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.

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.

It’s That Time of Year Again…!

First, let’s just talk about how beautiful my tulips are…

Haven’t they opened up nicely?  Whole foods had a great deal on the bunch this weekend, only $6! Win!

This week has been jam packed thus far.  There has been lots and lots of leftovers eaten.

Workouts have been pushed back indoors – boo.

 

Best friends have come to visit from New York

#selfie

And my BvB practice has commenced!  For those of you who are relatively new to this blog, BVB (Blondes vs. Brunettes) is a charity powderpuff football league I participate in each year.  The charity that we raise money for is The Alzheimer’s Association to help fight for a world without Alzheimer’s.

I was first introduced to this league by a former colleague of mine who was part of the planning committee.  I remember thinking to myself, how tough could it be?  I thought I would show up to practice and it would be more of a social hour of women having fun on the field.  I wasn’t wrong about the social aspect, but I did underestimate how much effort goes into our seasons.  We start practicing two days a week for only ONE game that is played in mid June!  Talk about dedication.

Until that June game, we also throw various fundraising events to try and help us reach our yearly goal of about $35,000.  Each player is set to reach a minimum of $350 in their fundraising goal and this year, my friends and family thus far have been rockstars.  I always love exceeding the goal and having those funds go towards such an awesome cause and this year is no exception.

Although I love getting in a good workout two days a week, and I’m serious practices are awesome and intense, the real reason I keep coming back to play (3rd year in a row!) is because of the awesome women I have met through this organization.  All of the women are smart, driven and hilarious – practices may be tough but I usually cannot go a full night without dying of laughter.

If you feel like donating to this awesome cause, feel free to check out my personal page here!  Or come cheers us on at our big GAME DAY June 14th, 2014 at Hawthorne School Turf Field in Lakeview, Chicago.

Ta Ta for now, friends!

This is how I fuel

Defeat.

It’s something that no one likes to deal with, but it’s something everyone has to accept.  Whether you grew up an athlete, mathlete, or was in band, you probably have experienced the feeling of defeat once in your life.

Tonight was the final round of indoor soccer playoffs.  We had a game at 8:35 p.m. that was against the fourth place team – we were ranked second.  It was a good, intense game, but we did defeat them.

Immediately after our first game, at 9:35 p.m. we played in the championship game.  Is this fair?  No.  Were we tired?  We had some energy left.  Did we win?  No.  Did we leave pissed and grumpy – nope – we were the last ones out on that field and had a great time hanging out in the aftermath.

Although it would have been really awesome to have customized sweatshirts that read ‘Champions’ on the back, it was a seriously awesome season.  Also, we really did play our best games.  Surprisingly, I was not as tired as I thought I would… and you want to know why?  Okay, I’ll tell you!  I consumed some pretty rockin fuel the past two days!

You knew this was coming, right?

Wednesday night after work, I headed to the gym to complete this awesome tempo/row workout:

I feel like a lot of people I know are too afraid or just don’t know how to use the row machine, but it is such a great piece of equipment to incorporate into your weekly routine.  Here’s the thing you guys, if you don’t know how to use a machine – ASK THE TRAINERS AT YOUR GYM.  You don’t have to pay them personal training fees or anything, they will be happy to show you how to do it properly.  Trust me.

After the gym I B-lined to one of my best friend Katie’s house to devour some delicious sushi.

It seems like everytime we hang out we order sushi and I love it because Brian hates it and I never order it!  Delicious fuel #1 – check!

Yesterday on my lunch break, my good work friend Priscilla and I headed out to Siena Tavern for lunch to treat ourselves in honor of our 3 year work anniversary.  Crazy how time flies.

We order the MUST order appetizer: Coccoli

Crispy light and airy dough, stracchino cheese, prosciutto di parma – all drizzed with truffled honey and pesto.  Uhhh yum.  The flavor combination is incredible, if you go here and don’t order this you are an idiot.

For our main meals we split the Kale Chicken Cesar Salad which was light and delicious with so many great textures, plus the Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce.

Nom nom nom.

This is a little heavier that I typically do for lunch, but I knew that there was a 99% chance I would be playing back-to-back soccer games, so I was okay with it 😉

To top off the night with wonderful fuel, Brian and I created some bomb-ass open faced sandwiches for dinner:

Toasted whole wheat sourdough, pesto, arugula, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, avocado and… a fried egg.

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Needless to say, I was ready for the game.

Have you been doing a good job fueling your body?

Dirty Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday… who doesn’t love this day?  From the traditional paczkis to the Mardi Gras fare, it is such a delicious celebration.  The whole reason we go to the gym is so that we can prepare for gluttonous days like these, right?

Right.

The day started with a pancake feast that was hosted by my company.  If you are a regular reader, I’ve written about these pancake breakfasts before.  Our administration team gets to the office at 7:00 a.m. to start whipping up pancakes, setting out crispy bacon as well as chicken sausage, fresh fruit and all of the pancake toppings a girl could hope for.

It is one of the best ways to start the day, but they are missing one thing… mimosas 😉

Surprisingly there were not too many Fat Tuesday sweet treat temptations in the office.  I managed to only have a handful of candy (which I’m giving up for lent – gah) and a bite of a creamy, doughy, delicious paczkis.  Did anyone else from Chicago see that Uber was offering to deliver these perfect pastries to you in three minutes or less.  SAY WHAATT?  I was grateful for the minimal sugar binge because I had big plans for dinner!

After work, I headed to the gym and ran four miles on the treadmill.  The gym was crazy packed, I actually had to wait 5 minutes for a treadmill to open up which rarely happens.  As annoying as it was, my run was still great!  I made sure to spend plenty of time stretching and foam rolling per usual.  I had ran three miles on Monday and my knee was feeling a little tight – the last thing I want is an injury just before it gets warm enough to run outside.

I also completed one round of Tone It Up’s Sunkissed Abs and then called it a day.

There is a Whole Foods across from the street from my gym which is dangerous on so many levels, but I needed to go there and grab a couple items for my delicious Fat Tuesday dinner:

Dirty Rice with Shrimp

I had found this recipe on the Food & Wine website and knew that it was a must try.  I adapted the recipe just slightly and it turned out GREAT.

Servings: 4

Adapted from the Food & Wine Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup long grain brown rice
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 green onion, diced – garnish
• Tabasco

Directions

1. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbs. of the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and add all of your chopped veggies: onion, celery, green bell pepper and garlic. Saute until soft.
3. Stir in all of the spices and the rice – cook for 2 minutes
4. Pour in the broth and bring to a roaring boil.  Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer the mixture, covered for 20 – 25 minutes
5. Bring the heat back up to medium and add the shrimp.  Cook for 2 minutes and then remove pan from the heat and keep covered.  THIS IS IMPORTANT – do not touch it!  Leave it covered for 10 -15 minutes and don’t you dare open that lid.
6. One the rice is cooked, serve into dishes and sprinkle with green onion and a dash or two of tabasco
7. ENJOY!

Cooking rice is kind of a pain in the rear end.  I followed the original Food & Wine recipe exactly and my rice was still crunchy so I let it sit for 10 minutes longer and it was perfection.  This dish had SO much flavor, it is definitely a easy go-to crowd pleaser.

Bailey was seriously jealous of our delicious eats.

How did you celebrate Fat Tuesday?

Party in Plymouth

Guys, I just had a really good weekend and i’m really pissed that it is already Monday.

This past weekend, Brian and I were invited to the wedding of one of Brian’s good friend, Chris.  The wedding was held at The Inn at St. John in Plymouth, Michigan – a suburb of Detroit.  We took Friday off of work so we could take our time traveling and it was an absolutely gorgeous day to do so!

The hotel was only a 4 hour drive from Chicago, so when we arrived we had plenty of time to relax and explore the area.

First off, let me just say that our room and stay at The Inn at St. John was fabulous and we had THE most comfortable bed I have ever slept on.

My life will never be the same.

After we settled into our room, we met up with a few friends to explore the downtown area of Plymouth.  First up, was a visit to Liberty Street Brewing Company for a couple delicious craft beers.  The brewery itself was small, but the space where people could lounge was huge – two stories!

Downtown Plymouth was very cute and full of little shops and restaurants.  We got hungry pretty fast, so all we had to do was venture next door to Hermanns Olde Town Grill for some good pub grub to fill our bellies.  The place was packed and featured an AHMAZING playlist of 90’s hits – It was basically a recipe for a good time.

We didn’t make Friday a late night considering the wedding festivities were the next day and also because I had a 5 mile training run scheduled.

The gym at the hotel was rather small considering how many rooms there were – two treadmills, one stationary bike, one elliptical and a handful of free weights.  Since my plan was to complete the run, I obviously needed to get on the dreadmill – I mean treadmill.  But alas, they were both already taken.  I was surprisingly not very tired considering my 7 am wake up call, so I hopped on the bike for 20 minutes until one of the treadmills opened up.  The run itself was pretty good – wasn’t the easiest but wasn’t too hard.  One of the best parts about going to the gym is people watching – am I right?  At this gym, the people watching was at a minimum so I found myself having to entertain my brain a little bit more.

After my run was done and I spent a good amount of time stretching, I took full advantage of the room service offering for breakfast.

Boom.  Poached eggs, fresh fruit and multi grain toast… plus an ENTIRE pot of coffee 🙂  It was such a simple breakfast, but really hit the spot after a good sweat session.

The rest of the day consisted of more townie adventures and a visit to the hotel hot tub.

I’m personally the type of vacationer who just likes to go with the flow and relax.  I’m not a ‘need to do this’ or ‘need to see that’ kind of person.  In fact, we could have spent the entire weekend in the hotel and I still would have had an amazing time.

Around 3:00 p.m., we started to get ready for the wedding!

It was an absolutely gorgeous evening full of delicious food and fun people to party with.

I haven’t been to a wedding I did not have fun at, but this one definitely made the top of the list!

Question of the day: What kind of vacationer are you?

Full of Flavor

I did it again, folks.  I made it to the gym at 5:00 a.m. and was greeted with a high-five when I walked in.

Okay that didn’t happen, but I was in good spirits nonetheless.

One of my favorite things about going to my gym on Thursday mornings is that the giant studio room that usually has a morning bootcamp class, is empty.  Nothing is scheduled until 7:00 a.m., so I get free reign on it!  To get myself good and ready, I started my workout with a brisk 20 minute warm-up run on the treadmill.  Once that was done, I hopped off and headed to the studio.  There I grabbed two 8 lb dumbbells, the foam roller and a boku ball.  I didn’t really have a set game plan, so I figured I would just wing it.

First up, was the 15 minute ‘Leaner Legs’ session on my Nike Training Club app.

It’s my favorite of favoritist.  I always end the workout with my leg feelin’ like jello.  My second 15 minute session focused more on arms and abs.

Tone It Up Tummy Tucks

Dumbbell Curls

Tricep Kick Backs

Boku Ball Push Ups

Forearm Planks

All those were included in the mix.

Brian and I have decided to run the Spartan Sprint at Miller Park this fall.  If you recall, Brian participated last year and killed the course.  I’m pumped, but a little nervous that my upper body strength is not up to par.  Sure, I can run 13 miles… but climb up a giant rope and lift heavy objects over my head… not so much.

I might pay for a couple personal training sessions so that I can be taught proper form and technique for lifting.  Joining a Crossfit box would be awesome, but I ain’t got that kind of money right now!

After the gym I settled into my usual coffee – breakfast – work routine.  Even though it was negative 10 degrees outside, I was really craving a good smoothie.  I decided to stop by Protein Bar on my way to work and grab one of their ‘Sears Suckers’ protein smoothies full of delicious Greek Yogurt, Almond Milk, Whey Vanilla Protein, Rasberries and Bananas.

It was so yum.

They day flew by, A. because it was a payroll day and that takes up the majority of my time.  B. It was my FRIDAY! and C. I was meeting two of my girlfriends for dinner after work and I was really looking forward to it.

Just down the street from me (literally), a new restaurant opened up called BIG and Littles.  There is an original location down in they city that I have never really been to, so I was pumped with my girlfriend suggested that we check out the new spot.

BIG and Littles are known for many delicious items, but particularly for their fish tacos and fried po boys.  There were sooooo many options to choose from so we all decided on a smorgasbord of items.

I opted for a grilled mahi mahi taco, a raw ahi tuna poke taco, cajun fries to share and a small garden salad.

Also, did I mention this place is BYOB? FABULOUS – cue the Modelo.

Everything was so fresh and delicious.  The two tacos I got were both light and full of flavor, but my favorite was the raw ahi tuna poke taco.  It was basically a sushi taco.  The tuna was so perfectly fresh it just melted in my mouth.

Divine.

We took our time eating and drinking the night away, but all agreed not to make it a late evening.  This was a good thing, because I needed to pack!

Brian and I are off to Detroit to attend a wedding.  Hopefully we don’t get stuck in any kind of snow storm.

Ta Ta for now!

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?

I’m Back!

Guys, I’m back – I know you missed me.

Things have been crazy around here between Open Enrollment with work and holiday festivities, I decided to take a bit of a media cleanse.  Instead of waking up – going to work – gym – dinner – blogging – bed.  My days looked more like waking up – gym – going to work – glass of wine – enjoying time off – bed.

I really needed that extra hour or two I would normally spend blogging each night to just unwind after a crazy day.  I am happy to report that I am back feeling fully rested and excited to share some of my recent happenings and future endeavors.

Food Wise

I’ve been enjoying my usual delicious meals and happened to snag a few photo bites while on my “cleanse”.

Healthy stuff like salads from Noodles & Company after a long day of shopping with friends:

Spicy Chicken bites with a pile of veggies on the side (yes, I will share this delicious recipe with you once I’ve perfected the spice combo – seriously they are so addictive):

Fresh Omelets made to order by one of my best friends:

And of course some unhealthy indulgences like these churros from Xoco where my parents and I grabbed a late night bite:

It was actually my first time dining at Xoco, I have been to Rick Bayless’s Frontera and Topolobampo, but never the smaller more affordable place (makes sense, not..)  I was extremely impressed with the level of service at Xoco even though it was not his flagship restaurant.  I ordered the short rib soup in a red chile broth that came to the table without the short rib the first time around.  The manager of the restaurant immediately came over and apologized and explained that this is not the standard they try to maintain at.  He then offered dessert and coffee on the house and how could we resist?  Along with the churros he delivered sample sizes of their famous Mexican hot chocolate and oh my it was to die for.

Workout Wise

I’ve still been working out everyday – there’s not cleanse from that.  My gym is starting to become more and more crowded as the cold creeps in so my early morning workouts are now a must.

A lot of treadmill runs have been completed and the Nike Training Club App is still a favorite.  I am running a Turkey Trot next week on Thanksgiving Day and checked the weather today to see what is in store – a high of 35 degrees.  Looks like I may need to do a couple outside practice runs so that my lungs can get used to the cold weather.

Fun Wise

I enjoyed watching the Bears beat the Ravens last week

… but not until after the severe weather delay.  As many of you know, there were several severe tornado outbreaks in the central part of Illinois that caused a lot of damage and took a heavy toll on some of the local communities.  The storm was not that bad out where I was in Chicago, in fact, after it had passed we went outside and only a few branches had fallen from the trees.

We were fortunate.  For a while the weatherman predicted that Chicago would end up being in the tornado’s path, but it shifted at the last minute.

On another note, can you guys believe that next week is Thanksgiving?  I’m super pumped mainly because I love to eat, but also because my sister will be in town as well as some of my other relatives, it’s BRIAN’S BIRTHDAY on blackout Wednesday and my best friend, Stacey’s birthday on Black Friday.  So much celebrating ahead of me!

Until tomorrow, friends!

Winter Workout Motivation

Man I love snow!

I am so sad that our brief dusting on Tuesday did not last longer.  When it snows, my Facebook news feed lights up with people loving on the white stuff or hating it.  To each their own I say, but man oh man do I love it.  I think as an adult who has a passion for winter sports (ie: skiing and snowboarding) how could you hate it?  It’s like an adult playground.  I do not enjoy the cold the February, early March windy, in your face freezing cold.  Brrr.

Tuesday after work, I enjoyed taking a walk to the grocery store to take in the beautiful flakes.  I was able to stock up on yummy items for the week including a new bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that was an absolute must have 🙂

Meals for the week:

Monday – Leftovers

Tuesday – Chicken “Burrito” Quinoa Bowls

Wednesday – Skirt Steak and Veggies

Thursday – Chicken Bites and Salad

Friday – Out to Eat

Saturday – Homemade Pizza

How is everyone doing on their workout schedule this fall/winter?  I know the cold convinces a lot of people to stay in rather than get out, but remember that working out is not only good for the heart, but good for the mind too.  I find that I am a little crabbier in the winter due to lack of sunshine, but I feel and SLEEP so much better when a workout is involved.  I am happy to say that I have hooked my parents on to the Nike Training Club App!  It’s so easy for them to squeeze in workouts from home now and they can do them together!  Here are some other ways I stay motivated during the winter:

– Dessert:  Pumpkin Pie, Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Truffles, Decadent Cakes… I’m not one to turn down holiday goodies but I also don’t want my pants to shrink 🙂  I run for pie.

–Revisit your goals: Winter is not just a new season, it’s a great time to plan out what you want to accomplish the next few months.  Maybe preparation for Race season?

–Take up a winter sport:  This is a lot more fun when you have friends will to play with you.  For the past two years, a group of my work buddies and I travel to some “resort” in Wisconsin and spend a weekend skiing and snowboarding.  It is so much fun and an excellent workout!

–Dress the part:  What better gift to wish for for the Holidays than cute workout gear?  Strut your stuff around the gym and meet new people!  I met one of my gym buddies just by randomly asking her to show me how to use the rowing machine!

–Try a new class at your local gym: Whether it’s yoga, pilates, boot camp or body pump, these classes will help you stay engaged and keep you on a good schedule throughout the winter.

Yesterday, I ran 4 miles on the treadmill which surprisingly went by very fast (probably because Castle was on t.v.) and then headed to the mat area to complete a 15 minute Ab workout.

Halfway through my workout, I noticed a man who was almost mimicking the moves I was doing and saw that he too was using the app!  Seriously, download it now.

When I got home, Brian was already grilling up the chicken for our “Burrito Bowls”.  I put that in quotations because instead of using rice in our bowls we use quinoa!  More protein!  I topped my bowl with lettuce, chicken, grilled peppers and guacamole.

It hit the spot.  I had a tiny sweet tooth after I finished my meal so I ended my night with a Trader Joe’s Mango Greek Yogurt topped with dark chocolate chips.

I was a happy happy girl 🙂