Some thoughts and discussions from me.
My Day, Front Plank Oblique Crunches, & Taco Spaghetti
Hey dere.
It’s been a long while since I’ve did a recap of my day. I’m not much of a life caster-type of blogger (though I started out that way…didn’t we all?) but sometimes it’s fun to capture a regular ol’ Wednesday on the blog. Plus, I’ve got nothin’ else to talk about. So grab a beverage and settle in.
I had initially intended to sleep in, since my first client wasn’t until 8:30, yet I woke up naturally at the insane hour of 5:30 a.m. Determined to get another hour of shut eye (since I stayed up too late the night before catching up on the Bachelor: Women Tell All, which should have been titled The Bachelor: AshLee Tells Too Much,) I lay there until 6:15 before waving a white flag and getting up for the day.
Coffee – half caff – while reading my devotions and getting my head in gear for the day. Then, I did some miscellaneous tasks – blog stuff, email stuff, and the like, before making a filling breakfast:
Sausage links, eggs, avocado, and ho’made sauerkraut. I relaxed while eating, checking blogs, and procrastinating. After finishing up this deliciousness, I switched over the laundry, cleaned up, and headed to the gym for my first client – a small group training session.
The session went well – we did a circuit of BOSU squats, stability ball planks, and band curls. Then I got in my workout! Well, a mini-workout – just some chin ups and planks. The day before I taught a core class, took a power yoga class and took a co-worker’s 45 minute tabata class, which is more exercise than I need. Plus, I was planning on going to hot yoga later on. Wanna see the planks that I did?
Front Plank Oblique Crunches – I love doing these instead of side plank dips. Using both arms better distributes body weight so one shoulder doesn’t take on too much weight. Just another option 
After my mini workout, I had a couple hours to get some program writing done– training programs, online training programs, (and starting this blog post) And around noon I lead another small group training session. Then I booked it to the dentist to try and remedy my retainer debacle from the other day. I had high hopes when they said they could glue it back in, but apparently when I ripped it all the way free, I also bent the crap out of it, and now I have to go to the freaking orthodontist to get fitted for a nighttime bottom retainer. I’m thisclose to taking my chances and praying my teeth just stay put. Hm.
After my appointment, it was time for lunch. 
Leftovers! The night before, I’d diced up a sweet potato yam, cooked it in a cast iron skillet in some pasture butter, then I added some broccoli and chopped chorizo. Made for a great dinner, and a great lunch. However, usually I make this kind of meal with some type of chicken sausage, and Shane and I both agreed we were partial to the chicken sausage variety.
Next time.
The weather was awesome yesterday – and is again today – hitting 59 degrees with sunny skies. I had to take advantage, so after lunch I grabbed Shane, strapped up Niko on her leash and we all headed out for a nice long family walk. The hour flew by, and I think we all got our vitamin D stores for the day – it was just gorgeous out! Then I got home, got ready to head to yoga, sat down at the computer….and completely lost my mojo.
I got started on tweaking flyers for the gym, working on training programs for a couple new online clients, and totally blew off yoga. Actually, I blew off the drive to yoga. If you remember, I decided to join a membership that’s close to one of the gyms I work at – not my home. So driving there close to rush hour just did not sound like something I wanted to do when I was already home.
Since I skipped yoga, I promised myself I’d be entirely productive for the time that I would have been in class. In that hour and a half, I: did two loads of laundry, addressed, stamped and sent out invitations for my bestie’s baby shower (which have a story in itself…oy,) and then finally showered for the day. Yeah, that’s what I said. When you’re in gym clothes, working in a gym all day, working out and working clients’ out, sometimes you need a little sweat to deem a shower necessary. Or just some greasy hair.
Headbands and ponytails, people.
Once showered and feeling dignified and productive, I got started on dinner. On the menu: tacos!
Errrr, in my case, taco innards on some leftover quinoa noodles. Because clearly I’m 5 years old. Shane had normal grown up people tacos.
For my taco meat, all I do is brown some ground beef, add cumin, chili powder, garlic, and salt and pepper, add a bag of frozen tri-color peppers, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 1 c. crushed fire roasted tomatoes, a little water, and bring it to a boil. Then simmer for about 10 minutes.
The extra veggies really beefs up the meal, which means I get to eat taco spaghetti for lunch again today!
After dinner Shane and I settled up on the couch and watched a few episodes of Arrested Development. It’s not Parks and Rec, which we’re all caught up on – until season 5, but I sure do love me some Jason Bateman. Somewhere in between episodes 1 and 3, I got up and made myself this nighttime snack favorite.
We headed up to bed at 9:00, because we’re elderly, and I read for a half hour before shutting out the light. Speaking of reading, I haven’t talked about the books I’ve been reading lately!
I finished 11th Hour not too long ago, then read Tina Fey’s book, Bossy Pants, and now I’m reading The Litigators, by John Grisham. I really, really, really like it so far. I look forward to reading it each night! And that was my day.
Today’s a split day. I’m teaching a class and then training a client, have the whole mid morning and afternoon free, and then teaching another class and training another client. Good news is that it’s another fabulous day, so I’ll be surely be outdoors when I’m not in the gym 
What’s your biggest excuse for blowing off the gym/running/yoga/class?
I live about a block and a half away from my gym, which is part of the university where I attend. So whether I’m at home or at class, I don’t really have the “it’s too far away” excuse! So any gym-skipping on my part is because I either really need a rest day or I’m just feeling lazy :-p
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles recently posted…SSE Phase 2.
I love doing front plank oblique dips. They always surprise me how hard they are but they really freaking rock! 😉
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More recently posted…Winter Training Tips
I love your dinner – it’s like Mexican spaghetti!
My gym is 2 blocks from my house… which leads me to my excuse. I feel guilty driving, so when it’s really cold or raining I decided it’s too cold to walk. I either skip the workout OR drive but with the excuse that I’m running errands right after so I NEED my car. LOL!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted…In a Rut & Bacon Truffle Parmesan Popcorn
My reasons are pretty similar to yours. There’s just something about having to get back out once your already home. It kills my motivation!
Natalie @ Free Range Human recently posted…WIAW: An Apple A Day!
I have the same excuse! I have a 1 year membership to a zumba studio that is 5 min from my parent’s house. Unfortunately I live with my boyfriend now which is where I also work near. If I go to zumba after work, it is an hour drive! It’s so hard to find motivation sometimes. Some days I figure if I don’t go, I’m saving money on gas and I don’t feel like I’m wasting my membership fee as much lol.
But on the plus side, there is a huge trail behind my boyfriend’s house and now that the weather is nice, I find motivation there!
I tend to skip planned exercise if I get stuck at the office too late. That extra hour just makes me starvinggg and the thought of waiting longer to eat doesn’t appeal to me at all! And I can’t believe you still wear your retainer (and apparently lots do?) I had braces when I was 10, worse my retainer for approximately 5 minutes, and have never worn it since. Oops.
Meghan @ After the Ivy League recently posted…Thursday Thoughts
If I don’t wake up early to work out, I go straight to the gym after school or work. If I go home first, I know I will get caught up doing a million other things and not go.
Ashley @ Life and Fitness recently posted…Weighted One Legged Squat
I did the sweatiest spin class ever on Tuesday, and then found out work wasn’t going to be open on Wednesday so I totally didn’t wash my hair (I did shower) and then went to a boot camp class yesterday evening. It almost took 3 washes to get the grease out. So gross.
Traffic/metro delays are my most common reason for not going to the gym. That and well, laziness. Sometimes I just don’t want to 🙂
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Taco pasta? Stop it! That’s fabulous. My biggest excuse for blowing off the gym is schoolwork/studying! Although, with the amount of Netflix I watch, I really should have NO excuses.
Carly @ Snack Therapy recently posted…Bouncing Back After a Slip Up
Love the daily recaps! They’re sometimes my favorite posts to catch up on.
I think I really need some taco inwards now, haha that kind of sounds creepy? Maybe not…I love quinoa pasta, I’ve kind of been loving it lately!
And I’m so happy to hear you read John Grisham books, because I love his books! Such a great author!
Those Quinoa noodles look good, I’ve not seen or heard about them before but now I have I’m going to see if I can find them here in Australia.
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats recently posted…Friday Favourites
Its the first time I hear about Quinoa noodles too. But why not, today they make noodles from whatever you like!
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Ahhhhh I didn’t know you were a Bachelor watcher too! 🙂 I can’t tear myself away. The problem is- here is E.S.T., it doesn’t end until 10:00 and I HAVE to stay up til the end. BUT, I get up at 4:30 am on Monday and Tuesday to teach two back to back classes… needless to say, I am completely useless on Tuesday. And yes, Ashlee tells too much… lol.
We make tacos about once a week here and switch up the protein a lot, but use ground turkey more than anything. For just me and Greg, I brown 8 oz of meat and throw in a ton of chopped mushrooms and onions and zucchini and it bulks it up big time! SO good!
I blow off yoga because I’m too tired to drive there by the end of the day. I definitely plan to change this when I move and schedule a lot of yoga dates with friends (because then I’ll definitely show up!). The two studios I go to around here have online reservations, so I always do that so I’m obligated to go!
Have a great weekend, friend!!
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning recently posted…Hello, Ellie
I’m reading THE LITIGATOR now too, and I love it. I don’t care for all of his books, but Grisham nailed it this time!
“bc we’re elderly.” haha! aw. i got really close with the bosu ball this weekend too. i did weighted squats on it. it’s so hard for me to balance on it, but i know i’ll get better. what kind of breakfast sausage links are those? they look like ones i’ve had. maybe aidell’s?
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