some of my favorite workouts

I woke up this morning feeling so incredibly refreshed!  That extra hour of sleep helped I'm sure.  I love Daylight Savings Time! You get an extra hour of sleep and the sunshine streams in through the blinds helping to wake you up.  Poor Justin is not as much a fan of this added daylight - but he'll just have to get on board because it'll last for, oh you know, a couple of weeks =].

So, last night I bought us a blender after my run with all the hopes in the world of making us healthy smoothies for breakfast and snacks.  This, until I realized that I need to go grocery shopping for said healthy ingredients.  Insert my laziness here.  I'll get to the store on Tuesday.  I promise.  But I did have an Odwalla Superfood juice (absolute delicious fav), an english muffin, a banana, and a bottle of water for breakfast this morning.  And wouldn't you know it?  I felt great today during my hot yoga class.  Maybe there is something to this clean, healthy eating thing after all.  To be fair, I feel so hungry I could eat a cow right now...

It'll take me a while to completely convert to this type of thinking.  But at least I'm starting!

Today I thought I'd share a few of my favorite workouts in hopes of giving you some ideas to add to your workout routine.

Running
You can do this workout on a track or a treadmill.  Walk 1 lap. Run 5 laps (1.25mi).  Walk 1 lap.  Run 4 laps (1mi).  Walk 1 lap.  Run 3 laps (.75mi). (are you picking up the pattern yet?) Walk 1 lap. Run 2 laps (.5mi).  Walk 1 lap.  Run 1 lap (.25mi).  The key to this workout is interval training though.  The 5 laps can be moderate pace: for me that's about 9:40min/mile pace.  The 4 laps should be a bit harder: I bump it up to 9:20min/mile pace.  The 3 laps should be moving: 9:00min/mile pace.  The 2 laps you're going for it: 8:30min/mile pace. And the 1 lap should be a sprint: 8:00min/mile pace.  The walks in between each interval should keep your heart rate up but also give your legs a chance to rest.  I love this workout - I hope you try it!

Yoga
I recommend any type of hot yoga - but I am completely in love with what my studio calls Sculpt.  It's basically a toning class with weights in the hot room.  The music is loud and high energy.  The instructors are very encouraging.  I love it.  So go take a hot yoga class.  Don't think about it - just do it.

I have many more great running workouts and swimming workouts that I'll share in the future but I hope these give you some ideas.

What I'm thankful for today:

• November 3, 2013. I am so incredibly thankful for my husband.  Seriously! What a guy!  Being a newlywed isn't easy.  And being a newlywed to me?!  Well, wow.  Justin is just a saint.  He supports me and all my crazy ideas (like making him run a half-marathon with barely any training) and he just keeps on loving me.  I'm so blessed that Heavenly Father brought us together.  Our 1 year anniversary is 27 days away - and here's to many more.  Love you babe!      

Here we are with our niece Morgan on her birthday!