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  • Tag: Gym

    • Cardio Conundrum

      Posted at 8:43 AM by Brittany, on January 23, 2014

      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.

      biscuits

      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.

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      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.

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      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.

      pilates

      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.

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      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!

      b

      | 51 Comments Tagged Cardio, Gym, Life, New, Random, Running, Spinning, Workout
    • Relaxation Here I Come

      Posted at 4:01 AM by Brittany, on December 23, 2013

      This is what my Garmin has looked like for the last two weeks.

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      Blank screen, dead battery, no sweat buildup, nada, zilch, nothing! I haven’t run over 3 miles since my last half marathon, and I have loved the break! I switched up my workouts to ensure I don’t get burned out. As for my Garmin, I think it’s burning out. Whenever I charge it, it will last for a day, then it will freeze, and then it dies. I will cry when this watch goes, it was my first ticket to the running big leagues!

      garmin

      Along with a break from running, two work days stand between me and a much needed break from Starbucks. My muscles are starting to feel the repetitive movements that go into making crack lattes. Goodbye cold, hello warmth! I will be spending 10 lovely days in Arizona with the sun, and some cacti. Be ready for some adventure posts.

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      I do see more running while on vacation, so Gary the Garmin better get his act together. No gym means using nature for my playground. I also see some good reading in my future. After dying and being reborn while watching Catching Fire I knew it was time to finally finish the last book of The Hunger Game trilogy. I’m struggling though..the read is SO SLOW compared to the other two books. I hope to finish Mockingjay along with a book my good friend Lily sent me. Perhaps it will inspire me to run run run while on vacation!

      run like a girl

      Happy Holidays to all my amazing blog friends, and to my amazing family. I don’t know how I did it, but I have successfully cut out any added sugar in my daily eats for the last two weeks. I cannot wait to face plant into some sugar Christmas morning!

      Q: Are you taking any time off from work for the holiday?

      b

      | 39 Comments Tagged Books, Christmas, Gym, Random, Reading, Running
    • Five Reasons Why I Won’t Meet My Husband at the Gym

      Posted at 8:29 AM by Brittany, on November 14, 2013

      Do you ever notice those people at the gym that just glow? They have a sexy factor of 10/10 , and it’s almost like they float while they are sweating just the right amount…I am NOT one of those people. Some people meet their soul mates at they gym, but let me tell you why that will never happen to me…

      FartingAtTheGym

      1. Unless I go to the gym after work, I don’t have a drop of makeup on. I literally roll out of bed at times and still have the, “I look like I got mauled by bees because my face is so swollen”/sleepy face. Then again, I barely wear makeup anyway.

      2. I don’t glisten, I look like Free Willy emptied his blow hole all over my face 5 minutes into a good workout. I’m not complaining, in fact I LOVE when I start to drip sweat..but boy do I look like a hot mess. I sometimes even drip from my forearms..WOOF.

      No...that's not a bald spot. My hair is so full of sweat it's matted itself together exposing my scalp.

      No…that’s not a bald spot. My hair is so full of sweat it’s matted itself together exposing my scalp. This picture does no justice to my entire body.

      3. I don’t always have fresh shaved legs..or pits..and I wear tank tops. I’ll spare you that photo. I guess I fit in with the hippies I danced with a few weeks ago more than I thought.

      4. My wardrobe is almost strictly for function, not for fashion. My clothes are old, and I roll my pants up if they are too long. My body parts need to stay in place, and cute tops and short shorts just don’t offer the function I need. I look like I got dressed in the dark.

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      5. I’m channeling my inner hippie again with this, but I don’t wear deodorant. I will put some baking soda under my arms to help any odor, and in everyday life this works. At the gym, with a combination of wearing day old clothes and sporting Free Willy’s spit..well..I don’t smell like a fresh licked kitten I’ll just put it that way.

      I am sure there are many other reasons why I won’t find a date at the gym like when I grunt to clear my throat, or blow the sweat off my nose and it hits the wall, but I’m strictly there to workout and that’s exactly what I do! Alright, I’m off to torture my bum at spin!

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      Q: What unattractive qualities or tendencies do you possess at the gym?

      b

      | 68 Comments Tagged Gym, Spinning, Sweat
    • BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalistic nomad striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long bike rides, deep connections, exploration, and lots of cucumbers.
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