Unexpected (but very welcome) Guests

Happy Friday ya'll!

...Oh wait its only Thursday.. That short week last week is all sorts of messing me up! Ok then Happy Thursday! 2 more days until another hot weekend here in SoCal. The past few days we cooled down a bit here which has been heaven sent. I am more ready for Fall than ever. I went to a friends house at the beach on Tuesday night and was able to wear my UGGS and a sweatshirt!!!! It was glorious I tell you! And the little taste of cool weather only made me want it more.

View from my dinner at my friends on Tuesday :)

So something in the blog world happened to me yesterday. Something I was so not prepared for. The oh so famous blogger Skinny Meg mentioned one of my posts "Lunch Break Workout" in her weekly workout posts!!! You guys I was shocked. I was minding my own business just doing my usual morning blog reading loop. And BAM there was MY picture on her page! I was confused for a second because hello that must not be right. I am new to blogging and was so not prepared for the traffic that would bring. Don't get me wrong I was jumping for joy all day! But at the same time it was like OMG I am so not ready for this moment (in a good way)! Like when you move into a new house and haven't gotten to unpack quite yet and ALL of your new neighbors stop by. You weren't expecting guests or else you would have thrown some pictures up on the wall or something! That's how I felt. Since starting the blog I have wanted to make sure that everything on here I was proud of (well except for that awful picture of Zoodles haha!). I didn't want to just post something to fill space. Which is why I haven't quite gotten to write my "About Me" page or spruce up some other things I'd like done. I want this blog to be genuinely ME and no one else. That being said I hope that anyone who stopped by my page was not wondering where the rest of my site was. If you came back today don't fret! It will be up very soon!!! Don't leave me! :) If you want to check the Skinny Meg blog post I am referring to please go check it out here "Workout Wednesday". You should really read her page daily if you don't already. Mama Laughlin and Skinny Meg were some of the first blogs I was reading regularly and they never fail to inspire and entertain!!

In other news I had a great run last night. It was the first time in a while that I have felt loose, not sluggish and not achy the whole time I run. My workouts go back and forth between weight training with heavy weights and running with body weight exercises. So I will go about 2 months doing heavy weights with short cardio warmups (10-20 minutes light jogging) and then for the next 2 months I do a lot of running and body weight training. So right now I am in my running / body weight training phase. More specifically I do one week of only running where the mileage is key. The more the better. Then the next week I will run about 2 miles then do a 30 minute circuit workout (usually at the beach or a local park to keep the scenery nice). I go back and forth between those two each week.

So this week is the mileage week. Ever since my last round of weight training my legs have felt so heavy and well... heavy. That's the best way to describe it. Its like I was lugging around two bricks with me. I'm not sure if the weight training had tightened me up or what but last night was the first night they felt almost back to normal. I know I need to be better at stretching during all phases of my workouts. Maybe that would help the transition from one phase to the next be a little less painful? Does this happen to any of you??

Are you one of the people that are visiting from skinny Megs post? Leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you!

Until Next Time,

xoxo

Katie

Zoodles

Yay we survived Monday! I don't know about you but it was a rough one over here! I am still powering through my very busy week. Juggling and balancing. Squeezing in workouts and quiet time. And yes I may or may not have fallen asleep at church last night because I was so exhausted... Don't judge!

On Sunday I completed the 9/11 Heroes 5k (3.1 miles). It was hot outside but I powered through and managed to get a best time there! This is my 4th time running this course and the PR was only by 10 seconds but considering the heat I was very proud of myself! Before you start thinking I'm some running star let me set you straight.. I AM NOT... (yet)! Running is a serious struggle for me. I spent my whole life watching my Dad run marathons thinking to myself "WHY!?!?". "Why would anyone do that to themselves". "It must be so boring! And painful!". But one day I got the idea in my head that I was going to get out there and try it. And slowly but surely I built up to running 3 miles at a time.

The pride I felt from those runs was bursting over at times. When I would finish with a best time (AKA veryyyyy slow but not as slow as the day before), and my face would be all red and my brain was about to burst out of my head I would be so thrilled! It is the strangest phenomenon but it is all about pushing yourself farther than you thought you would go. People say that it gets easier the more you do it.. Well maybe it has gotten "easier" since I started running a year and a half ago, but it is no where near "easy" for me yet. I still get out there and get the mileage in. It never fails that during the first mile I think to myself  "I am never going to finish today.. my body just isn't made for this".. And as I push on through that and get to the other side of one mile I am usually more in my zone and ready to go! I have done a few local 5ks and hope to soon complete my first 10k (YIKES!). I am thinking maybe on Thanksgiving morning when it is nice and cool I can do a turkey trot 10k? I will keep you posted on which I decide to do though!

Ok on to my recipe which isn't really a recipe!  I have been seeing "zoodles" all over the internet recently and I just HAD to try them. Zoodles are zucchini noodles. I don't normally like zucchini so I really wasn't sure of how this would go.You have to use some sort of tool to create noodle strips out of the zucchini (PS you can use other veggies too like squash!). I took the recommendation from The Paleo Parents and bought this Vegetable Spiralizer to use. Yes I bought a tool I have never even heard of to make a meal I had never even tried from a vegetable that I don't even like. :)  I have heard you can also go the cheaper route and by this julienne peeler. Once you figure out how to use the spiralizer it is super easy! Just cut the ends off of your zucchini, peel the skin off, and run them through the machine to get your noodles.

This is the part that is a recipe but isn't really. It is just so easy i don't think I can justify calling it a "real" recipe. I just went with the most basic way to cook these that I could come up with and I plan on coming up with new "real" recipes once I spend a little more time with these zoodles!

After making my zoodles I squeezed them with a paper towel to get out any extra moisture. Then I heated up a skillet, tossed in some onion, extra virgin olive oil & garlic and tossed the zoodles in that for a few minutes. I sprinkled with salt and pepper and THAT IS IT! It really took only about 5 minutes to saute. I didn't want them too mushy so I pulled them off the heat once they had softened a little but you can cook them to your liking! I was really impressed with myself on how awesome these guys came out! They even were good the next day for left overs. SCORE! :)

I almost wasn't going to post this photo because the quality is so awful but I wanted to show you how noodle-like they really are. You can go onto pinterest and find some prettier pictures I am sure.. And I promise to work on my photo skills!

I hope you try this recipe and love it like I do! Next time I plan to pour marinara sauce over them to have a full on spaghetti like Paleo moment! Oooooh or adding bacon! I.can.not.wait! 

Have you tried zoodles before? Do you have any awesome variations to this? Do you struggle with running like I do?? Tips?? :) 

xoxo 

Katie

Back On Track

Its Monday again!! I'm happy to report that I am back to my Weekly Wishes post! I missed last week because I was enjoying my long weekend way too much to sit down at a computer. But alas... I have returned to my normally scheduled programming :) I had a very full busy weekend and I will talk more about that tomorrow... Today is all about my Weekly Wishes though!

This week is all about balance for me. I have a ton going on right now and very little time to do it. It always seems that everything happens at once right? I can't complain though because they are all awesome things! For example it is Sunday night right now and I am writing this post from here:

This is the very warm SoCal beach at night. I am seriously the luckiest person to have access to this every day. I still can't get over it! 

Ok anyways back to business. This week there is a lot going on and keeping my sanity is a must. Planning is the KEY to making all of it happen without becoming too overwhelmed. I plan to:

1- Schedule my workouts so that I know I have time for them. My health is a priority for me right now so I can't let busyness get in the way of that! Get it in where it fits in! This week is all about the body weight training and logging in some miles running. Im praying it COOLS OFF here this week. I am a grumpy runner in the heat. But a very happy one when it cools down :) 

I always have to remember this one!

2- Reading the bible and alone time with God is a must for me every week. Without it I feel off track, lost, anxious and a whole host of other things. So when my life gets busy I HAVE to make time for this or everything else goes out the window! 

3- I've been experimenting with new recipes each week and I want to keep that going this week! I tried a great dish tonight that I can't wait to share with you this week! I love adding new healthy foods in to my meal rotation. It keeps it fun and I don't get bored with anything! 

4- I really want to spend this week being "present" with people. I am seeing a lot of friends this week and I want to make sure that they have my full attention while I'm with each of them. It's so easy to get caught up in your thoughts or agendas or thinking about the next "to-do" item on your list. But quality time with people is what we are going to remember in the long run. How we were there to support them and love them. How they made time for us and the great conversations we had. So this week I'm going to try to put aside the rush and the worry about getting to bed on time and just enjoy people! I think I really have room to grow in this area. 

How do you keep from getting overwhelmed? Do you have any new fun recipes to share!? 

xoxo 

Katie

3. THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL! You MUST visit the person’s blog who linked up directly before you and leave them a motivating comment. This is such an important part of this linkup! We are each here to encourage each other and build a community of determined women and friends. :) Link up your posts below and spread some encouragement to other participant

Five On Friday

I am so excited its Friday!! Mostly because, well its FRIDAY! But also because its my favorite blogging day of the week! I love doing the Five On Friday link up with Darci at the Good Life Blog! It makes me feel so blessed talking about the happy things around me!

1- Fall is right around the corner!! Can you even believe that? It has been in the high 90's every day here and I cannot wait for some fall breezes to blow on in here! Plus I am starting to see all sorts of fall inspiration outfits popping up on pinterest right now! Must. Go. Shopping! (Take a look at my recent pins to the right and then go follow me!!).

2- I have been loving this new salad dressing recipe I made this week!! Its basically rice vinegar (1/4 cup), honey (2 tablespoons), Dijon mustard (1.5 teaspoons), walnut oil (3/4 cup) and salt (1/4 teaspoon) and black pepper (to taste) blended together well. It turns my salad frown upside down! I honestly have never been so excited to eat a salad in my life! I double the batch so I can use it all week long. Try it!

3- Short work week! Yes I am still enjoying the after effects of the long holiday weekend. This week has flown by and I still maintain my belief that every weekend should be a 3 day weekend! 

4- I am running a small local 5k this weekend that I do every year. It is the 9/11 Heroes Run. Its mission is to unite communities internationally with the goal to never forget the sacrifices of the heroes of September 11th and in the wars since: Veteran, First Responders, Civilians, and Military. They also try to raise awareness and honor the Fallen. I love being a part of such a great cause and getting my workout in at the same time. Heres to hopin' its not 100 degrees while I run!!

5- Audible.Com This app allows you to listen to books on tape. You pay a monthly fee (less than the price of one book) and with that fee you get credit for one free book a month. So basically as long as you are listening to one book a month it pays for itself! I have been getting more than my one book a month because I can listen during the days as I work. It is a great trick for multitasking and getting in the books you want to "read" and just don't have time to get to!

Do you have any apps that you love? How do you get thru hot workouts? Id love to know!!


xoxo
Katie

Peaches & Cream Paleo Smoothie

Happy Thursday!

I have to share this recipe I came up with recently. It has been so hot here the past month and sometimes a protein shake is all I can muster up the energy to make! And this one is easy and oohhhh soooo tasty! You can eat this for breakfast or dinner or dessert... or lunch.. or snack... or just because! It is THAT good! And the best part is that it is so simple!

-Frozen Peaches- about 8 peach slices (so about 1 cup??)

-Coconut Milk -1/2 can*
-Maple Syrup- About 1/2 tablespoon
- Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon)
-Protein powder 1 scoop (optional) **
-Cinnamon to taste (I like a lot)

Then just blend and enjoy! Make sure you put them in the the blender in the same order I have listed above or the consistency won't be the same! I use one of the small cup attachments on my Ninja Kitchen Systems Blender and it works great!

*Coconut milk- Find a brand that does not have guar gum!! Trader Joes has a brand that I love for only .99 cents a can.

**Protein powder- I use this brand of pea protein. It has no wheat or soy or any other artificial junk in it. I got it at Whole Foods but I know you can buy online too if you don't live near a Whole Foods.

I hope you enjoy this summer treat!! How do you stay cool in the summer time? Do you have any secret shake recipes you want to share with me?!? :) 

Lunch break sweat & Work Out Wednesday {WOW} Linkup!

I am soooo thrilled to be a part of Skinny {Preg} Megs weekly workout link up! She is one of the first blogs I started reading regularly and I love her positive outlook and hilarious spin on things! 

Today I wanted to talk about fitting in quick workouts during your work day. I have some great tips and fast workouts that will get your heart rate going and the calories burning fast!

If you get a ten minute break each day this is a great time to get your body moving!
   -You can go for a quick walk outside and get some fresh air (BONUS: also great for your mind and can help you refocus when you get back to work!)
   -Stretching! This is a great idea especially if you are sitting at a desk all day! I love to stretch on my breaks at work because I am usually so tight from a workout the night before. It also saves me time from having to do it later.
   -Quick circuit workout. Everyday a few people from my work and I gather in an office and bust out some fast body weight exercises. Its quick, effective and you don't sweat much! I bring a 10 pound weight and keep it at my desk for optional extra resistance. This is just one of the workouts we do!

Sometimes I also do lunch break workouts which give me a little more time to complete a full workout. I usually start my workout by running a half mile to the parking structure near my work... well lets be honest I walk until I am sure that no one from my work can see me and then I run :)  I run to the top of the structure (BONUS STAIRS!) where there are no cars. 

I start by running 1 lap around the border of the entire parking structure which is about a quarter of a mile. Then I start my 3 rounds of body weight exercises and after each round I do another lap of the parking structure border. So I do a total of 4 laps around the structure which is a full mile by the time I am done. Then I run the half of a mile back to work and I am done! I always am changing up what I do for my exercises but this is one workout in my rotation. 

So in total I end up running 2 miles and getting in a killer 20 minute calorie burning workout! This is me doing a wall sit in my parking structure of choice :) 

The key to making this all happen is to be prepared!! Here are a few key things not to forget:
  1- Make sure you pack a quick lunch so that you have time after your workout to eat.
  2- Deodorant! This is a must if you sit with other people. Don't forget this!
  3 -Dry Shampoo. This is a life saver after I workout and need to look presentable. I love this brand Suave Dry Shampoo
  4- Pack your clothes the night before. This helps prevent early morning mental moments :)
  5  Be excited to fit in a great workout in less time!

What are some of your lunch break quick workout tips??

Be sure to check out the rest of the gang participating in the link up today! Work Out Wednesday {WOW}


xoxo
Katie

3 Day Weekends

Hi! I hope you all had a great long weekend!

Don't you think all weekends should be 3 days long?? You need one day for errands, a second day for having fun and visiting people and a third day for relaxing! All 3 things are a must for me... and all 3 things were accomplished this weekend!

Saturday I got in my fun and visiting people day.I went on a 2 hour hike during the day and man it was hot. Later I met up with some friends for pool time and dinner. We had so much fun! And we may or may not have played Marco Polo... ;)

Sunday was my relaxing day. I enjoyed some gluten free pancakes (which never fail me), went to the sauna for a relaxing sweat, watched a movie from Red Box (Safe Haven - not my favorite), BBQ'd some steaks and played some briscola. Briscola is an Italian card game. Once you get the hang of it, it is hilarious because everyone has crazy hand signals with your partner. You have to try it!

Monday was my running errands day. Did some grocery shopping, tried out some new recipes (which I will share later in the week), cleaned a little, got in a quick run and went to church.

I didn't get to doing a Weekly Wishes post yesterday but I wanted to do a little recap of the goals I had set from the previous week.

1- Running 12 miles... ACCOMPLISHED!!! I actually ran a total of 13.63 miles this week! Which is awesome for me! This was how I did each day:

Monday - day off
Tuesday - 3.28 mile beach run with stairs
Wednesday - day off
Thursday - 4.59 mile run
Saturday - 5.76 mile hike / trail run

2- 4 Blog posts... YES! Done and done!

3- Finding people to inspire, encourage and uplift. I did a good job about being aware and available to people around me. I spent Friday night at a home group and prayed for people, saw people get healed and hopefully showed people a glimpse into the goodness of God! I will always keep you up to date on opportunities I get like this!

I am just getting back to business here this week but I hope you all have a super (short) weekend this week!!

What did you do on your 3 day weekend? How do you cope with working out in this heat? Did you have any inspiring moments this week?? Do tell!!!

xoxo
Katie