I’ve been on a very introspective kick lately. I’m not exactly sure what caused it but I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about “me” and how I can improve grow. Part of it has been to work on my social goals, well goal. I’ve continued to find ways to get out of the house and be with people. I have a couple of more dates that I’m trying to schedule and I’ll keep you posted about how well they go.
Last week my husband and I took a trip to Amelia Island, Florida. I had never heard of it until my mother-in-law moved there several years ago. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the island, it’s located in northern Florida and it’s practically considered Georgia. It’s tiny too- 13 miles long and 4 miles wide tiny. We’ve been wanting to go down there to visit for a while and this year we were finally able to make it happen. We also took advantage of Amelia only being 3 hours away from Orlando to go back to Universal Studios and visit with Jason’s cousin who lives in the city. I was excited to see the island because my MIL has said such wonderful things about it and it’s someplace that I’ve never been. Not only did I get to explore a brand new area of the US, I also experienced two activities I’d never done before this trip!
That’s right. I’m no longer a clientless virgin. Without getting too inappropriate (am I too late??), I’ve begun training my first client at Everfit! He’s a model client because he is so motivated and willing to do anything I tell him hahaha. While he’s not new to exercise, he is new to lifting weights and he’s done an amazing job so far. I give him challenging workouts and he still shows up for our next session! I work with him once or twice a week depending on our schedules.
I’ve had a bad case of blogger’s block since February 4th. I’ve really struggled to think of something that was interesting enough to share. I thought about describing some of my workouts but I felt that was too boring (although, if that’s something you’d like, let me know). I thought about sharing dinner recipes but I wasn’t feeling that either. I’ve actually been stressing about my lack of creativity. Am I that dull that I have nothing to share?! My husband suggested I blog at least 2 times a week if I want to build my audience, which is one of my goals. Two times a week seems impossible since I can’t even produce a blog every 2 weeks! So, I began to feel pressure to get something on my site. The problem was that I didn’t want to post just anything on it; I wanted it to be worthwhile. My husband and I have had several discussions about possible topics. He thought that maybe I should start writing about more personal issues. This definitely scared me. I agreed with him that I should but I just didn’t know if I could. I’m not the kind of person to open up about personal subject matter. The reasons for that would take another blog, or five haha. The hubs mentioned personal topics because they might give something for people to connect with and really get to know me. He said that my experiences may even help someone, or at least help make me more relatable. I agreed with everything he said but it still scared me. I don’t like feeling vulnerable and that’s what sharing would do- make me vulnerable. Sharing my struggles terrifies me. What if people say rude things? What if I’m confusing? What if people misjudge me? What if I embarrass myself or my family? What if people don’t care? The “what if” game could go on and on…
While the gang was watching the Superbowl, I decided to do some laundry and bake. I was in the mood for chocolate but the only kind we have in the house is in the form of chips. I’d be lying if I said I’ve never eaten them straight out of the bag. Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. But this time wasn’t desperate so I had to find a vehicle for the chips. I couldn’t make chocolate chip cookies because I don’t have any flour in the house either. Plus, I didn’t want to make anything that unhealthy. I figured the chips were bad enough. Just as I was about to give up hope on eating some chocolate I remembered that I pinned a cookie recipe that included CHOCOLATE CHIPS! Yay!!
It’s official official. I got my ACE certificate and card in the mail! Yay! I was pretty excited to see my name on that piece of paper. I plan on obtaining more certifications in different specialized areas but this will mean the most because it’s the first.
I’ve had several other exciting moments lately…
Now that I’ve had more time, I’ve been able to start catching up on my Oxygen magazines that were piling up on my nightstand. I began the November issue and scanned through the reader tweets section. I was anxious to get into the main part of the magazine so I went through the tweets pretty quickly and almost missed MY tweet that was in there! This was the second time this has happened actually 
I tweeted about a gorgeous picture of a gymnast that was featured in the previous issue. It’s a small thing but still exciting nonetheless!
Along with catching up on fitness magazines, I am able to catch up on reading actual books. Well, not an actual book because it’s on my Nook but you know what I mean. Anyway, I’m reading Every Day Is an Atheist Holiday by Penn Jillette. I tweeted about how much I was enjoying it and PENN REPLIED TO MY TWEET! Yes, that deserved all caps. My husband introduced me to Penn and Teller through their show Bullsh!t (which is genius in my humble opinion) and the first book of his that I read was, God, No! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales. I read through it so quickly and though it was brilliant on so many levels. I definitely became a FanGirl. And now I can’t get enough of him. The next step for me is to see their Vegas show and meet them afterwords. Oh yes, that WILL happen. I’ll be sure to blog when it does 
Another exciting moment to share stemmed from a picture my husband took of me at the gym. I’ve been doing a really good job of consistently exercising. It has been a little difficult because the tendonitis is my wrist has prevented me from working out certain muscle groups but I’ve been sure to work out the muscles that don’t hurt. Fortunately, this week I think I’ll be able to get back into my regular routine. Anyway, I digress. I haven’t measured myself, which I need to do, so that I can accurately measure muscle gains. Sometimes looking at progress pictures can help you see how your hard work has paid off. I had Jason take a picture during “arm day” to see how I was coming along. I felt like I was getting stronger but I wasn’t convinced just because I felt that way. I was really surprised when I saw it. I couldn’t believe that was me in the picture! I felt really proud of myself and it was a huge motivation for me to keep up with my consistent workouts. Consistency is key to muscle gains. I have a hard time with that because I’m impatient
And my last piece of exciting news is that I have my first online client!!! I am very, very eager to begin this new phase of my fitness career. It’s a little scary since she’s my first but I know that if I take it step by step, I’ll become more comfortable. It also helps that she’s an elementary schoolmate and I’m thrilled to be in contact with her again after so long!
I’m happy to share these moments with you! I’m pretty fired up about my fitness career and love putting my energy toward it. Everfit, the gym I work at, is making big changes as well and I’ll be sharing them with you as they progress. So far, we’ve added 2 Yoga classes during the week. If you’re interested, contact me! The new website is currently being developed so when it’s complete, I’ll share the link.
Have a great week everyone and don’t forget to be fabulous! xoxo
I did it. I finally did it. I passed my ACE personal trainer exam!!! For those of you who have been keeping up with my blog, you know that studying for this test has been a large struggle for me. Words can’t describe the relief I feel that it’s over and that I passed. It has been a work-in-progress (for the most part) for 2 years! I am so proud of myself for passing this test. The material was difficult for me so I feel accomplished.
My “Things to Do After My Test” list has gotten pretty extensive, as well as my stack of magazines and books that I put off reading. I finally feel I can move forward with so many other goals I want to accomplish. The most important on my list is to focus on attaining clients. My New Years Resolution is to have 5. I know I can do it. The rest of my list contains home-improvement projects that I am excited to complete!
I had such a relaxing Christmas since I didn’t have to worry about studying. For the past couple of years my husband and I have taken a small trip to Sag Harbor, NY in the winter to visit my mother-in-law and her sister. This year the trip was from 12/27-12/30. I was very much looking forward to it because we always have a good time. This year was no exception.
I could have sat in front of this all day!
We always do a lot of eating. A lot. It’s kind of obnoxious. Kind of. I don’t normally eat such rich foods but it’s the holidays so I think it’s ok to indulge a bit. We tried a few new restaurants around the Hamptons and all the meals were wonderful. We went to one place called the Bridgehampton Inn where they host a cooking school for Loaves & Fishes. Aunt Joy singed us up for a cooking class where we make the dinner and then sit down to eat it with everybody. There were 10 people in the class so we split into pairs and each pair made a different portion of the meal. My partner and I were in charge of the parsnip bread pudding. I’ve never had a savory bread pudding so I was curious to try it. Everything went smoothly and my partner and I worked well together. As it turns out, parsnip bread pudding is delicious!! In fact, the entire menu was fabulous! Fortunately, we got copies of the recipes so I can make it again.
Bridgehampton Inn
Cheers to 6 years of marriage and a successful dinner!
So far the end of 2012 has been pretty awesome. I’m very much looking froward to 2013! I want to wish all of you a healthy, fit, and fabulous new year!! xoxo
Wawa has decided to add lattes to their drink menu and that makes me very happy. For those of you who don’t have a Wawa in your area, I’m sorry. It’s the best. Lately I’ve been obsessed with their pumpkin spice lattes because they taste just like the ones from Starbucks and they are only $1.99. Holla! Even though I order it with skim milk and no whip cream, I know it is full of sugar so I’ve been trying not to get one as often as I’d like. But, today I did. I had to go to the garage to have my car fixed and since it was early, I needed a little pick-me-up. I got my usual and waited the 10 minutes for my car to be finished. Since I still had most of my drink left I thought it was the perfect time to relax and blog since it’s been so long.
A lot has been happening in my life during the past few months that has been eating up my time. The first, and most important, is my ACE exam. I planned on taking it November 19th. Notice the past tense. Yeah, I underestimated how much time I needed to study. This time around I really put in the effort and consistency to study. I hit some road blocks though. I started feeling overwhelmed by the amount of info I need to learn and felt like I just couldn’t do it. I literally felt stupid. My hubs hates when I say that. He studied with me and gave tips as to what I should learn in order to better understand the parts that were giving me trouble. That’s when I realized that I needed more time. I really wanted to be done this test before Thanksgiving but it wasn’t going to happen. I am disappointed about it but I’d rather feel prepared then not going into this exam. Now I’ve set a new date: December 21. Wish me luck!
Another time-consumer is super cute! We have a new addition to the family! He’s a furry one Let me introduce you to Gilligan!
Best ears ever!
We adopted him a couple of weeks ago. He’s a littermate of Ripley, who (whom?) we adopted back in March. The entire litter was found in the middle of PA and was taken in by Helping the Helpless Pets and were named after “Gilligan’s Island” because there were 7 of them. Ripley used to be “Minnow” They were all adopted to different families and a few weeks ago I got a text from the founder of HTHP saying she found Gilligan in a shelter in Pittsburg and when she picked him up she discovered that there was crate abuse (he was left in it all the time) and he was scared of men. Wtf. His adoptive parents suck. Fast forward 2 weeks when we went to meet him with Ripley. They hit it off immediately and he had no problems with my husband. So, we adopted him. He’s been a lot of work because he’s not trained at all. He’s smart like his sister so it’s just a matter of teaching him. He does get nervous around men but he warms up to them eventually. He’s a sweet cuttle-bug and we love him so much.
Another littermate was there, “Lovey” (who is now “Gracie”). Ripley is in the back, Gilligan is left and Lovey is on the right. Mini-reunion
Ripley and Gilligan’s first meeting!
A rare shot of them still hahah
They love each other
The last time-consumer was Thanksgiving. We hosted this year and it was a small gathering since we don’t have big families. It wasn’t too stressful because everyone brought something. It was a nice holiday relaxing with the fam. Now that it’s over I’m decorating for Christmas On to the next!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
As the winter holidays approach, don’t forget to take care of yourself. If you don’t have time for a “full workout” at least take a 15-20 minute walk. It’s good for the soul and you’ll be able to clear your head and decrease some stress. This can be a stressful and crazy time of year and your immune system can take a nosedive. Healthy eating, along with exercise will help your body fight infection. So, eat your veggies and fruits!! Don’t forget to stay fabulous xoxo
I’m all for motivation. When I started my blog I had a “Motivational Monday” post. I also have a Pinterest board full of quotes. Most of them are for exercise and eating healthy but not all of them. I’ll be honest, I’ve never gone right to the gym because I read a quote that motivated me out of my funk. Never.
This isn’t going to be a downer of a post. Quite the opposite. I’m actually proud to say that I’ve begun my fourth week of consistently going to the gym! Quotes didn’t get me there either. Putting on my shoes and walking out the door did. I wasn’t always “motivated” to go because I was tired or busy. But I went.
One of my fitness goals is to do 10 unassisted pull-ups. I’m at 3. One way I practice is to use a band to assist me. I find it to be more effective than the assisted pull up machine. And really the only way to practice them is to do them. Another piece of equipment that I’ve fallen in love with is the barbell. I used to be so intimidated by that one bar. I don’t even know what I was intimidated about either. Using the bar for the first time was another instance where I told myself to just “do it.” I don’t need to tell myself that anymore because I look forward to it whenever it’s chest day.
Barbell at Everfit at Roberts. One day I’ll get 25lbers on there
The band at Everfit at Roberts
One more thing that I’ve been on point with is my “diet.” Another fitness goal of mine is to gain muscle and for that to happen I need to eat. A lot. I’ve been messing around with different variations of protein pancakes and when I get it right, I’ll post the recipe. I’ve also been eating a lot of eggs. A lot.
6 egg whites + 2 whole eggs + dill+ tomatoes + goat cheese
I feel really good about my consistency. It was so much easier when I had a trainer But I’m on a roll…
Aside from the fitness stuff, I’ve been getting a lot done around the house. In my last post, I shared the roman shades my mom and I made for my kitchen. I finally got around to taking some “after” pictures of the kitchen make-over! Here we go…
Original oak cabinets
Painted cabinets, old stove, old paint on walls, old floor
New stove, new paint on walls, new floor, new hardware
Old paint and floor (the green is painters tape)
New paint and floor
New everything!
New dishwasher
I still have a long “to do” list but I’m happy to have the kitchen mostly finished. Like I said, I would like to add more artwork and install crown molding but that will come in time.
If there is one thing to take away from my ramblings, it’s to just do it. Ok, maybe one thing to take away from Nike. It’s true though. Quotes are great and if they do help you, even better! But don’t feel bad if they don’t work. Sometimes you need to just get up and put one foot in front of the other. Don’t forget to be fabulous as you do it xoxo
