Hi all! How was your weekend?! Mine was pretty darn good actually.. nothing crazy, but a little relaxing, a little working out and a whole lotta football! I’ve been a football fan since.. literally as long as I can remember. I grew up watching football with my dad, and growing up in Seattle, that meant spending a lot of time watching the Seahawks loose. So you can imagine how much I LOVED watching the game this weekend.. and it was made even better by the fact that the ridiculous badass run was made by a fellow Cal Bear. And of course, the Raven’s kicking butt today, and Aaron Rodgers (another Cal Bear) finally getting a playoff win, really capped it off! .. but moving on to regular blog news 
Rollercoaster Blogging
I’ve been quite PC on the blog, especially the 2nd half of the year. I’m always honest here, but I guess I just leave things out sometimes; things that could be controversial or not particularly kind, or that don’t fit the ‘I love everything!’ train of thought. It’s one of the reasons I wasn’t posting much for a while. As I referred to in the post ‘A Year of Lessons’.. 2010 was a rough one. So I subscribed to the blog version of the motto, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Except for in the blog version, it’s been, if you can’t say something, positive, motivating and encouraging, then don’t say anything at all.”
But not long ago, I had a great conversation with a fitness friend, who picked up on the fact that when I’m not bloggin, it often (not always) means that things are going fantastic. And she also reminded me that it isn’t just sunshine and rainbows that people want, but instead they want upfront honesty. That perfect and always happy is boring, and frankly it’s not realistic. I guess it’s the A-type, perfectionist side of me coming out.
When I first started blogging it was pretty fitness & competition-prep diet specific. But as it should, life, and therefore the blog evolved. It can be pretty daunting to be so open, honest and personal in a public setting, but at the same time it’s so rewarding and cathartic, and just pretty much awesome. 
So I guess that’s my long way of saying that one of my goals this year, is to be more consistent with blogging no matter what.. that sounds so dramatic.. but you know what I mean.. blogging regardless of whether or not I feel guilty for missing workouts, or have lost a little motivation.. but to just be more open about all aspects of the process.. cause it sure is a roller coaster!
FITNESS
Pretty decent workouts this weekend. I’m still struggling to get back into respectable cardio shape. Usually once I get into a routine with it, and my cardio starts to improve, the time seems to go by faster and it’s not quite as boring.. unfortunately I’m far from that point right now! My answer for the time being is to do as many classes (my faves are Spin and Kickboxing) so I can at least keep it interesting.
Do you guys have any suggestions for getting into a pattern with morning workouts? I’m not a morning person, and really need to give myself extra time to slowly wake up, and enjoy a slow breakfast (while drinking coffee and reading blogs of course), in order to feel ready and energetic to start my day (haha, ‘slow’ showed up a couple times in that description). It is completely reasonable to get up at 5am to get my workout in before work.. I know so many people who do.. but I really struggle to make it happen. Help! Any tips or tricks?
NUTRITION
Slow & Steady
In a slow cooker that is! I have been all about the slow cooker lately. You know I’m a huge proponent of weekend food prep. I make meals in big batches then pre-portion into tupperware, so all I have to do is grab & combine when I’m running out the door in the morning. Here are two CRAZY SIMPLE slow cooker recipes I’ve made this week, that cut down on those epic cooking sessions:
Vanilla Cinnamon Steelcut Oats
4 c H20
1 1/4 c Steelcut Oats (I used Coach’s)
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Vanilla Bean
It all goes into the slow cooker, give it a little stir, set on low, and go to sleep.. well that’s what I did.. but 6-8 hours should do it.
Salsa Chicken
Chicken Breast, cleaned & trimmed (amount depends on the size of your slow cooker.. so whatever amount can fit spread out on the bottom)
16 oz Salsa (pick a fun flavor!)
Lay chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour Salsa on top. Set slow cooker on low for ~4 hours.
I think I originally saw the Chicken “recipe” (quotes because it’s so darn easy!) on Janetha’s blog at somepoint. I use to be so intimidated by the device, but you really can just throw anything in there and let it do its thing!
Hope your week starts off wonderfully!
Fun Links
Hi there – haven’t commented in a while, shame on me! It’s funny – I’m reading this post at 6am, right before MY morning workout. I’ve been doing the morning thing for years now, but I used to be terrible with mornings. Like, dead-to-the-world grump fest. What made mornings work for me is to get up early enough so that I have enough time to have a cup of tea or coffee before hitting the gym. Just this morning, I got up at 5:30am, made some tea, set up the computer at the kitchen counter, and drank my tea while checking emails and , as you can see, catching up on blogs / Twitter. It’s a little ritual that I cherish. But now, I better bounce – the gym opens soon and I’ve got some kettlebells and vipr tubes to reckon with this morning.
Hey girl I am so happy to hear that you’re feeling better with everything…amazing what a job can do for one’s outlook, huh!
But seriously, life is not always a bowl of rainbows and cherries and to blog honestly, is to keep it real. And I am all about keepin it real. Feel free to share with everyone what you’re going thru. The posts i hesitate on, those are the posts that resonate the strongest it seems w/ readers and that go over the best…so just share and we all love ya!
I love averie’s comment. Its all about keepin it real. Which you are. I love the slow cooker recipes. Its all about the flavor and easy prep!
Any fun spin classes in the evenings or at lunch? Thats the best form of cardio to get back into, for me at least.
Hey, I agree that readers want to see the challenges as well as the easy times!
I find my whole day goes best if I get my training in first thing after breakfast. My work hours are flexible so I’m lucky in that respect but nevertheless this is what helps me:
layout workout gear the night before so I’m not searching for a bra or socks or whatever
have my gym back packed and ready to go at all times, with gym card, coins for the locker, everything I need
just GO – don’t get sucked into Facebook or checking WordPress stats etc. Set myself a limit of time (however long breakfast needs to digest) then get out that door
Nic
Back in my Ironman days I’d aim to get to the pool by 4am so that I could grab a lane and also get a bike ride or run in before work. Not gonna lie, it takes discipline to get to bed early and it took a bit for me to get used to it. Because I did that for so long the schedule just stuck with me! I now still get up at 330 and am at the gym by 4am.
SO happy to feel you are getting your mojo back and feeling good!
I am SUCH a morning workout person…part of it is mental…I wake up and when I am lying in bed I think about all of the people out there who are up earlier than me working out, or have already completed their workout for the day..it sounds like a corny way to get motivated but it works! I also have my gym clothes RIGHT next to my bed so I get up and put them on still have asleep even before i brush my teeth, that way theyre on and then I have a nice breakfst (not too much because I go to the gym about 20 minutes after) and go!
If I am JUST doing cardio, I can sometimes get away with not eating before I go, but this is a rare occurance, I like to have something!
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
Love love love it.. & think I’m going to borrow! I can’t wait to come to Boston!!.. I’m 90% sure for February
i would lovee to hear more about you! share your fun trips and adventures
i think when i do that too it makes me want to blog more!
vanilla and cinnamon are a match made in heaven. i love the combo so i would love your oats! have you tried the vanilla cinnamon tea from trader joe’s? i think i will go have some now, actually. i think the best part about blogging and blog reading is seeing all aspects of life.. the good and bad. love you, girl!
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
No I haven’t tried that tea! Super sadly they don’t have Trader Joe’s here in Austin.. but I’m that silly, that I “place orders” with my parents up in Seattle.. so I might have to add to the list! Thank you so much for the <3.. muah!
I love the honesty of your blog. It’s more that you write the way I imagine you speak. The blogs out there that portray life as all rainbows and cherries (as someone said) just aren’t real to me.
I made my first batch of steel cut oats in the crockpot this morning. I’m going to use your suggestion of adding an additional 1/4 c of oats just because I don’t like them as soupy as they came out. Anyway, I just started P90X and won’t have any time in the morning for such things as making breakfast or even the computer. I already get up at 4am just to get these workouts in every day. I just can’t bring myself to set the alarm any earlier. I’ll be honest, it takes time and commitment to get to the point where you get used to it. I will warn you though, you will automatically start getting up earlier on the weekends too. Just roll with it and start your day a bit earlier. You quickly become that morning person you once hated. Good luck!
Twitter: NourishedFit
says:
hehe you are so right! I do write just like I talk.. for the good, the bad & the ugly of it
And holy cow.. 4am! I’m a goof though, once I start making small improvements on it being easier to get up early, I don’t want to mess it up by staying up late on the weekend (cause I will sleep till noon the next day, haha).. but I do like it.. makes me feel more productive and I have that ‘seize the day!’ feeling.