So, in case you weren’t aware, my brother is pretty much a rock star. He is an incredible musician and plays piano, bass, guitar, and can make his way around a drum set. Up until the 2 of us, there wasn’t really anyone in our family that pursues performing arts, and then my dad got a musical theatre performer/director/choreographer and a multi instrument musician! Good thing we don’t come from one of those crazy families where we are considered failures if we’re not doctors and lawyers. Quite the opposite–we are lucky to have a really supportive family and each other to make music with (when my crazy schedule allows). I can’t imagine a scenario I’d rather sing in than with this awesomely talented (and hilarious) 14 year old! Last night he had his first high school performance. He is one of the only freshman in the top jazz band, and he is also in the top orchestra. Steve tested out the video on his camera and got this amazing video of them playing. You can’t really see Jacob because the bass position is all the way in the back and he is just beginning his growth spurt (he is finally taller than me and it makes me sad–and he won’t let me forget it either!) So if you have some time, take a look/listen. They’re pretty fantastic in my biased opinion 🙂
Archives for October 2011
Motivation
Good morning friends! Today I slept until 8:00 which is so unusual for me! I’ve been feeling really tired and a little worn down and I guess my body just really needed a good 9 hours of sleep. I totally could have laid there longer, but I knew I wanted to get my run done and over with. Yesterday I woke up super sore. I hadn’t really felt any pain from my long (for me) run on Sunday, but then I think yesterday the combination of left over tiredness from the run and soreness from jumping lunges and one legged squats in bodyworks finally caught up to me and in spin class, my legs felt like lead. I had to drop my flat road gear down to an 8 and even still I just could not get my cadence up to where we were supposed to the entire class. It’s not that I wasn’t trying, I was dripping sweat all over my bike (cute, right?) and my legs were on fire!
About 2/3 the way through class I started to feel really frustrated that I wasn’t able to give the kind of power and energy I expected of myself and I kind of wanted to quit. I had this whole battle in my mind about how I was failing and I should just give up, and I knew it was counter productive, so I tried playing the devil’s advocate with myself–reminding myself that I did just start training for a half marathon after what? a month of running? And not only that, I added it on top of my gym schedule, not instead of. Then I remembered some things I’ve read on other blogs about how I don’t HAVE to be there exercising, I get to. Then I thought of Ashley’s bike accident and how she is now struggling to even walk and I am acting like a bad class is the end of the world and worth quitting over.
So then I started thinking about all the people who don’t get to do what I do. People who can’t afford a gym membership, or want/need desperately to make a change in their healthy, but haven’t found that spark in them to be ready to conquer their fears and make a change. I stopped thinking about all the people in better shape than me and how I have so far to go and I realized that somewhere in the world there is probably someone who wishes they can do what I can do. That is something that’s really hard to imagine for me, but I’m hoping that it does exist and that maybe I am an inspiration for someone out there the way so many are for me.
I ended class not super fast, but knowing that I tried my hardest and focusing my energy on being okay with that.
When I woke up this morning, I just didn’t want to. I felt totally unmotivated, and contemplated laying around and then just going to yoga at 11. This is where having something to train for comes in really handy. I am not a great runner. Yet. The longest I have ever run is 4 miles, and January 15th, I have to run 13.1 and that scares the crap out of me. I definitely do not have time to be lazy and skimp out on my run days especially considering I am only planning on running 3-4 times a week. So I thought about it and decided I would go out and try the Galloway Method. I’ve heard other bloggers talk about using it, and that is actually where I found what I’m using as the base for my training plan. So I ran for 3 min, walked for 1, repeat. I was really surprised that it didn’t totally kill my time! I actually found knowing I had a walk break coming, I was way speedier during the run sections. I saw my pace down in the 8’s a few times and at the end when I went to finish strong even dip into the high 7’s (for like 2 seconds haha, but still exciting!) I ended up finishing in about the same amount of time as if I were to have run the entire time, and I felt better. This guy knows what he’s talking about! I think it’s a really good tool for me to use to help with speed, and with motivation when I’m not feeling it, but I definitely still want to have runs where I just run the whole time.
Now I’m going to make some breakfast, and head to yoga! Have a great day everyone!
PS: What helps you get on the wagon when you’re just not feeling it? I feel like this has been a pretty popular topic lately, and I’m curious to see how others deal with the motivational dips we all experience!
Bekki’s Birthday Dinner
Good morning friends! I started off today by returning to bodyworks class for the first time in I think 3 weeks? Craziness. Kara has been working Monday mornings and I have been too lame to go by myself, but today I put my butt into gear and went all on my lonesome. I’ll admit, it is not as fun alone, but I need to be able to go to classes for what I get out of them, and not just when I have plans with someone else to go. Especially considering my gym buddy is going out of town for a whole weeeeeek! Boooo. I’m going to miss you friend! But bodyworks was fantastic as always and it was good to get some strength training in. My solo plan for the week is
Tues and Thurs: Spin
Wed and Fri: Run & yoga
Sat: Rest
Sun: Run for the Cure 5K!! My official first race ever!
Backing up, yesterday I made those fabulous Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cupcakes to celebrate Bekki’s birthday. By the time Steve and I headed over to Riga Tony’s at 7:15, I was so hungry I was ready to start chewing my arm off. I don’t do hunger well. That must be why I usually eat all the time 🙂 Thank goodness for the bread and appetizer salad they brought out almost immediately! The staff were so friendly and accommodating of our huge loud group.
I had never been there before, but I’d always heard great things. I loved the way it looked and the atmosphere.
When we arrived, they brought us all our these super cute little wine shots. Have you ever heard of a wine shot? I did not shoot it. I sipped mine. Like a lady. I knew hardly anyone, so I spent most of the evening chatting with the Starbucks crew. I was SOOOOO happy because my amazing friend Amelia came! She was the officiant in our wedding and she also gave us the BEST wedding gift…CLEMENTINE! I’ve hardly seen her since then, so it kind of made my night!
The rest of the usual Starbucks crew was also there of course
Bekki announced that she likes taking pictures where her mouth looks huge.
Everyone loved the cupcakes….HOORAY!
I love these girls and I am so happy that I’ve been seeing them more lately! I love having lots of different groups of friends that all fulfill different aspects of my personality! And of course, I love this guy and his constant amazing photos! 🙂
Blogger meet up & PDR!
First I just need to say that my Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cupcakes were a huge hit! Hooray!! Kara even told me she liked them better than the pumpkin canolis that Riga Tony’s brought out 🙂 I really love being the designated birthday baker and I love it so much more now that I am embracing the way I want to make food and not putting myself in a situation where I feel like I “can’t” eat what I’ve made. It’s so interesting discovering that when I embrace who I am and what I need, other people openly embrace it as well. I feel like so many things we do to try to please others could be so easily avoided, because honestly, people just like the real us better anyway.
Anyyyywayyy, moving on 🙂 Yesterday I got the amazing opportunity to meet some other bloggers in the area! I was so excited when I started to find other Phoenix bloggers and even more so when everyone was so nice and welcoming! I was totally nervous about going–would you believe that I actually tend to get pretty significant social anxiety? I have a pretty outgoing personality, so it’s something people are often pretty surprised by, but I nerd out about wanting people to like me. Maybe it’s an actor thing 🙂 Anyway, I met up with the group at Four Peaks after I got done with rehearsal. It was so nice to talk to other people who are as passionate as I am about health and food. These ladies are fabulous and I left feeling inspired by every one of them 🙂
I brought my camera, but then never took it out for some reason, so I’m stealing pictures from Nicole and Emily! For some reason, I look pissed in the first one. What’s up with that? I’m just not a good camera smiler! 🙂
L-R Raya, Carolyn, Dani, Nicole, Me, Emily, Heather
I’m so glad I went and thank you guys so much for making me feel so welcome!
This morning I got up and decided it was time to make this idea that Kara and I have been discussing a reality. The idea being half marathon training. The PF Chang’s Rock and Roll half marathon happening Jan 15th to be precise. I’d been really nervous to announce it in fear that I wouldn’t be able to make it happen. Up until this morning, 5K was my PDR and it is not an easy distance for me by any means. How the hell am I going to add an extra 10 miles to that by January?! So this morning I got up and I new today I had to run 4. So I headed out for a run to Starbucks (what is a better ending location than iced coffee?!) and proved to myself that I will be able to continue to run longer and longer distances because I can do anything I set my mind to.
I even did better time wise than I was expecting! Not that a 10:15 average is exactly fast, but considering it’s my first time and it was just a couple of weeks ago that I decided to get serious about this running thing, I’ll take it! In fact I will take it with excitement and happiness and make this face
F you short achilles tendons!! You just try to keep me from running a half marathon! Actually, please don’t try because the last thing I need is something to make this HARDER. I promise to spend lots of time like this trying to keep you happy
Winston and Clementine don’t mind. They ♥ the lap time 🙂
4 miles in 40:58. I am a happy girl, and I feel ready to take on this new challenge! I am so thankful that Kara is going to be doing it with me! The only thing better than accomplishing life goals is having great friends along the way doing it with you. This has been something I’ve wanted to do since the first day I ever ran a mile a little over 2 years ago and I just always believed that I couldn’t. I can’t wait to prove myself wrong! 🙂
Skinnified Sunday: Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cupcakes
- Hi friends! Today I am going to my friend Bekki’s birthday dinner which means I got to make dessert! HOORAY!! I love any excuse to bake. Bekki loves sweet and salty, so I was pretty stoked when I came up with the idea of salted caramel mocha brownie cupcakes! Have you ever had the no pudge brownies? It’s a box brownie mix that is fat free and uses yogurt instead of oil. Heather and I tried them a few times and they were delicious, so I stole the idea and used yogurt in these too. I haven’t had one yet, but my friend Colin confirmed that they didn’t suck. Whoot!
I got the base recipe from Mom Advice
My Swaps:
- Dannon Light & Fit vanilla yogurt for butter (-fat, -calories, -saturated fat)
- Organic sugar and Splenda for regular sugar (-sugar, -calories, maybe the organic sugar balances out the fakeness of Splenda? 🙂 )
- 5 egg whites for whole eggs (-fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
- Whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose (+fiber, +protein)
- + Starbucks via (+yum)
Skinnified Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cupcakes
yeild approx 35 mini cupcakes
- 3/4 cup Dannon Light and Fit vanilla yogurt
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 6 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/3 cup Splenda
- 5 egg whites
- 2 tsp vanilla (or you can skip it because the vanilla in the yogurt has the same effect)
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- Freshly ground sea salt to taste
- Cool Whip for topping
- Fleur De Sel Caramel for topping
Directions:
1) Combine flour, sugar, Splenda, via, and cocoa powder.
2) Add in egg whites one at a time, mixing after each addition.
3) Add in vanilla.
4) Melt unsweetened chocolate, and add in along with yogurt.
5) Mix until combined, scraping down sides of the bowl when necessary.
6) Transfer into lined and greased mini cupcake tines (I ran out of mini liners so half of mine are full size).
7) Top each cupcake with a pinch of sea salt.
8) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick in center comes out mostly clean (but don’t over bake–you still want a gooey brownie center!)
9) Top with desired amount of cool whip.
10) Put a little caramel in the microwave for approx 10-15 seconds to warm, then use a whisk to drizzle over the cupcakes.
11) Enjoy!
See those flakes of sea salt? Stevie takes the BEST pictures! 🙂
Taaaddddaaaa!!
So this was def not my most visually impressive dessert. But I am pretty certain they are going to at least taste delicious 🙂