I've moved!

Hi friends! I've pretty much fully transitioned to the wordpress site- I'll be blogging from there from here on out because it's so much easier! I still need to add all of my favorite blogs and finish some of my tabbed pages, but come over and check it out! Don't forget to update your readers :)

New Site: Legally Fit- http://legallyfitkatie.wordpress.com

See ya on the flip!

Exciting Stuff!

Hi friends! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I purchased a new smartphone yesterday- the motorola droid! I love it. I went with verizon for the free skype aspect- skype will be my main source of communication with Bri when he is overseas. Speaking of Bri, I get to see him tonight!! Yay! I miss him so much.

The new blog transition is going well. My next post will be the one announcing the new site! And thanks for your comments on my last post- switching to wordpress simply requires the push of a button! Wow :) I am in the process of transitioning my reader over from my old google account to my new google account but I'm almost there!

I saw SATC 2 on Memorial Day and I was NOT a fan. Samantha really bothered me. It also irritated me that they were essentially promoting Suz*anne So*mmers and all of her hormone added craziness. Miranda was amazing though. One good thing that came out of the movie is that they showed the preview for Eat, Pray, Love, which inspired me to go purchase the book. Wow. I am a third of the way through it and I love it. So far I highly highly recommend!

Have a great weekend lovelies! I'm excited to see Bri but at the same time very sad... he is headed to war! Hopefully this year will fly by quickly...

Destined Not to Race

Hi everyone! Long time no talk, er type. Things have been super hectic round these here parts but will slowly start to settle down in the ensuing weeks. Then it'll be back to a normal blogging schedule (3-5x per week). I truly admire those who can post multiple times a day, or even daily. I'm not that creative!

I was perusing through my honeymoon photos last night before heading to sleep and came across this one: Duuude I want to go back! Please? I miss my husband! The good news is that I will get to see him for a day or two before he ships out. Yippee! The time frame in which this will occur happens to be the same date that falls upon the Freihofer's 5k. Since Bri can't come to me, this means I can't run the 5k with Christina. Hence the faux drama of my post title. Ragnar didn't work out due to my work conflict. However, this reason is MUCH more acceptable. I can't wait to see him!! :) :) I will have to find another 5k to run so I can try to hit my goal of sub-30.

In other fun news, I'm in the process of transitioning the blog over to wordpress! Okay, that's kind of misleading. I'm in the process of starting a new blog to reflect this new stage of my life. The current blog name doesn't really fit any more, seeing as how I've been married for two months (today!). Additionally, I get very jealous at the wordpress bloggers' ability to use strikethrough font and reply to comments directly, among other things, so I'm excited! I don't think I'm going to shift my blogger posts over to the new wordpress site because I don't know how and, quite frankly, it seems like so much time and effort! For those of you that have transitioned over to wordpress, how was it?

So, be on the lookout in the next week or two for the new bloggie! I'll post a link here once it's finalized. I should have a cute new custom designed header, seeing as I won one at Ange's shop 4 a cause 2 auction. Woohoo!

Things have otherwise been going well. I have to go grocery shopping tonight (meh) for supplies for this weekend. I'm heading to Christina's inlaws' cabin "upstate" (it's south of here... don't ask) and it should be a great time! Do you have any fun weekend plans?

On that note, I'm out! Have a fantastic holiday weekend friends!

Thumbs Up Thursday- Coconut Style

Hi friends! Happy Thursday! How is everyone doing? I am feeling unnecessarily stressed for whatever reason. I have a feeling hot yoga will remedy that this evening. I skipped attending this past Tuesday and instead left my conference and came home and SLEPT. It was glorious. Presenting always seems to take a lot out of me, and I hadn't been drinking as much water as usual due to being at the hotel. So, today is hot yoga day :)

In other news, I've been acting as a running coach of sorts! On Monday we got a little break in the conference so my co-worker and I went for a run around congress park. It was really fun! My co-worker says that she will only run "if she is being chased" so I was surprised when she suggested we run together. She did incredibly well! We ran for a mile, walked for a tenth, ran another mile, walked for a tenth and then ran another half mile. She did WAY better than I did when I was first starting out. Maybe she will stick with it! :)

My bestie Christina and I met for a run yesterday at the local park in the cold rain. It's super hot today; upstate NY is schizo. In any event, Christina trained for and ran her first 5k back in December but then kind of fell off the wagon. I drafted a running schedule for her to follow to get back into 5k shape for the Freihofer's Run for Women on June 5. She did great! We ran two miles together (which her training plan called for) and caught up on things. Me and Christina after the two miles in the rain.

We ran into some geese and their babies. Geese are probably my least favorite bird (I love birds but Bailey tries to eat their poop, it's nast) but the babies are soooo stinkin' cute.

Actually, I wouldn't call these guys babies. More like teenagers! The mother goose was hissing at us as I tried to take a picture. I have never seen one hiss! Too funny. After Christina left I ran another mile. I'm kind of all over the place with running lately and I'm excited to start following a training plan this Sunday (for my upcoming 15k and half marathon... woot!)

So today's thumbs up Thursday relates to a product I have been using for well over a few months now:

Coconut Oil. Coconut oil can serve many functions... coconut butter, smoothies, sauces...

Nutritional Stats:

However, my use of coconut oil is not for nutrition. Nope, not I. Well, not that I'm opposed to it. I just haven't gotten around to cooking with it yet. What do I use it for, you ask? MOISTURIZER! I first saw these lovely ladies using coconut oil as a body moisturizer and I have to say, it piqued my interest. I purchased this container for ten dollars at the local health food store and it does not disappoint!

As you can see, the texture is hard but not too hard, meaning that I can break it up with my fingers to use as a moisturizer. When I first opened the jar I was surprised to find the solid consistency- I was expecting oil! It does tend to soften up if I don't use it for a few days (I don't bring it along while traveling, as it's fairly large).

So how does this fare as a moisturizer? It's awesome! A little bit goes a long way and it makes my skin uber soft. Surprisingly, there really isn't an overwhelming scent to it. And I have to say, I love the ingredient list: organic cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil. That's it! It doesn't get more natural than that.

I give the coconut oil as a moisturizer two thumbs up! I have read on some blogs that people do not use moisturizers, which I find hard to fathom. My skin is dry but not super dry, and I would feel crackly if I didn't put something on my skin! I have seen lots of other uses for coconut oil on other blogs- as a conditioner, face moisturizer (I'm not that brave) and cuticle softener. Like I said earlier, I've had the oil for well over four or five months and the jar isn't even half gone. Pretty good ten dollar investment if you ask me. What are your thoughts on coconut oil? Would you ever use it as a moisturizer?

Enjoy your Thursday and I'll see y'all tomorrow with a photo Friday post!

Yoga Pose May- Staff Pose & Giveaway Winner!

Hi everyone! I'm super excited to be participating in Tina and Kate's Yoga Pose May challenge, as yoga has become one of my favorite physical activities (aside from running, of course!). The pose of the day today is "staff" pose, which is a strength pose. There are a few variations of the pose, but after perusing Yoga Journal online my interest was piqued by the four-limbed staff pose, or chatarunga dandasana. According to the site, staff actually refers to the spine, or strength of the body, which makes sense, as this pose definitely requires a lot of strength! I still have a little lower to go on my chatarunga but I'm getting there!**



To start, come into downward facing dog by placing your feet about six to eight inches apart, your booty in the air and your hands on the ground (pants on the ground?) out in front of you. Your weight should be evenly distributed in your hands and feet. Make sure that all five fingers are pressing into the ground, and really try to extend your shoulders so that your back is long. Your tailbone should be pressing back towards the wall behind you. I'm working on being able to get my feet flat on the ground. Almost.

Then, shift your weight forward so that your shoulders are in line with your hands. This brings you into plank position. Your core should be tight (and feelin' the burn!) and your booty should be flat. If it is in the air it makes the pose easier and you're not really getting the full benefits of the pose.

Now comes the really fun part. Slowly lower yourself towards the ground, with your elbows IN next to your rib cage. Your back should be as flat as possible. It's essentially a sloooow burning close grip pushup.


Then, continue towards the ground and sort of push through and up into upward facing dog or cobra pose. I always go with upward facing dog.

Hands directly below shoulders, slight arch in back, legs slightly lifted, tops of feet flat on the ground.

Optional- take a picture with your yoga assistant afterwards. Bailey does a mean downward dog but I can never catch him in action!

So there you have my interpretation of the staff pose. Thanks for coordinating this, Tina and Kate!

And now for the winner of my Yoga Journal Subscription/Luna Bar Giveaway: Comment number 5, Danielle of Coffee Run! Danielle, email me your mailing info (fittowed@gmail.com) and I'll get the package sent your way! Also, are Luna Bars vegan? If not, I will grab some other type of fun bar for you. Thank you to everyone for participating in the giveaway and thanks for reading!


**Disclaimer- I'm not a yoga instructor nor am I a certified personal instructor. This post is merely a demonstration of how I interpret the staff pose. :)

Photo Friday- For My Pup

Hi everyone! Happy Friday. First and foremost, thank you to everyone for all of your comments regarding the relay. It worked out for the best for the team, so I am very happy about it. Team BAD is currently out running their hearts out; wish them luck!



I've had a quiet couple of days, which I wasn't anticipating as I thought I'd be getting ready for Ragnar. Given the huge conference I have from Sunday to Tuesday, it's likely a good thing. On the exercise front, I completed a hill workout on Monday (on a college campus, where it was finals time. Oh the good ol' days), hot yoga on Tuesday and a 3.5 mile run/pushups yesterday. Yoga on Tuesday was interesting. It is Bikram style but not exactly since I think we only do the positions once and incorporate some other moves. Man, it was effing HOT. It was my fifth class and by far the hottest. During the last 10-15 minutes I kind of laid there in child's pose because I couldn't move- my limbs were literally numb, particularly my hands. I think it's because I ate too close to class; the blood was going to my digestive system as opposed to where it should have been.



I intended on completing four miles yesterday but I started experiencing the familiar IT band twinge around 3 miles (wtf!). So I stopped to stretch and continued on for a half mile, then came home and foam rolled the bejesus out of my legs.



This weekend should be great. I'll be running through my presentations (eh), meeting up with a bestie that's in town tonight for drinks and discussion (yay!) and hot yoga and a run tomorrow. I have to work on Sunday but it's all good :)



So today's photo Friday is dedicated to my pup, Bailey. Bailey is a 4 pound yorkshire terrier and the sweetest boy ever. He turned four this past Christmas and we celebrated our four year "anniversary" on May 1 (I got him on May 1, 2006). At certain times in my life I can be quite spontaneous and getting Bailey was one of them. He's camera shy.



I had wanted a yorkie for a LONG time (my mom used to breed them) but my dad always advised me to wait until I was done with law school. At the end of my second year of school, I was at my friends house when she mentioned that she thought her neighbor had yorkie pups. Sure enough, they did. I came home with Bailey that night :) It was literally right before all of my finals; I remember waking up to go to my Commercial Paper final to find out that Bailey had peed all over himself inside of his crate. I still got an A on the final :)

I am so glad to have my little guy. He is so sweet and brings so much joy to my life. I love to sing him songs, substituting his name for the actual lyrics ("if you like it then you should have put a Bails on it"). He is the pup of many names- Bailey, Bails, BB, Bailey Blu, Beedle, Buckets, Bucks, Mr. Bs, Bailface...

How about you? Do you have a pet? If so, are they like a member of your family?

Have a great weekend and don't forget to enter my yoga/luna bar giveaway!

Change of Plans...

So, due to some things with work, I'm unable to take this Friday afternoon off, which happens to coincide with the Ragnar Relay. At first I figured I could commute back and forth, which would have been quite challenging to coordinate for the team. Thankfully, another fellow awesome blogger volunteered to step in and take my spot. I'm super bummed but relieved for the team- Suzy is awesome. I guess there is always next year! :-/

Yoga Giveaway!

Hi friends! Happy end of weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there (Hi Mom!). I've had a great weekend; hot vinyasa yoga yesterday plus a three mile run that culminated in me BOOKING home after getting caught in a thunderstorm. I had coffee with one of my besties and got together with my grandmother and some family members that I haven't seen for years for a Mother's Day dinner. Good stuff.

A few months back I won a giveaway from the lovely Shannon over at the Daily Balance. I recently received the goodies and I got some great stuff! Thanks Shannon!! :) Cashew butter (holy), teas, mission skincare items AND a one year subscription to Yoga Journal. Being the magazine addict that I am, I already have a subscription to yoga journal (and glamour, and shape, and fitness, and self, and health...). So, what better than to pass the subscription along to one of my readers?! Source

So, I'm going to give away a one year subscription to yoga journal PLUS a box of my new crack (also known as chocolate peppermint luna bars- to die for!). As a reader of yoga journal I can attest to its awesomeness. There are lots of informative articles that make you stop and think, explanations of poses and how they impact your body, healthy recipes... all sorts of goodness!

Are you a magazine addict like me? Or addicted to the deliciousness of luna bars? You can enter to win three ways:

1. Leave a comment letting me know your favorite yoga pose
2. If you aren't into yoga, leave me a comment with your favorite way to get active
3. Follow me on twitter @ fittowed and leave a comment letting me know!
4. Tweet about the giveaway!

I'll announce the winner next Tuesday, May 18. Enjoy the rest of your weekend friends and again, many thanks to Shannon for all of my fantastic goods!

Thumbs Up Thursday- Yogitoes!

Hi friends! I hope your Thursday is going well! Mine is zipping by! I'm trying to finish up the last of my three presentations- it's a doozy! I took yesterday as a rest day and it was fantastic. I met my friend Kara at her house for dinner and drinks, but was able to squeeze in a mani/pedi before for 35 dolla! Ah, bliss. I picked a light lavender color but it kind of looks bubblegum pink. Oh well, it's still springy! Unfortunately, I already have a chip on one of my nails. Without fail, whether I do it myself or go to a salon, this always happens so quickly! Grr. I love the look of nail polish but the chipping=high maintenance, which I am not. What about you? Do you wear nail polish or not so much?

Tonight's plans WERE to do a hill repeat workout (Ragnar in one week, eek). I'm seriously getting addicted to hot yoga though and may just get a 3 miler in after work and then head to class after that. It's okay though, I could be addicted to worse things :)

Speaking of hot yoga, this brings me to my Thums Up Thursday item of the day: yogitoes!!
During my first hot yoga class I was a hot mess (literally). I had brought a regular old bath towel to put on my mat. Yeah. I was slipping and sliding all over the place. I looked over in envy at the girl in front of me, who appeared to have a towel that was specifically designed for her yoga mat and that stayed in place! After class, I became a girl on a mission to get one of my own! Luckily, I didn't have to look very far, as my yoga studio sells them at a very reasonable price. What's the secret to yogitoes? There are little almost plastic like nubbins on the bottom of the mat, so it literally does not move during the entire class.
I've tested it out twice and am thoroughly impressed. It made concentrating on the postures SO much easier, since I didn't have to worry about the towel sliding everywhere and skidding off of the mat. I especially like the little guy on my towel- it's a good focal point when I'm trying to focus on the postures and not faint.

Apparently he/she/it is ganesha, the God of knowledge, wisdom and wealth, Lord of success and destroyer of all obstacles. The mat is machine washable and I think you can even put it in the dryer, although I didn't.

Today's verdict- two enthusiastic thumbs up!!

What are your thoughts on hot yoga? Have you tried it? If not, would you?

One last thing- Julie over at Julie's Running Blog is hosting a sweet giveaway in celebration of having 100 followers. It doesn't surprise me that she has so many followers; she is so sweet and encouraging and a great runner to boot! Go check out the giveaway! :)

Have a great evening :)

Feelin' Good

Hey y'all! Happy Wednesday... almost the weekend! Since I last posted I've had a great couple of days and workouts. Friday evening I hit up a new Italian restaurant with my bro, his gf and the 'rents. Bri was sorely missed but when he gets leave this December I plan on taking him :) I tried an amazing eggplant rolotini (?) appetizer. I definitely have a new favorite go to dish!

Saturday was my second ever hot vinyasa yoga class. SO awesome and challenging. I can easily see how the heat becomes addicting. I feel so much more limber and can sink deeper into the poses. Speaking of yoga, I'm participating in Tina's Yoga Pose May yoga challenge so I'm excited about that! Be on the lookout for a pose come May 18th ;)

Monday brought an amazing six mile run. I headed to a local park after work and just ran. The weather was SO beautiful- low seventies/upper sixties with just the right touch of wind. Six miles is the farthest I've gone since the 14k back in February! It was markedly different from the 5 miler I did the week before in VB. I'm telling ya, I'm not a hot weather runner! Give me the cold any day. What temp would you rather run in- hot or cold?

Last night I attended hot yoga again. It was different than vinyasa in that there was a lot of Bikram elements, which I've never done. The room was also heated to 105 instead of 95. I was sweating SO much before we even began. I don't mind though, because my skin has seriously NEVER looked better.

My poor pup has something going on behind his ear so I made an appointment to take him to the vet. Poor lil' guy. Here he is (on the right) with his best friend Molly:

Hopefully it's nothing but I'm still worried!

On Sunday I met with my Ragnar team and got the overview of the legs I am running:

• Leg 4- 2.7 miles. Extremely hilly. Awesome.
• Leg 16- 5.8 miles. Fairly flat.
• Leg 28- 3.1 miles. Easy day.

The only one I'm concerned about is the first leg. I'm glad it's the first leg though, since I'll likely have the most energy for that one. I'm starting to get really nervous!

I have been thinking a lot lately about blogging. I have a lot of ideas for future posts, including:

• My bucket list (via Wendy)
• A ten year review (again, via Wendy :) )
• Eating well while on the road/driving looooong distances
• Bri's guest post on fitness
• A fun topic inspired by Runner's World
• My ten basic essentials for a professional wardrobe

I have some other ideas floating around too. As you can see, they're all random. I don't consider myself to be "fitness" blogger, I'm definitely not a food blogger (although I love reading those blogs!)... I don't really know what I am. I'm just trying to live healthfully and interact with like-minded persons! What kind of blogger do you consider yourself to be? What steered you in that direction?

In any event, it's time to get back to bidness. I hope you're having a great week! See you tomorrow with a new thumbs up thursday post!

Photo Friday- College Edition

Hi bloggies! Happy almost weekend! This weekend happens to be my alma mater's alumni weekend which, sadly, I'm not going to be attending. I could really go for a slice of Mia's pizza right now. Yum. Anyway, it's also my sorority's 25th anniversary weekend- yay AOPi! Naturally I'm feeling a little nostalgic, so here's a photo from the good ol' days: College graduation, circa 2004. My friends Nicole (best friend growing up for years- we went to high school, college AND graduate school together, although for different professions), Kristin (one of my bridesmaids) and me. I can't believe it's been six years since we graduated. My high school ten year is this November! Crazy how time flies. I also can't believe how blonde my hair was. Yikes! Granted I had just gotten back from Cancun but still. When did you graduate from college?

Yesterday was another 3 mile run, although it wasn't as glorious as the last one. It was really hilly, which is good for the relay, but my shins were screaming during the last half mile. Wtf! I've never had shin issues and hopefully am not going to start having them.

Any fun plans for the weekend? I am going to hot yoga tomorrow and I can't wait! Other than that I'll be dogsitting, thank you note writing and running. I've also been drafting a blog post in my head regarding the reasons why I blog/what I hope to get out of it that I would like to hopefully write this weekend. What are your reasons for blogging? Have a great weekend everyone!

Wedding Recap- Rehearsal Dinner!

Hi friends! Happy Thursday :) I was totally feeling Debbie Downer last night but all is well now. Such is life, right? :) I am skipping thumbs up Thursday this week because I had a fun one planned (bar review- not the bar exam kind, hahhaha) but I haven't tried all of the bars I wanted to. Given that Bri and I had our one month wedding anniversary on Tuesday (yay!), it's probably time for me to start the recaps, eh?

On Friday, March 26th the day was spent running around like a crazy person getting various tasks done prior to the rehearsal (ie mani, pedi, etc... the important stuff people!). Rehearsal was at five and after a minor emergency around 3:30 (Bri's mom's car broke down. Yikes!) everyone was at the church and situated. You could tell that the priest had done this before. We had a large bridal party and he was barking out orders like a drill sargeant! It was kind of nerve-wracking but I was starting to feel so excited- it was really happening!

After the rehearsal, we headed over to Longfellow's Restaurant in Saratoga. I cannot rave enough about this place. We also had my shower there and they are very attentive and the food is awesome! There was approximately forty friends and relatives there. My beautiful matron of honor Christina (I was the maid of honor in her wedding) and I! I'm wearing the dress from Ann Taylor Loft- loved it!

My gorgeous bridesmaid Kristin, who came in from PA. She's from around here but recently started a new job (she's a librarian at a university... ow owww). I miss her terribly!

Once everyone arrived we got the seating situation settled and the party started. I didn't really drink because I wanted to be fresh for the wedding! The food was a buffet of salmon, sirloin, chicken and amazing stuffed pasta. Can you tell which dish was my favorite? Hahaha.

Some of my bridesmaids. Kristin, Christina, me, my bridesmaid Jenn (sorority sister!) and my maid of honor, Kelle.

After dinner we moved on to the cake. Coccadotts really outdid themselves with the cake. Which is why I'm not holding a grudge at the fact that our wedding cake was slanted like the leaning tower of Pisa. It's alllll good. :) Anyway. I wanted to do something fun and unique for the cake and since Bri is into Crossfit, I figured a kettlebell could be cool. When I originally talked to the cake shop they made it seem like it would be a flat cake, with the kettlebell laying on its side. My dad picked it up for me and gave me a call saying "you have got to see this thing!"

The picture is kind of small but yeah, the cake is like a real life kettlebell! It says Crossfit around the 50lb mark. It was so cool! The inside was a rasberry vanilla swirl cake with a bailey's frosting in the middle. Delicious! After cake Bri and I introduced the members of the bridal party and told everyone how we knew them.

Don't forget to say this, honey!

Afterwards Bri's father gave a touching speech.

At that point it was time to call it a night and head to the pub (family, friends and bridal party) and the hotel (Christina and I).

We had a big day ahead of us the following day, and I needed sleep! Don't mind the red face in the above picture, I think I had been crying (seems to be a common theme lately) at one of the toasts.

If you're married, did you have a fun rehearsal dinner cake? Have a great Thursday peeps!

A Fantastic Run and Lots of Stuff

Hey hey! I can't believe it's been a week practically since I posted. Things have been crazy! I feel like they aren't going to settle down for a while. Virginia Beach was great this past weekend but man, saying goodbye to Bri (I'm not sure if I'll get to see him while he's in training prior to deployment) was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I don't think I've ever cried that hard! Anyway...

I had a nice run on Friday. Well, it was nice when it was over. I ran five miles in the afternoon sun in VB, and I'm not going to lie, it was difficult. I would much rather run in cool weather. On Saturday our parents came to help us pack up the condo and all of that. Afterwards we had the most amazing nachos I've EVER had. Nachos aren't the healthiest obviously but it was a special treat! Although if the restaurant were in my neck of the woods I'd be in trouble. The nachos had shrimp, crab meat, a little bit of hot sauce, cheese and all of the other standard fixins. AMAZING. Woo.

I got in LATE Monday night after an emotional and tiring nine hour drive. Tonight I am dogsitting for my best friend for the week/weekend. She and her husband have a sweet one year old chocolate lab, Sadie. I love to watch her but I feel so discombobulated. I need to be home and get organized! The Ragnar Relay is in two weeks and that Sunday I have a huge work conference, where I'm putting on three presentations. I guess I'm just a bit overwhelmed and posting will be a bit sporadic (although, when isn't it, hahaha).

I did, however, have an awesome run after work! I headed over to a local park to get in a quick three miles before heading over to take care of Sadie. It was windy and slightly hilly and I wasn't even trying to go fast, but I did! For me at least, ha. I had negative splits for the first time in my life!

Mile 1: 9:58
Mile 2: 9:53
Mile 3: 9:22

Yippee! I totally see a sub-30 5k in my future.

I hope everyone is doing well! What have you been up to?

Thumbs Up Thursday- Juice Beauty Edition

Happy Thursday Friends! Today is technically my Friday, since I'm taking a half day to drive down to VB to help Bri pack up the place before he leaves for training. I can't wait to see him! :)

Yesterday's run was interesting. I decided that I needed to get a few trail runs in before the Ragnar Relay, since one of my runs was going to be entirely on a trail (that is, until the race directors decided last night to add 8 miles to the race and change ALL of the legs, less than a month out... WTF Ragnar, wtf!). Anyway, I found out that there was a trail less than a mile from my house, and that there was virtually no way to get lost, since the nature preserve was enclosed by four roads, like a square. Sweet! After work I set out in my new trail shoes and running capris (love them, btw), intending to get in four miles. About a mile in I was feeling nice and exerted, as this trail has a lot of HILLS! Anyway, I get out about two miles and then turn around to head back towards the direction I came from. Yeah. a half mile later and I have no idea where I am. Blair witch kept running through my head (I'm weird!) and I didn't want to be stuck in the woods after dark. So I hightailed it to the nearest road, which was about a half mile from my car and up a MAYJAH hill. I used one of Lily's tips and pumped my hands like I was pulling myself up a rope. I felt weird but it really helped and I was able to get up the hill no problem! So thanks for the tip, Lily :) So it ended up being a three mile run, 2.5 on trails. Next time I plan on bringing some pepper spray, for safety purposes. I run without my iPod so I'm aware of my surroundings and all but I would just feel more comfortable with some sort of protection. If you run alone, do you carry protection with you?

On to thumbs up Thursday- Juice Beauty Edition. I first read about Juice Beauty products on Gina's blog. I am very protective of my skin and try to take good care of it, so naturally a more "natural" facial moisturizer without all of the yucky chemicals piqued my interest. I headed to Sephora and came home with the Juice Beauty Green Apple Moisturizer with SPF 15.

From Sephora's website:

Green Apple Moisturizer SPF 15
What it is:
A nutrient-rich daily hydrator that offers SPF 15 sun protection.

What it is formulated to do:
Juice Beauty Green Apple Moisturizer SPF 15 offers a bevy of skin benefits. It guards the complexion against UV damage with a chemical-free, full-spectrum SPF shield. A brightening, hydroxy-acid complex of certified organic apple and lemon juices, age-defying peptides, DMAE, alpha lipoic acid, co-enzyme Q10, and vitamin antioxidants revitalizes and restores skin. The result is optimal antiaging power that keeps skin youthful and healthy.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This advanced skincare essential contains pure essential oils of mandarin, may chang, and ho wood—concentrated sources of nourishment.

---

I have combination skin type, meaning that I tend to break out along my chin, nose and forehead. Overall, my skin is pretty dry. I have been using this facial moisturizer consistently for about three months and I have to say, I love it! It is fairly pricey at $38, but I think it is a great investment- proper skincare is essential! I use one tiny pump of it after washing my face. It smells fantastic, like Trix (remember that cereal? hahaha). My skin is super soft and I am not breaking out as much. I used to use Oil of Olay and while it worked fine, I am really happy that I made the transition. I eat organic foods, so shouldn't I try to use products made with organic ingredients if they are going directly onto my body? The product has Sephora's "naturally sephora" green seal of approval, which isn't exactly a USDA organic seal of approval but is still legit nonetheless. Do you use green products? If so, which kinds?

The only negative that I can think of is that it may make one's skin look oily if they don't have normal-dry skin. Overall, this is a fantastic product that smells delicious and really hydrates your skin. Plus, it has SPF 15 to boot! I give juice beauty green apple facial moisturizer two thumbs up! What are your thoughts on skincare? What facial moisturizer do you use?

Well friends I'm off to VB! Have a great Thursday :)

The Accidental Pescetarian and Some Honeymoon Pics!

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday. My legs are STILL sore from my hill workout on Sunday. I guess that means I really worked hard? Haha. Yesterday I took a much needed rest day. I could probably still go for one today but I have my normal vinyasa yoga class, which will probably help work out the kinks.

Things have still been pretty hectic 'round these here parts, so I haven't composed a proper honeymoon recap yet. I'm not really good with recaps or reviews I think- I get impatient! Anyway, here are some of the pictures (we [Brian, aka Mr. Camera Happy] took over 600!).
At the indoor(!!) luau. We were bummed that it was indoors but apparently the weather called for rain. It didn't seem as authentic, although the performers were amazing. One of the dudes pulled me up onstage to do some sort of Polynesian dance, which was hilarious.

Hiking the Kalualua trail. The trail was SO beautiful. I didn't pack my hiking boots so my running shoes are now stained with red dirt. It adds to the hardcore-ness, right?

Double rainbow!!! We took a catamaran cruise to the Napali coast, which resulted in some of the most amazing photos EVA. Like this one:

Beautiful sunset!

So back to the topic currently on my mind- FOOD. This past weekend I was thinking and I realized that I had not had ANY meat, all week. This wasn't intentional; it was simply how my eats worked out for the week. My standard day of eats is typically:

Breakfast: Greek yogurt/granola/coffee

Snack: Bar of some sort (Larabar, Luna bar, Kashi bar)

Lunch: Amy's Cheddar or Southwestern Burrito/Amy's cheddar veggie burger

Snack: Apple/PB

Snack3(if heading to gym): half a bar

Dinner: Random. It depends on if I've meal planned for the week. Last week I had haddock, sushi, and Annie's whole wheat mac n cheese with peas and edamame on the side, among other things.

Snack: glass of wine/piece of dark chocolate

-I also drink at LEAST 64 oz of water

As you can see, there is no meat in there! I realize a lot of the foods are processed but I do try to incorporate fresh foods into my dinners, which usually results in leftovers. What do you typically have for lunch?

Anyway, yesterday I decided I was due for steak. I had steak, one clam casino, sweet potato fries and zucchini/squash. I felt so gross afterwards! I probably only had three ounces of steak and it was sitting in my stomach like a brick. Blech. This morning I still felt nauseous! I love a great cheeseburger, but this experience has me contemplating seriously cutting red meat out of my diet. Currently the only meat I do not eat is pork. I think the transition to a non-red meat diet could be difficult but after analyzing how I'm feeling this morning coupled with how awesome I felt last week, maybe it won't be! What's your eating style? What has influenced your eating habits?

Thanks for your tips on running hills! And Wendy, the juicer is NOT difficult to clean. The pulp is virtually dry so it's super easy. However, I don't know if I would call it dishwasher safe. I also don't mind handwashing dishes, so that is something to take into consideration.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Weekend Wrap Up

Hi everyone! Is it me, or did the weekend fly by? My weekend has been quiet but eventful! Yesterday started at the vet, where Bailey got two vaccinations (rabies and lyme disease) AND blood drawn. The vet we go to now keeps him in the room while he does the shots, and Bails didn't make a peep the whole time! He is such a brave little guy.

After the vet, I zipped over to my first hot yoga class. It was a 90 minute "hot vinyasa" session. Holy. I have seriously NEVER sweat so much in my entire life. The class was awesome! The room was heated to 95 degrees, as opposed to 105, which I believe is the temperature during Bikram. The instructor asked if we were familiar with David Baptiste, because her style was similar. There were women (and a man!) of all levels in the class, which made me feel super comfortable. The class was really intense, in a good way. I had to stop at a few points because I was starting to feel light-headed. Hot yoga is no joke, and I am officially addicted! I felt amazing afterwards and last night I noticed that my skin was incredibly soft. Simply amazing! I can't wait to attend more classes.

After yoga, I hit up the grocery store to get some goods so I could put one of my fave wedding presents to use:
Isn't she lovely? Into the juicer went:

• 1 cucumber
• 2 granny smith apples (no coring necessary with this baby!)
• 1 lemon
• Ginger

My take on juicing: yes, please! The juice was fantastic and cleaning up was relatively easy. I like it so much that I had to make some more juice this evening:

• 1 grapefruit
• 1 pear
• blackberries

Ummm, I think I'm in lurrrve!! My dad tried the juice concoction from yesterday and actually liked it (this is huge, considering the look on his face when I asked him if he wanted to try a green monster). Do you juice? If so, any combos I should try?

This morning I met up with my fellow Ragnar Relayers to discuss the race (we are less than a month away!!) This was extra cool because I got to meet Amanda, the inspiring blogger at Manderz Journey to a New Life! She is running a half marathon next weekend after just running the Disney Princess last month. Hardcore.

Our race legs were discussed, and I realized that one of my legs was going to be entirely on a trail. Since I've had issues with my ankles in the past (not running thus far, thankfully) I headed over to Fleet Feet after the meeting to pick up these beauties:

The Asics Gel Trail Attack! They are really comfortable, although I am now questioning my decision to go with an 8.5. I normally wear that size but the last time I purchased my running shoes, the lady told me I was actually an 8. Maybe I am just used to the tight feel of my running shoes? I'm thinking I will need more room in the shoe anyway. We'll see!

Random sidenote: look what I received the other day!

The officers in Bri's command had flowers sent to "Mrs. H" (me, yay!) welcoming me into the Navy family. How sweet, right?!

Anyway, back to the weekend haul. I have had a giftcard to Dicks burning a hole in my pocket since Christmas. I have been looking for a pair of running capris but all of the stores I've looked at have always been out of my size. Today, I was in luck:

The running capris, AND a new under armour shirt in a wicked bright orange. I plan on wearing this during the relay- I want to be super bright!

After that, I headed over to a local college campus that is known for being hilly to do some hill training. After coming across these articles, I decided to do 10x100 meter repeats (sprint up the hill, walk down, repeat). I am pretty sure I saw two college students smoking in the woods. Whatever floats your boat. I applied some of the tips I read in the article and it wasn't too bad! I stared straight ahead while running up the hills, and this really seemed to help! After the repeats I jogged around campus (feeling wicked old) until garmie read 3 miles. It was a great workout! Do you hill train?

How was your weekend? It's time for me to decompress with some wine. Have a great night!

Working Out on Vacay

**ETA- Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments on our wedding pictures! You guys are the best! :)**

Hi friends! Happy Friday! The week seemed to go by so slowly but now that it's Friday, it went so quickly! Gotta love that :) I am starting to feel back into the swing of things. My workout schedule has been kind of off the past month or so, first with the mandatory week off before the wedding the get rid of the upper respiratory infection and then all of the wedding shenanigans. I still worked out and ran a bit but not nearly like I had been while I was on a training schedule. Which is kind of frightening, since the Ragnar Relay is only a month away! Eep!

This week I got back into it with a three mile run on Sunday, which was painful (breathing wise) for whatever reason, yoga on Tuesday, one mile run (all I had time for) and body sculpt on Wednesday and a glorious, glorious four mile run yesterday. Originally I intended on taking a rest day yesterday but it was BEAUTIFUL outside and the weather for today/this weekend called for cold and rain. My last few runs have been tricky (it was HOT and hilly in Hawaii) and my confidence was low. Yesterday's run was just what I needed to build my confidence! I have been running lately sans iPod and I'm really getting into it, especially after starting to read "Zen and the Art of Running". My mom purchased this for me (I think she saw it on Linz's blog) and it is really interesting. Yesterday's run was especially cool because I saw the most interesting bird ever (at least for upstate NY). I was running next to a pond and saw what looked like a very large crane, aside from the fact that it was grey. A neighbor later commented that he thought it was a heron. How cool! I definitely have an abnormal interest in birds, which Brian can attest to after witnessing how fascinated I was with all of the wild roosters in Hawaii (they are EVERYWHERE!)

This weekend I'm going to try Hot Yoga (yesss!!!) and get in a hill training run in preparation for Ragnar. For those of you that do hill training, what exactly do you do? Should I do hill repeats or just find a hilly course? I'm out of my element!!

I'm going to do a honeymoon recap this weekend (it was sooooo fantastic, and it's easier than the wedding recap at the moment because all of the photos are in once place!) but first I wanted to hear what your thoughts are about working out while on vacation. While in Hawaii, Bri and I attended a yoga class, went on an arduous hike, went scuba diving (burns like 1200 calories or something ridiculous!) and ran two times. Another hike would have been great but other than that, it seemed like the perfect balance of relaxation and activity for me.
Enjoying a lava flow poolside after our yoga class, which we went to our first morning there.

What are your thoughts regarding working out while on vacation? Do you prefer a balance of activity/rest, to be constantly on the go or are you more "hey, I'm on vacation, I'm not moving a muscle"! For my married ladies, did you stick to a workout schedule on your honeymoon?

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Back!

Hi everyone! I am officially back from the honeymoon and am slowly getting settled back into my normal routine. Well, technically we got back early Friday morning. Bri stayed with me until he had to head back to VB Sunday to begin packing for his IA. It was incredibly difficult to have him leave. Yesterday work was super crazy yesterday after been out for two (glorious) weeks. I have SO much to write about (rehearsal dinner, wedding, honeymoon!!!) and a lot to catch up on in my reader. I came back to over 800 unread posts! I will be back at the end of the week with a proper recap... for now, here are some pictures from the wedding day that my awesome photographer posted on his blog.

Getting ready in the bridal suite! I loved my gown :) It has a lace up back so it took my matron of honor a long time to get it situated. She did an amazing job though!

My girls and I. Love them!

Some images from our first look.

Formal portraits!

Bridal portrait!

I loooove this image. I think I may use it on our thank you cards.

Sitting in front of fountain. Well, an empty fountain. I was nervous to do this because it was super muddy and we hadn't had the ceremony yet. I am glad we did though!

My handsome husband (yay!) and his brother David and best friend Jay before the ceremony. I think the photographer used a fish eye (?) type of setting or something.

My dad walking me down the aisle :)

The ceremony!

Just, you know, twirling in the park.

One of my faves!

The venue. It was amazing.

About to make our entrance as Lt. and Mrs. H!

First Dance :)

All of the rings.... Navy style!

I hope that everyone has been doing well! What's new in your world? I'm still on Hawaii time, haha. I'll be back and commenting on all of your blogs soon!