Jealous of Their Endorphin Fix...

So if you read yesterday's workout log you know I was super super sick all morning and hadn't really eaten much all day...

I was going to take the night off from working out but when I got off work I was feeling a little better and had even kept down a greek yogurt.. Mike and Kris were headed to the gym to get in some endorphins and I was far too jealous to let them go without me! 

I followed them to the gym and just said I'd accomplish whatever felt okay.  I ended up starting on the treadmill... first mile was slow/warm up, second was tempo, and then for mile 3 I sprinted quarter miles increasing speed by .2-.3mph each time and walking for < 1min in between to catch my breath PHEW! 

Then I finished up with some strength:

20 Jillian Runners on each leg

10 Hugs on each side with 3lb weight

10 Ab Jacks

20 Swimmer Kicks (alternating Legs)

40 Flutter Touches (Abs)

20 TIU DeadLifts w/ 10lb weights

30 Pull Backs on Weight Machine

20 Walking Lunges

20 Love Triangles on each side

Finished with 20 Warrior III Leg Lifts each side (made that up, it works!!)

Basically you do Warrior III pose and use your Gluteus Maximus to lift that back leg in the air about 2in higher and pulse.  Super challenging!

Felt way better after my workout and even had an appetite for the first time all day -- left over Chicken Sausages and Veggie Rice please!

Oh, and no meal would be complete without dessert:

Sliced strawberries and fat free whipped cream!!!

Umm don't you worry you can't even tell that it's fat free... seriously that stuff is so good!

And no.. Mike hasn't cancelled the Sunday paper yet... so more placemats for me :)

Today was a rough start though... I lost followers.  I probably only had my mom to start with -- so, I guess I'm down to negative one :(

Now off to some meetings... Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice start back tonight!!!!

WELL

My appetite came back!!! 

I just ate the most delicious Jason's Deli lunch...

Epic Salad

And my favorite tomato soup.

I am now officially in a food COMA. 

Also, just saw the funniest thing on a 'Runner's Thoughts'... go over to Ali's Blog and check it out!

 

Questions for the Day:

Are you a whipped cream fan?

Not on pie, but on berries - YES PLEASE!

Are you just as excited as I am that Grey's is back already??

Workout Wednesdays - Week II

I'm completely ADD when it comes to my workouts.. I can only follow a basic plan outline nothing exact because it makes me feel too trapped and scheduled.  If it says "x" # of runs per week, "x" day do cardio, "x" day do strength training of some sort I can kinda follow that.. but really when I want to run I run, when I want to go to the gym I do, and when it's freezing and rainy outside I turn to my collection of workout DVD's and the lovely internet.

Because of this I feel it may be good to do a weekly recap, at least for myself, of what I actually accomplished or got done!

This happens to be on Wednesdays because 'Workout' starts with a "W" and I'm a sucker for alliteration. Guess that's what happens when your mom is an English major!


Also feel free to follow/friend me on The Daily Mile!

This Week in Workouts:

Thursday, December 15th -

Ran through the sprinkling cold rain to the small gym my apartment complex opened up near my building! (There's a bigger one but I have to drive to it.. it's in the other gated section of buildings)

Honestly can't remember exactly what I did, I think I knocked out like 3 mi on treadmil and a few weight exercises.  My phone has been BROKEN all week! So hard to get any pictures or leave myself notes (a.k.a. Brittany you did this today and ate this today.. ya I have that bad of a memory!) 

Good News?  The issue was covered under warranty and I get a new phone.

Bad News? Phone has taken a whole week to come in the mail!!!

Friday, December 16th -

2 Miles on Eliptical - my calf has been so tight and cramping :( it hates me.
Attempted moves from Jillian workout and Tone Every Part In 30 Minutes routine. 
Total gym time = 50 minutes.

Saturday, December 17th -

Long workout at the gym!!  I've been really trying to focus on more strength training since I have been so lax on it lately... 
There's a new Jillian workout featuresd in SELF Magazine this month and it's INCREDIBLE but I cannot even finish it!  {Recap Below}. 
I also tried the TIU Tone Every Part In 30 Minutes routine.  {Recap Below} 
ABS on the Roman Chair (3 sets 10 full leg lift ones)
Lunges with tricep curls
50 Dead Lifts with 10lb weights
then 1 mile on treadmill in 8:30 (starting slow, sprint at end)
and finishing with high resistance eliptical.
WHEW.
Total Gym Time: 1.5 hrs

Sunday, December 18th -

Where does time go??  Almost no time today.. snuck in the TIU Sunset Workout.

Monday, December 19th -

REST DAY

Tuesday, December 20th -

REST DAY

Wednesday, December 21st -

Outside Run -- longest one yet!!!  6.5 miles in 1 hour baby!!!! 

I always feel best doing long runs after a rest day.. my body has so much extra energy to burn!


Review of Circuit Workouts:

New Jillian workout featuresd in SELF Magazine this month and it's INCREDIBLE but I cannot even finish it! 

The entire circuit is set up to have you perform as many reps as possible for 1 minute, then to rest 1 minute.  Honestly, I can't continuously perform these moves for an entire minute straight!  Something to work towards!

Has you start with Up & Overs

These are killer but FUN. 

Channel the Karate Kid...

"Get Up and Go" 's... a new favorite of mine!

And I don't want to put the entire workout on here because you can get it for free here at SELF or in the new magazine featuring Jillian on the front cover this month!

One thing I will mention... there's a move where you start in full plank and 'pop up' into a surf like position... umm ya epic fail on my part there. 

How you're supposed to look after "popping up":

How is she so smiley??!

The circuit will really push you so I would recommend checking it out!  Not for beginners.

TIU Tone Every Part In 30 Minutes Routine 

Follow along with the printout here.

Each move with 20-30 reps, repeat circuit 3 times.

I love this workout -- it isn't too hard and is easy to add on to any workout you're already doing.

I will say the Triangle Love Handle move feels awesome two days later after doing it every day!  My sides are so sore... 

My other favorite move from this workout is ..

The funniest thing is when I do these workouts at Mike's apartment... The roommate and I own an arsenal of smaller weights, bands, yoga mats, etc... but the bf doesn't have that so I have to improvise.  This is where I use Costco sized glass jars of Spaghetti Sauce as weights ;)

Reasons to be Fit:

Positivity and Creating Your Reality

You can see beauty in the world if you just open your eyes to it.


Jillian Michaels was featured on Self's 5 on 5... check out the interview!

I love how she says that you should make sure to notice the positive things in life... yes, there might be that one total jerk that cut you off on the road - but try to focus on the people around you doing good.  Sometimes it's far too easy to let yourself focus and dwell on the negatives... when you find this happening, step back and look around for something to be thankful for :)


Speaking of being Thankful, for Thanksgiving this year I went back to Miami with Mike to see his familia.  This was a big trip because we drove from Miami up to Melbourne for Thanksgiving Day where I met his Nana for the first time - she's a fabulous lady!

The women with Nana

The men with Nana

Nana lives in Melbourne, FL on a Golf Course - but unlike a lot of Golf Courses here in Texas, this one had a jogging/biking path that went along beside parts of the course so I got to experience BEAUTIFUL scenery!

And the weather was perfect - mid 70's the entire stay!  Couldn't have asked for anything better.. so a few 3-4 mile runs were made in the mornings to offset the incredible Thanksgiving food that was *devoured*

Round I:

Salad, shrimp, mussels, fruit and vegetable soup

Round II:

you have to try everything... Turkey, croissant, mashed potatoes, grilled maple salmon, honey carrots, brown rice & stuffing

Round III:

I took a tiny sliver of about 5 different types of cake so that I could determine which one was best -- Carrot Cake was the clear winner.  There are no pictures of said dessert because it was too good to wait for my camera to turn on... 

Group Shot: with Mike's Family for Thanksgiving

I *loved* wearing this dark blue satin dress for the event!

ELIZA J Three-Quarter Sleeve V-Neck Dress

I scooped it up from Ideeli.com on Sale a few weeks before and the fit was perfect!  

After Thanksgiving dinner we went on a walk and later just watched Sports and Movies on the TV.


The next morning (Black Friday) we were up early for some breakfast to fuel us for our day of shopping!

I started the day of HEALTHY with an egg white veggie omelette & side of steamed broccoli

We went to a local cafe called Perkins and our server must have read my blog before and known just how much I love coffee... 

Because next thing I know there are FOUR pots in front of me!!!!

I created a barricade between Mike's dad and myself (he was the excellent photographer behind the above photo)..

No one really needs to socialize with me until after my first cup!

Speaking of being a morning person... I just am not.  I don't know if any of you have seen the new commercial that's out for 5 hr energy but Mike laughs everytime he sees the guy and says that's exactly me!  Except I don't love 5 hr energy shots.. I just love me some coffee. 

Now if I only had a better way to get my coffee in the mornings...

Oh, right, speaking of.. flipping through channels yesterday I came across an Oldie but Goodie - 

And Xzibit had an espresso machine installed in the center counsel of some girl's car!!!

HELLO WONDERFUL IDEA.

And because my boyfriend's day revolves around deciding where he's going to eat his next meal, by the time all our Black Friday shopping was completed at the Outlet Malls he'd already scoped out our next venue.

We had dinner at Cracker Barrel - not too shabby!

Mike and Abillo (his Cuban grandfather) even tried the home made Apple Cider.

Other highlights from the Thanksgiving trip included our first attempt really Mountain Biking!

We went to Oleta State Park and rented Mountain Bikes there... OMG the trails were so hard!  There were huge roots and rocks and drop offs everywhere!  I seriously should've had knee pads, elbow pads... I most likely should've been put inside a gigantic protective bubble!  

But I survived and tried something new... with only a small battle wound, it looked as if a baby tiger clawed my calf... then tried to bully me to the ground.  

The scenery was gorgeous though and the park was really awesome - next time I'd just stay on much simpler trails since I was a complete beginner!

Mike going over a ramp in the park

View from the Miami Beach Condo ---- Goodbye Miami!!! Until Next Time :)

Questions for the Day:

Do you try to focus your days on Positive Thoughts and not to Dwell too long on Negative Things?

What was your *favorite* thing you ate over Thanksgiving?

Mine was most likely Mike's mother's home made Ropa Vieja!!

How do you feel about Coffee?  Are you a morning person?

Ever tried Mountain Biking? Tips for beginners like me?

If I live to be 100...

I hope I'm still as awesome as this guy:

Click the link, read the story.... he ran a marathon at age 100.

Talk about inspiration!

This got me to thinking about sources of inspiration -- personally my favorites are success stories.  I'm a sucker for Happy Endings!  And one of the best places to see success stories is on The Biggest Loser - which I will definitely be watching tonight.

These people work so hard to lose weight with determination, exercise, and by eating healthy and inspire many Americans watching to do so as well.  But where do the contestants find their inspiration?

Of course a lot of times it comes from family members and people near and dear to their hearts - but I also think it comes from the trainers who seem to delve in and pull the strength out of them.

I miss Jillian this season, so in memory of her I've grabbed a couple of inspiring Jillian quotes!

 

"Transformation is not five minutes from now; it's a present activity. In this moment you can make a different choice, and it's these small choices and successes that build up over time to help cultivate a healthy self-image and self esteem."

Small choices like choosing to go to Jason's Deli and have a *delicious* salad for lunch??

"Nobody is perfect, so get over the fear of being or doing everything perfectly. Besides, perfect is boring. Today, instead of picking yourself apart in the mirror or with friends over drinks, start seeing your "imperfections" as unique traits that give you character and dimension—because that's exactly what they are”

{source}

"Don't blame anyone or anything for your situation or problems. When you do that, you are saying that you are powerless over your own life—which is utter crap. An empowering step to reclaiming your life is taking responsibility."

{source}

"Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going!"

{source}

"Visualize what you want out of life and think big. Don’t feel undeserving. We're all deserving of living our dreams—some of us realize it and some don't. You’re not doing anyone any favors by living small. Embrace these truths and step up. The world is waiting."

{source}

"Failure is all a matter of perspective. Think of all the people you admire. I guarantee you they all failed at one time or another. The key is to recognize setbacks for what they really are—entry points for learning, not validation that you aren’t good enough. After a disappointment analyze your actions, get feedback from friends, and take inventory of what you could do better next time. This type of self-reflection and improvement will ultimately make success inevitable."

{source}

{Jillian Michael's Quotes}

Speaking of *success*  I just got good news at work today!!

So thinks have been really super busy and hectic -- but at least I know my hard work is being appreciated!  I got a promotion! 

This was really exciting news so I'll definitely have a glass of champagne tonight while watching The Biggest Loser (and yes.. that's still how I plan on spending my night lol!)

Only thing is... with more power... comes more responsibility.  Or something like that... pretty sure my To-Do list just got even longer! 

Coffee shall be consumed tomorrow morning.

One more really awesome thing that happened at work... my friend Brenna made Monster Finger Cookies and told me since I was in meetings all day that if I left a napkin on my desk she'd drop some off for me...

Freakin' Cool.

Questions for the Day:

What's your favorite inspirational quote?

Do you also love success stories?

Surprise -- and Welcome Home!!

I came home to my apartment today to find.. ::dah dah DAH::

  N  E  W      T  H  I  N  G  S       !  !  ! 

Yay!!!!!!!!! Nothing cheers me up more than seeing that brown box on my counter meaning a prize has finally arrived in the mail! [Yes, a 'prize' -- when I really really want something not only do I stalk it online searching out the best detail, sometimes for MONTHS, but I also make myself earn it whether it be with a lil healthier eating, cleaning, or pushing myself in my workouts]

Step #1.  Open Box

Step #2.  Get *this* excited about what's inside!!! woohoo!!



What was inside do you ask??? NEW WORKOUT GEAR!!!

My Bubble Gum Pink Jillian Michaels "Sexy" Bra

Definitely the most money I've ever spent on a sports bra... but after watching [eh em... getting my butt kicked by] her last DVD I've been wanting to try it out soo so so badly!!

And LuLuLemon Run Speed Shorts in Pink Mist

First LuLuLemon run purchase and probably won't be my last!  I'm typically a Walmart/Target workout fiend all the way... with a little Victoria's Secret yoga wear thrown in, but it feels very rewarding to know I've worked towards my goals and now I get new things - and I especially like that they're things that will keep pushing me towards harder workouts and better runs!  Yes.. sometimes I do simply reward myself with a delicious cookie, but I feel that giving myself the gear that will help push me to succeed is a much better use of the rewards system - don't you agree??

{Prepare yourself for the self-timed try-it-on shot}

Doubt I'll actually be wearing this bra out in public without some sort of a loose fitting top over it but wanted to give you all an idea of how it fits on someone who isn't blessed with Miss Jillian Michael's incredible abs of steel ::sigh::

.. my fault really.  I haven't yet completed her "Ripped in 30" DVD... heard Level 4 is killer.  Maybe that's where I'll find those abs...

Do you ever 'reward' yourself for maintaining a healthy & active life style?  What is your favorite splurge?

What is the most expensive workout gear you own?