Thanksgiving + Wedding Weekend

Two of the reasons we came home were Thanksgiving and my cousin’s wedding. These events made for a pretty marvelous weekend and, even though I’ve said it 100 times already, I’m so glad we could come home for it.

Leading up to Thanksgiving was pretty great too; we had dinner with friends last week and went to hang out at their house afterward. You can tell I’m not used to the cold weather anymore because as soon as we walked in, I stole her warmest clothes. And then she handed me a glass of sparkling wine.. that’s a good friend right there!

Yep, that glass says “She Said Yes!” Ha.

I did a pretty poor job of actually getting pictures of Thanksgiving festivities, but I did get a picture of some of my prep and a little post-turkey day lunching.

My favorite homemade dessert!

Roasty veggies are the best leftovers!

I got some more quality time with my little girl.. it’s so fun now that she’s really starting to recognize me!

Lap time is pretty much my fave.

“Ok, I’ll stand still for about 3 seconds so you can take a picture.”

And of course, there was the wedding which was almost as beautiful as the bride!

Kirk is one lucky guy!

I love this girl; she’s not a cousin that I grew up knowing too well, but when she moved to Baltimore a couple of years ago, we really got to know each other and she’s fantastic. And her shiny new husband, Kirk, is such a perfect match for her. I miss hanging out with them.. it’s always such a treat when we come into town. Kirk, by the way, had the best reaction when she walked down the aisle. Quivering lips and all.. it was so sweet.

Wish I got a better shot of his expression!

I also wish I got more pictures of the night, but hey, that’s what happens when you’re dancing like crazy! [I totally smacked the photographer.. whoops!]

What a weekend! And now it’s time I get my body used to eating a normal amount of food again. I’m thinking this card describes my thoughts..

Our meal plan this week isn’t so exciting in terms of actual cooking, but I’m sure we’ll find some pretty exciting food to eat when we meet up with our friends!

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday – Carry out Thai
Monday – Grilled feta chicken with Israeli couscous salad
Tuesday – Out with friends
Wednesday – Out with friends
Thursday – Jilly’s first birthday!
Friday – Out with friends
Saturday – Out with friends

Food for Thought

How was your Thanksgiving?
Did you do anything exciting over the weekend?

Fit & Fashion Friday: HIIT Workout + Lorna Jane Gear

My Athleta gift card winner was chosen! Is it you?!

Happy Halloween and hooray for Friday! And Friday means I’m off to another workout at Sweat. I’ve really been loving these workouts because it not only gives me a chance to mix it up from my usual gym scene, but I also find that I push myself harder being in the group setting. I mean, I can’t let people think I don’t know what I’m doing, right? 😉

I was this close to hitting up Sweat the other day but the plans were cancelled. However, once I have my mind set on something, it’s really hard to change it so I decided to do a modified version of my first Sweat HIIT workout in my own gym. AND I decided to share it with all of you because it can’t hurt to have an extra workout at your disposal with all of the candy around, am I right?! I love the mix of cardio, abs, and strength work. By the time you catch your breath, you’re moving fast again!

Exercise Demos

• Frog Hops
• Med Ball V-Up
• Russian Twists
• Front Raises
• Mountain Climbers
• Lying Back Fly
• Bosu Starfish Crunches – place your mid to lower back on the bosu
• Bosu Dead Bug
• Single Leg Squat
• Tummy Tucks
• Double Mountain Climbers – jump feet all the way up to hands

Looking for a little extra workout motivation? I love finding some fun new workout gear and Lorna Jane just came out with some fantastic new looks. Some of my faves?

Crosstown Bra

Alliance Mesh Tank

Pria Excel Zip Through

Rouge 7/8 Tight

Clearly I have a thing for bright colors and criss-cross backs and there are tons to choose from on the website. Can’t wait to get my hands on these!

I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween and weekend!

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite new piece from Lorna Jane?
Any fun Halloween plans?

Fitness Friday: Cardio + Pull Circuits Workout

I’ve been pretty quiet about the whole personal training venture since getting my certification. I’ve been working to figure out where I’m going to start and before making things a bit more public, wanted to see how everything was going to pan out. Well, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve found a wonderful opportunity to launch and grow my own personal training career while learning the ins-and-outs of the business side too. In fact, I have my first client today and I’m pretty darn nervous excited!

In honor of my first client, I want to share a new workout that really got my muscles burning! I often do workouts that have a certain number of sets to complete but in an effort to keep things fresh, I decided to put together a couple of timed circuits with a cardio burst [any cardio of your choice!] in between. I’ve also included links below to show each exercise if there are any questions.

Mini Circuit #1

• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Plank w/ One Arm Row
• Face Pull

Mini Circuit #2

• Reverse Lunge w/ Leg Lift
• Alternating Dumbbell Row
• Alternating Hammer Curl

Hope you feel the burn and enjoy this workout as much as I did! And of course, tag me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram if you do this workout.. I’d love to see 🙂 And if you want a little extra challenge, check out the September Wall Sit Challenge from FitFluential! Wish me luck and have a great weekend!

P.S. my AMRAP bar giveaway winners have been chosen! Check it out!

Food for Thought

Do you prefer upper or lower body workouts?

Link Love #38

Yesterday was one of those days that I’m not really sure where it went. I know I had a killer workout [partially thanks to 2 days of rest!], delicious breakfast, and went to work. And from there, the rest of the day flew! Work was nuts thanks to a huge Memorial Day sale. But I love that.. keeps me running around and the time flies by like nothing! It was a pretty darn good day and I came home absolutely pooped. And now it’s time to really kick off the week. Happy Tuesday, friends!

Health

We All Need to Rest – The Lyons’ Share

We All Need to Rest! – The Lyons’ Share
Immunity Boosting Recipe:Tangy Broccoli Slaw Salad – Cotter Crunch
Are You Unknowingly Holding Yourself Back? 5 Reasons We Fear Success – JillFit
Why It’s More Than Okay To Have “Fat Days” – Lifting Revolution
Pre-Workout Nutrition: What do we need and why?! – The Little Honey Bee

Fitness

Cardio Core Workout – Pumps & Iron

Cardio Core Workout – Pumps & Iron
Lower Abdominal Workout – Jessie Loves 2 Run
Blast and Burn Circuit – Fitnessista
Pre-Wedding HIIT – Slim Sanity
5 training elements to include in every workout – FitKnitChick

Food

Sweet Tea Oven Fried Chicken Sliders with Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Slaw + Crispy Onions – Half Baked Harvest

Sweet Tea Oven Fried Chicken Sliders with Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Slaw + Crispy Onions – Half Baked Harvest
Almond Butter Cups Revisited – Peachy Palate
Double Chocolate Banana Bread Oat Bars {vegan and gluten free} – Ambitious Kitchen
Asian Lamb and Noodle Toss – Bev Cooks
Red Cabbage Smoothie – According to Elle

Food for Thought

What was one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Link Love #35

Yesterday was exhausting and exactly what I needed. I had a bunch of errands to run and needed to drop Nathan at work [hellooo one car!] so I get up extra early to get my workout in. I also had an appointment in the city so I met an old Baltimore coworker for lunch. She moved out here a month before us for a new job but we’ve only been able to meet up a couple of times. We went to Sushirrito for lunch and it was so good! I got the Bonsai Salad and the tuna was amazing but I’ll definitely have to go back and try one of their -rritos!

With all of the running around, I hardly sat down before dinner at 6:30! It’s a good kind of exhaustion, though. Today I start a new gig [details to come!] and I’m really looking forward to it. It should be fun and it’ll get me out of the house and running around more.. more good exhaustion! Anywho, I was a bit MIA last week on the social media scene, but I did happen to catch a ton of great posts to share with you. Enjoy!

Health

How to Face Your Fears to Get the Body You Want – Lifting Revolution

How To Face Your Fears To Get The Body You Want – Lifting Revolution
The Dangers of Complacency in Weight Loss – Fit to the Finish
Motivation Monday – Choosing Contentment – Cotter Crunch
When Hardcore Turns Into Harmful – JillFit
Happy Weight vs. Ideal Body Weight – Delicious Knowledge

Fitness

Vacation Workout – Full- Body Resistance and Cardio – Wheres the Beach Fitness

Vacation Workout – Full-Body Resistance Band and Cardio – Where’s the Beach
Build a Mean & Clean Workout – Bonnie Pfeister
Cardio Boot Camp Workout – Pumps & Iron
TRX Workout – Peanut Butter Fingers
Core & Burpees – The Workout Mama

Food

Tijuana Street Fries – Half Baked Harvest

Tijuana Street Fries – Half Baked Harvest
Sriracha Chicken Cauliflower “Fried Rice” – The Lemon Bowl
Oat, Nutty Seed Bars – Knead to Cook
Barbecue Salmon Tostadas – Peachy Palate
Mexican Grilled Polenta Pizza – Edible Perspective

Food for Thought

What was one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Fitness Friday: Full Body Circuit Workout

Phew.. Friday! We made it!

I mentioned the other day that Monday’s workout was pretty lack-luster. I left the gym less than impressed and was hoping to have the energy to make up for it on Tuesday. I always plan my workouts on Sunday but when I looked at what I had planned for Tuesday, I just wasn’t feeling it. I wanted to put something together myself that I thought would really kick my butt. And that’s exactly what happened!

This workout is not only full-body strength, it also incorporates some cardio too. I started with a 10 minute warm up on the elliptical just to wake up my muscles a bit before getting started so with that, it ended up being about an hour. I completed 15 reps of each exercise; when it mentions things like the single leg deadlift, I did 15 reps per side.

Below are demos of the exercises.

1
Dumbbell Squat
Dumbbell Plank Row – they’re using kettlebells but I just used regular dumbbells

2
Single Leg Deadlift
Cross Body Curls

3
Lunge Kick-Backs – Couldn’t find the lunge version of this, but you do a static lunge with kick back on each side
Front Raises – I did both arms at once

4
Wall Sit
Bent-Over Tricep Kick-Backs

Cardio Blast
Mountain Climbers
Plank Jacks

I took my time through this workout and it totally kicked my butt. My whole body was sore the next day! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Food for Thought

What is your favorite exercise for upper body, lower body, and core?

Link Love #29

Have you entered my LÄRABAR giveaway yet? Today is the last day to enter so don’t miss out!

Yesterday was strange. Do you ever just have those days where you wake up in a funk and can’t quite seem to shake it? I wasn’t in a bad mood yesterday, just kind of out of it. Unfortunately my mood killed my workout, but I plan on making up for it with my other workouts this week. Less energy one day = more energy the next, right? 🙂 These will get me started nicely..

Health

Guest RD: Rev Your Metabolism – The Real Life RD via Kath Eats Real Food

Guest RD: Rev Your Metabolism – The Real Life RD via Kath Eats Real Food
5 Steps You May Not Have Heard of That Will Improve Digestion – Della Terra Wellness
Confessions of a Former Cardio Queen – JillFit
Two Steps to a Bathing Suit Body – Carla Birnberg
10 Reasons Your Weight is Not Shifting – Food & Nonsense

Fitness

Lean Lifting (fat loss without boring cardio) – Eat Lift & Be Happy

Lean Lifting (fat loss without boring cardio) – Eat, Lift, & Be Happy
Lucky 7s Body Weight Workout – Blonde Ponytail
The 10 Best Kettlebell Arm Exercises For Women – Lifting Revolution
How to Get to Pull ups Faster Using Bands – Workout Nirvana
10 Minute No Equipment No Time Workout – Trainer Paige

Food

Jerk Fish Tacos with Asian Slaw and Avocado Lime Sauce – Fit Foodie Finds

Jerk Fish Tacos with Asian Slaw and Avocado Lime Sauce – Fit Foodie Finds
Roasted Sesame Asparagus Toasts with Poached Eggs – How Sweet It Is
Peppermint Patty Chocolate Almond Butter – PaleOMG
Banana Almond Teff Porridge – Eating Bird Food
Braised Pork Shoulder – Gabby’s Gluten-Free

Food for Thought

What was one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Baby Steps

My parents got here yesterday and I honestly could not be happier to have them here! We had a great day walking through San Francisco, taking them to a couple of our favorite places [Liguria, Lai Hong Lounge, Rogue], I cooked up a pretty tasty dinner [if I do say so myself ;)], and we polished off the last of the cheesecake

.

I wanted to preface this post by saying that I actually wrote it last week. Though, I didn’t really want to hit publish on Valentine’s Day so I saved it. My feelings, unfortunately, haven’t budged since then [sorry ma], but I can guarantee you, I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this week with my parents. It’s the best.

---

You know that saying “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”?  Somehow I always forget how true it really is. I’ve been doing my best over the last couple months to roll with the punches but damn, change is hard. It’s not that I thought moving to California would make everything easier because trust me, leaving my family and friends was not easy. It still isn’t easy and I certainly have my off days.

Rather than complaining about something, Nathan and I might say “welp.. that was a day” or “ok, that was food” [not that that ever happens in my kitchen ;)] and let’s just say last week was a week. I’ve been turned down from some pretty silly jobs since I’ve moved and while it might get me down one day, I might also laugh at it the next. You’re telling me I’m under-qualified for what?! Yea.. it happens. So I’ll concentrate on what I know best—eating and working out. Except somehow that was working better for me a year ago too.

I know I’ve mentioned feeling like I’ve found my stride in my food and workouts. That I feel like my body is regulating. And then shit hits the fan in another aspect of life and suddenly I’m questioning myself again. I find myself looking at my wedding pictures and thinking I had the willpower to do it then, so why not now? Sure, it might just be a couple pounds since the wedding but when I’m having a crappy day, I feel it and I see it. I thought I figured out my food and my workouts are consistent, as always, so what gives?

The other night I decided to take a look back at a week of food and workouts I tracked on My Fitness Pal. Turns out, I was consistently burning about 4000 calories from workouts per week. Now? We’re looking at about 2500 or so. Oh, so there’s a change in my body? Go freaking figure. I can share posts about throwing out the scale until I’m blue in the face, but it’s really easier said than done.

Remember this little post? Yea. A year ago I was doing a minimum of 45 minutes of cardio everyday. Minimum! And you know what? I still wanted more out of myself. I’ve learned a bit since then and significantly cut back on my cardio but seeing the changes in my body makes sometimes makes me reconsider. And then I remember that I’m still getting my workouts in and I have better things to do than spend that much time on a machine.

I wish so, so hard that I didn’t feel this way. I wish that I could just enjoy my damn self. I wish that I could just say screw willpower and really mean it. My time will come when I truly accept my body for the way it is and what it can do. And we will figure out life in California. And I’ll figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do with my life. One step at a time. They may be baby steps right now, but we’ll get there.

In the meantime, I’m going to [try to] forget my crazy and make the most out of my time with my parents this week. I can guarantee you I wouldn’t have more fun if I had a 6-pack. Almost. Right?

Food for Thought

Do you question yourself?

Link Love #11

Every week that I share some of my favorite posts, I remember that I’m just skimming the surface of all of the wonderful posts in the blogosphere. I hope you’re enjoying the few that I share with you and it has helped you to find some new daily reads.

Health

10 Things I Would Tell My Former “Fat” Self – Lifting Revolution

10 Things I Would Tell My Former “Fat” Self – Lifting Revolution
Masking Issues with Macros – Healthy Helper
Stop worrying so much about fat in your diet – Chicago Tribune Health
Nutriton Compromises – Kath Eats Real Food
Is This Good For Me? – Food & Nonsense

Fitness

21 Minute Core Cardio Workout – Purely Twins

21 Minute Core Cardio Workout – Purely Twins
Killer Monday Muscles Workout – Food & Fun on the Run
Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise Explained – Colourful Palate
The Barbell Workout – Slim Sanity
Burn, Blast, and Balance Workout! – Fitnessista

Food

Salmon Poke – Lady and Pups

Salmon Poke-d You. You Should Poke Back. – Lady and Pups
Make this, it’s Marvelous: Grain Free Almond Pumpkin Spice Bread – Cotter Crunch
Coconut Crusted Tofu with Bok Choy and Mushrooms – Eat Spin Run Repeat
Hot Cheesy Roasted Brussels Sprout Dip – Closet Cooking
Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl with OMG Sauce – PaleOMG

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite post from the past week?