Cardio | Blissfulbritt

1. On Friday I went to my first spin class in weeks. I was quickly reminded why it’s important to stay on top of cardio. Holy tired sweat fest. So I went again yesterday for 90 min spin, and then went for a 2 hr hike. Time to get back in running shape.

2. Last week I got an e-mail informing me that if I bought a $30 gift card at The Veggie Grill I would get a free entree. I bought the card…for myself. Then I ate a free meal.

“BLT” with smoked tempeh bacon, avocado, and a garlic aioli on sourdough. Swoon.

3. I balanced out my selfish gift card purchase by sharing a $5 oatmeal cookie with a stranger on the streets of Seattle. I hope she enjoyed it more than I did.

4. I’ve been branching out of my drip coffee bubble and getting something different. Americanos have a caramel sweetness to them thanks to the espresso beans.

This goes so well with my morning apple or banana.

5. I have been driving my car without a hubcap for OVER TWO YEARS NOW. I inquired about a new one once, but decided I was too cheap to buy one.

6. Looks like my patience payed off because my amazing coworker/friend (he chose me for his secret Santa) BOUGHT ME A NEW HUBCAP! SO JAZZED.

7. I won a coffee selling competition at work, and the prize is a trip to the new reserve roasting plant with my boss and the aforementioned coworker (he won the following week.) Basically my boss is paying for us to go to Seattle and drink coffee.

8. Lily…makes…gorgeous….things. Click here for adorable stuff.

9. Once upon a time I used to drink one cup of coffee. One. And I wouldn’t even finish it. Lately I’ve been drinking nearly my entire morning French press. It’s soothing.

10. FIVE MORE SLEEPS UNTIL I’M SUNNING MY SKIN IN ARIZONA!

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AZ MTNS

Q: What’s your confession?

Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed some changes in my every day life. My mood has elevated, my hunger is under control, and best of all…my pants are fitting better.

So what’s my secret? I’ve stopped doing intense cardio..and continued eating cookies and chocolate. OK so that is an exaggeration, but I do have a good balance with sugar right now, along with food as a whole. Intuitive eating has a whole new meaning for me.

After my recent trip to Arizona I had somewhat of a small epiphany if you will. I was anxious about not having access to my gym, but instead of dwelling I focused my thoughts onto what I was eating. Hunger cues became my friend, and with no access to my gym I was forced to get outside and run. I ran short miles, and tried to run for the simplicity of the run itself. I was forced to step away from my routine. Hence my last post.

I didn’t do any intense cardio workouts, instead I ran a few 3-4 mile runs, I hiked, I biked, and I listened to my body cues on when I needed to eat. I didn’t worry about burning calories and I finally just…relaxed. This is when I realized nothing I’ve been doing has worked. The intense cardio has not been working, and a couple weeks ago I decided it was time for a break. Are we noticing a trend with my constant breakups?

The only problem was that I LOVE intense cardio. It feels like a waste of motivation, but with nothing to loose I decided to give it a shot. This has allowed me to eat smaller, more frequent meals which has helped my digestion and overall I feel better. With minimal cardio in my daily routine, it was time to start some new workouts.

Along with casual runs I’ve been doing yoga, walking, hanging with Jillian, and Pilates. Let me preach for a moment..Pilates is a dirty demon that I can’t get enough of. My legs have never hurt so good. After a class I can’t walk right for days. The weight work that I’ve been doing through Pilates and my Jillian DVD have already started making small differences. I’m still doing intense cardio here and there, maybe once a week, but earlier in the day and I’m fueling accordingly.

So why am I sharing all of this? Well, for starters it just feels good to purge all the chaos that swirls in my brain from time to time. As a devout cardio junkie…I am admitting to the world that cardio is NOT all there is to life, I’m officially a strength training believer. I honestly don’t feel like I was fueling properly for the workouts I was doing, and since I don’t want to change my intake, this was the solution I needed.

I still love you spin class…

As humans we are constantly changing and growing, reinventing and reevaluating. The trial and error with my workouts, and finding my perfect balance can relate to my personal life too. I am at a place of peace, and all the mental hurdles I’ve overcome within the last year have givin me the ability to switch my mindset when it comes to lower intensity workouts. It sounds ridiculous, and makes more sense in my head (per usual) but I’m saying it anyway! It feels good to start gaining back my confidence in a round about way.

Q: Do you feel that confidence in your workouts helps with confidence in your life? YES!