Our Weekend

This Virginia weather is making me nuts. Saturday, I was so excited because as I left yoga it was 80 degrees and then about an hour or so later it had already dropped twelve degrees.

By the time Vic and I went out for a much needed date night, it had dropped down into cooler weather and I was all bundled up in my Scuba hoodie and my favorite Hunter rain boots. We went out to go to the Pumpkin Patch for a haunted hay ride and some spooky maze time! It was pretty fun, Vic didn't get scared at all and I was totally spooked. 

Today, we went back to the Pumpkin Patch to go get our front door pumpkins and to let Ryker run around at the petting zoo. Do you have the app called Time Hop? It showed that this day last year we went to the pumpkin patch with Ryker for the first time, so it was pretty fun to go and take pictures, it is crazy how much he has grown!

We also started the Walking Dead this weekend. I was a little reluctant, but figured that if they put it on television it can't be that bad. It took a couple of episodes for me to get into it, but we just started season two and I'm pretty hooked. Since I knew that we would be binge watching, I hopped on our stationary bike, split a pumpkin beer with Vic and pedaled away for an hour. I wound up grabbing my dumbbells and got in a pretty great upper body workout while I pedaled too! A half marathon later, I didn't feel so bad about the Pumpkin Spice Oreos that I bought!

#Basic, I know! But they are amazing and totally worth it, now to try and not eat the whole pack tonight....

It's back to work tomorrow. Can you believe that we are already half way through October? We ordered Halloween costumes for Ryker and I this weekend, I'll be sure to post pictures of us in them when we run the Wicked 10k, they are pretty epic! 

Biomechanics and Running

Get ready, here's another post inspired by what I'm working on this week in my Topics in Sports and Health Sciences course! As someone who loves to run, getting to further research the hot topics in biomechanics related to running was a fun week for me.

As running continues to becomes a popular form of exercise for more populations, it is important that people understand that while running is a fairly simple activity, there is a way to ensure that you are running with proper form in order to create the best possible experience. “Check your form: Running with correct  biomechanics” via the American Running Association, goes into simple ways that someone can make sure that they are running in alignment and with proper form to provide their body with the best scenario, considering that running can put significant stress on the body. Some tips include running with your head at a neutral position, don’t look up or down. Fatigue can cause a runner to allow their shoulders to creep up, being mindful of head and shoulder position can help maintain a neutral spine. Many people use up precious energy by keeping their hands in tight fists, by relaxing your arms and hands and thinking about loosely holding your hands in a way that allows the tips of your forefinger and thumb to touch will keep your hands loose and comfortable. Also, foot strike patterns can cause problems for many runners, and also serves as one of the biggest topics recently in biomechanics. While some will argue for a heel to toe foot strike, it has been put out that you should aim for the lower ball of your foot for the best stride. (Newton and Henderson, 1998)

When speaking about foot strike and the biomechanics of running, it is easy to also think of the conversations in the field of biomechanics about the various shoe types and the claims to whether or not one type is more helpful than the other. Specifically, barefoot running and minimalist footwear have caused quite the stir, suggesting that reducing the amount of shoe and cushion may be the best for injury prevention and performance. Basically, this comes down to the fact that minimalist shoes help to influence a runner to land on the ball of their foot instead of their heel, which leads to a softer landing and potentially fewer injuries. However, biomechanists have found that runners tend to alter their muscle tension and knee flexion throughout their running experience, which may lead soft soled runners to pound harder while minimalist runners may adjust to a softer stride. It comes down to the fact that when it comes to best preparing yourself for a good run, shoes are not the most important consideration. If you prefer a certain type of shoe, you can learn to adjust for that shoe and other aspects, like your body weight and experience, have more to do with your adaptability to avoid injury. (Vigneron, 2013)

Moral of the story: running shoes are not something you really need to worry about getting the right kind that Runner's World is telling you are the best. Get what feels comfortable! I used to be in love with Nike LunarGlides because of all the cushion that they offered. After enough running WOD's where I just wore my Reebok Nano's or my Nike trainers, I decided to switch to a lighter running shoe, the name of which escapes me right now. I do like to focus on more ball of the foot striking as opposed to heel, but again, don't go switching things up too much if you found a comfortable gait. Switching up what is already working for you can actually cause more injuries! 

References

Newton, J., & Henderson, J. (1998). Check your form: Running with correct biomechanics. Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/in-stride/Your-Running-Shoes-Dont-Matter.html?utm_source=dispatch&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=MRlink2&utm_campaign=12242013

Vigneron, P. (2013, December 19). Your running shoes don't matter. Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/in-stride/Your-Running-Shoes-Dont-Matter.html?utm_source=dispatch&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=MRlink2&utm_campaign=12242013

Never skip a Monday!

I firmly believe that every person that is devoted to being fit should follow a couple rules as much as they can: 1) Never skip a Monday and 2) Never go longer than three days without some kind of workout. I would have to say that nine out of ten mornings my alarm goes off at 5:04 and I absolutely dread working out. I prep my coffee maker the night before, so that all I have to do is sleepily hit the brew switch and get comfy on the couch while I wait for it to brew. Some days it seems crazy to get up so early with nothing to do but wait until 6 am for my workout, but by the time 5:30 rolls around I truly appreciate my little quiet space with a cup of coffee and my time for Pinterest and Facebook!

I follow Chris and Heidi Powell on Facebook and Instagram and if Pinterest doesn't offer me the motivation boost or workout ideas for the day, I can usually count on one of them posting something great. This morning was no let down, they had both posted their partner workout from this weekend which included some snatch work and then a 20 minute As Many Rounds As Possible with one partner doing weighted lunges and the other running a 400 m sprint. So, that's what I decided to do! 

Post shoulder surgery and my fifth dislocation, I have decided that I will NEVER do another snatch. It's just not a movement that I will die without, but I do love some good power cleans. I've been working at about 60% of my previous normal weight for cleans, which feels good and doesn't make my shoulder feel to crunchy or uncomfortable, this comes out to just shy of 70 pounds. I wish I had more on there, but for now, that's what I need to get work done and keep my shoulder from killing me. Sometimes, you just have to trust your instincts when it comes to the weights you choose! The reason I jump from shoulder press to bicep curls to bent over rows is because a) I wanted to work on my upper body and b) the shoulder presses were super uncomfortable and I hadn't quite decided what my goals were for the morning! It was enough to get me feeling good before the meat of the workout...

I did the lunges with 50 pounds on the bar and man, that was a crazy idea. By the end, I was losing balance because my legs were so dead from the sprints! The lunges slowed me down, but I tried to make sure every sprint was at or above 7 miles per hour. I had just enough time before physical therapy to roll out my legs and get ready for the day! Let me know if you give this one a try, it's a scorcher! 

Cool Weather Wishlist

I am so in love with the new clothes that Carter's has in for the cooler weather! We have always shopped for Ryker there because we get so much bang for our buck, those coupons they give you on your receipt are so tricky! Nonetheless, here are some of my favorites for when the weather decides to stay with being chilly, and not be in the 60's one day and the high 70's the next! Come on, sweater weather! 

1. Vest 2. Handsome Sweat Set

3. Boots 4. Toggle Cardigan Set 5. Trail shoes

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Ever since we got a legit crock pot as a gift I have been doing my best to make as many meals as possible using it. Crock pot meals are just so convenient and anything you make in there typically tastes better and better as left overs. Today, I have a ton of work to do for my final projects for my Strength and Conditioning course and my Topics in Sports and Health Sciences, so our dinner is cooking away for the next eight hours. Tonight will be taco night, starring Salsa Chicken! It is super easy and you can make a ton of left overs for taco salads and chicken to use with eggs for throughout the week. Here's the quick throw together idea:

We always buy our chicken from Whole Foods in the giant packs because you get a discount for buying more than three pounds at a time! I just dumped a whole package in the crock pot. You could probably add another pound or so for weekly food prep, just be sure to mix it up so that it cooks evenly. 

We also get out diced tomatoes from Whole Foods, I got a giant can of their diced tomatoes and just poured the whole can in, no need to drain. 

I love the Salsa Verde from WF, it's perfect with eggs, as a salad dressing or just with chips. I poured about a cup over the diced tomatoes. 

Then, I added two tablespoons of chopped garlic, about a tablespoon of chili powder, and then 5 drops or so of liquid smoke. The liquid smoke helps to make it taste like you grilled everything first, it is really helpful with BBQ chicken also! I normally would add a hefty dose of cumin, but I'm out today. I would add about a tablespoon as well if you have some. 

And there you go! Just let it hang out it there for about six hours and serve over greens as a salad or use it for tacos! I think we will be giving the wraps from Against All Grain a shot. Now, back to my homework!

Behavior Modification

Part of my work for this week was to investigate various research studies on behavior modification within the health and wellness realm. There is so much interesting research out there and the different ways in which people have attempted to be successful at leading people in the right direction! 

Behavior modification practices are a major portion of a successful program that leads someone on the right direction towards health and wellness. Generally, when working with a new client, a trainer or coach is presented with the task of trying to alter a lifetime of poor eating choices and a lack of fitness or activity. Having behavior modification tools at their disposal can assist a trainer or coach in designing a lifestyle with their client that is both successful and sustainable.

In Korea, a study looked at whether or not SMS text messages and information brochures were effective at influencing a weight loss program. 433 participants completed a 12 week program. Throughout the program they received text messages with information about diet, exercise and behavior modification techniques once a week. Following the 12 week program, the participants filled out a survey, majority of the participants indicated that the weekly informative text messages were satisfying and helpful, indicating that these types of campaigns may be helpful when implemented on a large scale. (Joo and Kim, 2007)

Researchers in Australia recently spent time looking at the effects of cognitive bias modification in order to trigger adaptive behaviors in regards to health. The study cited the general lack of concern that is sometimes seen in large populations when it comes to health risks and aimed at understanding if inciting worry may help influence people to make better health decisions. Participants were given a questionnaire to analyze situational anxiety and dispositional anxiety, along with a worry questionnaire. They were also given interpretation bias training, which aimed at triggering either positive or negative responses for ambiguous situations, followed by a filler task to try and attenuate any biased emotions following the training and then shown a video about melanoma. Behavioral assessments and another questionnaire were then used to gauge the effect of the video. The researchers found that influencing a positive interpretation bias actually led to more worry when watching the video, indicating that the positive bias may have actually led to adaptive worry and action rumination. The results went against the researchers hypothesis, and there is still plenty of research to be done on the effects of these types of campaigns. (Notebaert et al, 2014)

In summary, there are a number of ways that you can incite behavior modifications, from reminder messages, sending out information, and even trying to scare them into more positive behavior. Human behavior and psychology is a huge, always changing topic and it can be extremely difficult to try and nail down a solution that will equally affect a population. Continued research can help form a campaign that provides various methods to try and incite positive health changes!

Is there anything in particular that has helped you continue on the road towards positive changes? Do you think that something like a text messaging campaign or regular check ins via email would be helpful for you or do you need face to face interaction to remain accountable? 

References:

Joo, N., & Kim, B. (2007). Mobile phone short message service messaging for behaviour modification in a community-based weight control programme in Korea. Journal Of Telemedicine And Telecare, 13(8), 416-420.

Notebaert, L., Chrystal, J., Clarke, P. F., Holmes, E. A., & MacLeod, C. (2014). When We Should Worry More: Using Cognitive Bias Modification to Drive Adaptive Health Behaviour. Plos ONE, 9(1), 1-8. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0085092

A Perfect Wednesday

I had asked for today off so that I could write my ten page research paper for my Motor Control and Learning course. I got up earlier than I had planned, but got to see Vic off, looking all sexy in his suit. He had a breakfast meeting this morning, put together by his department at ODU with a bunch of local executives for some networking. Since he's such a badass at ODU he gets to hang out with all the cool kids, talk to CEO's and bank managers and create some great connections. Getting up to see him off meant I had nearly two hours to sip my coffee before Ryker got up. That was just a little bit before Jayme got here and I locked myself into my room to start my paper.

About five pages into my paper the power went out. Ryker went down for a nap and I let Jayme head out since no power meant no research to be done. Luckily, my recumbent bike has battery power, so I jumped on there and got in a good seven and a half miles before Vic got home to tell me all about his morning and then head back out.

Every now and then I will hear crazy people say things like "ugh, I could never take that much time off work and stay home" (that was in reference to maternity leave or the convalescent leave I got after my shoulder surgery) or "I would never want to work from home or be a stay at home Mom, I'd go crazy". Well, this is my happy. I got to make my son's breakfast this morning and hang out while he finished. I didn't have to get up at 5 am to workout, I was able to fit it in when I was actually excited to work out. And guess what? I just might do my lifting later! Two separate workouts in one day, what?!

I made a beautiful omelette for lunch with fresh spinach and got to eat it warm out of the pan, not heated up in a dingy microwave at work, in Tupperware that has to be on its last plastic leaching leg. The sink is empty of dirty dishes, my windows are open and I'm able to see the rain storm instead of spending all day in a building with no windows, where I have to escape to the smoking section to get a breath of fresh (cigarette smoke filled) air.

When I was a kid, I always dreamed of being a powerful business woman. Other girls wanted to be a princess, I dreamt of being Barbara Walters (no joke, ask my mom, I was obsessed). Today, I want to be around. That does't necessarily mean I want to never work. I just want to be available. I want to take care of my family. I want options. I know, I know, everyone does, sometimes you have to suck it up and make do. Well, here's to hoping that as Vic and I start a different chapter with the end of school and the military next year that we can each find a way to go about our days feeling happy and fulfilled. I'm learning that some sacrifices that come with not getting a high paying job are totally worth it and we're starting to get used to that idea more and more.

It's time to eat my warm omelette and get the baby up from his nap, there is nothing like the smile you get when you rescue him from his crib after a good nap. I'm excited for us to share a week day lunch and listen to the rain and wait for Daddy to get home. I've got dinner simmering on the stove, pumpkin chili, it always turns out so good and it will be perfectly comforting for this drizzly day!

Boobs. Yep....boobs.

Here's a new kind of post! So, as my last year in the Navy has started I'm making sure to tie up any loose ends now, as far as health care is concerned, so that I don't have to worry about anything crazy popping up later that I didn't know about. This doesn't mean I'm trying to find random ailments or anything, just want to make sure any possible dental issues are good, skin cancer recheck (another thing I forgot to reschedule after a surgery, whoops...) my physical therapy is successful and stuff like that. On that note, I went to the plastic surgeon at the Naval Hospital a week or so ago. Yep, plastic surgery. I got my boobs done back in 2007. I met my doctor one day after some fairly extensive Google searching and in all of my 20 year old wisdom I decided to sign up for a surgery later that week. Don't get me wrong, I made sure my family knew what was up and he wasn't some hack doctor, but I probably could have spent more time on the issue. I like what he did, so that worked out nicely, but...

Did you know you're supposed to get those suckers checked out via MRI every two years? Probably would have been good information to have, right? It's been seven years and until that appointment this month there has been zero medical attention paid to my boobs. I went in there because one feels like it wants to check out the surrounding area, movin' around a bit, so I figured it would probably be a good idea to see what was up. That's when I was informed that apparently that one isn't even the one that they would be concerned about looking at via MRI, the other one is. Great. Moral of the story...boob jobs aren't a set it and forget it kind of deal, you need to get them checked more often than you think!

Other things to get covered before I'm out, I've got to go to the Navy's "how to get out of the Navy and not wind up in the employment line" class. I've heard good and bad things about it. I'm still in Physical Therapy twice a week for my neck and my shoulder, turns out my surgery recovery has been all wonky because I'm out of whack from the feet up. Good news is, they're figuring out and I'm on the mend. I've never been so uncomfortable before. I'm not sure if I'm noticing the pain because it's new or if it has always been there and all of the physical therapy is teaching me to notice little things like that. I do get a kick out of using what I learn in school in my PT, I love talking to the girls about how everything works!

Speaking of school, I've got way too much work to do tomorrow in too little time. Three classes may not have been the best idea, but now I'm almost half way done with my graduate degree in six months!

Fall Bucket List

Since we have a little less than a week until the start of Fall (September 22!) I thought I would put together a little Fall Bucket List of activities that I am oh so excited for! So, let's get rollin' with some sweater wearin', pumpkin eaten' activities! 

1. The Pumpkin Patch of course! We went to Hunt Club Farms here in Virginia Beach last weekend to try out the Petting Zoo. We've gone there for years for pumpkins and mums and their haunted hay rides, but it was so fun getting to see our toddling guy wander over to goats and laugh his little butt off when they ate feed out of his hand. I can't wait to have him help us pick out some colorful pumpkins and mums for our favorite decorations! I really love the green and pink speckled pumpkins and the itsy bitsy ones, too cute! 

2. Find an Apple Orchard, pick our own snacks. Much to my happiness, Ryker has been an apple slice fiend lately. Heck, he took an entire apple out of my lunch box a few weeks ago, sat down on the kitchen floor and ate 75% of the thing, just chomping away! He probably would have eaten it all, but him and Sam (our Bernese Mountain Dog) have some "I take a bite, you take a bite" thing going on and Ryker fed him the last portion of the apple like a good friend. I've been warned about dogs and apple seeds, gotta keep an eye out for that. But, I digress....I really want to go pick some apples! Luckily, my good friend Google gave me information on a couple of farms and orchards up in Williamsburg that offer all sorts of fun and I can't wait to take them up on it!

3. Burn, Baby, Burn! A.K.A., use our fire pit. I don't remember when we bought our fire pit, sometime in the last year or so, but I do know that we haven't used it nearly enough, maybe like three or four times? I'm hoping that maybe Ryker is old enough to sit on our laps and hang out, or maybe I will just move his high chair outside so he can hang out, or better yet- we'll put him to bed and then light up the fire pit with our Apple Pie Moonshine and Apple Cider, yum! 

4. Hike ALL the hikes. Some people look forward to summer for activity. Our family, with two outrageously hairy mountain dogs and a husband that would be happy as an eskimo, need Fall and Winter to roll around to be caught outside being active. I love the colder seasons for outdoor runs, hiking at First Landing and other state parks and just being outside in general. I'm a sweatshirt and leg gins kind of girl, if I don't want to sweat that means I need cool weather! We've got First Landing routes down to a science, now it's time to start investigating a few other parks. We tried one new one last year, I say we try at least two new parks this year! 

5. Camp, like with a toddler...I mean it! I know my husband is rolling his eyes at this one because the idea of sharing a tent with our toddler sounds insane, but I have faith that if my good friend Lauren can get their adorable little guy to do it, we can too! There are a few campsites on the beach that are within 15 minutes of home, so worst case scenario we come home! I vote yes on this one, I'll let you know for sure if it ever ends up happening. Even I think its a relatively bad idea, but one I want to attempt. 

6. Farmer's Market. Another outdoor activity that just hasn't happened and I'm hoping we will be able to pull ourselves out of the house before the close up shop in November. There is one near one of our favorite breakfast spots, maybe that will help our success. I've been to the Farmer's Market in Santa Barbara, when I was in college there, and it was AMAZING. 

7. Find costumes for the Wicked 10k. This is the last year that I get to run the Wicked 10k, since we are planning to move out of the area next year, so I really want to run it in costume with Ryker in his stroller. I started looking online and found a really cute set of Miss Piggy and Kermit, I'm so excited to get all dressed up with him! Now to find Vic a costume too...

8. Make so many pots of pumpkin, bacon chili. I promise to post the recipe, it is SO good. Posting a recipe really just means that I'll have to pay attention to what I do with it, because I basically throw some random spices in with two cans of pumpkin puree, ground beef, chopped bacon and two tablespoons or so of bacon grease and some spinach. Oh man, it is amazing. I usually make a giant pot at the beginning of the week and then take it for lunch forever. 

9. Scary movie marathon. Every year, there are a few movies that Vic insists on watching: Silence of the Lambs and the associated movies and one year he got me to agree to watch Paranormal Activity. Worst. Idea. Ever. I was terrified for weeks and this was when he was still in the Navy and would have to leave me home alone. The Silence of the Lambs doesn't bother me, but I'm thinking that this year I get to use Ryker as a reason to add in some of the more kid friendly Halloween movies! 

10. And finally....carve pumpkins! We've never actually gotten around to carving our pumpkins, even though we have all the necessary carving stuff! So, this year I am excited to do that and maybe let Ryker make a huge mess of pulling the pumpkin cuts out and maybe I'll even roast some pumpkin seeds! 

15 days until Fall

If you have ever been to our house before, you know that Vic would like us to keep it like an igloo. During the summer, I am most successful at keeping it at a reasonable temperature, we compromise at 70 degrees to keep our bill from being over $300 during Virginia's ridiculous summer. Some days, the cool house is a blessing, most of them it means that I am in sweat pants and a sweater, with socks and Ugg slippers, sipping tea trying to stay warm. Today, on this first Sunday of the NFL season, we decided to play with our cold house and pretend that it was fall!

We made it to the grocery store bright and early this morning, we walked in at about 9:15 (that's early for a Sunday!) and we sat down in Whole Foods' little restaurant, The Porch, and had a great breakfast and mimosas. Vic had a huge breakfast, I left hungry because our little guy ate half of my breakfast burrito, taking bites that blow my mind because where does he put all that food? We've been making a point to only buy exactly what we need for a week, no more getting excited about stocking up, and it has really helped keep our bill down. Our food budget still rivals our mortgage, but we are getting better at keeping it down. We decided to shop for week 6 of the meal plan in Danielle Walker's newest cook book, you can find it here. I'm obsessed with it and super stoked for this week's dinners. We were able to get ground beef, steak, chicken and all the needed produce for just over $200, keeping us under our $250 budget. Don't have a heart attack, that makes our lunches, too! I've also decided to participate in meatless Monday's which is helping our meat supply not diminish so quickly. Today we made football buffalo chicken bites that turned out amazing, you should totally google her recipe.

Before I started cooking today, I ran out to Bed, Bath and Beyond to get our favorite Fall Yankee Candles to get the house smelling like the upcoming season. I just can't help it, with football being on today, it is totally Fall, whether or not it doesn't start until late September! I went a little crazy and got two giant candles and let me tell you, our house smells AMAZING. After our football meal, a day of playing cards and watching the Bears lose (damn it!), we settled in with some hot apple cider with a shot of Firefly Apple Pie Moonshine. We got the moonshine while we were on our Southern Vacation this last March and have barely touched it. Thank goodness, because it was meant to be served in cider and it is amazing. You really should be jealous, and I'd invite you to have some, but I don't want to run out of the moonshine too quickly!

Ryker is a walking monster, literally, he's half monster. He's into everything, and he whistles! The kid walks around purposely whistling. A story about whistling...Vic loves to whistle. He's a whistling machine. So is my little brother. I hate whistling. It might be the most annoying sound ever. I can appreciate it in a song, but just around the house drives me nuts. But, now that my little guy can whistle I think it's pretty cute. Vic is literally whistling that "I got one less problem without ya" song right now. Ugh.

Well, there's a minute and forty two seconds left in the San Francisco/Dallas game, and my Fantasy team is getting killed. Time to put the kiddo to bed, have a good night!

Dear Misty: What do you really NEED on your registry?

So, you decided to try and brave Babies R' Us and had the necessary panic attack when you realized a tiny person requires a metric shit ton of gear? Well, the good news is that a) I'm pretty sure all parents freak out when they decide to try and figure out what they need and b) you don't generally need everything you think that you "need". Here are a few tips that came to mind after surviving the first year and then some of having a little person!

1. Check out LuciesList.com and PregnantChicken.com. I swore by their websites for helping get information on the best versions and brands of pretty much everything we got. Those lovely ladies have devoted so much time to trying out car seats, pack and plays, swaddles, bottles, pumps...you name it, they have an opinion for you.

2. For us, I decided to not go cheap on two things: our stroller and our car seat. Getting a safe car seat is imperative and I desperately wanted a stroller that I could jog with, take on hikes at First Landing and so on. After hours of searching and reading reviews we decided on the Chicco KeyFit carseat and the BOB SE stroller. The best part about my being crazy about the car seat was that it turned out to be one of the best for NICU babies, that worked out, huh? We also got the matching play yard (pack and play) from Chicco, which we used in our room until he moved into his at four months. Just for fun, you should check out the baby gear by 4 moms, they have some amazing stuff!

3. Find a diaper bag that you can put a TON of stuff in, but don't break the bank. I found a $65 bag at Babies R' Us that I thought was pretty cute but most importantly, I could probably put the baby in there. It hangs well from the stroller and I can put stuff in a million pockets. I really wanted a Petunia Pickle Bottom bag, but then when I found one at Nordstom I realized that they kinda suck when it comes to space.

4. Find a monitor that you like. We have the Summer Infant video monitor with a thermometer. Maybe you don't need the temperature, Ryker's room isn't insulated as well as ours, so I found that pretty handy. They did have a recall recently for batteries overheating, but we've never had a problem.

5. We went to Target for our crib and we love it! We decided not to do the typical baby decorations and mostly used stuff we had, besides some pictures we got off Etsy. You can use all sorts of things in his room that aren't necessarily meant for babies. Our diaper holder? It's a two tiered fruit bowl made of wires that looks pretty cool and divides the inserts and covers. The chair we have in his room (which we never use, I always fed him in the living room) is from Sam's Club, a comfy leather chair with ottoman.

6. Get an awesome swing. For the love of God, get a good swing. We had this Graco glider and it was amazing. Ryker slept in that thing for months, it knocked him out so well and helped keep our sanity. (We actually still have it if you want to buy ours for cheap!)

7. Go slow. Register for everything at Babies R' Us, even if you'll buy it yourself. If it is on your registry you get a year to return it, so make sure that when you buy it or anyone else does that they take it off your registry. Another good idea is to check Amazon, you can get great prices off there. Also check out Amazon Mom!

8. BURP CLOTHS. Burp cloths for days. And then some more burp cloths. I hope your little guy isn't the fountain that Ryker was, but maybe stock up on some cute ones and mostly the cheap cloth diapers, they make amazing burp cloths and you can get a whole bunch for next to nothing.

I hope this helps a little! We returned a ton of stuff that we never used, so go slow and don't worry about stocking up on too much of the little things.

Back in the sling of things: Part Two

We're back to pain meds, arm slings and ice packs. Luckily, it's not me this time! Vic just had his surgery yesterday, the exact same one that I had four months ago. His doctor was very highly rated and gave me great information about how the surgery went as soon as he was done. I even got pictures that he had taken while he was in the surgery with the scope. CRAZY! Vic is recovering well, a little sore but nothing too bad. I got a ton of work done in the waiting room.

Things are going great with school, I really like the two classes that I am in right now. I just had to sign up for a third course that will start the first week of September. I've never taking three classes at once, it's always seemed like a really horrible idea, but I'll have four units of tuition assistance left over for the fiscal year that will go wasted, so I figured I would give it a shot! I'll keep you posted on how that goes. At that pace, I should be able to finish my Masters this Spring, a little bit ahead of schedule! Maybe three classes will be a great idea and I'll always do that many so that I can be done sooner.

I'm planning to take the personal trainer exam with the American College of Sports Medicine at the end of this month. As soon as I have that certification in hand I'll be offering online training! I tried that a few months back and really enjoyed that set up and can't wait to start my own little personal training business! I am so passionate about this and I am really excited to be able to help others make healthy, fit choices.

On that note, here's on of my workouts from this week:

I just ordered a bar and weight set, I'm so excited to be able to do even more workouts at home! And here's a great soup recipe that I threw together for today's lunch!

Two pounds of chicken breast
1 48 oz box of 365 Chicken Broth (Low Sodium)
2 cups of water
2 tbs of cumin
2 tbs of chili powder
1 tbs of minced onion
1 tbs of minced garlic
1 large red bell pepper
2 tsp of salt
1 tbs of basil
1 avocado
Cholula or similar sauce to taste.

Toss the chicken breasts and the chicken broth into the slow cooker on high for 4 hours. The broth should cover the chicken. Let that cook until it is easy to shred, remove and shred the chicken. I like to shred it in my Kitchen Aid mixer, that thing is amazing! Toss the chicken back into the slow cooker, with the extra water. Add enough to make it look like a good broth to chicken ratio, 2 cups worked for me. Then add in all of the spices and chopped red pepper and let them all hang out for about 20 minutes in the slow cooker on low. I garnished each of our bowls with half an avocado and it was amazing!

I also got in another order of our Juice Plus+ today, I just had to try the Complete bars and I ordered more of both the chocolate and the vanilla protein. I'm obsessed with putting the protein in my oatmeal and the bars are AMAZING! It's really difficult to not eat the whole box, but I have to hold back so that I have some available for our JP party on the 5th. Interested in trying some (you're crazy not to!)? Head over to ckassel.juiceplus.com or email me if you have any questions!

Oh, and guess what? Ryker is a walking machine! He's all over the place now. He walks to us and gives big ol' hugs. It's very exciting here in our little piece of the world.

Workouts, nutrition, school and my boys!

Oh, hey there! It's been too long, right? Things have gotten a little crazy over here, but I wouldn't have it any other way. So, here's a wrap up of the time that has passed since the last time we talked! I finished my Nutrition course and my Statistics course and luckily squeaked by with a B+ in both. I can't lie, my Nutrition professor was giving a ton of work, so I may have phoned it in just a bit towards the end, but I did get an A on my final project, click here to head over and watch it! I've started my next two courses, Strength Training and Anatomy and Motor Control and Learning. They both seem pretty interesting and I'm really excited about how they will help me with programming as a personal trainer!

Speaking of personal training, I'll be certified at the end of the month! Vic and I are so excited to take our exams and you know what? I know we're going to pass with flying colors. We are in a six week seminar for it right now and we are acing it. I love it. I've also already gotten a friend of mine all set up to be my first client and I couldn't be more excited! 

Last weekend, I got to participate in the 31 Heroes WOD, which memorializes and helps us honor the 30 men and their service dog that passed away serving their country three years ago. The turnout was amazing, which it is every year, and the workout was killer. It's a partner WOD and I partnered up with Misty's husband Pat. I could hear Ryker screaming for me during the whole workout, over the cheering and the music, so for the last round I grabbed Ryker and used him for thrusters and took him on a 400 meter run in the rain and he loved it! It's amazing getting to have him and Vic there to support me, getting them involved is even better. 

Like I said before, I've started practicing my programming for myself and for Lucille, who will be my first client. These workouts have been great for me this week, give them a shot and let me know what you think!

My involvement with Juice Plus+ has taken off and two of my friends have joined me on this path to spreading health and wellness through prevention and nutrition. My mother, brother, and two of my grandmothers have also started using Juice Plus+, along with my little family and I am so glad that they are taking care of themselves a little better with this extra step. 

I couldn't be happier right now. I start my days at 5:15 so that I can sip some coffee in a totally quiet house until 6:00, when I head out for my workout. Unfortunately, the sun is starting to come up later and later, but it's still not so bad to run first thing because I get to see the sun come up most mornings! After that, I'm straight off to work, I get home and generally have a call or two with my Juice Plus+ team before or after I start dinner and then it's time for Vic and I to have some time to ourselves and then it starts all over the next day! It's crazy and some days I worry that with adding training and Juice Plus+ to my school and work schedule is absolutely nuts, but I am so confident that this is our ticket to the exact life that we want. Everyone has to put in the time on the grind, right? 

I'm so ready for football season, are you involved in a Fantasy team at all? It is so much fun! Even though it is only poopy preseason, it still means that it is football time and I'm stoked. I love fall, I am so over the hot weather and the humidity. I'm a sweaters, Uggs, and leggings kind of girl. Here is a picture of Vic and I at our first annual trip to an NFL game! 

Creatine: Worth it or just a placebo effect?

Effect of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance-Exercise Training on Muscle Insulin-Like Growth Factor in Young Adults, published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition in 2008, aimed to look at whether or not creatine supplementation actually made any difference in the strength and size gains of young men and women participating in an eight week resistance-exercise training program. The study sample consisted of 24 young men and 18 young women that had previously been involved with at least 30 minutes of structured activity 3-4 times a week, but had less than one year of resistance training experience. Eighteen of the above mentioned participants were vegetarian for at least three years, adding to the scope of the study. The researchers also hoped to understand if creatine supplementation had a different effect on the gains made by vegetarians, as opposed to non-vegetarians. (Burke et al, 2008)

Previous research and anecdotal information have led to the idea that creatine supplementation can help improve strength and size gains in those participating in a resistance training program. “Theoretically, creatine supplementation might enhance the metabolic adaptations from regular resistance-exercise training sessions, leading to greater production of insulin-like growth factor-I (IFG-I) over time.” (Burke et al., 2008) Basically, the addition of a creatine supplement has the potential to allow your body to enhance its reactions to your workouts, letting you work harder and/or longer, producing more strength and more muscle growth. Prior to the above mentioned study, the research team hypothesized that “creatine supplementation during resistance training would increase IGF-I over placebo, and vegetarians on creatine would experience greater gains than non-vegetarians". (Burke et al, 2008)

Following medical approval, a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, a three day dietary journal and blood tests, the study began. The loading phase consisted of four doses a day of creatine, .25 g/kg of lean tissue mass for 7 days. They were to take the doses in the morning, afternoon, post workout and before bed. The maintenance phase was to be taken post workout (when it has the opportunity to increase muscle maintenance the most) and was .006 g per kg of lean tissue mass for 49 days, to coincide with 8 weeks of resistance training. The exercise program consisted of four days a week of all over body exercises that were heavy load and heavy volume. The routines worked through seven cycles, with each cycle varying from 3-5 sets of 4-12 repetitions. Training logs were used to keep track of the workout volume completed by each participant. (Burke et al, 2008)

There were no actual differences in the volume of training over the course of the entire 8 weeks of the study between the placebo or dosed groups. The creatine did lead to greater training volume for the creatine group during the second and seventh week. The researchers also found that over the study vegetarians consumed 3-400 fewer calories less per day and consumed about 60g of protein fewer than the non-vegetarian group, whether they were getting the placebo or not. While the average gain in IGF-I was 55% for the placebo group, the creatine dosed group had a 78% gain in IGF-I. (Burke et al, 2008) The creatine group had a greater increase in both strength and size. To break down the creatine dosed group, the vegetarians gained an average of 2.4 kg of lean body mass, while the non-vegetarians gained 1.9kg of lean tissue. (Burke et al, 2008) It is possible that because the vegetarians were eating a fewer amount of the essential amino acids and they entered the study with lower creatine amounts, their bodies may have been set up to absorb the benefits at a higher rate than the non-vegetarians, however, they did not indicate higher levels of IGF-I than the non-vegetarian group. “A diet low in essential amino acids reduces IGF-I production…suggesting that essential amino acids are necessary to maximize IGF-I production.” (Burke et al, 2008)

The benefits of creatine supplementation come from an increase in “high energy phosphate metabolism and training intensity”. (Burke et al, 2008) The bump in the high energy phosphate metabolism allowed for the increased volume seen in weeks 2 and 7. In conclusion, the study showed that young men and women who participate in a high volume, heavy load resistance program do indeed benefit from creatine supplementation. However, it is important to understand the correct dosages and ensure adequate nutrition and water intake to avoid any of creatine’s possible side effects, such as low blood sugar, high blood pressure and kidney stones.

Creatine. (2014, July 15). . Retrieved July 15, 2014, fromhttp://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/creatine/safety/hrb-20059125

Burke, D. G., Candow, D. G., Chilibeck, P. D., MacNeil, L. G., Roy, B. D., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & Ziegenfuss, T. (2008). Effect of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance-Exercise Training on Muscle Insulin-Like Growth Factor in Young Adults. International Journal Of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 18(4), 389-398.

Wednesday Workout!

Hello there! I started this post at 6:06 in the morning while I finished my preworkout drink, a cup of black coffee. Remember my post about how it releases fatty acids into your bloodstream for use during workouts? It also just makes me feel human before I start my workout! Here is what I had planned for this morning: 

1 mile run

100 air squats (full depth of course!) 

100 sit ups (all the way up, feet together in front of you, like you're stretching) 

100 biceps curls (alternating, I used a 10 pound weight)

Sounds fun, huh? The sit ups kicked my butt, normally I can power through those pretty quickly, but this morning they took some time. It felt like a great all over workout! I've got a lot of preparing to do, I just signed up for the J&A Wicked 10k in October and the Harbor Lights Half Marathon in November, I'm so excited! I've done the Wicked before, it's always a lot of fun. The Harbor Lights is brand new and will be around downtown Norfolk which should be pretty awesome. Time to start training! There will be a lot more running in my future. 

Last night, Vic and I watched one of our favorite shows, Extreme Weight Loss with Chris and Heidi Powell. I had shared on Instagram and Twitter a picture of myself on my recumbent bike while I was watching the show and had tagged Chris and Heidi Powell in the comments. Chris Powell responded back to me and said I rock! I probably shouldn't be so excited, but it made my week!

We got in our Juice Plus+ tummies for Ryker. He loves them! I only give him one in the morning for now. I cut it up into four little pieces and he couldn't get them in his face fast enough. Lately, he's been a pickier eater than normal, just refusing some things that he normally loves, but from what I've read this should pass. He sure has a little personality these days, and some days it has quite a bit of attitude! We might be in trouble for when he gets closer to two!

Well, Vic is at school tonight so I'm watching my episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians and the Real Housewives of Orange County and I am going to bed EARLY! I hope you had a great Wednesday, talk to you soon!

Dear Misty, welcome to the 2nd Trimester!

You made it! The second trimester is a time for a lot of Momma-to-be's to breathe easy and relax, for a number of reasons. According to the American Pregnancy Association, most miscarriages happen in the first 13 weeks. I know for us, I didn't even want to really believe that I was pregnant until I got past the 12-13 week mark. Something about making it past that first trimester made it so much more real!

12 weeks

19 weeks, when I started living in pajamas!

Lately, I know your workouts have been a cause for concern, not because you aren't doing them, but because you're such a rock star that you're getting frustrated with what your mind and your body want to do in the gym. From here on out, those might be two different things and that's ok! We've talked a little about how you have so much more blood coursing through your body right now. For me, I swear that helped me recover from workouts and eventually I swear I got some crazy baby boy strength that made me leg press like a monster. But for now, don't be surprised if you feel slower and get winded faster. That body of yours is doing tough work! And remember, Baby H is getting PR's on all of their lifts! 

Speaking of lifts, have you checked out CrossFit Mom yet? They have some great suggestions during pregnancy for keeping up your WOD routines, with some modifications. For instance, pregnancy causes an increase in the hormone relaxin, which is what is going to allow your pelvis to spread to let that little human through when it's time for their big debut. For now, it can affect your joints making it a good idea to consider not going to full depth when you squat. I started to notice towards the end of my pregnancy that my knees and ankles just felt wobbly, like they were just bone and nothing was holding them together. That's when I stopped running and switched to bikes, rowing and the elliptical. It is one of the many things that I'll tell you "you'll just know, your body will tell you and you'll just know." CrossFit Mom also suggests that you stop laying on your back for exercises at this point too, since the weight of your uterus can cut off blood supply to the baby. Since you're already dealing with your abs splitting, I don't think you're going to be doing many crunches any time soon, but maybe it's time to consider changing sleeping positions. Have you gotten a body pillow yet? I absolutely LOVED my Snoogle, I slept with that up until a few months ago when I completely smushed the head part of it to flatness. I really cannot sing its praises enough. This full, wrap around pillow looks pretty awesome, too. 

Around the second trimester, when you wake up one day and go "Holy s**t, where'd that belly come from?" is when I started religiously using cocoa butter on my belly. I didn't buy anything all that expensive, but I did use a ton of Palmer's Cocoa Butter, just the normal stuff, I don't think there is a real difference with the stretch mark version. Some people swear by Mederma or other expensive options, I just liked the basic stuff and used it every night! 

The second trimester is a time for better sleep, better moods, your sex drive might come back (if it ever left, haha!), your appetite should return and pretty soon we'll know if it is a little girl or boy and you'll feel kicks! I loved my second trimester, it is so exciting! As always, I'm so happy for you and am waiting patiently for any questions I can answer for you! 

My new opportunity!

Last week a friend of mine posted to Facebook about having an awesome opportunity in the health and wellness industry. Of course, I jumped right on board and asked what was up. After listening to everything she had to say, hours of reading clinical studies and doing my own research I can confidently announce how excited I am to be a part of Juice Plus+! 

I have to be totally honest, I was skeptical and I haven't had the product long enough to give you a first hand experience, that will come with time. But my skepticism fell to the way side as I learned more and more about the company and their product. Basically, they take the juices of 17 different fruits, veggies and grains, dry them and put them into a capsule for you. Have you ever tried juicing? Vic and I did for a while. I tried to justify the money spent on produce that was above and beyond what we had as snacks or with meals. I tried to get over the lack of room in my fridge, the constant restocking (like every other day!), but what got me was cleaning the damn juicer. What a mess! Our juicing experience didn't last very long, sadly. 

Neither of us can stomach multivitamins, so we don't bother. But even with clean eating and tons of varied produce with each meal I knew we weren't getting everything we need. Enter Juice Plus+. It's not an excuse to give up on fresh fruits and veggies, but you know how you're supposed to get all the colors of the rainbow? It can help with that. Got kids that will not eat anything green? It can help with that, too. I'm so excited to see how we benefit from taking this supplement, especially since it's made from REAL FOOD. It's gluten and dairy free, and it has nutritional facts, not supplement information because again, it's real food! 

Please check out my site, link below, or shoot me an email if you want to learn more. From the original Juice Plus+, to protein powders and the Children's Health Study, I have so much that I would love to talk to you about! 

Website: http://ck37362.juiceplus.com

My email: ninarynae@yahoo.com

But really, take the time to consider how much you could benefit from bridging the gap between what your body wants and what your fridge and stomach can hold! 

Fourth of July weekend: Arthur can't keep us down!

How was your holiday weekend? My in-laws flew in from Colorado to do some business down in North Carolina and then beat Hurricane Arthur up the coast to come hang out for the weekend. Finding out that Arthur was going to roll through ON fourth of July, ruining all the fun sunshine plans that we had, was a little but of a bummer, but luckily Arthur was a big old wimp once he got up to our area, so he actually rolled through and was gone by early afternoon. Thursday night was crazy, we woke up at 1:30 in the morning to my phone's weather app going absolutely nuts about a tornado warning (watch? I always forget which one is worse, it was the worst one). Good thing no one else on our street was up, Vic and I got up and stood outside our house to check out the conditions in our underwear, we probably looked pretty crazy! I started the fourth off with a great workout with Misty, 140 slam balls and a mile run, broken up to make 5 rounds of work. It definitely helped me feel ready for bikinis! 

We made it out to the beach and the hotel where my in-laws were staying with enough time for Vic and his dad and sister to bodysurf in the gigantic waves. I took Ryker down there to watch for a while and saw a little girl get completely demolished by a lifeguard that was running to save someone. He apologized as he ran off, but the parents were pretty angry about their daughter getting tackled. I thought that was pretty silly, sorry the guy was sprinting to save someone and accidentally slammed in to your daughter that walked into his path, geez. I'm pretty sure if she was the one caught in a crazy undertow that they would want him to run off, too. I stuck around and asked the family if she was ok, in case she needed help, but she was just scared and a little sore. 

Ryker had sushi for dinner on the fourth of July! He LOVED it. That kid devoured edamame and California rolls like a pro. He never ceases to baffle me with his eating, he can eat like a champ and will eat almost anything. It is pretty exciting to think that he can enjoy his daddy and I's love of great food. Saturday we hung by the pool, actually Ryker and I stayed in the hot tub because the pool was too cold for us. I only let him put his legs in, he sat like such a good boy, staring at his toes and splashing like a maniac. He was worn out by early afternoon, so we took him home for a good nap. Saturday night we left him at home with Jayme and had a lovely seafood dinner with Vic's parents at Catch 31, easily our family's favorite restaurant. We watched the delayed fireworks off the balcony and had an all around lovely fifth of July. 

As much fun as it always is to have family in town, Vic and I are ready to get back to our clean eating and workout routines. I got my cop of Against All Grain this last week, Vic and I are both so excited to try out all of her awesome recipes!