All Good Things Come to an End

We rode our bikes to the park today to play a little volleyball and so that Jeremy could fly his drone.

His drone is so neat!  He either uses an iTouch or an iPad (whichever is charged and handy) and then flies the drone, which has a front and rear view camera so that Jeremy can see exactly what the drone is seeing….pretty fancy if you ask me!

Core Intensity/Cycle Core

I then taught my last Core Intensity class…ever 😦 it is sad, but it was honestly a really great class!  Here is a look at what we did:

Warmp-Up

• Running in place
• Jumping Jacks
• Cross Jack (8 count)
• Jog with arms punching straight up (8 counts)
• Cross Jack (8 count)
• Repeat all of this until the first song is over

Abs 

• 15 slow controlled parallel leg lower and lift
• 15 crunches with fit up straight at 45 degrees, bring in when crunch up
• 10 Hip dips (imagine you are in a toaster…stay nice and straight)
• Switch sides
• REPEAT

Back and arms on bench

• 15 Bent over row/fly ( one row then one fly for set) 8 lb wts
• 20 Plank position with wts in hands, lift Right arm and kickback, then L for 1 set
• 5 on side repeat 5 on the other plank walk ups (Plank position, then step with R and L then back into plank)
• REPEAT

Hips and Butt on bench and floor

• 10 Stationary lunge with rotation, lunge down with L in back, bring arms down as you lunge, then rotate torso and bring left arm back and right arm forward (bend down lunge back) 5 lb wts
• Switch sides
• 10 Hip lift and lower
• 15-20 march in place with hips up
• 15 Lie on side with knee down, hand on hip raise and lower leg
• 15 Bring leg forward and back
• Switch sides

I then taught Cycle 45 as a sub for the regular Tuesday teacher. The way I taught today was different than usual in the fact that the entire workout was built around climbing a hill.  It was fun and made the class go by really fast!

Warm Up (5 minutes)

Seated Flat Road (5 minutes)

Hard Climb (5 minutes)

• increase gear every 30 seconds

Recovery (5 minutes) 

Hard Climb (4 minutes)

• increase gear every 30 seconds

Recovery (4 minutes)

Hard Climb (3 minutes)

• increase gear every 30 seconds…really push and give all you have!

Recovery (3 minutes)

Hard Climb (2 minutes)

• increase gear every 15 seconds

Recovery (2 minutes)

Hard Climb (30 seconds)

• increase gear every 15 seconds

Sprint 100% effort (30 seconds)

Cool Down/Stretch (6 minutes)

Dinner

I then came home very ready for dinner.  Brian had been asking me to buy gnocchi for a few weeks now, but I had never managed to get it on the list.  I always felt so bad because Brian never asks for anything to be on the list besides Diet Coke (we all have our weaknesses), he only requests that I make “the usual”…which is actually just whatever I want to make.  It’s a little joke we have 😉

Well, the gnocchi finally got on the list and tonight was the night for the gnocchi.  It was simple and easy to make.  I topped it with pasta sauce and served it with a side salad made with romaine, spinach, celery, tomato, pepperoncini, carrots, red onion, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, and Italian seasoning.

Salad on the Side

It was hard to get a pretty picture of the gnocchi...but it tasted good! It's brown because it's whole wheat.

Cookie Recipe

I told you a made chocolate chippers last night without actually giving you the recipe…which just isn’t fair at all!  So here ya go 🙂

Chocolate Chippers

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups margarine (3 sticks)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 12 oz of chocolate chips (I used half dark chocolate and half white chocolate)
• 1 cup of nuts are optional (I almost never use them)

Preparation:

Cream together margarine and sugars until combined.  Then add eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and soda.  Then, add the flour mixture in 3 phases so that you don’t have a cloud of powder in your face.  Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

For larger cookies use an ice cream scoop (Brian likes these) and for smaller cookies use a Tablespoon (Mom likes these).

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy!!! This batch makes a ton of cookies 🙂

Can’t Touch My Toes

This morning my workout was a 4.5 mile run.  I intended for it to be 4 miles, but I miscalculated.  Instead of using map my run I decided today I would count my miles by counting street blocks, however I didn’t realize that in the area I am in not every block is the same length until the middle of my run.  Oh well, an extra half mile never hurt anybody 🙂

 

I am dog sitting for the family I nanny for, and I woke up a little later than expected.  Because of this breakfast was a quick Bora Bora bar grabbed on my way out the door.  It tasted good and it was quick and easy.

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Yoga and Flexibility

I love fitness and trying and teaching new classes, but one thing that I have never truly caught onto was yoga.  I have taken 2 classes in my life (one being a couple of weeks ago), and attempted to do one video.  This is something I need to overcome.  Part of my hesitation and sometimes frustration is my lack of flexibility.  When I used to think yoga, I thought that you basically had to bend into a pretzel to find any sort of benefit from the activity.  When I took my most recent yoga class, I realized that flexibility is not the determining factor in whether or not you will excel in yoga.  In fact, a non-flexbible person may benefit from yoga even more because it feels like one giant stretch session!

I realized that it is more about stretching your body where it is natural to stretch and that everybody is different.  Simply because I can’t touch my toes does not mean that I will not excel or benefit from the practice of yoga.  It is my goal to do a little yoga everyday, to ease myself into it, and enjoy the relaxation of the activity rather than wish I were running around a million miles a minute.  Don’t worry…I will keep you updated on my progress!

P.S.  Tonight is my first night at my new retail job and I will be posting my work outfit selection!

1 Month Anniversary!

Yesterday was my 1 month anniversary of blogging, and I totally missed it!  How the heck did that happen?!  Well, I am celebrating now! 😉

Wedding

I have more exciting news…Brian and I officially have a venue for our reception!  We are having it in downtown Indianapolis at the Sheraton City Centre on the top floor.  The room is absolutely gorgeous with windows from ceiling to floor and a view overlooking Monument Circle which is literally the center of downtown Indy.  We are so excited to be getting some of the larger details of the wedding nailed down before I leave for the cruise.

The reception room

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This is the view from the reception...amazing!

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Manicures

Sarah and I wanted to get pampered so we went to get manicures together today.  She opted for a very sparkly gold color, while I stayed with a classic nude color.

Sarah just lovin' life while her nails are drying

Look at those sparkly nails!

We also shopped around in some vintage shops, and I started to read Food Politics.  It should be a good and educational read!

Workout and Dinner

After nannying, I raced home so that I could run 3.5 miles and eat something before heading to Pilates with a friend.  I was in a rush because after Pilates Brian and I had plans to hang out with some friends tonight to celebrate a birthday.  So dinner looked like this after my run:

Kiiinda random…but full of protein!  I normally don’t drink those type of drinks, but Brian and I each received one when we registered for the Firecracker 6, and we then each got one at the finish line so we now have 4 (well 3) in our fridge.  You know I can’t turn down anything free.  It was surprisingly filling…probably because of all of the protein.  I then ran out the door to head to Pilates, got in my car, checked my phone….and my friend had to cancel because she was working in the lab late.  I was not disappointed because this gave me time to pack my bags for tomorrow and freshen myself up for our friends.  We will just reschedule our workout date.

While getting ready I had a little accident.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My curling iron burned a whole in the bottom of my baggie of bobby pins…so now I have a messy curling iron and need a new baggie…it could have been worse!

Tonight should be a fun night seeing a bunch of people in Brian’s dental school class.  See you all in the morning!

Morning Worker Outer

I started this morning like any other…with a smoothie bowl!  Peanut butter, chocolate, banana to be exact.

This morning  and last night I realized that I am a morning worker outer.  I have the most energy in the morning, and by the night time (and even mid-day) it’s like I forgot I worked out because it happened so long ago.  This summer I have not been able to workout in the mornings as much as I would like for several reasons.  The gym doesn’t open early enough, the sun doesn’t come up early enough when I need to run outside because I hate running on treadmills and I can’t run in the dark, and I have to nanny early in the morning.

Could you please rise about an hour earlier?? Thanks!

It is harder for me to workout at night because by the end of work (whatever odd ball job I am doing that day) I am ready to be done, eat dinner, hang out with Brian, blog, relax, change my clothes, etc.  I am really working on pepping myself up at 4pm!

When do you prefer to workout?  How do you perk yourself up for a workout after a long day of work?

Also, Sarah and I are getting manicures today…any ideas on what color I should get??? Something nude and classic or bright and summery??

Summer Day Kickin’ it by the Pool

Sarah and Jeremy (the kids I nanny for) granted my wish and wanted to go to the pool today!  It was sooo hot, so I cooled off with a game of Marco Polo.  I forgot how fun that game was!

Just hangin' out at the pool! Fun in the sun

We met up with one of my friends who nannies for two little girls that Sarah and Jeremy used to play with last year.  The younger one, Alexis has a crush on Jeremy and calls him “Dr. J”  How cute!

Once I was done with nannying, I headed straight to Butler to teach Core Intensity.  The workout we did today was a circuit like last week but I tweaked it juuuust a bit since I ran out of time last week.  Here is what we did:

Ab Circuit (1 minute per station the first time through, then 30 seconds per station the second time through)

• Balance on the BOSU Ball Seated
• Core Press—Lie on Back With Knees up and Forearms Raised with Elbows on the Ground, Engage Abs and Roll Up, End with Arms Straight in Front of You and Body in the C-Curve Position (3-5lb wts)
• Torso Twist using Medicine Ball
• Dumbbell Crunches on Step (8 lb weights)

Butts and Hip Circuit(1 minute per station the first time through, then 30 seconds per station the second time through)

• • Calf Raises
  • Reach and Squeeze
    • Lie on right side, propped up on right forearm, legs stacked with bottom leg bent, a weight in left hand, left arm extended overhead.  Lift hips off ground into a side plank to start.  Bend elbow and bring weight to shoulder as you lift top leg as high as you can.  Return to start.  Repeat on opposite side.
  • Weighted all 4s
    • Get on all 4s with a flat back and engaged abs.  Place 3-5lb weight behind the knee and lift heel to the ceiling.  Switch legs at 30 seconds.
  • Squat with medicine ball  

Back (all together go through twice)

• Back extension with hands resting at temple 12 reps
• Touchdown arms 12 reps
  • Bent over row 12 reps
    • 8-10 lb

It was a really good all over workout.  My supervisor attended class tonight and gave me some great feedback that I can’t wait to try next week!

After class, I came home and was hungry for dinner.  I wanted something quick and simple, so I took half of a Joseph’s flax, oat bran, and whole wheat pita and stuffed it with some corn salsa and low fat pepper jack cheese.  I popped it in the microwave to melt the cheese.  On the side I topped a bed of Boston lettuce with MORE corn salsa, red onion, sriracha, salt, and pepper.  It was perfect, quick, easy, and nutritious!

Tonight is going to be an early night in bed.  My plans:  read over information for the cruise, and catch up on the Next Food Network Star!

 

Bachelorette Gossip!

Last night, I spent time with the girls watching the Bachelorette.  I have never really watched either the Bachelor or the Bachelorette before this year, but my friends and I have made it a weekly tradition to meet and watch the show together every Monday night.  It is a great way to keep close and in contact since we all just graduated.  Most of us still live in Indianapolis, but it is a lot different having to drive 15 minutes to your girlfriend’s apartment compared to just walking down the hall!  I think we are all suffering a bit of “culture shock.”

She said WHAT to Bentley!?!?

I’m still confused about why she is sooooo hung up on Bentley!! Personally, I think JP has been a sweetheart and a cutie from the beginning!

 

This morning, I started out with Insanity again before making my smoothie to go so that I could be to my nannying job on time.

Eatin on the run!

Today’s smoothie is kind of my version of a Starbucks frappacino!

In the mix:

• 1 banana
• 1 Tbsp Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 packet of Swiss Miss Diet Cocoa
• 1 handful of spinach
• a pinch of xanthum gum
• a splash of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of Instant Coffee
• Water
• 3 Ice Cubes

It was creamy, cool, yummy, and gave me a little pep in my step bright and early!

I think I may be geocaching with Jeremy, the boy I nanny for, later today.  I will keep you updated!