12 Days of Christmas Bootcamp!

Do you see number 1?? 12 times.  Core. Burning. Awesomeness.
Needless to say, everyone was exhausted by the end. Its a workout that sneaks up on you by the end of it.

I taught two classes yesterday using this format. I had "warned" my regular bootcamp class last week that this one was coming. When I was asked to sub an athletic conditioning class yesterday evening I was so excited to do it again. I usually do not double up on classes, but this one is a great workout and a really fun theme so I repeated it.

So after doing that second class, then I had one last class to teach. A Glutes and Abs class.  I had a great time teaching it, showing a bunch of newbies kettlebell exercises. I teach classes mainly in the mornings so many of the participants had never been to my kettlebell classes.

I totaled it up as I was walking to my car and realized I did 25 minutes of planks!!! I had not considered that before, but it was great. I was so proud of my class participants and myself for doing such a great job!!!

Thanks to everyone who takes my classes, yall rock!! I especially love that a few of my morning folks came out to the evening classes I subbed!! Thanks so much!!!

Wednesday Wisdom

Holiday Gift Guide for Runners

1. A GPS Watch or heart rate monitor such as these:

Nike +

Garmin 10

2. Massage gift card

We runners love our massages as they not only help with relaxation but also for post-race recovery helping to loosen up and increase circulation and range of motion prior to races too!

3. Workout clothes!

Monogrammed running shorts: You know I'm a girl from the south and I live by the motto "if it's not movin' its monogrammed" so I think these are the cutest!!!

Some of my favorites:

CW-X Stabilyx capris: My knees are not the greatest so I love how these pants support my biomechanics to allow for better and longer runs!

Finished my OBX half marathon running the CW-X capris and loved them!

Long sleeved technical shirts….bonus points if the have "the thumb thing"  I love layering shirts for running, especially in Virginia where the weather can be kind of weird for the season.  Its also nice because even if I don't use "the thumb thing" it usually makes the sleeves longer, which for a tall girl like me, is always hard to find! 

4. Foam Roller

I LOVE my foam roller, although I am not as religious about using it every day like I should.  Foam rollers work to break up adhesions through a technique called Self Myofacial Release.  

5. RoadID

This is an amazing gift of security and piece of mind for your favorite runner.  There are several styles you can buy and they are well worth the money!! You can see my previous post on mine, here. 

6. Race Entry

And if Santa is really feeling generous, race entries are awesome gifts too!!!  I think the Rock N Roll Tour Pass would be amazing!!! 

Fried green…what??

I spent a weekend this past October with my best friend, her husband and her mother.  It was a busy, craft filled weekend as we were finishing up decorating the nursery for her baby (who was born November 20th!!!).  For dinner, her mom made delicious homemade macaroni and cheese, then we had corn and fresh green beans.  They told me we were going to make friend green tomatoes which somehow, I have never had.  I love tomatoes. I just want them to be red. So it was really reaching out of my comfort zone to try them prepared this way.  They were really good though.  Of course, not as healthy and good for you as if you had them sliced and unfried, but good none the less.

PS, if you know me, you know there is no way I ate all the food on my plate. I think I had probably half of each dish!!!

When you are faced with a large plate of food at a dinner party, try to always eat the vegetables first. Its a habit I have gotten into that way I know I got a few good servings of nutrient dense vegetables before moving on.  I try really hard not to limit myself to only "good" foods as I would drive myself crazy without the "comfort" foods such as macaroni and cheese.   I try to encourage my clients to attack their meals in a similar fashion.  Focus on the best for you pieces of the meal and then move on to the others.  You don't have to finish everything on your plate.  Believe me, I was raised by a southern mama who wouldn't let us leave anything on the plate so if I've learned to adapt to this, you can too!!