Archive for January 31, 2014

5 February Goals

It’s been a crazy week! (Don’t I say that every week?) It’s been a good, productive week, but I’m tired! Going to be nice to hopefully relax a bit this weekend. This week was full of all kinds of exercise: full body metabolic workouts, heavy lifting, bouldering, and a spontaneous Pound class! I’m super sore and excited to close out the week with a little bouldering tonight. I even have battle wounds from punching a rock this week….oops….

Battle Wounds

Battle Wounds

 

As we close out January, it’s time to start figuring out goals for February. It’s a really easy time for people to fall off the wagon as the excitement of the new year subsides, so it’s important to keep on truckin’ along!

 

My 5 Goals for February:

1. Drink more water! Somewhere along the way, I’ve been drinking less water than normal. I’m still drinking enough, but should definitely be drinking more. That is definitely my number one goal!

2. More whole meals. I’ve found myself running out of the house in the morning and grabbing a protein bar and coffee to start my day. I know I could be doing better by giving myself an extra 15 minutes to throw together a wholesome breakfast.

3. Try something new. While I definitely spread myself out with activities (crossfit, bouldering, gym, outdoor activities, etc.) it’s never too late to try something new (or even something old that you haven’t done in a while)! I’m thinking that getting back into boxing or the occasional hip hop dance class will be in my near future.

4. Be more present. (And read a book!) We are all trying to do this more. Technology has really messed us up in this way, and staying off of my phone sometimes would be healthy. While it’s tough because of the nature of my job, I am going to try to at least take one evening a night where the computer and cell phone are nowhere in sight until the next morning. {anxiety ensues…}

5. Take a trip. While I have some small trips planned to take care of some things, I want to plan at least one little weekend getaway with the boyfriend so that we can spend some good quality time together away from our normal, daily lives. I truly believe in doing this every month or other month to keep my mind clear and fresh!

 

So what are your goals for February?

They can be fitness/health related, or not at all! They’re YOUR goals, so make them something that YOU want to achieve.

HAPPY FEBRUARY!

HAPPY FEBRUARY!

5 Tips To Get Yourself To The Gym

It’s almost Friday!!! Weeeee. I’m excited because this is the first weekend in a while that won’t be TOO crazy. I have a friends birthday to attend (we’re going paddle boarding and doing yoga!) and I’m filming a short workout with the WBBC crew on Saturday afternoon. Sunday will be spent lazing around and of course, watching the SuperBowl. Is it bad that I’m hoping for an epic storm so that the game is even more intense? {evil grin}

I get asked ALL the time from friends, co-workers, members of the gym, etc. how I stay motivated to work out as much as I do. The truth is, there are PLENTY of times when I want to do nothing more than sit on the couch and be lazy. If I did that every time I felt like that, I’d probably work out 1-2 days per week. Once I get going, I’m all about it, but getting there can be tough. Ya feel me?!

5 Tips To Get Yourself To The Gym

  1. Get dressed. Plain and simple. It sounds weird and stupid, but once you have your workout clothes and shoes on, sometimes it feels just a bit easier to get in the car….which brings me to my next tip…
  2. Get in the car and GO. I don’t care if you have it in your head that you are going to drive there, walk in, and walk right out. At least give yourself the chance to stay. I truly feel that 95% of the battle is showing up. I think that is just in general life too. 🙂
  3. Do something you enjoy. If I had to take yoga every day, chances are I’d just be lazy and never go. Why? Because I don’t like yoga. Sure, it’s good for me, but I don’t like it. There are plenty of things that I do like that others don’t like. The secret? Find something you DO like. There is something for everyone and I truly believe that. If you haven’t found it yet, don’t give up. Keep trying new classes, new workout styles, etc. I guarantee you will find something you enjoy!
  4. Don’t feel pressured. It’s not all or nothing. Something is better than nothing. If you get to the gym and only do half of your workout, then you did half more than you would have done originally. Now, I’m not saying that you get to use that pass EVERY time, but it’s okay to not finish sometimes. Some days, your body just doesn’t want to work, and that’s okay. Do what you can for that day, and do it to your best ability. There will be plenty of days where you’re feelin’ the fire and will just knock your workout out of the park!
  5. Make a date. Sometimes, you just know you’re not going to do it on your own. If you make a date with a friend to do it, the odds of you showing up are much, much better. I can tell you from personal experience that there have been many times that I’ve wanted to skip a workout or bouldering session, but I knew someone would be disappointed if I bailed on them so I went anyways. The result most of the time? I have a blast, get to hang with my friends, and get a good workout in to boot.

BONUS TIP: Writing your workout down on paper, in your calendar, on your Facebook page, on your forehead, etc. can make you feel more accountable to do your workout. Try it for a week and see if your success rate is better. 🙂

So there you have it. We all have good days and bad days, but if you stick to your guns and only rest when it’s *truly* needed, I can guarantee you will start showing up to more of your workouts.

I hope this was helpful! I would love to hear your additional suggestions in the comments! Let’s get a good discussion going!

NAMM 2014 + Fitness Plan for Week of 1/27

Hey guys! I’m back!! I took a brief break the last few days, as I was attending the NAMM show in Anaheim. If you’re not familiar, it’s basically a ginormous convention filled with all the instruments and gear you could imagine and then even more that you can’t imagine. It’s always a fun time, but it is exhausting!! My favorite thing this year was definitely this CrushDrums setup with the hardware designed by SawBladeHead Designs

Somehow, Charlie and I didn’t take any pictures together all weekend. Oops. We got home Saturday night and basically made dinner and crashed. Being on your feet for 2.5 days STRAIGHT is really tiring. 

Sunday morning I had a recording session with the Music Immersive. It is actually a really cool program. We had 11 people recording the music they had written that week with several top writers, and the talent always amazes me. We ended up working for 16.5 hours straight and I didn’t get home until 2:30am. My alarm Monday morning at 7am was not welcomed. Not one bit. Here’s a little clip of the studio and the band jamming. A long, but fun day for sure! (Sorry for the crappy vidoegraphy skills :-))

On to Fitness…

This past weekend while at NAMM, while I did walk for 2.5 days all day long (not included the mile each way to and from the hotel), I also managed to get this workout in on Saturday morning:

Tabata Fun!

Tabata Fun!

Quick, but good! This week, I plan on doing my usual thang. 

Monday: Heavy Lift + 20 HIIT

Tuesday: 30 minute run + Bouldering

Wednesday: Crossfit or metabolic conditioning

Thursday: 30 minute run + Heavy Lift

Friday: Full Body Workout + Bouldering

Saturday: Paddleboarding + Yoga (my friend’s birthday party….she is too cool!!!)

Sunday: REST + Superbowl!

I hope everyone is gearing up for a great end to January! (How the HECK did that even happen, by the way?)

What are you looking forward to most this year?

Any fun trips or events planned?

I get to see my little brother for the first time in almost 3 years next month. It is pretty much the highlight of my life right now. Can’t. Freaking. Wait. 

Running Hurts and I Hate Yoga

It is a BEAUTIFUL Wednesday here in L.A. It’s definitely really strange that we’re having temperatures in the 80’s when the rest of the country is freezing their asses off, but this warm-weather girl is NOT complaining one bit!

Fitness

Yesterday I was exhausted ALL day. I just couldn’t really wake up. I had a run and bouldering planned and while I wanted nothing more than to just go home and relax, I knew that a run would wake me right up!

Pretending to be excited for my run....

Pretending to be excited for my run….

I ran for 30 minutes at a very easy pace (about 9:20). I’ve been easing back into running and not really trying to push myself. I know that sounds strange since I’m usually a balls-to-the-wall kind of person, but my body really doesn’t like running. I am considering going to a running coach, because running is painful for me now. It never used to be until about a year ago. My hips get jacked up, and along with my traps being super tight after a run, my right side just seems to crumble whenever I run. I know there must be something mechanical that I am doing very wrong, but I do enjoy running, so I think I need to bite the bullet and get it figured out.

Underhang Hell

Underhang Hell

After my run, I headed into Rockreation for some bouldering action. My friend met me there and I finally accomplished a route I had been working on for a while. It’s such a great feeling to do that! I love what climbing has done for me in so many ways.

-I love the problem-solving aspect. Literally a puzzle on a wall.

-The strength I’ve gained in my core and upper body is amazing

-I love the zen of climbing.

 

Why I Hate Yoga

For years, people have told me that “if I just found the right teacher and class…” I would love yoga. I’ve tried people. I’VE TRIEDDDDDD!!! I have gone to all different TYPES of yoga, with different teachers. It just isn’t my thing. I actually hate it. I want nothing more than for the class to end while I’m doing it. Do I feel good afterwards? Yes, physically I do. But mentally, I feel annoyed and relieved. Annoyed that it took so long, relieved that it’s over. The thing is, I have always wished I could have the mental benefits that so many get from yoga. Their mind calms, they feel happier, etc. I’ve always wanted to feel that from yoga too!! But I just don’t. I’m sure there are many people that feel the same way about weight lifting and plyometrics (which I happen to loooveeeee), so don’t hate me for it! With that said, climbing has sort of become my yoga. I think because I’m so focused on solving the problem on the wall, I let go of the stress of life (work especially). Working through the moves and finding the right technique to get through the route is a very calming feeling for me. I always feel so relaxed and happy when I’m climbing and I leave feeling refreshed and….zen. Between all of the benefits I’ve gotten from climbing, it has quickly become one of my favorite things to do, both physically and mentally.

This evening I’m going back to Rockreation for some more bouldering. Since they will be doing  a bit of construction to improve the bouldering area in February, I’m soaking up as much as I can before I have resort to top-roping. Womp Womp. (Top-roping is still fun, but it’s nothing like bouldering!).

 

1. Do you like yoga?

2. Are there any fitness trends/classes that others seem to love and you just can’t get on board with?

3. Most importantly, do you all hate me now because I don’t like yoga?! 😉

 

Week of January 20th: Fitness Plan and a Workout!

Hey friends! Hope your weekend was relaxing and fun! Mine was busy (had to work for 12 hours Saturday), but still a good time!

Fitness

My plan for the week is to squeeze in my exercise Monday-Wednesday, because Thursday-Saturday I will be out of town at The Namm Show. (It’s a music business convention basically). There will be tons of walking. I always want to take a pedometer with me when I go because I swear, we end up walking at least 5 miles a day. It’s craziness, but such a fun time. This will be my 4th year going. I’m stoked! Sunday I have an all day recording session, so that will be out for exercise as well. I may try to grab a run or a gym session at our hotel sometime Friday or Saturday morning, but we’ll see. I may just leave the walkathon as my exercise and come back with a fresh body next Monday. 🙂

Monday: Heavy Lift + Bouldering

Tuesday: 30 minute run

Wednesday: Crossfit + Bouldering

Thursday: Walk-a-thon at NAMM

Friday: Possible gym sesh + Walk 809238432 miles at NAMM

Saturday: Walk even more

Sunday: Sit in a chair all day recording musicians

This week is going to be nuts, but I’m ready!!

Workout

Last night, I went to the gym just as it was closing (perks of working for a gym…after hour training sesh’s!). I made up a quick little workout and it kind of kicked my butt. Since nobody was around, I got all vain and took some video of it, so I’ll post that in a few days too.

 

 

Tag me if you try it! ;-)

Tag me if you try it! 😉

Weekend Things

We made it people. It’s Friday, and the weekend starts….NOW. Well, not really for me. I have to work a bit this weekend, but I like what I do, so it’s not all that bad. I started my day with this new-to-me flavor of Fage. I’m a fan!!

fage

Workout

Yesterday’s workout was a heavy lift with some plyometrics sprinkled in. The plyometrics were an after-thought, but I’m glad I did them. The workout ended up being pretty tough, but fun.

Superset #1 – 4 Sets

Barbell Squats: 75 x 15, 95 x 10, 105 x 8, 115 x 6

Squat Jumps: bw x 10, bw x 10, bw x 10, bw x 10 

Superset #2 – 3 Sets

T-Bar Row: 35 x 12, 35 x 12, 45 x 8

Chin Ups: bw x 2, bw x 2, bw x 2

Then: (done separately)

Dumbbell Reverse Lunges: 15 x 15, 20 x 10, 25 x 8, 30 x 6

Barbell Bench Press: 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12

It was a great workout and I’m definitely sore today! It feels good. I’m working on squatting heavier. Squats are my weakest leg lift. My guru and very first personal trainer, Bret Contreras, told me that since I have long femurs, it’s very common to be able to do heavy deadlifts and hip thrusts but be weaker on squats. Just have to keep working at it!

Last night I made my favorite Chicken dish. I finally took some photos of the process too! Sorry for the crappy iPhone photos. Someday I’ll use the real big-boy camera and take some better ones.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with how I combat boredom at the airport…..:-D

Practicing Yoga...err something..

Practicing Yoga…err something..

In case you were wondering...

In case you were wondering…

I’m a child.

1. What is your favorite exercise?

2. Where is your favorite place to travel?

Recipe + BoulderCrossfitRun

Good morning friends! It’s actually more like mid-afternoon, but it feels like morning to me, so I’m going with it!

Yesterday was a really good day! I was extremely productive (even dyed my hair, woot woot!) and got in a LOT of fitness. I actually didn’t feel like I was overdoing it at all either, which was nice!

Workout

To start my workout, I did a little over 3 miles running around the Crossfit gym. I got there about 40 minutes earlier and figured I should use my time wisely! I took it nice and easy and ran about a 9:30 pace as sort of a warm-up for the Crossfit workout.

Sweaty Lizzio

Sweaty Lizzio

(Side note: These bluetooth wireless headphones my lovely boyfriend got me for Christmas are AWESOME!!! They don’t move AT ALL. I’ve run in them, done plyometrics (including burpees), weightlifted, etc. and they don’t move! They are wonderful!)

Afterwards, I headed into the gym for the WOD. We actually warmed up with a version of tag that was KILLER on the legs. You see, it was your typical game of tag, except you were in a squat position the ENTIRE time and holding a medicine ball over your head. My legs were burning so much! We then did a 1,000 kilometer row for time and then went into the WOD. Good little cardio bursts to start the workout!

Full Tabata – Lowest Score

(this means that whatever the lowest amount of reps you get in any given round is your score)

(20 seconds on, 10 seconds off x 8 for each exercise)

-Pull-Ups

-Hand Release Push Ups

-Sit Ups

-Squats

The workout was tough (especially the pull-ups and HR Push ups). I ended up with 2/2/8/12 for my score. Definitely want to work on this one and get better at it!

As if I hadn’t done enough exercise, I then headed to the rock climbing gym for some bouldering. I had some fruit and a Think Thin bar on the way for some needed fuel. I just LOVE bouldering so much and I needed it in my life last night. It didn’t disappoint whatsoever. I got stuck on a move on a V2 route that I just couldn’t seem to get through. I think it took me about 15 tries to get. I swore I wasn’t going to leave until I got it. Finally….I GOT IT!! It felt really great. I left right after that. It had been a good 1.5 hours at the gym and I just wanted to end on a good note!

Needless to say, I was dead by the end of that. It was late too, so I didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I whipped up a quick, delicious, and healthy pasta with meat sauce. You’ll love the nutritional facts and it is a LOT of food!!!

Food

Low Carb Pasta w/ Meat Sauce

Serves 4 -5

gfpasta copy

Ingredients: 
-16 oz. extra lean (or lean) ground turkey

-2 cups Mezetta Napa Valley Tomato Basil Sauce

-4 packages Shirataki Noodles (fettucine or spaghetti kind, whatever you prefer)

-4 wedge Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese

-Fresh Parmesan Cheese (to taste)

-Spices: Oregano, Sea Salt (or Garlic Salt), Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Directions: 

1. Cook ground turkey in a frying pan until browned.

2. Meanwhile, let the sauce simmer in a pan (or if you’re lazy, heat it up in the microwave).

3. When the meat is cooked and the sauce is simmering, add meat to sauce for about 1 minute while stirring.

Noodles: 

1. Pour packages of noodles in a strainer and rinse well with water.

2. Dry off with a paper towel and then microwave for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add spices, and laughing cow cheese and heat for another 1-2 minutes.

4. Mix thoroughly and add sauce and meat.

Here is a horrible, disgusting photo of what you will get, but I PROMISE it is tasty!!!

pasta

Dinner is served!! Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top if you’d like!! This recipe is SUPER simple and I’m not even kidding, you will not know the difference between the shirataki noodles and the real thing once it’s all cooked and mixed together. This is also a LOT of food for this serving size. I’m always completely stuffed afterwards as if I’d eaten a 1,000 calorie pasta dinner! This is easily one of my favorite dishes.

1. What is your favorite quick recipe?

2. If you could pick any food to become ZERO calories, what would you choose? Probably cookies or cheesecake for me! 🙂 

Weekly Fitness Plan + Whirlwind Weekend

Whew! I apologize for not posting the last two days, but I had a crazy little weekend followed by a crazy start to my work-week! I’m short on sleep, but hoping to make up for that at least sometime this coming weekend!

This past weekend was my Grandpa’s Memorial. It was a really beautiful celebration of his life. Instead of being a sad, mournful occasion (I mean, of course we were all sad he wasn’t there to celebrate with us!),  the service was filled with highlights of all of his many talents and accomplishments through his 92 years of life. Can you believe that at the age of 91 when his health started to deteriorate, instead of just stopping his daily routine, he cut down his gym time from 5 days a week to 3 days a week?! At 91 freakin’ years old he still didn’t give up!!! I’m sorry, I just can’t get over how awesome he was. 😀

What 6:30am looks like from the sky

What 6:30am looks like from the sky

After 3 hours of sleep, we were up at 4am on Monday morning to catch a flight back to LA. Monday then turned into an 11 hour work day for me and I somehow managed to also fit in a heavy lifting session, 20 minutes of cardio, and a bouldering session. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a good idea considering how exhausted I was, but somehow I pulled off a REALLY great lifting session. I PR’d on hip thrusts with 211lbs x 6 reps too. Woohoo for strength! I love lifting heavy!!

Getting ready to thrust away!

Getting ready to thrust away!

 

Weekly Fitness Plan

Although work has been crazy and I ended up taking Tuesday off from exercise, here is what my week tentatively looks like. I am hoping to get back to doing 3 bouldering sessions per week. It’s just so much fun and so great for an overall body workout.

Monday: Heavy Lift + 20 minutes Incline Walking + Bouldering

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: 30 minute run + Crossfit + Bouldering

Thursday: Heavy Lift

Friday: 30 minute run + Bouldering

Saturday: Full Body Conditioning

Sunday: Hike?

A lot of this will all depend on how my body feels. If I’m super sore from Crossfit, my heavy lift will likely get moved to Friday and I’ll do something a little lighter on the body Thursday. Just have to see how things go!

Ab Progress: They’re coming…slowly but surely they’re coming….

Ab Progress January 14, 2014

Ab Progress January 14, 2014

I leave you with a picture of the cutest freaking boy in the world. I love my nephew, Matthew, so much!!

My heart.

My heart.

Crossfit + Bouldering = Blister City

Hey guys! Hope you’re getting a good start to your weekend! I’m finishing up some work and then I have a quick little weekend trip for my Grandpa’s Memorial.

Tonight, my boyfriend is playing a gig at local bar, so we’re heading to that and somehow going to get up in the morning to make a 9am flight. Did I mention I haven’t packed yet? Oops.

Workout

Last night’s bouldering sesh was fuuuuunnnn! My girl Ally and I always have a blast when we climb together. We are both total goofballs and at the same time want to be the baddest climbers in the world, so we make a good motivating team.

Look Ma, no hands!

Look Ma, no hands!

photo 1Since I took a little break over the holidays from climbing, my hands are still getting used to it. My hand/grip strength has stayed pretty well, but my callouses are much weaker! By about an hour into the session, it starts to feel like the wall is covered in razor blades. Fun fun.

Moving on to today. I had to take my boss’s car into the shop, which just so happened to by right near the Crossfit gym I go to in Burbank. I somehow tricked my boyfriend into picking me up and taking the 12:30pm class with me. I made the mistake of looking at the WOD before class the other day and may have chickened out, so I made sure not to make that mistake again today. I’m glad I didn’t because I probably would have chickened out again!

We did a pretty good long warm-up and then went onto the workout:

WOD

7 minute AMRAP

Reps: 3,6,9,12…….

Barbell Thrusters (I used 53 lbs)

Pull-Ups

For pull-ups, i can do some one my own, but I haven’t mastered the whole “kipping pull-up” thing yet. This means I do them strict, so I can usually only get about 2-3 in a row. I used a purple resistance band to help me for the reps I couldn’t do on my own. I ended up with 9+21 reps for the workout. It was tough! I think the hardest part was actually the fact that my hands were KILLING ME. More razor blades. Hopefully in another week or so, my callouses will have become strong enough that I don’t run into this as much.

Note to self: Bouldering the night before crossfit MIGHT not be the most genius idea I’ve ever had.

I’m very new to crossfit, but I do enjoy it a lot! I’ve done a lot of crossfit-style workouts, but as for doing them in an actual box with a group, this is only my 3rd class. I’m very competitive and athletic, so this sport is right up my alley.

Do i think it is for everybody? No. Some people do not like this style of working out. And that is TOTALLY okay. You should do something you LOVE so that you will actually do it and enjoy it!

Do I think beginners should jump into it without proper mastering of technique? No. Form is everything. If you don’t know how to use your body properly, the margin for error and injury becomes huge.

Do I think it’s worth a shot for anyone? Absolutely! I think if you’re new to working out and are interested, you should take a few beginner classes so that you can become familiar with the moves. Many people who think they wouldn’t enjoy crossfit, end up as die hards.

So what about you? Have you tried cross fit? Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me your thoughts!!!

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