Killer Calves & Copy Cat Outfits

I'm all about incorporating fitness throughout the day.  I'll randomly do sit ups, sporadic exercise, dips you name it.  Yesterday I did a little calf work and OH MY I am sore today!  

Here's how it works:

On Step 1: Do 10 calf raises

On Step 2: Do 20 calf raises

On Step 3: Do 30 calf raises

***Dog not necessary for calf raises

Keep adding 10 more calf raises every time you go up a new step.  

I've got 9 steps so by the time I get to the top I'll have done a total of 450 calf raises.  You don't have to do as many steps......AND if you don't have steps in your house or apartment building use an outside curbside.  You won't feel it right away but the next day your calves will be sore!  

Sleek, strong calves make me happy.

I also pulled a total copy cat move this week with an outfit I saw in a magazine.  I wish I could say I created all of my outfits on my own but that would be a big fat lie.  I get a little help.....When I see an outfit in a magazine I cut it out and put it on a cork board.

Here is my version based on what I had in my closet....

Have a GREAT Saturday!!

xo

Sarah

Get Up & Go

Friday Book Review: Skinny Bitch

Ok, so I'm kicking off Friday with a book review.  But before I launch into Skinny Bitch can I just say I love the outfit I put on today?  Total cost of the outfit was under $10 including the shoes!  Not bad.  Plus I love mixing patterns..

Happy Friday!

XO,

Sarah

A few friends recommended the book Skinny Bitch....

After reading I now know I am definitely not a 

Skinny Bitch kind of girl.

This book was on the New York best sellers list and I'm not sure it's because of the content but more about the clever title.

Here are 4 things I found useful from this book:

• Carbs are GOOD - Thank goodness!  Giving up carbs is not something I care to do.  Whole wheat pasta rocks.
• Know what you are eating - The message around knowing where you food came from was great.  These women do a lot of research on the ingredients from the foods they are choosing to eat.  Love that.  They tell you to trust no one....not even them.  I tend to agree.  If there are too many ingredients in something I've never heard of I usually pass.
• Get rid of SODA people! - Soda both diet and regular are terrible for you and have NO nutritional value.  Transitioning out of drinking soda for good is a good idea.  Water still trumps all and not only keeps your hydrated but can aid in increasing metabolism.
• Meat intake - I'm not currently a vegetarian but was for about 5 years.  I don't think I can give up meat for good but seriously reducing my intake is something I am seriously considering.  A co worker of mine calls it a flexitarian.  So as of today I am now a flexitarian which means I'll try and skip meat at least 4 days a week.

Here are 3 things from the book I thought were a little too crazy:

• Give up coffee???!!  No thank you!  That was at the beginning of the book and I almost put the book down for good at that point.  They claim it wreaks havoc on your body.  I work in the coffee industry and am likely to NEVER give up coffee.  I'd be out of a job if I took a "no coffee" stance.  If you are drinking one cup a day like I am it is very good for you.  It's 98% water and has 0 calories!  If you need it to stay awake then you might have a problem on your hands.....but in general one cup a day has never killed anyone or hindered them from reaching their fitness/weight loss goals.
• Fake Food- In their "Let's Eat" chapter all foods begin with the word FAKE.  Fake chicken patty sandwich, fake egg sandwich, fake bacon, fake chicken caesar salad.  All foods that begin with "fake" freak me out.  I like to eat minimally processed foods or things that start with the word fresh.  Just a thought.
• They recommend you give up coffee, alcohol, dairy, meat and sugar.....BORING!  Have we heard of something called MODERATION!  Hello!?  

Have an amazing weekend!

2 Songs of the Week: Raise Your Weapon & Ghosts N Stuff by Deadmaus

This music isn't usually what I love but for workouts they are awesome.  They are each over 6 minutes so it makes your 45 minute run seem shorter.  Ok, maybe that's just me!  Anyways they have few words so you can let your mind just focus on the task at hand....running (or walking or whatever it is you do).

Flats + Heels = Ankle Boots = Less Back Pain = Healthy

I walk a TON for work.  Constantly on the go.  I LOVE high heels but they get ruined so fast when I wear them for work.  I also love flats but they are a bit too casual for work.....SO......I've fallen in love with ankle boots.  These ones in particular.  

I've got a cork board on my desk and I pin up everything I'm asking the universe for....IT WORKS.  I swear.  

Wedge heel shoes are much better for your back because they distribute weight more evenly where as a heel puts more pressure on the ball of your foot.  This means I can have less aches and pains during the work week and still look stylish (or at least I think I'm stylish haha).  

I gave it a go this week

On a side note....I'm also a fan of scarves.  HUGE FAN.  This one is Cynthia Rowley and I got it for $16 bucks.  TOTAL STEAL.

Even Lenny was a fan.  

They work in jeans too....

I would hate to ruin the pedicure I did MYSELF!  

PS - I started doing pedi/mani's myself and I'm actually really good at it.  

Save myself $35 buck a pop and don't get harassed about adding a bikini wax or eyebrow wax to my service...HAHA

Have a happy hump day!

Do you have a "go to" shoe for work?

xo

Sarah

Jessica's Lifestyle Makeover Update!

Goal Weight: 140 by Oct 1

Weigh in Last Week: 152

Weigh in This Week: 151

Total Weight Loss This Week: 1

Total Weight Loss Since May 30th: 19

I gotta hand it to Jessica......get it?  She's sitting in a hand chair....I think I am SO FUNNY sometimes (ok, really just dorky).  

So it's time to get real.....

Ok, so I did it again!  Haha. Time to get real while she is standing next to a clock...ok, I'll stop.

Clearly, she looks great and is SO CLOSE to entering the 140's before October 1st.  Losing 2 pounds a week has proven to be TOUGH.  It was an aggressive goal to begin with.  Real life just happens and sometimes your body just gets to a certain weight and likes it. PLUS, Jessica is 22 and wants to live life which sometimes means having one too many drinks and eating brunch while being hungover the next day.  We've all been there.  

For the most part she stays away from bad food but once in awhile you have to embrace the oversized ice cream.

DID YOU KNOW:                                That people are more likely to stay fit  & healthy when they have a friend (or significant other) to work out with?  Well it's true....which is why I want to announce a new client and Jessica's good friend Caitlyn who will be my next Lifestyle Makeover client!

Meet Caitlyn:

Partners in Crime.  Both can influence one another to stay on the health and fitness GAME PLAN.

Stay Tuned for more Jessica/Caitlyn tales.  Two friends with very different lifestyle makeover agendas.  

xoxox

Sarah

This Math Equation STINKS!

Why is it when I married my husband and we moved in together he lost 10 lbs & I gained 5?  That is math I dislike.  

He has started eating more fruits and vegetables from me in exchange for me eating more of his processed junk food.  UGH!  Thankfully we've both given in a little and have some balance in regards to groceries.

Does things end up in your refrigerator from a roommate or significant other that SCREAM your name?

However I am SUPER excited about this Oskie Woskie shirt*** I found for only $4.  Shana from ColorBlind got me hooked on these kinds of shirts while on our thrift shopping extravaganzas.

***Oskie Woskie (pronounced OH-ski WHOA-ski) is a term for shirts that are at least 25 years old.

Below is a new song to add to your workout playlist as well as a Monday butt kicking running track.  Enjoy!

1. Warm Up - Brisk 5 minute walk or jog
2. Sprint - Sprint for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds.  Repeat 5 times.
3. Run/Walk - Run full force for 2 minutes and walk for 1 minute.  Repeat 5 times.
4. Hill Jog - Jog for 10 minutes increasing your incline every minute.
5. Hill Run - Run at the top of the hill 2 minutes.
6. Sprint - Take off all incline and repeat step 2 for 3 minutes.
7. Cool Down - Walk at a slow recovery pace.

Add Do You by Iffy To Your Running Playlist

Team Salty or Team Sweet?

I was pretty excited to find this Tahari white blazer and heart necklace for $3.00 each! My best friend Shana (from ColorBlind) was in town and we had a major thrift shopping extravaganza which I totally count as exercise.  Don't judge.

Ok.....back to regularly scheduled programming.....

Are you team SWEET, team SALTY or BOTH?

I'm totally on team sweet.  Sugar is the bane of my existence.  I mean, if you give me something salty I'll eat it (love Pop Chips) but if you told me I couldn't have it I'd be ok.  I don't get that salt craving. 

I try REALLY hard (not always successful) to mix my sweet tooth with something actually good for you like fruit.  So today I whipped out some chocolate covered bananas.  I blogged once before about frozen bananas in the summer but discovered that they are gooey and delicious when they are at room temperature.  I would have never known this if it weren't for my impatient step son Nick. 

He just COULDN'T wait for them to freeze.....thankfully his impatience turned my treat into something even more delicious.

These treats are SUPER easy.  All you have to do is buy the melting chocolate and some bananas.  You need popsicle sticks and parchment paper.  Follow the melting instructions, dip the bananas, set them on the parchment paper and voila.  They are done.  If you really want to make them perfectly look it up on Google.  I'm terrible in the kitchen......haha!

You know I'm serious when I've got the hair
pulled back and the head band on.....

My cat, Squiggy, loves to be in pictures.
He's is giving me the
 "I'm going to eat whatever you're making" face.

What else am I supposed to do while my lovely husband is planted on the couch watching football  ALL DAY?

My husband John in his typical Sunday position.
Looking up fantasy football on his phone while
also switching back and forth from game to game.

The T.V. that I don't watch on Sundays

He is supportive of the blog but not
amused by all the picture taking during the Redskins game.....OOOPS!

New Workout, Music Suggestions and a $6 Dress!

Though I LOVE blogging I'm terribly inconsistent.  I'm trying to change that!  

Thanks to Shana from ColorBlind for taking these photos!

To make up for my lack of consistency here is a running routine made for the days when you have no time or energy but want to get a quick pick-me-up workout

First things first.  MUSIC.  Add this song to your playlist.  Total motivator.

                                           

Workout Routine:

1. Warm Up - Jog or walk for 5 minutes 

2. Run/Walk - Run full force (or at your own pace if you're a new runner) for 2 minutes then do a recovery walk for 1 minute.  Repeat for 5 rounds (15 minutes)

3.  Run/Walk - Repeat step 2 but change the ratio to running for 3 minutes and walking for 1.  Repeat for 5 rounds (20 minutes).

4.  Cool Down - Walk for 5 minutes

5.  BAM!  You've got a 45 minute workout DONE!

PS - I found this dress for $6.00!  I don't love the scalloped sleeves but am going to get those tailored to look more modern.  But the color and the lace are my FAVORITE!

My answer to everything hair related is to add accessories.  Sometime I look like a fool but tonight it happened to work!  

Jessica Update!

I'm a TERRIBLE blogger.  I've basically got blogger A.D.D.  Ya know,  when something sounds good at the time and you go full force and then get a little burned out?  It happens to the best of us.

Well I'm back on the blogging track and wanted to give a quick update on Jessica.  She is doing amazing and is continuing to work out, eat healthfully and lose weight.  She weighs in again tomorrow and I'll post the results.  

The best part is that she is now got her friend on the same workout track.  So glad to see that Jessica is taking what she learned and sharing it with others!  That is what this journey is all about.  

PS - Does Jessica not look AMAZING in that bathing suit?  She has come a long way....

Jessica's Lifestyle Makeover Week 9

Goal Weight: 140 by Oct 1

Weigh in Last Week: 157

Weigh in This Week: 155

Total Weight Loss This Week: 2

Total Weight Loss Since May 30th: 17


Another great week!  Holy hot red dress!


I've been so bad this week about blogging!  It was a busy work week, my birthday and I leave for the beach tomorrow.  I'm exhausted just writing all of that down.  Thankfully I squeezed in 3 days of yoga, a spin class and a 30 minute jog.    


Will have a guest blogger next week.....wait and see.


xo
Sarah