GETTING FIT THIS FALL

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It's time for me to get my fitness on. There are two times of the year where I am motivated to get fit...fall and January (of course). I don't know why but I've never been motivated in the summer...(must be from dying on super hot runs or my love for ice cream.) But I always have been motivated to get fit in the fall time. I was just chatting with my friend Chenoah yesterday how fall is the PERFECT running weather. Cool air but sunshine...ahhh it's the best.

But this fall I'm extra motivated. Mainly because part of my 20 goals for my last year as a 20 something included: 5. Eat healthier, 6. Join a gym and 4. Go on a fancy vacation somewhere hot !

Let's consider two of those goals being accomplished :) James and I have booked a fall vaycay (conveniently right after conference)!!! We're flying down to Austin to see Joy & Ryan (!!!!) and hopefully some Friday Nights Lights pleeeeease and then we'll fly to Florida and embark on a 7 day Caribbean cruise because we're senior citizens and my bedtime is 9:30pm. #SOEXCITED and now I have a reason for a couple fitness goals!

So I signed up at Good Life and have been loving it. I hired a trainer for 3 sessions to teach me how to not kill myself with a barbell and man, I wish I could do their one year program but OHMYGOSH it costs a billion dollars. So I will be my own trainer after my final session today but I'm okay with that. They have some great classes which I'm hoping to try out this week.

So here's my gameplan (or at least the start of it):

• Exercise 4x per week. This could include a run or going to the gym (which I hope to be at least 2 of the 4). Sadly, my half hour walks to work will not count.
   
• Drink at least 2L water everyday. Before I started my training, my trainer made me step onto this magical machine that measured my weight, my body fat %, how much of my weight is muscle, how much calories I normally burn in a day, a bunch of other things AND how much water I drink!!! It was insane. She told me that I was very dehydrated which makes sense because I'm horrible at drinking water and really good at drinking coffee. So I'm gonna change that...not the coffee thing, because that is just crazy talk.
   
• Don't eat after 7:00pm. Now this is gonna be hard because I am a late night snacker. A bowl of cereal before I go to bed is one of my love languages!! But I'm going to try and also make sure I eat plenty of healthy & balanced meals in the day so I'm not starved at 7pm.
   
• Cut back on sweets. Sweets are my weakness. I didn't say never eat sweets because it's fall and I'm gonna bake pumpkin everything so I can't deprive myself!! But I need to cut back a lot...which will be hard, but so good.

So there's the start of the gameplan! I'll be back in a week or two with an update for you. I did take pictures and have measurements of waist and thighs and all that jazz. I don't think I'll ever share that with you BUT I'll definitely tell you if what I'm doing is working!

Happy Monday!

XO,
laura

DELICIOUS POST WORKOUT SMOOTHIE

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One of my favourite things about long distance running is- the post run meal….yes. I'm Italian and I was raised to be OBSESSED with food. I can't help it, it's in my blood.

In some past fitness posts (here, here + here) I've shared with you some tips that help me keep fuelled in those long runs…but…I've been holding out on you. There's one more strategy that really gets me going in my final kms... ENVISIONING MY POST RUN MEAL.

 When I'm tired and sweaty and cranky with two km to go, I just start picturing what I will be devouring as soon as I'm done my run and BOOM! all of a sudden, I have way more energy to complete the run! It works every time....every time. 

But I've been realizing you just can't down anything when you finish a run. You need to put some protein back in your body! But guys...for years I've had a love hate relationship with protein powder. I know it's good for me but every one I tasted has been all ewh. ewh. ewh. 

Until I got my hands on Bodylab's Decadent Chocolate Fudge protein powder. YOU GUYS. This stuff is goooood. And it's not like other protein powders that are designed to bulk you up. In Bodylab's protein powders are a bunch of awesome ingredients that help fuel lean tissue, rev metabolism and do lots of other great things! Bodylab was created by women and for women and JLo runs the show..HELLO! Sign me right up to get a booty like JLo's.

Because of the length of my run, I added a couple things to this smoothie, but the powder is good enough to have with just water!

POST WORKOUT SMOOTHIE

ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 3 cups almond milk
• 1 scoop body lab decadent chocolate fudge protein powder
• 5 ice cubes

instructions:

1. blend all ingredients in blender. pour into two cups and enjoy!

And I have some GOOD NEWS! The good peeps at Bodylab are giving you a discount code to receive 25% off your order AND free shipping! Just use the code ssheart25 at checkout. #booyah. 

(Bodylab kindly sent me their products to try out but all opinions expressed are my own.)

Happy post run future smoothie eating!

xo,

s.s.♥︎.