Fabulous in February

Winter is really starting to get on my nerves. My energy is gone, I have been cranky, and all motivation is often a lost cause. While February is typically a month where the bitter cold reaches a peak, I hope we have already seen the worst of what this season has to offer. February is going to be all about being positive and making life just a little bit better to help me survive the last month and a half before spring. Plus, my birthday is in March and who doesn't want to feel more fabulous in time for their birthday?!

What does all of this even mean? Throughout the month my posts will focus on one thing you can do each day - from organization, to fitness, to relaxation - which will help you break through the doldrums of the cold and radiate will improved wellness from within. Also, I promise they won't break the bank. Fabulous in February series begins tomorrow, get excited!

Five Ways I've Been Working Out For Free

I have never in my life paid a gym membership fee. With the exception of the half off group fitness glasses at college, when the price is reduced half way through the semester. I bought a workout class Groupon once. I never went as they were good in the peak of winter. Point is, I love fitness and breaking a sweat but I don't think anyone should have to pay a hefty price to improve their body. The bonus about these tips? They don't even require you to leave your home in this horrid polar vortex.

1. YouTube. I mentioned before how I adore the Blogilates videos. I will often print out her workout calendars and mix them with my own. Other favorites are Tone It Up, Fitness Blender, and PopSugar Fitness. I just sign into my account and their latest videos are in my feed, ready to go.

2. Amazon Prime. Yes, technically I pay for the prime membership but I have that anyway due to my free Kindle rentals and the shipping perks. This membership is becoming my new favorite thing. I recently discovered the free shows and movies, as they occupied bitter cold days on my Christmas break. Well now, I have been trying a new workout video each day for the past few days and it's pretty awesome. They offer everything from Jillian Michaels, to yoga, to Densie Austin for nights when I feel my body needs a low impact recovery routine. I am in love. 

3. Magazine workouts. I subscribe to a couple of fitness magazines currently but have read a variety for years and years. I now have a pretty impressive stock pile of their top workouts. Following Shape, Self, Fitness, or the like on Twitter or Facebook will provide the same information. They will link you to a ton of free workouts you can print out or bookmark for the future.

4. Make it up as you go along. Interval training is all the rage and it's quite effective. We all know the basics, intense moves such as split squats, burpees, or speed skaters for 20 - 45 seconds and 10 - 15 seconds of recovery. Choose different exercises and continue for 20+ minutes. Back in the day I used to attempt to watch the clock for these routines but I now use a website that tracks the time, circuit, and when to begin and end each set for me. It's the perfect workout for when you aren't feeling any workout in particular.

5. Keep it brief, yet frequent. Jumping jacks during commercials. Crunches when your favorite movie/television character says their catch phrase. Squats while you brush your teeth, or hover while you pee. All the small changes you make add up. Have an impromptu dance party or clean the house vigorously, it will be done faster that way! Whatever you choose to do, you should be breaking a sweat every single day. Your mind will equate fitness as a habit, a lifestyle change; not a fleeting trend. 

BONUS FREEBIE:
6. Run. I am not a big runner, and I will never run in this brutal weather we are currently experiencing. However, running is free. So is walking more. As it warms up, grab some comfy kicks and go for a brisk stroll.

Peanut Butter Hot Cocoa

The temperatures in the city are still unbelievably miserable. While driving home in snow and subzero weather, all I could think about was relaxing as soon as I walked in the door. What relaxes me? At the moment, chocolate and peanut butter. The base recipe was taken from my skinny spicy hot cocoa recipe, I just tweaked it a bit. 

Recipe:
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1.5 tablespoons Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
- 2 packets Truvia
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
- Whipped cream (optional)
Calories: 105 (sans whipped cream)

I heated my milk on the stove before adding the cocoa, truvia, and vanilla. I blended the mix with a whisk for a couple of minutes. Then added peanut butter about a minute before taking it off the stove, to ensure everything completely dissolved. 

I have been cutting back on dairy recently, but I absolutely add a bit or Redi Whip to the top of mine. Enjoy!

Blame It On The Wedding Brain...

I ordered my wedding invitations a while back and I just received them today as I had them shipped to my future in law's house. The anticipation of finally seeing my glorious invites, response cards, reception cards, pearl lined envelopes (and we wonder why weddings are a multi-million dollar business..) was killing me. I read through the invitation. Success. The stark white envelopes were gorgeous and our response cards and envelopes were on point. What am I leaving out? Oh yes, the reception cards. You know, the card where you tell your guests where your reception is located. I may have been extremely hungry and tired when I placed the order, then became frustrated when I lost the entire order and had to start over. I failed to properly proofread everything and put the WRONG ADDRESS on our reception cards. So close to perfection! If this is the only thing that goes wrong in our wedding planning adventure, I know I can count myself lucky. I have ordered the proper cards and they should be shipped out soon.

This is why you do things very far in advance. If there is a mistake, you have time to correct it. At least I am only frustrated at my own oversight instead of panicked about rush ordering new cards. Life lesson learned.

My (almost) magical box of wedding invitations!

IT HAS ARRIVED!

Oh yes. The day I have been waiting for. My wedding dress is in! Now sadly, I have to wait until President's Day to have my initial try on as I (obviously) want my mom to be there for the big moment and they only do these appointments during the week. In a completely unfair and totally ironic fashion, I got the call right before heading out to an indulgent rib dinner with friends. Oh well. I enjoyed my half slab and pepper jack creamed spinach anyway. 

While the first try on is obviously not going to require me to be in "wedding shape", no one wants to put on their dress for the first time and feel unworthy of such glorious perfection. I clearly love my dress... Regardless, I do plan on toning up and being aware of what I am putting into my body. My biggest obstacle is going to be eating out. More often than not, I prefer to cook at home. Many of my dishes are similar to, or better, than what we over pay on a date night out. With Chicago's Restaurant Week a couple of weeks away and two nights out planned during that time, some extra attention must be granted to my menu choices. I plan to menu creep on some healthy options before hand and do my best to not devour everything on my plate. Either way, at least I will have a good time catching up with friends I haven't seen in a while!

Speaking of weddings, I may have been a bit overly ambitious when it came time to address our save the dates. As in, I wanted to hand address over one hundred. I have completed 39 and my goal was to have them mailed out a week ago. Yikes. Check out my Instagram for a picture of my battle wound I incurred while working for hours on my crazy project. Now, I am off to address some more envelopes! Wish me luck...

Streamline & Simplify

City apartment living and I are no longer friends. I just tripped on my humidifier and nearly face planted to my death while trying to organize my bedroom. In a year and a half from now, we will be in a comparatively sprawling house on the far north side or suburbs of the city. At the moment, I must make do.

I have a somewhat/absolutely obsessive cleaning, shopping, and exercise routine that honestly keeps me sane. Add in almost completely solo wedding planning and trying to take up some better for me practices and it throws a wrench in my entire system. Leisurely reading time doesn't exist, I'm getting to the store too late and plowing over the elderly in frustration, and my stress level feels heightened over mostly nothing. Enough with the whining, how could you possibly remedy this situation? 

Single tasking. What? How counterproductive! Actually, although we function in a society that glorifies multitasking balls-to-the-wall personalities, doing one to do at a time will make you more efficient. As the person trying to accomplish three or four things at once, I can testify that doing more at one time does not equal a higher rate of productivity. I love my lists and they are constantly being expanded as to do's pop into my head. Lately none of them are getting crossed off because I haven't been focusing and mono-tasking. If your mind runs a million miles a minute, I recommend always having a small notepad or some paper available to jot things down as they come into your head. When you have a moment, you can organize and tackle them in a concise manner.

For the next few weeks, I am going to slow down, take a breath, and see what I can accomplish when I take it one step at a time. Who knows, maybe I'll even be less likely to trip over and run into things. One can certainly hope!

Revving Up Your Resolutions

Some coffee and blogging on a snow day!

As I relax in my apartment on this bitter cold snow day number two, I have been reading through some of my favorite websites. We all love an extra kick in the pants to get us going each January, right? Gotta make good on those resolutions and goals somehow! While looking through Greatist.com, their article on the 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness caught my eye. This article captures every thing that I love about health, fitness, wellness, self improvement, and how accessible the internet makes all of this information. While I don't envision myself cultivating a six pack in the near future, or going Paleo and abandoning my love for chocolate, I truly enjoy motivational pieces like this, offering up new tid bits and perspectives on a fascinating subject: us. 

So how can a list of ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE with differing view on health and fitness possibly be beneficial? It captures the reality of getting healthy. While there are a few basic truths (vegetables are good, so is exercise), what is perfect for me, may not be perfect for you. Don't be afraid to try and fail. What if you are determined to go vegan, be a pro crossfit athlete, and run a successful business and it doesn't quite pan out? Oh well, give something else a go. We're always changing, as are our needs. Respect your body and give it the love, nourishment, and activity it requires. Stop making it a battle.  

Here's what I got from the post: 1. My love for Cassey Ho and Gabrielle Bernstein is well founded. They are fitness/health/spiritual geniuses. 2. Give "The Glute Guy" (yes an actual person on this list) a go. Change up your workout, tweak your diet, your lifestyle, or try something new. Me, I am interested in giving acupuncture a go in the near future. New year, new experiences. After all, if it doesn't work, there are ninety nine other views to explore.

What's A Girl To Do On A Snow Day?

Thankfully, I can stay indoors all day today. The snow  out back is nearly over the top of our yard table and furniture. While I'm glad to have my break extended by a day I'm dreading making it out into the winter tomorrow...

This morning I slept into a glorious 7:15. I have to get back in the habit of waking up early, right? To kick start my workout regimen in the New Year I'm following a hybrid of some YouTube exercise schedules. As always, I've downloaded the Blogilates monthly calender, I'm adding in additional videos from Tone It Up and other trainers when I have time. Today, I obviously had some spare time on my hands and added their daily toning videos. 

I needed to break in my new workout shoes! The last few pairs I've purchased weren't quite what I was looking for, but so far these are awesome. I had some money left on a Zappos gift card and put it towards these Asics. They are perfect for cardio and lightweight enough for my cross training style activities as well. 

Even though the guys are going to track in snow and salt tonight, I vacuumed and mopped our apartment while catching up on last night's episode of Downton Abbey. The place will look lovely and fresh for the next few hours! Our heat has been running practically all day in an attempt to combat the terrible temperatures outdoors. Soon, I am going to make myself some green tea in an attempt to stay warm! For dinner my fiance's favorite, meatloaf, is on the menu. It will be the perfect cold day dinner. I'm actually getting hungry just thinking about it...maybe I need a snack. Hopefully, some of you are enjoying a day off from work as well. Bundle up and make yourself some tea!

Oh No, SNOW!

The city has been covered in falling snow and unbearable temperatures every day in the new year. I am not a fan of this pattern to say the least. While I barricaded myself indoors Wednesday and Thursday, Friday finally forced me to venture into the world. After grabbing some groceries in the morning and working out, my MOH and I headed to a possible florist. It went well, and if my fiance would actually look over the flower details we may be able to check "book florist" off our to do list. We're keeping the flowers simple yet elegant and prioritizing delectable food over overwhelming floral arrangements. Friday night my MOH and I headed downtown to meet one of my bridesmaids and her husband for dinner. If you're in the city and don't mind some spice in your food, I recommend Heaven on Seven. Perfect every time. 

Saturday morning was bridesmaids dress shopping and we found a flirty, flattering dress for the girls which was available in a beautiful shade of plum. The dress was slightly pricier than I had hoped at $260, but I plan to make it up to them later! After a lunch out in the neighborhood, some of us crashed hard for a two hour nap, wedding planning is quite exhausting! We ordered Thai food, relaxed, and enjoyed Dirty Work over dinner and ice cream. 

Five of my six lovely bridesmaids.

Today, the snow has returned heavier than ever. Secretly, my fingers are crossed for a snow day in the morning. Chicago does a decent job clearing the roads, but with a projected -50 windchill, I hurt for my coworkers taking public transit to work and my wee ones who walk to school. We will have to see what the weather has in store for us in the morning, but I would love to be able to stay cozy warm indoors!

A Productive Start

A few days ago, I mentioned doing a one day cleanse as a way to kick off 2014. I went to Whole Foods on New Year Eve, with my coupon, and stocked up on the six juices I needed for the day. They were out of one variety, Fuel which I swapped for a second Purify, and then I accidentally grabbed two Glow juices instead of the Green Supreme. Oh well, that's what happens when you're in a hurry. Regardless, I did juice yesterday and it was a nice way to recover from the potluck we attended the night before. I couldn't fall asleep until about 1:30 in the morning and I started to get very hungry around midnight. Luckily, my desire to not wake my fiance kept me in bed instead of dashing into the kitchen for a midnight indulgence. 

My to do list for the day was a mile long, but then I woke up and our block looked like this:

And that makes it look mild. While I decided to forego my planned Target and grocery trip, I was determined to mail out my holiday thank you cards and walked two blocks to the mail box. Miserable decision. The temperatures stayed above zero all day but the wind and snow was blinding. I am almost positive not a single mail carrier made it out in these conditions so it was all for nothing, at least they're out for tomorrows pick up! There is still snow falling now and, as I have an appointment with a possible wedding florist tomorrow, I desperately hope it stops soon! On the upside, our place is vacuum, mopped, and I deep cleaned half our kitchen cabinets. I do not know how to sit still. Working out, laundry, ironing, organizing, and some wedding research also got done today, not too shabby in my opinion. Here's hoping the weather is less horrid tomorrow. Stay warm!

2014.

This year is going to be amazing for so many reasons. 

--I (finally) get to marry the love of my life. August 23. I will be registering for gifts soon.

--After getting married, like a week after we get married, we will be moving to Europe for six months. So pumped. So many new experiences. And the perfect start for our life together.

--I love knowing a new year brings a new start and a blank slate for accomplishments.

While I have compiled a list of monthly goals I would like to achieve; wedding to dos, number of workouts each week, healthier steps to complete, I am going to stick to one main all encompassing goal for the year.

Take more pictures.

I loved taking pictures in high school and college. Not anything fancy or artistic, just capturing moments with my friends, family, and important events. Since graduating from Purdue, I have been failing horribly at having my camera, or even my phone, ready at the opportune moment. We have gorgeous frames I have yet to fill, and with our trip to France, vacation to D.C, engagement, and a number of friends weddings this year alone there is no reason for me to be picture-less! This year we have friends wedding in Cabo, a family wedding in Colorado, our own wedding (and bachelor/bachelorette parties), and an adventure abroad just to name a few highlights. My resolution is to finally commemorate some special moments my fiance, family, friends and myself experience in the next 365 days. It supports my other goals of enjoying small moments, participating in more events, and taking better care of myself and loved ones as well. Don't you just love an all in one resolution? I am truly excited to become more adventurous and maybe fine tune some photography skills, my camera is charging as I type! Let's make 2014 the best year yet.