W.O.W. {#24}

So this Tri I am doing in 10 days…. Yeah about that.

Training technically started last week. Day 1 of swimming I spent 2 hours trying to learn how to move my arms, breathe, kick my feet, not let my body sink, etc.

It was not fun. I pretty much was ready to fall down the stairs and accidently break a limb.

Then yesterday I decided I would bike and run after boot camp. For starters – boot camp is enough of a workout then I tried to put two more workouts on top of it. Not smart on my part. Next, leg day was Monday so my legs were screaming. And finally, it was so windy I swear a tornado was coming.

When I finally got to running after my bike ride my legs were so sore I started to doubt my abilities and myself. I cried a little. Then I saw my house and it felt like the race was coming to the end. I was giving myself a pep talk, looking at all my imaginary fans and I was oh so excited to be done.

Today was day 2 of swimming. I swam 750 meters. But I took breaks. Lots of them. I am so lucky my friend Courtney has a YMCA membership and is guest passing me! She is my savor.

I can already tell I am improving on my swimming. I am getting it all down and I no longer look like a drowning dog.

Anyway, this post for W.O.W. is for me to not only ramble but to show there are new things minus just running, boot camp, biking, weights, etc. Step out of your comfort zone! I don’t like to look dumb or like the newbie but I totally do with swimming.

I would have never tried swimming if it were not for this Tri!

If you want to start swimming I suggest youtube for how to swim (they have some great videos). It also helps if you know a swimmer and they are kind enough to bring you :)

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was crazy busy, guessing many of you can relate.

I love Holidays because it means one thing FAMILY. I am close with my family but as we all get older, busier and well life gets more chaotic we seem to see each other less. Sad I know.

But before all the Easter festivities I had a little race {Hot Chocolate 15K}

I have to say, I am getting better at just whipping running out of my butt on race day. You ask me to run 3 miles on a non-race day and I can’t make it 1 mile. You tell me to run a 15K on race day, boom bam done. I just don’t get it. But I will role with it! I will say this, my time is not amazing, but I will take it for never running.

The race went a little like this:

Lauren and I show up 1 hour and 15 minutes early because they told us to.

We stand outside and froze. We sit in porter potties to get warm.

Race begins. Lauren takes off like a jet. I was a little sad. But then I just told myself “hey girl she has been training. You haven’t. It is OK. Run for YOURSELF not her. You are doing amazing things at any speed.”

I stopped TWICE to go to the bathroom (I ate some greasy food the night before, bad move).  Stopping in a race to me is frustrating. But a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

There were so many hills. One hill was so gigantic I think, no joke, it was .4 of a mile. I remember seeing it and I said some naughty words.

On mile 7 I could see Lauren a few blocks ahead of me (she has a long red pony tail, easy to spot). I remember thinking now is your time. If you are going to catch up do it NOW.

It took me about a mile to get her but I ran the fastest mile of my life! When I got to her I was so proud of myself. Because I wanted to finish with her so bad.  I wanted to get a picture together crossing the finish line. I also told myself to GO GET HER and I accomplished it. That made me proud.

The last mile was up hill. I don’t know who the heck plans these courses but if you are smart you wouldn’t put a hill at the end. Just sayin’.

We finished got our goodie bag of hot chocolate, marshmallows, cookies, pretzels, bananas and chocolate to dip it all in!

Overall I am super happy we did it. It was fun. I am proud of Lauren! It was her longest race.

Then the Easter fun - brunch and church with my dad’s side then dinner and an egg hunt with my mom’s side. Both super fun! I won’t bore you with all the details. Just some pictures :)

My Dad and I

My cousin Kennedy and my sister Bria

My dads whole family

My grandparents and cousins on my moms side

My grandparents on my moms side

My girl cousins on my moms side

My cousin Callie and I

Single Serving Chocolate Chip Cookie

I am human, I like LOVE dessert.

I try to stay away from unhealthy desserts. I try to make healthier versions of dessert. But most desserts taste better when they have butter, real sugar, chocolate chips, you know the good stuff.

Last weekend we were going to make a batch of cookies. But I (YES, ME) said no lets not. Having a whole batch of cookies in the house is never good. Every time I walk by them I grab 2, 3, 6, shove em in my pockets. Then repeat an hour later when I walk past them again.

Not good.

But there are times when I just REALLY, really want dessert. A warm cookie, dipping it in milk, letting the chocolate melt in your mouth. Insert Pinterest.

I found the original recipe HERE.  I switched a few things so here’s my way:

Single Serving Chocolate Cookie:

Ingredients-

•  1 and 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

•  1 and 1/2 tablespoon white sugar

•  2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla

•  1 large egg yolk

•   4 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

•  dash of salt

•  3 tablespoons flour

•  1/2 teaspoon baking powder

•  1/4 teaspoon baking soda

•   2 tablespoons chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Combine the sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg yolk, in a small bowl.

3.    Mix together and then add the oats, salt, cinnamon, flour, baking powder baking soda, and chocolate chips.

4.   Make into balls on the cookie sheet.

5.  Bake 8 minutes for soft and chewy or 10-12 minutes for harder cookies.

I will say this: the cookies were delicious. I switched a few things up and had a good amount of cookies (see picture, maybe 6 cookies). I would make these in the future FOR SURE. Delicious. 

W.O.W. {#23}

Back fat. UGH. Do you have it?

I do.

It bugs me when I wear tanks. Swimsuits. Bras. Shirtless looking in the mirror.

Sometimes I sit in the mirror and take pictures and think dang you look hot in your new Lulu Lemon tank. You are rocking it girl.

Then I turn around and take a back selfie. Who does stuff like this? Only me.

I will say this: I look at my trainer Sara, who is probably the most fit person I have ever seen and she even has a little back fat when wearing a tank top. So I don’t think I will ever get rid of it completely. I am ok with that, I just want to reduce my back chubbiness.

So some exercise for us all the practice:

Push-ups (If you need to modify and go on your knees DO IT. Do not sacrifice your form)

Rows with weights

Y-raises

Pilates swimming/ Superman flutters

Pull-ups (I cannot do a pull-up so I modify and do it on a bar with my legs out. It is still challenging)

If you do each of these for 1 minute 5 times you will have a quick arm/back workout done in less than 20 minutes.

Then sit on the ground and take pictures of your shoulder muscles. It is ok if they are still baby muscles, mine are.

Superstar Spotlight - Puppies - Transformations - Desserts

First, this totally made my day yesterday. I got this email from the whole Look Good Naked Company and I was nominated/voted person of the week for the whole group (all the LGN locations). My heart was skipping a beat.

It is good to know that my trainer has faith in me. I always give 100% at boot camp and I am usually all smiles, even though it is 5:30 am; however, I struggle with the eating. I like my food! 

Next, the family I nanny for got a puppy. OH MY GOD. I am all for adopting, it is much easier, less work, but holy cow look at that face. So cute.

Because it is transformation Tuesday I thought I would share this picture. I think it is from April 2012. That is Catherine, Katie and me! Catherine and I both have chubby cheeks, belly’s, unhealthy, sad on the inside. We have both changed so much. Sometimes you forget how far you have come and last Thursday I was having a moment, then Catherine sent me this picture. Then I remembered although the weight isn’t coming off right now, I am so much healthier than I was in 2012.

Finally, ending on a happy note and talking about food. When I do my best at eating I MUST have a ‘dessert’. Yes, it is usually healthy but I always feel like a rebel, which helps me succeed throughout the day. Very lame I know. Here are some of my current favorites:

Plain Greek yogurt, frozen raspberries, granola

Cottage cheese, cinnamon, frozen strawberries

Brownies (healthy of course ;)) 

Strawberries and whip cream

Artic zero ice cream 

Rice cake with PB and homemade jelly

1 T chocolate chips

1 T Peanut Butter straight from the jar baby

Banana ice cream 

Popcorn (I personally LOVE Skinnypop)

Avocado pudding 

These are what I like. I want to try chia pudding but I haven’t ventured out to the store recently. Do you have any good desert/healthier snack recipes?