MY Summer Fun Checklist

Last week I posted a Summer Fun Checklist. I haven't been going nutso on the posting this as of late, so it was one of the few posts that went up last week. I mostly just wanted to share that I was inspired by it, and since then I've decided to do some tweaking - thanks to a suggestion by my friend Claire. 

I've included a lot of things from the original list, but I also added some specifics - things I actually want to do and plan to do. 

This is MY Summer Fun Checklist. I'll come back and update every time I complete an item. I'm planning to put a link to this post on my 30x30 page for easy access... and like I said... e'rythang will be instagrammed as I go. #2014summerfunchecklist 

• go to an Eat See Hear (or two) and drink my favorite latte from Brasil Kiss (CHECK!)
• watch fireworks (CHECK!)
• go to an aquarium
• get a massage (CHECK!)
• do yoga on the beach (CHECK, CHECK!)
• make homemade popsicles
• go to the wine festival (CHECK!)
• go to the strawberry festival (CHECK!)
• get my face painted
• build a blanket fort
• have a fire pit (CHECK!)
• make s’mores (CHECK!)
• go on a mini roadtrip aka day trip
• make a home video
• sing loudly with the car windows down
• go running at sunset
• read a book by the pool (CHECK!)
• have breakfast on the patio (CHECK!)
• eat a sno-cone (CHECK!)
• go swimming (CHECK!)
• go to a museum
• ride my bike
• go on a hike (CHECK!)
• visit the zoo
• go to a concert in the park
• have a picnic
• play Frisbee
• paint
• go boating/kayaking
• blow bubbles

Let me know if you decided to do one too! I'd love to follow along with all your summer fun activities! 

Seven Days of Yoga; Week 12

OK! So, because I've started P90X, you're gonna see a lot of repeat workouts from last week, HOWEVER, since I'm still teaching and trying to spice things up with additional workouts - because I'm cray - these posts will still vary from week to week - not to mention, I'll be talking a lot about my progress in P90X.

Wednesday (P90X Day 7) was supposed to be resting or X Stretch... I did neither, BUT I did take it super easy. I had been texting a friend about getting together for happy hour after work, so I got up early and did an hour of at home practice yoga. I pushed myself a little bit, but mostly I acknowledged that my body was still a little tweaky from the previous few days workouts, so I didn't do too much.
When I taught Mommy & Baby yoga, I did most of the class - getting up only a few times to change the music or check how long we'd been going. We did a lot of core work, which was great. I got a few groans from my mommies, so it was definitely a good workout. :)

Summer Fun Checklist

My cousin shared this on facebook last week. I just fell in love with this list and want to (or probably will) do so much of what's on it that I had to save it on my blog so I could keep tabs on what I can check off.

It's pretty unlikely that I'll get into a silly string fight, but I will definitely go swimming, go on a hike, ride my bike, go to a museum...and many others.

My goal is just going to be to take a picture and instagram each item I do as I complete it, and maybe I'll post them up there so I have a place to refer to for everything.

Want to get in on this with me? If you're on instagram, use the hashtag #2014summerfunchecklist so we can all check in on each other's fun summer activities!

Let me know if you think you'll join in! :)

Seven Days of Yoga; Week 11

This week has been kind of intense, but I am thrilled with my new plan. Since I did some math on Wednesday and realized I was only 137 days away from my 30th birthday. (RIGHT?!) I won't have time to complete P90X and P90X2 in succession before I turn 30 (one of my 30x30 goals), but what I could do? At least start it... and get through phase 1 of X2 by my 30th birthday. Then finish strong with the final 43 days as a 30 year old. So, this week it started. In addition to my regular workouts, I'm tacking P90X on in the mornings - getting my butt up at 6 instead of 715, and letting go of cookies.

Wednesday night I had already planned on going to Power Yoga. We had a sub who I'd never taken class with before. He taught a really great class - basic on its surface, but with room for creativity and adventurousness. I was into it, and I was next to a woman who is a super pro experienced yogi who - without meaning to - inspired and challenged me. A true yogi, I didn't feel the need to try to "compete" with her, but she did make me want to push myself, find my limits, and try some new things. Because I was already in the zone to challenge myself, I managed to get up into pincha mayurasana without the wall. When I got home I did it again - with a camera - just to prove to myself that I still could. (photo above)

As soon as I made my plan to start P90X, I made sure to tell the hubs so he could be my accountability buddy. So, when 6am rolled around on Thursday morning (aka Day 1 of P90X), he was there making sure I gave him a standing hug goodbye instead of a half sleepy kiss. I pushed play on Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X  from 6:15-7:30am and then off to work I went. It left me feeling strong. The first time I did P90X, I couldn't even do ONE diamond pushup without going to my knees. Thursday morning I did 13.
That night I drove out to see my friend for our weekly yoga sesh. It was nice to get a good stretch in after my workout that morning. It was also nice to bum one of their foam rollers while I guided her through a quick warm up. My right IT band had been killing me - which made even driving difficult - so I worked

Friday (P90X Day 2) I got up early whirly and did Plyometrics X in the morning. I learned from previous rounds of P90X that I need to pace myself during that workout - I'll be sore the next day and get a heckuva calorie burn no matter what, but if I push myself too hard, I will end up running to the toilet for dry heaving fun times. Nobody wants that. I had a great workout that morning.
I thought about going to Ashtanga that night, but it seemed too stressful to try and get there by 545 during tax season, so I took it easy when I got home - just cleaned up the patio and ate cadbury eggs.

Saturday (P90X Day 3) was Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper X. I didn't feel like I really challenged myself very much in this workout. I wore my heart rate monitor (as with all my P90X workouts so far), so I know I got kind of a low calorie burn for a full hour workout. Some moves were hard - most of the body weight stuff. Then Ab Ripper is always hard, though it was easier on day 3 than on day one.
I taught an amazing power yoga class at the studio at 10. My playlist rocked my world. I was having so much fun and the energy in the room was amazing.

Sunday (P90X Day 4) I subbed a flow class in the morning. Then I went to an inversion and arm balance workshop. I was supposed to do Yoga X that day, but I skipped it because I knew I'd be doing yoga for four hours at the workshop... which was KILLER, by the way. I thought it would be a little more relaxed, a little less like a yoga class. It was a lot like a typical yoga class - just REALLY long. It was an intense workout. I was mopping up sweat 20 minutes in. It made sense - we need to get warm before we tried flipping upside down and balancing, but it was exhausting. My left wrist just plain gave out at one point (around the 3 hr mark). I couldn't take any pictures during the class (mostly because I didn't know anyone and I didn't want to ask, but I'm gonna try and do a little recap post soon. I'll have to give most of these poses another try. I already instagramed some of them. (1, 2)

Monday morning (P90X Day 5) I got up to do Legs & Back before heading off to teach. I got up a little later then I planned - then there was an earthquake. did you hear about that? - so I didn't have time to do Ab Ripper before I had to leave.
That night I had my private with my friend. She said she wanted a little more cardio, more of a workout to work up a sweat, so even though I was crashing hard that afternoon, that's exactly what we did. We did some running warrior and A LOT of core - a lot - and by the end she was happy with her workout and I felt so much more energized and awake. It was kind of awesome.
When I got home, I did Ab Ripper X, which I'd skipped in the morning.

Tuesday (P90X Day 6) started with Kenpo X in the AM. Maybe I was slacking a little bit, but the calorie burn was kind of a let down. I barely made it to 300 in an hour. At the end of the workout, right as it goes into stretching, Tony advises that we check our heart rates and make sure we're out of "the zone" before going into stretching, but I was well below the zone by the time we got there. I think my heart rate was at like 95. My resting HR is little on the high side, between 85 and 90, and my goal HR for working out is around 155/160, and I never got above 145 the whole workout.
Sorry to talk so much about heart rates. I left work and went straight to Power Yoga that night. My sore muscles needed a little love from the previous few days workouts. That's not to say that power yoga was exactly restful. It was hard, and my body kept reminding me in little ways to take it easy... so I did. I only took the harder variations when I knew my body could handle it, and when I was tired, I eased off.

These workouts posts are about to get pretty intense with the new addition of P90X workouts. I'm pretty pumped about it so far though.

How was your week?

Leg Day; My 5 Favorite Body Weight Leg Workouts

I mentioned the "thigh gap" phenomenon the last week. I don't know if you noticed or if you didn't or whether my one aside had any impact on your thoughts. I'm not a fan of the phenom, to say the least. The next day a friend of mine shared this on facebook and discussions ensued. I didn't even read past the first paragraph or so of the article - and really, my contribution to the discussion was no more than a mention that I had just brought the topic up the other day.
But when I got home that night, hubs asked me, "what's this whole thigh gap thing? what's wrong with it?"

...and I had an answer for him - a clear, decisive, two sentence answer.

There is nothing wrong with a thigh gap, but it shouldn't be a "fitness goal". The only way to get a thigh gap is through genetics or anorexia - neither of which are a sign of fitness. 

It is with legs on the brain that I advocate healthy, strong, fit quads, glutes, and calves. These exercises won't make your thighs seem further apart, but they will make your legs strong as f*ck. Pardon my French - at least I used an asterisk.

These are my five absolute favorite at-home no-weights-necessary-but-you-can-add-them-if-you-want-to semi-yoga-inspired leg workouts. 

#strongnotskinny, right?

... in no particular order.

1. Sneaky Lunges

Start with your feet together, high on your toes, then - staying on your toes - step your right leg forward into a long lunge with a straight back leg.

That Time I Taught at Lululemon

A little while back I got a phone call from one of the girls at the studio where I teach. Lululemon was adding Monday night classes to their usual complimentary yoga schedule for the month of March, and would I be available and interested in teaching one...

Heck yes!

Since March is such a big month for races 'round these parts, every Monday night for the month of March (you still have a couple of chances to get out there if you're local), lululemon at the Calabasas Commons is hosting special runner-themed yoga classes in their store. They partnered up with Inner Power Yoga and some of the most incredible up-and-coming teachers from the studio are filling the space for the month.

Guest Post on Lemon Jelly Cake

Happy Monday, yogis! (and Happy St. Patty's Day!)

Today I am blog sitting over at Lemon Jelly Cake while Claire and fam get used to having baby Micah around. I am so so excited for the whole Printz family, I made them cookies...

well, I made them digital cookies, anyway.

We love cookies in our house. You could call it an addiction. On weekends I don't bake a fresh batch of cookies, it's because we already have leftover dough in the freezer. 

Over the holidays, I decided to tackle some gluten free baking. Word on the street is that gluten is just bad news bears for us humans - and I've actually noticed it's the source of a lot of upset tummies, so, in order for our household to continue to enjoy cookies, I did some experimenting cutting it out...

Get the rest of the post and the recipe over at Lemon Jelly Cake... 

Seven Days of Yoga; Week 10

I just need to acknowledge real quick that we are 10 weeks into 2014. WTF, mate? That's all.
Now for my recap!

Wednesday morning I taught mommy & baby, which was a blast, as aways. That night I tried something new! A friend of mine is a fitness instructor at Equinox. She usually teaches barre classes, but she also added a circuit training class called Adrenaline recently. And sometimes, when I ask nicely, she lets me tag along and take her classes. This week I decided to try her adrenaline class. It was haaaaard. There were a couple of moves that I kind of thought of as breaks though - throwing a kettle bag across the room and chasing it (break move) and thrusters (break move) - plie jump, and tricep dips (not break moves). I was majorly sore the next day.

Spotlight on lovethelittlethings

In the last few years, I have been so unbelievably lucky.  Not only have I had my heart and mind cracked open by studying and experiencing yoga, but I have met some of the most truly beautiful and inspirational people. I have made new friends at every turn and I feel so special and so honored to be able to call them that, my friends.

On the first day of yoga teacher training, I met one such beautiful soul named Becca. I should have known right away from her always perfectly cute and cozy yoga attire, that Becca would later design her own line of yoga-friendly clothing and jewelry called lovethelittlethings
So, last month, when she reached out to me and a few others from our yoga crew, I was delighted to check out her etsy shop and support her new venture.

Currently; March 2014

I feel like writing these posts make the time go by faster. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

I took this picture yesterday morning - on my second and final trip out to the car. One the first trip, I carried my lunch and change of clothes for the day... because that's how I roll these days.

Currently, I'm...

Reading...
Nothing. I brought my kindle out the other day to sit down and read... and as soon as I turned it on it told me the battery was low. So, I took it back upstairs and plugged it in. It was a sad moment.

Kitchen Adventures; Chia Seed Pudding 2 Ways

I've been a little frustrated on the diet front lately. I try to eat healthy (mostly clean) and I calorie count. There's a little bit of a taboo with calorie counting, but it helps me track my energy input and output, and I can do it on my phone with myfitnesspal so I don't have to be "that guy". I work part time in the fitness industry, so part of my job is to actually be a fit person, (that sh*t cray) but I've got a killer sweet tooth and a deep love for fried food. So while I am strong, my thighs touch *GASP* (this fitness goal is abhorrent to me, by the way) and I do not have six pack abs.
Back to the point - I'm trying to find healthier options to curb my sweet tooth and comfort food cravings. I'm also working really hard to eat less dairy, which is so tough because cheese is one of my favorite things on the planet.

Chia seed pudding has been out in the universe for a while now, and last week - after my coworker came in raving about a "just add liquid" type mix she found at Whole Foods, I decided it was time to give it a go.

Seven Days of Yoga; Week 9

After being knocked out by a cold last week, I eased myself back into exercise this week.

Wednesday night I took beginner Cardio Barre. I managed to push myself a little bit - using 2 lb weights instead of one, and really getting into my deepest versions of each move. Warming up was tough though, since I'd been so stagnant in the prior days, my shoulders we not happy with in the beginning.

I had a rough night in the wee hours of Thursday morning. So, I woke up feeling less than awesome and planned a pretty mellow workout for the night. I would definitely take yoga, then see how I felt after and decide if I was up for an hour of boxing. It was a great decision. I ended up feeling awesome after yoga and decided to stay for boxing, which was hard, but not too hard. It was 2 hours at the gym, which cut a big chunk out of my evening and meant I didn't have dinner until 9:30 (a veggie omelet, btw), but I always feel better when I'm doing something active instead of sitting on my butt.

Friday night I worked late and was suuuuper tired. By the time I got home, all I wanted was to cozy up on the couch.

Saturday I was still really tired, but I managed a trip to the gym. I ran 2 and a half miles and then did some yoga and miscellaneous stretching for about a half hour - worked on some arm balances and inversions.

Sunday I got up EARLY and drove out to Moorpark to teach a private class. We started outside, but it started raining again, so we moved indoors after about 15 minutes.
Then I motored back to the Valley to get to boxing, where they were filming a reality show. Class was extra hard when everyone wants to look their best (students and teachers alike), but I got to break in my new gloves (pictured above) a little bit. They are so nice.

Monday morning I taught my class, and then in the evening I taught again. I was in a funk most of the day, but I did get to work up a little bit of a sweat during the private lesson SLASH hang out session with my friend that night. We had her baby in the room with us for about half the workout and she was just laying on the floor in front of her momma just smiling and giggling.

Tuesday night I opted to bring work home and take yoga instead of staying at work late... tax season, man.
I had a great class. I learned some new variations for my arms in forward fold, and the instructor helped me get into pincha in the center of the room. I had such a yoga brain after class though I almost forgot I had to go pick up Panda, who was at my parents' all day.

How was your week? Try anything new?

In Crazy Times

Howdy friends!

I just wanted to pop my head in and kind of sort of apologize. I know my posts have been a little sparse and lackluster lately and my excuse is this;

it's tax season, yo. 

On top of trying to teach more, I am stuck at the office late and taking work home with me a lot of days. Times have been crazy. New recipes have been few and far between, but since I'm sticking with old standards, I thought I would take a second and share some of my go-to busy times recipes with you all.

Inversions Make You Hot; Instagram Photo Challenge

The instagram yogasphere is dominated by a handful of incredibly talented and motivational yogis. As is common on IG, these ladies and gents fill our feeds with monthly photo challenges.

In February, Laura, Kino, and Kerri hosted the #inversionsmakeyouhot challenge - 28 days of inversions and arm balances. Since I've been dedicated a good bit of time to improving my own inversions and arm balances, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to challenge myself and work on these poses.