Hitting the Reset Button

After running a marathon (see recap Part 1 and Part 2) and spending the week following those 26.2 miles eating, drinking, relaxing, and ringing in the holiday season with friends and family it is definitely time for a reset.

IMG_6191

There has been a great deal of wine, rich foods and carbohydrate loading in my life lately.

IMG_6173IMG_6216IMG_6136IMG_6052

In fact, due to the marathon I think I forgot what it felt like to enjoy a day of clean eating and a really tough workout. So, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a multi-day cleanse from one of the many New York City cleanse boutiques, I’m saving my money and instead just getting back to basics with clean eating, reduced caffeine, more water, more sleep, and more intense total body workouts.

I kicked off the day around 7:30 with warm lemon water to aid in digestion.

IMG_6217

At 9am I enjoyed a new version of oatmeal at my desk, thanks to inspiration from Tosca Reno. Her recipe for apple pie oatmeal was easy, delicious, and included healthy fats that kept me full all morning. It was also fun to change up the flavors since I’m so accustomed to my daily banana oatmeal. I made sure to remember my daily vitamins and supplements this morning as well. I find that taking the in the morning with breakfast gives me a little boost of energy all day long.

IMG_6219

For lunch, I reduced the processed carbs, caffeine and cheese from my meal by focusing on nutrient rich vegetables and clean protein sources in my salad and cut out the normal side items. I found that increasing the size of my salad filled me enough that I didn’t need anything else for a couple of hours. Today’s combination (romaine, salmon, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, broccoli, peppers, egg whites, salt, pepper, dash of olive oil, and a squirt of lemon juice) was a new one and I really liked the lemon juice kick paired with the crisp vegetables!

IMG_6223

Around 4pm I had a mid afternoon snack which was supposed to be a banana and a handful of almonds. Unfortunately, the banana didn’t fare to well during the morning commute. Instead, I munched on a pear and almonds along with 2 cups of herbal tea.

IMG_6224

I met Melissa for Work It Circuit at Uplift Studios after work since we were both craving a workout and some quality time together.

Workit Circuit: Total Body Cardio/Strength with Bodyweight
This class offers continuous cardio-arms-legs-core circuits to confuse your muscles and get an intense total body workout. Using only your body weight, you will work each major muscle group to fatigue – then do it all again. Shoes required.

This class kicked my butt and left me panting by the half way point! Michelle is not messing around with this class and you literally don’t stop for the entire 55 minutes! At one point my marathon legs were screaming, reminding me that I ran a marathon a week ago. By the 3rd set I focused on form more than speed as I wanted to make sure not too injure anything.

IMG_6227

I didn’t pick up dinner until 8:15 due to the class and all I knew was that I needed lots of protein and needed food quickly. Melissa and I stopped into Hale and Hearty where I was able to pick up a small soup and large spinach salad packed with protein to help quell my screaming hunger.

IMG_6228

Even after such an indulgent week, the past 12 hours of healthier eating and drinking are already having a positive affect on my body.

Since I have a half marathon to run on Saturday and a trip to St Croix coming up in exactly a month, you may see more of these food and workout posts as I find they definitely help me stay on track and motivated.

What are your favorite ways to eat clean? Is there a snack or salad ingredient I should try? Or, do you have a favorite decaf tea you rely on when trying to reduce caffeine?

Share Button
Follow:

TRX Clinic at Reebok Crossfit Fifth Avenue

Tonight, after a long day at the office, I headed to Central Park on my own. Unfortunately my work run buddies had to leave an hour before I was able to tonight. This is when it really set in how much stronger I am than last year both mentally and physically. Tonight instead of heading to the gym to run on the treadmill, cutting the run short, or forgetting it all together due to my exhaustion; I changed clothes and headed out the door. I spent the next 51 minutes enjoying the peace of Central Park, the golden leaves, the dusk shadows, and camaraderie of other runners as I ran 5 miles in the park.

IMG_5302

By the time I walked through the door tonight at 8pm, all I wanted was warm clothes and a healthy dinner. I forgot how much I love spaghetti squash. It is like the secret weapon of weeknight dinners! In less than 15 minutes, including only 2 minutes of actual work, I had a huge bowl of nutritional goodness for dinner! I mixed 1.5 cups cooked spaghetti squash with 1/3 cup homemade marinara, pre-cooked chicken, seasonings, and grated cheese together for a warm, comforting dinner.

IMG_5304IMG_5305IMG_5307IMG_5310

I admit, it wasn’t the pretties dinner but it was quick, gooey, and delicious.

While I ate, I went through some pictures on my camera and came across pictures from an event 2 weeks ago that I totally forgot to share with you guys! Oops! Clearly things have been a bit crazy around these parts.

On Saturday, October 6th I had a sweaty date with a few local Fitfluential Ambassadors at Reebok CrossFit Fifth Avenue for a TRX clinic. Each week Reebok has what they call Reebok FitHub events during which time they teach a skill or a workout. The one on October 6th was a TRX Suspension Training for all levels.

IMG_0942IMG_0943

It was my first time stepping in this new flagship store and I was amazed by the space overall. The upstairs is dedicated to the store where you can find all the gear to make any Crossfit session bright and colorful! I loved their women’s technical tanks and some of the bright shoes!

The downstairs however is a a whole different story. It is a HUGE Crossfit box, dedicated to sweaty WODs and strength training! This picture gives you just a glimpse of the downstairs space including rowing machines, pullup bars, ropes, and more! It was pretty amazing and I loved the bright, neon green color that splashed the black walls.

IMG_0946

The six of us (Jill, Kristine, Katelyn, Christine and Alfonso) were able to enjoy a 45 minute session which included a quick overview of TRX and then a quick workout incorporating all the different key body parts. While most of weren’t new to TRX it was still a great opportunity to learn a few new moves, improve technique, and sweat together!

Fitfluential Reebok TRX clinic

My personal trainer, Lauren, first introduced me to TRX over a year ago and since then we use it almost every week during our sessions. It requires you to engage multiple muscles at one time which pushes your body more than if you were just using free weights or a machine. The best thing about the TRX is that you can take it anywhere and use it at home or a gym. Some gyms in NYC, such as Crunch, even have TRX classes as part of their group fitness schedule! 

Below are just a few of the different moves we did during the session.

 

Question: Have you ever used a TRX before? What is your favorite move?

Share Button
Follow:

Back on Track

Curious what a back on track day looks like in pictures and words? Enjoy and welcome to a day in my world!

Morning Run (5:45-6:15am)

Good morning New York. While I don’t always love your slow tourists or the traffic, running up Lexington and seeing the lights on the Empire State Building illuminated over the city. There is nothing like friendly bodega men sweeping their sidewalks and giving cat calls at 6am.

IMG_3781

Breakfast (8:15am)

Oats, protein powder and an apple heated in a microwave makes for quite the Fall breakfast, especially on a cooler than expected morning. Pair it with a side of chai tea and it’s like fall in a cubicle.

IMG_3126

Lunch (1pm)

Oh hello lovely greens. I forgot how much this fiber and protein could fill me up and keep me energized all afternoon. I’ve upgraded my salads from romaine to spinach permanently. That in itself makes me feel better about my lunch time choices. This salad was so large that I didn’t even crave bread! I enjoyed an afternoon tangelo and a handful of almonds later in the afternoon since I knew I had an evening workout.

IMG_4105

Workout (6-7pm)

Thanks to the lovely ladies at Uplift Studios, I spent an hour sweating and stretching with Dori, Missy, Marielle, and other local fitness bloggers. I returned to my first love, Fit & Flow, a class that combines 30 minutes of heart pounding and muscle quiver inducing exercises with 30 minutes of relaxing yoga flow. I’m a huge fan of Michelle, who led the “fit” portion of the class. She uses the timer method so you know exactly how much longer you have and how hard you should push your body. Some of the moves left me dripping and panting. All of us agreed that the first 30 minutes almost had us in tears at points!

IMG_4693IMG_4694

Another fun aspect of Uplift Studios is the community aspect. Everything about the studio invites conversation and mingling: open bar, open layout, mirrors, open locker rooms, and friendly space. We enjoyed some healthy sips and bites while catching up and talking all things social media and workout related.

IMG_4695IMG_4696IMG_4697

Oh yeah, they even offer phone chargers so you can recharge your phone while you recharge your body!

Dinner (8:30pm)

Dinner at 8:30pm means that it needs to be quick and easy in addition to being healthy. While this may not be beautiful, a Thomas Bagel Thin with some Laughing Cow Cinnamon Cream Cheese served alongside egg white and veggie scramble is the perfect option!

IMG_4701

Okay your turn! I need some salad inspiration once again. What’s your favorite topping these days and why? Ten points if it is something I can find on a salad bar or at one of my local “chopped salad” places.

Share Button
Follow: