Wow, just like that, the holidays are over! I’m a mixture of both happy and sad. It was nice to take a little break, but at the same time, it’s good to be back in my routine!
Anyone else take a little break from healthy habits during the break? Haha, please tell me it wasn’t just me! I kept up with workouts, but definitely indulged a bit on the food front! I don’t regret it at all and it was fun, but I’m ready to be back to my regularly scheduled eating!
5 Things I’m Doing Today to be Better
1. Keeping up with my workouts. While this wasn’t something that went by the wayside during the break, I am definitely planning on stepping it up a bit this week!
2. Eating well. I ate way too much candy and processed foods over the break. It was delicious, but I much prefer my usual fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats! Back on the healthy train this week!
3. Sleeping. I know I do much better when I’ve had adequate rest. I’m going to do my best to get at least 8 hours every night this week.
4. Keep my stress levels down. I am the queen of getting stressed out easily. It’s a really bad habit that needs to be broken. This week I’m going to really focus on what gets me stressed out and work on getting rid of it before it consumes me. It’s not going to be easy, but being aware of it will help immensely.
5. Do something new. I noticed last year that I would talk about a lot of things I wanted to do, but never seemed to find the time to do them. I want to try to do something new every week. I live in LA and there’s a lot to do here. I want to start soaking up all it has to offer.
Question of the Day
What are you doing this week to help you get back on the healthy train?
It’s been a solid week since I last blogged. I have been out of town and took a much-needed break from everything!
It’s been a great trip here in Kansas, and we’ll be heading back to LA in the morning. Although it hasn’t been TOO cold, I’m definitely ready to get back to the Southern California temperatures!
We got into Kansas late at night on the 23rd, and I was quickly hit with a nasty cold. Although I pushed through it, I ended up feeling really crappy on Christmas day.
Oscar helped make me feel better, though.
By Friday, I was definitely feeling better. Not perfect, but well enough to be up and around. We spent the day around the house and visiting with Charlie’s family. The most entertaining part of this week has definitely been the dogs. Oscar got to play with an English Bulldog and a Yorkie all week. They ran around in a pack and played the WHOLE time. Oscar is not going to know what to do with himself when we leave….
While in Kansas, we also hit the yearly Chief’s game! It was the last game of the season and they won, so it was a really good time!
Workouts for the Week
(Since I was sick and on vacation, I didn’t work out as much as usual, but was still able to get in a few good ones.)
Tuesday: Rest (travel day)
Wednesday:Rest (sick)
Thursday:Heavy Lift (thought it might help…it didn’t..but I got a good workout in)
Friday:Rest
Saturday: Full Body Workout + Filmed Exercises for my new eBook! (see below)
Sunday:Rest
Monday: If i can get to the gym, I’ll do a heavy lift, but otherwise, I’ll do a living room workout from my Fit Lizzio’s Fitness To Go eBook!
So, speaking of my new eBook…
I’m releasing a FREE (for a limited time only) eBook called Fit Lizzio Fitness: 10 Day Sexy Slimdown just after the new year.
In this eBook:
-10 Days of Workouts
-10 Day Detailed Fat Loss Meal Plan
-Grocery Shopping List
-Full Explanation of Exercises and Workouts (including photo demonstrations)
-Tips & Tricks for Success
I’ll let you know more details about the release this week! I can’t WAIT to put this out!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, wherever you are. It’s another weird week with New Years, but hopefully we’re all geared up for a great 2015!
Question of the Day
1. Where did you travel for the holidays? If nowhere, what did you do?
Thanks so much for your comments and added tips on my 5 Things I Do Every Day post! I love getting other ideas from people!
On another note, can you believe Christmas is in 6 days?! I STILL haven’t done ANY shopping. Oops.
I think part of the reason that I wait so long is that I have NO idea what to get people. I like to think that I know people really well, but when it comes to gifts, I’m completely lost.
As a certified fitness freak myself, I DO know what other fitness freaks would like. I figured that if nothing else, I can at least help someone out there who’s struggling with gift ideas for their fellow fitness freak.
1. Leggings.You can never have too many leggings. I own about 15 pairs and still keep buying more. It’s a sickness really, but I’m fine with this type of sickness. I know other female fit freaks can agree. BUT, the brand is important too.
If you want to go affordable, yet functional, I recommend Reebok.
If you’re okay with spending a bit more, Lorna Jane & lululemon are a great fit! Here are a few options I like: Reebok
2. Workout Trackers. Fitness freaks love to track their progress. It helps keep us accountable, pushes us to be better than yesterday, and let’s face it, there’s a little geek inside us all, and this helps to feed that inner geek. Here are my recommendations:
4. Gift Cards to Nike, Reebok, lululemon, Lorna Jane, or a general sports store like Sport Chalet or Sports Authority. I know these aren’t the most personalized gifts in the world, but we love them. Period.
5. PT or Class Passes. We likely already have a membership to a gym or a personal trainer, but this stuff is expensive. See if you can buy a gift card towards membership or personal training at their gym. If they’re really into classes like spinning or yoga, call their favorite spot and see if you can purchase some classes for them. They’ll likely be able to look at their history to see what they typically buy and can recommend a good option.
6. Food. I know this might seem weird, but fitness freaks love food. And especially nut butters. And Quest bars. And coconut oil. In fact, we like a LOT of things….and we would be super excited to receive any one of them as gifts. Putting together a gift basket of some of these items would be AMAZING. Here are some of the goodies that will be sure to bring a smile to someone’s face this season:
7. FitMark bag. ($59.99-$99.99) I’ve been called the bag lady at my gym. I walk in with my cooler, my gym bag, my purse, and my laptop bag. Sometimes I even have my dog’s backpack with me too! (Yes, he has his own backpack. I’m a true dog mom.) Do you know how useful a FitMark bag would be for me? (Hint, hint!). There are a lot of options, but these bags are specifically designed for the gym rat. Anyone would be ecstatic to have one! Here’s what a basic bag looks like:
8. Wireless headphones.These are key. The JBL commercial I saw recently says it all:
They’re pretty cheap ($33) on Amazon and work really well. If you want to spend a little bit more money, you could also go Beats by Dre, but plan to spend $150+, especially for the discreet headphones.
9. Running Band for iPhone. Almost all runners have switched from using a watch to track their runs, to using some sort of app instead. If you do this, it means you have to bring your phone with you on your run, and stuffing it in your sports bra isn’t the best idea in the world. Insert the running band! These things are GREAT and make for the perfect stocking stuffer.
Hopefully this helps you find the perfect gift for your fellow fitness freak!
Happy Thursday! Can you believe Christmas is in exactly ONE WEEK?! Crazy, right???
I still haven’t done any shopping. Oops! It kind of crept up on me this year, but I’ll make up for it! 🙂
Guys, I have to show you this hilarious video of my boy, Oscar. We decided to put him on the treadmill the other night to see what he would do….
NOTHING. He did nothing. We were cracking up. I thought for sure that he would be weirded out when the belt started moving, but nope! Just sat there like a turkey on a conveyer belt. That dog!
In other news, my workouts lately have been SO AWESOME. I haven’t updated you guys lately, so here goes!
Back in November when I was home for Thanksgiving, I made a stop by Bret Contreras’s garage/gym. Bret was my very first trainer and still my most trusted! He put me through a workout and followed it up with a plan for me to do out here in sunny CA.
I’ve been doing this program ever since then, which is about 3 weeks. I am doing 3-4 full body workouts each week and varying between heavy weight (1-5 reps), medium weight (8-12 reps), and low weight (20-30 reps) in each workout. I’m doing things like back squats, front squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, chin ups, and bench press. There are also some other exercises that are thrown in, but it’s fun to stick to the major lifts for the most part.
This program has been GREAT for me. I not only love doing it, but my body is responding REALLY well to it. My butt is totally getting firmer. I haven’t seen results this quick in a long time. Maybe ever?
Anyways, here are my workouts for the week!
Sunday:Rode bikes on the beach with my brother + walked all over Venice (done)
Monday: 20 min. HIIT + Full Body Workout (done)
Tuesday: Boxing (done)
Wednesday: Full Body Workout (done)
Thursday: Boxing
Friday:20 min. HIIT
Saturday: Full Body Workout
Sunday:Active Recovery
I’m gearing up for the weekend. I have a few holiday parties to go to, so it should be a fun one! I’ll definitely have some pictures to share next week!
Last week, I was invited to the GRAND OPENING of the new Reebok FitHub in Studio City. This intimate event, which included a healthy breakfast and a refreshing morning yoga class, was hosted by the founder of Strala Yoga, Tara Stiles (LOVE her) and the lovely Haylie Duff!
To prepare me for this event, Reebok sent me some sweet yoga gear to try out too!
Here I am before the event in my full gear:
I LOVED these pants and tank top so much. I got several compliments on the outfit. The pants were comfortable and didn’t squeeze me too tight around the waist (a.k.a no muffin top!) and the top was breathable and flattering. Two thumbs up.
The real kicker (pun intended) was the SHOES. These SkyScapes are amazeballs.
They are lightweight AND comfortable. I actually forgot I had them on….(and almost took a yoga class with shoes on like a goober.) -_-
Since I’ve basically only taken them off to sleep (and do yoga), I was curious as to how they made a shoe so comfortable that was also functional in a variety of ways. (I lifted in them, boxed in them, and just carried on my regular daily life in them…which isn’t something I can’t normally do. I usually bring 2-3 pairs of shoes with me wherever I go. Not kidding.)
“The SkyScapes’ Skyspring technology features a unique design architecture designed to help support the foot and provide all day comfort. This shoe is crafted borrowing the materials and soft molding process used to create lingerie, which provides all-around comfort and creates a shoe so lightweight that it weighs only 5.0 ounces.”
Makes sense! My only worry was that they were a light color and well, I am a busy girl. I’m running around all day, I have a dog, and it’s not strange for me to find myself running around in dirt. I was worried that by the day’s end, they’d be a complete mess. You can imagine my excitement when I found out that they are machine washable! #winning
I made my way to the event and was greeted at the door with a healthy breakfast and the cutest yoga mats I’ve ever seen! For someone who doesn’t do yoga very often, even I decided I needed to have one of these mats.
Tara led us through a 45 minute yoga class right in the store (the Reebok FitHub stores offer classes in addition to retail), which was the perfect way to start out the day. I had never met Tara before, but I’ve become a huge fan. She is so cute and has such a light-hearted, fun approach to teaching!
After we finished up the yoga class, I walked around and checked out what the store had to offer. This is what I love about Reebok (both the Fit Hub store and the brand in general)….they don’t cater to only one sport. Whether I’m looking for a weight lifting shoe or running clothes or CrossFit gear or anything else, they have options for me. I love that they have such a wide variety of items.
These pants caught my eye (wink, wink, friends and family, Christmas is coming up!)
And it only took me about 30 seconds to decide that I needed to buy these high-top shoes on the spot (and I did)..
Overall, this was such a great event and I’m sooooo excited to have a Reebok FitHub store in the area. If you live in the L.A. area, Reebok FitHub Studio City is OFFICIALLY OPEN:
Address:
12184 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 10am – 7pm
Sunday: 11am – 6pm
If you’re not in the LA area, they’ve opened up several locations around the country already. You can check them out here.
Personally, I think one of the toughest ways to get around this is the temptation that is literally EVERYWHERE.
I’m healthy, but I’m also human. Do you think that just because I’m a fitness professional that I don’t get tempted by all of the marketing ploys that surround me at the grocery store? Of course they do!
It’s tough, man. You head to the store with a healthy mindset of the fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats that you’re going to buy when BAM, there’s a bag of chips in your face and oh, how bout those cookies to your left? Don’t look to the right…it’s ICE CREAM!
I’d be lying if I said I never gave in. I do give in sometimes (which is totally fine)….but I wish it wasn’t even there! I want to make that decision WITHOUT it being shoved in my face.
In any sense, the crap food IS there and in our faces, and it’s there to stay. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing either, as long as you can practice moderation. I personally love ice cream, chips, and cookies and eat all of them. Just not very often.
So in a world that seems to be closing in on us with all kinds of unhealthy foods, how do we stay healthy day in and day out?
5 Things I Do EVERY DAY to Stay Healthy
1. Drink Water. I know you’re probably sick of hearing this, but seriously. If you’re going to do nothing else that day to be healthy, drink some water. Or even a lot of water.
2. Sneak in some fruit and vegetables. Even if you’re going to have a bunch of crappy foods, sneak in some fruits and vegetables beforehand. It can help you stay a bit fuller so you don’t eat as much crap and it gives you boost of antioxidants and vitamins. (Plus, they’re delicious!!)
3. Walk. I workout most days, and still try to walk places when it’s possible and I have the time. Sometimes I drive places that are definitely walkable, but if I’m having a lazier day, I always opt for some type of walk. I’ll go walk to the coffee shop, or to the Co-Op. If there’s nothing close-by, I’ll just walk around outside to get my legs moving a bit. Even if you plan on sitting around all day, find 15 minutes to just take a walk.
4. Eat a healthy breakfast.I’ve learned over the years that whatever I have for breakfast sets the tone for the day. For example, if I eat something sugary for breakfast, I feel lethargic and gross. That spirals me into just feeling meh, and most likely, my food and exercise choices for the day will follow that. If I eat a healthy breakfast, I know that my chances of a healthy day are that much greater. I can honestly say, I haven’t had an unhealthy breakfast in over a year. (Just a personal choice.) Do I think it’s bad to have an unhealthy breakfast here and there? Of course not, but I do know that I can always have an unhealthy breakfast for dinner if I still want it. (Breakfast for dinner is the BOMB anyways!) I’d rather start my day out with good foods that will likely set me up for a better day. I highly encourage you to try testing this theory out to see how it affects your choices for the rest of the day.
5. Don’t take the day too seriously. If I’m having a lazy day where I don’t exercise much and I’m eating less than stellar foods, I don’t sweat it too much. There was a time where I would internally beat myself up so badly for not eating well or not exercising. These days, I remind myself that one meal or one day of unhealthy eating isn’t going to ruin anything. As long as I consistently eat well and exercise, I’ll be on a good path.
Question of the Day
What are some things you do every day to stay healthy?
Here’s another edition of “A Day in the Life!” from yesterday!
6:30am: My alarm goes off. I purposefully set it extra early so that I can snooze a bit more.
7:30am: I finally decide it’s really time to get out of bed and get ready for the day. Charlie tells me that Oscar had to go out super early this morning and that he might not be feeling well. 🙁
7:45am: I start getting ready for the day, which includes putting on my brand new @ReebokWomen gear! (note: SkyScapes are my new obsession)
8:33am: Charlie and I head out to get our morning coffee at our local joint. The edmeds24 machine is broken and I have to get a regular coffee (the horror!).
8:45am: I get on the road to head to the Reebok FitHUB Studio City grand opening! (I’ll have a full post up next week about the event!)
9:12am: I pull over to do a conference call for work.
9:36am: I arrive at the Reebok FitHUB store and quietly find my yoga mat. Tara Stiles is teaching and Haylie Duff is hanging out, which is such a treat!
10:30am: Yoga class finishes and I start taking photos, chatting with people, and then buy a pair of shoes (naturally).
11am: I leave the store and head back down to Santa Monica. Traffic sucks in a major way, so I take some side streets and make it down in about 30 minutes.
11:30am: I arrive home to a literal SHIT STORM. Poor pup. I call the vet to make an emergency appointment.
11:36am: I sit down to do some work before the vet appointment and eat a snack of an apple, almond butter, and a protein shake (with pumpkin added…YUM).
12:47pm: Charlie gets home. We take Oscar out one last time and try to get a “sample” to bring to the vet. It’s a hilarious adventure and ultimately, we got something! {I know you wanted to know, that’s why I told you.}
1:37pm: We arrive at the vet, fill out paperwork, and are seen almost instantly. If only human doctor’s were this fast!
1:45pm: The vet sees us and checks Oscar out head to toe.
2:16pm: We head home with some meds for the pup. He seems like his goofy self, so hopefully it’s nothing serious.
2:40pm: We stop at the Co-Op so Charlie can get a smoothie and I can get some chicken. As soon as we get back to the car, we realize Oscar needs to go outside. (Yes, we found out the hard way).
2:52pm: We get home, Charlie heads back to work, and I work from home for a few hours. I make some chicken and sweet potatoes to eat for what I guess I’ll call lunch.
5:07pm: I head to the gym to take a boxing class. I’m tired, but I know I’ll feel better once I’m done.
6:41pm: I leave the gym a sweaty mess and feel good. I head to the grocery store to get dinner supplies: ground beef, avocado, and some chips and salsa for Charlie
7:50pm: Charlie gets home. He cooks dinner while I shower, and eventually we devour the food. SO GOOD. I had a bunless burger with avocado and a slice of cheddar cheese. It was delicious.
8:25pm: Now…I’m writing this post and we’re on the couch cuddling with our love bug who is exhausted.
Questions of the Day
1. Do you own a pet? What do you do when he/she’s sick? I feel so helpless when Oscar doesn’t feel good. :-/
2. Am I the only weirdo that sets my alarm a full hour before I need to get up?
I’m currently at the grand opening of the Reebok FitHUB Studio City this morning. This yoga and breakfast event is hosted by Tara Stiles and Haylie Duff! I’ll have a full review up on the blog next week! In case you’re curious now, you can find other Reebok FitHUB locations here: http://fitness.reebok.com/Reebok-FitHub/Articles/2014-10/New-Reebok-FitHubs/
Tuesday Things (random thoughts from my brain)
1. My new lifting program from Bret Contreras leaves me SO hungry! I am basically doing a full body lifting session 3-4 days per week. I’m loving it so much, but my appetite is through the roof! SO excited to be lifting BIG again and I can’t wait to see how this changes the game for me.
2. Kombucha addictions are expensive. I think I need to either pick having a gourmet coffee OR a Kombucha every day, not both. If I just start making my morning coffee at home, I can make room in the budget for this Kombucha addiction, which seems to be ever-growing.
3. Sugar affects me much differently these days. Since I have stayed pretty consistent with staying away from sugar since my No Sugar Added Challenge ended, anytime I do eat sugar, I feel pretty sick. It has made me not want to eat really sugary foods. This is a new thing.
4. I bought a Squat Sponge for when I do hip thrusts. Game changer. (a.k.a, no more bruised hips!)
5. I watched the movie “Come Back to Me” on Netflix last night. It was kind of your typical thriller with the naive girl who can’t see the obvious, BUT it was actually pretty good. I wouldn’t say it’s GREAT, but it definitely had me on the edge of my seat. Thought I’d share since finding good thriller movies on Netflix can be kind of a needle in a haystack ordeal.
6. For your entertainment, watch my dog completely talk back to me. Punk.
If you’re human, it’s pretty likely that even with the best efforts set forth, the snack monster can come at any time. It happens to me, too. And it can be a real bitch.
You’ve planned out your meals, maybe even packaged them up for work, and then it hits….
the Snack Monster.
Last week was definitely one of those weeks for me. I was stressed, it was cold & rainy for a few days, and I just wanted to snack all.the.time.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t handle the Snack Monster all that well this week. Which by the weekend, left me feeling pretty snacked out and ready to get back to regularly scheduled eating.
It also got me thinking about what I could have done, in hindsight, to combat the Snack Monster. With the holiday season in full force, and food literally at every corner we turn, it becomes more and more difficult to refrain from eating allthefood. But if we DO hold back a bit, we’ll probably be much happier with ourselves when we step into the New Year. Of course, if you gain a little weight during the holidays, don’t sweat it, but it’s much easier to maintain weight than it is to lose it, so let’s combat what we can right here and now!
Most of the time, these are some of the snacks I eat when the Monster hits.
Battling the Snack Monster: Healthy Snack Ideas
Apple with a Tablespoon of Natural Peanut or Almond Butter
Strawberries dipped in Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
Carrots dipped in Hummus
Small handful of Salted Almonds
Grapefruit or Orange Slices
Sliced Bell Peppers with Avocado on top sprinkled with Salt & Pepper
Plain Popped Popcorn
Chopped Cucumber, Tomatoes, and Avocado with Balsamic Vinegar, Pepper, Salt, and Cilantro
Ants on a Log: Celery with Natural Peanut Butter and Raisins or Chocolate Chips
Small Handful of Almonds and Chocolate Chips
The options are endless, but keeping vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats high on the list of options will help to get you through. It’s a snack, so you shouldn’t be eating to get “full” but rather to feel “satisfied”. Portion out your snack before you start eating so that you don’t go overboard.
Question of the Day
What are some healthy snack options that you use when the Snack Monster hits?
I’m definitely ready for Friday already….anyone else?
I had quite the Monday yesterday and definitely was glad when it was over. I finished it out with a sweaty boxing class too, which definitely helped! What is it about Mondays? They aren’t always crazy, but they do seem to be crazy fairly often. Hmmm….anyways.
I’ve seen this floating around the blog world lately…and we all know I love a good survey!! It takes me back to the MySpace days of survey after survey….haha!
Four names that people call me other than my real name:
Lizzio
Lerzer
Zeedy
Gizmo
Four jobs I’ve had:
Commercial real estate agent
Gym manager
Executive Assistant
Recording Engineer
Four movies I’ve watched more than once:
Freddy Got Fingered
Dumb & Dumber
Just Friends
Happy Gilmore
Four places I’ve lived:
Scottsdale, AZ
Tempe, AZ
Santa Monica, CA
That’s it!!
Four places I’ve visited:
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
San Francisco, CA
Chicago, IL
Orlando, FL
Four places I’d rather be right now:
In bed
Scottsdale with my family
A tropical island
Alaska (although I’d need about 500 layers of clothing)
