Running on Fumes

I swear, no matter how much sleep I get every night, I am a half-conscious zombie through the day.

Or at least that's how I feel.

School has really been kicking my butt and frying my brain

My brain on homework

It's also only the 2nd week of school

Anatomy is a lot more time consuming than I was anticipating and I was expecting it to take up a lot of time. I just wasn't expecting how much of an energy-sucker it would be. And nutrition isn't much better. It took me 3 days to read 21 pages, 3 days! The amount of vocab that my brain has to intake just from reading makes me feel like my brain is melting out of my ears.

Then of course I have my anatomy lab which we just learned about the skull and lemme tell you, learning where everything is in the skull and all of the Latin terms within like 30 minutes was not easy. I immediately got a headache and just wanted to sleep it off where I'm positive I would be dreaming about where the anterior cranial fossa is and the difference between foramen rotundum, foramen spinosum, and foramen lacerum. Did I make your brain hurt just reading those? Welcome to my world.

By the end of the day (and even part way through the day) I am exhausted

 Someday someone is going to find me like this in the library.

I just feel like I can't get enough sleep no matter how long I actually get to sleep.

I'm blaming it on the reading, it's getting to me already.

Here is some cheese to go with my whine.

In a long roundabout way this is my way of explaining that I don't know how often I will be blogging, but I'll do my best to write some stuff.

On a side note, I created a Facebook page for my blog so if you check it out and like it, I would be very appreciative!

Fit Fridays #11

Happy Friday everyone!
I am desperately looking forward to the weekend and sleeping it, it's been a really tough week.
My body has been really sore which has made it incredibly difficult to actually work out. But I did my best!

Sunday:

1 hour of Zumba. It felt awesome and I've even gained enough confidence to move my way to the front.

Monday:

24 bicep burners w/ 12.5# dumbells

15 overhead press w/ 12.5# dumbells

15 back rows w/ 12.5#

2x15 chest press w/ 25#

2x15 bosu ball pushups

15 squats w/ 40# barbell

2- 45 second planks

30 second plank each side

2x20 Russian Twists w/ 8# medicine ball

2x20 bosu ball crunches each side

Tuesday:

I wanted to go to my AM yoga class at the gym, but Michael and I just couldn't make it in time and I wasn't going to come in late to a yoga class.

Yoga at school was very disappointing. We were using chairs in our class and the teacher doesn't know how to do Gyrokinesis so it was a very strange class. I just wasn't digging it.

After my unappealing yoga class Michael and I headed to the gym to run on the dreadmill treadmill since it was snowing really icy outside. Unfortunately right after I completed my warm-up and started on the actually run the treadmill decided to spazz out, decrease speed dramatically and then just shut down. So I never actually got a run in.

Wednesday:

Morning yoga class at the gym

Gym workout:

15 leg press w/ 85#

2x20 calf presses w/ 40#

12 hip abductors w/ 45#

15 lunges each side w/ 15# kettlebells

Workout in class:

12 dip assists on box

12 weight-assisted chin-ups w/ 41#

12 standing cable rows w/ 50#

12 arm curls each side w/ 10# dumbells

12 squats w/ 18# kettlebell

12 single leg deadlifts w/ 10# dumbell

12 crunches

Glute bridge for 45 seconds

45 second plank

30 second side planks

1 mile run on treadmill at 3% incline

Thursday:
 Yoga class at school.
I haven't felt very challenged in this class...in all honesty I've been incredibly bored and unfocused. But today my teacher taught our class more of the yoga I do at the gym. We even worked on handstands which I've been working on actually getting. He actually used me as an example which made me feel very proud. It was a good class with just enough challenge to make me excited.

I've been slacking this week and just feel soooooo incredibly unmotivated. I only made it to one AM yoga class this whole week just because I couldn't fathom the thought of rolling my butt out of bed. I had a meltdown Tuesday when my treadmill decided to shut off and just threw my hands up and gave up on running that day. Wednesday I started tearing up in yoga because my body was hurting so much and I just couldn't do certain poses (read: almost half of them). It's been an incredibly tough week for me and I just hope next week brings me happier times.

How have you stayed fit this week?
Have you ever had a bad workout and just given up part way through?

A New Routine

Well this past Monday I started another semester of college.

If I stay on track I should be done by next summer which is awesome!

But what I really wanted to do here was brag about how freaking awesome my classes are.

This is my classroom 3 out of the 5 days I have class

Isn't it awesome?

Mondays and Wednesdays I have a class called Total Fitness. Basically the class is working out and learning how to make a workout routine for the body. This class is a breeze, I mean hey, I do it every morning at the gym. The only problem I've run in to is the people in this class, well most of them, have no clue what they are doing. People will stand at a machine just talking and trying to figure it out while I'm waiting to use it. It was disheartening to not get a workout in today, but there's always next week.

Tuesday and Thursday mornings I have a yoga class. Unfortunately my class got changed around a little bit on the first day. My class was Gyrokinesis Yoga, but my teacher just had a baby at the beginning of the month so she's on maternity leave. Our substitute teacher doesn't know that style so we're just doing vinyasa yoga which is fine by me. So in the morning I go from yoga at my gym to yoga at school. It's quite relaxing. 

A lot of people in that class don't know yoga so we had to do very basic simple stuff so it's reaaaaaaaally easy for me. Halfway through the semester my normal teacher should be back so I can learn a new style of yoga!

Tuesday and Thursday afternoons I have Human Anatomy. I'm excited for this class, but at the same time not. It's a buttload of homework (read: lots of reading)

 It took me 3 days to read 21 pages, there's just so much vocab.

After my lecture on Thursday I have my anatomy lab which I'm partially looking forward to, partially wishing it was already over. We look at human cadavers which I have no problems with, but we also look at dead cats which I'm am absolutely not excited about. I love cats more than humans so I don't want to look at a dead one, but there's nothing I can do about it.

Fridays I have an introduction class to personal training. I am beyond excited for this class. One of my two teachers has a fitness resume a mile long. He's got like 15 certifications or so, almost competed in the Olympics, still is part of them in a coach-like position, has finished 65 triathlons. Our class is broken down into a lecture at the beginning and then after we work in the gym with our second teacher. We've also been told that the gym portion of our class won't take all of class so we can get like 45 minutes-1 hour of our own workout time. Super stoked!

Lastly I have nutrition class online. I've been desperately trying to get into this class for the years I've been at my school and this semester I finally got it. I'm really looking forward to all the stuff I will be learning (and reading) about.

We have to make food logs and such every 4 weeks and when she announced that all I could think about was that I already do that every Wednesday for What I Ate Wednesday!

All in all I think this is going to be an awesome semester and I'm definitely looking forward to it!

Fit Fridays #10

Happy Friday everyone!
Today is my last day of classes for the week so I'm looking forward to catching up on a little sleep.
And of course I love sharing my workouts with the blog world so it's time for

Sunday:

1 hour of Zumba

Monday:

Arms workout:

24 bicep burners w/ 10# dumbells

15 shoulder presses w/ 12# dumbells

15 back rows w/ 12#dumbell

2x15 chest press w/ 25#

2x15 assisted weight pullups w/ 45#

2x15 assisted weight dips w/ 40#

2-45 second planks

30 second plank each side

Followed by an early morning yoga class at my gym.
Every class is started by a lesson or message and today's message really hit home with me. I had hurt my hip somehow and had to modify and take it easy on some poses. Our message today was to not let our ego drive our yoga pose. Don't get upset if you can't get a yoga pose or you're not at the same level as others. You should be practicing yoga for yourself, not to impress other people. It really made me feel more at ease with not doing poses that normally I could do.

Tuesday:
Yoga class at the gym

A hour and 20 minutes of yoga at my school. Originally I was supposed to be doing Gyrokinesis yoga, but our teacher was on maternity leave (she had her baby like 3 days before school started after going through like 3 or 4 days of natural labor...ouch). So instead of Gyrokinesis yoga we did Vinyasa yoga with a substitute teacher who will be teacher the class until our actual teacher gets back. I wasn't impressed with this teacher. You know how yoga teachers tend to have more soothing voices? This teacher reminds me of sandpaper on chalkboard. I'm not a fan.

3.5 mile run in the afternoon. I won't lie, I was trying to get out of it somehow, but dragged my butt out the door. It wasn't my best run, but it was a run and that's what matters.

Though it was pretty gorgeous around here!

Wednesday:
I ended up skipping my morning yoga class and a workout at the gym. My head felt like it was going to explode and I didn't want to test it.

Thursday:
I didn't end up hauling myself to the gym in the morning. I'm still trying to get a hang of my new schedule so next week I'll be back to normal.
I did have my morning yoga class at school.

And of course today I had planned on making up some workouts, but I tweaked my hamstring and am stuck resting it so I don't mess it up any more.

What workouts have you been doing this week?
 

Standing on My Soapbox

I'm going to preface this post that I am not a bitter, single girl. 

I have an amazing boyfriend who I love incredibly much and who makes me feel like I'm on top of the world.

With that being said, I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day.

Why you might ask?

I feel like Valentine's Day is this big holiday to celebrate love and romance, which obviously it is. But men feel this is the appropriate time to buy a girl flowers or show that he cares, and vice versa with women.
My irritation with this holiday is that people really only show their love and romance for each other publicly one day a year.
Romance and love shouldn't be a one day a year thing, it should be every day.
I don't go all out on Valentine's Day because I feel it's no different than any other day when I show my boyfriend that I love him.
Don't limit romance and romantic gestures to one day a year, show someone you love them every single day. Give them flowers just because you love the, leave little love notes around. Just bring the romance into your lives everyday rather than saving it all up for one day. The other 364 days matter too.

Now, I'm stepping off my soapbox and wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day and romance every day.

As for my boyfriend, I love you because you would surprise me with a pair of cupcake earrings for Valentine's Day when I wasn't expecting anything. 

WIAW: A School Day

Happy Wednesday everyone!

If you can't tell by the name I started the spring semester at my college.

I won't go into the classes I have here, but I'll do a separate post for it.

One it's a lot I want to talk about and I don't want your eyeballs to start bleeding with how long this post could get and two, I'm just so damn tired that I don't want to make the effort.

Maybe I should stop waiting until Tuesday night to write this post...

Anywho, thanks to Jenn for this awesome link-up! It's always brightens up the middle of my week and I just love looking at what other people are eating.

 Most of these pictures are from Tuesday, but I'm tossing in a few from Monday because I can. And I also didn't finish Monday which was my goal because I had a meltdown and decided to eat handfuls of cookies to try and improve my spirits. Lemme just say it doesn't help.

 Breakfast:

Monday (left): 1 egg and 1 egg white scrambled with a sweet potato and red bell pepper hash. Getting my veggies in during breakfast!

Tuesday (right): Non-fat Greek yogurt with a little mixed berry jam after my morning yoga class

After I ate breakfast I went to the library to do some nutrition homework. I freaking love this class. I'll talk more about it in another post.

Morning snack:

Two cuties.

It's been pretty warm for February around here so I was loving sitting out in the sun eating some fruit, it was just so perfect.

Lunch:

Monday (left): Whole wheat pita pizza w/ pasta sauce, mozzarella, red bell peppers, olives, and mushrooms. So good! If anyone is interested I can post a how-to on this yummy concoction. Just lemme know!

Tuesday (right): Broccoli and cauliflower nuggets with bbq sauce.

I'll be posting a recipe for this soon!

After lunch I headed to my anatomy class and then inhaled a snack walking back to my car.

Afternoon snack:

Saltines with natural peanut butter. 

I took this while walking so it's slightly blurry. Whoops!

Post run snacks

 D'Anjou pear

 Leftover popcorn

Vegan double chocolate mini cookie 

I'll review this suckers soon because they're freaking amazing!

And since I had been up and going since 5:30 am I needed some caffeine

Much needed caffeine:

Very Berry Hibiscus refresher at Starbucks

Michael and I were both exhausted from our days and reaaaaally didn't feel like cooking and apparently since it's Chinese New Year, we got Chinese food.

Dinner:

Veggie chow mein, broccoli and snow peas in some weird sauce that ended up being covered up by soy sauce thankfully, and white rice with sweet and sour sauce.

Eating even MORE veggies

And because my sweet tooth has been going batcrap crazy lately

Dessert/my favorite meal:

Vanilla frozen greek yogurt with hot fudge sauce and whipped cream

Okay, phew! Now my brain is a little fried from so many pictures!

And sorry for this post being so whiney at the beginning. Maybe I should get some cheese to go with my whine *que humorous drum noise*

I'll be back soon with an update on school and some new recipes!

How have you been adding more veggies into your diet (you have riiiiight?!)

Fit Fridays #9

Happy Friday everyone! 
It's my last Friday before school starts and it's a little bittersweet. While I am really looking forward to my classes, but at the same time I love not worrying about anything but what workout I'll be doing.
And speaking of workouts it's time for Fit Fridays!

 
Sunday:

Since it was Superbowl Sunday I didn't want to do too much before the party, but I did get in an hour of Zumba in the morning.

Monday:

AM strength training session. It was pretty short since I didn't have that much time before yoga class.

24 bicep burners w/ 10# dumbells

20 calf presses w/ 40#

10 lat pulldowns w/ 45# 

10 lunges w/ 12# kettlebells

15 squats w/ 25# kettlebell

15 shoulder presses w/ 10# dumbells

2x15 chest presses w/ 25#

I think I'll be up-ing the weights in a few of the exercises because it's getting a little too easy.

After strength training I had a yoga class that really worked my legs and hips and I can definitely feel it.

Tuesday:

Morning yoga class.

25 minute run along the coast.

 I had originally planned to just run around my neighborhood a bunch, but then decided to run along the coast and see how far I could get before the timer went off. I got 2.83 miles and then had to turn around and walk back. There were some hills mixed in which made it a little more difficult, but I was just plugging along and surprised myself when 25 minutes were up. Running has become soooo much easier for me and that makes me so incredibly proud.

I felt you guys would all just love to look at my post-run face, you know you love it.

I was also freezing my ass off, I was starting to turn purple by the time I got back home and could barely move my hands. Time to layer up when I run again!

Wednesday:
I reaaaaally did not want to wake up to drag my butt to the gym. I was exhausted and cranky, but I felt maybe doing some strength training and yoga would put me in a more positive mindset. So off to the gym I went.
2x15 bosu pushups
24 bicep burners w/ 10# dumbells
10 back rows w/10# dumbells
2x12 assisted pull-up w/ 45#
2x12 assisted dip w/ 40#
10 squats w/ 30# kettlebell
10 lunges w/ 15# kettlebells
2x20 bosu crunches
Yoga class afterward wasn't as strenuous as usual. It seemed like we did a lot less intensive stuff which my body was extremely thankful for.

Thursday:
I had intended to get some kind of workout in later in the day, but unfortunately ended up spending most of my time getting a smog check and sitting at the DMV. You're all jealous of how I spend my time, I know.

Friday:
I'm just plain lazy now. I had planned to get to the gym early and get in a strength training session and then a run, but I'm here on my couch writing this blog. Hopefully I get the motivation to haul my butt over there. I've just been so tired and unmotivated these last 2 days. It doesn't help that it's been cold and rainy and all I want to do is curl up and sleep.

Has the weather ever affected your motivation to workout?

WIAW: A Tough Battle

Unless you've been living under a rock this past Sunday was the Superbowl.

And in case you were really not paying attention, the San Fransisco Niners were playing.

I live in Santa Cruz, obviously we're big Niners fans so we had to throw a Superbowl party.

So my eats were from Superbowl Sunday when unfortunately the Niners didn't pull through and win.

Thanks to Jenn for this awesome party!

Breakfast:

Non-fat plain Greek yogurt w/ a smidge of berry jam and granola

I went to Zumba for an hour and had a new sub teacher. I adore her dancing and wish she was a teacher at our gym! Poor Michael had training with our trainer so he was pretty tired and sore.

Post workout/morning snack/pseudo lunch:

Honey lemon Greek yogurt 

Lemme just say that this stuff was a-freaking-mazing. Go find it, it's Greek Gods Honey Lemon flavor, it's like a lightened up, less sweet lemon curd. 

And since I'm a Niners fan I had to paint my nails 

I got so many compliments on them, I feel very proud

The mass amount of food

Superbowl Snacks:

 Vegetarian bean dip w/ tortilla chips and carrots

 Jenn's spinach dip with sourdough bread. Go make that dip right now! It's the best spinach dip I've ever had!

Cupcakes made by Michael's sister. Very yummy!

After halftime Michael and I went out to his garage while he fixed my car. Partly to get the job done, partly to stop watching the game that was just damn depressing

What a hunk ;)

The Niners eventually brought it within 3 points, but didn't win. I'm still so incredibly proud of them!

Did you watch the Superbowl?

Who were you rooting for?

January Recap

So it's February 5th and I'm just now getting to a recap of last month...

Better late than never though right?

• Michael and I spent our first day of the new year by the ocean

• I kept on track with working out here, here, here, here, and here

• The San Fransisco 49ers won the NFC Championship and would be going to the Superbowl

• I went to my first hockey game

• I shared a recipe for a delicious energy snack

• Michael and I went for a hike in a gorgeous (albeit freezing) forest

Phew! It's been a busy month and February is going to be even busier once I start school!

How did you enjoy January? 

Keeping up with your resolutions?

Fit Fridays #8

 It's Friday already? Where did the week go?!
But that just means it's closer to the Superbowl where I get to watch my Niners play (and win).
And since it's Friday, it's time for Fit Fridays!

Sunday:

A 3.25 mile run, run 5, walk 3, run 8, walk 3, run 5. I thought the first 5 minutes was 8 so by the time I was done I was like "man I got this, 8 minutes is easy" and then realized it was only 5. Sad face. But hey, I can run 5 minutes with no problems! Success!

Later on I did Zumba with my favorite teacher since she's back from vacation. So happy! I had a great time shaking my butt and laughing.

Monday:
An early morning strength training sesh:
10 lunges w/ 2-12# kettlebells (each leg)
10 flying lunges w/ 10# dumbells (each leg)
20 plie squats w/ 25# kettlebell
20 glute bridges
2-45 second planks
30 second planks each side
40 calf raises w/ 45#
40 Russian Twists w/ 8# medicine ball
  It was not too intensive, but I still felt a good burn in my legs and core. I really need to work on those side planks, I was dying.
Morning yoga and damn was it hard. My hands were sweating from the heat of the room and from strength training, I could barely hold up downward dog without sliding. Today the teacher was describing how you should be sitting at the beginning, just a simple crossed leg sit, and usually I felt like I was fine doing it, I mean hey I've been doing it since I was little. But today I relaxed back a little on my tailbone and it just clicked; I felt so comfortable and so perfect just sitting there.
Later on in the day I had an hour long Zumba class with my favorite teacher since she's subbing.

Tuesday:
Morning yoga class.
Later on I was going to go to my Zumba class but there was absolutely no parking anywhere so I had to just skip. 

Wednesday:
Michael and I were both too exhausted to make it to the morning yoga class so I was able to get a few more Zzz's.
Later on when it warmed up to the mid 60's (oh warm weather I've missed you) I went out for my jog. Lemme say I was honestly a little nervous about this run. I could barely run 8 minutes without feeling like I was going to keel over and today was two 10 minute runs. They were incredibly easy. I have no idea why 10 minutes is easier to run than 8, but I finished both feeling like I did after a 5 minute run. I'm so incredibly proud of myself for running 10 minutes straight. Whoo progress.

Thursday:
Strength training super early:
2x15 bosu push-ups
24 bicep burners w/ 10# dumbells
15 back rows w/ 10# dumbell
15 tricep kickbacks w/ 5# dumbell
2x15 chest press w/ 25# (a 5# increase from last week)
10 squats w/ 25# kettlebell
10 lunges each side w/ 12# kettlebells
2x20 calf raises w/ 40#
2x20 Russian twists w/ 8# medicine ball
2x20 bosu crunches

Friday:

  Later on I have a 22 minute straight run, that one should be very interesting.

Hope everyone has a good weekend and gets moving!