Workouts in Review Week IV

March 2- 7

Sunday
Because of the storm forecast, I did my long run on Saturday as I discussed in my previous post. So, Sunday was a Rest Day!

Monday
Renegade Strength

Tuesday
Renegade Metabolic
3 Miles

Wednesday
Renegade Strength
6 Miles

Thursday
Renegade Metabolic

Friday
10 Miles in Tampa! It felt glorious to run around my old neighborhood - Carrollwood again. It was somewhat cool in Tampa, but my lungs could feel the difference in climate and humidity. It was nice to actually get out and run, and not have to be concerned with ice and snow. And, I wore shorts and a tank. It was an overall happy run, to say the least!

Saturday
Rest Day!

Pageant Prep began at noon with professional make-up by a former classmate of mine!

Mileage This Week: 19 Miles. A little under my goal, but my long run was pushed early to the previous Saturday, and I had planned a short run on Monday, but it again was too cold outside. I am really over winter! At this point, I will gladly take 30 degree weather for a few weeks, not even being optimistic that we see 60s.

Renegade Classes This Week: 4

Question of the Day: Do you try to workout when you travel?

Michelyn

Pageant Gowns Seen at the Oscars 2014

Are you over award season and all the gowns? If so, don't continue reading any farther because I have a post today about the recent Oscars! Well, can you blame me? I've got pageant gowns on the brain, and just could not not post about some of the gowns worn down the red carpet that I could also see a pageant contestant adorning.

 

I will be honest, the evening gown competition is my favorite! My all-time favorite evening gown (EG) is the one I wore when I won Miss WI USA 2008. 

Not the best picture of the dress, but I also wanted to post a picture of one of my pageant besties, Ashley Rich, who blogs over at If You Give a Girl a Ring. On Monday she posted a cute recap of her top Oscar dresses, in typical pageant style, the Top 13! Ashley's blog is super cute. Every Wednesday, she does "Wedding Wednesdays" where she discusses various aspects of her recent marriage to her hubby! And, her wedding was fabulous! Her gown was to die for and she used the same wedding photographers, Bellow Blue!

Since I am emceeing the Miss Suncoast and Miss Nature Coast pageants tomorrow, can you tell that I am excited, I wanted to share a few Oscar dresses that I could envision gracing the Miss America or Miss USA stage!   

Lupita Nyonga's dress was absolutely breathtaking on the red carpet, and an overall beauty for a pageant! The color was on point, as was the train and cuts of the dress.

Kate Hudson's gown was a looker as well. I love the deep plunge in front, not crazy about the cape-action in back, that would need to be removed. I think this number would be stellar in black for a pageant!



 

One question, does Jada Pinkett Smith age? Lord have mercy, this woman is stunning! I loved the color of this dress, and how to accentuates her small waist and killer arms. I keep going back on forth on the chiffon shoulder train... If this was for a Miss America pageant, I would recommend that the contestant keep it. However, if a Miss USA contestant was looking at a similar style, I would recommend a higher slit in the front, a key whole opening in the chest region, and no chiffon train from the back.

 

 

Closing out my list is Nancy O'Dell. I actually have a very similar dress that is short. This dress could be taken directly from the red carpet to the pageant stage with no alterations!

 



Question of the Day: Which celebrity did you think was best dressed?

Michelyn

Fabletics Review

I have a slight obsession with workout clothes which I am sure is not a surprise given the amount of physical activity I engage in weekly. So when Jocelyn (Remember her?) asked for some opinions on a pair of workout pants a few weeks ago that she got through Fabletics, I figured I should give it a try!

So, what is Fabletics? 

Co-founded by Kate Hudson and the founders of JustFab, Fabletics delivers high-performance athletic wear at an affordable price. Fabletics apparel focuses on fit, function and style, offering complete, coordinated Outfits for your workout and beyond. All of our high-quality apparel and accessories are designed in sunny Los Angeles. (Wish I lived there :) )

How does it work?

1. Create Your Lifestyle Profile - Take our quick lifestyle quiz so we can get to know you better.
2. Receive Personalized Outfits - Each month, you'll find new outfits hand-selected just for you and your workouts.
3. Shop! - Buy the outfits you love or skip the month altogether. There's never any obligation to buy.

I became a member and ordered two outfits!

Outfit #1

Switch Back Tee + Lima Flex Capri + Vaasa Sports Bra

Review: This whole ensemble is SUPER cute; I got so many compliments when I wore it on Monday. The capris are very comfortable and actually have a key pocket in the right hip area, so I can wear these to run too. The top is loose and has a knot-style in the back. Overall, I would not recommend the top and sports bra for a cardio-intense session. I did flash a few people while doing burpees and trying to manipulate the straight bar! (They saw my stomach and sports bra, not my actual breasts!) The top is super light, but in a positive way, and I could even imagine wearing this outfit as a casual Saturday errands type of style. The sports bra does not provide a terrible amount of support, but the back is cute too. I could imagine the sports bra being appropriate for a yoga session, if I ever get myself around to incorporating that into my fitness routine. 

Style: A +

Workout Functionality: C

Outfit #2

Kumo Tank + Camacan Capri

Review: I too got a compliment on this top, but not nearly as many as outfit #1. The top has a cute back, as you can see in the first picture, but I had to add an old sports bra for extra support. If you are heavily endowed in the chest region, you will want/need to add an additional sports bra, or you may have some troubles wearing this outfit! I like the colorful details on the sides of the pants, although they are a different material and fit than the Lima Flex Capri. 

Style: B

Workout Functionality: B - (only because I had to add a sports bra)

On the first of each month, you receive an email notice that your outfits have been chosen. I chose not to order anything for this month, since nothing jumped out at me. I am contemplating changing my profile since to strictly indicate running as my preferred activity. I originally picked the general category. But I could always keep it the way it is and look out for additional casual/fitness attire, which is nice for being at home and doing errands. Did you forget that I work from home so my daily attire is workout/casual wear! 

Question of the Day: Would you want to try Fabletics? If so, contact me, I can send you the link!

Michelyn

What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW): 3.3.14

Public Service Announcement: Toledo Basketball Edition

Congratulations to the University of Toledo Men's Basketball program for winning their final away game last night verse Central Michigan. We still have one last home game of the regular season on Saturday, but we have already surpassed a school-record with 25 wins! We have also clenched either the 1st or 2nd seed in the upcoming MAC tourney! More about this after Saturday's game!

Breakfast

No, there is nothing wrong with your screen! Indeed, my oatmeal is green because of the Swanson's Green Food that has been included. And, before you turn up your nose, give it a try. There really is no flavor, at least in the plain green food that we have on hand currently. They also carry flavored kinds that you can find in many health stores, I will et you know what I think of those when I decide to get adventurous.

Not only does my oatmeal have 1Tbsp of "greens" but also a scoop of protein powder, and 1/2 c organic frozen mixed berries. I purchased a huge bag of the organic berry mix at Costco's. Yes, the same kind that was recalled back in June 2013 for a hepatitis recall. Oh how comforting; NOT, yikes not the thing you want to learn when googling a food item that you've been consuming for a few weeks now!

Has anyone else tried this creamer? It was eh, in my opinion. I do not think I enjoyed the cinnamon flavor in my coffee. And somehow I forgot to buy more creamer at TFM and have been drinking my coffee with almond milk which is not that great either, major fail on my part!

Snack

I got really creative for my Snack #1, just kidding. This is 1/2 C greek yogurt with 1 Tbsp "greens," my favorite WOW sweetener, and 1/2 C mixed berries. I keep a small container of the frozen berries in my fridge for easy access to my breakfast dishes and snacks!

Lunch

After a quick "lunch-break" run, I ate this yummy Red Pepper Soup, recipe later. I made the base of the soup, and then simply added 4 oz boiled chicken and 2oz (dry) quinoa noodles. (I did cook the noodles before putting in my ready-prepared broth. ) I figured this was the simplest way to monitor the amount of protein and then I can add the quinoa pasta when I consume the soup after workouts.

Dinner
After work I got my nails and eyebrows did, and I was simply not feeling the whole cooking idea. I was contemplating making some tilapia, its in the fridge, but I was lazy so I headed to TFM and got some carb-free sushi.

California sushi minus the rice, score! Pretty sure the imitation crab is not high on the clean-eating diet, but whatevs!

Snack / Dessert

OMG! If you have not tried a Quest bar, then you are missing out, and especially the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar baked in the oven!!!

I cut the bar into fourths and placed on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. I accidentally burnt the bottoms a tad, but this was pretty darn dreamy. I also had 1/2 C almond milk to complete the whole effect! Yums!!!

Questions of the Day: What Quest recipes have you tried? Did you know you could "cook" them?

Michelyn

Toledo Tough: Week in Review & Preview

Weds, Feb. 26th @ Nothern Ill 66-74

Losses are never fun, but sometimes occur towards the end of a great season. What is best about this loss is that the player's were able to turn it around later in the week!

• Toledo leads the all-time series vs. Northern Illinois by a 41-24 margin. The Rockets are 5-7 at NIU’s Convocation Center with five losses in their last six visits to DeKalb
• Toledo was held under a 45.0 FG% for just the ninth time this season and is 6-3 in those contests.
•  UT lost for the first time in 17 games when leading at halftime.
• Toledo’s 12 steals marked a season high against an NCAA Division I opponent.
•  Pearson grabbed a season-high six offensive boards to give him a team-best nine in the contest. He has also led the Rockets in scoring nine times this season to rank second on the team.
• Junior guard Julius Brown tallied four assists to move into third place on UT’s all-time helper list with 520.

Notes courtesy of the University of Toledo Athletic Department

Sat, Mar 1 vs Western MI 96-85 (OT)

If you were not at Savage arena or if you were one of the many fans that left early, welp, you missed the BEST GAME of the season, hands down! Oh, and if you wanted to observe any of the behaviors that I discussed in my post about taking over the reigns for Coach Kemp, well they were all on display plus much more! Wow! And the video highlight:

• Toledo now leads its all-time series vs. Western Michigan by a 79-58, including a 52-14 mark vs. the Broncos in Toledo.
• Toledo’s 96 points were its most in Savage Arena vs. an NCAA Division I team since a 103-66 win over Wright State on Dec. 22, 2003.
• Junior guard Justin Drummond scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He also notched career bests in free throws made (12) and free throws attempted (15) and a season-high eight field goals.
• Junior guard Julius Brown registered his eighth career double-double and his fourth of the season with 18 points and 10 assists. He also sank 9-of-10 free throws to raise his team-best percentage to 87.8 percent.
• Freshman guard Jonathan Williams scored nine points and was perfect on his five free throw attempts. He is now shooting 83.6 percent from the charity stripe.
• Sophomore center Nathan Boothe scored 13 points and tied for the team lead with eight rebounds. He also hit his second three-point field goal of the season and fourth of his career.

Notes courtesy of the University of Toledo Athletic Department

This Week

Tues, Mar 4 @ Central MI

Sat, Mar 8 vs. Eastern MI

Question of the Day: Are you excited about March Madness?

Workouts in Review Week III

Feb. 16-22

Sunday
Sunday was my official last day at the gym. The gym that I was frequenting was a 24-hour facility which provided its members key-fobs during non-staffed hours. Upon arrival to the gym, I discovered that my key-fob wasn't working, but at the time, the realization that my membership had been revoked had slipped my mind. Luckily, as I was struggling with the front door, an older gentleman was departing and allowed me in. While engaging in my "active rest day" activities, I realized that other members were not having difficulties with the door, and this is when it dawned on me that my key-fob had been discontinued for good reasoning. Upon return to the house, I realized that they, indeed, had not withdrawn money from our account. Whoops! I was technically using the gym, and not a member! Oh well, I will not do that again, I hadn't realized, so it was an innocent act.

Active Rest Day:
35mins each - elliptical and reclined bicycle

Monday
5 miles (outside)

What has meal and workout planning taught me thus far? Simple, plan the week and follow it, no excuses! I know, this is can be challenging at times, and I succumb to not following this simple rule. Case in point - Sunday and Monday. I had planned to run 10 miles on Sunday, and then talked myself into postponing the run until Monday, since I did have the day off, right?! Wrong. Sunday was the ideal day to go running. The sun was out, in the mid-20s and no wind. Although the forecast states that Monday was warmer, I am not sure, it just wasn't a running day and the winds had picked up, at least by the time that I finally trekked out for my run. At first step, I knew that my planned 10 miles, would be cut short. And it was... I turned around at 2.5 miles, simply because I wasn't feeling it.

Tuesday
Renegade Metabolic

Wednesday
5 miles (outside)

Thursday
Rest Day

Friday 
Renegade Strength
8 miles (outside)

I am almost over talking about the deer, as it seems that I see them at least once a week on the trail. I think they smell me coming, and then come out to say "hello." On Friday, I swear if I reached my hand out, I would have been able to touch one! Maybe they know I am nice?

Saturday
Renegade Mix (Strength + Metabolic)

Mileage This Week: 18 miles
Renegade Classes This Week: 3

Like I shared in Week IIs post, I yearn to run between 25-30 miles/week broken into four runs. Unfortunately, I only logged three runs. I did, however, get my goal of three Renegade classes, and was able to get a good mix of strength and metabolic classes. With the weather calming down, I am certain that I will be able to meet my running goals!

Michelyn

Workouts in Review Week IV

Feb. 23-March 1

Sunday
12 miles

Monday
Rest Day

Tuesday
Renegade Strength
3 Miles

Wednesday
8 Miles

Thursday
Renegade Metabolic

Friday
Renegade Strength

Saturday
16 miles
Wow! I really surprised myself by running this many miles in one stretch.

Mileage This Week: 39
Mileage for February 2014: 86 (not including Saturday's run)
Renegade Classes This Week: 3

My overall mileage is a little over my goal, but with the impending storm that was predicted on Saturday evening that was to carry-over to Sunday, I switched my plan. Overall, it worked in my favor since I knew that mother nature was not going to be on my side on Sunday, and I simply erased my run from Thursday, which was advantageous as the weather was frigid Thursday and Friday.

Questions of the Day: How did you workouts go for the week? How is the weather affecting your weekly goals?