Goal Setting

And another Monday has rolled around… I started the week off with a run and an ab circuit from the Best Body Bootcamp. Let’s just say my legs are warm and my obliques are exhausted! 

 

The run was a little slower than Saturday’s, but I got a little more mileage in. It’s a slow progression. Just gotta keep at it! Today starts the 4th week of bootcamp. I shared my weekly goals awhile back for the first week and I decided to keep with the same goals over the next 2 weeks as well. For week 4, I’m sticking to the 80 fl oz. of water a day, but I want to increase my daily steps. So, my goals for this week are as follows:

1. Drink at least 80 fl oz. of water a day
2. Take at least 11,000 steps a day. I will track this with my Fitbit. 

Since Mike and I weren’t together on Friday for our traditional Pizza Friday, last night we were both in the mood to make up for it. I made us a calzone and we had some salads with a delicious light cesar dressing. The calzone was humongous and filled with pepperoni, tomato, skim ricotta, mozzarella, and herbs. We were both pleased with the outcome!

 

Look at that thing! The perfect fuel for the week ahead. 

This afternoon I have to head to school to give a presentation, the final portion of this course. Wish me luck!

The Hoppiest of Easters

For all who celebrated it yesterday, I hope you had a wonderful Easter. I enjoyed another day with my parents and sister. After church we had a delicious brunch and then we spent the rest of the day relaxing by the pool and watching basketball. The Easter Bunny even made a stop by the house.

 

And this is why I must to go to the gym. Because as much as I love the gym, I might love sweets even more. These sweet treats were not even the highlight of the day. After a delicious dinner of beef tenderloin, I savored every bite of my piece of key lime cheesecake. I have a strong affinity for anything key lime flavored. Key lime pie, pound cake, cheesecake, regular cake, hot sauce, salsa. You name it, I’ve tried and loved it. I even bought Chipper some key lime flavored dog treats when I was in Key West a year ago. I may have a slight key lime obsession. 

Today, once I was back in Gainesville, I headed to the gym before class to knock out my first workout of the Best Body Bootcamp. I was excited to try some new exercises. I loved incorporating a stability ball into my routine. I felt that I was working more than one muscle group with all of the exercises. It was truly a full body workout. After the strength training I hit the elliptical while I waited for a treadmill to open up. I ended up completing 15 minutes at a high resistance on the elliptical and then switched over the the treadmill to get a quick 10 minute run in. 

Part of the bootcamp is to set weekly healthy lifestyle goals for yourself. These goals can stay the same week to week or change depending on what you want to focus on. My goals for this week are:

1. Take at least 10,000 steps a day. I will track this with my Fitbit.
2. Drink at least 80 fl oz. of water a day.

Chili when it’s Chilly

It has been abnormally cold for this time of year here in Gainesville. And when it’s this cold there is only one thing I want to eat… soups. Soups, stews, and chowders are the perfect way to warm up after a chilly day. Last night Mike made us some chili. He has named the recipe “Chili by Michael” because for some reason he always ends up being the chef on chili nights. We make our chili with ground turkey and turkey bacon, but of course ground beef and pork bacon could be subbed. The perfect accompaniment to the chili was a cheddar jalapeno baguette I picked up from a local bakery, The Flour Pot Bakery. A simple and delicious meal to warm our bellies on a cold night.

Yesterday I was able to fit in an afternoon yoga class and I was so happy. Due to the holiday weekend coming up I had to switch up the order of my workouts this week. On Tuesday I worked out my legs, which I usually save for Fridays, and they have ben sore sore sore ever since! Yesterday’s yoga helped me to focus on stretching and lenghtening my muscles. Stretching is something I often speed through after my workouts and I need to work on this. I always feel better after taking time to focus on each muscle group and to let my body cool down. Talking about workouts, last night I got my email with my first round  of workouts for the Best Body Bootcamp. All the workouts are completely different from what I have been doning in the gym lately. I’m ready to try some new things and shock my muscles with the switch up!

The school week has flown by and I couldn’t be more excited. This evening when I get out of class I will be heading home to Ocala to spend the weekend with my family. My mom has already sent me a picture of some cookies that she made for me and my sister to enjoy. Calories don’t count when your at home, right?!