Happy One Year! And An Update

Posted on May 15, 2013 by lovetheleap

Hey! Remember me? I tend to disappear sometimes, but I’m back again

I can’t believe one year has already passed since I started this little blog. It has turned into much more than I could have ever expected and I can’t wait to see what the next year holds!

So since it’s been a ~~little while~~ few weeks since I last posted, I think an update is in order.

There are only 4 days left until my cruise!!! I can’t contain my excitement I’ve been working really hard in terms of training and keeping my eating clean– and I’ve also been getting a lot of questions about what I’m doing. So here goes…

I’ve been following the schedule for Asylum Volume 2 for the past 3 1/2 weeks. At this point, I only have two workouts left! Since this program focuses a lot on lifting (it’s more of a high rep/fast pace program) and agility work, I’ve been supplementing it with additional cardio. On the days that are more strength focused for Asylum, I’ll do a fasted cardio workout in the morning– this has typically been TurboFire HIIT workouts, or sprint intervals on the treadmill. These last couple of weeks, however, I’ve been doubling up every day. It’s a lot of work, but I make it a priority!

As far as my diet goes, it’s been pretty clean 90% of the time. During the week I don’t eat any starchy carbs (oats, rice, potatoes, etc) and get my carb sources from fruits and veggies instead. Whenever I eat fruit, it’s either before or after my workouts to ensure that the energy I get from them is being used right away I’ll use the weekends to really carb up with more starches and fuel my body for the week ahead. My proteins have still been vegetarian– I’m eating a lot of eggs and tuna. Peanut butter has really been my only source of fat… and believe me when I say I’m eating enough of that. Overall, I feel great!

In terms of progress, I couldn’t be happier. When I started Asylum back in August, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I never lifted weights and my body was definitely not expecting what I was putting it through. I started 9 months ago using 5 lb weights. This week, I’m up to 15 lbs. It has been the hardest week, no doubt. But more importantly, it has been the most fulfilling. I can’t wait to finish this month out stronger than ever, and hopefully look better than ever on my trip

4 Weeks And Counting!

Posted on April 25, 2013 by lovetheleap

Long time no see! After everything that happened last week, I chose to take some time away from the blog. Sometimes there are more important things to focus on.

But anyways! Since there are officially (now less than) 4 weeks left until my cruise, it’s crunch time! After bouncing around with different workouts for the past 6 or so weeks, I decided that I wanted more structure for the next month leading up to my trip. What better way to get into fighting shape than by jumping back into the Asylum?!

After completing Asylum Volume 1 twice, and then a third time in conjunction with Volume 2, I realized that I never completed Volume 2 on its own– so now it’s time Since finishing the program over 4 months ago, I’ve been using the workouts in my routine almost every week and really enjoy them (for the most part, ha). The structure of Volume 2 is much less rigid than Volume 1, in my opinion. It’s pretty much the same each week, with three days dedicated to major muscle groups– a day each for upper body, lower body, and back– then two days that are more cardio intensive, and finally two rest days.

I put the challenge out to my social media friends and have a group of 10 who are doing this along with me! Some are doing Volume 1, others are doing Volume 2. We are all there to support one another and hold each other accountable– which in my opinion, helps keep me on track tremendously. There are some days that I don’t want to do the scheduled workout, but having a group of people who are counting on you to do the workout “with them” makes it a little more bearable. Plus, it’s only for 4 weeks.

Some changes I’ve made this go around: I’ve upped my weights! It’s so crazy for me to look back to August, when I first completed Volume 1, and I could barely get through the one strength workout with 5lb weights. Now, completing Volume 2, with weights utilized in each workout, I’m using 12lbs. I can’t believe the progress I’ve made in these quick 8 months, but I love it! I’m also following the nutrition guide… as closely as I can. 4 out of the 5 meals I’m on point! Meal 4, however, has caused issues. According to the guide, Meal 4 is an all veggie meal. It just so happens that Meal 4, most days, is right before my workout. I don’t know about you, but all veggies for a pre-workout meal does NOT sit well with me. So I’ve been swapping out the veggies for an apple with [a reasonable amount of] peanut butter. Am I concerned? Nope. I’d rather listen to my body and fuel it properly

I’ll be posting some of the new recipes I’ve been trying on the meal plan. It’s awesome that there are TONS of vegetarian options, and yes, I’m keeping my protein in check. So far, I’m feeling great and can’t wait for these next 3.5 weeks to fly by!!!

Boston

Posted on April 16, 2013 by lovetheleap

There’s not really much to say about the events that occurred at yesterday’s marathon. What should have been a day of celebration was quickly turned to one of terror and mourning. I am sad and heartbroken, but know that the city is resilient and will come back from this stronger than ever.

If you are in the Boston/RI area and looking for ways to help, please donate blood to the victims of this awful tragedy.

Stay strong, Boston!

Paying For Torture

Posted on April 15, 2013 by lovetheleap

Well, it’s official!

No turning back now! As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been wanting to run this half marathon since it’s inauguration in Providence two years ago. Finally, I took the plunge and registered. And I didn’t register alone! I’m going to be running with one of my close friends, who considers challenges like this “paying for torture” (she has a point… they aren’t cheap). Even though I have to agree, I’m so excited to have a running buddy for training and race day! Running my first half (which also happened to be my first ever race) alone was way more mental than physical, so I think having someone there with me will help a lot.

There are a lot of different emotions going through my mind for this race compared to my first half. I’ve spent some time reflecting on my race two years ago and came up with a list of things I will do differently this time.

1. Follow a plan. Surprisingly, that’s something I did NOT do my first race. Smart right? I basically looked at different plans and decided to use the schedule for long runs as my guideline. For all other runs during the week, I did what I felt like– which brings me to my next point…

2. Don’t over train. Looking back to when I was training a couple of years ago, I realized how MUCH I actually ran. I would never run less than 5 miles on my running days, and I would do TurboFire (high impact cardio/plyometrics/HIIT) on my cross train days. What was I thinking? It’s hard to mentally allow yourself to take a break when you have such a crazy goal ahead of you. But over training can be more harm than help, both mentally and physically.

3. Incorporate strength training. Going off of the previous point, I never used weights while training for a race. Why would I do that when my goal was to RUN? Well, now, knowing the importance of strength training, there is no way I WOULDN’T incorporate that into my schedule. Having a strong body will only help my running, not hurt it.

4. Take enough rest days. This also goes along with #2. But to elaborate… I was so afraid of not being ready for race day that I would never take rest days. Looking back, I was definitely burnt out by the time I had to race and never wanted to run again after crossing the finish line. That’s NOT the mentality to have… especially after your first race! Rest days are more helpful than you think– mentally and physically.

5. Run outside. Prior to my first half, I ran twice outside. Yes, that means all of my other training runs were completed on a treadmill. Don’t ask me how I did it… I really have no idea. I do know that I was regularly running 8-10 miles on the machine of boredom, and now I can barely make it through 3. It’s. So. Boring. But more importantly, training in the conditions that you’re going to be running in seems a little more logical. I remember hitting the first hill of my half and thinking I was going to die. Well, maybe if I trained with hills… or even an incline on the treadmill… that would have been helpful. You live and you learn, right?

6. EAT ENOUGH. The biggie. I know I never went into full detail about my past and the unhealthy relationship I had with food and exercise, but my first half marathon was a crucial turning point for me. It was when I decided to commit to running 13.1 miles that my mindset changed. I knew I had to eat more to fuel the workouts I was doing (especially since I was over training to begin with). Even though I comprehended what that meant, I still had a hard time eating the right amount. Going into this race, I’m well aware of not only how MUCH I should be eating, but the kinds of foods that will improve my performance– aka carbs. Tough life

So that’s my plan going into this race. Training will start 12 weeks out– so the beginning of July. I still have plenty of time to work on building up my running stamina before then, so I’m not worried. Other than that, I’m excited for what’s to come and will be documenting my training once it begins!

It’s Time To Race!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by lovetheleap

Hooray for the week being almost over! Double hooray for warm weather!! This week has been so nice, which is making my itch to run outdoors even stronger. Enter the race season!

I officially signed up for my first 5k of the year! And it looks like it’s going to be SO fun.

GlowBash is coming to RI! It’s a glow-in-the-dark obstacle course 5k that takes place at night. Running at 9pm is going to be a different experience for me– we all know my love of running in the morning. But the fact it’s not a straight 5k makes it a little less daunting. It looks like a blast and I can’t wait for June 22! Side note: if you want to register for the one in Bristol, make sure you do it soon! The price jumps from $28 to $45 and then to $85!!!

Looking ahead to the fall, I’m seriously considering the Rock n Roll half marathon in Providence. I’ve been wanting to run this race since they brought it to RI two years ago, but it has always been in the middle of August when it’s a million degrees. This year, however, they moved the date to the last Sunday in September, which will hopefully bring much cooler temps and more ideal running conditions. Training would potentially start in the beginning of July, which is doable. So we’ll see! I’ve been wanting to do another half for so long and I think this might be the one

One Month Vegan

Posted on April 9, 2013 by lovetheleap

Hello! So I took a little break from the blog, as you might have noticed. I needed to step away for a little while but now I’m back!

So that jar of pb I talked about last week? Gone. In 6 days. It wouldn’t be so terrible if it wasn’t a 35 serving jar… Over it and moving on.

The jar did come in handy for my pb and banana oats

The end of last week also marked my one month as a vegan! If I’m being completely honest, I haven’t felt better. I have so much energy, sleeping like a baby, and my stomach issues seemed to have disappeared. My meals remained pretty standard through the last two weeks and were really easy to prepare.

Since ending my first month, I’ve decided to try adding back egg whites. So far, so good. There isn’t a ton of protein in a reasonable serving size, so I’m pretty sure I can swing it with the way the rest of my meals are. Honestly, I was getting sick of eating beans all the time! Now I can throw in an omelette for dinner and mix it up.

Another thing to note: I did have a cheat this past Sunday. My mom made a huge meat sauce– typical Italian Sunday dinner. I was home for the weekend and obviously couldn’t say no. So I picked up a spaghetti squash and loaded it up with half a meatball, a small piece of pork, and a bunch of pepperoni chunks. It was absolutely delicious and totally worth it! But, the stomach pains that followed kind of sucked. The meatballs were made with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. I’m thinking that with the combination of me not having meat for so long caused the reaction.

Needless to say, I’m taking a more relaxed approach to my “veganism”. It’s hard to jump into that kind of lifestyle cold turkey, so I’m feeling it out for now. All of my meals, up until dinner, have actually remained raw vegan– smoothies, salads, raw veggies with hummus and fruit with nut butter. I like to switch up dinners now and then, so that’s what’s really holding me back from being 100% raw and/or vegan. And I’m okay with that. I really don’t believe in putting a label on your diet and that you should eat the way that works with your lifestyle. So for now, this is what’s working for me!

It’s Back!

Posted on April 1, 2013 by lovetheleap

First things first… Happy Opening Day!!! Baseball season is my absolute favorite, and after the debacle of last year, I’m more than ready for a clean slate and fresh start for the Red Sox.

Hopefully you all aren’t in a candy/food/pb coma like I am from yesterday. Let’s just say I throughly enjoyed breaking my 40 day fast…

Additional peanut butter was also enjoyed in my oatmeal for breakfast and with an apple later in the day. The banana is from today– so you can clearly see the dent I made in the 35 serving jar…

I don’t even care! I’ve realized that I’m a much happier person with peanut butter in my life. But really, who isn’t?

Hope your Monday is treating you well — GO SOX

Keeping Me Honest

Posted on March 28, 2013 by lovetheleap

The past few weeks at work have been pretty crazy, and I’ve been feeling a lot more stressed than usual. This week in particular has been especially busy. Yesterday, once I got home from the office, I immediately went into my room and just laid in my bed for 10 minutes. I had a workout planned, but all I wanted to do was go to bed. After going back and forth with myself in my head, I got up off my butt and pressed play… twice.

Proud of my accomplishment for the day, I posted this on Instagram:

And then immediately received this text from Robb:

It’s a pretty cool feeling to know that you have people looking out for you.

I actually debated publishing this post because for some, it may not seem like a big deal. But learning to balance life is something I’m struggling with, and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. Do I need to over exert my body to compensate for the added stress in my life right now? I don’t think so. Maybe I should have taken the hint my body was giving me when I got home and was 10 seconds away from a nap. It’s a process and I’m still learning that it’s okay to give myself a rest every once in a while.

It’s amazing how one simple text can make you take a step back and check yourself (before you wreck yourself).. and I’m so thankful to have friends like Robb who are there to help. I know I’m not alone in this. In fact I’d like to meet one person who has mastered the skill of balancing life. Just know that if you veer off course, you can always get back on track

4 Mile Treadmill Run

Posted on March 27, 2013 by lovetheleap

Yesterday, I woke up bright and early to get my run in.

A lot of people ask me if I eat before I workout, and it really all depends. I did yesterday’s run fasted. As I’ve mentioned before, when it comes to running, for me personally, I have to be on as close to an empty stomach as I can get. However, when I’m lifting, I always eat something prior to my workout. That’s just what works for me! Everyone is different. A lot of people don’t believe in fasted cardio, but it’s what makes me feel the best when running.

So back to yesterday’s run. I’ve been noticing that the treadmill isn’t as fun as I remember, so to help beat the boredom, I looked to different treadmill workouts on Pinterest for inspiration. I came across this workout from Kristin and based my run off of her format.

The time flew by! Before I knew it, the 4 miles were done. Again, this run was still a struggle for me– especially getting up to the higher speeds. Even though I still needed breaks here and there, I’m starting to feel like my body is getting used to being back on the treadmill.

My goal this week is to get three runs in. Tomorrow I’m planning a HIIT treadmill workout, and then Saturday I’m hoping to get outside! If only this weather would start cooperating…

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Two Weeks Vegan

Posted on March 25, 2013 by lovetheleap

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend

So two weeks ago, I made the decision to go vegan and I think it’s time for an update. Things are going really well! The transition has been pretty seamless, which I expected since this isn’t my first experience with it.

In terms of food, my meals have been pretty repetitive. I’ve been sticking to smoothies and oats for breakfast, salads for lunch, snacks have included veggies with hummus and apples with nut butter, and my dinners have been the vegan chili and black bean burgers. The good thing is I’m not bored and I’m not hungry. I feel like I can eat more since everything I’m eating is so quickly absorbed and used for energy. That’s another great thing about eating a whole food, vegan diet– calories don’t matter! I was never big on counting them before, but now I try to listen to my body and its natural hunger cues. I don’t force myself to eat every 3 hours. I simply eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m satisfied. That’s how we’re supposed to live, right??

I can honestly say that I have had no major struggles. One little slip up happened at dinner this weekend. If anything, eating out is probably the most difficult challenge. Not a lot of restaurants have an abundance of vegan options. I went with a salad and topped it with tuna. It happens! I’m not going to beat myself up over it. But like I initially said when I made this decision, my plan is to stick to vegan eating when I am making and preparing my own food. So far, it’s been a success

Other things to mention– I’m definitely saving money on my groceries. Buying meat and dairy products each week definitely makes a significant dent in any budget. You’d be surprised how much you save just buying fruits, veggies, nuts, and beans. Another thing is my energy! I feel completely rejuvenated every day. My workouts have been much more productive. I feel myself pushing harder and not just going through the movements. I’ve also been sleeping better and find myself not waking up as often during the night.

Going vegan, for most, is not an easy thing. When I first tried it a year ago, I definitely struggled a lot with not being able to incorporate certain foods into my diet. Now, I feel like I’m being more creative and can play around with different veggies and flavors. I highly recommend trying this kind of diet– whether it be a month, a week, or even one day. Challenge yourself– you never know, you might just like it

Follow “”