Workout Wednesday: Shakeology

I hope everyone is staying warm in this winter weather.  Unfortunately, North Carolina did not see any of the beautiful snow. (Fortunately… I guess depending on how you view it.) I have been battling a horrible cold for the last few weeks and am finally feeling on the up and up. This year has been horrible for me catching every bug the students bring into school. I need to invest in some lysol for my office like yesterday!

Being sick brings out the junk eater in me. I have never been the type to get sick and lose my appetite. This always leads to gaining a few extra unwanted pounds. Since I am finally feeling better, I know it is time to get back on track. I thought that a cleanse is a great way to get rid of this pesky bloat and jumpstart my weight loss. So, I have decided to complete the Shakeology 3 day cleanse! 

I have been enjoying Shakeology for my breakfast for the past month. I truly enjoy the richness and flavor of the shake. Shakeology shakes are very filling and, if blended with plenty of ice and fruit, they almost taste like dessert. A bonus is that the mix tastes great on it’s own - you can mix it with water and go! So, what is all the hype with Shakeology? It is an all natural protein mix created from whole food ingredients that contains 23 essential vitamins in minerals per serving. I like knowing if I enjoy a shake for breakfast that I am not missing any nutrients or vitamins.  

The Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse is a great way to refresh your cravings and reduce bloat. An added benefit is losing a few pounds! The cleanse keeps your calories up and your not restricting yourself so your not starving.  The three day cleanse encourages you to enjoy vegetables, fruits, lean proteins along with Shakeology shakes.

Foods and beverages on the shopping list:

• Shakeology shake mix

• Green tea

• Salad ingredients (lettuce, tomato, broccoli, celery, bell peppers, spinach and any leafy greens)

• Low fat dressing or homemade oil and vinegar dressing

• Lean proteins including fish, white meat chicken or white meat turkey

• Fruits 

Foods and beverages to avoid:

• Dairy

• Added sugars

• Breads

• Starches (rice, corn, potatoes, etc)

• Processed or canned foods

During the three days on the cleanse, you eat three meals per day, with two snacks in between. Breakfast and lunch consists of Shakeology shakes and dinner includes a salad with your choice of lean protein. I'll be sharing my thoughts next week on how it goes! 

Disclaimer: I purchased Shakeology personally and am not compensated for this post. I am not associated with Beachbody products. This is an honest review about the products I purchased on my own. 

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Workout Wednesday: Class Pass

Good afternoon loves! My week is getting quite a late start as I have been off work Monday and Tuesday. I took the opportunity to enjoy the long weekend visiting family back home. Today I am popping in to share with you all exciting fitness news for the Raleigh/Durham area. ClassPass is opening this week!

What's class pass?  ClassPass is a fitness start up that helps people discover the best fitness classes in their city. It is a monthly membership to the best boutique fitness classes in your city. There are thousands of classes available to ClassPass members, including cycling, pilates, yoga, strength training, dance, martial arts, and more. ClassPass members get unlimited classes to studios in the ClassPass network. While members can take as many classes per month as they’d like, they can visit the same studio up to 3 times per monthly membership cycle.

For or $99/month you are able to visit unlimited classes at multiple studios.  Studios featured on ClassPass for Raleigh/Durham include locations in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Morrisville.  The list of participating studios include Flywheel, Bikram Yoga, Box-2B-Fit, CrossFit, Pure Barre and more! I'm excited to try new-to-me studios especially Flywheel! If you are local I highly encourage you to give ClassPass. If your interested please out my referral link {Here}! This enables you to sign up for classes immediately and skip the line.

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5 Pure Barre Tips for Newbies

A month ago, I started my Pure Barre journey. My goal with my unlimited month was to attend as often as possible. In that month, I averaged 4-5 classes a week. I am by far no expert after a month of classes. I can share a few tips and tricks gleaned from my first month…

1. What to wear. I recommend tights or capris and loose tank top.  I am a firm believer in investing in a pair of grippy socks which keeps you from sliding around. Any pair of black socks will do if you’re unsure if you want to make the investment.
2. Find a spot. For the first few classes it is important to make sure you can see the instructor to follow her moves. They explain it aloud as well but can be confusing to put together all at once without a visual.  “Feet together, toes apart, slide your legs toward the bar, tuck your hips under…” It will feel like strange contortion moves at first, after a few classes the positions become more natural.
3. What to expect. Lots of shaking and stretching. You will hear the instructor say it a lot in class “Embrace the shake.” Sometimes it is harder to put that into practice when you feel like your legs may collapse beneath you. Believe me they won’t so hold on for another 10 seconds. Also, no one will judge you for your shaking legs. That’s the goal! Afterwards there is lots of stretching which feel amazing. One of the goals of Pure Barre is to increase flexibility so don’t worry if you can’t slide into a split. It will come with practice.
4. Focus on the muscle. The class is broken down into sections which focus on different large muscle groups with a stretch break in between . Classes typically follow the same pattern: Warm-up, Core, Upper Body, Thighs, Booty or ”Seat”, Core and finish with Seat and Thigh combo. Try to focus on the contraction of the muscle you’re working in each move.  The instructor might say lift your leg, then you should focus on squeezing and contracting your glute muscle to make the leg lift.  The lift may only be an inch. If you are unsure if you have it right, place your hand on the muscle that is supposed to be working and see if you can feel it contracting. I find that this is really helpful during seat and ab work.
5. Relax.  Pure Barre is unlike any other workout class I have taken and I always leave relaxed and refreshed afterwards. Don’t stress about being perfect just do the best you can. Remember everyone was new to class at one point and it takes a while to learn the moves. Don’t be embarrassed to come out of a move and shake it out if it is too intense. Take a break and get right back to it.

I hope these tips help unveil some of the mystery of Pure Barre. New Year Resolutions may be on your mind with goals to tone up, lose weight or just live a healthier lifestyle. I highly encourage you to give a Pure Barre class a try .

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Workout Wednesday: Barre

Happy hump day loves! I’m back at work to finish out the work week. Thankfully there is only 10 more days until Thanksgiving break! There always seems to be some sort of countdown going on at work. I love having things to look forward to and reasons to celebrate so I will not be complaining.

For today’s post, I want to share two amazing barre workouts you can do at home. I love going to barre class. There is something about being in a class with others that really pushes you to go your hardest. However, if classes are not in your budget or if it is just too cold outside to brave heading to the gym before work these at home workouts can help. Just remember to embrace the shake! 

{via}

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Workout Pause

This week has flown by so far. I spent a wonderful and busy weekend celebrating Joe's 30th birthday and spending time with my mom shopping the Junior League Shopping Spree. Unfortunately, my ankle did not appreciate all the activity that came with the festivities. My lower leg was swollen and sore. I have been in and out of doctors this week trying to figure out why my ankle is not healing correctly. For now the diagnosis is a pulled tendon and sprained ankle. The prescription- a boot, rest and ice. This thing is bulky and cumbersome. Start physical therapy Friday and hope to get an estimate on how long it will take to heal.

Believe me this is extremely frustrating. I am not the type to rest. However, I know that if I continue to push myself I may just injure it more. Hoping for more insight Friday. Since this thing really prevents any strenuous cardio activity my game plan is to focus on nutrition (still a huge weakness) and work on strengthening my upper body. Kelly Ripa arms here I come!

Also, if anyone has any fashion tips on how to style this thing I would greatly appreciate it. :)

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Workout Wednesday

Back again for another workout Wednesday. We experienced our first flurries last night in our new hometown along with rain and lots of black ice. Early this morning my school system finally made the call and decided on  an optional teacher workday. The first thing we did? Go outside and celebrate of course! Sadly, there was no snow for Charlie to play in. 

I'm sure you have heard lately the temperature has been all over the place in NC. Monday was almost 60 degrees and I was able to enjoy a run outside in a t-shirt and crops. Today, it is going to be slightly above freezing and you will not catch me outside unless it sprinting to my car. Ah, the wonderful crazy weather of the south!

Needless to say, I am still spending a lot of my runs and workouts inside this week. I did snag an cute running jacket on clearance from Lululemon that will keep me warm when I venture outside again on Thursday.

As I mentioned last week, losing these extra 20 pounds is going to be hard work for me. I feel like my body has gotten used to the extra pounds and has plateaued. I am down one pound from last week making my total weight loss 4 pounds. I skipped a few workouts last week and had a few extra servings this weekend so I am okay with the outcome. 

I have been sharing a lot of my workouts and meals on Instagram if your interested in following along!

What's your favorite gym workout? I love Spin Class and Les Mills Body Attack.

Workout Wednesday

Happy happy Wednesday everyone! This work week I have been slammed so I am beyond thrilled to make it to the halfway mark.

First lets start with a little update on my weight loss! I have still basing my meals off of the guide I shared last week. I am six days into the Advocare 24 day Challenge. If your interested about what Advocare is you can read all about it here. It is a vitamin regmine that helps supplement your weight loss efforts. I did not buy all the recommended products as I thought many were unnecessary and cost way to much! I am using their Cleanse and MNS packages then using my own omega 3 pills and protein shakes.

I am happily down 3 pounds from my starting weight on January 1st! I can already tell this weight loss is going to be a slow and steady progress. The main thing that has changed since starting the challenge is saying no to late night sweets. I have the biggest sweet tooth. I'm talking feel the need to have dessert after lunch and dinner daily. I believe that dessert in moderation is perfectly fine. However, mine has gotten out of control and has caused major weight gain on my 5'2 frame!

Boombalities= True Love

I have been alternating running outside and treadmill runs frequently right now due to the unpredictable NC temperature. I love running outside the scenery and fresh air rejuvenates me. But the treadmill is a different story. On the treadmill, I have to constantly change the resistance and speed to keep me from getting bored. The more challenging the pace the quicker the time goes by. I have made this little routine based on my interval runs.

You can change the pace to your current fitness level and repeat for a extra sweaty workout.

Workout Wednesday: Fitness Confessions

Fitness. I'm going to be honest, I love working out. I love the feeling of pride mixed with exhaustion you get after a hard workout. I have been working out regularly 3-6 days a week since my senior year of college in 2009. 

However, something has changed in my viewpoint of workouts these past few months. It is something that I have been fighting admitting for a while. Workouts for me now are punishment for eating sweets or something I have to do to "get skinny." I know that I am not overweight and do not have to workout daily. But what I have is around 20 pounds to lose to get back to my “happy weight.” One of my New Year's Resolutions. These pounds are not due to my lack of workouts but have been gained due to overeating. 

Please hear me out. Here is the cycle: Snack on candy at work, enjoy one to many rolls at dinner and then have extra slice of pie for dessert. This leaves me lethargic and not looking forward to my workout the next morning. Instead of hitting the gym the next morning I sleep in vowing to hit the gym after work. After a long day at work going to the gym is the last thing on my mind and I rarely go. Another bad habit that has added extra pounds is that I have a tendency to snack mindlessly. I always have the urge to munch on something almost all the time, while watching tv, when I get home for work and after dinner.  

In trying to break this cycle we are minimizing the amount of snack food in the house and I have made a plan for my meals including snacks. I am beyond ready to start 2014 on the right foot! 

In addition to planning out my meals I have started to include more gym classes into my workouts. The energy of the instructor and class always gets me excited to break a sweat. 

Workout Wenesday: Runner's Wishlist

It’s that time of year when blogger gift guides pop up all day every day! I thought a nice spin on workout Wednesday would be to share my favorite fitness finds this year. 

Running Christmas List by sweetcarolinabelle

Yurbuds-  I have never had good luck with earphones…until I bought these.  I have the worst luck with buying earbuds that will stay in my ears. I typically resort to the headband type ear-buds which were the only ones that stayed in my ears for more than 3 minutes. After my last pair bit the dust I headed to Target and saw that these babies got rave reviews. The clips make them stay perfectly in my ear.

Garmin Forerunner 220- I got my first Garmin 4 years ago when I started training for my first half marathon. The watch is the perfect jump for individuals looking to start monitoring their pace and improve their time. My watch has seen a lot of love and it is time to finally find a replacement. This model is the same style number but has tons of upgrades. I love that is vibrates to alert you of notifications since I never heard the beeping on my watch due to me blasting my music. 

Handheld Water bottle - I am awful at staying hydrated during long runs. I never want to stop back by the car to refuel and never seem to pass any water fountains.  To help combat my intentional oversight I have started carrying a handheld water bottle with me. Now I have no excuse not to stay well hydrated. 

Base Runner 1/2 Zip - Battling the wind and cold on my long runs is starting to leave me wind-burnt and chapped on Saturdays. I love this pullover because it is super comfortable and could also be worn running to the store.

Lululemon Speed Tight - Can you tell I have a love for all things Luluemon? These pants are great for log runs. They are sweat wicking and never show sweat stains which is amazing after 10 miles. They also have tons of pockets which is great for storing keys, gu gels, phone and chap stick with room to spare. 

Workouts

Monday: Interval Cardio & Core

Tuesday: 3 miles & Total Body Strengthening & Stretch

Wednesday: 4 miles & Lower Body Strength

Thursday: Interval Cardio & Upper body Strength

Friday: Spin Class

Saturday: 9 Mile Run

Sunday: Hot Yoga 

Workout Wednesday: Running

I am focusing on adding more miles to my cardio in preparation for hopefully running a few long races this spring. This week my goal is to reach 26 miles. I will gradually work up to 30-35 miles a week. The rule I follow is not to increase your mileage more than 10% per week. I also make sure my weekend long run  accounts for around 30% of my mileage for the week. 

The biggest struggle for me right now is getting in a workout routine in the mornings. The thought of getting out of my warm bed and driving 20 minutes to the gym does not have me jumping for joy. Once I get there I am good to go. I am also going to try and add this core routine to my morning workouts.
  

 Workout 

Monday: HIIT and Upper Body Strength

Tuesday: 5 mile run & Abs

Wednesday:  4 mile run & Legs

Thursday: 5 mile run 

Friday: Rest day 

Saturday: 9 mile run

Sunday:  Rest Day

What's Been Going On & Workout Wednesday

Hello y'all! I apologize for the radio silence over the past week. It has been a whirlwind lately at our house.  A lot of big decisions and changes have been made in a short amount of time which has left my head spinning!  I am still in shock and hope to share more as the weeks move forward. After taking a break, I am hoping to get back into posting consistently and begin documenting this huge transition!  For now, please send prayers and positive thoughts our way! 

One thing that is helping with my anxiety of facing the unknown is keeping my workouts consistent! I thankfully joined a local gym to help keep up with my cardio. It also has the perks of a sauna which is one of my favorite things after a long day! I wanted to share a full body workout that consists of my favorite moves at the gym. The circuit makes the work go by quickly. 

How do you deal with uncertainty in your future?

Workout Wednesday

Here is a quick rundown of my fitness routine these days, I typically run a few miles 2-3 times per week for cardio in addition to strength training. I have been itching for a goal to train for and to keep me motivated this summer. So, this week I have started training for the Marine Corps Half Marathon in September. The major change to my running routine is going to be consistency and getting in higher mileage. This also means lots of early morning runs to beat the heat.

  Here is this weeks training schedule:

Half-Marathon Training: Week 1

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 4 miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 4 miles

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: Off

Sunday: 6 miles

I typically do my longer runs on Saturday followed by an amazing brunch  but we will be out of town visiting Joe's family Saturday. So I am hoping to squeeze in a quick run before church Sunday. 

In addition to running, I will be going to Pure Barre classes 4-5 times a week. 

It is a great compliment to running. The classes help me focus on my core and upper body which get neglected when I just focus on running. I have been going to Pure Barre for 3 months now and am in love with the results! My thighs and booty are much more toned. Also, my abs are starting to get definition. If you have not tried this type of workout I highly recommend it! If there is not a Pure Barre near you Fitnessista and Tone it Up have great barre inspired videos.

Best Wishes,

Ashley