#rocktober with Blogilates

Let's face it, Econ 101 was right, there is an opportunity cost for everything. Seriously though, when we choose one thing, we miss out on another. When I choose to watch Netflix, I miss out on study time or time to read my favorite book. One thing that I have really let slide this semester has been my fitness. This is a huge bummer for someone who spent the entire summer kicking her butt in early morning spin class and afternoon yoga. I just didn't prioritize it like I did then and I am definitely starting to notice it. Of course, Parents Formal is at the end of the month and I want to look good in my dress so I am using that dress as a goal for this. It's sort of like "sweat for the dress" except I'm not getting married. I actually don't even have a date in mind for the formal...

Getting back in shape again is not going to be pretty or fun, but it is going to be worth it...it always is. I am a bit worried about running with my feet, but I am going to start gradually getting back into it and in the meantime I am going to focus on other toning exercises. 

I've been following Blogilates for a while now and I am going to use this month to take advantage of the workout calendar she sends out each month when you sign up for emails. Her workouts are fun and effective. There are a few video workouts that I've tried, but the actual program she has set up has gotten great reviews. I am also going to do the 30 Day Pushup Challenge. I can already do a few, but I am going to use this as a baseline for where I should be at. Ugh, knowing that I could easily do 3x as many pushups over the summer stinks!

If anyone else wants a 30 day workout or is looking for a great site to get some information on, I would definitely recommend looking at Blogilates. If you want a buddy to keep you accountable for it, or just someone to talk to, I would be happy to become email buddies with any of y'all!

xx,
Erin

What's In my (Gym) Bag

I am writing this post at 10pm on a Tuesday night...this may not seem late to you, but to the girl who has to wake up at 4:30 to go to spin class, this is a big no-no. That being said, I just couldn't fall asleep until I shared what I pack in my gym bag (woohoo)! 

Preparing to go to the gym is half of the battle, whether you go before or after work. Having a gym bag sitting there, waiting to be used, makes it that much harder to come up with an excuse not to go. I always pack my bag the night before as I lay out my outfit for the day so that it is all together and ready to go. My work bag is also packed the night before, but that is a different post for a later date.

Since I go to the gym before I go to work, I am the biggest fan of those showers at the gym. I finish with class, head to the showers, change for work, and am in the office at 7am. Sure it sounds sort of insane to workout at 5:15am, but having that out of the way and having your whole day ahead of you is the greatest feeling, plus I am noticeably less antsy at work.

-My Gym Bag is a Lesportsac Overnight Bag they sent me last summer and I absolutely love it, and it is even better as a gym bag. The nylon is easy to clean and remove odor from! Be careful not to pick a cotton bag that will smell when choosing a gym bag!

-The Nike Gear Bag is for my sweaty gym clothes to go in after class so that they don't stink up my normal gym bag and the rest of the stuff I bring with me.

-The toiletry kit I have packed includes makeup and face wash, etc. and I leave it stored in there all the time so that I can just grab it off my bathroom counter and go in the morning.

-My Venus Snap Razor was sent to me by Influenster and, while I was a bit skeptical at first, I have come to absolutely love it! It is a small travel razor that uses Venus Embrace blades so you don't need shaving cream, just water! This is perfect for when I forget to shave the night before but bring a dress to wear to work, especially if I am going out after work!

-A Change of Clothes is a necessity and it is nice to not be rushing around in the morning trying to get everything together

-Shower Shoes and Shampoo for my shower at the gym, but honestly, I just use the shampoo that they have at the gym because it is just as good!

-Each night I put my Water Bottle in the fridge to chill and leave a note on my bag so that I don't forget it!

-I have actually started keeping my Gym Card in the back of my phone so that I have it with me at all times and hopefully I don't leave it in my locker (again...)

-Breakfast isn't pictured, but I always bring it to the office with me because I get hungry about an hour after I work out

What do you keep in your gym bag? What other fitness-inspired posts do you want to see?

xoxo,

Sugar Snap Pearls

update: I didn't make it to spin class...but I did work out! I got to the gym and rewlIzed that I had left my phone (with gym card) at home and so I had to turn around to get it! The struggle is real...

Celebrity Fitspiration

If I had really thought this through, I probably would have posted this yesterday as a "Woman Crush Wednesday" post, so let's just pretend I did. Actually, the thought did cross my mind, but then I had to go to bed in preparation for a 5:15am Spin Class...yeah, that happened. Anyways...

How awesome are Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert? I mean seriously, they are my girl crushes all the time (someone please teach me to sing like them!), but they also have really inspiring fitness stories. For the record, both Carrie and Miranda are awesome, no matter what their weight. They are gorgeous, talented, and genuine. Oh, and both got their start on reality singing shows (yes, Miranda too).  

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While they have always been inspiring, their weight loss and fitness stories also inspire me, especially Miranda's. I always loved that Miranda was an average girl and was not especially concerned with her weight, then one day, she decided that she was going to make some lifestyle changes. How many of us can relate to that story? 

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Both women credit healthier diet choices and exercise for getting the bodies they have now. While I may never have Carrie's legs (a girl can dream right?), I can aspire to get in shape the same way they did. These are two women who girls can look up to because they did not do some crazy fad diet or get surgery, they lost weight the old-fashioned way. It is so easy to get caught up in all the crazy hollywood fads, but to recognize what is at the core of all of those movements is to understand what is going to make you succeed. Sure, I could follow the crazy lemonade diet, or I could bust my butt at the gym before I go to work every day and get stronger while I am doing it.

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We don't all want Carrie's legs or Miranda's slimmed down figure because it looks like they need to be force-fed some chicken, we aspire for them because they are toned and could kick some butt if they were given the chance.

Getting in shape is a personal journey with personal milestones and that means that weight loss is gradual and that you are also striving to replace that fat with muscle. Yes, I realize that these women can afford trainers and dietitians that some of us can't, but that does not mean that we can't have success in our journey too, and to focus on that is to harp on an insignificant issue. The process would be so much easier if it could happen overnight, but with a little determination, it can be achieved over time and just look, the results are totally worth it! 

Who inspires you? I would love to know!

xoxo,

Sugar Snap Pearls

Summer in Shape

Okay, going back to the real world tomorrow is going to be really tough. Coming off a couple of fun days at the beach and then a relaxing weekend is a far cry from a 40 hour a week job and an internship. However, I would probably get really bored just sitting around all summer knowing me, so maybe this isn't the worst thing in the world.

Speaking of Beach Week, I have a confession. While I had a great time there, I was a bit down for parts of the week because I was not happy with how I looked in a bathing suit. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I was feeling so terrible that I never showed my face or body on the beach, but I was just a bit self-conscious. I could have and should have been in better shape going into the week. There is no excuse for me to eat unhealthily or not exercise during the year, and yet I managed to somehow convince myself that it was okay.

I go to the beach six weeks from yesterday, and I plan to be significantly more confident going into that trip than I was for this one. I am not saying that my body is going to do a 180, but I can definitely make some good life changes in the meantime. I spent a lot of time over the last couple of days looking at different health tips for eating and I have a gym membership as well as two feet that know how to run, so I am pretty set for my exercise. This isn't going to be easy for me, knowing my love of snacking and sweets, but it is time to make some healthy changes in my life. 

You may notice, there is a new tab on the header for this journey. Honestly, blogging about this is going to have its good and bad moments, but it will definitely keep me more accountable! If any of you are planning on getting in shape this summer I would love to know what your plan is and keep in touch (you can just email me: sugarsnappearls@gmail.com) and if you have any tips, I would also love to hear them.

Also, I just want to stress that this is a personal decision for my health. I do not love myself any less at whatever weight I am, it is about more than that. I am also not doing this as a "beat the scale" challenge because, from what I've heard, those never go well. This is a summer for fitness and making changes that will last me a lifetime! 

xoxo,

Sugar Snap Pearls

*image from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/*

Starbucks Lite: What To Drink This Summer

It finally feels like Spring and I am so excited for this weather. Thank God I am going home for a bit this weekend so that I can grab all my sundresses and officially transition my closet to reflect the temperature. In addition to changing my closet, I will also be transitioning my go-to Starbucks drinks. Don't get me wrong, coffee is still going to be an important part of my diet, but now I will readily ask for it to be served on ice!

Starbucks has a great lineup of iced drinks, and I even tried their Sweet Tea the other day! A lot of people worry about the calories of a Starbucks iced drink, immediately associating it with a frappuccino, but the menu has much more to offer than that, and many of these other drinks won't kill your plans for a beach body!

One quick tip before we go into their drinks: Get Light Ice! Usually they put a ton of ice in a drink and quite frankly it's largely unnecessary unless you like it watered down. Personally, I love getting light ice because when I get a drink, I really want to enjoy it...all of it! haha

Iced Coffee is always a safe go-to, plus it only has a couple of calories if you get it unsweetened. They can add milk to the drink, but if you just want a tiny bit for flavor, I would recommend just going over and adding a bit at the station on the side.

I love Iced Chai and when I have a free reward, I get a skim dirty iced chai (add a shot or two of espresso)! Again, I really recommend this drink with light ice because a watery chai is no bueno! Iced Vanilla Lattes are also a good option if you get it with nonfat milk, a tall is only 120 calories!

Their iced teas (sans the Sweet Tea) have no calories. Yeah, zip, zero, nada...oh and they're delicious. I alternate between the iced green tea and passion tea all the time in the summer. The advantage of a green tea is that there is a bit of caffeine you won't find in a passion tea. Plus, this drink is wildly customizable as a base drink. You can get it mixed with lemonade (more calories, but delicious) or blended as a frappacino. Also, if you really like the taste of either of these, getting it sans water is delicious. Usually if I do that, I don't ask for light ice, but I do love the extra kick of the stronger green tea. This is a drink to mess around with until you figure out what you like, but it is always delicious and an iced tea is very cheap (for Starbucks)

None of these sound as appealing as that Frappuccino you're craving? Well, if you still want a frappuccino, just get a tall, skinny, light one...sans whipped cream!

Also, you can get a Trienta size in iced drinks, basically a supersized Starbucks!

What is your go-to Summer Drink?

xoxo,

SSP

Beach Body in One Week

So you are leaving for Florida on Saturday and that whole "beach body" routine you'd been planning on doing sort of fell off to the wayside thanks to Girl Scout cookie season and those winter blues? No worries. There are still ways to improve your body in the last couple of days before your big vacation for you to kick it into gear. No, I am not promising some sort of crazy weight loss pill or diet...that is unrealistic and unhealthy. If you want to lose 5lbs by Saturday, my only recommendation would be a stomach flu, kidding, but you get the idea.

These are some tips on how you can improve your beach body in the last couple of days before the big vacation. And if you still aren't happy? Wear a PFG and let's get in shape after Spring Break as we prepare for Beach Week (this is my plan...those Girl Scout cookies get me every time, whoops)

1) Drink More

Drink more: water, tea, detox water.

Drink Less: caffeine, carbonation, and alcohol.

Essentially keep yourself hydrated. Detox water can be as simple as adding any combination or one of the following things: mint, lemon, cucumber. It makes the water even more refreshing and will help flush out your system. You should always stay hydrated, but it will especially help this week. Oh, and as for the drink less section, if you think I am not going to drink my morning coffee just so that I look good at the beach, you're crazy.

2) Exercise

Well, this should be self-explanatory. Even if you aren't going to magically transform your body in less than a week, exercise will stimulate blood flow and help kickstart your metabolism. Plus, have you ever noticed that you look more fit after working out, like if you do a killer ab routine that you seem to have flat abs for a few hours? Well, that is because the blood is going to your muscle tissue during the workout and it will hang around for a bit. So, if you want to look like you're in better shape than you are, get a workout in before you head to the beach. (disclaimer: you will probably be sore if you do this after not regularly working out...)

3) Eat Right

Stick to those leafy green vegetables and stay away from the fast foods. There are dozens of lists of "detox" foods out there and basically those are the ones that are less likely to make you bloat and easier for your body to break down.

4) Spice Up Your Life

Add some cayenne or jalapeño peppers to your diet! There are so many studies that show how adding spices to your diet will jumpstart your metabolism so just throw them in with your normal food and you'll be good to go.

5) Stress Less

I realize this isn't totally possible. I mean, I am stressed about the exam I have today and the two papers I have due tomorrow. However, I need to plan it out and know that it is all going to get done...and be thankful that yesterday's snow day caused my Friday exam to get moved back. So on Thursday, I am going to do a personal at-home spa day, but I need to keep calm all week. Just use a motivational quote or a to-do list to remind yourself that you can do it!

Obviously, this plan isn't perfect, but there isn't any plan that will get you the perfect beach body in a few days. And anyways, you should love yourself and the way you look regardless...there is always room for improvement, but don't let that stop you from loving yourself and your life right now. 

xoxo,

SSP