Sorry for the absence yesterday, it was a long day at school and I had to choose getting reading done over blogging! Haha – School first!
So the past couple days it’s started to get chilly, and last night when I was heading home from school, this had to happen:
The gloves have officially come out! It’s just too cold!!!
For yesterday’s workout, I took a break from running and headed to the gym! I did a lower body strength training workout, with cardio switched in. This is where I do 10 minutes on the elliptical, 15-20 min strength, 10 min elliptical 15-20 min strength, and then end with 10 minutes of cardio. I love these workouts because it makes the time pass quickly and jumping back and forth keeps my heart rate going!
When I’m doing the weight machines, I usually pick two machines that work different parts of my legs and switch back and forth with no break in between, doing 3 sets on each machine, 15 reps each set. For example, I would switch back and forth between hamstring curls and leg extensions.
When I got back it was time for a shower and then a smoothie! It was a little cold for a smoothie – but I was DYING for one! I guess I want to fit them in before it gets too cold! So I made a delicious Berry Protein Smoothie!
This morning I was awake pretty early… Ok so I was laying there since about 3am. So finally at 5:15 I got up and decided to do my run before yoga (I had planned on doing it after since I was going to a 6:30 class rather than an 8:00 class). However, my garmin foiled my plans! I had intended to run 3 miles but I had to stand there waiting for it to “find” a satellite and it took over 8 minutes! It was ridiculous! I could only fit in 2.41 miles and that was running straight back to my front door!
It was about 50 degrees when I headed out and I sure wish I brought gloves. At least I had the good sense not to head down to the lake front – it was pretty windy! I couldn’t read my garmin well when I was running since it was so dark, but I felt like I was flying! Perhaps because I was so numb I couldn’t feel a thing! However, I was pretty disappointed and confused to get back and see that my pace was 9.02 min/mile. I was pretty confused because I felt like I’d been really moving!
However, I then plugged in my time and my mileage online, and it told me my pace was 8:45 min/mile! I think I must have done something weird with my Garmin because I looked at it again and it told me I had taken 27 minutes… which I know isn’t true because I would have been really late then! Frustrating morning!
But I made it to yoga, and back home, and now it’s time for breakfast! I decided I wanted a smoothie, but I was out of bananas, so I came up with a new concoction: Creamy Strawberry Milkshake Smoothie! (lol, I already have a strawberry milkshake smoothie – but this one is better!)
Ingredients
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
approx 1 and 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (I have a big scooper…)
1 tbsp Chia seeds
1/4 tsp xantham gum
1 packet truvia
It really was like a strawberry milkshake! I think the cottage cheese helped with that – and I didn’t add spinach so it had such a pretty pink color!
Okay everyone. Brace yourselves. Now I have some questions for you! Clearly I had a somewhat confusing and frustrating morning, so I would LOVE your comments to help me out!
1. Has anyone else had trouble sleeping in the past? I fall asleep fine but then wake up practically every hour and by about 4 – that’s it. I’m awake for good! I’ve been like this for a week and it’s getting exhausting! Suggestions? I tried Melatonin one night but it didn’t help at all!
2. Have any of you had trouble getting your Garmin’s GPS to work? Is this a city thing? I bought it because my iPhone’s GPS wasn’t working and now I’m frustrated that it’s just as bad!
3. How do you feel about blogger? I’ve been wanting to switch to wordpress because someone told me it’s easier for people to comment. Any thoughts from other bloggers (or commenters) out there? Also, I tried switching with instructions to keep my permalinks – but couldn’t figure it out! Help!
4. What exciting plans do you all have for the weekend?!? I’m lucky enough to not have classes Friday, so mine starts tomorrow!
Please leave comments – I would really appreciate your feedback!
I have issues getting my Garmin to work and I live out in the boonies- seriously, it's just the fields, the mountains, and me! It just gets finicky at times! I usually turn it on and set it outside to let it find the satellites as I get ready.To be honest, it is much easier to comment on WordPress. And I think WordPress offers so many more options. I highly recommend the switch. Unfortunately, I can't offer you any help on actually making the switch though!
My roommate has the Garmin watch and has the same trouble as you. Sometimes when we run together she'll just start off and let it start tracking whenever it kicks in.
I can only answer two of the four but I going for it anyways.I have also considered switching to wordpress because I don't exactly like the format of blogger, especially the comments as you mentioned. I've heard it's better, but making the leap slightly scares me. I'm also just considering buying my own domain name instead of the .blogspot.com thing but that scares me too.This weekend I am headed back to Iowa for a wedding in Dubuque. I am excited to get my dancing shoes on.Oh and about the sleeping thing, maybe you could try using the melatonin for a week, instead of just one night. That might help your system adjust to it. I really have no idea just throwing that out there!
One of the things I miss about school is the weekend starting on Thurs nights… but I'm enjoying the lack of homework that comes with a full time job. No weekend plans yet, but my boyfriend is begging me to see Lion King 3d with him… hahaha
I see you often put Xanthan gum in your smoothies… Does this stuff thicken them a LOT or just a little, and does it change the texture, like make it slimy at all? Where do you buy it? Can anything more common be substituted. (I see you like eating your smoothies with a spoon – I just started doing this and love it, so the extra thickness would be awesome!
If you use too much it changes the texture, as well as the taste, you just have to experiment. I recommend starting at 1/8 tsp and slowly tasting and adding more. You can buy it online, and at some grocery stores (I know Whole Foods usually carries the Bob’s Red Mill Brand, but I use Now Foods). And I don’t know of anything else to use, every recipe I’ve seen uses xantham as a thickener.