Month: February 2014

Burpees to Bubbly Turns 1! {which is worthy of a giveaway…)

33 Comments

Before I get to my anniversary post, I want to wish each of you a very Happy Valentine’s Day!! I love this holiday, whether I have a boyfriend or not. I just think it’s fun to celebrate love! I opted to hang out with the girls tonight instead of the guy (no offense to him!), so I’m really excited for them to all get here after work. We’re going to putz around to a few different bars/restaurants in Eastie. I have a big day of fitness tomorrow, so I can’t get crazy, but I’m looking forward to laughs and cocktails.

If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day themed workout to warm you up, try this workout (can’t believe I posted that a year ago… fitting, considering I had my 1 year anniversary earlier this week!).

Anyway! Let’s get to my post… you’ll want to read since there’s an awesome giveaway at the end!

******

Wow. You guys. I cannot believe this little blog turned ONE earlier this week. I know I have a long way to go in terms of really “finding my voice” and getting to a point where I don’t look back on old posts and cringe (it hurts a little to read my first post!), BUT if the next year is even half as fun, I’m in for a real treat. Blogging, although it is a lot of work and can be an extra thing on my “to do” list, has helped me learn about myself and make connections more than I thought it could.

I was afraid of starting the blog because I was worried that it would turn into a chore and I would get obsessive about posting X amount of times a week and would stress out if I didn’t. While I can’t say this hasn’t happened a few times, I’ve really surprised myself with how I’ve approached blogging. I used to be obsessed with checking stats and trying to get more followers, but since I relaxed about that and focused on blogging about things that interested me, it’s been a much better experience! I’ve also learned to let go of the stress that used to come when I missed a post. I bet you guys don’t even notice, right?! 😉

Bottom line, is I blog because I love it. I love sharing my workouts with you. I love sharing my recipes with you. I love sharing things that go on in my life and making connections with you. I love being able to look back and see what I’ve been up to. I love hearing from you when you can relate to something or you try a workout or make a recipe… those things make me SO happy. So, thank you, for following along as I write about my life!

Rather than listing out the highlights of my blog over the past year (I just did something similar for New Years post), let’s just do the giveaway, ok? I think that’s probably what brought most of you here anyway 😉

The giveaway is…. TWO $20 gift cards to… my favorite… Life Alive Café! I’m actually jealous about this 🙂 This is my little thank you gift to you guys for your continue support, encouragement and advice. You really have no idea how much it means to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Here’s how to enter (lots of ways!):

1. Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you’d like to see more of and/or less of next year (workouts? recipes? wines? restaurant reviews? something else?).

2. “Liking” me on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you’ve done this.

3. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter– just leave a comment saying you’ve done so.

4. Tweet the giveaway or share on Facebook! Again, leave an extra comment saying you’ve done this.

You have until Thursday, February 20th at 9Pm EST to enter the giveaway. I will post the two winners on Friday, February 21st. Good luck!

There you have it! Again, thanks for reading! I can’t wait to see what you want to see more of or less of.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies

7 Comments

I made some delicious cookies for the Super Bowl Party I went to a few weeks ago. Cookies? For the Super Bowl? Yeah, I got a few questions on that, but when I found out someone else was making a Buffalo Dip, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to make a dessert instead of a dip. So, I whipped up some oatmeal cookies with cinnamon chips and chocolate chips- and was happy with my decision. Oats+ Cinnamon + Chocolate is a really great combination if you ask me. It’s probably even worthy to make for your Valentine 😉

I’ve had this recipe for ages and I’m not sure where I got it, but I added/changed some things so I’ll just leave you with the recipe that I came up with after my alterations.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

IMG_6572

  • 1 3/4 cups oats
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup cinnamon chips
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375*.Combine the dry ingredients (oats through the sea salt) in one bowl.

IMG_6573

2. Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well.

IMG_6574

3. Combine wet and dry ingredients and add in the cinnamon and chocolate chips.

IMG_6575

4. Make tablespoon size balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes (or until cooked to your desire). Remove cookies and let cool… or eat one while they’re still warm 😉

IMG_6582 IMG_6581

These cookies were a big hit… luckily, I saved a few for myself so I could have some to enjoy throughout the week 😉

Questions for you: What’s your favorite kind of cookie? What’s your “go-to” dish that you bring to a party?

I <3 This Workout! {Timed Count Down Super Sets)

8 Comments

You guys. This workout was SO fun. Seriously. I don’t know what it was, but I had a blast teaching this and doing this (well, jumping in and out of sets in between assisting members) and a bunch of members came up to me after to say how much they enjoyed it, which is why I’ve called this the “I ❤ This Workout” workout- perfect for Valentine’s Day, right?!

I’ve come to the realization that my classes like to kind of be on their own, so to speak. Meaning, they like to work at their own pace, but not with 60 second timed intervals; they like to have a set number of reps to workout through of various moves… and they like to be timed while doing it (AMRAPS are always a hit!). I aim to please, and this workout certainly covers the bases 😉

Count down workouts are all over the blog and fitness world (Athena and Jen are two who often post count down workouts), and while I know they are effective, it gets boring (for me) to teach that format: “Ok, 10 lunges. Quick break, 9 lunges. Shake it out. 8 lunges. You got it. 7 lunges….” … you get the point. Well, when I went to Barry’s Bootcamp, the instructor, Emily, had us do count downs, but she gave us a set number of minutes to get from 10 to wherever we could in that set amount of time, so we had the ability to work at our own pace. On top of that, we did super sets, which kept me even more entertained. I knew I had to copy the format in class because my members would love it. So, I did!

I changed up some of the super set exercises and added in 60 seconds of core and a tabata cardio set (2 exercises). We didn’t quite finish all 4 rounds (I skipped 1 tabata round and shortened the last 2 sets to 3 minutes instead of 4), but it was still a great workout.

I heart this workout

Here are some notes/descriptions/links as necessary:

1. Alternating lunges on step: Rather than alternating forward lunges on the ground, step up to the step when you lunge. This creates a deeper lunge. Feel free to use weights here, but if you want to just focus on your lunges without weight, that is fine, too.

For the push-ups, try decline ones if you can (feet on the bench). If that’s too hard, you can do incline push-ups instead!

With the side lunge & center jump, just lunge to the right, push off of that foot and jump in the center with both feet. Do the other side on the next 20 second tabata burst.

2. I think everything is pretty self explanatory!

3. Step up, knee up, bicep curl- step up onto the bench with one foot, bring the other knee up while you perform a bicep curl. Step down and repeat on the other side.

Sit up w/ shoulder press- this was a move I got from Barry’s! Lay on the bench, knees bent with feet on the ground and hold the weights in your hands against your chest. Perform a sit up and when you get to the top, do a shoulder press. Lay back and repeat. I LOVE this move!

4. Side squat & step over bench: stand on the bench, step one leg down and do a squat, step back up onto the bench and step the other leg down into a squat. That’s 1 rep.

Leg lifts & chest fly- I think you’ve seen these on my blog before (got them from Athena!)- lay on your back on the bench and extend feet and arms/weights so that your legs are over your hips and your arms/weights are over your shoulders/chest. As you lower your legs, open your arms and perform a chest fly… then bring everything back up to the top!

Phew! I think that’s it, but if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! I hope you like this 🙂

Questions for you: Do you get bored with count down workouts or do you like them? What’s a workout that always keeps you interested?

Weekending: Recharging the Batteries

6 Comments

Ahh, it really is amazing how much better I feel after a weekend in Maine. I think it’s a mix of the slower-paced lifestyle and lots of family/friend time that is exactly what I need to recharge my batteries. Here’s a recap!

Friday

After working from home on Friday, my sister and I headed into town to meet up with some friends for cocktail hour at The BackStreet, which is a Friday tradition for my mom and her friends. You really can’t beat the $3 wines during happy hour (unreal)! And I can never get enough Emma snuggles.

IMG_6609

I also got to meet up with Meredith (and later, Tiffany!), which was long over-due and such a nice treat!

IMG_6613

We got home and made pizza with dad- my favorite Friday night activity! Mom poured me wine in a “surprise” glass… really couldn’t have been more fitting for me on Friday!

IMG_6617

Saturday

After a morning workout, my sister and I got our hair cut, ran errands and then met up with the rest of the Shapleigh girls (and Zeke) for lunch at the Springvale Publick House. Their food is amazing, but the company was even better. Zeke is getting so big and his personality is hilarious. It’s so fun to watch little babies grow.

IMG_6621

Saturday night, I volunteered at a fundraising event with my mom. I’ll post more on it later, because I think it’s a great cause, but here’s a sneak peak of what I did… felt so weird to be scooping Shaw’s Ridge Farm ice cream again. That was the best summer job!

IMG_6637

Sunday

We all got up and went to church then grocery shopping, then mom and I headed outside for some winter exercise fun. It felt so nice to be in the sun!

IMG_6654

I left relatively early because I knew I wanted to stop at the Lulu outlet in Kittery. I had no idea there was one until my friend, Meaghan, told me. It.was.amazing!!! The deals were seriously crazy good and it was well worth the trip if you’re looking to replenish your lulu wardrobe. Here’s my loot:

IMG_6658 IMG_6659

Super soft fleece hoodie ($54!), new, fun, bright pants ($29), black top ($19) and slim-fitting pullover (this wasn’t crazy cheap, but I loved it and had a gift card!). What do you think?

Unfortunately, my Sunday went downhill once I got home and realized that my apartment was in shambles (had a leak and the plumber was coming back on Monday to finish fixing it) and I was without heat (Nstar had to replace the meters and therefore cut power to my apartment, which somehow killed the thermostat… ). Then I broke my favorite wine glass from a winery in Napa. Womp, womp. Luckly, my new Jack Rogers came in and I had chilled white wine (not because it was in the fridge… because it was refrigerator temp in my apartment)… that made my night better!

IMG_6656 IMG_6660 IMG_6661 IMG_6657

Lastly, this meal really made me feel better.

IMG_6667

I took my dad’s homemade sauce, added a bunch of chopped veggies and ground chicken and topped that over baked kale and veggie pasta. So healthy, so tasty, so comforting. I could eat the sauce as a soup, I think. There’s really nothing better than homemade sauce!

IMG_6664 IMG_6665 IMG_6668

And, that about sums it up! All in all, it was a great weekend and I am starting this week off much better than I ended it. My mom and I talked about how we are trying to focus on how blessed we are compared to others and how we are both trying to focus on that this year. The fact that we were able to go out the back door and snow shoe/cross country ski was amazing… many people can’t do that because of physical limitations, location limitations, or health issues. It’s so easy to focus and dwell on the negative, but it’s so important to try and turn that around and focus on the positives.

Questions for you: When’s the last time you needed to “recharge” your batteries? What was the best part of your weekend? Have you been to the Lulu outlet? What do you do to cheer yourself up?

This Week: Workouts & Things I’m Looking Forward To

6 Comments

Happy Monday! I’m happy to say that I am feeling much better after having gone home to Maine for the weekend. After my finger issue (more on that in a minute), I went into the weekend saying that if I didn’t get any formal exercise in that would be totally fine (fitting, after my rest post on Friday, right? Did you check it out? I’d love to get some more people to chime in on what you think about rest days!). Turns out that since my mom and sister had gym plans on Saturday morning before our hair appointment and lunch, it made more sense for me to go with them, so I did. But it’s ok. I felt rested and, honestly, everything that had been bothering me last week just seemed to go away once I got home. I know that probably sounds weird, but it’s the truth. It’s like all I really needed was to get out of dodge and be home. Amazing how that happens.

So, back to that finger issue. To make a really long story short, I have had a few issues with my right ring finger since probably early December. It’s had various things go wrong with it, most recently, lots of swelling, immobility and a nasty open wound. I finally decided to go to the doctors last Monday. Two doctors looked at it and couldn’t figure out what was going on, so they gave me an ointment and told me to come back on Thursday. Thursday came, and I hadn’t seen any improvements to my finger. The doctor asked a dermatologist about it and she determined that she thought it was Chilblains, which is a form of frost bite. Yeah. Not impressed. They gave me a stronger steroid ointment, instructed me to keep my finger elevated to reduce swelling, told me to keep it away from soap and to wear mittens. Great. As of today, it’s still not really better, so I foresee myself going BACK to the dermatologist this week 😦 It’s just annoying because I really can’t move it and therefore it makes working out with weights and teaching kickboxing quite difficult. Ugh. Rant over- thanks for listening reading!

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I wasn’t as sore as I thought I was going to be from Barry’s Bootcamp, so I headed to the gym in my office building for a low-impact cardio and core workout. I rarely say this, but my workout SUCKED.  Yup. It wasn’t good and I left there frustrated that I wasted almost an hour of my day. I just did the elliptical and then a short circuit, but felt like I didn’t really exert myself. Oh well. We can’t always have rock star workouts, right?!
  • Tuesday- I went to the Muscle Mix class during the day at my office gym. It was a sub and I wasn’t that impressed with her. First off, she worked out in a sports bra (not appropriate, in my mind, unless you’re teaching Zumba), her form was terrible for planks, and she just said weird stuff. She was pretty jacked, but she was just too out there for me.
  • Wednesday- I ended up getting a sub (thanks Kate!) for UXF Burn because of the weather. I could have figured out a way to trek it there, but I realized it wasn’t really worth the super long commute for an hour class. I ended up doing this workout from Fitnessista with a few additions and some extra core and cardio at the end. I loved the tabata cardio’s!
  • Thursday- Taught my double! I taught a fun format in SHRED that I kind of took from Emily’s class at Barry’s. I created supersets and gave the class 4 minutes per superset to work down from 10 reps of each to as low as they could go in 4 minutes. Then we did 60 seconds of abs and a tabata cardio. I’ll post it for you this week because I loved it!
  • Friday- Rest day at home in Maine 🙂
  • Saturday- Went to a class with my sister, but didn’t love it (wow, my workouts weren’t that great last week, apparently!). The instructor is usually crazy intense, but her class today wasn’t anything special and I didn’t feel like I was working that hard. Oh well.
  • Sunday- I went snow shoeing with my mom in our yard for over 45 minutes!! Well, I snow shoed and she cross country skied behind me. I haven’t snow shoed since last winter and it felt great. It was a beautiful day and I got a much-needed dose of Vitamin D!

IMG_6654

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I am subbing kickboxing at the Watertown BSC at 6:30pm- Please come, BSCers!
  • Tuesday- Muscle Mix! I really enjoy getting out of the office and getting my strength workout done during the day (rather than getting up early or doing it after work). Especially in a half hour 😉
  • Wednesday- Probably running before teaching UXF Burn. I missed these guys last week… I may make it harder for them to show them that 😉
  • Thursday- Teaching SHRED and Kickboxing!
  • Friday- Rest
  • Saturday- Big day of fitness for me- teaching kickboxing at the Oak Square YMCA and then going to a blogger’s class at Flywheel in the Back Bay. I am REALLY excited!
  • Sunday- Probably another rest day, or maybe yoga.

Things I’m Looking Forward To

Well, I’m really looking forward to all of my apartment problems to go away. I was so relaxed coming back to Boston last night, but as soon as I walked into my apartment and saw how it looked and realized my heat was broken… my stress came right back! I’m also looking forward to making the choice to spend Valentine’s Day with my sister 🙂 I love the holiday, but can do the date-thing on Saturday night… spending Friday with my sister and anyone else who wants to hang with us is exactly what I’m looking forward to! I’m also looking forward to going to a cycling class at Flyweel. After my Recycle experience, I fell in love with indoor cycling, so I can’t wait to experience another studio!

Questions for you: When’s the last time you did something snow-related for a workout? Did you make it to the gym during the snow storm or did you opt for an at-home workout? Have you had an injury that makes it difficult for you to workout?