lifestyle

Tips To Getting Your AM Workout On

08.14.2013

I am loving my new routine lately, so much I had to share it with you guys! Since I started a new job I have been waking up early and working out before work. I have been trying to do this for years, but now I am able to get to work just a tad later. Lazy? Nope, not me…but I will admit I am not a morning person! Working out in the am has its benefits! I am full of energy throughout the day and have gained a small amount of my social life back. I LOVE getting it done allowing me to either make it a double day later, or have the free time after work. I have been doing cardio in the am and weights in the pm. It’s all about PRIORITIES and finding the time to squeeze in a good workout. One of the biggest things I’ve learned from this lifestyle is that if you make it a priority, you will find the time to commit. I was shocked at how many people were at the gym at 6am. Go you!

So my dare to you: wake up 1 hour earlier and either go to the gym, go for a run or do some yoga or weight training in your home! Then tell me how you feel. 🙂

Here are some tips to getting your morning workout on:

Sleep in your gym clothes. I know, seems weird but saves time from having to change or pick out an outfit in the morning (which for some reason takes a while for me)
Prep your protein shakes/water/heart rate monitors all together so you can grab and go in the am
Set your coffee timer (if you prefer coffee to get you going)
Think about what you will train in the am whether it be a specific body part, cardio, yoga, spin? More thinking at night and less in the morning seems to work best for me.
Set your alarm
Go to bed early! Get as many zzz’s as possible.

…And before you know it you’re on the road to success!!

This may seem a little uber organized, but this is what has worked for me so worth a try. 🙂

Question: Do you prefer am or pm workouts?

Have a great week! xo

A Few Clean Eats / Talking Yourself Out of Cheats

07.29.2013

My #1 struggle, and I’m sure we can all relate: controlling what goes on the plate! I have no issues getting to the gym and loving my workout, but staying on the clean eating train is not easy! My biggest down fall is seeing something and not having the willpower to say no. Cheese, chocolate, you get the point. Sometimes I’ll just go for it, but others I’ll contemplate and talk myself out of it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for indulging here and there, but definitely not all the time.

Some thoughts that run through my head in the “contemplation stage”:

Don’t waste that workout on something that will be satisfying for .2 seconds.
Think about where you’ll be if you have no cheats for the next how many days.
I don’t want to feel guilty, I want to feel satisfied!
I want my dang abs to show through, and these cheats will not get me there.

Question: Are you able to talk yourself out of cheats? Or is this something you struggle with?

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Chicken & Veggie Casserole: I came across this AMAZING recipe from Little B’s blog and had to try. It is seriously so good, and even one of my boyfriends favorite things I’ve cooked. Get the recipe here.

I over-did it on the cheese, but that was mostly my boyfriend’s side. 😉 Also- best to use a glass pan. I don’t have one so used a baking sheet, surprisingly it still turned out great.

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Love, love, love visiting my parents for a yummy BBQ. As you know, we have no sun here in San Francisco, so heading to Sonoma once in awhile is essential, and love that my mom is all about clean eating also. Here are some of our dishes:

Hope you all had a great weekend!! We just got back from Napa. Jeff surprised me with a weekend getaway of wine tasting, sun basking and spa treatments for my birthday! So much fun, but back to reality. New job, trying to get back into a routine, working my butt off in the gym and TRYING my hardest to eat clean. It’s a new week peeps, we can do it!! xo

FITzee Meals Arrived / Chest & Tris Workout

07.12.2013

Woohooo it was a good week! My workouts have been on point and my FITzee meals came in the mail! (THANK YOU SO MUCH FITzee!) I’m seriously obsessed with FITzee foods. If you don’t have time to meal prep, you just throw one of their meals on the stove and bam there it is, a healthy and delicious meal. FITzee is gluten-free, non-processed food with extra attention given to fitness peeps and their nutritional needs. Tons of protein, veggies, and complex carbs. NO JUNK! They are so engaged with the fitness community and even host yoga classes near their store in San Diego.

Here’s what my box consisted of this time:

Black bean breakfast bowl (LOVE)
Breakfast pita pizza (can’t wait to try)
Paleo Thai Coconut Curry Chicken (delish)
Red Mole Chicken (yum)
Paleo BBQ Salmon with steamed brocoli and carrots (can’t wait to try)
Red Chicken Enchiladas (one of my faves)
Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Bake (another fave)
Shredded Chicken mac n’ cheese (can’t wait to try)
(and I’m missing a bunch because they have already been eaten!)

If you order anything from www.fitzeefoods.com make sure to tell them Jenna sent you!! 🙂

Now for my chest and triceps workout:

Remember to lift heavy! I am using 15lbs in the pic, but the weight depends on your strength. Some days I do more, some less. You can also use more weight, less reps on the last set to give you an extra pump. But don’t compare, set your own goals!

Enjoy your week!

Fell of the wagon? So get back on track!

05.28.2013

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!! We had a fab time playing tourist in Napa and Sonoma this weekend. I’m from Sonoma, but we love getting out of the city on the weekends to visit. My main goal was to relax by the pool… success! We also did a little wine tasting…which led to us signing up for 2 more wine club memberships. (We couldn’t help ourselves). Did I eat clean? NO. Did I workout? Not really. Did I drink a lot of wine. YES. Was it worth it to take a break? Abso-freakin-lutely.

Going into the wine cave with my enormous water in hand…hehe

View from our room at the Meritage Resort & Spa. This place was AMAZING! Beautiful rooms, pool and wine caves! This place was a hidden gem, highly recommended!

Heaven=laying by the pool

Blurry iPhone shot of my main squeeze. We ate din at Morimoto…THE best food ever. And no, I didn’t hold back. 😉

I know, I strayed away from my goals this weekend. I ate a lot of food I wouldn’t normally go for, I drank more wine than I should have, I didn’t really work out, I slept very little. And now guess what, I feel gross. I fell of the wagon and feel bloated, puffy, and gross. My point? Get back up and back on track stronger than before. Life gets in the way sometimes, and I am not letting myself feel bad about it. Instead, I am getting back on track today. Working out, drinking gallons of water and getting a good nights sleep. Keep going and leave your failures behind! I also think that taking a break from your normal routine is necessary. Sometimes you get so caught up in the same routine that it starts to feel so monotonous and unimportant. After taking a couple days off, I am ready to go at it 120%. I am feeling refreshed, energized and ready to killl my training today! Inching closer and closer to my goal physique…without letting little hiccups in the road get in the way. 🙂

“The only thing that stands between you and what you want in life is the will to try and the faith to believe that it’s possible.” -unknown

Look what was waiting at my door when I got home!! It must have been a sign. 🙂

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Do you find it hard to get back on track after a long weekend? Leave me a comment!

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[Also, don’t forget to enter the Crazy Sexy Kitchen cookbook giveaway! Enter here.]

What’s the craze behind NatureBox?

04.23.2013

Ever heard of the simple, yet brilliant concept called NatureBox? If, you haven’t I feel sorry for you. But really, this is the most amazing business concept ever!

What is NatureBox? It is a monthly membership package that delivers 5 healthy snacks to your house each month. These aren’t just any snacks, but nutritionist approved. They contain NO artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, no trans fats and no high fructose corn syrup.

Why sign up? Because its only $19.99/ month and delivers straight to your door. BUT, the best reason….these snacks are SO good! I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing they each taste. It is almost impossible to walk into a grocery store and pick up a snack in a bag that is all natural and healthy.

Suggestion to NatureBox: Please sell your snacks by the bags! We want more! 🙂

This post is NOT sponsored by Naturebox. I am simply sharing this information because I truly believe in their mission and love their products: “NatureBox helps you eat healthier without needing to change your eating habits. We focus on snacks because that’s the easiest habit to change. Do you know that the average American eats almost 25% of their calories from snacking? In fact, snacking is the leading cause of childhood obesity. NatureBox helps you get more out of your day without wasting calories on the bad stuff.”

Enough said. Get your box here. 🙂

Have a great week!!

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