My Five Friday Faves From the Week

{1} “For the first time in forever….”  I got to see Frozen! We showed it to the preschoolers on Thursday and let me just say … it was AMAZING!! There are just so many things I love about that movie!! I loved it!!  And now you’re singing that song in your head aren’t you?!  You’re welcome!! ;)

{2} Cheese sticks!!! I’ll spare you a picture of me eating these things, but I can’t get enough of them!! They are so good!! I wait until they go on sale and I have a paper coupon and get them for super cheap!!  yeah… remember that post I told you for the bazillionth time that I’m a cheapskate frugal?  ;)

{3} My workout from Monday was another fun one! AND my favorite one from the week… seeing as I only got to work out once during the actual week! Hopefully I’ll be able to get in another 1 or 2 workouts this weekend! *My fingers are crossed!*

{4} My favorite Backfire of the week…When SELF put down tutu wearers, the running community came together in support and now wearing tutus is even more popular… take that SELF!! However, I did learn today that the magazine did apologize. I personally don’t have a tutu, but if I ever dressed up for a race I would definitely be a cute superhero tutu wearin’ runner!! Every one races for different reasons and wears different things, we are ALL out there running none-the-less!! No one has the right to judge someone who is making a healthy lifestyle choice like running a race!! What do you think about this whole situation?  Do you think the apology fixes everything?

{5} Starting yesterday at 4pm I am officially on Spring Break!!! Bring it on!!! :)  In the next 9 days I will only be working a total of 16-22 hours! I’m super pumped!! :)  I have some fun things planned too!  My mom and I are going to have a girls day out and although I don’t know what we are going to do yet, I know it will be a blast! I can’t wait to hang out with her! She happens to be my best friend and I miss her now that we don’t live with my family anymore!

{BONUS}  Don’t forget to enter my two giveaways! They end Monday 3/31!!

And don’t forget to visit the giveaway linkup to see other great giveaways going on in Blogland (or linkup your own giveaway!)

What are your Friday Faves from the week?
What do you have planned for this weekend?
Do you wear tutus?
What food are you obsessed with lately?

GREAT NEWS!! #ffcheckin and an Awesome Workout!

You can save 15% or more on car insurance…

Just kidding! ha! And yes… What you see on my blog is what you get… stupid humor and all! Although I do hold back on my lame jokes quite a bit so that you guys will maybe like me a little bit more and not think I’m a weirdo! ;)

I really do have some awesome great news though! Are you guys ready for this?!  Last year I applied to be a #FitFluential Ambassador and a couple weeks ago I got the official “you’re accepted” email.  I didn’t want to share though until today when I got the official “you’re official” email!  So it’s official… I’m now the newest FitFluential Ambassador!! I’m super excited to be a part of yet another great community!!

Are you a #FFAmbassador??

So, my day today was pretty much amazing and not really for any specific reason… other than I actually got enough sleep for once last night!

**Confession**  I’ve been AWFUL at going to bed at a decent time!!  Most nights I won’t go to sleep til after midnight or 1am! I can blame it on not getting off work til 11pm at my second job, but it’s totally my fault…

Ok, back to my awesome day… I only went to work (educational assistant) for half a day and got off at noon to go to a required training.  Well that training wasn’t supposed to end til 4pm which is when I normally get off work anyways… BUT I got done at 2!!! How awesome right?!  That meant that I got to the gym 2 hours earlier and wasn’t exhausted (in part because I got enough sleep) and got home 2 hours earlier and was able to make dinner when the sun was still shining!

I know some of you are like “girl, why don’t you go to the gym BEFORE work and then you’d be home at 4 every Monday!” lol… well, you may have missed the one few billion posts where I mention I’m a cheapskate frugal, have a bajillion jobs, and don’t even have enough money to fly across the US to Cali this summer which is why I don’t have a gym membership and workout at my college alma mater for FREE… which means my workout window is pretty small as the gym is only open from 10-8.  Such is life and you gotta make the most of what you’ve got, so I’m not complaining! :)

This is the view from where I worked out today… Not too shabby right?!

 

I switched up my workout a little bit… I did a circuit type of workout today…

- Walking Warmup 7min --> .42mi

- Squats (12)(14)(16); Lunges (10ea leg); Wall Sit (30sec); Pushups (10 manly ones) ;)  X 3 repeats

- 30 Day Fast Start with Jackie Warner [Arms only, used 5lbs] (I have it memorized so no need for the DVD ha!)

- Side Lunges (10ea leg); Plank (45sec)(50sec)(1:00); Crunches (20); Bicycle Crunches (16)(18)(20) X 3 repeats

- Run 20:27min --> 2 miles!!! Pretty pumped cuz I’m consistently running 2 miles without any knee pain!!

- Walking Cooldown 8min --> .46mi

- Stretch for 20 minutes

 
Wall Sits!!! (and Nuun Energy!! Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!)

No scientifically proven reason why I did any of the things I did in my workout… just did it cuz it sounded fun! ;) And remember, if you duplicate this workout for yourself cuz it sounds fun, I’m not a doctor or trainer or coach, etc… nor do I play one on tv!  It’s just a workout I came up with on my own and doesn’t guarantee you any kind of results except for maybe sore muscles ;)

I’ll leave you a picture of my dinner…

Chicken Quesadilla, Rice, Mixed Veggies, Salad, and Water

And just a reminder to enter my giveaways going on right now!! They both end 3/31 at 11:59pm!! :) (click the pic to go to the giveaway)

 

How was your workout this fine Monday?! ;)
Are you a FitFluential Ambassador?
Are you an Ambassador for a company/program/blog?
What’d you have for dinner?

Nuun All Day and Nuun Energy Review & Giveaway

Sponsored Post

Hey R-Luckies! If you’ve been around my blog at all… even just for the past week, you may have read a little about Nuun! Case in Point! ha! If you’ve been living under a rock and have no idea what Nuun is, let me tell you a little bit about them! From their website:

“Nuun, pronounced “Noon,” was the first company to separate electrolyte replacement from carbohydrates. Before Nuun, if you wanted electrolytes, the result was a bottle full of sugar. With our simple, self-dissolving, sugar-free electrolyte tab, we revolutionized the sports drink forever.”

Recently I was given the opportunity to work with Nuun to bring you a product review of two of their products: Nuun All Day and their NEW Nuun Energy!

First up is Nuun All Day:

Nuun All Day is designed for just that… for you to drink all day, every day!!  It’s a natural hydration tab that provides zero sugar, under 8 calories per tab, and a blend of A, B, C, D, and E vitamins! I got to try out the Grapefruit-Orange and Blueberry-Pomegranate and although I really like the taste of both, I REALLY like the citrusy flavor of the Grape-fruit-Orange… it’s super refreshing!  I LOVE the fact that Nuun All Day has all those vitamins because, I’ll be honest, some days I really don’t get all the vitamins my body needs just from my food intake! AND just like all of Nuun’s products, it’s Gluten free and safe, fun way for your kids to drink more water!

Nuun Energy:

Now, some of you love coffee and drink a cup when you wake up and a cup an hour before your race, but what are those of us to do that hate coffee?!  *insert huge gasp from my readers*  YES… I confess… I hate coffee! I can’t even stand the smell of it!   So how am I supposed to get that edge and better athletic performance that caffeine gives you without drinking coffee?? At the beginning of March, Nuun came out with their newest product… Nuun Energy! Here’s a little blurb from the press release on March 4, 2014:

“Nuun Energy elevates your hydration with a scientifically proven formula that balances hydration and sustains energy for optimal performance. Nuun Energy has a unique blend of B Vitamins for energy metabolism, Caffeine for increased endurance output and cognition, and the same Optimal Electrolyte Blend as Nuun Active Hydration to keep you hydrated. Nuun Energy is staying true to its roots with an effervescent tablet that contains zero added sugars, under 12 calories and stored in the same popular, portable container. Nuun Energy’s mission is to redefine the energy drink market with a clean, eco-friendly alternative.”

With only 1/2 the caffiene of a cup of a coffee, Nuun Energy is safe to drink and will give you that boost your looking for! For more information I’ve snagged this picture from Nuun’s website for your educational purposes… to read it, just click the image and it’ll take you to Nuun’s website!

The tubes of Nuun Energy come with 10 tabs… they are thicker than the Nuun Active and Nuun All Day lines… my guess is the caffeine takes up more space! ;) haha!  I’ve put together a little diagram for you so you can see the difference between the three tab sizes: Nuun All Day comes with 15 tabs, Nuun Active comes with 12, and Nuun Energy has 10.

Even though Nuun Energy only comes with 10 tabs, I think it is well worth the money! At $24 for a pack of 4, it’s the same price as a pack of Nuun Active. I don’t drink it as much as the active and All Day, so I think it’s well worth it for the boost! I’ve tried out Nuun Energy in the morning and before I’ve gone to the gym… with a 60 hour work week and still trying to work out, I’m exhausted before I even hit the weights or pavement!! It really does have the same great light taste as the other Nuun lines and I felt like it gave me the energy I needed to get in a great workout!

If you order now through Sunday (3/23) you get a free Nuun Trucker hat with any purchase!

 

What are you waiting for?! Go #GetElectrolit with @nuunhydration #nuunenergy!!

And just because Nuun is awesome, they are offering one of my readers the chance to win a tube of Nuun Energy in their own choice of flavor!!
All you have to do to enter is use the rafflecopter form below! Giveaway will end 3/31! Good luck!! 
*I received 2 tubes of All Day for the purpose of the product review, I bought the Energy with my own money and my opinions like always are my own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Whoops! We were supposed to wear GREEN today?!

Ok, PLEASEEEE tell me I’m not the only one that forgot to wear green today?!  BTW, Happy St. Patty’s Day everyone! ha! Completely slipped my mind till I was already at work! I had some gold on my shirt so I told anyone that told me I was going to get pinched that I would indeed NOT be pinched because I was wearing the pot of gold!!  Totally legit right?! ;) Thought so!

Well, if you did forget, here’s a tip for you for next year!  (Don’t worry, I don’t charge 25cents for my advice!)  Here it is:
Grab the nearest tube of Lemon Lime NUUN and accessorize!! Voila! Insta-NUUN ring!! You’re welcome!

Speaking of NUUN, I have a great post coming to you soon!! Keep an eye out!

After almost getting pinched a gazillion times at work today, I headed to the gym and did an amazingly FUN workout!! Seriously… it was the most fun working out I’ve had in a long time and I didn’t even pick up a single weight!! Hopefully I’ll have a blog post up in the next week!!  But for now, I’m gearing up with Tommie Copper and heading to bed!! I’ve got 30 hours of work coming up in the next 2 days, so I need to get some shut eye!!

Goodnight lovelies!

How did your workout go? (You better not have skipped a Monday workout!) ;)
Did you wear green or did you forget?? (it’s ok, you can be honest! This is the blog bubble of trust)

Spring Into Fitness #Giveaway Blog Hop

Wow… This is the first time I’ve actually turned on my computer and been on the internet since I posted on Monday!! Honestly, life was crazy busy this week and sad to say I didn’t workout at all (yet! I still have this weekend!)  I’m hoping to get out today because it’s nice and sunny and supposed to be 63*! I have to go pick my sister up at the airport in an hour so we’ll see if it happens. My fingers are crossed!!

I can’t believe there’s only 1 week left until it’s officially spring!!!  I’ve been counting down since right after Christmas! ha! Since I’m so excited that spring is coming, I decided to join in on the Spring into Fitness Blog Hop Fun! It’s hosted by Run Away Bridal Planner and cohosted by Cat Lady Runs.

 

So What can you win on my blog?? A nice Spring Essentials Pack!! It includes:

- An Ironman Handheld water bottle
- 2 Chocolate Agave #9 Gels
- A pair of Sweat Pink Shoelaces
- A #RunChat Sticker and Temporary Tattoo

It’s easy to enter… Just use the rafflecopter form below!! Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I’m super excited to be able to link up with some other super amazing bloggers in the Spring Into Fitness Giveaway Blog Hop!  Each blogger has a different giveaway on their blog so go check them out!!

Holy Brooks Ravennas Batman! (and a Winner!)

OMG guys… the weather Friday was amazing!!! I told you I would get outside and if you follow me on Instagram, you know I stayed true to my word!! ;)  Tomorrow it’s supposed to be 65*!!  I’m super bummed though because I’m inside all day tomorrow working 14 hours! Ugh! Thursday, the day I can actually get outside again, is supposed to be 25*!!  How does that work?! for real!!  I LOVE being outside and just getting out Friday has improved my mental state and outlook on life after being stuck inside all winter long!!

Look guys… no gloves!! ;)

Look at this weather!!  It was absolutely glorious!! (Now this song is stuck in my head)

I was going to pull up some Garmin stats for you all, but somehow I misplaced my USB when we moved… hopefully I can find it!! You’ll just have to settle for pictures and taking my word for it! ;)

I RAN 2 MILES STRAIGHT… WITHOUT STOPPING!!!
Longest run post-injury with no pain to report!! I’m super pumped!!

Do you see that average pace?!! Holy Brooks Ravennas Batman!! Where did that come from?!
I’ve been running 11 something miles on the treadmill but Friday my pace per mile was:

Mile 1 – 9:54

Mile 2 – 10:37

I guess it just felt amazing to finally get outside again!!  Remember how I told you there are no hills where we moved??  Well Friday I even found a little hill to run up! ;)

Like I said… It’s tiny! ;)

After I got home, I stretched, foam rolled, and drank a green monster!  All the stretching, strengthening, yoga, and rolling I’ve been doing must be helping!!  There are some days when I feel a little ache in my knee, but nothing compared to how it used to be!! I’m so happy about the healing progress and pray that it continues to heal!! I’ve made a pact with myself that if at any point the pain comes back/gets worse I will immediately call the orthopedic doctor!! (hold me to it guys!!)

And now the moment I know you’ve been looking forward to… I know you skipped my post just to see if you were the winner!
Really guys??? Really?!!

It’s ok… I’ll forgive you! (this time)

Congrats Tessa B.!! You’ve won the Sprint Pack from Apera Bags!! Look for an email shortly!! :)

 

Are you recovering from an injury??

Do you prefer to run/workout inside or outside??

Do you stretch, foam roll, or stick after working out?

 

Friday Faves Hosted by Five for Friday

Hello R-Luckies!! Welcome to my Friday Faves brought to you by Five For Friday!! ;)

1. My Workout on Monday was probably one of my favorite workouts this year! Everything was just clicking and I felt great physically and mentally!

I warmed up by walking, then I ran 1.51 miles in 17:45 (11:45/mile)
I also did some other weights and stuff, but I was super happy with how I felt during the run!! I’m coming back people!!

 

I also held my longest handstand EVER!!! No wall!! Check it out on Instagram!!  I’m so proud of my 3 second handstand! haha!
If you’d like to see the video, just click on the picture below!

 

Then I came home and ate a favorite meal… chicken cordon bleu casserole with a salad and cottage cheese
while watching a favorite show… Wheel. of. fortune!!! (read that like they announce it on tv! haha)

  

2. My favorite giveaways right now and I’m not biased or anything lol ;)

3. The weather today is gorgeous!!! You better believe I’m getting out there today!!  My favorite workouts happen outside!!

4. Nuun is my favorite electrolyte drink and they just came out with their new Energy drink!
Why yes… I did just buy a sampler pack lol… I couldn’t help myself!! Look at that awesome bottle!

 

5. My favorite down time right now is watching Lost.  I finished season 1 of and can’t wait to get started on the 2nd season!!  Any Lost fans out there?

 

What are some of your favorites this week/weekend??!!

Last Day for the Giveaway!!

I just wanted to remind you all that it’s the last day to enter my giveaway!! You have 13 hours before it ends so head on over and enter!!

Also, Alicia over at Never Ever Been Skinny is hosting a giveaway for one of my Skinny Yoga Mat Straps so head on over and check it out!! :)

Sunday Marathon Time!!

Oh you be cray cray!!  I’m not talking about RUNNING a marathon silly “RLuckies”  << That’s what I literally just now decided to call you all!  You like it?  It’s like you “are lucky” (“luckies” for short?) … ok, don’t try to see through my logic… it won’t work!  My brain works differently than most I guess ;)

ANYWAYS… I just found Netflix and remembered I started a tv show series about 5 years ago and never finished it…

Yes, I’ve been having a “Lost” Marathon!! I started back at the pilot episode!  There are 6 seasons… this might take me a while!!

In other news we are having yet another snow storm and have a 1 hour delay for tomorrow already!  Let the celebration begin!!

What better way to celebrate than by watching yet another episode?!! ;)

PS – sorry for the blog sidebar deficiencies… if you click the “home” button to go to the main page they disappear.  I’m trying to find a solution but haven’t found the right tech-y vitamin or mineral I’m lacking yet… Anyone else have any issues like this lately?? How did you fix it?

Alright… time to celebrate!! Stay tuned this week for some FUN, and I mean the most fun you’ve ever had in your life, news coming up this week! :)

Do you have Netflix or Hulu+?

What shows/movies do you recommend?
(I watched the Croods and thought that was a cute movie)