Motivational Monday

I saw these on Tumblr, and honestly I'm in that wonky area of wanting to push forward and succeed (not just fitness)  and feeling overwhelmed. These resonated with me. Enjoy!

Source: Amy Poehler Quotes

Recipes to try

I love looking up recipes, but by the time I get home from work, I don't even want to turn my computer on most days! So I'm making a list here of some recipes I've found that I have been wanting to try. I'll share the results!

Quinoa con pollo

Overnight Oats
I've made these in the past. Need to make them again!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
As a Texan, it seems against all rules to put beans in chili, but I'm curious about it.

Shrimp Pad Thai

Protein Oatmeal cookies

Crispy Coconut Chicken

Tara Stiles Strawberry shortcake smoothie

Paleo Lemon bars

Paleo Apple Crisp

I am not Paleo, but I love her recipes and will be making these as treats!

Healthy "Shake N Bake"

Links I've enjoyed lately

How To Choose A Gym

This lady likes internet pics as much as I do! Sports Bras and Sippy Cups

Fall off the Wagon via Fit Approach

Jamie Eason's recipes

Cardio Alternatives via Fitness Rx for Women

Recipe substitutions

Fun, random post from Olive to Run

Correcting Fitspo Images

Excuses

After being on the Google Hangout with some of the other Sweat Pink moms a couple of weeks ago, it actually gave me a lot to think about. Such as, one Mom gets up at 4:30 just to fit her run/workout in because that's the only time that works for her and her family. Interesting. My first thought was, that's insane! But after some thinking, maybe it's not so crazy. Honestly, I wake up tired no matter how much sleep I get. At night, even fitting in the hour for the Hangout was hard. I was tired, hungry, and just wanted to curl up with my Kindle to read, and go to sleep.

But when I'm working out and eating right, I have a ton more energy and I know this! I just suck at putting it into practice when I get overwhelmed. The next few weeks I'm going to meal plan, and get a new planner and write in stuff I have to do. And eating right and working out in whatever form I can will be on there!

So what are my excuses? I started a full time job (~2 months ago). I'm adjusting to living with my boyfriend (again, 2 months ago). We got a dog (1 month ago).  My wrist hurts like crazy. Gyms are expensive (my company will reimburse some of the cost). Just a lot going through my mind. So I've started looking at Groupons and into gyms and places that I pass on my way to work. Excuses excuses.

These are things that go through my head daily.

The images below I need to print out and put it around my desk/apartment and remind myself to get up! 

New puppy!

On top of moving to a new city, starting a new job, and overall craziness, we decided to adopt a puppy! We adopted her from Austin Pets Alive, an amazing no kill animal shelter here in Austin. She's a shelter puppy, so she's having some adjustment issues but we all are. I've never had an indoor dog, she's kind of ornery but super sweet!

She also, clearly, poses for pictures and acts crazy. She's about 10 months old and is an Australian Cattle Dog, blue heeler mix. We named her Dottie! She's happy and active, so we've all been getting more exercise due to all of the walks we go on daily. 

Which brings me to my point. Adjusting to walking with a dog! I've gotten some advice, such as getting a leader since she is adjusting to being leashed as well. I'm enjoying having her, and once she is leashed trained I'm looking forward to running some trails with her. The shelter said she's super smart and bad ha ha. She tugs like crazy, barks at people and other dogs (though if they are willing to come near her, she stops and just wants to play with them). So lots to learn with her but I'm excited. She has decided that my son is her human and she must protect him. If he takes a shower, or goes outside with friends to play,  she pouts outside the door whimpering.

Work/Life Balance

This is something I am being forced to learn and it’s tough! I leave my house for work around 7 a.m., get to work between 7:30 to 7:45, and leave work at 5. Not a horrible schedule, and I live about 12 miles from work. I was a stay at home Mom for most of my child’s life, so not being his main caregiver is really strange! We’re both feeling a little weird about it but trying to adjust. It’s tough, but I’m trying to make the best of it. Right now, the main thing that has taken a back seat has been working out. We adopted a puppy from a shelter, so I end up on a few, very tugging the leash, filled walks, but other than that, not much. I have dumbbells and a barbell at home, but something about being in a gym is much more motivating.

What’s your motivation? Mine, being around other health minded people, and of course, new workout clothes!

I’m looking into a few gyms around here now. Life Time Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness being the main ones. Pros and cons are weighing heavily on my mind!

I posted some Mom meme collages that I definitely have been able to relate to the last few years. Being a single mom for 6 years has been tough, 

Being a working Mom, and trying to balance all of that (plus the new puppy), eating healthy and working out is exhausting! Anyone have any tips for this? 

Relevant meme collages!

Book count 2013...so far

I don't know what has gotten in to me this year. Maybe I feel guilty for the lack of reading the last few years (damn you technology!) but I have been reading up a storm this year in both real book form and on my Kindle. Here is the list I am up to so far in no particular order. It makes it seem like all I do is sit around and read. Ha ha. I don't! I'm actually a speed reader, and therefore I finish books very quickly. I like eclectic reads and will go from fiction, non-fiction, religion, or whatever catches my fancy!

1. Darkly Dreaming Dexter
2. Dearly Devoted Dexter
3. Looking for Alaska
4. The Wedding
5. Bend in the Road
6. Safe Haven
7. The Age of Miracles
8. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
9. The Descendants
10. Anna Karenina (reread)
11. The Restorer
12. The Abandoned
13. The Kingdom
14. Fall of Giants
15. Messenger
16. Gathering Blue
17. The Giver
18. Dark Places
19. Gone Girl
20. Lady of Ashes
21. All He Ever Wanted
22. The Jezebel
23. Austensibly Ordinary
24. Anansi Boys
25. The Plague of Doves
26. The Peach Keeper
27. The Beautiful and the Damned
28. Half the Sky
29. The Sisterhood
30. The Izu Dancer
31. All Whom I Have Loved
32. Dear John
33. The Girl Who Chased the Moon
34. Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children
35. Sweet Tooth
36. The Devil in the White City
37. Anne Perry: Murder of the Century
38. The Namesake
39. The Time Keeper
40. The Help
41. Have a Little Faith
42. Beyond Ordinary
43. The Vow
44. Four Corners of the Sky
45. Thirteen Reasons Why
46. Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky
47. Dead Until Dark
48. Silver Linings Playbook
49. The Alchemist
50. Brida
51. American Gods
52. Ender's Game
53. Blue Nights
54. The Pillars of the Earth
55. Fables Vol. 1
56. Her Fearful Symmetry
57. Middlesex (reread)
58. Love in the Time of Cholera (reread)
59. Time Traveler's Wife (reread)
60. The Firebird
61. Manuscript Found in Accra
62. An Abundance of Katherine's
63. The Fault in Our Stars
64. Beautiful Creatures
65. Beautiful Darkness
66. The Returned
67. Shakespeare's Landlord
68. Shakespeare's Champion
69. Shakespeare's Christmas
70. No Man is an Island
71. The Engagements
72. The Cave
73. Wintergirls
74. Ready Player One
75. Ocean at the End of the Lane
76. A Matter of Days
77. Beautiful Chaos
78. The Burgess Boys
79. Mariana
80. Night Film
81. The Prophet (Graveyard Queen Series)
82. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
83. Language of Flowers
84. The Dinner
85. This Is How I Find Her
86. Sisterland
87. Oh Dear Sylvia
88. Never Let Me Go
89. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie
90. Beautiful Redemption
91. History of God
92. Sharp Objects
93. The Winter Palace
94. Shadowy Horses

Currently Reading

1. Death by Meeting
2. The Corpse Reader
3. Island Beneath the Sea

Here is my GoodReads link in case anyone is interested! 

Hello everyone!

I have definitely been a stranger to social media lately. I jump on Facebook every once in a while to keep up with friends and family, but even that is only every few days. Nothing like going on there and seeing 54 notifications. Eeeek. But I should be back to regular updates and posts soon. I started a position with a company located in North Austin. It's taking me some serious adjusting getting used to a set schedule, being around people all day, and being away from my son. He's 10, so it's not like he needs me that much anymore but still, I'm used to being the one taking him to school, picking him up, and helping him with his homework. But we're adjusting; albeit he is adjusting better than I am!

Now, to fit fitness activities into my schedule. This has been harder than I thought it would be. When I get home, I just want to zone out and read, or play ridiculous games. But now I'm antsy and miss working out! I generally worked out at home previously but now that we are in a second floor apartment, no running or jumping around allowed.

So I'm going to run the gamut of trying out various gyms! Life Time Fitness is not even a mile down the street, and I pass it each morning on my way to work. Plus it's open 24 hours, so I could go before work which would probably be ideal, though different...

Anyone have experience with Life Time Fitness? And working out in the early morning hours?! Also tips on work/life/fitness balance would be awesome. I need to figure this stuff out.

Places to find me

I'm not so great about broadcasting the other places online that you can find me on here. Oops! So here they are.

Facebook-The Petite Texan

Pinterest

Twitter

If you're on NikePlus, my username is christie177.

MyFitnessPal -I use this sporadically and need to make better use of it. I will try! Maybe if I have some accountability partners? Anyone else use this?

Email! I just created this yesterday to go along with the blog. Also to keep things more organized. petitetexasmama@gmail.com

Accidental hiatus

Oops! Update time. I have been running around like crazy doing interviews. Those things are exhausting! In between filling out the application (pet peeve, why do we have to submit an actual resume, AND fill out every single detail of work history? Grrrr), interviews, emails, phone calls, and assessments, it is absolutely exhausting. A company contacted me about one position, then decided I was a better fit for another position, so as of Tuesday, I will be working in Austin! Completely overwhelmed, and driving back and forth from North Texas to Austin feels like it will never end since we are moving myself and my son in baby steps.

Job has normal hours (very important with a kiddo), full benefits, an amazing break room and everyone was super nice but also dedicated so I loved that atmosphere. Hopefully it works out. Most of you don't know, but I haven't worked in 3 years due to a tough time finding a job, and then just spending time with family so this will be a huge change for me with moving and starting a regular job.

If anyone has any moving tips, or healthy lunch at work tips, I am all ears!!!!!! Please comment or post it on my FB page.

I'm also excited to find new healthy activities to try. My boyfriend will be able to do them with me, along with the kiddo, but I will also be trying some new things on my own.

Esprit de She

Esprit de She race is an amazing feat in the running community. It is created/sponsored by Athleta and Lifetime Fitness as a "premier athletic events series for women." The events range from solely running or cycling, as well as duathlons and triathlons. And they are all over the country! Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Tempe, and many other cities across the United States! You can also volunteer if you don't think you can participate this year.

I will be participating in the Dallas duathlon on October 26, 2013. The distances for this race are:
Distances
Run 2 miles • Bike 9 miles • Run 2 miles 
Run 3.1 miles • Bike 18 miles • Run 3.1 miles 

And of course, the swag you get for participating! Look at these medals! 

And you also get a shirt, which is not just any shirt! It's a Moxie cycling shirt. 

Prices for this race are $75 for an individual, $65 for a Lifetime Fitness member, and 130 for relay teams of 2-3 people. I have to say, the duathlon and triathlon athlete's get the best swag for sure! 

Adventures in

workouts!


I'm really bored working out at home. I have dvd's, videos online, I have weights, but being by myself, working out by myself, has just gotten dull for me. Even going to a regular gym just seems boring because of lack of interaction with anyone. A girl in the weight section usually either gets harassed or hit on (which I guess is harassment too?) I'm not working right now, so my social interactions are limited to my family and my 10 year old. Not ideal for someone who can quickly cut out the rest of the world and fall into depressive habits but also enjoys social interaction!

So I've decided, as an experiment, to try out a bunch of new things! And I have a list so far of activities I want to try out. I'm mostly doing this as a mental health reset, and to see if maybe I find a new activity related to health and wellness that I really like! I'm not going to apply for any jobs the rest of the month because my brain cannot handle it and I know I need a mental health break.

My list so far:

*Yoga class (different types so more than one)

*Pilates

CrossFit-free class offered 

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

BodyPump-free class offered

BodyCombat-free class offered

Local Old School Boxing gym-offers a free class

Title Boxing gym-offers a free class

Boot camp class at Texas Fit Chicks

Barre (maybe...)

Spin-the gym below. I've never tried it and curious. 

And a new (building for an old one) gym that has classes included, offers a free first week, and is only $25 a month and half off the introductory fee! (Classes offered are spin, yoga, boot camp, and a few others I wasn't familiar with).

It seems like a lot! And expensive! To be fair, half of them have a free first class so it won't be too expensive.

If anyone has opinions, or advice, please let me know! I'm all ears. Or if there are classes you enjoy and think I might like, please let me know!

*Denotes that I have done these at home, but not in a regular, structured class setting...yet! And if I borrowed your picture, and you would like it taken down, please let me know! 

Survey questions #2

Link up with She Cooks, She Crafts, She Runs

• What is your favorite healthy and filling breakfast?

         Some days it's protein pancakes, others it's simple egg whites with spinach and onions,                        uncured bacon, fruit, and green tea. 

• What keeps you motivated?

         Lately, it has been my son wanting to workout with me! It's fun making up workouts that he does         with me and gives us new bonding activities.         

• What's your favorite way to change up your routine? 

         I actually have a post coming up on this next week! If I get bored with my current routine, I like to          try workouts I've been curious about or others seem to love. Such as, if I'm focusing on building            muscle, I might do barbell complexes for a while, or look up routines on Fitness Rx for                            Women, Muscle and Fitness for Her or Bodybuilding.com. 

• What's your go-to "get back on track" tip?

         I go on to blogs that inspire me, and websites for tips and inspiration. I even keep an inspiration            folder on my computer so I can look through images in the past that have inspired me!

• What is your favorite distance to race?

         Newbie runner so 5k for now, but I definitely prefer trail running as opposed to road races. 

• Name one thing on your fitness bucket list.

        Oooo, to complete a triathlon definitely!

• Best reason for living a healthy lifestyle.

         To be a good example for my 10 year old son. 

• Favorite workout at the gym or home? (pushup, crunches,etc)

         Barbell squats are probably my favorite! Or Lat pulldowns, depends on the day.

• Show us your shoes!  Take a picture of your fitness shoe pile!

         I'm out of town and all I have with me are my Brooks Ghost 5's. I also own a pair of Nike Free             somethings, and a pair New Balance trail running shoes.

Vitacost Aro-Final Review

I really enjoyed using the Vitacost Aro Black series of supplements. Here are the supplements I was sent to try.
Glutamine
Creatine
Casein
Whey
BCAA's
Pre-workout 

I'm going to start out talking about the Glutamine-Fruit Punch. This is the only supplement in this stack I was unfamiliar with prior to trying them out but it turned out to be my favorite. Normally my leg workouts have me walking like a duck and cursing every time I have to go to the bathroom or sit (you don't realize how much you use your quads and hamstrings until you have to sit down after leg day) and this definitely helped increase recovery time. I have rarely had DOMS if I take the glutamine and this supplement tasted fantastic! Like a fruit punch drink. It says 6-8 ounces of water, but I just used 2 ounces of water and chugged it, then drank more water (note, this is a common theme with me and supplements).

The creatine was a Blue Raspberry flavor and was pretty good as well. It still definitely tasted like a supplement. I didn't take this as much as I have the others because it's summer and creatine tends to make you bloat a bit, but I did notice a nice muscle pump upon taking it and weights going up easier during the two weeks I did take it.
Cons: it did upset my stomach but other creatine products I have tried did as well so nothing product specific.

The Natural Chocolate Casein is my second favorite product of the stack! Even when mixed with just water in a blender bottle, it tasted like chocolate cake. It actually blended really well and that's hard for casein! I loved taking this stuff when I had night workouts because it tasted like having a dessert, and didn't make me feel sick. No gross aftertaste, and I have an extreme sensitivity to sucralose but it is minuscule in this product, that it didn't trigger a headache. The scoop was a bit bigger than other protein powders I have taken at 37g and 140 calories with 24 g of protein.

Whey in Chocolate Peanut Butter smelled exactly like a Reese's Peanut Butter cup. And tasted mostly like one as well. Didn't have a gross aftertaste and settled really well in my stomach (something I have an issue with regarding certain supplements). It is a bigger scoop with less protein than many others however. It also contains fiber which I find is completely missing from most whey proteins on the market.

I typically take my BCAA's post workout, but sometimes I sip a third of it before, then another third-ish during, and the last after I'm done. This BCAA was lemon-lime flavored, which I pretty much always hate unless it's an actual lemon or lime. I don't even like Sprite, so I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor but the BCAA itself was great. It didn't have that chalky, gag worthy texture or taste that many BCAA's tend to have. It was even tolerable with the lemon-lime flavor!

Pre-Workout concentrate was Pink Lemonade flavor. Why are most preworkouts this flavor? I'm not sure but not a huge fan of the taste on this one but it did work well. I only used 1/2 to a 2/3 of a scoop because I tend to not need much for results. I've tried C4 Cellucor and 1.M.R. before and both of those made my hands and feet tingle. This one didn't while still giving me a bit of energy. The taste was tolerable but definitely not my favorite. I do plan on ordering the Fruit Punch Pre workout soon to see how I do with that.

I liked the packaging as well, and in each container, the scoop was on the top! Lifting problems much? Ha ha. The black and silver, with the supplement flavor in their respective colors looks really nice I think. I plan on purchasing the glutamine, creatine, and protein powders once they are finished, as well as trying a few other products from the line.

If you are gluten intolerant, all of the products listed above are gluten free! A bonus, since many of my celiac friends are finding their proteins contain gluten. :( I believe all of them are nut free as well, at least the proteins are so I would imagine the others are as well.

They are also having a sale on the Aro line right now! 20% Aro products using code AROT20!

Giveaway! Vitacost, in addition to providing me with this supplement stack (and being patient with me when I decided to try them for quite a while first) is giving one of my readers a $25 gift card to their site. US only. Sorry!

Winner was Amy! I've already contacted her and forwarded her information. Congrats!

All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this stack in any way other than receiving the products to try, and being offered a $25 Vitacost gift card for one of my readers which will be emailed to you from Vitacost at the close of the giveaway.

Online Fitness deals

I found some great things online today and thought I'd share:

A lovely lady in Texas owns Pride Socks and in celebration of their new site, has a discount code! Enter "happyforus" to receive 25% off. Kids and adults socks, plus sock monkeys! I swear by the running socks/anklets, and own a pair of tubes I adore as well!

Digital food scale
Has decent reviews on Amazon, and only $23!

GoPicnic ready meals are interesting. Voucher for $19 for $40 worth of product

Cuisinart juicer regularly priced at $270, listed for $99 on Groupon. Cheapest I saw it anywhere else was $150

MusclePharm pre workout $23 for 32 servings; regularly $49 worth of product. 

Groupon also had several iphone/ipod cases and armbands if any runners are looking for those!

Iphone armband 1

iphone armband 2

Yoga leggings

Yes To skincare

$15 for $30 on their site. I love their products and use the moisturizer and makeup wipes regularly.

*All deals were valid and available at the time of this posting. If that has changed since then, I hold no responsibility. So please don't get mad at me! :) 

Motivation Monday #3-workout related