Tag Archives: Health & Fitness

September 22, 2012 · 9:16 AM

{ Fitness Friday }

Yeah, yeah, yeah….I know. It’s Saturday. This week has been a hectic one for me so this post is a day late. Sue me.

This week I conquered the new Phase 2 workouts, CST (Chest, Shoulders & Triceps) as well as, Back & Biceps. My arms have felt sore as hell all week from them, especially my triceps since Tony neglects to stretch the triceps BEFORE you begin the workout! I forgot all about that since it’s been a while since I’ve done P90X, but a mental note has been made and I’ll be sure to stretch them before I start the workout on Monday. Back & Biceps had me feeling a little weak. I don’t know if it is because my arms were already fatigued from work on Wednesday, if my biceps really are not as strong as I thought they were or a combination of both, but I felt defeated at the end when I couldn’t finish the last move, which I believe were called Strip-Set Curls.

Overall, this week felt pretty good and I know I have to really “bring it” this month so I can see more results. This week was just kinda shaky as I started it off not feeling well due to a slight cold and I was mentally not stoked to workout each night. Thankfully I have been doing this round with the hubs so we keep each other going.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter & Instagram might have noticed I haven’t been doing my plank challenge, and I didn’t reach my goal. Well, I started to feel like I tweaked my left shoulder and the scar from my surgery (which is still healing) started turning a very angry purple color, so I decided to back off and give my body a break. The P90X workouts I’m doing are hard enough on my still healing body, especially since my rest week workouts focused on my core. I’ve been doing shorter planks in the workouts, just not pushing to the point of injury!

As for nutrition, I messed up yesterday and forgot to eat lunch because I was busy trying to finish things at work. I should know better than to do this, but it happens. I ended up with an awful headache (which sucked) but I managed to live and get my workout done with it. The rest of the week was pretty good and I did have a “cheat day” last weekend. We went out for dinner and drinks with some friends. I had a burger, fries and a few beers and I enjoyed every bite of it! NomNomNom!

This weeks goals are to plan our dinners and prep them all in advanced to make my life easier. I planned everything out two weeks ago and had all of the ingredients on hand and it really helped. I want to take it a step further and have everything prepped and in bags, already measured out and labeled. I always do better when I’m organized and I’m at the point where nutrition trumps workouts, so this could really benefit me and help me reach my goals quicker.

I’d also like to find the time to run. I haven’t ran since the Walk With Joe 5K, two weeks ago. The weather has been perfect for running, but between me not being a morning workout person, work and it getting darker earlier, I’ve failed to do it. I know, that is a lot of excuses, but it’s all true.

As always, I welcome those of you who take the time to read my posts to share your week in fitness and your upcoming goals with me. I’d really love to hear what you have going on too!

blog sig

2 Comments

Filed under Health & Fitness, Tummy Tuck

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 17, 2012 · 2:15 PM

Lucky vs Strong

I consider myself healthy, not skinny, and the road to getting healthy definitely made me strong!

Speaking of strong, today starts Phase 2 of P90X for me. As I expected, I didn’t see a change in my waist, hip or thigh measurements and I’m happy with where I’m at with those, so it didn’t bother me. I did however see a half inch increase in both of my biceps, and I can see nice shoulder definition which really makes me happy!

Results take strength and determination, not luck. Put your mind to it and the results will come.

blog sig

4 Comments

Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 15, 2012 · 9:52 AM

No Excuses!

You don’t even need a full hour to make a difference and start moving toward a healthier you! If you have time to sit and watch a TV show, or time to catch up on your DVR, you have time to better yourself. No excuses!

blog sig

Leave a comment

Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , ,

September 14, 2012 · 5:01 PM

{ Fitness Friday }

Wow…another week has come and gone! Is it just me or has this year just flown by?

Last week not a single one of you shared or linked your fitness triumphs, goals or successes with me….which means you all SUCK! It’s ok…I’ll just continue to post for my own benefit, after all, who doesn’t like screaming out of an open window hoping that someone hears them?! ….sigh….

Sunday will be the official finale of P90X – Phase1 for myself and the hubs. This week has been a rest week, although I wouldn’t really say there is anything relaxing about YogaX and Core Synergistics.  Between the prior three weeks, two 5K‘s and the Plank Challenge I’ve been taking part in, my body feels like it was hit by a truck and yesterday’s Xstretch workout, was pure bliss. Speaking of the Plank Challenge, I am almost to my goal of 5 minutes!! It’s getting REALLY hard to hold the position with proper form, but I’m fighting for it. I’m not sure if I will be doing today, as I am sore as hell AND I have Core Syn on deck tonight.

It’s been quite some time since I’ve completed Phase 2 of P90X. I’m honestly looking forward to it and can’t wait to lift heavier weights and continue working on my form. I can see a change in my body from just the first 30 days (I’ll be doing my measurements and what not on Monday) and I now the magic really starts to happen in month 2! So in the words on Tony Horton, I say BRING IT!

I’ve been pretty good on the nutrition front as well. After Saturday’s 5K, the hubs and I did go to a sports bar for lunch and I did splurge on some fried pickles. I never had them before and they had half-price apps, so who was I to say NO, right? The weirdest thing for me was not having a beer while watching football on Sunday, but I wasn’t even craving one, so I skipped it! *SHRUG*

My slow cooker and I are still trying to learn to get a long with each other. I think I need a newer one with the programmable features so I can set a shut off time and just keep it warm until ready to serve. It seems some recipes call for much shorter cook times than others, however my work schedule does not. The result is meat that sometimes dries out and I don’t like that. At. All.

Now it’s your turn! Share with me what you have done on the fitness front this week….or what you plan on doing this weekend! Let’s keep each other motivated!

blog sig

1 Comment

Filed under Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

September 10, 2012 · 9:19 AM

One Ingredient Banana Ice-cream

Yes, you read that right….only one ingredient! Who know the banana was capable of such a thing, right?

I saw a post about this on (yes, you guessed it) Pinterest, and I had to try it!

One Ingredient Banana Ice-cream! Looks just like the real deal!

Ingredients:3 Bananas, sliced into coins and frozen for at least 2 hours.

Directions:

Put frozen banana coins into a food processor or Vitamix, mix on low until it you have what looks like soft serve ice-cream.

Transfer into a container and put into the freezer until it hardens up to a consistency you like.

That’s it! That’s all there is to it!

Now, there are variations on this and I have tried two of them…

Nutella Banana Ice-cream:

Ingredients:

3 Bananas, cut into coins and frozen (as directed above)
6 Tbsps Nutella Hazelnut Spread, or other brand of your liking (I know there are healthier ones out there)

Directions:

Put frozen banana coins into a food processor or Vitamix, mix on low until it you have what looks like soft serve ice-cream. Add Nutella and mix a little longer. Transfer into a container and put into the freezer until it hardens up to a consistency you like.

The other variation is just banana, but my bananas were in the freezer for a few days, so they were really hard. I added some Almond Breeze Coconut/Almond milk to it so it could mix easier. Next time I make this version I plan on adding some vanilla whey protein powder to it as well. I really liked the hint of coconut with the banana!

You can top these variations with a little granola, fresh fruit or even a light sprinkle of mini dark chocolate chips to really feel like you’re splurging!

So there ya have it! A quick, easy and healthy way to treat yourself with some “ice-cream” AND sneak in another fruit serving!

Enjoy!

blog sig

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes, Snacks & Treats

Tagged as , , , ,

September 7, 2012 · 6:16 PM

{Fitness Friday}

Hello everyone! I decided to try and start a little something new with a weekly, Fitness Friday check-in. I’ll tell you what I’ve done to make myself healthier during the week, and you can tell me what you have done either in the comments, or if you blog, do your own Fitness Friday post and leave me a link below. (I’m not sure how these link-up things work so please feel free to school me if you have experience with them.)

Let’s see….

I’m just finishing up week 3 of P90X, which means that next week is my rest week. Phase 1 seems to have flown by and I’m looking forward to the change in workouts that Phase 2 brings.

In addition to P90X, I’ve also been doing the Plank Challenge. If you don’t know what that is, CLICK HERE. I’ve been doing the challenge for almost 2 weeks now, and I’ve added 1:38 to my time! I can feel the strength in my shoulders and core improving each day!

This was today’s plank time. I found that if I do it as soon as I wake up, my mind doesn’t realize what I’m asking of my body to do. Also, coffee is a great reward!

Tomorrow, the hubs and I will doing the Walk With Joe, which is another 5k. This one is in memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 on Flight 93, including Joe Driscoll who the walk in named after. I’ve done this walk almost every year and while it is quite somber in the beginning, the views in the park where it is held are gorgeous and we end up having a good time as we walk and run through the hills and woods there.

As for nutrition, I am proud to say that I have been REALLY good here. I’ve been testing new recipes and trying to utilize my slow cooker more. The more organized I am, the lower the chance of me being tired and just saying “fuck it” and ordering a pizza. (Oh, how I love my pizza! Nom Nom Nom!) I normally cheat here and there at work with all of the chocolate temptation that is everywhere I turn, but I have not since starting this round of P90X. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a few tastes of the yogurt flavors we carry, but nothing crazy…I promise!

Now it’s YOUR turn! I want to know what you’ve been doing to improve your health and get into shape! Leave me a comment below, write a Fitness Blog and link back here or leave me a link in the comments, tweet at me….whatever! Speak up…enjoy a little time in the spot light and let’s cheer each other on!

blog sig

1 Comment

Filed under Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

September 6, 2012 · 2:00 PM

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These are very similar to the oatmeal bars I posted on here in the past, but I like that these have a much faster cooking time. I also like that they look like cookies, so you can feel a little naughty while eating them, but they are only around 40 calories each, so you don’t have to feel guilty. Plus they have NO added sugar!

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

(Makes approx 20-24 cookies)

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies – No sugar, no flour, no egg! (Yes, those are chocolate chips. I had a chocolate craving when I made these. Each cookie came out to only 40 calories!)

Ingredients:

3 mashed bananas (ripe)
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 cups oats
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup raisins (I use craisins)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon.Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the ingredients together with a fork. Drop onto a cookie sheet like you would chocolate chip cookies, but flatten the tops down since these won’t spread out while baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool completely.

Enjoy!

blog sig

7 Comments

Filed under Recipes, Snacks & Treats

Tagged as , , ,

September 5, 2012 · 8:00 AM

Wordless Wednesday {The Color Run Pro Photos}

blog sig

2 Comments

Filed under Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , ,

September 3, 2012 · 4:01 PM

Plank Challenge

I recently saw my friend and inspiration, @MariaPaulercio, doing a Plank Challenge on Instagram and I decided I had to join in.

What’s the Plank Challenge, you ask?

Well, everyday you push yourself to hold a proper plank form (see image at the end of this blog for proper form) for as long as you can. By as long as you can, I mean until your core muscles can no longer hold you up. Not, “my mind says I can’t do this“. Your mind is a liar most times. You are capable of doing some pretty epic stuff if you push yourself to your absolute max, which is way past when your mind says “I’m done“.

*Please don’t confuse using common sense with pushing past your mental max. There is a difference here and I’m not telling you to push till you hurt yourself. I’m trying to get you to leave your comfort zone, cause THAT’S when the magic happens.*

Each day I do my challenge, I set my iPhone stopwatch to zero, select music that is going to get me pumped up and in the zone, get into my plank pose, press start and then I zone the hell out. You will shake while doing this. You might not last all that long, either. The important thing is proper form and a positive attitude. Each day you’ll see an improvement and you’ll begin to feel your core strengthen.

Here is what plank should and should NOT look like. I recommend using a mirror or have someone check your form, if you are new to it, until you know what correct form feels like.

I have chosen to post my daily results on Instagram with the hashtag #PlankChallenge. I use a photo collage app to show my time, song I listened usually a pic of myself. There is no need to do all of that, but if you are on IG, you know how fun it can be and I think it’s a great way to stay accountable with friends. If you don’t follow me on Instagram but are curious of my progress with this so far, feel free to look me up. My username is Bronc787 or you should be able to Click Here to view my photo stream via Statigram.

If you decide to join the plank challenge, please let me know! I’d love to keep each other motivated, challenged and to push each other to the next level of fitness!

blog sig

7 Comments

Filed under Health & Fitness, Quick Workouts

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

September 3, 2012 · 2:46 PM

The Color Run

This past Saturday, my husband and I, along with our friends Corine and James (aka The Complicated’s), formed Team Color Us Awesome, and participated in The Color Run here in New Jersey.

All of this was so last minute, as we formed our team and signed up less than a week before the event date. We tried coming up with corny team shirts and Corine wanted us to wear tutu’s, but sadly, we didn’t have enough time to plan things out and show our true awesomeness for the event. What we ended up with up were the t-shirts they gave us, neon sunglasses and colorful nails. (Not too bad for last minute!)

The morning of the race was a little crazy. We had no issues getting into the race venue, but The Complicated’s come from a different direction and it took them forever to enter and ended up in a completely different parking lot from us. Once we finally found each other and headed towards to start line, you were able to see just how many people were there and you could feel the excitement of those around us. We of course took some goofy photos and joked around while waiting.

They were letting people start in groups of 1,000. Yes, you heard me correctly. There was no true shot of running this thing, not that I can last a full 5K without stopping to walk for a bit, unless you arrived VERY early or VERY late. We were all just looking to have fun and The Complicated’s are not serious runners either, so it was all good.

The course was broken into zones and each zone had it’s own color. You would run/walk for awhile, hit a color zone and people who were working the event would throw colored corn starch at you that matched the zone you were in ie: blue, yellow, green, pink or purple. It was fun to see people rolling around on the floor in the color and people trying to scoop it off the ground to throw at their friends.

At the end of the 5K, (which took us about 45 minutes) there was a huge after party. All of the color filled (and not so pleasant smelling) people crowded in front of a stage and DJ booth to dance, cheer and catch additional color packets to be tossed up in the air at 15 minute intervals. They also had photo stations where you could have team photos taken by professional staff. (I’m hoping to have those back soon).

Overall, The Color Run was a fun experience and it is something I would do again. I’m a fan of these group 5K events and if I had the time I’d absolutely attend this one happening next month, because who wouldn’t want do to a 5K, while being chased by Zombies, flag football style?!

Here are some pics from The Color Run…

Top: The Color Run sign with signs of the aftermath. Bottom Left: Color Packets that were in our bags to be thrown at the after party. Bottom Right: The after party with color flying

Top Left: Team Color Us Awesome at the starting line. Top Right: Hubs and I pre-race. Bottom: Color Crawl in full swing.

Top Left: Corine had to a have photo of us by the pretty flowers! Top Right: Princess Rainbow Sparkle and myself, post race. Bottom Left: Hubs and I post race. Bottom Right: Me in all my technicolor glory.

Right: In the middle of the crowd at the after party. Top: In the middle of the color madness. Middle: Mike’s shirt, post run. Bottom: Having the color blown off of me by a guy with a leaf blower. SMH.

Top Left: Me, post run. Top Right: Color Run nails! Bottom Left: The contents of the race packet. Bottom Right: Post run

There you have it, my first ever Color Run! As you can see, it was a lot of fun! What was even more fun was the look on people’s faces at Target when we went shopping there post race, before cleaning up *giggle*

Oh, and for those of you wondering… clean up wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t fun either. I had color in places where I didn’t think color could get!

blog sig


10 Comments

Filed under Health & Fitness

Tagged as , , , , ,