I’m on the wagon.
Seriously. 9 days sober.
It’s finally time to get back on the stage. I took a year off from competing to grow and it paid off well. I put on about 15 pounds (20 at my highest)… and a decent amount of that is muscle. Looking back at pictures from a couple of years ago, I can’t believe I was that tiny!
I was hoping to be able to do Physique, but I’m not big enough yet so I’m staying with Figure. Maybe next year……
I’m learning not to make blanket statements.
Ever so slowly.
The whole “never dating again” thing. Refusing to waste money on a Christmas tree. Thinking seafood is gross. The mornings I moaned I’m never drinking again!” Thinking my shoulders are too big. I take it all back
These days I can’t grow my shoulders fast enough. It’s hard to believe that in high school I refused to wear tank tops because I thought I had “linebacker” shoulders.
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I ran down the street in my underwear this weekend.
It was Christmas underwear…. which makes it totally acceptable…
Atlanta holds a Santa Speedo Run every year. I’ve always been curious and had friends who’ve run… but this year curiosity killed the cat. I paid money to run down Peachtree Street in my undies. Thankfully, it was a pretty warm day and the “race” was only 1.5 miles. And it was for charity! It was a fun way to stay active and donate to a good cause on the holidays!
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I’m pretty tough.
Some might say a masochist.
When it comes to cold weather, I’m a whimpering little baby. Winter arriving means I really have to plan to keep moving. It’s so easy to just crawl under a blanket with a hot toddy. Or so I hear. 😉
It sounds crazy, but I really do have a fear of cold weather and being cold. Here are a few tips and tricks that have worked for me!
Outdoor sports like ice skating, skiing, or hiking. These activities – especially in the snow – feel more like playmate than work! I love to meet Heather in Colorado to ski.
If you don’t have slopes near by sign up for a winter fun run. We got festive for this Thanksgiving run, and I’m doing the Santa Speedo Run in Atlanta in a couple of weeks!
If you’re warm enough, its fun to be outside! Choose clothing that allows for layering. Go thermal first, then start laying with pants, vests, scarfs, etc. Top it all off with a jacket and hat. Once you warm of, it’ll be easy to pull back the layers.
Are you curious about that spin class at the gym? Been meaning to spend some time with weights and building strength? Colder temperatures and earlier sunsets are the perfect excuse to get your fitness on indoors.
I spend every Saturday morning at the gym for “Glute Camp” with my gym buddies. If you come visit me, there’s 100% chance we’ll take a field trip. (Just ask Sarah.)
Sarah, Natoshia, and me posing after glutes
You need to purchase those holiday gifts anyway. Incorporate fitness while you do it! Park as far away as possible from entrances. Walk from store to tore rather than driving across a parking lot. Take the stairs. Power walk through the mall – its practically a giant track anyway!
Get a group of friends and family, make some hot drinks, and walk around admiring all the lights. Too cold to leave the house? Hop on the treadmill or do some jumping jacks for 5-10 mins before you leave. You’ll welcome a cool blast of air!
These are some of my favorite neighborhood partners-in-crime.
Jessica, Kathleen, and me
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Target® C9 through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Target® C9, all opinions are my own.
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I’m so excited to be back in the marvelous powdery snow again soon!
What’s your favorite winter sport? I could ski all day!
Do you struggle to be as active in the winter months?
The only reason I like winter is the fact that I get to wear boots.
And snow, but we don’t get much of that in Georgia.
But, it does get cold! When I wanted to get outdoors during our first cold snap, I was really happy to have my Sugar Bowl boots from Ahnu! Unbelievably, my feet stayed toasty – that never happens. In fact, I have Raynaud’s Disease; usually my toes and fingers are so cold they turn white and go numb! While my fingers did turn white, my feet were actually warm!
I was also pleased with the look. Black and blue are my favorite colors. The laces in the front are stylin’, but not at the expense of function. These boots have side zips so you don’t need to spend 20 minutes tugging them on and readjusting them. I’ll be taking these to Lake Tahoe in a few weeks!
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Bro day is my favorite.
Most of the time.
It becomes my least favorite when the reps get high. Only Jesse could make biceps suck… high reps are not my friend.
Let’s back up to the fact that I’m wearing color. Lorna Jane sent over these amazing clothes for me to check out and – admittedly – I balked at the orange. Until I put it on. This top is so awesome that I’ve added more to my holiday fit list….
It’s that time of year…
CYA!
Open enrollment. If you’re anything like me, it can be overwhelming. Especially if you’re self-employed or work for a small company. We don’t have a billion resources to use when navigating plan options.
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Who loves leg day?
Not. Me.
Leg day is my least favorite. It’s why I always do it with my trainer. He pushes me harder than I would push myself, and it’s like a mini-therapy session. My least favorite thing in the WORLD are Hack Squats. I’s rather do 25 reps of something (I also hate volume) than do Hacks.
You may have seen the pic below on Instagram or Facebook. I call it “The Hack Squat: A Hate Story.” In my face you can see my progression from determination to “I might puke” to… the “poop” face.
Because misery loves company, I brought along my baby sister, Madison. If you have siblings, you know that everything is a competition. I won. Not only did she admit that I’m stronger, but we also compared butts.
31 year old vs. 23 year old butt. Just sayin’…
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