the Midwest for a reason.

In keeping with the shotgun fall cuisine, I woke up Saturday morning craving my favorite protein pancakes:

The Best Protein Pancakes Ever

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 

• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 6 egg whites
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp. almond milk
• Chocolate chips
• Banana slices (garnish)
• Almond butter (garnish)
• Pure maple syrup (non of that fake shit)

Directions:

1. Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together.
3. Cook like regular pancakes… add some chocolate chips if your heart so desires
4. Top pancakes with some fresh banana slices, a dollop of almond butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.  bada bing bada boom.

These pancakes helped fuel our morning workouts at the gym.  I opted to do one of the Spartan WOD’s:

3 vertical jumps (max effort).  Fully recover after each set.  Repeat 3 sets of 3 jumps.

Split Squat Iso Hold.  Accumulate 60 seconds per leg.  Fully recover.  Repeat 3 sets

Accumulate 60 seconds in High Pull-Up Hold then accumulate 20 push-ups.  Fully recover.  Repeat 3 times.

Run 30 minutes – zone 1.  (aka – slower pace)

I was super sweaty after this one.  I typically sweat a lot, but the gym was humid and hot from the weather outside so it just tripled everything.  My running partner, Lindsay, probably would have been embarrassed if she was with me 🙂

Saturday evening, Brian and I attended the 40th birthday of one of our good friends.  I was so busy eating the delicious appetizers and tasting the signature cocktails that I forgot to take pictures of this wonderful event.  After 5 or 6 cocktails… it was a Liiitttllee hard to get up in the morning.

We had big plans to visit the suburbs, however, so there was no time to waste.  It was the PERFECT day to spend outside by the pool.  Bailey thoroughly enjoyed rolling around in the mud pits that have accumulated from all of the rain we have been getting.

She was pissed when we had to give her a cold hose bath.  Basically, she participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

P.s. I saw this on insta this weekend and couldn’t stop laughing…

I can’t even.

 

Cooking, Cleaning & Running Fools

Hello, hello!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.

My weekend kicked off right after work on Friday with my birthday present from Brian… a cooking class!  I’ve been talking about us going for a while now and was thrilled when I saw what he got me!

The class we took was called ‘Street Food’ and was themed around various snacks and bites that you may find sold on the street in different countries.

Here was our menu:

Beer battered fish tacos

Beef kefta kabobs

Lemongrass chicken banh mi

Cheese and bean pupusas

The class was held at the Merchandise Mart Chopping Block location, so it was super simple to get there directly after work.  Brian brought a bottle of pinot noir, we tied on our aprons and got to work.  In most classes, you work with another couple or group to prepare your various dishes.  Our class was completely full, so we were able to partner up with two other people and boy did we have so much fun!

I love cooking, I cook almost every night, but all of these items are ones I never would have just come up with on my own.

Our favorites were definitely the Beer battered fish tacos which we made with Two Brother’s Cane and Abel.  The second runner up was the Lemongrass chicken banh mi’s.  So juicy and tender, plus the crusty french bread really makes the entire sandwich.  We left completely full and happy!

I was up bright and early Saturday morning to meet my workout buddy, Lindsay at our gym.  We warmed up on the treadmill for 25 minutes alternating between a steady jog, uphill walk and sprinting.  Once we were nice in warm we completed the following workout:

Loved it!  It was so nice being at the gym so early because we didn’t have to fight for space to complete this circuit.

Saturday was such a busy day.  Immediately after our workout, I showered, grabbed a few things from Whole Foods across the street, my two of my best friends for brunch at Toast, came home and cleaned for 4 hours and then hosted a group of my closest friends for cocktails and appetizers!

Phew.  The whole day was awesome.  Even though it was jam packed, I had so much fun seeing all my different groups of friends and my workout really carried my energy level throughout the entire day.  Win!

Sunday was no less chaotic.  My parents and our family friends were over at my apartment at 10:00 a.m. ready to watch the Air and Water show (thank god my apartment was already clean).

We grabbed some sandwiches and salads from Pastoral and headed over to the lake around noon.  Unfortunately, Chicago decided to be cool and cloudy yesterday so the Air and Water show didn’t really happen, but our fun little picnic did!

I was a great way to round out the weekend… and let me tell you I slept like a BABY last night.  Fun times.

Sprint Your Heart Out

These past two days have been full of non-stop fun and excitement!!!!

Kidding.

The workouts and cooking have been fun, but if you are one of those people who thinks that cleaning and doing laundry is fun… I am just not there with you.

Tuesday after work, I had a few major errands to run before heading to the gym at night.  I have recently received feedback from our personal trainer at work that I should start incorporating more sprinting in my workouts so I decided to come up with something fun to do on the treadmill.  Although I really hate the treadmill during the winter months, I have really enjoyed going back in a couple times per week.  I missed seeing my usual suspects after work 🙂

I tell you this workout is a major sweat inducer and really gets your heart rate up.  As always, you can modify the speed based on your fitness level, but always make sure you are pushing yourself and breaking outside of your comfort zone.

Side note… I totally wore gray capris that day and needless to say with all the sweat that was dripping off my body, I looked like I peed my pants.  Funny.

After my workout, I had a quick protein shake at the gym and then headed back home to cook dinner.

On the menu:  Skirt Steak and Steamed Broccoli

Brian and I didn’t stay up real late that evening because I had a strength-focused kFit workout downtown in the loop at 6:00 a.m.  We used a lot of medicine balls to perform squats, overhead presses, lunges, etc.

Although it’s a pain in the ass to wake up at 4:30 a.m., in order to make a bus at 5:00 a.m., so that I can be downtown in time for this class… it is always worth it.  The trainer can whoop my ass like no one else can and I’m much more motivated throughout the day to eat healthy/make good choices when he gives me advice first thing in the morning.

Speaking of making good choices, each week my company commissions this start-up company, Fooda, to bring local restaurants onsite for us to buy lunch.  Yesterday’s choice was Farmer’s Fridge and all of their choices were amazing!  Have you heard of them?  They have a couple kiosks around the loop which have fun salads in a jar type options as well as wraps and little snacks.

I went with the Chicken Kale Cesar Wrap which had a whole wheat tortilla, sweet potato, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, Parmesan, kale, chia seeds, and a vegan Caesar dressing all wrapped together.

It was so fresh and filling, plus it was only $7.00 which for a loop lunch spot is very affordable.  It’s really hard to find a lot of healthy and fresh lunch options in the Chicago loop.  My usual repertoire is a mixture of the local cafeteria salad bar, Pret A Manger, Protein Bar and basically packing my own lunch.  It’s nice to have a new option added… I highly recommend you check them out.

WOD & Whitefish

I finally did something I was always a little apprehensive to do… I signed up for a Spartan race!

Thanks to Brian, I am now a participant in the 2014 Spartan Sprint at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI.  Yes!  This is the same venue Brian ran last year in which I watched him climb high ropes, lift heavy weights, do countless box jumps and climb tall walls.  I remember as a spectator thinking, “I don’t know if I could ever do that”, but as I watched all the participants go by I noticed that they were from all different fitness levels.  And if they could do it I could too.

My biggest challenge will be to improve my upper body strength.  While the obstacles are the not the same every year, I know that this is one of my weakness that could definitely make the course more challenging if I don’t train properly.

With that being said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that the Spartan Series sends you WOD’s as a part of your registration fee.

With 11 weeks to go until the race, I wasted no time and started my training yesterday.

Since it was supposed to rain last night, I decided to take my workout indoors and complete this series at the gym:

 

(Note: don’t repeat the 3 miles 3x, only the strength circuit)

It was an adapted version of what they sent us because I am also training for a 10k and need to make sure I get enough distance running in.  I felt really great after completing this workout and knew that I was going to be sore the next day which is always a good thing 🙂

After my workout, I headed over to Whole Foods to stock up on some groceries for the week.  I saw in the seafood section that they had a local Whitefish on sale and decided to give it a try.  I seriously love seafood… I’m fairly certain I could eat it every single day.

I seasoned the Whitefish with some herb & lime seasoning salt I have from Frontera Grill, a Rick Bayless restaurant.  That and a little black pepper was all the seasoning it needed.

Depending on the thickness of the fish, Whitefish does tend to cook a lot faster than Salmon does.  I seared these babies on medium high heat in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until done and flaky – about 3 minutes per side.

We squeezed a little fresh lemon juice on top and whipped up a side salad and that was that!

A delicious, fresh and light dinner.

Bon Appetit!

 

PRO Compression Love & Discount

Good morning, sports fans!

Yesterday was a glorious, productive day.  Work flew by and I was greeted at home with a perfect-to-me running day.  I don’t miss you one bit humidity!

Brian, surprisingly, was also in a good mood so we decided to tackle a post-work run together.  We made out way through the East Lakeview/Lincoln Park area taking in all the sights and smells of what seemed like a cool October day.

We ran passed the zoo and said hello to the monkeys and zebras and finished back on our street with 4 miles under our belt.

You know what I have really been loving lately?  My PRO Compression sleeves.  Oh you thought tube socks had gone with the 70’s?  Think again, my friend.

Lately I’ve been wearing them during my runs and after my conditioning and strength exercises.  On days like yesterday, when it was randomly 62 degrees in July, they also give me a warmth layer factor which comes in handy during out Chicago winter months.  Compression socks/sleeves are said to:

• Increase the blood flow in your legs
• Aid in faster recovery
• Decrease muscle soreness and fatigue
• Look badass when you are flying by in neon pink – this is my own professional opinion
• Wick away any moisture and prevent those dreaded blisters (for socks)
• Stabilize the zone though the sides to your mid food.

Are you a golfer?

Throw on some sleeves or socks the next time you play 18 holes.  The purpose is to delay muscular breakdown and fatigue that comes with the time it takes to make it through a whole game.

With all of the new-to-me conditioning exercises and strength training that has come with my company’s kFit 60 day challenge, I have embraced this aid in performance and recovery.  When I first tried compression socks, I was worried that they would feel funny on my legs and I wouldn’t like the material.  Although the socks/sleeves are tight (compression, duh), I immediately felt the support and padding they provide which is both comfortable and magical 🙂

My running buddy, Lindsay, and I both sported the PRO Compression sleeves during out latest half-marathon in June.  Although the course was challenging, my recovery was not.

On days when I feel I need to pay a bit more attention to my muscles, I wear them to work under my jeans or pants – no one knows!

PRO Compression offers their socks and sleeves in an array of fun colors and patterns – my favorite currently being their Neon Yellow and Pink Swirl marathon socks.  So fun!

I highly suggest you give PRO Compression a try and see how you feel after your workout/training.  Visit the PRO Compression website and us the discount code ‘PINK’ for 40% OFF your entire purchase at their online store.  If you’ve been on the fence about trying these, the discount is a great way to try them out with little risk!

 

Tweet: I #KeepItTight w/ @PROCompression! Use the code PINK for 40% OFF your entire purchase! http://ctt.ec/W2UDL+ @fitapproach #sweatpink

Disclosure: I was provided a free pair of PRO Compression calf sleeves to try out, but all opinions expressed on my blog are my own.

Garlic & Herb Shrimp Skewers

It’s weekends like these that have me convinced I live in the most beautiful city.

Brian, Bailey and I took full advantage of the gorgeous weather and spent 90% of our weekend outside. I did all sorts if great outdoors activities from playing tennis with my dad and sister…

To swimming in my parents pool.

Early morning runs and a great strength workout with my buddy, Lindsay.

Long walks along the lakeshore path, taking in all the views.

And refreshing cocktails on the back porch (yes, this counts as an outdoor activity!).

What truly wrapped up the entire weekend was a fresh Sunday Dinner. I’m sure I’ve said it before, but cooking Sunday Dinner is one of my favorite traditions. Growing up, this often included homemade meatballs, homemade pasta sauce and fresh spaghetti. Today, it’s heavily revolved around what’s seasonal and fresh. Thus, Garlic and Herbed Shrimp Skewers was born.

Garlic & Herb Shrimp Skewers

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup good olive oil, I used a herb-infused olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Soak your skewers in water for 1 hour before beginning to prep your meal.

2.  Mince the garlic

3. … And the Basil

4. Combine all of the ingredients above with the shrimp and let them marinate for 1 hour.

5. Skewer the shrimp.

5. Grill the shrimp for only 1 – 2 minutes on each side.

Enjoy!