Sun, Please don’t leave

 

Hey guys! Here is the boot camp workout that I promised you.

If you get bored during your workouts quickly, try this one! It keeps you moving the whole time and before you know it you will be done!

The weather in Utah has been unseasonably warm…

And we are enjoying every moment of it!

We walked around with a couple of neighbors and our herd of children.

Tanner was quite a helper.

Since the weather has been so nice this week we have programmed some more running in our workouts at the gym. I have missed running outside SO much! I took it slow and steady but it felt amazing!!!

I hope the sun stays a little longer..

Here is the workout I did today at GPP!

 

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Dinner as of late…

 

EAT ALL THE EGGS….

HERE ARE A FEW GREAT ARTICLES FOR YOU!

Yes, we still core by Neil Anderson @gppfit.com

Normal by Ashley Dickamore (my cousin)

Take a minute and give both a read. Great stuff!

My New Favorite Dessert.

 

I’m alive.

I had a weekend that went by too fast, and a whirlwind of a Monday. By the time I sat to blog last night. I just couldn’t. I’m back though and ready to recap the weekend!

On Saturday, I taught pump and spent 20 minutes on the elliptical. I have decided the elliptical is probably a little more boring then the treadmill…

The weather around here is starting to warm up.

By warm I mean in the low 40’s and not the high 20’s. We put some jackets on and went to the park for the first time in forever! These two LOVE to swing and it is pretty much all they want to do the whole time. I taught them how to pump when they swing so they can swing without me pushing them. Bee has got it down! Tanner needs a little more practice.

After the park we went to Spankys for lunch. These may become a weekly occurrence.

I can’t get enough of this huge salad. My favorite part is the sprouts! I think they just add a little something and make everything you put them on feel a little fancy. I don’t know why I don’t buy them that often. If you ask me, they should be a staple.

At Spanky’s they give the kids an option to have ice cream or a cookie with their kids meal. They obviously make the best decision.

Bee picked Huckleberry because it was pink.. I may of influenced her just a little.. Huckleberry ice cream is my favorite! I had to steal a couple bites.

Sunday, we did the church thing, then spent the rest of the afternoon napping and riding our bikes around the block, again and again, and again.

Every Sunday we tend to get together with family and last Sunday we got to celebrate a special ladies Birthday!

This may be my new favorite dessert in the world.

I have always liked brownies but these were a condenseier ---> (not a word.. but it is now.) And more moist, rich and melt in your mouth kind of brownies.

I’ll have to get the recipe for you guys! We also served it with some mint chocolate ice cream, which made it absolutely perfect!

My Grandma is very special to me. She is always willing to listen and is willing to come help me with anything, rather it be cleaning my house or just watching the twinners for a little bit.

Happy Birthday!

Oh and for a little randomness to wrap up the post.

I think I have mastered the omelet! A burnt one. Oh well. Still ate it but I’m proud it didn’t fall apart like most of my attempts do!

I’ll be back later tonight with a workout for you and a serious discussion.

What is your favorite dessert?

What is your favorite kind of ice cream?

Thymes & Seasons

 

Yesterday was busy and by the end of the night when I sat down to blog, my phone cord wouldn’t connect to the computer or even charge my phone! Since I take the majority of my pics with my phone, I didn’t want to post without pictures.. after fiddling with it for ever I gave up and  I was more then ready for bed!

I love technology…

I did 3 rounds of this workout at GPP, two with one class then one bonus round after I taught the GPP kids class. I modified it a bit and rowed instead of the rope jumps.

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I also ran some errands around SLC. It has been far to long since I have been to Trader Joes. I forget how much I love that place.

And these almonds.

Lulu is just around the corner and may of just been a bonus.

Baylee loves the School house Cinnamon cookies. Although, since when did my kids get super particular about which ones they eat. Baylee only wanted “B’s” and “E’s” and Tanner only wanted “W’s,” “O’s” and “5’s”

REALLY? They ALL taste the SAME!! It may be the last time I buy those. I may just stick to the cats from now on…

We tried to take a nap, and it went just as well as snack time..

I tried to make pancakes for lunch and failed, so I dumped all the batter into a bowl and microwaved it for 10 minutes.

Voila!

It tasted great! Maybe I’ll try the pancakes again..

Today I went out to eat TWICE.. I don’t even know who I am anymore.

FACT: I really don’t like going out to eat. If it is a fresh restaurant and not a chain, I’m okay. I just like to know what I’m eating, how it’s prepared and so on.. I know, I know. I’m a huge food snob.

I went to lunch at Thymes and Seasons in Bountiful. It has been around for awhile and I have seen it but never really even thought  about  going there.

When we walked in, its not your normal restaurant. We stood at the front for a minute or two like idiots because we didn’t know what we were supposed to do.

Then the chef came up to us and asked us what we wanted to eat.

The menu is up high on a board but he just asked what we wanted. I told him chicken and veggies. He said okay and then just said he would bring us some food.

Okay….

He did just that.

And it was AMAZING!! This is a chicken stir fry. Everything about it was perfect. It was made with egg noodles, a ton of veggies, chicken and even topped with basil!

Then he brought out a chicken salad. I think it was a teriyaki chicken and had a sweet balsamic on it.

Then there was the SALMON.

OH the SALMON.

It was so GOOD. I seriously think I ate the majority of it. It was topped with a mango sauce and I don’t think I have ever had a better salmon!

The chef even spoiled us by bringing us a Gluten- Free Dessert!

It was 2 ounces of chocolate perfection! Seriously, amazing. It is made with the best Belgian chocolate and vanilla bean.

The thing I like most about this restaurant is that everything is FRESH! All the meats are range-free and  all the veggies are fresh. The menu changes throughout the seasons. I do wish there was an actual detailed menu to look at and choose from but understand his concept on the whole thing. He is from New York and has the attitude to match, which was entertaining throughout our meal. He does care about giving you a quality meal and making sure you are satisfied with your meal!

I think it is the only restaurant I have ever heard of that has a registered dietician on staff! All meals are created with your health in mind!

If you are local, go check it out! It is a MUST GO!

This post is long enough! I’ll post about the other restaurant later!

Peace out.

 

What is the last restaurant you ate at?

Who ran today?? Make me jealous.

Getting Over A Group Fitness Fear.

Today I got to sleep in a little since I didn’t have to work early and the twinners slept in! When they finally woke up and dressed for the day we headed down for breakfast.

Egg sandwiches for everyone!

I had one ezekiel muffin but kind of made two egg sandwiches… One sweet, one savory. I topped one with maple syrup ad the other I covered with avocado, runny egg and salt and pepper. The twins had one egg and with some avocado and a little cheese. They loved it too!

After breakfast we headed to the gym. The kids hung out at the daycare today while I taught a boot camp class. I put the class through three 15 minutes AMRAP’s (As many rounds as possible.) They had a lot of running outside (finally the weather is good enough!), mixed with upper body and plyo movements. They all had a great sweat.

After the gym we headed to dance for this little miss.

They are doing their spring recital to “Let it go” from Frozen! It is adorable and since every 3 year old is obsessed with that movie right now the girls are loving it!

My lunch fave lately is a repeat from yesterday..

Curry Chicken, sushi with brown rice (from the grocery store) and broccoli!

 

A little later the twins and I shared a bag of smart pop kettle corn. We had no problem polishing it off!

We headed out for a quick walk around the neighborhood, it got a little chilly quick! But the sunset was worth it at the end!

After our walk I headed back to the gym to teach Body Pump. It was a pretty tough class as usual, and now I’m more than ready for bed.

Dinner was extremely lazy.

Eggs, Zucchini, onions, yellow pepper, spinach, artichoke hearts and olives all in a pan then covered with siriarcha and Athenos regular hummus.

Getting over a Group Fitness Fear

I totally get it.

Trying a new class at a gym can be a little more than intimidating. There is always the fear that your going to do something wrong, be in somebody’s way, trip and fall, or maybe you just think you will look dumb and people will stare at you.

The thing is. Everyone has to start somewhere. Everybody in that class had the same feelings you did when it was their first time. You might feel out of place at first, but by the time you introduce yourself to someone or go a couple times that feeling will go away. You may also feel like you “stand out” in the crowd but guess what? If your not wearing hot pink see through leggings or something crazy you will blend right in.

Nobody is watching you. Everyone is there for their own workout.

As an instructor and coach I can pick out a new face in the crowd, just because I’m up front every. single. day.

Here are some tips to make it through your first group fitness class.

#1 Just GO! Check out the gyms schedule, ask the frond desk which classes are the most popular and if one or two of them stand out to you. Make the decision to just show up at that time.

#2 Bring a friend: It can be a mom, sister, brother or friend! Having someone you know with you can make that first class adjustment a little easier, especially if it’s the first time for both of you.

#3 Make a friend: If you don’t have the option to bring a friend with you, just introduce yourself to someone that looks genuine. Tell them your name and let them know this is the first time to this class. You can even ask them what equipment is needed or just simple small talk before the class gets started. Soon enough, you will have a few familiar faces.

#4 Introduce yourself to the Instructor: This is the one people hate the most. I know walking all the way to the front of the room and introducing yourself to the person with a mic on sounds a little cray, but I honestly LOVE when people do that! It helps the instructor to know that there actually is somebody new in the class without asking for raised hands, so I know I will need to give a little extra instruction throughout the class to everyone. We will not single you out. (Well, I wouldn’t..)

#5 Ask questions: If you weren’t sure on a movement and just need clarification or if you have an issue with something or need an alternative movement or sub, ASK! Safety is important, so if you have a neck, back, shoulder, etc. issue , or if you can’t do something it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be there. There is ALWAYS something we can do to help you.

#6 Relax and have FUN! You are there for you! Nobody else. Your gym time is YOUR time. No kids, no boyfriend/husband, pets whatever.. to worry about. Get in there and get the work done. Fill your cup. Be confident in knowing that what your doing is good for YOU!

What is your favorite kind of group fitness class you go too? OR one you would want to try??

Are you Sushi fan?

Any other tips to get over a group fitness fear?

A Weekend in Midway

 

Happy Monday!!

We have so much to catch up on! I hope you all had a great Valentines day weekend and or enjoying your Presidents Day!

The kids were absolutely spoiled on Valentines day. They are just absolutely adorable in these pictures! I love them!

 

Saturday after I taught pump I headed home and packed up for the annual Bement Girls Trip. We do this once a year with my MIL and all my SIL’s. I have missed it a couple times and I’m happy that I was able to go this year! We were missing two of us though.. boo.

We decided to just have an overnighter up in Midway, Utah. We headed up in the afternoon and spent the morning shopping in the Tanger outlets in Park city before heading to Midway. We all got a few great deals and seriously shopped till we dropped!

After shopping we headed to a Mexican restaurant in Midway that has had rave reviews, Tarahumara.

You stand in line, which is ridiculously long at times but we had beat the rush so we didn’t have to wait to long. After you order you get your own drink then find your own seating in the dining room.

They give you a little box of homemade tortilla chips and you get to pick your salsa out of their amazing salsa bar! We all went a little crazy and tried as many of the salsas as possible.

I ordered the Chicken Fajitas with corn tortillas. It was fabulous! I ate the whole plate! We spent a little time in their bakery afterward, sampling cookies and checking out all the decadent desserts and pastries.

My only tip for eating here would be to eat like a senior citizen.. like at 5pm if you know what I mean. Then you will beat the rush and won’t have to wait forever and hopefully get a good seat!

After dinner we headed to our hotel. We stayed at the Zermatt Resort! It is a beautiful hotel and we had a blast just hanging out, painting nails, chatting and watching movies.

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Sunday morning we drove to the Midway Castles!! I have been wanting to see them for so long since it seems like everyone in Utah has been there this winter so far.

It was closed..

But we were able to walk around it and marvel at its amazing design!

Baylee and I have recently become obsessed with this youtube video that was filmed there.

I have always been a fan of Alex Boye but can you believe that girl is 11 years old!! Amazing!

 

We set my camera on the car and tried for a group photo..

Obviously worked as well as asking a two year old.

For breakfast we headed back to Park City and ate at the eating establishment on Main. I ordered the Park City Omelet. It was okay.. I probably wouldn’t go there again just because our server was rude and inconsiderate. Maybe she was just mad she had to work on a Sunday. 

After breakfast we spent a couple more hours shopping before heading back home. The rest of my day was pretty low key and spent catching up with these little loves.

How was your Valentines?

Have you been too or heard about the Midway castles? What did you think about the inside?!

Reebok Z-Quick

 

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Reebok.

I received these shoes about a week ago and was first impressed by how bright they were! I love bright shoes, I’m convinced the brighter the shoe the faster I will run.

Some of my favorite features:

• Very lightweight: These shoes only weigh 7.2 ounces and have a low profile I have loved them for all my cross training, powerlifting, sprints and to teach body attack and body pump in. I have even enjoyed running in them! These shoes will make you “unnaturally quick”!

 

• Colorful:  I’ve been gravitating toward bright shoes lately and this orange color fits me to a capital T! I absolutely adore them. 
• Mesh that wraps around the ankle of the shoe: This helps keep your foot in place which I appreciate because some shoes don’t have that kind support. It keeps my foot in place.

And some key features according to Reebok:

• No-Sew upper with light and flexible NanoWeb PU cast for breathable protection and support
• Low-cut for mobility with lightweight Bootie fit system for comfort
• Inspired by hi-performance tires, Z-Rated technology features a unique outsole geometry for control, traction and speed
• Light, low profile EVA midsole designed with a radical new geometry for outstanding handling
• Radically sliced geometrical sole mimics the tread of high-performance tires for ultimate ground contact for a more responsive ride
• A sleek new last allows the foot to move naturally, while keeping foot stable on the platform
• CRTek high abrasion rubber in key wear areas for lighter durability

Overall, I have enjoyed the shoes natural motion and flexibility. They have a wider forefoot that fits my foot perfectly and provides added stability during lateral movement. Because they were constructed in comparison to a z rated tire which are made to change direction easily and start and stop quickly.Which have been great to have in Body Attack or Combat.

Check out the color selection! All are great even, the men’s!

If you are looking out for a great new shoe, that is light weight and can be used through multiple sports these are worth the try!

What color of Reebok Z-quick are your favorite?

Heart Spiker

This morning started off early at work, each day at work I’m reminded how lucky I am to work at such an amazing place. We have some of the most supportive and inspiring clients. I love what I do.

I was able to tackle the workout today. I made a few modifications because it was a downpour rain outside after the first couple of runs, so I rowed for 4 out of the 6 rounds. It felt great to get at least a few runs outside though. It may have been raining a little bit but at least the air was clear.

I spent a little time on the spin bike after.

This is my easy go to breakfast lately. I have been just throwing a little bit of anything in a pan with some eggs. Kind of resembles a really bad omelet. 

I first cut up peppers,cucumbers and onions and let them cook on a covered skillet till they are soft, then add 1 cup of egg whites, spinach, and baked sweet potato then topped it with some avocado.

I added some steamed broccoli we had left over from yesterday and topped it with sundried tomato hummus and a little bit of  Annie’s light honey mustard dressing.

After breakfast, we spent a little time focusing on numbers. These two love to learn but get sidetracked pretty easy. (Wonder where they get that one from...) But I found these little preschool books and they absolutely LOVE them! Every page they ask me what to do on each one. I love watching their little minds grow.

I taught a fun Valentine boot camp workout! It worked out well and had everyone sweating in the first 10 minutes!

I had the class split into two groups and had one group start with group 1, repeat the same three movements for 10 minutes and the other start with group 2, the same way then switch. They did the same with group 3 and 4. Youtube a movement if your not sure.

Annnd for a little randomness..

My favorite snack lately.

Kettle Corn smart pop!

What are your plans for Valentines Day?