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Let’s relive Christmas one more time.
Now that the Christmas season is over, we are done with the baked cookies, gingerbread, peppermint-flavored chocolates, and fancy lattes right? I think my ability to say “no” ran out and I completely overdid the holiday-flavored everything. At least the temptations will soon be gone and we can start fresh :)
But before we look to 2014, let’s relive Christmas day one more time.
We were spoiled with 75-degree sunshine which I soaked up on a 6-mile Christmas day run with my dad along the dirt canal wearing shorts and a tank top in the middle of winter. I’m so thankful to have this guy on the bike next to me while I pound the pavement around town.
You know you’re a runner when:
- Your stocking is filled with protein bars.
- More than one present is gear for your upcoming marathon.
- You’re Christmas presents are addressed like this:
Our holidays are pretty calm, just my mom, my dad and I. (And Missy of course.) I’m always jealous of friends with a dozen cousins and big crazy families with huge celebrations. I want a Christmas like in the movies with a full table and a loud house. (Yes I’m totally picturing Christmas Vacation right now.)
Brunch. Stockings. Coffee. Missy went NUTS. She thought every present was for her.
I had a hard time coming up with a Christmas list for my parents this year. I sent them my book wish-list on Amazon including Gone Girl, The Maze Runner, The Happiness Project and The Giver series plus a couple style Vans. They picked out the rest themselves, and I think they know me better than I know myself!
For my new apartment I am now stocked with a coffee bean grinder, milk frother, baking ware, & a kitchen scale (no more guesstimating serving sizes for nuts & pasta!)
They also picked out an iPod arm band and wrist pocket for my fuel packs for next month’s MARATHON along with some running attire. But my favorite, a gorgeous pair of earrings that I may or may not have exchanged this morning for an even more gorgeous pair ;)
Diamonds may be some girls’ best friend but this girl loves PINK.
My Pinterest boards came in handy as I made a few Sharpie Mugs. My dad recently moved into his own new office so I created and framed some quotes over top of some of my pictures for his desk. My favorite since it’s so appropriate for my life:
I love giving out one-of-a-kind gifts because they are so personal :)
My absolute favorite tv show is and always will be Gilmore Girls (followed up closely by Friends though!). And if you’ve ever watched an episode then you’ve seen the quaint town of Stars Hollow. The fictional New England town is the epitome of my dream home, and I would start every day at Luke’s Diner just like Lorelei and Rory do. (If you have no idea what I am talking about, you are truly missing out on one of the most fantastic series of the twenty-first century.) When I opened my Christmas present containing a Luke’s Diner t-shirt from Warner Bros. website……well, my face says it all:
After my 6-miler I spent a few hours just lounging in bed with a new book, some music, coffee and snacks which felt HEAVENLY.
After dinner, my mom and I walked our neighborhood to “pre-burn” some of our Christmas dessert calories ;) We are big fans of the “pre-burn” in our house. I know I’m not the only one who is thankful that the Christmas desserts are done. They are hard to refuse but nasty to lose….January’s gym sessions will be spent undoing December’s desserts ;)
And with that another Christmas come n’ gone!
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Circuit
You know what I haven’t posted in a while?
An actual WORKOUT.
Let’s fix that immediately.
I’ve got a sweaty circuit for you that’s no-nonsense non-stop (say that five times fast.)
I HATE resting between sets; sitting on a machine makes me feel lazy and silly. So if I can work a different muscle group in between sets of one exercise, then I a.) create a mini-circuit, b.) get my workout done twice as fast and c.) keep my heart rate elevated constantly.
Triple bonus stars!
This is the workout I planned for myself at the gym today. Each sub-circuit contains an arm exercise, a core exercise and a leg exercise!
You will need:
- Mid-height Boxes (*if you can’t get your hands on some boxes to jump on, substitute steps/stairs or just jump-rope in place!)
- Swiss Ball
- Med Ball (or 10 lb. weight)
- Dumbbells for arm exercises
Minor Details:
1. Box Jumps are great cardio and leg exercises. However after you jump and stick your landing, just step down. No need to jump off and wreck your knees!
2. Alternating lunges can be made more challenging by holding 10 lb. dumbbells in your hands by your sides
3. If 1-minute plank is a piece of cake for your hardcore self, modify the exercise by raising one leg at a time 6-inches (slowwwwly)
4. This is a SUPER-SET workout: You complete three rounds of each circuit before moving onto the next. Go through the first three exercises, repeat two more times. Then move onto the next set of three. Confused? As long as you get in 3-sets of every exercise on the chart, you got the basic point ;)
Circuits like these that pump up your heart rate and challenge large muscle groups also super-charge your metabolism. Which is great this time of year especially with all the special parties and festivities :))
Roommate Date Night before winter break! <3
And as I promised, the next installment of my marathon playlist. The Big Race is just ONE MONTH AND ONE DAY AWAY! It’s getting real… I bring you “On Your Side” by SafetySuit.
I like the fact that it’s over 6 minutes long, meaning I will cover about .723(-ish) miles in its duration. “There’s gonna be times…when the streets are cold and the world is empty.” “You could be somebody, you just need the chance to prove it.” “I’m gonna knock off every demon that lands on your shoulder.” “Beginning to the end, you know.”
I just think it’s a sweet message for when those inevitable WALLS come up during miles 17-24. :)
Let me know if you try the workout!
Holiday Treats: Naughty and Nice List
Merry Christmas! I hope you and your family are enjoying this Christmas Eve. We woke up to rain & I look forward to an afternoon of coffee and movies, hoping it clears up long enough to go on a nice long walk :)
Our old Christmas tradition was to open all of our presents on Christmas Eve night, saving only Santa’s gifts for Christmas morning. Christmas Eve Day would seem to drag on as I eyed the presents wrapped under the tree, waiting until nighttime when we would finally sit down to unwrap them all. Now we’ve decided to wait until Christmas morning, but tonight we are turning our kitchen into a pizzeria and creating three unconventional pizzas! (Mine is BBQ pulled pork & sweet potato!)
There’s a lot of extra sweets and treats around the house this time of year….the See’s candy box your boss gave you; the cookies your neighbors brought over; the package of Peppermint Bark you had to buy because it’s limited seasonably. Of course at a time of celebration is natural to think “I can take a day off from dieting to celebrate the holidays.” There’s no problem with that! But do you really want to dig yourself into a 4000+ calorie hole that you will have to pay for at the gym next week? Some sweets are ‘nicer’ than others, so be picky when choosing what to put on your plate!
But calories aside, enjoy your family and the holidays! Take a post-dinner walk, dance to some Christmas tunes, or if you’re lucky enough to be having a white Christmas, have a snow ball fight for me!
