Weekending: Party, Party, Party!

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Hi there! I know I say this often, but last weekend was SO MUCH FUN! Starting with a gym friends party on Friday night, continuing on to my party and then a Sunday full of errands, laughs and “Sunday Dinner” with RM, it was pretty awesome.

I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy our “gym friend” get togethers. I’ve got a lot of friends from various groups, but my gym friends are a group of girls that get my intense workout mindset, love of trying out new classes, and can relate to my crazy schedule. After the week I had last week, the combination of those things, as well as some amazinggggg (healthy!) food and drinks helped relax me from the week and get me excited for the weekend. The cause for this gym friends party was to celebrate Jen’s birthday. Jen is a huge inspiration for working out and eating healthy- she has lost so much weight over the past couple of months and looks truly fantastic. She has been doing two-a-days and eating healthy and you know what? It’s paid off BIG TIME. I’m so proud of her!

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I made these and they were a big hit!
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I finally slept well on Friday night- I can’t tell you how happy that made me! Kickboxing was a blast- the crowds are back and I loved that I will be there for the next 2 weekends. Burning 531 calories in under an hour is a great way to start the day 🙂

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After my class, I went home and got into full party prep mode. Thankfully my sister was around to help! I made a crockpot chili, we made Stromboli’s and buffalo chicken dip and we had a bunch of veggies, crackers, hummus and some cookies. Oh… and a lot of wine 😉 We were SO LUCKY that the weather was warm and sunny because there certainly wouldn’t have been enough room in my apartment if we were all stuck in there! I loved that it was kind of a random group of people who came… well, random in that there were friends from multiple different groups: gym, college, home, RM’s family… the best part was everyone was having a great time mingling with each other, which makes “hosting” easier 😉 Big thanks to everyone who came- and thanks for the wine, too!

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Sunday was a busy day for RM and me. We woke up and had some healthy pumpkin protein “pancakes” before hitting the road to check out a health food store in Quincy. Good Health was amazing! If you’re in the hunt for a fully stocked healthy food store, you should definitely head to Quincy- they had everything!

From there, we did food shopping at Whole Foods, car shopping and then had Sunday dinner at his brother and sister-in-law’s. It was fun re-hashing the party with them 🙂

I finally got home and sat down to relax around 7:30- and I was definitely in bed before 9 and I loved every minute of it!

Questions for you: What was the best part of your weekend? Did you get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather on Saturday? Do you like hosting parties?

This Week: Workouts, loving my rest days & things I’m looking forward to

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Good morning and happy Monday! How about the weather this weekend?! It was a very welcomed change after a super rainy week last week, that’s for sure.

My gym friends and I got together on Friday night (more on that later!) and we were all talking about our crazy schedules and our workouts and teaching and all those things that we all have in common. I mentioned that I’ve been better about resting for at least 2 days each week and someone said she noticed that and was proud of me. I’m starting to get to the point where I’m LOVING my rest days and I really look forward to them. At first, I’ll admit- it was hard. I wanted to be working out and I felt guilty when I had a day where I didn’t do it. Looking back, I hate that about myself… but- I love that I’ve been able to get through that and have learned to really cherish my time off from the gym or any type of workout. Last Thursday, for instance, I planned to have a rest day from the gym. The fact that I didn’t need to pack up for the gym was an awesome feeling. And, during my normal after work gym time, I was able to run a bunch of errands and start prepping for the party I had on Saturday. With crazy busy weeks, it’s nice to let my workout time fall off my plate so that I can do other things.

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I went for a 3.5 mile run after work on Monday. I also did some weights and core work when I got back to my apartment. I’m trying to take advantage of the weather while it lasts and take my workouts outside.
  • Tuesday- I subbed a double at the South Station BSC. It was cardio kickboxing and then UXF Burn. I know I’ve said this before, but when I sub a double, I’m quickly reminded at how great my decision was to drop my double over the summer. They’re so tiring!

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  • Wednesday- I did the cross trainer for 25 minutes before teaching UXF Burn.

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  • Thursday- Rest day
  • Friday- I went to the gym during lunch and ran for 10 minutes before completing a shortened version of the workout I taught on Wednesday- it was killer.

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  • Saturday- I taught my cardio kickboxing class at the Oak Square YMCA. The fall crowds are back and I love it!! We worked super hard and I was crazy sore on Sunday. What do you think of my new shirt? Super deal at Lulu.

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  • Sunday- Rest day #2

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I will have taught my 6am Muscle Mix class by the time this post goes up.
  • Tuesday- I’m not sure. I might go to the bootcamp class at the Wellington BSC that I went to a few weeks ago.
  • Wednesday- I will probably run before UXF Burn. It’s supposed to be like 70 something degrees out so hopefully I can run outside!
  • Thursday & Friday- One of these days will be a rest day. I’ll likely decide based on how I feel from my workouts earlier in the week.
  • Saturday- I’m subbing for Missy, so I’ll be back at the Oak Square YMCA for cardio kickboxing.
  • Sunday- Rest day. My parents will be here and I have book club so it will be a busy day.

Things I’m Looking Forward To

I’m looking forward to a quieter week- last week was insane and there just weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. I’m only teaching 3 classes this week, so that helps a lot. I’m also looking forward to my parents coming on Saturday. They are meeting RM’s family for the first time and I can’t wait!

Questions for you: What was your best workout last week? How do you take advantage of rest days? What are you looking to this week?

My first New Balance Girls Night Out event

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Hi! A few weeks ago, I was finally able to attend a New Balance Girls Night Out (NBGNO, for short) event. They always fall on Wednesdays, which doesn’t work for my schedule because I already teach on Wednesdays, but after reading recaps on various blogs (Athena’s, to mention one), I made the decision to get a sub for my class so I could finally attend one of the events. Boy, am I happy I did that- the event was such a wonderful experience, especially this heartfelt one that was centered around Breast Cancer Awareness.

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I was so happy I had my bright pink Lulu pants because they were perfect for a pink-themed event! IMG_9033

Sherri, from fun fit flavor opened the event with some words about what this event meant to her and the story behind New Balance’s #LaceUp365 slogan. Sherri’s sister was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, so it was an emotional start to the night listening to her speak.

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If you’re not familiar with #LaceUp365, it’s a program that was created last year to mark New Balance and Susan G. Komen’s 25 year partnership anniversary. The idea behind it, is that breast cancer awareness shouldn’t just be during the month of October- it should be a yearlong thing. With #LaceUp365, you are able to dedicate your workouts all year long to a breast cancer survivor or someone who has been diagnosed. During Sherri’s intro, she asked us to all think of someone we know who has been affected by breast cancer and dedicate our run to them. What a powerful way to go into a run.

With that said, we laced up and headed out.

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I went with Sarah, from Blonde Bostonian, as she was leading the 4.5 mile group. My sister joined Caroline for the 2.2 mile run.

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Our run was so fun! I was able to meet and chat with new people, as well as finally meet Sarah in real life. We ran through the city and Cambridge and it was perfect weather to do that.

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Every bit of the run was great… that is, until I totally wiped out at the end! The worst part is that I was at the front, so a few others tripped over me, haha I’d like to say I was super embarrassed, but I actually wasn’t. My phone was fine, my pants were fine and I knew my knee injuries were merely external (unlike last time I fell while running and broke my elbow!). My knee was pretty painful, but after a glass of wine and some snacks, the pain subsided a bit.

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Once we were all back at the store, Sherri spoke again and we also heard from Dr. Priscilla Brastianos, who is a woman on the mission to find a cure for breast cancer. I wish I could put into words how amazing her speech was- it had everyone’s attention.

The rest of the event was spent mingling, eating and drinking. I was so happy to have my sister there, as well as blogger friends!

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As if the run, inspirational speeches and food and drinks wasn’t enough, we walked away with some pretty sweet swag boxes, including a sports bra, coupons, #LaceUp365 laces and a workout log. Seriously, they spoiled us!

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I’ve worn the sports bra a few times now and LOVE it. While I wasn’t sure about the padding at first, I realized it’s super supportive and I like that it’s all built in so you don’t have to deal with stupid bra pads in the washer, which happens to me with all my lulu tops!

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All in all, the event was so awesome. Not only were we working out for a good cause and to raise breast cancer awareness all year long (with the ultimate goal to cure it), we were able to learn more about the program and meet so many amazing women. I challenge each of you to dedicate your workouts this week… and the year… for someone you know who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

And, the best part?? They are hosting another one on Tuesday, November 4th at the Westin Copley. The theme this time is “staying fit on the go”, which is something I’m very passionate about (I’ve shared my Tips to Stay Healthy While on the Road, as well as many on the road workouts with you before) so I’m super excited for this event. Not only that, but my friend Caroline is hosting with Sherri again. This time, they’re offering a bootcamp AND a run, so you can choose what you’re more interested in. Are you hooked yet? You can sign up here if you are. I’ll warn you, though- these events fill up fast!

Thanks again, New Balance!

Questions for you: Have you ever been to a New Balance Girls Night Out event? Have you heard about the #LaceUp365 program? Have you ever fallen while running?

 

Weekending: Shuck Yeahhh! {Wellfleet Oysterfest}

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Although this weekend started off terribly, things turned around much faster than I would have thought and the rest of the weekend was one of the better ones I’ve had in a long time. Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way, so we can focus on the good, right?!

RM and I had plans to go to the Wellfleet Oysterfest, but since RM was going down early on Friday to play golf, that meant I needed to head down on my own. Rather than putting miles on my car (I lease it), I asked if I could drive his since he was getting a ride with a friend. He parks at the Intercontinental, so on Friday evening, I trucked it into the city by T and got his car. Long story short, I ended up getting in an accident within 2 minutes of being out of the garage. Ugh. Both the other driver and I were fine, but I have NEVER felt worse in my ENTIRE life. The other guys car needed to be towed and RM’s had some pretty bad damage, too. Needless to say, I didn’t want to drive, in traffic, all the way to the cape and put on a good face in front of the others, but luckily it all worked out. RM was super understanding, everyone else was really supportive, and the wine was flowing…. all in all, a terrible start to the weekend, but after calls with the insurance companies yesterday, I THINK I will just have to pay the deductible. RM was already planning on trading in his Jeep, so this was just a nice push for him to do that.

….. and on to the better, happier parts of the weekend!

After some wine, RM’s cousin started cooking. He and his wife had made homemade gnocchi and tomato sauce and they also brought fresh swish chard and red peppers from their garden- talk about a delicious dinner! We also played Cards Against Humanity, which was the perfect way to end the night.

Saturday morning I woke up and as soon as I realized the car accident wasn’t a dream, I immediately started feeling really down. To help, I decided to go for a run. It was a speedy 3 mile run with some bootcamp stuff mixed in. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and my mood was totally changed around after!

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After breakfast, we all packed up and headed out… but first? #letmepackaroadie

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(mom, aren’t you proud? it wasn’t my idea, but I thought you’d love it- especially refilling the Copa bottles… he learned from the best!)

I had never been to the Wellfleet Oysterfest, but I can assure you it won’t be my last time attending! The whole thing was amazing- so much food, so many vendors, so many things to buy, an awesome band and a wine bar… hello, wonderful! We totally scored on weather, so that was just icing on the cake.

We stopped for our first round of oysters at the first vendor- they were awesome!

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From there, we wandered around, checking out the different food spots and vendors. Here’s a rundown of everything we ate: oysters, crab cake, ear of corn, fried clams, fried lobster tail, fish tacos, French fries and a cookie… and a glass of wine and beer to wash it all down 😉

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I think we got a little over zealous with the food, but it was all so good and there were so many options you’d only eat when at an event like this, so it was well worth it.

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The fest ended at 5 on Saturday so we headed back to the house RM’s friends were renting, which was walking distance from the fest. RM’s nephew wanted to hold my hand the whole way… my heart melted a little! Such a sweet boy.

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We had more wine and some snacks and played with the little ones (3 of them under a year and a half!) before hitting the road to go back to Cotuit. It was a relatively quiet night consisting of pizza (I know… just what we needed) and laughs and a decently early bedtime.

We hit the road early on Sunday and RM and I went to the Hingham Whole Foods to do our groceries for the week. It was such a nice store! I was able to do so much food prep when I got back: delicious chicken & veggie crock pot soup, paleo pumpkin banana bread, purple kale and a veggie, chicken and gluten free pasta bake… so good!

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So, even though the weekend had a rocky start, it ended on such a good note- I wasn’t ready for it to end, but luckily this weekend has a bunch of fun stuff lined up, too 🙂

Questions for you: How was your weekend? Have you ever been to the Wellfleet Oysterfest? When is a time you allow yourself to really indulge on foods you normally don’t eat?

This Week: Workouts, subbing & things I’m looking forward to

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Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend 🙂 I have to tell you something I’m proud of myself for: I took an unplanned, totally random day off from the gym last week and instead of working out, I watched tv and drank wine. I did get on my yoga mat for about 15 minutes of stretching and sun salutations, but that was mostly to stretch my incredibly tight hip flexors! I was supposed to be teaching a bonus bootcamp, but since it was raining I had to cancel it. After a late night out on Wednesday (and an unplanned double), by the time Thursday afternoon rolled around I was spent. Work has been crazy and I went back and forth about whether I should suck it up and go to the gym or just listen to my body and go home and relax. The fact that I picked the latter was a big step for me!

Last Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I subbed a cardio kickboxing class at the Watertown BSC. I hadn’t taught kickboxing in almost 3 weeks and boy did I feel it the next couple of days. I got to wear my new kicks- LOVED them!

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  • Tuesday- I taught my last bootcamp class of the season. We got so dirty doing a super fun workout- I can’t wait to share it with you!

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  • Wednesday- I went to the gym expecting to go for an outdoor run before teaching UXF Burn, but literally as I was outside tying my sneakers, the manager came out and asked me to cover the 5:30 class. Mind you, it was 5:45 at that point, and there were only TWO people in the room waiting for the class. I really, really, really didn’t want to teach the class as I was already teaching a lot and wanted to have time for myself and my own workout, but I didn’t really have a choice. It ended up being a good workout and I pulled myself together, but I wasn’t happy with it at first!
  • Thursday- As I mentioned above, I had to cancel my bootcamp and decided to do a little yoga before relaxing. It was perfect.

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  • Friday- I went to the gym during lunch and ran 3.5 miles and then did some strength exercises.

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  • Saturday- I had had a stressful Friday night, so I decided a run was a good idea before the day started. We were also going to be eating and drinking a lot all day, so that was extra motivation. I ran a beautiful 3 miles and did 4 sets of squats, plié squats, oblique dips, oblique twists and push-ups throughout.

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  • Sunday- Another rest day!

This Week’s Workouts

  • Monday- I don’t know what I am going to do today. I have to deal with a lot of sh*tty stuff today ( more on that later), so I’m definitely going to need a solid workout after work.
  • Tuesday- I’m subbing the 5:30 cardio kickboxing and 6:30 UXF Burn at the South Station BSC. I like that double!
  • Wednesday- I’ll probably run before teaching UXF Burn
  • Thursday- I’m either going to rest on Thursday or Friday. If I workout on Thursday it will be during the day since I need to prep for my party on Thursday night (shopping, cleaning, etc).
  • Friday- I have a feeling I’ll rest on Thursday so I’ll probably head to the gym during my lunch break. I’ve really enjoyed my Friday lunch break workouts as it breaks up the day!
  • Saturday- I’ll teach my cardio kickboxing class at the Oak Square YMCA before my party.
  • Sunday- Another rest day. I’ll have to clean and stuff like that so it will be an active rest.

Things I’m Looking Forward To

Although this is a busy week, it’s all fun stuff so I can’t really complain 🙂 I’m excited to host my first party at my new place! Some of my friends and my mom and her friends can’t come, but I think there’s still going to be a good crowd- hopefully it will be good weather so we can go outside. I’m also looking forward to my friend Jen’s birthday dinner on Friday night. I won’t be able to stay for long since I have to prep for my party, but it will be good to see those girls.

Questions for you: What was the best workout you had last week? When’s the last time you skipped a workout “just because”? What are you looking forward to this week?