Howdy!

Happy first full week of 2015! I hope this year has been treating you well so far. Yesterday, I told you about my New Year's resolutions for a stronger Mind, Body, and Soul. Today, I thought I would give you a peak at a few of the EASY recipes I am using to work towards my goal of a stronger body through less sugar and processed foods. Additionally, my good friends over at Spartan, are keeping me motivated to work towards my stronger body with a ton of exciting new events for 2015. They have even been generous enough to offer all Fun, Fit, and Fabulous readers a discount on any race in the continental U.S. and one lucky reader will win a 100 % FREE RACE ENTRY!

So let's start where all healthy days start..... with breakfast! As you guys know, I am a HUGE oatmeal fan. I would eat it every day if I could, and not that there is anything wrong with oatmeal, but I have been trying to increase my protein intake in the mornings. I get tired of scrambled eggs pretty quickly, so I am always looking for ways to jazz them up. After my noodle arm making workout (full post on that tomorrow) yesterday, I whipped up an easy breakfast scramble. I had left over sweet potato fries from Sunday night and some delicious turkey sausage begging to be used in the fridge.

To make this scramble, I chopped up roughly 1/2 a cup of left over sweet potato fries and 2 small links of breakfast turkey sausage. Next, I heated up a non-stick skillet with 1 tsp of coconut oil and tossed in my sausage and sweet potatoes (remember the sweet potatoes were already cooked). After I felt like they were warm, I added three eggs (pre whisked). Mix until the eggs are completely cooked and voila!

Next up, is my new favorite lunch - Avocado Tuna Salad (zero mayonnaise to be found here). All I did was combine 1/2 a ripe avocado with 1 can of chunk white tuna in water, 1 tbs lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste. I am really not a huge tuna fan, but I know how good it is for you so I try to incorporate it into my diet whenever possible. Now that I have found this combination, I will be eating it A LOT more often. I think avocados just make everything better! Yes, those green apple slices are gigantic!!



Last but not least, we have yesterday's dinner. This recipe comes to you compliments of Pinterest and You Hunt I Gather. We all know E is just an overgrown (a very intelligent one of course) 12 year old, and he definitely has the taste buds to go with it. When I saw this recipe for Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders, I knew I had to give it a try! They were so easy to make and delicious. Since I baked them instead of frying them, there was no messy grease to deal with. I will definitely be making these babies again very soon!



My second New Year's resolution for a strong body was to focus on increasing my strength in 2015. I specifically set the goal of increasing the number of pull-ups I can do throughout the year. I am definitely going to need that strength to conquer in a Spartan Race! I'm hoping to compete in one of the races when Spartan comes to Austin in May!!

The goal of the Spartan Race team is to bring the excitement of obstacle racing to spectators and athletes (even if you don't consider yourself an athlete) alike! With course lengths of 3+ miles (sprint), 8+ miles (super), and 12+ miles (beast), each course is filled with mud, water, and signature obstacles designed to help you discover your inner Spartan. Athletes of all fitness levels can participate and enjoy these challenging and invigorating obstacle courses! Spartan Race even has events for kids! They believe that fitness and adventure should involve the whole family. Now, that is something I can get excited about!

They have some exciting new things coming out in 2015! The new 2015 Spartan season pass has just been released with tons of great perks such as unlimited racing, special travel discounts, free bag check, and much more. The 2015 World Championship Spartan Race is also moving to Lake Tahoe California (somewhere on the top of my list of places to visit)! For all my podcast lovers (I love to listen to them when I'm walking or running), Joe Desena's "Spartan Up!" podcast is launching soon. Last but not least, the first ever Spartan Cruise is happening in March. Talk about not letting your workouts slide during vacation!

If that's not exciting enough, the Spartan Race team wants to offer all Fun, Fit, and Fabulous readers 10% off any race. Simply use the code SPARTANBLOGGER at checkout! They are also going to be giving one lucky reader a FREE RACE ENTRY into any race in the continental U.S.! Enter below for your chance to win!


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Howdy,

Wow, are we really already 5 days into the new year? How did that happen? I must say, I have a really good feeling about 2015. With the arrival of Annabelle, 2014 was by far the best year of my life, but I think watching her grow and focusing on nurturing my little family is going to make 2015 just as amazing!

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When I sat down to think about my goals for 2015, many of the things I came up with were hard to measure (the personal trainer and health coach in me wants ever goal to be SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time bound). Being the best mom and wife I possibly can, deepening my walk with God, and focusing on creating family memories and traditions were the top three that came to mind.

Most years, I have pretty standard resolutions. I resolve to lose weight, exercise more, eat better, do more yoga, etc., etc. However, this year, I wanted to take a more comprehensive approach to my goals. I decided to focus on three main areas:


MIND
As much as it seems like yesterday, I finished my masters degree almost 4 years ago now. I have always truly enjoyed learning (the test part kind of stressed me out in school but I liked learning new things), especially if it was a topic I was truly passionate about. I am much more likely to get fired up about a book on nutrition or exercise science than the latest best selling fiction novel. Even though I am no longer formally in school, I enjoy expanding my knowledge through self study and certifications. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I began studying for my health coach certification. My goal for the first half of 2015 (I just can't break the SMART goal setting habit) is to finish studying and take the ACE Health Coach exam. Through this exam, I hope to become a better Pilates instructor, personal trainer, blogger, and hopefully, a practicing health coach.



BODY
I have decided to make 2015 the year of strength! I have always made strength training a part of my workout routine, but I never really focused on getting significantly stronger. I always try to challenge myself during workouts and come up with new workout to keep my body guessing, but this year, I am going to plan my workouts around increasing my strength. Because I need to hold myself accountable, I have chosen pull-ups as my measuring stick. I have always had a very strong lower body (bring on the dead lifts, and leg presses any day), but my upper body strength is a different story. It has always been the area I need to work on most. For some reason, pull-ups have always been my arch nemesis. They are just SOOOOO hard for me. So my goal for 2015 is to add one pull-up every two months until I can get 6 in a row. Yikes!! This may not seem like a ton for some people, but for some reasons pull-ups are by far the hardest exercise for me to complete.


My second body related goal for 2015, is to cut WAY back on my sugar intake. Now, if you ask my husband, I don't eat any sugar (coming from the man who just finished off a whole package of Swedish fish in one sitting). However, I know I could do much better in this area. I am definitely a healthy eater, but home girl loves her chocolate! I am really going to focus on cutting back on added sugar and processed food in general. To kick start this goal, I have pledged to go the entire month of January with no sugar. We're five days in and going strong. I usually have Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert every night, and I am definitely missing those bad boys, but I'm surviving. I'm hoping that by going cold turkey for an entire month, I can reset my body to not have so much of a sweet tooth. Don't get me wrong, sweets are totally fine in moderation, but I noticed my chocolate intake was creeping up to a not so great level. :) What better time to reset than the new year (once I consumed my weight in peppermint bark of course)? Wish me luck!




SOUL
This one isn't quite as measurable as the first two, but that's ok. Saying I want to focus on being the best mom and wife I can seems like a given, so I started to think about what exactly that would look like. What exactly can I do to increase Annabelle and Eric's day to day happiness? That's a pretty tough question.


For Annabelle:
I will strive to make her feel loved, cared for, and cherished every single day.
I will help her explore, grow, and learn as she develops throughout the year.
I will try to not be too overprotective and let her experience SOME things on her own (this one will be hard for the mama bear in me).

For Eric:
I will work to increase my patience and remember he can't read my mind.
I will look for things big or small I can do around the house or with Belle to make his life easier.
I will remember to say thank you for all of the things he does without me even asking and sometimes without me even knowing.

For Our Family:
I will look for ways to create memorable moments that we will each cherish.
I will strive to establish our own family traditions that we can enjoy and grow with throughout the years.
I will look for intentional activities we can do as a family.

If I can accomplish these goals, I will be able to call 2015 a complete success. I can't wait to see what this upcoming year has in store for me and my family! I have a great feeling it's going to be a magical year from start to finish!

Do you make New Years resolutions?

If so, do you have any you wouldn't mind sharing?

In health,

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Happy Friday Friends!

I hope you are all having a great Friday so far! This morning, it was abnormally cool here is Austin (for August). so Annabelle and I had to take advantage of the cooler temperatures by going on a walk! She was so good in her stroller, we were able to complete 4 miles before it got too hot outside.




It was wonderful to be able to get outside and stretch our legs. I feel like I've been trapped inside by the heat all month and I am OVER it. For a native Texan, I am not a huge fan of the heat by any means.

Annabelle is just a little over 3 weeks old now, and I am itching to get back into a workout routine. Even though I'm feeling pretty good, I know I still need to take it slow easing back into things. I'm not supposed to do anything high impact until I get the all clear at my 6 week postpartum checkup. Until then, I have been trying to fit in some kind of gentle exercise each day. My goal for the next two weeks is to aqueeze in 3 strength training workouts each week (using slightly lighter weights than pre-pregnancy) and walk at least 4 miles on days I don't lift weights. I say "squeeze" because I have to do them while tiny human is napping and how long she naps is still pretty unpredictable.

Today Annabelle and I conquered 4 miles outdoors no problem! Yesterday, I did my first full strength workout since bringing home my tiny human. It felt great, but my hamstrings are definitely talking to me today!



Everyone's recovery time is different, so be sure to get the all clear from your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise program post baby.

Although, I have to ease back into exercise, I can definitely start making healthy eating choices right away. Since I'm breastfeeding, I'm going to focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet not calorie restriction. I have also been really trying to cut back on my sugar consumption. A piece of dark chocolate here and there can really add up!

After I get the all clear from my doctor to resume all activity, I will layout my full #operationbodyafterbaby plan!

In health,

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Howdy Friends,

Happy Hump Day! I hope you are having a great week so far. I had a doctors appointment this morning, and she said little miss could arrive anytime. It's funny because with each day that passes that she doesn't arrive, I feel like her arrival is getting further and further away. Last weekend, I was sure she was coming early so any little thing made me think it could be a sign of labor, and now I feel like she is probably never going to come. I really need to work on being a more patient person, but I'm just not.

Anyway, since everyone says that walking can encourage labor, that is exactly what I've been doing. I ended up walking 9 miles yesterday. It was broken up into 3 different walks, but totaled about 9 miles all together...... still nothing..... hahaha.

Since it's pretty hot and humid outside, I've been doing a lot of walking on my treadmill. Let's be honest, walking on the treadmill can get boring quickly. Sure, TV and magazines help, but sometimes I still need to spice things up. On Monday, I decided to break up my treadmill time with some strength work. It makes the whole workout go by faster, and just as my hips start to whine about being on the treadmill, it's time for a strength training break. Here's what Monday's workout looked like.

Workout Notes:

For my fellow soon to be mommies, you can increase the intensity of your walking by adding a nice incline. If you are running, keep your speed at a nice clip. You want to be pretty winded by the end of your cardio interval rather you are power walking or running.

To perform tricep press backs with the tubing, I looped the tubing around the treadmill. Stand up tall facing the treadmill with arms out in front of you holding onto the tubing. Pull arms stragit back by your sides keeping your arms straight and wrists in a neutral position and then slowly release them back to the starting position. Think about engaging your lats and triceps throughout the entire movement. This is one of my favorite moves to tone the back of the arms and lats!

Let me know if you give this workout a try!

As I am sitting here writing this post, it is absolutely pouring outside but completely sunny at the same time. I tried to take a picture, but it's kind of hard to make out the rain. The rain coming down through all of the sunshine is gorgeous!




I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your hump day!

What is your favorite way to spice up your treadmill workouts?

In health,

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Howdy Friends!

How's your Tuesday going so far?  As always, things are busy around here and the little bambino is the busiest. She is kicking and punching like crazy. If this is a sign of how active she is going to be once she gets here, E and I better get ready for a wild one! I love feeling all of her little movements. It's such a reassuring reminder that things are going well!

As you guys know, I have been participating in @IdeaFit's #springintoaction photo challenge and today's word is #GOAL. I love setting goals and working towards them. It helps keep me focused and on track; especially when it comes for training for races or tackling bigger projects. I set mini goals every day by making a to do list in the morning and checking things off as I tackle them. I wanted to take a second to go back over how to set SMART goals. I've tackled this in a previous post, but it was a few years ago and with time comes new perspective.



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Specific

Setting a specific goal is crucial. Sure, we all want to "lose weight," but technically you could lose one pound and achieve that goal. Setting specific goals gives you direction, and something more concrete to strive for. Try to make sure all of your goals answer these three questions:

1. What specifically are you going to accomplish? (lose 10 lbs, run a 1/2 marathon in under 2 hours, bench press 150lbs)
2. Why is this important? (lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of diabetes, place higher in your next race, bench more than your older brother)
3. How are you going to do this? (work out 5 days a week, follow a structured training plan)

Measurable

Having measurable goals means ensuring that you can check in on your progress from time to time.
The largest fallback of unspecific goals is that they are hard to measure. When you can't track a vague goal, you can't see how close you are to sweet success. This eventually leads to frustration, boredom, and, ultimately, failure. As soon as you've set a specific goal, map out some testing points. If your goal is to run a faster 10K, do a trial run every few weeks. If you want to lose 20 pounds in 6 months, record your body weight at regular intervals to track your progress and adjust your plan as necessary. Being measurable is an extension of being specific. If your goal is not specific, how can you possibly know if you're any closer to attaining it?


Achievable

Now we have specific goals that we can measure, but that still doesn't do us any good if we set goals we can't actually reach. For example, I know I will never run a 1/2 marathon in under 1:30, so making that one of my goals is just setting myself up for failure. Creating attainable but still challenging goals will ensure success and ensure you feel successful as well. Setting too tough of a goal will make you feel like a failure, however setting a really easy goal will leave you feeling empty.


Realistic

This kind of goes along with the achievable principle. Sure, I would love to be a runway model, but the fact that I stopped growing at 5 foot 6 inches, and look more like a linebacker than a ballerina means that it's never going to happen. Even if I could somehow look like a supermodel, do I really want to give up almond butter and wedding cake for the rest of my life? NO, I don't! When you are setting goals, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Am I actually capable of achieving this goal?
2. Do I have the necessary skills to do so?
3. Do I really want to do this? (i.e compete in a fitness competition if it means you can never have cake?)

Timely

Just because something is a New Years Resolution, doesn't mean you have to give yourself all year to accomplish it. By limiting the time you have to accomplish a goal, you have a fixed timetable to work within and the sense of urgency that will keep you on track and drive you to work harder. I think this is one of the most important principles. If you don't give yourself a deadline, you can always "work out later," or "eat better tomorrow." If there is no end date, how do you know if you ever achieved your goal?

Another important aspect in goal setting, is mapping out a plan for how you are going to achieve it. For each of my New Years Resolutions, I am going to write out three steps I am going to take to accomplish my goal.

For example, if one of your goals is to lose 10 lbs by May (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely), your 3 steps could be:

1. Attend a cardio class 3 times a week.
2. Strength train on my own 2 times a week.
4. Pack my lunch the night before so I have a healthy lunch to take with me to work.
Now you have laid out exactly how you are going to achieve your goal. I know it might sound silly to think that hard about a New Years Resolution, but why set one at all if you don't put the necessary thought behind it?

There you have it! Now you have a SMART goal. Since I'm growing a little human inside of me, my fitness goals have been paired down a little bit. That doesn't mean I don't have any goals!!

Pregnancy Fitness Goal For Third Trimester:
Workout on my own at least 5x's a week (so not teaching a class), including walking between 3-5 miles 4x's a week and 1-2 strength workouts a week. Since I lift weights and do strength exercises in all of my classes (10-13 classes a week), I want to focus my personal workouts on keeping up my cardiovascular endurance. I would also like to focus on flexibility exercises for at least 10 minutes twice a week outside of my classes. I stretch at the end of every class, but only for about 5 minutes. I know spending more time on stretching is important as my weight starts to shift more and pull things out of wack.

Nutrition Goals For Third Trimester:
One of my big goals for the third trimester is to increase my greens intake. I usually have at least one green salad every day, but I am aiming to incorporate at least 3-5 additional vegetable servings throughout the day. I am going to incorporate at least one if not two green smoothies every day and more green vegetables at dinner and as snacks. So far, I've beeen doing pretty good about getting enough protein, but I definitely plan on keeping track of this during my third trimester as well.

What are your current fitness and nutrition goals?


In health,

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Happy Friday!



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Wooohooo it's Friday! I hope you had a wonderful week and are ready to rock the weekend.

Today, when I got home from teaching my second class, I checked to see how many steps I had so far on my Fuel Band. I was at roughly 6,000, so I still needed at least 4,000 more to reach my 10,000 steps a day goal. That got me thinking about my favorite ways to sneak in extra steps throughout the day. I love my FuelBand, but it doesn't do a great job equating Pilates and Barre to steps. Oh well, that just gives me an opportunity to get even MORE steps in somewhere else throughout the day.

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Sneaky ways to fit in extra steps:

1. Walk laps around your house while talking on the phone with friends. I did this the other day and got in over 3,000 steps (it was a long chat)!
2. Catch up on your leisure reading while walking on the treadmill. I love fitness magazines, so I try to read them while walking on the treadmill to do double duty.
3. Every time a commercial comes on take a lap around your house. Try to make the biggest loop around the inside of your house as possible.
4. Use the restroom that is furthest away from you rather you are at home or at work. If you're like me, and have to go every 30 minutes, this one can really add up quickly!
5. Take a preview lap around the store before you begin your shopping. This is my favorite thing to do when I'm at Target. I do a lap around the whole store and then dive into my list. :)
6. Walk to the end of your street and back when you go to the mailbox instead of heading straight there and then back inside.
7. Park further away when running errands.
8. Take your shopping cart all the way back inside the grocery store instead of the cart return chutes.
9. Walk your dog up and down the block one time instead of just taking them out in the front yard.
10. Set your timer while your working on the computer and get up every 10-15 minutes for a quick walking break. If you work in an office, go up and down the stairs one time or take a lap around the office. If you are at home, do a loop around your house or walk to the end of the block and back if it's nice outside.

Those are just some of the strategies I use on a daily basis to fit in extra steps outside of traditional cardio! I hope they help you reach your 10,000+ steps a day goal!

What are your go to strategies for fitting in 10,000 steps a day?

In health,

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Howdy There!

How are you this evening? Did you have a nice Valentine's day? We had a pretty low-key and relaxing Valentine's day. We ate dinner, cuddled with Champ, and E ate tons of cake batter cookies! It was wonderful!

We are officially in the 7th week of 2012! Can you believe that? This is about the time that the gym crowd starts to thin out, the line at fast food restaurants start to pick up, and QVC goes back to selling makeup and sweaters instead of workout programs. How is your motivation holding up?

Just because it's February and maybe you haven't thought about your New Year's Resolutions since the second or third week of January, doesn't mean all is lost! Working out and eating healthy is a lifestyle and not something that only happens at the beginning of every year. We all get off track from time to time. That's just life. The successful people are the ones that know what it takes to get themselves back on track! :)

That's what I'm talking about. Let's be lifers!

If your motivation to exercise has been less than steller lately, give one of these tips a try!

1) Find a workout buddy and make a standing date with each other at least once a week. You probably hang out with your best friend at least once a week already right? So why not go for a walk instead of meeting for fro-yo. Ok who am I kidding, walk to fro-yo so you can have your yogurt and eat it too!

Tosca Reno (52) & Jamie Eason (35) are wonderful examples of strong women  who have made working out a lifestyle! (source)

2) Try a new group exercise class to spice things up. May I suggest Booty Barre, Zumba, Piloxing, or a Pilates reformer class? Let the instructor and other participants be your motivation to kick serious but!

3) Join a running group. I don't know about you, but running by myself in the cold winter months is not always my idea of a great time. Joining others on social runs, can make 5:30am much more appealing.

4) Try out some new recipes to spice up your healthy eating routine. I am definitely a creature of habit, and sometimes I need to be reminded to spice things up for my own sake. My new favorite recipe is Citrus Quinoa Veggie Salad.



5) Pick a  race to train for and mark it on your calendar. Write it in marker, and find a training plan that fits your timeline. When you have a big goal in mind, your workouts take on a new purpose.

6) Make an inspiration board, or move the one you already made to a new spot so you see it every day. Here is mine for this year!


7) Treat yourself to a new workout outfit. If you love your new top or pants you'll want to hit the gym just for an excuse to wear them! I just bought this little beauty, and the camo makes me feel like a beast (in the best possible way) every time I wear it. The back is by far the cutest part!

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8) Promise yourself that after 2 weeks of working out consistently or eating clean you will treat yourself to a pedicure or spa service of your choice. That's motivation enough for me right there! :)

9) Give yourself a pep talk. You may not have checked off all of the boxes on your to-do list for 2012 just yet, but as long as you are trying your hardest that is all that matters!


Repeat after me: I am strong, smart, beautiful, and powerful and I can do anything I set my mind to!


You are amazing and can do amazing things! Now go face week 7 of 2012 with your head held high and your tennis shoes laced tight! February here you come! :)

What are you going to do this week to work towards your goals?

How do you stay motivated?

In health,

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Happy Thursday!

How is your first week of 2012 going so far?? Mine is going great! I have been subbing quite a few classes, and taking some classes to get some new ideas. Although I am having a blast, boy oh boy am I sore! I don't know about you, but I love being sore. It's like my body's way of making sure I know it's getting the message. Soreness is my body saying "ooooo that's new and I like it." I might be crazy, but oh well!
Speaking of new and inspiration, 2012 is a brand new year, and I created an inspiration board to keep me inspired as the year rolls on. Gina, over at the Fitnessista.com, first introduced me to inspiratin boards, and I must say I love the idea!  There are lots of things I am looking forward to in 2012:

Running a Marathon

Completing my Pilates Certification

Taking at least one real vacation

Continuing to try new things in the kitchen

Being the best wife I can possibly be

Taking care of myself and trusting that God has a plan for my life so I'm going to try to enjoy the ride!

This board is going to serve as a reminder that these goals are going to take dedication throughout the entire year and not just in January!

Well that about sums up what I'm aiming for this year. I want to stay positive, eat healthy, take care of my body, and embrace everything 2012 has in store for me!

 What do you hope to accomplish in 2012?

In health,

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Howdy Everyone,

I hope you all had a great Monday! Mine was wonderful, sweaty and productive. I taught a barre class at 6:00am, took a pilates reformer class at 9:30am, and taught Piloxing at 12:00pm! Fun, fun and more fun! A friend told me about a website called MyFitnessPal.com where you can track your exercise and food intake. There are a lot of these websites out there, but this one is by far my favorite!You enter in your current weight, height, activity level, and goals, and it helps you track your progress. Here is what my homepage looks like!

The best part about this website is how easy it is to use. I hate the websites that only allow you to choose foods and workouts from their database. If you know the nutritional information for your meal you can simply type it in versus searching through a database. It also allows you to save meals you eat frequently so you don't have to re-enter them every time. Same goes for your exercise. If you have a heart rate monitor, and know how many calories you burned, you can put them right in your log!

My exercise page for Monday!

Here's a glimpse at my food page.

If you are looking to accomplish new fitness goals or bust through a rut, this website can help you do it! I would definitely suggest giving it a try! :)

Dinner last night was Whole Wheat Three Cheese Baked Ziti. I found the recipe at on one of my new favorite blogs "Can You Stay for Dinner?" Check out the full recipe here.


Eric absolutely loves traditional unhealthy fat laden baked ziti, but I did manage to healthify it a bit by using part skim ricotta, skim mozzarella, reduced fat Parmesan, and whole wheat pasta. I really don't think he even noticed it had less than half the fat of the restaurant version.


We ended our Monday evening with a little city league softball. It was quite cold but still fun as always! :)

I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Have you ever used an online food and exercise log before? What did you think?

In health,

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Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a happy and healthy New Years! We stayed pretty low key on New Year's Eve. We went to dinner at my favorite Sushi restaurant Hoshi, and then Eric surprised me with frozen yogurt. After we were nice and full, we headed downtown to watch the live music and fireworks at Victory Park. We headed back home at about 12:05am. :) That's pretty crazy for me!

On Friday, we talked about making S.M.A.R.T. goals for 2011. After quite a bit of brainstorming and some strategic planning, I think I am ready to share all of my goals for the upcoming year! According to research, people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions.

Last year, I went with the traditional resolution to "lose weight." I know, I know...weak! But this year, is a whole different story. I have more specific goals and a game plan to achieve them! I'm not going to focus solely on weight loss, "toning up," or eating healthier, but on living for the moment and exploring all types of health and fitness. In 2011, I will strive to find balance in my workouts, my eating, my life, and my mind. I believe a happy and balanced life will lead to a healthy life!

Balanced Goals For 2011 

1. Complete at least 4, 1/2 marathons. My plan is to complete 2 in the Spring and 2 in the Fall. I have already signed up for the Dallas Rock N Roll 1/2 marathon in March, and I plan to compete in either the Heels and Hills half or the Dallas Running Club White Rock half. I hope to finish every race injury free and in under 2 hours! I know with dedication, my trusty running shoes, and some good music, I will be able to put a check mark next to this goal come December.


2. Deepen my Yoga Practice. In 2011, I will to continue to practice yoga at least 3 days a week. I usually teach yoga 2+ times a week and practice on my own at my house once or twice a week. In the upcoming year, I will explore new types of yoga by taking at least one class a month by an instructor I am not familiar with. This month, I am exploring Bikram Yoga at a studio in Grapevine. As an instructor, I sometimes get in somewhat of a yoga rut, so I hope to prevent this by trying out different versions of yoga and taking from new instructors. Obtaining my YogaFit Level 2 certification is also on my list of to-do's for 2011. I'm hoping this resolution will help lower my stress level and keep me injury free while training! :)


3. Be more daring in the kitchen. In 2011, I will strive to try at least one new recipe a week. I plan to gather recipes throughout the week via magazines, blogs, websites, and cookbooks and then run them by Eric before we head to the grocery store on Sunday. By planning ahead, I will make sure I have all of the ingredients I need to make new and exciting lunches and dinners during the week. I even got a gift from Santa to help get me started.


4. Improve my blogging skills. Starting this blog back in June was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I never could have imagined how much fun I would have, how much I would learn and grow as a person, or how many new friends I would make threw blogging! My goals for 2011 are to continue posting at least 5x's a week, increase reader traffic and interaction, and continue to research and write about interesting health and fitness topics to help readers reach all of their health and fitness goals.


5. Make 2011 my healthiest year yet by achieving balance in life, health, happiness, and mind. I am by nature a worrier, and no matter how healthy I eat or how much I work out, I will never be my healthiest self while still worrying about every little thing. In 2011, I am going to take what life throws at me and know that I can handle it as long as I remember to keep breathing and just smile! :)


Here's to our healthiest happiest year yet!! Thank you for sharing 2010 with me, and I look forward to all 2011 has in store for us!

Questions of the day:
What are your New Years resolutions?
What would you like to see more of on Fun, Fit and Fabulous in 2011?

In health,

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