And so we’re two weeks into the Healthiest You Challenge. I’m feeling great, and I’m down 4.6 lbs! Admittedly, that’s since my higher-than-normal weigh-in, but my team went from an initial gain to either maintaining or losing this week! It’s especially tough, as our weigh-ins are on Mondays, but it’s just a big reminder to not go crazy on the weekends.
After our successful weigh-in (any loss is a loss!), we met our assistant coach, Anne, for a big group workout. She took us outside for some running, skipping, walking lunges (OUCH!), and lots of squats.
Since I’d already warmed up on the treadmill, I tried to push myself as hard as possible during our time with Anne.
The always-popular butt kicks:
It looks like I have a tiny yellow nub for a right leg. Sexy.
Some slow and low shuffles (followed later by some speedy ones!)
LASER-LIKE FOCUS!
We even had our own mascot mascat! I’ll assume his loud, meowing was actually him cheeering us on. Then again, his speed running away from me as I tried to take a picture of him suggests otherwise.
DON'T RUN, LITTLE FRIEND!
Oh well, he just made me run faster.
We wrapped up the night with full-team squats! Looks like team “The Drop Off” knows how to drop it low…
Drop it drop it low, girls (and guys!)
It was strange, after a long, intense workout, I burned lots of calories… but I didn’t feel very hungry.
Check out those spikes!!
Luckily, thanks to an amazing coupon, I picked up one of the new Summer Berry Blend Quaker Real Medleys. I don’t go gaga over oatmeal most of the time, but this mix was delicious.
Quick, easy, and delicious.
Just what I needed, but I just wasn’t hungry enough for anything else tonight… I’m sure I’ll be ravenous tomorrow.
Tonight was a great night for my team, and for me, personally. I’m loving it.
If you weigh yourself, do you have particular days of the week or times of the day you like to do it?
I used to always have the weigh-in Wednesdays with Weight Watchers, but Monday nights have totally been a challenge! I must remember: No going overboard all weekend, every weekend!
I don’t really like board games. And I hate bowling. Mini golf, go-karts racing, and the like… They bring out this intense, competitive creature that normally lies dormant inside of me, and she’s kind of a jerk, so I tend to avoid them like the plague.
But there’s another activity that fills me with this unexpected aggression that you’d never see coming.
When I go to a new Zumba class, I feel like I am at my first day in prison. I can’t help but assert myself as the baddest bitch in the class. My claps are loud, my hips are bootylicious, and my steps are huge.
And I wear shirts like this:
Come at me, bro.
With Arnold by my side, you better believe I was the boss of yesterday’s class.
So I haven’t necessarily been the healthiest Holly lately. There have been pork parties, Beer Festivals and entire bottles of champagne, and a few too many Easter Peeps (when you’re at the Peeps mecca, it’s hard to resist). And I’ll let you in on a little inside scoop: It’s sort of been on purpose.
I know, I know, what kind of a reformed overeater am I?
The kind that’s been gearing up for something big.
I was notified, not too long ago, that I was selected to participate in a most EXCITING adventure! UNC Health Care and 1360 WCHL are putting on their second annual Healthiest You Challenge, during which 8 teams of 8 will compete against each other for 8 weeks to get fit, get healthy, and get down to business. We had our weigh-in on Sunday so, I’ll be honest, I might’ve crammed a few extra pork bites in the mouth before the big step on the scale!
All the stats!
My blood pressure was apparently a little higher than usual, I’m hoping that had more to do with the pork I crammed in my mouth earlier in the day, but hopefully a chat with my coach, an RD/LDN, could help me out. I’ll work on it.
My team, The Drop-Off, is sponsored by The UPS Store. Ha, get it, the drop-off? While this does mean that our shirts are a weird looking brown/tan/beige/skin color, it also means WE COULD GET SOME FREE COPIES!
The little things, eh?
Yesterday, we had our launch. This included meeting our teammates and our coach, as well as a little tour of the UNC Wellness Center, our headquarters for lots of the workouts and services offered.
Sweet cardio section!
I loved their vast machine area, lots of cardio AND weights, something for everyone.
Upstairs track
We also checked out the track on the second floor, which also housed the cycle room or the Zumba room (I think it’s a multi-purpose room, depending on what day of the week it is). On the left, you can sort of see the blue of the pool room. They also have a whirlpool and a sauna (!!!!! YES !!!!)
Another bonus?
We are REQUIRED to take advantage of a free massage from Massage Envy.
Fine, pull my leg.
I started off today strong, tracking my food intake and exercise on MyFitnessPal (I guess I’m the last human on the planet to try this out?) It told me that “If every day were like today… You’d weigh 164.2 lbs in 5 weeks.”
Little does it know that, in the next 5 weeks, all kinds of craziness will go down. I’ve got a trip home this weekend, a visit to Jersey in the middle of May, and that mysterious “Triangle Bucket List” that I’ve still yet to get all on paper. But, with vigilance, exercise, and moderation, I think I can do it. And I know I’ve said that whole “I can DO IT! I’m gonna stick with __ plan!” in the past, I think that those plans (30 Day Shred, Fitbook) were a little too unfamiliar. This plan feels more like Weight Watchers, which is what I had so much success with when I first lost 40 lbs.
Tracking.
Balancing.
Sweating.
I got this.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...
Let the 74th Annual Hunger Games 2nd Annual Healthiest You Challenge begin!
Sometimes, when life throws you lemons a buddy driving up to DC who’s stowaway friendly, you gotta make lemonade pack your bags and get ready for action. So that’s what I did. I loaded up Melissa’s car with 2 small backpacks and 9 bananas (part of the 11 I got for $1 on Thursday!) and hopped in the front seat. I decided to surprise my baby sister, Kiley, who was playing volleyball at the Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, a GORGEOUS place I’d never been before right on the Potomac River.
Since yesterday was a long day of driving, I didn’t have time to squeak in a normal Six Pack Sunday, but a day late is still great.
1. Lukewarm Lunchmeat
Not even if I were eating meat, thanks.
Road trips are great places to find ridiculous edible items. These Go Picnic snack packs looked great, except for one key piece: room-temperature meats and cheeses. Though I found these whilst still being a Pescatarian Polly, I can tell you I’d never buy one, no matter how hungry I happened to be.
2. Mad Men (Rated M)
At least this scene was decent
The thing about watching Mad Men on the treadmill is that there are some awesome scenes where Peggy is talking smack with the boys, and it’s hilarious. Then, there are times where the Sterling Cooper fellows head to a strip club, and I’m in a hotel fitness room surrounded by the parents of teenage volleyball players. Awkward, much?
Much too much.
I listened to Pandora for the rest of my workout.
3. Peeps Store (Yes, it exists.)
??!?!
And it is AWESOME.
Glowing gloriously.
You can imagine how packed it was during Easter weekend. So much marshmallow.
4. The Little Giant Mermaid
I’ve never worn shells as a bra but, when you’re wearing teal pants (close enough to a fin, right?) and you spot the most inspiring rock, you don’t really have a choice, do you?
Part of that worlddddddddddddddddddd
You want thingamabobs? I’ve got 20.
5. National Zoo: Dream Come True!
Red Panda Party!
We never thought that Easter Sunday would be a packed day at the National Zoo. We were totally shocked when we got there, parking was damned near impossible, and the lines for the panda exhibit were football-field length. But it was all worth it (the time, as admission is FREE!!) when we saw this tiny red panda climbing up some logs. The tigers was fierce, the lions were larger than life, and the monkey jerking it…. well that was just icing on the cake.
6. Pinky Rides the Bull
Fun tip: When you think your pink bra won’t show through your black top, you’re wrong.
Yeeeee haw!
After a lot of squats the week before, and a little too much time on the hip abduction and adduction machines, my thighs were totally unprepared for what a killer workout it is holding onto a bucking bull, even if he was mechanical. But, for $3 at Cadillac Ranch in National Harbor, I couldn’t resist!! I held on as long as I could (which likely wasn’t very long, though it felt like forever) before I felt something slipping. DAMN my decision to rock the leggings! I slipped right off that bull and into the inflatable ring, laughing the whole time. It was a blast, and I’d TOTALLY do it again! Though next time, I think I’ll try to pack some shorts… or at least chaps.
Thanks, National Harbor, for showing us a good time.
Ever rode a bull (live OR mechanical)? How long did you stay on? Any tips?
What’s your favorite exhibit at the zoo?
Mine’s normally not at the zoo at all, but the aquarium. And it’s ALWAYS the Jellyfish.
I just love the heck out of some Zumba. Apparently, this is abundantly clear to anyone who participates in class with me as, today, as I was leaving the gym, one woman came over, having just sweat next to me for an hour, and said,
I just love your enthusiasm and energy in the class! It really just makes me wanna work even harder!
I said thanks, letting her know that it meant a lot to me knowing I could contribute to the workout. And I’ll admit, more often than not, I like to take zumba class seriously. When instructors say, “Oh, it’s just about having fun! Don’t worry if you don’t get the steps,” I say, “NAY! If it were PURELY about having fun, I’d be off at some discotheque with some cute skinny jeans and a bandeau under a tank top. Instead, it’s about getting my sweat on to some of my favorite jams, and incorporating pure joy into fitness.”
Ok, I don’t really say that, as I’m likely winded already and toweling sweat off my face and that’s a lot of words to say between water breaks. But I do take it as seriously as I take any workout.
That is to say very seriously.
That’s why, today, I decided to look at three different Zumba experiences I’ve had in the month of March, with three different instructors, and investigate the differences.
Up first: Zumba Red
Colors = Different Instructors
This class, taught in the beginning of March, was by a instructor that I’ve come to dread. If I’d never taken a class before, and she was my instructor, I might not know any better. But I’ve taken dozens, from MANY different instructors, and I’ve become a bit of a snob. Instructor Red takes things easy. While she occasionally mentions the higher level options, she rarely never demonstrates those options. She also sticks with the most traditional of the traditional Zumba songs. I’m talking almost entirely samba, salsa, and merengue. Sure, there’s the occasional hip hop or contemporary song, but it’s often the slowest of slow, and the moves are repetitive and uninspired.
I find myself having to invent my own “higher level options”, jumping when she steps, lunging when she leans. It’s a challenge to me, not to keep up with the instructor, but to keep making up ways to keep the workout exciting. It’s a shame, I’m sure she has the best intentions, but she’s the kind of instructor that would be better suited for Zumba Gold. Also, I tend to like it when I can sing along with the music. When every song is in Spanish, I can’t. And that’s the worst.
If you look at the image, too, you can see the deep drops in heart rate. I love a little breather now and then but, when my heart rate dips to 120 and I’m not cooling down… that’s a little bit of a bummer for me. When I only have about an hour to work out, I like to get the most bang for my buck.
Zumba Blue
I’m pretty sure the initial spike up to 201 was a fluke, but I will say that the blue instructor always starts the class off with a bang. He (yup, it’s a dude!) teaches the most athletic Zumba class I’ve ever attended. There’s jumping, shaking, quick feet, and core work. But despite the variety of exercises, I am sweating the entire time. He probably plays the most “contemporary” music, with a lot less focus on the traditional Latin tunes. I know that’s not maybe the most kosher, but it helps me when I’m drenched and gasping for breath to at least be able to say the words of the songs in my head. Also, one of his favorite songs to play?
That’s right, the hit song from the Madagascar 2 soundtrack. Listen to it, and you’ll be able to imagine the booty shaking and thrusting that goes on in this song. I LOVE it.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s nice to look at, but that’s neither here nor there.
Zumba Yellow
Instructor Yellow is a firecracker. She’s a ray of light every day that I get to work out with her, and she fills the group fitness room with light (that’s why I chose yellow for her.) Mixing traditional Latin music and current songs, she is never afraid to challenge us with a song that doesn’t seem like a “Zumba” song. (Country Girl, anyone?) While there is never truly a “slow” song, she tends to feel the crowd out and throws in a slightly slower paced one every now and then if we’re huffing and puffing.
The thing I like the most about her, though, is she makes the class interactive. She invites the boys to the front of the class every now and then for a particularly booty-shaking-focused jam, she calls people out when they’re really rocking, and she always knows what to say to pump us up for a song. Also, unlike Instructor Blue who has a more athletic, though slightly jerky pace, she has a nicer flow than all the other instructors I’ve worked with in the past. She doesn’t restart songs if we aren’t dancing immediately when it starts (which I think can mess with the flow of the class) and, if she messes up, she always recovers with grace and a chuckle. She just seems at ease all of the time, while simultaneously making the class feel comfortable AND kicking our asses. It takes a powerful character to accomplish all that at once but, despite being tiny, she packs a wollop! You can tell if you look at the heart rate chart. Woo, nelly, no joke!
It doesn’t hurt that her outfits are bright and exciting, making her a flash of color across the stage at the gym. She’s just the best. And when you find a Zumba instructor you click with, you just know.
What makes a group instructor particularly great in your opinion?
Ok, I’m sorry, I kind of hate myself for the title of this post. But, more importantly, I think it’s hilarious, especially when the word “dooty” is used in any type of writing, so hopefully you’ll bear with me and stick it out to enjoy the REST of this week’s Six Pack Sunday!
1. Ask and You Shall Receive
Oh goodness, I can’t thank the Twitter world enough!! On Friday, I was a little bit at a loss. I knew that I wanted to bring treats to my little sister’s volleyball tournament this weekend but a) I’m not a baker and b) I was low on time. After rocking out an awesome Zumba class with Sierra, the queen of Triangle blogger workouts (check out the link for an adorable picture of our height difference), it was already 7:30 and I had to make dinner AND whip up some good stuff. I asked the internet, and y’all DELIVERED!
I'll snicker YOUR doodle!
Kelli suggested the Snickerdoodle Blondies from My Baking Addiction, which were UNBELIEVABLE! They were so delicious, I had no idea what to do with myself other than wrap them up to bring the goodies to the girls before I ate them all myself. The other hit (which admittedly looked like poop, so I didn’t photograph them) was courtesy of Kaitlin’s recipe for No Bake Cookies. Peanut butter, chocolate, oats? Impossible to go wrong, especially when cooking for teenage girls!
The only change I made with BOTH recipes was replacing the vanilla extract with almond extract. That’s my personal touch to MOST recipes, primarily because I like the taste and, if I don’t wanna eat my own creations, who would?
Every single crumb was eaten (I definitely helped with that) and the girls and parents alike were enamored with my creations! THANK YOU to everyone that suggested recipes, I was so stoked with the results!
2. Not Now, Wool E.!
That's BULL!
Wool E. Bull, the Durham minor league baseball team’s mascot, made a visit to the Raleigh Convention Center to watch some volleyball. Don’t let the smiling girls fool you, they were SO annoyed as he was trying to give high fives in the middle of the GAME! There’s a time and place for everything (and every bull). This was neither the time, NOR the place. Sorry, Mr. Bull.
3. Dress to Impress
Always fierce, always winning spring fling queen
One of the terms used most frequently to find my blog is “What to wear to pure barre” which all stems from my Pure Barre Breakdown post Here’s my advice: wear something cute, but make sure it’s comfortable! At the studio I go to (occasionally, not regularly, as I’m not loaded enough to afford the classes in addition to my gym membership), there are mirrors all over. So I definitely do my best to try and look put together. In my opinion, when you look good, you feel good, or at least you don’t think about it. I was rocking my new Lululemon shirt (which I got on sale when I picked up my FAVORITE LEGGINGS EVER that actually gave me the courage to post my first tummy picture on the blog) and one of my favorite pairs of leggings from Nike. I hate to say that clothes make the (wo)man, but it was definitely my favorite Pure Barre class ever. I’m not saying it was JUST because of the outfit… but it didn’t hurt.
4. Heavy Dooty
Maybe I’m watching too much TV lately, or maybe just too many kids’ channels (I love cartoons), but I’ve been seeing THIS commercial on a lot, lately.
At first I didn’t pay any attention to this commercial, but then I paid some. And I was like “Wait. WHAT?”
Are these kids pooping in their diapers, and then being judged on it?
What?
Poop, there it is, indeed.
5. Meat Free Meal at The Pit
The one bummer of the weekend was a trip to The (legendary) Pit in Raleigh…. Not because it wasn’t tasty (it was TOO TASTY) but because, as per my Lenten sacrifice, I’m not eating any of their specialties right now. No NC BBQ, no pulled pork, no beef brisket, no pimento BLTs… But I made it work.
This appetizer could be breakfast, dessert, and dinner for the rest of my life.
Up first? Pumpkin skillet cornbread served with maple butter. I split this with my dad and sister, but could’ve easily devoured the entire skillet (even if the skillet was full sized). Warm and crumbly, every bite was balanced with the right amount of spice and savory cornbread flavor. The maple butter was (literally) the icing on the cake. Divine.
Fried EVERYTHING!
Since I wasn’t eating meat, as I enviously eyed my sister’s pulled pork, I ordered myself a fried catfish platter. Healthy? No. Delicious: A-YUP!
Fried catfish with remoulade sauce (which was described as spicy, but wasn’t actually very spicy at all) and sides of hush puppies, a biscuit, sweet potato fries, AND fried okra.
Fried food OVERLOAD! I saved half of the catfish and the biscuit for later, but pretty much demolished the rest of the plate. The sweet potato fries were crispy and even better dipped in some ketchup and/or remoulade. The fried okra, a rare indulgence, wasn’t slimy at all, and the seasoning was light but still salty and savory. I didn’t even need dinner that night (except for the blondies).
6. Cocoa Mole: The Horchata of Beer
Worst beer shot ever? Sorry. Focusing on the drinking.
I had the pleasure… Nay, the JOY of trying New Belgium’s Cocoa Mole spiced ale on Thursday. My Untappd description? “Amazing. This is so delicious I don’t know how to deal with life.”
This beer was spiced, it was rich, and it was delicious. Described by the brewery:
Say Hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor to our Cocoa Molé. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have you saying, “¡Olé for molé!”
I felt like if Horchata (cinnamon rice milk) had a beer cousin, Cocoa Mole would be him. I want to bathe in this beer (or maybe just keep drinking it. Bathing in it could get gross, fast.) Cinnamon, chiles, good carbonation, and not so heavy that you felt like you could chew it, this is the kind of dark, complex beer that I love to find. It had that mouthfeel that made you want to keep drinking it, and I couldn’t stop smelling my glass. Served at Rockfish out of a gorgeous New Belgium goblet, I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable Thursday night beer choice as we planned our St. Patrick’s Day agenda.
The past week was fantastic, and the upcoming one is going to be incredibly busy, exciting, and intense. Mid-week trip back to PHL, St. Patrick’s day on Saturday (YES! WEEKEND GROWNUP HOLIDAY!) I’m tired just thinking about it… But I’m definitely NOT complaining.
Anything exciting for your upcoming week?
What’s the craziest fried food you’ve ever had? Or at least the tastiest?
We’re all lucky that my keyboard allows my wrists to rest on it because, after today’s workout, my arms weren’t feeling up to much action. In fact, I think my brain was also a little wonky post-workout… Hence my ridiculous tweet upon my return to the house.
I promise, that made sense in my head. Translation: Sore arms are about to become jelly. Then, I’ll just have to be a jellyfish.
Right?
I don’t know.
The point is, it was a SOLID day at the gym! I was having major workout ADD, and couldn’t decide what I wanted to do. Solution? DO IT ALL!
A Hodge Podge of working it!
I hit up the group fitness room at the gym for a 5pm CX Worx class. CX Worx is a “revolutionary core workout” by Les Mills that is choreographed to some cool jams and lasts about 25-30 minutes. I’ll do a more serious post about this one day, but, to sum it up, it tears your core a new one.
At 5:30, the always-crowded Body Combat class was scheduled. I fended off the dozens of newcomers in the room to secure myself a spot and, as always, after only a few minutes, I was drenched in sweat. It’s such a killer cardio workout but, I’ll be honest, sometimes I get a little bored just punching and kicking for a full hour. Time to switch it up!
CIRCUIT TRAINING! The last 30 minutes of my 1.5 hour workout were spent with a new trainer, Jessica, doing circuit training with medicine balls, steps, mats, and ViPR tubes!
ViPR Tubes, racks on racks! (click image for source)
These hollow tubes of various weights and sizes do some SERIOUS damages on your shoulders as you’re flinging them around, lifting them, throwing them, rolling them, or jumping around them. Though I’ve only just tried ViPR training for the first time, I know that this is definitely a hardcore workout and, if there are any other free classes offering them (they’re normally $15 a session), I’ll definitely sign up.
With all the punching, planking, ViPR-ing, and pushups, my body was furious with me. I decided to suck up to it with a special meatless treat.
Taco Pizza with Soy Chorizo!
(Hilarious bonus: Russ realized that the name of the product, Soy Chorizo, translates to “I am sausage.” His response?
No, you’re beans, not delectably ground up little piggies.
Bahaha.)
All the good stuff
With a base of (what else?) Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza crust, I layered on lots of salsa as the “sauce” and decided it was time to try this Soy-rizo out. After reading the directions (which explicitly state to REMOVE the casing before cooking it) I removed the heck out of that casing. The faux-meat bits crumbled out of the plastic(?) casing and into my frying pan. It smelled so good as it was cooking and I knew I was in for a treat (despite my initial fears that soy-whatever would be lame and nasty).
I also fried up some red onion, sauteed some spinach, and added some avocado bits (which should be a topping on anything/everything) and a lowfat mexican cheese blend. Pre-heated?
Don't worry cheese, I'll melt you soon.
And then, about 14-18 minutes later (I just kept checking for a golden, crisp crust), I pulled out a molten pie of cheese and fake meat.
You're so money, and you don't even know it.
This “meat” MADE the pizza! It had a great amount of spice, the texture wasn’t off-putting at all, and while I didn’t bite into it and think MEAT I did bite into it and think “Man, I wanna take another bite.”
Soy chorizo, I wanna put you inside of all my dishes. Salad, maybe an omelet, enchiladas? Why not? And, for $1.99 a tube, that’s a bargain if I’ve ever seen one (and I have. They’re all I seek out.)
Have you ever tried a vegetarian/vegan replacement for something and found yourself pleasantly surprised?
I love this and I’m a huge fan of the Morningstar Hot & Spicy breakfast “sausage”. Mmm.
Sundays always taste much better after order has been restored. I’m speaking, of course, about the infamous UNC-Duke rivalry and the amazing game I was lucky enough to watch last night. Order in my apartment… still working on that (it doesn’t NOT look like a clothing explosion in my living room). Whatever, I’ve got more important things to focus on. Namely: Six Pack Sunday!
1. Shameless Around Freebies
On Saturday, thanks to the reminder from Goob over at Hey It’s Free (my go-to source for freebies in the world), I strolled over to Auntie Anne’s to join about 35 of my closest friends total strangers in a line for a free Auntie Anne’s pretzel. I have ZERO problems waiting in lines for things like this… Sure, they’re normally less than $3 and definitely something I’d buy for myself if I wanted. But you know what tastes better than a $3 pretzel?
I agree with this wrapping.
A $0 pretzel. I simultaneously wish that free pretzel day was every day, and thank my lucky stars that it is but once a year (I think.)
You better believe a delicious, warm cinnamon pretzel was my carbtastic lunch. Mmmm hm.
2. Seafood Risotto Should NOT Be Cooked in a Bag
You gave it the ol' college try...
While I was at Whole Foods last week, I picked up a package of Seafood Risotto with BARRAMUNDI (the sustainable seabass). From the folks at Australis: The Better Fish, it was a classic case of desperation for a tasty, simple meal I could whip up at home in no time.
It was…. disappointing. The smell as it was cooking was pretty solid, but the texture was mushy and lumpy, and this whole pack was a little low on actual seafood inside of it. Thumbs down from Jojo, won’t make that mistake again.
Anyone wanna make some risotto with me?
3. Fan Fashion!
You know what’s great about dressing up for watching a sporting event?
This photo won me a covershoot for Italian Vogue and an exclusive contract with ING Modeling
When you’re a lady, all this really translates to is “Don oversized jersey. Yank up leggings. WORK IT!”
I was obviously channeling #35 Reggie Bullock whilst cheering my face off at the game. I think it was important, and I hope he felt my dominating presence in Durham all the way from Carrboro.
4. Splenda =/= Sugar
Post-win, I avoided the standard “Rush Franklin Street” that I normally enjoy in order to end the night sober and un-singed (UNC fans are fond of the traditional “leaping over bonfires” after a big win. It can get dangerous). I headed over to Melissa’s house as it was early, still, and figured I’d help her whip up some chocolate meringue cookies she learned about in Runner’s World. Only I’m pretty sure replacing the sugar with Splenda was a bad decision, because these don’t look like ANY meringue cookies I’ve ever seen…
Rats.
Not sure how thick those are? Here’s a better shot.
Oops
Yeah. Paper thin, brown disks doth not a cookie make. Back to the drawing board…
5. When I say Tar, you say HEELS!
Killer Crowd!
I’d love to say that I met up with a bunch of buddies to watch the game but, honestly, I just showed up at a bar and knew that I’d meet a zillion UNC fans, and it’d be a guaranteed blast, no matter what. I was right.
I hit up The Station, a hipster haunt in Carrboro that I spent my undergraduate career avoiding in favor of dancing to 90s music. But, on gameday, with a giant projector and men rocking Luchadora masks and jumping on tables to shout cheers, I couldn’t have chosen a better location. And even though I only knew one of the zillions that made up the crowd, by the end, I felt like everyone was bonded together by our uniform of Carolina Blue and our love of those Tar Heel boys. It was magical. Made even more magical by halftime gummy bears…
Gummy Fuel!
Oh, you don’t know about gummy bear halftime? It’s only the most magical of all edible halftime shows.
6. Swimmer’s Eyebrow
Today, after a little over a mile run(!!) I knew I had to get in the pool for a little while to ease those aching bones. Though my years of swimming as a youth taught me a LOT about swimmer’s ear (one of the WORST infections to plague any swimmers… if you’ve experienced it, you know it’s hell), I experienced something today that I don’t think I ever realized also plagued swimmers.
TRAPPED!
Yes, swimmer’s eyebrow. It happens when one or both of your eyebrows becomes trapped in your swim cap, despite having donned it countless times before…. I eventually managed to release the brows from their pink prison, but I know they’ll never fully recover.
February 29th, to me, doesn’t really seem all that exciting. Yes, it’s an “extra” day, but I don’t get off work. There were a few sales but, realistically, there wasn’t too much going on in the world outside of the usual. So I decided to make it a special one.
I did something I’ve never done before (well, maybe never. I think once I tried in high school, but it wasn’t for me.)
Whoah, get your mind out of the gutter, I’m talking about a treadmill run!
My new frenemy?
My silly towel is blocking out the one most crucial number on this treadmill: I ran that mile (just barely) under 10 minutes! I think the last time I ran a mile was sometime in 2005 (MAYBE 2006, but even that could be a stretch.) I was out of practice, I wasn’t sure what to do with my arms, and I made sure that I didn’t stop the whole time!
You can see in my GarminConnect summary that my HR peaked during my run (the first 10 minutes of my workout):
Yeah, buddy!
The rest of the workout was a smattering of cardio, exercises featuring use of my body weight (lunges, jump squats, jackknife situps, etc), and a final bout on the treadmill (just to try out the other machine) followed by the last 5 minutes on the stairmaster! It was kind of nice to mix up the workout, the BodyPump class just looked too packed to deal with and, honestly, after that venture on the treadmill, I just wanted to keep moving, not lifting.
HUGE thanks to my running cheerleader, Sierra, who may have run to NC from South Africa… Either way, she ran into the gym to cheer me on JUST when I was hitting a little wall around 7 minutes. As I gestured shooting myself in the head when she walked in, she grinned her happy lunchbox grin and I refused to stop, knowing I had a bit of an audience (albeit an audience of one).
Though we normally live across the globe from each other, Sierra’s actually one of my oldest friends from UNC, and my new running guru (one of a few who’s offered to guide me in ‘the ways of the runners’) as she has already steered me in the right direction of the “good treadmill” at the gym.
My first year at UNC was obvious the classiest of all.
I still have a few questions for all you runners out there…
What kind of bottoms do you wear? I think that shorts were not the wisest idea…
What do you do with your arms?
I considered this pose:
MK is NOT my fitspiration! (click if you think mocking Mary Kate Olsen is quality online humor)
But my elbows got too sweaty.
My last question:
HOW do you folks do this every day?!
I’m tempted to take an ice bath…. Luckily, I never turn the heat on in my apartment, so…. problem solved.
I’ve been feeling like a queen, lately. It could be the amount of time that I spend in a robe bathrobe or the fact that I set up all my ugly dolls in a row to watch me as I prance about in one of my four tiaras, but it’s probably the delicious foods that I’ve been preparing and then gobbling up in a very un-royal fashion. For lunch today, I enjoyed the finest Indian food that Trader Joe’s had to offer.
My fancy office plate really ties the meal together
Channa Masala and Biryani Curried Rice from Trader Joe’s, random leftover piece of flatbread fromm Target, and a bed of baby spinach. Tonight, I recreated a smaller version of the Baked Coconut Shrimp that I mentioned in last week’s Six Pack Sunday and a side of roasted peppers and asparagus.
I already fear peeing later.
Another thing making me feel like royalty? Well, they’re no glass slippers but…
Zig tech, baby!
My new kicks came in the mail! I actually currently rock another pair of Zigs that Ryan gave me last year for Christmas, and love them. When I saw them on RueLaLa on sale, I couldn’t resist. I haven’t decided to start using them regularly yet, but I’m just excited to prance about in them. They feel a little heavier than my current sneakers, but also more secure, so it seems like the shoe fits!
Also in the mail? My Lollihop box! Lollihop is was a monthly box you pay a nominal fee for and, like a Birchbox you can eat, it’s filled with deluxe samples of healthy snacks! Apparently this month was the last one that they’re going to send out, so you can’t get in on this action… but I figured I’d share my snack haul (none of which I’ve actually tried yet, so I can’t give any deets).
Boxed and ready for consumption.
This adorable box packed with snacks included the following:
While I may not have wanted to buy full sizes of all these products, I can’t wait to make my way (my edible way) through the products I get to try! I’ll share any of the hits/misses.
What’s a product that you’d love to try, but you’re nervous to spend money on a full-sized package?
I was actually hesitant to try goat cheese and it wasn’t until I got a coupon for a free sample that I realized how tasty it was. Now I actually spend my money on it!
Have you ever tried a savory nutrition bar like the Journey Pizza Marinara bars?
Food, Sweat, and Beers 