MIMM #5

Who's enjoying the Snowpocalyspe?! Seriously, I thought we'd be battling zombies or something, but we're battling frostbite...which is worse??

I guess I was a little naive with just how cold it gets up north, because I am blown away (ha ha see what I did there?) with the forecasts from all of my northern/midwestern bloggers!!! I can't imagine negative degree forecasts, I think it's only gotten that cold a few times in my life.

Marvelous is.....a really really relaxed weekend!

I also got addicted to this show...

If you read my post yesterday, you are aware that I did pretty much nothing over the weekend except watch television and eat - which is exactly what I needed!! My body and mind totally benefited from the time off - it's weird that I'm so much more aware of my body and mind than previous months/years. I like being able to lay around for two or three days and not feel anxious/guilty about it!

Marvelous is.....veggies!!

Contrary to my Instagram feed, I do actually eat vegetables, in more than one form. ;) Mom made me some kick-butt stir-fry chicken and veggies; sounds so simple, but her flavorings were spot on! The butter helped. ;)

Marvelous is......packages!!!

So with my gift card I got a giant box of Chocolate Chunk LUNA Bars which I haven't seen in FOREVER! They are my absolute favorite flavor!!! I also got some stuff from American Eagle, a pretty necklace, and some chia seeds! Just waiting on my Wild Friends almond butter....

Marvelous is......new workout clothes!

Sorry for the extremely awkward angle (Rebekah refused to stand up to take my pic....ha...), but I am in love with this top! It's so cute, stylish, and best of all, comfortable! 

Marvelous is.......a new book!

I actually pre-ordered this book last spring because I was so excited to read it. I looovvee historical fiction, and this is about the affects on Turkey and the Turkish people during World War II. It's definitely more fact based and historical than romancy, so if you like that stuff, highly recommended!

Marvelous is.....indoor workouts!

It's freeezziinnggg and I am not running outside. Nuh uh. Luckily, my neighbors have an awesome home gyms that's stocked with pretty much everything - yoga mats, a treadmill, dumbells, kettle bells, jump ropes, plus a giant TV and stereo - you name it, it's probably in there. 

Side story: Okay, not-so-marvelous is the treadmill. I somehow managed 30 minutes with my music blasting to keep me focused. I haven't run on the treadmill since like...last summer so it was a little bleh. 

I went through a mid-treadmill crisis and hopped off in the middle of it to go run in the snow because I was going crazy. 

My face after I realized how weird I was for doing that.....

I need treadmill therapy. 

Marvelous is......Chocolate Chunk LUNA Bar!!!

Yes, I took a selfie with my bars. Not weird. 

Marvelous is......Day 1 of the 21 Day Yoga Challenge!

I'll be honest and say this was a morning sequence...that I didn't do in the morning. But I was in my pajamas, so that counts, right? It was really focused on relaxation, awareness, and breathing, rather than strength...I was so relaxed by the end! It lasted about 20 minutes...the instructor's voice almost put me to sleep!

I hope you've had a fantastic snow day, day off, or just regular Monday - stay warm!! <3

Bumming Out

Aaahhhh it's Sunday, guys!! I hope you all have had a wonderful, relaxed, and joy-filled break - but it's back to the real world (aka school) for me tomorrow.

So I've accomplished literally nothing this weekend. I took two complete rest days, which frankly, I needed. The only form of exercise I got was cleaning my room. Sometimes you just need to throw on some fuzzy socks, cuddle up, and lounge around for a couple of days. :)

I went to see another movie on Friday, this time the Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Personally, I loved it. I thought it was really heartfelt and inspiring - my main comment is that's it's definitely a unique, independent film and is probably an acquired taste. I just happen to love movies like that!

For doing "nothing" for two days, I felt surprisingly productive on Saturday! Mainly because I got this random bout of OCD and commenced to complete every single chore in the house. I even ironed like 16 shirts for my dad while mom and I watched a marathon of the Twilight Zone.

Wow, I just sounded really lame there. At least I had motivation to do something. 

What's even more lame, is I got addicted to a show that my friend and I found on Netflix -

You guys, I friggin love this show. We watched 4 episodes on Netflix (and this is after seeing the movie), and when I got home, I spent the rest of my Amazon gift card on Instant Video episodes!!!

And I may or may not have stayed up until 2:30 watching it this morning. Psh.

Okay, so I don't sound like a total bum/old lady/cat lady, I do have some fun stuff coming up!!!!

One of my resolutions this year was having a workout buddy once a week, and one of Leigha's (from Minougirl - check out her adorable blog!!!) was to do more yoga - so we thought it would be a great idea to combine the two and do the 21 Day Yoga Challenge together!

I am so excited for this - it's a challenge that offers a yoga video/instruction every day for 3 weeks. We're going to start with Beginner, mainly because neither of us have much yoga experience. I can't wait to see results/changes in how we feel, emotionally, mentally, and physically! I'll do my best to post about it as often as possible, but check Instagram for daily updates. :)

Plus, now that it's on the Internet and I have a buddy, I have a lot more motivation and accountability to do it - it will also help with keeping up with my training plan!

Well I just found out that school is delayed for two hours, which makes me a pretty happy gal! Maybe I'll get my yoga and workout in before school!!!

Have a wonderful rest of the evening!!!! 

Fitness Friday!!!!!

I'm sitting here debating on how I want to proceed with my run today....do I want to go ahead and pump it out on the treadmill (blech) OR wait until it warms up just a tiny bit (good in theory, bad for motivation)?

Because the ONE DAY it's sunny, clear, and zero humiditiy - it's 21*. Wut.

Okay, I know those in the north are giving me the stink eye because you're like....buried in snow, but here in Georgia these cold temps may as well be a blizzard. (P.S. Yeeeaahhh it's already 10 while I'm typing this so I'm just waiting til the weather warms up from sub freezing to freezing.)

Sooooooooooo I'm sure some of you are curious about how my new running program has been going. At least I'm pretending that you are. In honor of my procrastination today (okay really just enabling my procrastination), I'm going to share with you the basics of the program, how I'm feeling, etc.

First off, I'm really enjoying it so far. It combines three different kinds of runs: easy, tempo, and long. It also tracks the runs by times and not miles, which is really great in the freezing air. I don't feel pressured to run 5 miles a day (which I feel like if I was running on my own terms, I would put myself up for that kind of pressure).

It staggers the shorter and longer runs, which is good for recovery and not getting bored or unenthusiastic. As much as running is my exercise of choice (aka favorite), I am not one of those people who can pound out 5 or more miles every single day - I have to have variety not only in my mileage, but also pace and actual workouts.

There is only one rest day on Friday, presumably because the runs are all easy-paced, but I thrive on rest (who doesn't?!), so I've been replacing Wednesday's easy run with another rest day. That doesn't mean I'm vegging out on the couch all day, though - I've been trying to at least get in yoga or a walk.

Along with that, lastly, on the days with shorter runs he suggests adding a round of strength training which I loovvee, and a cross-training day. I don't belong to a gym, so my strength training is a home workout with body weight and dumbbells, and my cross-training has been just taking an hour walk, or a circuit workout.

Here's the run-down for last week: (using last week as an example because this week's schedule got moved around a bit)

Monday: Easy/30-min + Arms

Tuesday: Easy/45-min + Legs

Wednesday: Easy/30-min

Thursday: Tempo/30-min + Arms/Abs

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Easy/75-min

Sunday: 60 min walk


I've had a pretty good experience with it so far, and I certainly don't feel like I'm overdoing it. None of my workouts (except the long run) last more than an hour, and I'll admit - having short, easy days thrown in there makes it a whole lot better.

I know that training plans don't work for everyone, but I truly, honestly enjoy this one - it's not like a triathlon or marathon plan. My interpretation of it is not training for a race. It simply gives me a goal to accomplish in the day. It keeps me motivated. It is flexible and doesn't pressure me. It keeps running in its place - one part of my day, purely for my enjoyment/stress release/etc.

As you can tell, I obviously really like it and plan on keeping it up! It also incorporates some of my resolutions, such as getting stronger, or having an exercise buddy.

There you have it, friends! Hoping that you have a FaNtAsTiC FrIdAy!!!

Thursday Thoughts #1

Woohooo my first Thursday Thoughts linkup!! It's so perfect for when I am completely scatter-brained and don't know what to write about...which is today. Let's begin! (thanks Amanda!!!)

1. I had a really awesome NYE with some of my best girlfriends!!! I actually made it to 1am, which is a staying-up-late PR for me. Last year I was out by 10, so I was quite proud of myself!

2. Seriously. Seriously?

3. Lucky it's raining, because I'm taking a rest day today. My legs were reaallyy sore (leg workout, booyah) on my run yesterday, and while my pace was surprisingly good (for me personally), I think they need some running rest. Today I'm thinking a yoga sesh or maybe a walk and some arms/abs. We shall see.

LOVE

4. I am in dire need of a haircut. There's no hope for across bangs at this point (I miss them!), and my hair is just long enough to bother me - aka make me want it in a ponytail 24/7. I don't even wear it naturally that often right now because it just looks blah. I keep cutting it shorter and shorter - I think I might just chop it all off.

5. Just kidding about my last comment on #4 - not quite ready for that big of a change. ;) But if that were to happen, these pixie cuts are freaking adorable!!!!

All from my Pinterest board. 

6. If you don't know the formula for a perfect breakfast, this is it people: healthy carb, fruit, healthy fat, coffee (or tea). My version this morning was Kodiak Cakes, warm apple slices, The Bee's Knees Peanut Butter, and candy cane coffee.

7. A little behind-the-scenes: this is what you think I eat. A lovely pancake stack at my kitchen table enjoying the peace and quiet of morning.

Ya no here's what actually happens:

I generally move to my living room and eat in front of the television, on the floor, with a little desk thing for my breakfast. Classy, no? At least it's not in my lap (which sometimes that happens too). Oh, and  Lilly practically stalks me, waiting for a chance to cuddle on my lap.

8. Speaking of my kitties, if you want a nightmare, just turn on your flash and snap a pic of your cat while it's looking at you. I've always known there was something....off about Oscar.

9. Haaa freaky, right? In some serious news, I got my SAT scores back....and did not make the cut for the dual enrollment program I wanted to get into. I highly exceeded in the reading and writing portions, but math - well, let's just say that's a different story. I just don't grasp math very well, and my grades are always average/in the middle/just enough to pass. Luckily, there are a couple of other great college options that I'm looking into!

How I feel sometimes....

10. I've been really thinking about college lately, considering I'll be in college for half of time time next year (!!). I'm trying so, so hard not to wish the time away, but you have no idea how much I'm ready to be in a career that I love! I know that I'm still young and not ready for the entire dose of the "real world," but I can't help but feel excited for the future. For now, I'm trying to live in the moment!

11. Just after typing that, I decided that that's an excellent resolution to add to my list. I think and/or stress about the future a lot, so staying present will be a really good thing for me to practice!

12. If you haven't seen Frozen yet, do it. Like today.

source

Happy Thursday, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WIAW: Eat ALL the Leftovers

Happy New Years!!!!!!!! 

Sooooo you could say I went a bit overboard with all of my Instagram updates this week.

Breakfast. Snack. Workout. Snack. Snack. You betcha I whipped out my phone to snap a pic! I also have some pics that need to make it off of my camera, but I don't want to delete them.

What can I say?! Food is fun to look at. You may have also noticed that I've made it my personal mission to eat as many of the Christmas leftovers as possible. This may or may not have to do with the fact that my mother won't go to Trader Joe's until we finish them up.

Okay, okay, leftovers are pretty delicious too. So since I took so many freaking pictures of everything, I didn't give myself an excuse to skip this week's WIAW. Expect lots of turkey, pumpkin, and oats in your immediate future.



Breakfasts

Travel breakfast - apple, oatmeal, and peanut butter. Classic.

The breakfast I'll never get tired of: Chai Spiced Pear Overnight Oats. 

Julie's Banana Bread Protein Pancakes and chocolate almond milk (addicting!). 

A new favorite: Microwave Pumpkin Oatmeal Bake. I sadly cannot take the credit for creating this recipe, I found it through Kylie's blog, but tweeked it a bit. I basically use my pumpkin oatmeal "recipe," but add baking powder and pop it in the microwave for about 3 minutes. 

1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup pumpkin, 1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk), 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, dash of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to taste. Stirred together and microwaved 2-3 minutes. Toppings: Greek yogurt, banana, dried cranberries, nut butter - the choices are endless!! 

And of course, the best.

 Lunches

Scrambled eggs and spinach, toasted English muffin, cucumber, salsa, sliced apple, and candied pecans.

Favorite salad of the week: romaine lettuce (Soooo much lettuce/greens to use up!! Challenge accepted!), cucumber, sliced turkey, cranberries, and candied pecans. Side of an apple and unpictured dinner roll. 

Another leftovers salad: lettuce, microwaved/cubed sweet potato, turkey, dried cranberries, chopped almonds, and 2 clementines on the side.

 Dinners:

Oh look more turkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This time in the form of a burger and side salad.

Leftover turkey burger over brown rice and stir-fried veggies. Yums.

Leftovers Quiche - such a genius idea, easy, and yummy! 

My version: 1 whole wheat tortilla (fit into a small skillet), 1 egg + 1 egg white, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup milk, handful of spinach and bell peppers, baked in a 375* oven for 25-30 min. 

Snacks:

 Every night.

Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread Snack Bar from Oh She Glows. These are seriously sooo delicious!! 

Larabars, of course. 

I think it's safe to say I may just turn into a turkey. A peanut butter-eating turkey. I'm strangely okay with that? As long as I can still have my PB.

Have a happy and healthy New Year's Day!!!!