Hot BodyPump
Hey!
BJ’s Brewhouse was interesting last night. I didn’t really LOVE anything that I saw from their 30 page menu. The service was a lot slower than I was expecting for a quick weeknight date, and we still needed to take Rory for a walk and I wanted to be home in time for the first presidential debate. My food was good, but we both were burping all night(we ordered completely different things)! I ordered the Chicken a la Fresca, it is one of their lighter meal choices that is around 575 calories or less. Scott and I both agreed that for the price, we would rather have a kick-ass steak from Texas Roadhouse 
When I woke up this morning I knew my to-do list was loooong! First, I knocked out my workout with a 5:30 AM BodyPump class and 30 minutes on the elliptical. We did the new release and it was great About halfway through class I started to feel really hot and didn’t know what was going on and then Ruth, my instructor, asked if we thought the heater had turned on. It was, and it was too early for the maintenance man to be there so we did a HOT BODYPUMP class, move over hot yoga 
For breakfast I had some HOT oatmeal topped with brown sugar and toast to dip!
After the gym, I ran to the store to grab a few ingredients to make pumpkin bread that I need for bribery….We move out at the end of the month, and our apartment managers have been awesome this past year, so I decided to make them a treat for their hard work and hope that MAYBE they will be generous on giving all of our deposits back
I followed this recipe and it is AWESOME! I didn’t try to healthify this recipe because i was on a time limit and didn’t want to mess it up, but I am sure some Chobani or applesauce would make a great replacement for the oil.
I almost didn’t want to bake it because the batter was SO tasty!
The recipe made 3 pan-fulls of this good stuff! (I don’t have loaf pans so I used 3 different shaped pans and cooked them for about 30 minutes)
I loved that this bread was moist and had a nice balanced pumpkin flavor. This will be my new go-to recipe!
After I finished up the pumpkin bread, I decided to tackle this…
Those are all the old clothes that I pulled out of my closet to sort. I tried on ALMOST everything to make sure it was too big and ended up getting rid of most of it! Less to move
After all of that work, I was ready for some lunch! I made a wrap with leftover taco meat, salsa, and spinach with some veggies on the side.
After lunch, I dug into a treat I found at the store this morning:
That stuff is so creamy! And of course I had to have some pumpkin bread on the side
I hope you all have a great, productive Thursday. It is time for me to get some packing done…oh the joys of moving!
Back at It Again
How is everyone? I hope your Wednesday has been smooth sailing so far.
Last night I ran a quick 4 miles after work because my head was finally feeling a bit better, and I don’t sleep well if I don’t work myself to death everyday. After my run, I whipped up some tasty tacos for dinner: 1 pound ground sirloin, 1 chopped jalepeno pepper, 1/2 onion chopped, 4 oz can diced green chiles, and taco seasoning to taste. Easy, healthy, and delicious
(Paper plates are awesome, sometimes I have better things to do than the dishes!)
I have had quite a busy morning! Thankfully, no migraine today!
My day started with this:
I was able to run 6 easy miles this morning outside (loving the weather!) and it felt great…my calves were burning though! I even squeezed in some ab work because I felt pitiful that my abs were really sore from throwing up yesterday: from Pinterest
Then, I had to quickly get ready, respond to a few work related emails, and meet my mom for lunch I should be a stylist, I know, I reallllllly follow the trends
I LOVE their lunch express menu! It is the perfect amount of food. I ordered the Chicken Fajitas with a salad…all for $8. I forgot to take a picture because I had just run 6 miles and was ready to eat my arm by the time our food came.
Rory was being super cute this morning, and I knew you were all waiting for ANOTHER picture of my sweet dog
Happy Running!
We are thinking about going to BJ’s Brewhouse for dinner tonight. Any suggestions on what to order?
Miserable Migraines
Hey Guys!
I hope your Monday wasn’t too terrible, mine was really busy, but a good day
Scott grilled up some BBQ Boneless Beef Ribs, while I cooked up some Mac-n-Cheese and steamed sweet corn for dinner. Homey and delicious:
I packed my lunch, breakfast, and all of my clothes/makeup/shower stuff to take with me to the gym. Full-Time hours are making my mornings quite a rush! I will hopefully get my schedule under control soon!
I woke up at 4AM with a terrible migraine. Tried to go to bodypump, but after I got set up, I realized I was in too much pain and went home. My morning has been a really hard one so far. I have been getting migraines since I was 14, and they are just out to get me! The pain is unbearable and every time I try to take medicine/eat/drink, I throw-up(it has been this way for every migraine that I have ever had). It makes it really hard to get rid of it when I can’t keep the medicine down.
I am going to try to be careful and not bring my migraine back today. I think my legs are tired from all this running and planned this migraine so I couldn’t do ANYTHING. Thanks, legs! (I probably got it because of a recent switch of my medicine :/ )
I hope your Tuesday is shaping up to be more productive than mine! Run a few miles for me
Monday Blues
Hey!
It’s Monday already!? I feel like the weekend fleewwww by! It seemed like every time I looked at a clock, 3 hours had passed. I had a good time watching football with the boyfriend, having a few drinks with good friends and meeting a few new ones, and grilling burgers with a few friends last night It was a good, busy weekend.
The moving countdown has begun! I will be moving in 25 days and I cannot wait. I want to be already moved in though, the whole packing, carrying heavy furniture, and unpacking process is less than exciting. Oh, and I have my first 10 mile race two days after we move…yeah, I plan things great (and I finally registered for that this weekend too…Run For The Water 2012, here I come!)
Today is going to be a busy one! I have a tempo run EARLY this morning. I have to race home and walk Rory, shower, get ready for work, and be out the door by 7:30. Starting full time schedule again is really hard after being part-time for a few months! I packed my breakfast and lunch last night, so hopefully that will help everything move a little smoother
Turkey/ham/spinach wrap, Fuji apple, Chobani- Strawberry Banana, fresh veggies, and a Kashi- Strawberry Granola Bar.
This morning I started bright and early with a 5 mile tempo run.
This is the fastest 5 mile I have EVER ran! The progress in my running abilities over the past 3 months is amazing to me. Before I started focusing on running and training for my upcoming races, I ran 5 miles in 60 minutes, and it was HARD for me. I have taken 20 MINUTES off of that time and I am excited to continue to see progress
Mile 1- Warm-up mile 6.0 mph
Mile 2- 8.0 mph
Mile 3 7.5 mph
Mile 4- 8.0 mph
Mile 5- 8.0
Followed by 10 minutes of crunches, bicycle crunches, mountain climbers, and planks Woo ABS!
For breakfast, I had a peanut butter, banana, honey sandwich and it was filling and tasty! Peanut butter and banana is one of my favorite combinations, thanks to my dad who always made me peanut butter/banana/honey sandwiches instead of the standard peanut butter and jelly. It is reallllly good if you toast it up too…just a bit messier.
I hope you have a good day!
Breaking in the Grill
Hey guys, how are you on this lovely Saturday?
Before we get to my workout, I have to share this steak marinade with you! It was fantastic and super easy to make. This was our first time grilling on Scott’s new grill that he got for his birthday and we had to make something awesome! I made our favorite yeast rolls(Rhodes Frozen Rolls), homemade baked beans, baked potatoes, and a giant bone-in ribeye! It was really tasty and I can’t wait to grill some more
I woke up and headed to the GYM super early this morning to get a run in before the new release of BodyPump. I usually run OUTSIDE on the weekend but it is really wet and rainy here today, so inside run it was. It went pretty good and I kept myself entertained by varying my speed and watching tv. For the first 4 miles I did a cascade type of run by going up .10 mph every minute and then when I reached 7.0, I would then go down .10 mph every minute. The last 4 miles I ran a consistent 7.5 mph while watching some AWESOME desserts being made on the Food Network…and yes, that is torture to watch when you are running and hungry I finished my 8 miles in 69 minutes and then it was time to get set up for ‘pump!
The new release is pretty fun. Really hard triceps and lunges tracks! I think I liked the last release a little better, but this one was a great workout, so I can’t complain. Someone came up to me at the end of class and complimented me on my form and said that I was the most courteous ‘pumper because I stood to the side of my bench so that she could watch her form in the mirror.I usually set up my bench and weights about 30 minutes prior to class starting because I go out to do cardio before class starts, but people always set up RIGHT in front of me because I am not standing by my stuff and I always have to move over to be able to see in the mirror. This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine, so it was nice for her to notice my efforts because she had sat up behind me
I was starving by the time I got home and scarfed down a peanut butter sandwich and an apple. An hour later we stopped by Wendy’s on the way to Scott’s parents’ house to watch the Iowa game(they won!) and I got my FAVORITE chili(like better than my mom’s chili), a baked potato, and of course a tiny Frosty…why would anyone go to Wendy’s without getting a Frosty!?
Now I am going to try to get a little nap in before we head down to 6th Street (Downtown Austin is the place to be) and celebrate Azly’s birthday!
I hope you all have a relaxing weekend!
What are your favorite things to grill?
Healthier Enchiladas
Happy Friday! I hope your morning is going smoothly today
I love Mexican food and I could eat it exclusively everyday for dinner, but for some reason no one in my family agrees with me. The problem with most Mexican food is that it is LOADED with fat and calories, so I like to make it at home because it is cheaper and healthier. Last night I threw these together before I had to fix my window(a long story) and kept them in the fridge until Scott got home to pop them in the oven.
Healthier Beef Enchiladas
3/4 pound ground sirloin 90/10
1/2 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1-3 teaspoons taco seasoning
1 16 oz can enchilada sauce( the red kind)
1 bag Mexican shredded chesse
12 homestyle corn tortillas
jalapenos, optional for topping
- Brown meat in skillet, drain. Add chopped vegetables to skillet with meat, add desired amount of taco seasoning and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce.
- Heat tortillas in microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Place 1/8 cup of enchilada mixture in each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, roll up, and place in 13×9 inch pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on prepared enchiladas. Top with cheese and jalapenos.
- Bake at 425F for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. I don’t like cheese, so I make half of them with no cheese For 3 enchiladas with no cheese: 430 calories/with cheese 530 calories.
Scott didn’t even notice the vegetables in them and thought they were awesome. They had a nice kick to them too!
Workout:
I started the day out with an hour walk with Rory and it felt SO nice out. It is supposed to rain here all weekend and she hates that rain…great. I got to the gym a lot later than normal and ran a quick 3 miles in 24 minutes This morning I decided to do BodyPump because I slept through my normal 530AM class yesterday. It was a GREAT workout and I really felt the burn in my legs.
Breakfast:
I just had a small breakfast because I knew I needed to eat something before ‘pump, but I hate working out while I am full. I had a piece of toasted sprouted wheat bread, a fried egg, and topped it with the last bit of my gravy
Let me explain the whole window drama yesterday…Last summer, my driver side front window would not roll back up one day and I had to order a replacement window regulator and had Scott and my friend Ryan install it and it was as good as new and saved me $300 from not having to take it to Honda to get it fixed.
Yesterday, on my way to pick up my fro-yo date, there was a fly in my car and I was TRYING to let it out when I rolled down my windows and then my passenger side window wouldn’t go back UP!! Thankfully, O’reilly’s had the part in stock and I was able to pick it up and got my awesome brother to help me install it. So, $100 later(I could have bought 3 new running outfits!!!), my window is working again. I was FREAKING out because it was supposed to rain this weekend, and it actually was raining this morning.
Really quick…I was able to fit into my HIGH SCHOOL jeans yesterday I have always kept these jeans because I really liked them and they always fit me great. I have been trying to lose a few pounds and gauge it more by how clothes fit me than how much I weigh because I know that I am much more muscular than I used to be.
Now, I am staving and about to dig into my leftover enchiladas! Have a good one everybody!
Anyone else ready for some FOOTBALL? I can’t wait….mainly because I watch football AFTER my long runs Also, tomorrow there is the new BodyPump release that I might go to if it is raining.
Fro-Yo Date and How to Not Work Your Abs
Hey!
Guess who forgot to set a 4:30 alarm for BodyPump? This girl! I woke up at 5:25 and realized that I had FIVE minutes to get ready,drive to the gym and set up for class. So, naturally I went back to sleep for another hour I finally got up and headed to the gym for 45 minutes of ellipticizing(is that a word?) while watching Teen Mom 2(16 year old drama is fascinating when your 22) on Netflix followed by a hefty 5 minutes of ab work….I got bored of it.
-50 regular crunches
-1 minute plank
-50 bicycle crunches
-1 minute side plank on each side
-50 regular crunches
-1 minute plank
It wasn’t much, but better than nothing. I will be doing ‘pump tomorrow so I didn’t want to get too crazy!
When I got home is was WAY past my breakfast time so I decided to make it a brunch because I have a fro-yo date with one lucky little girl this afternoon.
Eggs with chopped zucchini, green bell peppers, and onions. Smoothie made with 1/2 cup vanilla Chobani, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 scoop Plant Fusion protein powder, and a giant handful of spinach I also enjoyed some spouted wheat toast with strawberry jelly. To say this filled me up would be an understatement! I was stuffed, but in a good way.
Looks like I accidentally broke my laptop charger and my computer is about it die, so I will talk to you guys later!
Do you like to go to self-serve Frozen Yogurt places?
I think they are the greatest thing EVER.
Tough Run Talks
Hello and Good Morning!
I woke up this morning when I heard Scott getting ready for work and I didn’t feel like getting up to workout at all. I started to get up knowing I was already running behind, but then Scott convinced me to go back to sleep for twenty minutes because we stayed up pretty late last night talking about his hunting trip and such. I was all game to sleep in, but Rory decided it was time for me to get up and started eating as LOUD as ever! Brat, but I love her. By the time I was dressed and ready to go….
…she was in MY bed sound asleep. Like I said, brat
I knew I was not in the mood to run on a treadmill for 8 miles, so I decided I would take this run to the great outdoors. It was really muggy and it was a tough run. This was the first time in the past two months that I had NO desire to run. It just wasn’t there, but I grabbed a water bottle, a mini bag of Swedish Fish, and strapped my phone on my arm.
The first two miles was hard to get into my pace, the middle 6 miles wasn’t too bad because I was really involved in my thoughts, and then the last two miles it was really hard to keep myself motivated to keep running(not to mention that it is uphill). I kept telling myself that I would get home faster if I ran, then I would make the BEST pancake breakfast ever, and that my legs are going to be super toned after all of these long runs. (Am I the only one that does this!?)
As I had promised myself after running 0.2 miles….
I made Blueberry Chobani pancakes with two fried eggs on the side. I make my pancakes small so that I can eat 7 of them instead of 3
Now, it is time to take Rory for a nice walk and then off to work I shall go!
Please send me your running and workout playlists/songs! I am getting bored of my playlists and need some refreshing songs for my long run on Saturday. Send to: justpaymeinrunningshoes@gmail.com Thanks guys!
How do you make it through a tough run?
I talk to myself a lot, make myself promises if I finish, and the fact that I hate walking home when I am 4 miles away helps too
Girls Night
By girls night, I mean me and Rory hanging out eating spoonfuls of peanut butter, taking a nice long walk, and cuddling falling asleep on the couch
Sorry for the bad photo…but if I roll it up, you can’t see the yummy goodness of peanut butter, honey, and banana wrap that I had for dinner.
And because Scott decided to go hunting instead of hangout with us, I get to be the FAVORITE by giving her the almost empty peanut butter jar. She was chasing that jar around the whole apartment because it kept rolling and there is probably now peanut butter everywhere…ohhh well.
I was having some stomach pain so I did a few yoga moves for digestion and laid around until it felt better. Yoga works miracles: I went from this…
To this…
After a few of these moves
As a teenager, I was at the doctor a LOT for my stomach pain. I wish I would have known about some of these moves that take me from immobile to running in less than 15 minutes. Silly doctors and all of their pills are no match for helping your organs work together, naturally.
What do you like to do when your significant other is gone for a night?
I like to watch shows that are made for 16 year-old girls that are full of drama and eat breakfast foods for dinner…after I eat dessert
Mmmm Gravy
Hey guys! How is your morning going? Mine has been pretty darn productive! I started this morning with a bright(dark? because it is at 5:30am) and early BodyPump class followed by a speedy 3 mile run
I headed home super schweaty and hungry. I LOVE having leftover gravy because I can make a quick version of my mom’s gravy toast. My mom makes a homemade gravy with hard-boiled eggs chopped up in it that you put on top of diced toast. It is one of my comfort foods that I grew up with, but since I don’t have the patience to make that after a workout, I just reheated some gravy and fried an egg to make this tasty mess:
Speaking of gravy(said no one ever?), let me tell show you how Scott’s birthday dinner went:
I ended up making this recipe for the chicken fried steak (I did not follow the recipe for gravy because I had a gravy mix), Rhodes rolls(Yeast rolls that are frozen and you let them rise for a few hours and then bake. They are super simple and make people think I am a REALLY awesome cook), homemade mashed potatoes, and Pioneer gravy. I was so glad everything turned out perfectly for his birthday. He is a great guy and deserves the best
I have been getting a few things done around the house and then its off to work! Lately, I have been grabbing Halloween candy at the store because it is the PERFECT size of a treat after lunch. I like to live by the 80/20 rule in regards to healthy food verses not so healthy. I could not go without dessert for a week…why do you think I workout 6 days a week? For my healthy heart or so that I can afford to enjoy a few treats…okay, both
I hope you have good Tuesday!
What is your favorite Halloween candy?
I LOVE candy corn!
