Work It Out: Jackie Warner Style

Workout: Routine A, Circuit 1 of Jackie's weight-lifting program + 20 min interval session
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Talk about shaking things up, this lady kicks bootay!

I was first introduced to her through Shape's feature on her Power Circuit routine. I loved it and still use it from time to time. Today's routine was no different, tough with another serving of tough on the side!

Have you ever done any of her workouts?

I actually just bought the nook book but haven't started it yet, I'm still trying to get through Franklin's autobiography. I did scroll through and am trying the workouts, including the treadmill interval workout. It's only 20 minutes but you're alternating speed and incline so you never get bored, you don't have time to. Plus, you're supposed to do it every work day and I've gotten a great burst of energy both days - we'll see how it goes.

I'll do a full review of the book once I get around to finishing it. Have you read it? Any thoughts?

ADios!

The Salad Case: What's This?

Workout: 40 minute walk

Yes, I've been MIA! Not really sure why, just kind of needed a break.

The week after I posted my July??? post, things just went a little downhill on the whole health front. It wasn't haywire, but it was close! Let's just say, I fell into the work trap and now I'm struggling to get out!

The good news is that the last couple of days has shown me that I CAN make good choices while still enjoying my foodsies :)

Then on Friday, I read this article and reassessed when and how I was eating. Typically, here's my eats schedule:

5ish - wake-up + exercise
8ish - breakfast
11:30ish - lunch (usually salad + protein)
2:30ish - snack (usually yogurt or edamame)
5:30ish - dinner
8ish - late night snack (usually milk + oatmeal)
10:30ish - sleep

Not too shabby, but could still use some improvement.

What's funny is that on Friday I had some pizza for lunch and the whole 'best-time-for-carbs-is-lunchtime" mentioned in the article turned out to be true (at least for me)!

With that in mind, let me introduce you to my little friend:

The whole-wheat rotini, the star of today's warm salad case which contained:

• 1 cup cooked whole-wheat rotini
• 2-3 handfuls spinach
• roasted veggies: eggplant, broccoli, onion, green bell pepper, asparagus

Mixin' things up never tasted so good! Ok, maybe it did - but this was scrumptilious!

I also tried having breakfast one hour after waking and I was amazed at how hungry I really was. How did I ever make it to 8? I need to listen to my body a little more I think. I'm also making some changes to my schedule and we'll see how they go:

5ish - wakeup + exercise (pre-workout snack)

6:30ish - breakfast

11:30ish - lunch (usually salad + protein + carb)

2:30ish - snack (usually yogurt or edamame)

5:30ish - dinner

8ish - where's my snack? (I'm going to try going late night snackless, YIKES!)

9:30ish - sleep

The big one for me is going to be sleep by 9:30ish. I've been able to scale it back from 11:30 to 10:30ish and have noticed more energy, but I'm still kind of tired for the most part. Any tips on getting myself to sleep earlier?

Also, any favorite pre-workout snack ideas that y'all like? I've thought about yogurt, a handful of trail mix or toast, any other ideas? I just want something light but good enough to power me through my workout!

ADios :)

Little Things: Tag Lines

Workout: 15 minute hot-legs workout + 15 minute no crunch ab exercises + 2.25 mile hill run


Ok, I feel much better after working out this morning! I felt like such a slacker from yesterday!


I read somewhere that it's good to change your workouts, but it's sometimes repetition is key. What do you think? I myself have been doing this same routine for 2 or 3 weeks so I think it's time to change it up. Any online total-body workouts that you might recommend?

In a totally unrelated topic, today's Little Things edition deals with tag lines. Among some of my other nicknames, my nickname at work is Natasha.


Sidenote: My theory on why "Natasha" is that it's after the spy on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show. See, when I first started at my job I worked for one department but had to work in another, so they thought I was a mole! I'm now working for the other department, but they still won't confirm my theory.


Oh well, I guess Natasha isn't so bad - plus, I have my own tag line now!

Apparently, Swiper stole the "Ah man" from me!


It's the funniest thing cause I sound EXACTLY like him, it's uncanny! I also say it ALL.THE.TIME!


In college, I got my roommate to start saying "Dude". Ha ha! She was none to happy with me but we still had good times.


What's your tag line?


ADios!

The Salad Case: Correction!

Workout: none :(

Let me just start by saying that even lying to myself to get me to work out failed miserably this morning. I think I was so tired from my 11:30pm-finally-watching-Harry-Potter-Saturday that I’m still in recovery mode.

I woke up, dragged myself out, changed into my workout clothes + shoes and decided that lying in bed for an extra 40 minutes was workout enough! Have you ever made such a choice?

I was sluggish the rest of the day, but walking and a good lunch (+ some afternoon iced coffee) did the trick!

Green + White Salad Case:

• Spinach
• Roasted brussel sprouts + sweet onions
• 1/4 feta cheese

I’ve been warming up my salads in the microwave and I’m loving it (I practically work in an ice box).

On to the correction…

dun.dun.dun…

During last week’s Baby Natter, I told you about my BB’s first biting incident. Turns out there was more to the story!

I was talking to one of the other ladies and she told me that the other baby had stuck their finger in my BB’s mouth and my BB just clasped down and would not let go!

Can you believe that? How could the other lady forget to tell me that? I wanted to say something, but decided to let it go and not stir the pot. I’m sure this “incident” is more common than not and I gotta learn to let things slide some :)

I so wanted to say something!

I’ll leave you with some baby diaper art:

My work is baby central right now and this artist just keeps bringin’ it! Isn’t it cute?

ADios!

A Baby Natter: Little Tyson

Workout: 15 minute hot-legs workout + 15 minute no crunch ab exercises + 2 mile run

Me: A look at Brielle playing in her little castle.
Caregiver: Yea, she loves playing in there with all the little trinkets.
Me: I’m sure she does.
Caregiver: We do have a complaint about her today.
Me: Oh no, what happened?
Caregiver: Today when she was playing, she bit another baby.
Me: Oh no! Was the baby ok, was it bad?
Caregiver: Well, yes – it was bad enough to show a little bit of blood.
Me: Oh no, I hope the baby is ok. Who did she bite?
Caregiver: We can’t tell you that, I’m sorry.
Me: I don’t know what to say, I’m so embarrassed. She doesn’t bite us at home so I’m not sure how to correct this.
Caregiver: I’m sure it was probably because she’s teething and she’s getting that sensation to bite.
Me: (Get me outta here, fast – I feel so bad)

Yes folks, my BB took a page out of the Mike Tyson school of thought.

It felt so odd because I know she’s a baby, but I couldn’t help but feel a little responsible for the situation. It didn’t help that I had to sign a paper so “the incident” could be documented. Very odd!

I came hold and told RC about it. His reaction, “Yea, I wasn’t much for authority when I was little.”

Grrrreat!!!

Oh well, I guess that’s how the cookie crumbles. Cookies!!!

Any tips for how to handle the “biting” issue?

ADios!

Work It Out: headstands?

Work out: 45 Minute Non-Stop Vinyasa Flow


I don't know what is is, but I've been majorly dragging myself out of bed this week. I'm going to bed earlier, too - but I had one of those strange sleep nights again. Not sure why.

Today's description for the flow is:

This practice uses heats and layers upon layers of poses to create a truly dynamic 45 minutes. You won't feel like you've missed out on the extra 15! Mainly non-stop movement incorporating balancing standing postures and warriors dancing into each other.

Let me tell ya, this girl believes in building heat. It's a level 2/3 class and I was able to do most of it except the headstand. In all my life, since I can remember, I've had absolutely NO upper body strength. My arms are like little chubby twiggs. I was never able to do a cartwheel; it was really intimidating - much like the yoga headstand today.

I think I'm going to try and see if I can do one, but will probably need some assistance. I'm just scared, but they do offer a tutorial.

Have you ever done one? Any tips?

To be honest, I'm secretly afraid that I'll break my neck so I'm going to fully read up on it before proceeding. Wish my neck luck!

ADios :)

Little Things: July???

Workout: 15 minute hot-legs workout + 15 minute no crunch ab exercises + 2 mile run


I so did not want to get up this morning. Seriously!


The alarm kept ringing from the bathroom before I lied to myself and told me to get up, go turn it off and come right back to bed. After all, everyone knows you need extra sleep the day after a 3-day weekend, right?


Lying to myself might not be such a bad thing after all!


After using the ladies room and jumping on the scale, I knew I had to work it out. I'm sure I can blame those pesky 2-3 pounds on water weight, but they've been sticking around since my San Diego trip and they need to go! ASAP!


The thing is, all my clothes have been fitting the same. I've even made it a point to wear my "marker" clothes and they all fit fine, so I've just been doing my own thing on the exercise front, but I think I've been major slacking on the calorie front, as evidenced by my Workplace Sabotage post.


So I was thinking and I decided today is a day of re-commitment to my healthy-living goals! Since when is it July already? Really?


I think (or hope) it helps that I have some of the following events on my calendar:

1. RC's co-worker wedding/LBD-wearing occasion: t - 2 weeks
2. My BBs swimclass/swimsuit-wearing in public (yikes) occasion: t - 4 weeks
3. Las Vegas trip/swimsuit + shopping(yikes x2): t - 5 weeks
4. 15 year reunion: t - 3 months (Yes, I'm old!)

I know it's a little vain, but I want to look and feel good for all of the above. 


Sidenote 1: My high school is geeky enough to have a 15 year reunion and I'm going! I think it's so much fun to go see old friends and how everyone turned out, RC thinks I'm crazy for this. How do ya'll feel about reunions.


Sidenote 2: Yes, I'm from TX and I have a license to the the ya'll thing!


Back to my July goals, I'm going to take measurements and make this more of a toning/eating healthy goal, so here they are:

• Try to be a more mindful eater :)
• myfitnesspal.com: submit entries for the remainder of July - including weekends. (They have a report feature that I haven't played with so I'll try to post that every week)
• workouts: 6x week (mix of cardio, weights + yoga)
• nix the sugar: I'm starting a sugar-free @ work + weekdays rule. Treats will be ok during the weekend, we shall see!

Trying to keep it simple!


What are your July goals?


Today I made a conscious decision to put the Doritos back in the bag - yes, it's possible! I didn't make dinner and wanted something crunchy with my healthy panini sandwich, but I felt guilty so I just put them back. Instead, I took some of my BB's veggie chips.



They were actually quite good! (Too tired to rotate :()





Plus the stats aren't too shabby!


Know of any random "substitution" snacks that are actually healthy?


ADios!