Monthly Archives: March 2013

Best Banana Bread

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Well, hello there. I hope this Hump Day is treating you all well. I am currently typing this in my pajamas (typical), on the couch, watching trashy day-time TV with the dog cuddled up next to me. Don’t shoot me out of jealousy just yet, I am also on the hunt for a job and predict that I will be miserable, in pants, and behind a desk in the near future.

Just thought I’d pop in real quick to share some random bits with you. Shall we get started?

  • I made the TASTIEST banana bread yesterday (I forgot to allocate for the altitude and therefore it did not cook enough for me, but I crumbled it up and stored it in an air-tight container for future dessert and snacking use). I still thought I HAD to share the recipe, because it really can’t be passed up (I know, I know, how many recipes for banana bread do you see on the internet? The answer: LOTS)

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Here’s What you Need:

  • 2 c almond flour
  • 1 T cinnamon
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c coconut milk
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1/4 c agave
  • 2 ripe bananas (mashed)

Here’s What you Do:

  1. In a bowl, combine the almond flour, cinnamon, and soda. Set aside.
  2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the coconut milk, vanilla, agave and bananas. Stir until incorporated.
  3. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture.
  4. Pour in a prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

You can totally mess up and not let it fully cool like I did then have banana bread bits to toss in your yogurt for later!

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  • The strength portion of my workout yesterday was a Deck of Cards workout. I wrote up my entire week’s workout plan earlier this week, but I didn’t specifically designate which exercises I would do for this specific workout. Knowing that I wanted to target, ummm, my WHOLE body, I came up with these moves:
    • ♥= Jump Squats
    • ♦= Pushups
    • ♣= Side plank hip dips (each side)
    • ♠= Weighted donkey kicks (each side)

Video Demonstrations can be found here: Jump Squats, Side plank Hip dips, Weighted donkey kicks

  • This is one of my favorite new songs right now. I kept hearing it in the car and tried Shazaam-ing it, but Shazaam doesn’t recognize it. I did the grunt work and found it the old fashioned way (google), and here ya go:
  • (Ok, apparently, the video doesn’t want to appear, so here’s a link: http://youtu.be/gAwj-EuZc2w)
  • WARNING: I am not PROMOTING the following. I am simply allowing you to use my link to get 20% off if you are interested. OK?!

ellie-active-vixen

Ellie, the new monthly subscription program for athletic wear, has just released their March 2013 items and they are part of the LBD Collection. C’mon ladies, (sorry, gents- it’s women’s althetic wear only) we all love wearing black…it’s SLIMMING. And HOT. Anyhoo..check out THIS LINK (you will only get the 20% off if you go to their site through the link OR by clicking on the banner on the right-hand side of my blog page.

K, that’s all. For now..

Thoughts While Working Out: March 5, 2013

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Thoughts While Working Out: March 5, 2013

  1. Do I waddle when I walk? People always stare at me when I first walk in the gym.
  2. OMG they NEED to put a curtain or something around the scale in the locker room. Naked lady overload.
  3. Why must the women suffer by having to walk through all the snow/sludge/wet spots since the locker room is downstairs and the mens locker room AND gym floor are upstairs? #sexist
  4. I think I’ll do 10 minutes spin THEN row THEN run.
  5. I am already sore from the deck of cards workout I just did at home. I hope I can get through 30 minutes of cardio.
  6. Oh Shit. Do we have BBQ sauce to go with our dinner tonight? I think I’ll risk it- I don’t want to go back to the store.
  7. Baggy crotch on the bike. How annoying.
  8. The Following is a pretty good show.
  9. Jax Teller.
  10. Did I seriously record that TLC show Myrtle Manor? Yes, yes I did,
  11. I kind of want to drink tonight. I can because I’m unemployed and I might as well enjoy this time off while I have it. But people will judge me. If I tweet something about it, I know at least one person out there is going to sigh and think “ugh, what a lucky alcoholic”- actually, that’s a compliment(?)
  12. I miss my friends. How have I been here an entire year and still not made friends like those I have back home?
  13. I hope guys don’t want to watch me wiping down each machine I use because that’s pretty perverted- especially when I’m cleaning the handlebars.
  14. GUY IN SPANDEX SHORTS!!! AHHHHHHH OLD GUY IN SPANDEX SHORTS
  15. I hope I get a job soon.
  16. Camel toe when using the row machine.
  17. Why does 10 minutes on the row machine feel longer than 10 minutes on the bike? Physics? Probably not.
  18. I’m pretty excited to go to Costco this weekend. Debating whether or not to buy the economy pack of their version of cookie butter. I mean, there is some serious baking potential with that stuff.
  19. Isn’t eating paleo a little more calorie-dense? Almond and coconut flour..
  20. Oh, it’s Tuesday? I thought it was totally Wednesday.
  21. I think this couple walking the indoor track is taking approximately 47 seconds per lap. Crap, Jen, don’t think about that! It’ll make the 10 minutes go by even slower.
  22. Do I look jacked using the row machine? Probably not.
  23. The guy on the treadmill in front of me was totally next to me on the treadmills yesterday. And he had GAS.
  24. Speaking of foul smells, is my dog here or something? I think I swallowed someone’s burp-air or something.
  25. Should I run the entire 10 minutes or do sprint intervals? Hmmmm…..
  26. I hope I have a text message or something on my phone when I’m done. I am way too dependent on social media though.
  27. WHY DO WE HAVE A DIFFERENT MAIL PERSON EVERYDAY??? Inconsistency at its finest.
  28. People must think I have a circulation problem. (I removed my navy nail polish this morning, but the essence of blue is still on my nails)
  29. I’mg glad I planned out my workouts for this week. It totally helps bridge the gap until the next round of Best Body Bootcamp.
  30. Haha, Lisa Vanderpump’s dog name is Jiggy.
  31. Hey, this run is way easier than I thought it was going to be today. But my glutes are tight!
  32. “Shine bright like a diamond……..”
  33. Phew. Glad I ordered the wedding invitations today. They look so pretty. I wonder how many people will actually come. Ugh I hope I still fit into my dress. I hope people have fun.
  34. How many calories did I burn?
  35. That guy looks constipated carrying those weights.
  36. Phew! Done!

So I had about 36 thoughts during a 30 minute cardio session. 36 thoughts that I can SHARE. Bwahaha

Weekly Workouts and Such

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You know what I haven’t done in a while? Post about my workouts. So…let’s see what I’ve been up to in the fitness department lately..

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  • Sunday (2/24): 40 minutes of spin followed by lower body work
  • Monday (2/25): Workout A from BBB followed by 30 minutes of spin
  • Tuesday (2/26): Intervals run for 50 minutes
  • Wednesday (2/27): TRX/cardio circuit workout at home
  • Thursday (2/28): 30 minutes spin and 10 minutes row
  • Friday (3/1): Upper body/core circuits and 30 minute run
  • Saturday (3/2): Active rest day! Walk all over the Home & Garden Expo then throughout downtown Calgary

It was the last week of Best Body Bootcamp, but for some reason, I wasn’t really into it last week. But I did make sure to incorporate a big enough mix of strength and cardio through a variety of ways (machines, body weight, intervals, steady state, etc.)

On tap for this week…

  • Sunday (3/3): Full Body Circuits and 30 minutes spin
  • Monday (3/4): Lower Body & Core Circuit and 30 minute run
  • Tuesday (3/5): Deck of Cards workout and 10-10-10 cardio
  • Wednesday (3/6): TRX circuits and 40 minutes spin
  • Thursday (3/7): 50 minute run
  • Friday (3/8): Upper Body Circuits, 10-10-10 cardio
  • Saturday (3/9): Active Rest or an old BBB workout

In other news, here are some foods that I’ve made/ate lately (recipes may have been altered based on either what I already had on hand or modified to make slightly healthier)

Southwest Chicken Chop Salad

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Slutty Brownies (I subbed mini marshmallows for the Oreos)

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Clean(er) Butter Chicken

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Not-so-Green Smoothie

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  • Spinach
  • Almond Milk
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Ice

Apple-Brie Burger from James Joyce (Minus the bun)

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And for the sake of rounding out this post with some pictures of my dog…here ya go. 

…Playing in the foot of snow that was dumped on us yesterday

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Fx4

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Thought I’d talk a little bit today about my Food, Fitness and Fashion favorites as of late. 

FOOD

–Protein, obviously. I think I need to scale it back a bit because I have been experiencing some digestive issues, but that’s a whole other discussion.

-Fruit. I can’t get enough berries in my everyday eats. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and grapefruits have been my favorites. Especially when I can get a ton of the berries from Costco on the cheap. And- these suckers:

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Specifically the Sundia brand not only because they have consistent quality, but because they also come with a collapsable spork!

-Red Peppers. Raw. So sweet, and they go with everything.

Fashion

Haha, well that’s kind of a joke. I haven’t bought new clothes in ages because I don’t really wear clothes. Let me rephrase: I don’t really wear real clothes. I tend to stick with workout clothes and bangaround jammies. I guess I can still tell you things I’ve been eyeing lately.

-Colored jeans.

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Dude, I have been searching high and low for pairs of colored jeans that not only FIT right, but also FIT my budget. The ones I have come across so far that are within my budget are so ill-fitting it’s ridiculous. I am not the only almost-6-foot lady with hips and a butt. C’mon retailers!

-Big watches.

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Yeah, I managed to snag one from Target when I was home in January!

–Essie nail polish. 

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Of course, this brand comes with a slightly higher price tag than most others, but it is completely worth it! The polish doesn’t bubble or stay tacky for long and it perfectly coats each nail. And they have tons of colors. And I need more….

–Moroccanoil. 

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Just a TINY drop combed through hair after washing, and it gives you silky, smooth, rich-smelling hair. I have gone through TONS of different products over the years, and this is BY FAR the best I’ve come across that helps manage my frizzy nasty head of hair.

FITNESS

Let’s be serious, I could post 203597203957203957209 things regarding fitness that I love. I mean, it’s pretty much my life. But, for the sake of you actually reading this post, I will limit my recent favorites to just a few.

–TRX.

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It can be incorporated in just about EVERY type of workout. I use it to change up my regular strength moves, AND I get some cardio in when introducing plyometrics, the bands, and my own body weight. It’s pretty fantastic. And if you haven’t heard of DOMS, you will know it after doing TRX.

–Gliding Discs.

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Similar to how I use my TRX bands, I use these discs to change up my regular strength moves. I could do lunges till the cows come home, but use a disc- and I will reach fatigue much faster (because I have to use more muscle strength to slide the disc to its destination and back to its starting position. Sure, you can use paper plates, but these are sturdy. I even threw them in my suitcase for my last trip home because they took up no space!

–Best Body Bootcamp.

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Yup, I’ve been linking to this for ages now- because I really love it. Tina outlines every workout- giving modifications and substitutions. Round 5 sign up starts soon, so take a look! It’s only $25 for 8 weeks of workouts- and there are cash prizes and a great online community and support system throughout the process.

-Running Shoes. I have been really going back and forth as to which running shoes will be my next purchase. I have heard some great things about Mizuno (and it’s coming from distance runners! If they like the shoe for 20+ miles, I’m betting I’ll like them for my 4 mile runs.)

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I’ve narrowed it down to the Wave Rider 16s (on the left) and the Elixir 8s (on the right). Help!- not just for the color choice, but for the comfort/durability/etc. of each shoe.

 

That’s all for now!

Tell me: What are your recent favorites in fashion, fitness or food??