This post has a little bit of everything.

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

I’ve been up since 4am. Involuntarily.

I thought I’d be able to sleep in a bit since I had a LONG day yesterday. Here’s what my Sunday looked like:

6 am wakeup when dog started fidgeting and crying. Butt problems again, you know how it is. And obviously it would be a Sunday because that’s the one day my vet is closed so of course I had to go to the ER clinic and spend even more money on a routine procedure.

I’m sick of spending money on a routine anal expression, so I had the vet teach me how to do it. Luckily, my dog is totally comfortable with fingers up her butt because I REALLY practiced.

Baked these brownies. I honestly had a little too much fun making them. And that’s probably why the scale registered a slightly higher number this morning.

Put Christmas away. 😦
Ran 32 minutes of intervals at the gym (didn’t want to do strength because TODAY is the first day of Best Body Bootcamp! And now that it’s Monday, I can tell you that I already did the day 1 workout. They consisted of pretty easy moves, except they were slow and controlled rep counts. I’ll let you know how THAT feels tomorrow). Oh, and the dog joined in on every move.

Made chicken salad sandwiches for dinner. Best part: it was on a Whole Wheat Farmers Loaf from Cobs Bread. Yummo.

And then I did a ton of other boring little things that don’t deserve a bullet point. The end.

Did you see my post from yesterday though about the special Pv.Body 30 Day challenge? You should check it out. *I* can save *you* 20% on awesome fitness gear. *You* with then thank *me*. Plus, if you sign up, you can join the challenge and win some sweet prizes.

Did you watch the premiere of Buck Wild last week? Because I did. What did I take away from that show? A ‘Holler’ is a place where you can holler to any and all of your neighbors and they’ll hear you. (a little red-necky if you ask me) Also, this song- LOVE IT.

I have also taken to this song as of late:

I always try to sound like her when I sing it. In my head, I’m spot on. In other people’s heads, I sound like a chicken.

Did you know that my wedding in is 6 months from yesterday? Also, my birthday is in 6 months from today. TO RECAP: The first week in July will be EPIC. My favorite holiday (4th of July, my wedding, AND my birthday within four days. Excitement cannot be contained.)

Did you also know that I’m going back to the States this Sunday?

(Source)

So far, my dance card is pretty empty, so get your requests in if you want to be graced by my presence (assuming I somewhat know you and you are in the Upstate NY area. I’m talking to you, silent high school classmate readers. Actually no, not you. But you will find my mother and I sitting at the bar at the 99 in the mall at some point in the next two weeks. Or me at the Y. One of the two.)

If you just did some math from the above paragraph, you will have concluded that today is my half birthday. Woo hoo 26.5!

I have decided to drive out to Banff on Wednesday. I will be on the lookout for bears, wolves, and moose. I might also buy some fudge, Lululemon, and a Canada sweatshirt while I’m there. (Haha, I totally just typo-ed it to read sweatshit)

(Source)

Looking for a new deal site to add to your daily email? Honest to God, Rue LaLa is like my favorite site for deals- they have EVERYTHING. Sorry, Canada, they don’t deliver to you, so I suggest to chum up to an American friend or you set up a PO Box in your closest American town. Check that site out, yo.

Or you can check out Zulily. They ship to Canada. Pretty sweet.

Tell me something you did yesterday. Or Today. Or will do this week.

Observations, Pvbody update and a Workout

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Observations at the gym

Wear shoes with laces. Keds never have been and never will be acceptable at appropriate gym attire.
Same goes with tank tops for guys. Especially if I can see your nipples.
Please don’t wear perfume/cologne. I don’t want to be on the bike and you walk by reeking of Abercrombie. But DO please wear deodorant. THAT can be scented.
The cardio and weight floor should not be immediately next to the cafe. Especially when smells of coffee and cookies are present.
Teen night is stupid. It allows teens to congregate around machines I need to use. And they’re probably infecting the machines (and each other)
There should be an appropriate distance between each individual in the stretch area. I do not need you to do squat holds 6 inches away from where I am doing core work. Especially if you have gas, which you probably do.
Please control your toddlers in the locker room. Also, you don’t get free reign in there just because you came in with babies.
Speaking of babies. I think going to the gym during normal business hours is really good birth control. I cringe when I see a room full of those brats in their Spiderman outfits with dirty hands and a screechy laugh.
NO SNACKS!
I can see you when you flex in the mirror.

Perhaps those aren’t observations, but more like what annoys me. Anyhoo….

Now back to pv.body (yes, I’m pimping it again)

They started the new year with a 30 day challenge- and you can take part! Hint: THERE ARE PRIZES INVOLVED!

The pv.body 30 day challenge provides you with your own personal dietitian and trainer to help you meet your fitness and health goals. Everyday, our pv.body babes will be given a new challenge that they can share with friends! Challenges include workouts, recipes, meal plans, group activities and more!

You can update your progress through Pins, Tweets or Instagrams by using the hashtag: #pv30daychallenge

(In case you haven’t heard of pv.body yet- and I don’t know how you haven’t since it’s all over the blogging world- they are a monthly subscription service that send you one athletic/workout top and bottom each month. The best part is that they are high end quality brands that retail for significantly more than what you pay for the subscription- only $49! BUT, you can get 20% off that price if you sign up through me!)

Here’s how to take advantage:

1. Sign up here through my link and receive 20% off: 20% off through Nutcaseinpoint

2. Take the pv.body 30 Day Challenge here to kick start your New Year resolutions and receive tons of fun prizes: Challenge

(IMPORTANT: Please note that you will not receive the discount though the ‘Challenge’ link; you have to sign up through my link above to receive the 20% off.)

Not only am I going to write about what bugs me at the gym AND provide you with a sweet hookup for some awesome activewear and prizes, but I am also going to leave you with a sweet workout!

WORKOUT

Cardio: your choice. Incorporate INTERVALS. >It’s only for 20 minutes< Go at a moderate intensity with rest periods, then shorten the rest periods and increase the intensity. Before you know it, you’ll be huffing and puffing, but you’ll be DONE.

Strength: Lately I have been concentrating my strength workouts to specific areas (upper body, lower body, core), but this workout will be a total body one. You’re welcome.

Single Leg deadlift (using body bar)
Standing hamstring extension (same leg)
Single Leg deadlift with overhead press and hamstring extension (building on the original moves)
Bosu ball weighted squats (I do these for the length of a song- incorporating different counts to change up the effectiveness of the move. For example: 4 count on the way down, 1 up; 8 count down and up, 2 count each way, etc…)

Go through set with other leg

Stability ball concentration curls (10) and half curls (to fatigue)
Overhead presses
Tricep Kickbacks
Arnold Presses

Go through set again with curls done on other arm

Plank up-downs with toes on bosu ball
Side plank hip dips
Single Arm over head press and reach with side knee crunch

Done 3 x thru

Phew! All this fitness talk makes me want to go to the gym now! 😉

A (good) day

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

No hangover today. (Good)
Bacon and eggs today. (Good)
Rest today. (Good)

As you can see, I danced well into the morning. And have been pretty dead since.

No complaints here!

A little more rest, (good)
An at-home workout, (good)
A soak in the tub, (good)
And my day seems to have turned out…good!

A Tabata workout

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

Many of you probably won’t read this until the new year (totally fine by me). Here’s a great workout I did the other day that really kicked my butt. Hint: It incorporates a mat, stability ball, weights, gliders, and TRX bands.

The entier workout was done tabata-style (20 seconds of WORK, 10 seconds of REST, repeated 8 times for a total of 4 minutes. In each of the tabatas, I alternated between the coupling of moves (i.e.: 1st round pushups, 2nd round tricep extensions, 3rd round pushups….etc.)

Round 1

jump squats
TRX jump squats

Round 2

TRX tricep extensions
Pushups

Round 3

Stability ball jackknife
TRX plank crunch

Round 4

Plank jacks
TRX bicep curl

Round 5

Reverse glide lunge L
Weighted Lunge Pulse L

Round 6

V raise
Stability ball rollout

Round 7

Reverse glide lunge R
Weighted Lunge Pulse R

Round 8

Single Arm Overhead Reach Press L
Single Arm Overhead Reach Press R

Yesterday’s workout consisted of a 48 minute interval run. I repeated a set that looked like this:

1 min run
1 min walk
2 min run
1 min walk
2 min run

With each set, I would shorten the ‘rest’ (or walk) time.

I also do sets of single leg dead lefts and arnold presses.

Today’s workout was a 30 minute spin at the gym followed by a walk with the dog and some full body moves with the TRX bands.

I guess I’m ready to put on a sparkly shirt and celebrate NYE.

I have noticed in the blog world that just about everyone is posting things about their 2012 and goals for 2013. If you read my blog, you pretty much already know what happened in 2012.

Quit my job in Boston
Flew to Florida for 10 days
Drove from Boston to Calgary
Moved in with boy
Engaged to said boy
Submit application for Permanent Residency
Do nothing
Bake
Eat
Workout
Sleep
Walk Dog
Volunteer at YMCA
Visit NY/Boston
Stop volunteering at YMCA

The end. Totally not as exciting as others.

Hmmm, what else is there to say?

– I made chewy chocolate chip bars that are THEBOMB.COM—-> so tasty.

– I started a new book called An Embarrassment of Mangoes. So far so good.

– I go home in 13 days!!!!!!!

– I tried growing out my eyebrows, but couldn’t take it after about a month. P.S: Do the girls on Survivor get to shave? I mean….they ARE all wearing bikinis all the time….just a thought.

That is all. See ya next year.

I’m back

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Jen @nutcaseinpoint

I honestly just haven’t felt like blogging lately. Mostly because my posts would probably sound like every other blogger’s posts about winter or Christmas or presents or favorites from 2012, etc…but then when you take those topics out of the equation, I really have nothing to write about. Therein lies the dilemma.

If you follow me on Instagram, you pretty much get the idea of how life has been as of late. Lots of yummy eats, and even more adult beverages. In some sort of brief recap:

December 21st– We went to The Keg. Insert the best filet mignon meal ever. And a martini, of course.

December 22nd– Lunch at Smashburger

Christmas Eve- made pork tenderloin with broccoli, balsamic mushrooms, and 7 grain rice. And double chocolate cookies 😉

Christmas Day- Cinnamon Buns for breakfast. Ham, creamed corn, glazed carrots, and twice baked potatoes for dinner.

December 29th– Eggs Benny for breakfast. Homemade pizza for dins.

Ok, food pictures are over. Onto workout stuff.

Tyler got me some pretty effin sweet gifts this Christmas. Two of my ‘biggies’ were fitness related. TRX and a Nike+ Fuelband!

Tyler actually completely dumped my computer for me (so that it would run faster) and he downloaded the new software. It runs SO MUCH FASTER. Once that was done, I set up my Nike+ profile and slapped on the FuelBand right away to see how it worked. And I totally love it! It tracks my active time, distance, calories, and the Fuel I have earned for the day. So awesome.

And I broke out the TRX bands the other day to incorporate a pretty sweet full-body tabata workout. (I’ll post that workout soon!)

I signed up for Round 4 of Best Body Bootcamp! The sign up deadline is tomorrow and Bootcamp starts January 7th for 8 weeks (and it’s only $25!)

Layla tried to take part in all my at-home workouts.

I also got to the gym quite a few times for cardio sessions (spin/run)

And on a final note, Tyler booked my trip home! I leave for NY on January 13th for a couple weeks, and I’m super excited!

Ok wait, one more final note: Check out pv.body (if you haven’t already).

It’s the monthly mail subscription that assesses your fitness apparel likes and sends you one top and one bottom each month. They’re top name brands, and they generally retail for considerably more than what you pay for the subscription! If you sign up through me, via this link, you get 20% of the normal purchase price of $49. And you’re locked in at that price. I suggest you check it out… I have gotten a few of the boxes already and love the clothing! (Free returns.exchanges, too!)