Emily and husband, Jeremy after a 5k
Motivation can come from anywhere; a magazine, a new bikini or a long time friend! Enter, Emily Martin. Let's just call her my motivation of the moment! We've been good friends for many years and when I noticed her amping up her workout routine (and her biceps) I was so inspired I wanted to find out what she's been up to.
We chatted recently about settling into married life, getting "too comfortable" and how to challenge yourself. Here's what she had to say. I dare you not to be inspired!
The Importance of Quieting the Mind
I've started going to a great class in my area which is made up primarily of techniques from yoga, tai chi and pilates. It's a wonderful class taught by an absolutely absurd instructor who also happens to be almost as good as she is inappropriate. (During last night's class not only did she invite one of the attendees to go drinking with her, she also revealed she was on a seemingly unhealthy cleanse, had not eaten all day and that she drinks about 5-7 cups of coffee daily. Perhaps this was only laughable to me as a fitness professional, but either way, I find her outrageously hilarious and she keeps me coming back for more).
I don't know about you, but this winter had just about sucked the life out of me completely. Two work from home jobs and the terrible two's beginning to rear their ugly head have surely taken it's toll on my ability to manage exercise, eating right and staying motivated in general. To put it bluntly, it has been a long-ass winter that has tested my patience, my time management skills and my waist, and I'm oh so glad it's over. We may be a couple of days away from the official start of spring, but the warm weather has brought my motivation back in full force. Busy, tired, terrible twos or not, this spring will be all about getting back on track.
Pardon my absence, but it's been a very busy couple of weeks. I was so excited for the holidays. But after all of the merriment, I am more than ready to get back to my routine. As excited as I was for the festivities to begin, I am equally as happy that they are now over and done with. I hope that doesn't make me sound like a scrooge because I really am not! But I will say that it's a good thing Christmas only comes once a year because I'm not quite sure I could handle all of the work that goes into it with a toddler on board. Now, as the presents and decorations are finally being put away, sanity is slowly returning to my household, and hopefully to yours.
Got a fitness-junkie in your life? A beginner exerciser? Or someone who just is looking for a little extra motivation to shape up? (Isn't everyone?) Check out some of these affordable gift and stocking-stuffer ideas that any body-conscious friend or loved one will adore!
Piper's first Christmas, 2010
December is here! I suppose it's the fact that I have an (almost) two year old who may actually realize this year that it's Christmas, but I am absolutely, ridiculously excited for the holiday season. If it weren't for my husband reigning me in I would've already hung our stockings, baked 10 batches of cookies, chopped down and decorated our tree, and done all of the holiday shopping (with a toddler strapped to my back and hopped up on sugar cookies). I'm desperately trying to slow down, take it in and just enjoy without going all ChristmasCrazy. But... I am super pumped for snow, delicious food and lounging around in Christmas pajamas, too. The list goes on and on.
When I received my Striiv a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure how much I'd actually be using it.
I didn't know much about the device, just that it counts your steps and allows you to make donations to charity once you reach certain goals. Cool, huh!? You also get rewarded points for your efforts, as well and can partake in a variety of challenges to help you reach your goals. What I didn't expect was how much fun it would be to use and how truly motivating it is.
Today's recipe comes from Carrie Murphy of
Plums in the Icebox. This is an easy side for a weeknight dinner, and is even appropriate as a vegetarian entree. I ate these stuffed mushrooms as my main course with some sliced tomatoes on the side and it definitely hit the spot. This is pretty healthy, too: one portobello mushroom has about 26 calories and 2.5 grams of protein. Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse full of iron, folate and other vitamins. If you're concerned about the fat content of the cheese, feel free to use low-fat or even omit it altogether. I think this is flavorful enough without it, although who doesn't love cheese? I actually had four portobello mushrooms, but one split open so I couldn't stuff it. I chopped that one up and used it for the filling, but you could just as easily use the stems and innards of the mushrooms you're going to stuff. Modify according to the number of people you want to feed!
Chris Freytag is a personal trainer, yoga-certified, a lifestyle and weight management coach, and is the fitness expert for Prevention Magazine. She's also one of my favorite Exercise TV trainers! Her workouts are always challenging and effective. It's clear that her attitude towards fitness is that it should be sustainable and with a variety of OnDemand workouts to chose from (some only 15-20 minutes) it usually is. I recently asked her a few questions about her life as a personal trainer, motivator and mom and here's what she had to say.
