Can You Do It?

Good Morning Folks!

Lets get right in to it and talk about some real honest to goodness exercise! Its early in the morning.. were all trying to wake up so what better way than to start a conversation about waking your body up naturally!

Every morning when I am trying desperately to get myself out of bed I realize that the time I truly wake up (after hitting snooze 7 times) is when I stretch. I lay in bed and reach way up and elongate my whole body and it feels amazing.. I can usually be caught stretching at my desk a lot too while at work because sitting at a computer can do terrible things to your back!

I woke up this morning being pretty much sore all over because yesterday I got to lead the work out for the team of girls that comprise Team Drew. Team Drew is the name that the group of people I work out with almost every day because it started by our friend Drew who is a fitness fanatic recruiting people that he thought could handle his work outs. These things are serious.. its hill sprint work, thousands of jumping jacks, cardio lifting circuits, resistance training, etc.. I have gone from being able to hardly do one sit up, to doing 200 ab exercises holding a 25 pound plate in 1.5 years. I also get to make up the routines once or twice a week because Drew has to work..and that day was yesterday : )

I only had an hour before I had to go face the grade on my accounting midterm last night (I got a B! WOOO) and so I decided I had to make this short time worth my while! I also decided to write this here because its way to much to write in my routines section. So here is what the routine looked like.. Try it out! and tell me how you did!

- Warm up (Small indoor track ab 1/10 of a mile around.. with a taped ladder at the half way point)
5 sprint laps with quick feet thru the ladder

Legs Circuit (Count for everything is 3 sets of 15- increasing weight every time)
- calf press
- leg press
- leg curls
- inverted leg curls
-jump rope
- chair squat hold
- weighted squat press (24 Pound Plate)
- squat kicks alternating legs

This was a cardio circuit also so there was no more than 20 seconds rest in between each set and each exercise

Then cardio time...

3 times around the track for each:

- Butt Kicks
- High Knees
- Grape Vines Left
-Grape Vines Right
-  Squat shuffles Left
- Squat shuffles Right

Cardio Ab Circuit

I love when cardio and lifting routines come together so that you can get resistance but also keep your heart rate up.. We were all sweating like crazy and everyone felt pretty good afterwards. Sometimes it just feels good to get short bursts of exercise as opposed to mindlessly running or doing the elliptical.

What are some of your favorite lifting/ cardio routines?

Marilyn Monroe Exhibit and Hilarious Pumpkins

Good Morning everyone!

This weekend was amazing! Filled with friends, cooking and excited Pittsburgh inspired adventures for every Yinzer to enjoy! (If you are reading this and are not actually from Pittsburgh .. a "Yinzer" is a name for someone who personifies every ridiculous Pittsburgh stereotype.. this might include:)

- Have a Pittsburgh Steelers inspired Christmas Tree
- Sitting in the same chair for every steelers game with the same beer soaked terrible towel because one time 20 years ago when you sat in that chair with that towel.. the Steelers had a miraculous victory
- Using words like "yinz= you guys" or "dahn-tahn = downtown"
- Perhaps calling people F'ing Jagg offs

All characteristics of the Yinzer.. but I digress this weekend I got to see the classier side of Pittsburgh by going down to the North Shore with some good friends to the Andy Warhol museum. My friends and I stopped at Atrias on the way and sat down to a nice dinner where we shared a bottle of wine and dinner. I had a delicious Hawaiian chicken dish with island rice, grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. Although the portions were huge and I was sad that I couldn't take leftovers because I didn't want to carry them around all night. After we were done we all laughing and sharing funny stories we headed to the museum!

Usually I am not a fan of Andy Warhol but this exhibit was special because it was inspired by Marilyn Monroe! We walked in to a big party filled with artsy types and families..and even tables of popcorn and candy since Andy inspired "pop art"..

It was really fun to walk around all the levels and see all the art that she had inspired. While some of it was rather risque it was nice to see a woman glorified who wasn't a size 2. Marilyn Monroe was considered one of the most beautiful people in all history and she was a size10-12. Remember that ladies next time you re down on yourself for having to buy a size 8. I know its hard to realize sometimes and I struggle with it all the time too .. but its about health and strength .. not about jean size.. Marilyn is proof!



Me attempting to be as cute as Marilyn : ) Did I succeed?

There was even an opportunity to do some silk screens..

I chose James Dean


The next day was our long awaited Harvest Fest for my friends and I. It was a day to watch Halloween movies, eat good homemade food and carve pumpkins!

We sat down to eat some delicious home made food. There was a delicious chicken Marsala, salad full of greens and veggies, pumpkin bread and acorn squash.



I was the one responsible for the pumpkin bread and pie

 We even managed to have some pumpkin inspired drinks with apple cider and pumpkin beer :  )

We ate dinner and watched Hocus Pocus and the Charlie Brown Halloween special. Both absolute Halloween classics and then we got to carving up our pumpkin ideas!

Mine is quite the doozy because I decided to carve Big Ben walking into a women's bathroom at a club. If you have heard about his recent indiscretions in the newspapers then you understand that there is nothing that  could be scarier!

As an after carving treat I took the seeds and baked them so we could have some roasted pumpkin seeds for afterwards. I was shocked to find out that my friends had never had them before! I guess maybe it was only something my family did? Maybe it meant less clean up haha Never made them before? Here's how!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- rinse off pumpkin seeds and remove all pulp
- spray baking sheet and put down a thin layer of seeds
- sprinkle with a good amount of salt, pepper and garlic salt
- baked for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and enjoy!

So what Halloween traditions do you guys have? Do you have any special recipes?