What did you do today?

Living up to my mantra this morning, I...

Definitely sweat :) Today I did interval training on the treadmill:

- 1 mile @ 7.0

- 10 minutes @ 5.0 incline

- 1 mile @ 7.2

- 10 minutes @ 6.0 incline

- 1 mile @ 7.0

- 10 minutes @ 5.0 incline

Followed by a killer Magic Circle Pilates Class at Power Pilates :) I've been doing pilates for a few years, not regularly though until I moved to New York. Since joining NYSC, I take these two pilates classes at the gym every Tuesday and Thursday. I thought they were great, until I started taking classes at Power Pilates. My body gets WORKED! And it feels fabulous! 

Any one have any other good workout suggestions?

On another note, got this in the mail today!

I love love love ab, and had heard about this kind but they don't sell it in any of the grocery stores near me :( but if you go to the website you can request some free samples! I also love love love free stuff ;) in case you couldn't tell. Speaking of free stuff, Eat Move Love is giving away a Gluten free cookbook - so go to the website and apply if you a) like baking b) like winning stuff or c) love baking. Good luck!

What did you do today?

Stonyfields and Greens

I'm really not entirely sure where this week has gone. I cannot believe that it is already Wednesday. I feel like once Wednesday is over with, the rest is just a breeze :) Don't you?? 

Nothing too exciting today but I did have a few of my favorite things pop into the picture..

First, I started off with another great workout - this time working my arms :)

• Lateral cable raises (3 sets of 12)
• Stability Ball Pushups (these were super hard and I only got out 3 sets of 10 -- and they were pathetic looking :/ )
• Tricep dips (my favorite!! 3 sets of 15)
• Treadmill for 15 minutes (CLIMB: warm up 5 min, increase the incline 1 level every minute for 10 minutes, decrease by 1 level for 5 min)
• Dumbbell Tricep Extention (3 sets of 15)
• Stability ball chest press (3 sets of 12)
• Dumbell shoulder press (3 sets of 12)
• Treadmill [again] (SPRINT: vary speed each minute - sprinting 1, jog 1, etc. for 15 minutes)
• I followed this up with a nice and sweaty 30 minute "power walk on an incline" bc I had some time to kill :)

I came back to the apt and created one of these:

Oh yes, yes a green monsterrrr. Alas, I had no fruit :( so this was kind of more of a protein shake + a few handfuls of spinach. It wasn't bad actually because I added a secret ingredient. (a few drops of vanilla extract cures anything) 

Midday I had one of my favorite snacks that I have recently discovered. A Stonyfield Organic Yogurt! I usually will add some almonds, granola, or fruit to these, unless it's the Key Lime Pie flavor. So strange I hate actual Key Lime Pie, but the Stonyfield yogurt is unreal!! I love it so much I just entered this Stonyfield give away: Check it out!

I started eating Organic Dairy a few months ago, after my dermatologist recommended it for my skin. She related it to all of the hormones, etc. that can go into typical dairy that you might by at the store. I had never really considered eating organic but at the time, my skin was in such disarray that I would try ANYTHING. I have found that there are a ton of benefits to eating organic foods. For example, by switching to organic dairy alone you are:

1. Avoiding hormones and antibiotics
2. Supporting sustainable agriculture
3. Creating less waste and pollution
4. Helping to reduce global warming
5. Making yourself pretty from the inside out ;)

While I think that eating organic dairy has helped my skin and overall feeling, that doesn't mean I stay away from cheese and cracker platters at parties, or skimp on my usual ice cream fix topped with chocolate. But as an general shopping/stocking my refrigerator move, I try to follow this plan. Give it a try, see how you feel!

Races and Turkeys and Reunions, Oh My...

Thanksgiving has never been one of my favorite holidays but this year definitely turned a corner and may creep to the forefront on the "Favorite Holidays" list (if I kept one).  Great things about the past 5 days:

1. Got to go home and see my family and the puppies!  

That would be Chloe :)  My little girl!! (except she kinda looks creepy here eek)

2. I got to run my first race with my dad at the Ridgefield Turkey Trot. It was only a 5K but a little hangover and CT hills made this much more difficult than I was used to...

Chloe again! She loves the camera ...

3. Baking for Thanksgiving. I'm definitely not a chef but I do love to bake and this year I tried to add a slightly healthier touch to the pumpkin pie with a spelt crust. 

I did make a pumpkin pie but also managed to burn it and now refuse to post evidence of my baking blunder it on this site. I did get an oven burn on my arm as proof though!

4. Thanksgiving Meal!! 

Yeaaa that would be my plate.. there was no skimping on the dinner that night. I loaded up with turkey and gravy, my grandma's cranberries, a mushroom/hazelnut/barley stuffing, green bean casserole, veggies with a maple syrup and pecan dressing, and a sweet potato (which I threw in the microwave for 3 minutes prior to the meal because we had been too lazy to make mashed sweet potatoes during the day). It was aweeesomeeee.  Not unexpectedly the post-Thanksgiving meal nap was in full effect with my visitor Mal and I curled up on the couch watching The Ugly Truth :)

5. My 5 year high school reunion!! 

I can't even tell you how many times we have taken photos just like this one and its so funny to go back and see how much we've all changed. This are my best girls from high school catching up before heading over to our five year high school reunion! It was so great to see and catch up with people who I haven't seen in years, and just to hang out with good friends at an open bar ;) no complaints here! 

I hope everyone else had as great a break as I did!

Next thing post-thanksgiving to get excited about: i can start listening to xmas music!!