This is inspiring for sure! I gave up chocolate for Lent this year, and am trying to be healthier overall. I have noticed that I am not as interested in consuming chocolate, and sweets in general, now that Lent is over. My goal is to continue limiting my sweet intake and live as healthy as possible. š (Of course the occasional piece of pie and my sister’s banana bread cannot be avoided, but this is just a goal.) Happy eating!
I agree 100% with this post. Be confident in yourself and don’t push down others in order to improve your self-esteem. Everyone can benefit from loving themselves. š
Iām sure many of you have heard the newest chart topper by Meghan Trainor entitled āAll About That Bassā. If you havenāt, the super catchy pop song has a killer baseline and will most likely be stuck in your head for days. The whole message behind the song is (supposed to be) body acceptance and embracing your curves, or ābassā. Unfortunately, Trainorās idea of how to empower women in the sense of body confidence is skewed to the point of ignorance for the meaning.
Donāt get me wrong, I love, LOVE the idea of pop songs endorsing confidence and acceptance. The problem with this song is that it does that, but only for a very specific type of woman and for the wrong reasons.
Sure, Trainor tells listeners that āevery inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the topā and āmy mama she told me donāt worry aboutā¦
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This article really stuck with me this evening. I found that it hits home and is very inspirational. I too have struggled with issues like the author shares, and especially appreciate when others tell their own stories of difficult times that they have worked through. Definitely a great read. Best wishes all!
After almost a week of not exercising – because I was out of town/too sick to move – I got back into my workout groove this evening. (Though, I guess I can count running around an amusement park for a full day as exercise…) Following 5 1/2 hours on my feet at work today, I didn’t feel much like running, so I decided tonight would be the perfect opportunity to bike.
It was very relaxing to get back outside and take in as much fresh air as possible. I definitely got a workout pedaling up the hills around my house and got to cheer on my sister as she ran. When I was younger, I didn’t cross-train much, so it’s definitely nice to do so now.
I completed the evening with an arm workout, a teeny bit of ab work, and some muscle rolling that hurt like a b****Ā made every muscle in my legs feel brand new. Tomorrow, following an 8 1/2 hour, 5am shift, and a nap, the plan is to hit the track to time my mile and soak upĀ some quality turf time with my mini me. She starts high school try-outs next Monday and my preseason starts in two Saturdays, so we’re trying to fit in a little more time for stickwork before we parts ways. Here’s hoping for nice weather and a 6:30ish mile. Best of luck with all of your end of summer goals! š
Me and “Mini Me”
As summer is coming to a close, Iād like to share some pictures of my newly remodeled bedroom before I have to leave it for the next four months. Previously, I had matte white walls and a matching ceiling that I absolutely adoredĀ loathed. It was very boring and unwelcoming. Sure, anything could match, but I really wanted to make it my own.
I canāt take credit for painting because I was at work during all that fun. Awe so sadā¦ But, my parents and sisters did an awesome job painting my room Twist of Lime with a soft gray coating the ceiling. I also got a new bed and picked out most of the accents, which are all black, white, and gray. I got plenty of boxes for storage, some funky lamps, new bedding, and the adorable mirrors that are hanging between my new curtains.
Aren’t these just adorable?
Cue the Macklemore love
Still looking for the perfect thing to put above my bed. A mirror maybe? Hmm…
Iām also excited to put this quote back up on my wall, above my windows. Iāve had it up since winter break, but think it will be a perfect accent in black and white.
Ā
Well, since my room is finally semi-organized, I guess itās time for me to start packing for year 3 at JC. Two weeks to go! Enjoy the rest of your summer! š
This week, I got to spend a couple of wonderful days with some of my best friends from school. I know Iām going back in two weeks, but it was great to see them before summer was over. We kicked things off with an adventure through Pennsylvania and we only managed to get lost once ā not too bad ā although we did get hung up in construction for a bit. (It wouldnāt be PA without roadwork almost everywhere you go!) After a decent amount of planning we ended up at Dorney Park, which was absolutely amazing! Iād never been there before and definitely recommend it to any thrill seeker.
Our first five hours were spent in the water park. (After grabbing some Cinnabons and souvenir cupsā¦yum.) We managed to hit almost all of the slides, the wave pool, and have a chance to wander and relax for a bit, before getting into the park itself. The park is huge and has options for everyone. Iāve always been a fan of both rollercoasters and spinning rides, though being sick definitely limited my options for the day. I think my favorite ride was the Tilt-a-Whirl, even though I didnāt feel so great. We fit all four of us into the seat and really got it spinning. So cheers to that. And even though heights terrify me, I agreed to ride one of those tower rides that shoots you up 200+ feet into the air. It was actually kind of fun. Who knew? After closing out the park at 10pm, getting some fabulous group selfies outside the gates, and a camp out of sorts, our adventure had to come to an end.
Iām glad that I got to see friends, but two days later I still donāt feel much better, so working out has been removed from my to-do list for the time being. Instead, Iāve binged watched 5 episodes of Major Crimes, indulged in some Kim Kardashian: Hollywood until my phone battery died, and eaten only crackers, a banana, and soup. Now, Iāve got a case of cabin fever and just want to get out of my room for awhile. Hopefully, I get better soon because I think Iāve worn out my list of favorite websites to surf online.
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Things that make me feel better when Iām sick:
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Since school returns so soon, Iād love to be out running to continue my preparation for pre-season or be organizing and packing so I can smoothly transition into my new room. However, I think Iāll just sit here and dream about such things. Maybe, Iāll even revise my packing listā¦again.
What suggestions do you have for a sick day? Best and healthy wishes! For now, Brittany
While perusing BuzzFeed yesterday, I came across an interesting fact.
WHAT?! A Strawberry is not a berry? Of course, I had to explore this claim further and share a little of what I discovered. Although Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster both claim that a strawberry is a berry, it is, in fact, not a berry at all. In September 2013, the Huffington Post released an article stating that strawberries areĀ a victim of confused identity. Getting all “sciency” here, strawberries are something called accessory fruits which are not developed from a plantās ovary, but from within the area around the ovaries. **MIND BLOWN** I never thought I was much of a berry fan ā I only ever liked strawberries and blueberries ā but apparently I like many more than I ever thought. Bananas, Avocado, Pumpkin, Tomatoesā¦ Thatās right! All of those are berries and the list goes on and on.
I hope you all enjoyed this quick fact and are now furthered educated about both berries and accessory fruits. Now Iām off to enjoy my favorite berry of allā¦ the banana! š
Hi everybody! Clearly, Iāve been on hiatus for a while, but I am back with exciting news. On Sunday, I completed my first half marathon and was able to cross one goal off my bucket list. After five days away ā visiting family, back-to-school shopping, and running many miles ā I am happy to be home and able to relax.
The couple of days leading up to the race were definitely nerve-wracking. I was worried that I wouldnāt be able to pace myself or would get hurt and not be able to finish the race. How I Met Your Mother and a good nightās sleep were just what I needed to calm myself pre-race.
How my morning looked:
Per some advice I read online, I immediately got in line for the bathroom when I got out of the car. I am definitely glad I listened. It took me 25 minutes to get through line and I didnāt have to stop once along the route.
There were 1270 race participants and everyone sure seemed excited. The energy was contagious and the runners ā and crowd ā helped push me to the finish line. Shout out to my parents, sisters and uncle who came out to the race to support me along the way and my aunts and extended family who supported me from afar. My sisters made some awesome posters that put a smile on my face as a trekked on.
An awesome poster one of my sisters made. (More poster pictures to come later!)
As for the route itself, it was very relaxing. I started out a bit slow, just because I didnāt want to wear myself out too soon. By the end of mile two I dropped my pace by 30-45 seconds per mile and stayed relatively consistent for the remainder of the race. The Presque Isle Half took a loop around the Peninsula, through the woods and allowed several chances to view Lake Erie. The course was mainly flat and had eleven water stations that I definitely took advantage of. I was grateful to have perfect weather – cloudy and cool, with a slight breeze.
Beautiful photo of Lake Erie (photo cred: my mom)
Around mile eleven, I started to drag mentally, but got a burst of energy when Macklemoreās Ten Thousand Hours blasted through my headphones. I draw so much inspiration from the line āThe greats werenāt great because at birth they could paint, the greats were great because they paint a lot.ā Additionally, the knowledge that my family would be waiting to cheer me on near the finish kept me moving.
In the end, I managed to beat my 2:15 goal by more than 8 minutes and am definitely proud of my accomplishment. I definitely chowed down once I crossed the finish line. My post-race meal included a hot dog, cheeseburger, banana, animal crackers, blueberry pancakes, bacon, a strawberry banana smoothie, water, Gatorade and Sprite.
Showing off my metal and food. š
Iām now in recovery mode and feel great today. Of course, this is after two days of relaxing, icing, and sleeping. I am so happy I participated in this race and plan to run many more in the future. My next goal is to drop my pace by about 30 seconds/mile and break 2 hours for my time.
***My personal advice to runners is to definitely get in line for the bathroom early and to stock up on chaffing cream. Before Sunday, I had never experienced chaffing so bad and will surely never be without long spandex and chaffing cream again. It was SO NOT FUN.
Now, Iām off to stretch and watch some Duck Dynasty. Until later, happy running!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth! To be honest, I didn’t really do much. I was up for work at 4am, napped for three hours when I got home, and ate two hot dogs because heck yes, āMerica. Anyway, it was a very relaxing Independence Day and I did get the opportunity to see some fireworks ā on TV, but it still counts ā and both Zac Brown Band and Ariana Grandeās wonderful performances for the Macyās 4th Fest. Both sounded fantastic, and I was so happy to hear two of my favorite songs.
I am a huge Ariana Grande fan! I think she is an amazing singer and absolutely inspirational.
I did take the opportunity to enjoy today as a rest day, especially after having a crazy 8-hour shift in the sub shop this morning. I baked over 300 rolls! Trust me; it takes lots of time and patience. But, I did have some awesome workouts earlier this week and am getting both excited and nervous as my half marathon grows near. I feel good about the progress Iāve made and am planning for another long run either tomorrow or Sunday afternoon, following work. Below are my workouts from the past three days.
Tuesday: timed 2-mile on hills; ab/leg work
Wednesday: 5-miles (dropped my pace! Whoo!)
Thursday: 10x100m; 75-jog, 25-walk back; lots of passing/shooting for field hockey
Ā Additionally, in the spirit of the Fourth, I have set four goals for myself for the rest of 2014. They are as follows:
Iām also getting excited for school to start in the fall. Honestly, Iām more interested in hockey season, but I am working to be more organized this year. Today, I bought myself a planner for the upcoming year and am going to sit down and start filling it out tomorrow. I am looking forward to color coding, adding stickers, and making my year that much more manageableā¦more to come on that as I progress. Also, my room is freshly painted and redesigned and I canāt wait to post photos of that too. Happy Birthday America! š
Dessert is the perfect way to end a long day. Florida Georgia Lineās Cruise woke me up at 4:00 this morning for an 8-hour shift at work. 212 rolls baked, dozens of subs made, stacks of dishes washed, and 2 cups of coffee later, I was definitely ready to relax for my next three days off.
Since today was scorching outside and exhausting all around, it was the perfect rest day. I have yet to decide which workouts will round out my week, but I figured that choice can wait until tomorrow. The newest episode of Major Crimes watched with my family and my favorite parfait rounded out a wonderful evening.
Honey nut granola, vanilla yogurt, a banana, and a few dark chocolate chips make for anĀ absolutely delicious snack. Mix each item in portions to your liking, pair with a funky spoon, and enjoy in the company of your favorite TV show. Yummy!
What snacks do you enjoy most? What TV shows are your favorites?
ItsyBrittsySpidr 