Fashion Friday – Spring Karma

March 12th, 2010

Happy Friday Friends!

First things first: yesterday was INCREDIBLE! I’m so happy the Mister and I decided to take the afternoon off. After eating lunch, we headed straight to the metroparks and ended up riding 13.3 miles! And due to my new wheels, I was riding in comfort the whole time! While the exercise was certainly a plus, we were both just so happy to get out of the office, enjoy each other’s company and take advantage of the weather. Sometimes you just have to play hooky ;)

Unfortunately, our excursion ended on a bit of a sour note — I CANNOT FIND MY CAMERA! Here’s what went down: The Mister and I have super cool bike packs that strap underneath our seats, allowing us to keep our keys/phones/CAMERA/etc. with us while we’re riding. Due to the way my bike is designed, I have to remove my pouch when I put my bike on the Mister’s car bike rack. I distinctly remember taking it off my bike when we were leaving the park (I even brushed it off, since it had gotten a little muddy). I then got in the car and that’s the last time I remember seeing it. Chain of events: the Mister and I stopped at my parents’ house down the street to use the bathroom and get something to drink. Then we went home, took the bikes off the rack and went inside.

So the pouch is either: in the metroparks parking lot (I called the park ranger AND the police — although I’m certain they are more concerned about “the crazy nutty lady” than my camera), my parents’ house (she swears she scoured the place) with  a thieve that swiped it when I wasn’t look (doesn’t seem probable, as the Mister and I were always within sight of the car). Anyway, I am NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. I can’t stop thinking about it! I swear, it’s giving me anxiety. So, I am BEGGING YOU — can you please send me some good vibes/karma? Just think positive thoughts for me, OK? In addition to being an awesome camera that I use daily it was also a gift from the Mister (so that makes me feel about 10x more horrible). But let’s see what the power of positive thinking can do, shall we?! I need your good karma! ;) THANK YOU.

So, while I would love to show you my fashion friday photos from my camera — I can’t! You’ll have to settle for my crummy back-up iPhone photos. Don’t hate.

In the mix:

  • Blouse: SAKS
  • Skirt: SAKS
  • Scarf: Handknit by Grandma

Please excuse the horrid lighting!

In the mix:

  • Dress: Francesca’s (cute AND affordable stuff!)
  • Cardigan: SAKS
  • Belt: Anthropologie
  • Boots: UGG

The approach I took with both outfits featured this week was to take a spring piece (1st outfit- skirt, second- dress) and pair it with basic, warmer staples (ie – cardigan, leggings, etc). One of my favorite looks is paring a spring dress with a turtle neck or belted cardigan and wearing leggings with boots (ankle boots would be especially cute!). This way you are incorporating some spring-elements, but not looking like you jumped the gun too soon.

What spring fashion are you most looking forward to?

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Thankful Thursday – LET THE SUNSHINE IN!

March 11th, 2010

Today in Cleveland (even though there is still a bit of snow on the ground) it is almost 60 DEGREES. It was 30 last night!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and I cannot wipe the goofy grin of my face.

Today, I’m thankful for the sunshine. And I plan on showing my thanks by taking the afternoon off to go on a bike ride with my Mister. Don’t worry, I’ll be following my safety tips!

What are you doing to enjoy the weather today?

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Work it – How to prevent burnout

March 10th, 2010

So now that spring is almost here, it’s usual the time that we re-evaluate our fitness goals and talk about motivation. Many sites and magazines talk about getting excited to exercise and how we can stay at it and go, go, GO! But you rarely hear about burnout — you know, that overwhelming feeling that can put any exercise program to a halt. Burnout is a sneaky little monster! It can creep up seemingly fast, but the truth is, it doesn’t happen overnight. There are some tell-tale signs to watch out for to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Like most things, burnout happens in stages, so it’s important to recognize the signs along the way.

STAGE ONE: CLOUD NINE

Classic sign: you want to look good in that swimsuit you just bought, so you never miss a workout.

Banish burnout: Less can actually be more. See, burnout happens when you expect too much too soon. Balance your excitement with the big picture! Even with the smartest, most effective workout program, you still can’t force your body to become stronger or slimmer any faster than it physiologically can. So start small. It’s better to do too little in the beginning than too much — the last thing you want to do is mess with your limits and push your ability to recover mentally or physically.

STAGE TWO: IMPATIENCE (aka REALITY CHECK)

Classic sign: Do you get easily discouraged when you don’t see results right away? Do you stop looking forward to gym time and start skipping workouts? DON’T.

Banish burnout: Set mini goals. The main reason people stop an exercise program is that they feel so far from their high-set goals! Try setting short-term goals that focus on the process (like time spent exercising) are more likely to boost your confidence and keep you on track than long-term outcome goals (say, total number of pounds lost).

STAGE THREE: EXCUSES

Classic sign: With boredom and apathy setting in, you’ll use almost anything — work, family, stress, the weather — as an excuse to skip exercise.

Banish Burnout: Change it up! Use a different piece of cardio equipment or work out in a different part of the gym. Sick of the gym? Take it outside! Icky weather? Fitness DVDs! Always give your body something new so that it never has a chance to adapt.

STAGE FOUR: SURRENDER

Classic sign: You are already saying “there’s always next year”

Banish Burnout: Put away that white flag! do NOT surrender! Remind yourself of the reasons you started this routine in the first place. Re-commit and make a schedule. Stick to it for at least five weeks (the KEY time-frame to get habits to stick!). Try making a date — with a trainer, your guy, or your best friend. You’re more likely to stay on track when someone is holding you accountable.

Now that you know the stages, they’ll be easier to avoid — hang in there, you can do it!

hang in there!

How do YOU prevent burnout?

In the news: yet another reason why you need to take it easy every once in awhile — Too much exercise can lead to overuse injuries

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Daily Delish – Brownie Sundae (healthified!)

March 10th, 2010

Good morning, kids! I have to make this super quick, but you’ll forgive my ALACRITY (GRE word of the day!) after I share the following creation:

How to make a chocolate brownie sundae – in three steps

STEP ONE: Purchase the following

STEP TWO: Heat up a Vitatop

STEP THREE: Top with Mousse

I know, right? You can thank me later.

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Daily Delish – The good kind of “muffin top”

March 9th, 2010

This morning I took some of my own advice and had a delightful snack! Pumpkin Muffin spread with CREAM CHEESE

Have you ever head the pleasure of enjoying pumpkin cheesecake? Yeah, it’s kinda like that.

You should make these muffins just so you can enjoy this flavor combo. Now if only I still had some Cacao Bliss left, as I’m sure that would make a decadent treat, as well!

What is your favorite “muffin top”per?

I’m getting my hair cut tonight – gaaaahhhhh – it always makes me a little nervous! I don’t think I’ve ever recovered from the mullet my mom gave me when I was little.

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Posted in Daily Delish | 9 Comments »

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