HIIT me

As I am going out to dinner with friends tomorrow evening, I switched my "Speedwork Tuesday" workout to Monday.  I know. Things got a little...crazy.

I officially went back to school this morning and I realize that getting 10 hours a sleep is a must. That just means I have to start going to bed at 7:30 p.m. every evening. I agree with you; very feasible.

When I drove up to my building in a deep, deep fog (actual foggy weather, not what my brain was doing...wait), I tried to remember what it was that I actually did for work. I was quickly reminded the minute I walked into my office. Things started rocking and rolling right away and before I knew it, it was 2:15 and time for the kiddos to head home. One faculty meeting later and a very hungry hippo in my office (that would be me), I rolled out of the parking lot around 3:45 to head home, not before I decided on a spiffy little HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout based on one created by Nutrition Nut on the Run (I just googled HIIT workouts online). 

I had every intention of running this:

But instead, my workout looked more like this:

    1 mile at 6.8 mph

    1 mile at 7.5 mph

    1 min @ 8.4/ 1 min. @ 7.0- repeat 2x

    1 min @ 8.6/ 1 min. @ 7.0- repeat 2x

    45 second break to catch my breath

    1 min @ 8.8 / 1 min @ 7.0- repeat 2x

    1 min @ 9.0/ 1 min. @ 7.0- repeat 2x

    Move to another treadmill for more running mojo and to catch my breath

    1 mile at 6.8

PHEW!  5 miles total, not sure about the time because there was switching and brain tricking happening. Either way, I was glad to get it in, when I wasn't so sure what kind of work out I had in me.

Total miles this week: 12 (Sunday=7, Monday=5)

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When I got home, this beautiful man was making me dinner. Thanks, Chris!! Next time, don't look so enthusiastic!

The menu for this evening consisted of Trader Joe's Chili Lime Burgers, avocado, turkey bacon, tomatoes, and a smidgeon of mexican cheese all on two pieces of romaine lettuce. Bon Appetite! 

(What a guy!)

You might be a little curious about how I've been doing with the whole Weight Watchers thing after looking at that dinner. As of this morning, I put on weight from last week. Update completed.

Seriously though, I decided that this week I'm really going to try to log in my food with much more consistency, instead of just guessing that 7 pieces of fudge equals about 2 points, give or take.

                                                                                                                                                                   

How did your Mondays go today?  Did you get a workout in? What was the best thing you ate today? Anyone stranded thanks to all the canceled flights?

Katy Perry - Dark Horse ft. Juicy J

Feel your feelings.

Isn't it just impossible to get up and run some days? I had my alarm set for 7 a.m. and by the time I rolled out of bed it was 8:30. When all was said and done, I didn't make it to the gym until about 9:30 this morning. The amazing thing about writing your own blog is that it can be so motivating. Like, say I were to a be a bum, and yet I'm calling this a fitness/running/lifestyle blog. That would be so UNCOOL.  Instead, because I want to make sure I'm healthy for myself and writing about things that I actually do, I pulled it together and ran 7 miles at the gym.

Mind you, these 7 miles came at a price.  I basically had to trick myself each mile to keep my legs moving.  I did take a break at 2.5 miles for about a minute, but then got back on that ol' treadmill and told myself to take it slow but steady. I think my average pace was 8:40, but I'm not sure.  Why was it SO easy to run the 5 miles on Friday and yet so so SO difficult to run 7 on Sunday? If my body can handle it, then why is my brain getting in the way? What is about feelings and/or your mindset that can make or break a workout?

What do you do for motivation when you want to give up? Any tricks of the trade?

After finishing my workout, I huffed and I puffed all the way back to school...on a Sunday. Sad Face. I realized I forgot a file for something that is due on Monday, which forced me to beg and plead to get into the building. This inspired me to give you readers a tour of my office and what it is a School Psychologist actually does, mostly because I was avoiding getting the task done.

 (The Zen Wall in my office.)

Basically, a school psychologist let's students (and adults...many times it's the adults) feel their feelings. 

Just, let it all out.  

The National Association of School Psychologists states that:

"School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community for all students.

School psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education, completing a minimum of a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester hours) that includes a year-long supervised internship. This training emphasizes preparation in mental health and educational interventions, child development, learning, behavior, motivation, curriculum and instruction, assessment, consultation, collaboration, school law, and systems. School psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they work."


That's a real purtyy way of putting it. The bulk of my job is to test for learning and emotional disabilities as defined by the state education department, which have a significant effect on a student's progress and their ability to access the curriculum.  I also provide counseling to students in my building. 

Most days, I leave here feeling very tired and my job can zap my running mojo. Lots of emotions around here all of the time. I find it tricky to balance everything that comes along with working a full time job, as so many times we are here after the school bell rings. When you leave the building late, its cross country/track season, add in a 45 min-1 hour commute, and its dinnertime...you might find me eating some nights instead of running.

I'm sure many of you can understand what its like to try to balance your career with your family, friends, and self.  I am impressed that anyone anywhere can fit in a workout half of the time when they also work full time.  Maybe its just the facade of the blogging world, or maybe, just maybe, you are all really good at balancing at all.

Tell me, what is the secret to your success and how do you find that you juggle it all? Is there anything that you find you have to give up to make it work?

The Lumineers - "Stubborn Love" (Official Video)

For your long run, cool down, or lazy sunday. I'm off to run 7 miles!

A night in Union Square

Union Square is well known in NYC for its outdoor markets and intersection of fashion and politics. The lesser known Union Square in Somerville, MA, is approximately one mile from Boston and poised to be an up and coming neighborhood thanks in part to the green line moving into the area and many trendy eateries and bars opening up shop. On Friday evening, I had the pleasure of making stops at Ebi Sushi and The Independent Bar.

As I had alluded to in my Five Things Friday post, I was embarking on a mission with Chris in order to try to the ever elusive Natto. Nattio is a traditional Japanese side dish consisting of fermented soy beans. Not only was the taste described to me as horrific beyond compare, but its consistency and aroma are just as notorious. Regardless, I was willing to take the plunge just to say I had done it.

We were greeted by Sushi Chef Sean, who was not only knowledgeable about both Japanese cuisine and culture, but was a gregarious, funny, and welcoming host who put me at ease about my impending doom. I sat down to a bottle of Saki in order to help dull the experience I was about to indulge in and listened to Chef Sean and Chris discuss Japanese food and culture.

After a good twenty minutes, I decided it was time to take the plunge. When the dish first arrived, I wasn't as put off by the smell, as it was not as putrid as it was described. Instead I was disgusted by the consistency and texture of the dish.

(Oh god, is this really happening?)

I gave the Natto a good stir and then went into for the kill. It tasted...awful. So awful, bitterly awful. What was worse, was that the sticky coating from the fermentation process was all over my lips. It looked like little peanuts stuck in a spider web. It was everything that Chris described, and that employees of Ebi shuddered at the thought of. I poured some soy sauce to make the next bite go down a little better. When I decided that enough was enough, one of the servers brought over a bowl of miso soup in order for me to get the taste out of my mouth. I'm still gagging at the thought.

Chris and I wound up staying until the sushi place closed, with the two of us being the last customers in the restaurant.  Thanks to the allure of the Natto, the wonderful conversation with Chef Sean and the kind attention of the staff at Ebi, Chris and I most certainly will be back to enjoy the sushi. After leaving Ebi, we walked across the street to the Independent Bar.

The drinks were phenomenal, the music was great, and the crowd was small, which is something that every 30-year-old grows to appreciate in a bar as the years go by. The prices were right, with cocktails falling between 7 to 9 dollars. I believe I had the Old Hemingway, which consisted of white rum, mint, grapefruit, lime, angostura, and cava, while Chris stuck to his beer.

 (Too much saki? Maybe it was the Natto that did her in.)

Thanks for the experience, Union Square, Ebi Sushi, and the Independent.  We'll definitely be back soon (as we only live about a mile away!). As for the rest of you in the Boston area, I highly recommend making the trek to the neighborhood! Do it, even if you are trying to get down to your racing weight (whoops. Oh well, its all about balance, remember?).

Two Door Cinema Club - Undercover Martyn

What a song to RUN to! Oldie but goodie. Enjoy your Friday!

Five Things Friday

It's time I participated in this little thing in the Blog World dubbed, "Five Things Friday". I basically share five things either about myself or interesting facts I've discovered in the past week. Let's get started, shall we?

1. I think I've decided on a half marathon training plan that will start up on 1/13 or...wait...I think I've also decided on another half training program that's 9 weeks, meaning I wouldn't start until 2/3.  I need some help on this one and I'll tell you why, but first take a look at the plans:

Plan 1:

Plan 2: (Mind you the dates and the BAA half are not what I'm training for. This is the intermediate training plan for those who were completing the BAA half back in October).

I know that increasing my mileage is the way to improve my running, but I also know that I get burnt out pretty easily from training plans. What's a girl to do!!!?? Can someone please weigh in?  My goal is to break 1:45 for my next half.

2. I was just texted these photos from Chris as he was pulling out the shovel from my car. Apparently, you're not supposed to leave cans of root beer in your car when the temps drop below 0 degrees. This is the result:

Yes, the end result is frozen root beer on the wall of my beautiful new CRV.



3. Have you seen this article about 89 Life Hacks ?  It's awesome!  Some of my favorites include:

Chris was feeling all motivated and decided to try out this one last night for dinner...

AND OMG IT WAS SO GOOD! Nom nom nom.

4. Instead of doing a spin session today, I'm going to run 5 miles. Basically, I lied to you yesterday when I said I was going to try to hit up a spin class.  I'm hoping my total weekly mileage will be 25 for the week, which is pretty good considering that I'm trying to dial it down before we start training again. Geez, calm down, I'm no SkinnyRunner, who averages 50-60 miles a week and even ran 31 miles for her 31st birthday in December.  

OH, by the way, RIP to SkinnyRunner's blog as she took it down on 1/1/14. To those of us in the blogging world, we are sad to see you go. You were quite the inspiration and I read your blog every day since I discovered it in 2010. 

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5. Chris and I are headed to Ebi Sushi in Union Square this evening. The only reason we are headed to that specific place is because they have Natto Sushi, which Chris has been dying to have me try since his trip to Japan in 2011. I don't know if you know what Natto Sushi is, but its basically fermented soybeans on top of a piece of sushi.  To my understanding, it smells HORRIBLE and tastes just as bad.  We are talking the worst smells and tastes you can imagine.

Even though we are doing this as a food challenge, Natto's offensive taste and odor brings with it a plethora of health benefits. Some of those include vitamins (K's and B's, and 1,2,3's) which are important for skin health, as much protein as a serving of meat the same size, aiding the reduction of blood clots, and helping to ease pain to damaged intestines due to food allergies.  

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Be prepared to be entirely grossed out by my post on the experience. I feel sick already just thinking about it, even if it does make a man out of me. 

                                                                                                                                                                   

What about you? What's on tap for this weekend? 

Any tips as to what running plan I should use? 

Have you ever eaten anything as a food challenge that made you sick just by the thought of it?

Movin' on up...but remember to foam roll!

This past week, Chris (bf) and I decided to switch out of our basement sweatbox gym in order to begin training at the Boston Sports Club at Wellington Circle.

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This BSC location includes cardio equipment, strength equipment, a basketball court, pool, yoga studio (it's beautiful), spin studio (also beautiful), group exercise classes (including paying extra for barre classes or TRX/UXF), babysitting for the littles (if you're into that whole baby thing), and towel service! Its amazing. They even have the elusive Woodway treadmill! Connected to the gym is a juice bar and cafe offering juices, protein drinks, as well as a sundry of other small snacks.

With the help of switching gyms, my workout summary for the week includes: 

Sunday- 4 mile run, 30 min weights
Monday- 3 mile run, 25 min bike, 15 min elliptical, 30 min weights
Tuesday- 3 mile run, 1 hour cardio sculpt
Wed-off- New Years Day!
Thur- 4 mile run, 20 min weights, 25 min swim
Fri- Spin class (on deck)
Saturday- Yoga, 6 mile run (on deck)

For those of you that live in the Boston area, I bet you are a little surprised to see that we ventured out to the gym today! Instead of driving we took the bus, the T, and then an UberX ride back. That pool was calling my name, and pulled my butt off of the couch!

Speaking of which, today's pool workout was just as difficult as my Cardio Sculpt class was! For all of you strict runners out there, I am highly encouraging you to add other forms of cross training into your running diet, so that you can improve endurance, strength, and athleticism.  I'm no expert, but I bet you anything I can improve my running speed because I'm reducing risk of injury and maintaining fitness by cross-training. Well, at least that's the goal. Fingers crossed.

(You can thank me for this wonky eye photo later.)

Interested as to why cross-training is beneficial to you as a runner? An article on Competitor online discusses the importance of cross-training days during your training cycle.  You can find it, by clicking on the link here. 

When Chris and I got home, I made sure to foam roll for a few minutes before taking a shower.  Never heard of a foam roller? Well its circular chunk of foam that you roll your body over, in order to get the kinks out.  Its the single most important piece of exercise and recovery equipment that you will ever own, in order to prevent injury. You can buy one here, at Amazon...for $18.00.  Yes, it sounds a little kooky to pay that much for foam, but I'm telling you, its worth it. Shape.com can officially tell you why you need it and how it helps both. Go ahead, click on this article! It doesn't bite. I'll even give you a photo of one of my legs foam rolling away (with a beautiful Zensah compression sleeve).

Its almost the weekend and thanks to the snow, I have yet another snow day! 

Avicii - Silhouettes (Orginal Syn Cole Creamfields Mix)

A Snow Day Recipe!

Hooray!  One of my favorite days of the year! The first snow day!  The best part of this Nor'easter is that it comes on the heels of our school holiday vacation. To be honest, I'm a little worried about heading back to school because I have been getting so much sleep, its criminal. Thanks to all the hustle and bustle of my regular life, I typically get about 6-7 hours of sleep during the work week. School vacation? I've been averaging about 10. Yes, you read that right TEN hours of sleep. I've never felt better.

(The snow accumulation thus far in our windowsill.)

Today I have two big goals: 1. continue reading "Daring Greatly" and 2. to go to the gym, as it is only a mile away from our apartment. I'm still in so much pain and can barely walk from something I did while exercising the other day. My calves struggle to stretch out, hurt when I flex them, and as a result, I've been shuffling around the apartment in compression sleeves! If the pain doesn't subside by this afternoon, the only workout I'll be completing is a pool workout. I haven't experienced muscle soreness like this in all of my half/marathon training and I think it was from a 25 minute spin bike workout!

Anyway, let's get back to the food, shall we? Weight Watchers strikes again with one of my favorite recipes from their app. Introduce yourself to the Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta. Its delicious and so easy to make!

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Adding ground chicken or beef will also increase the taste and protein in the meal (although remember to add about 2-4 more points dependent upon your serving size.). 

Enjoy!

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