Fitness: Motivation: Group Exercise

Lately, I have been thinking about what a huge difference exercising in groups can make in keeping you from derailing from your workouts.  When you join a running group, regularly attend an exercise class, or pay for a package of yoga/pilates/etc classes, you are held more accountable because it has become more of a social event than purely exercise.

As of late, I have joined a running group call CRW (Crew Runs the World), and I absolutely adore running with them. I found them through my marathon training team (Nike Women's Running Team Two Six Points Two) over the summer, and I am so glad I did! I cannot make it to every meeting, but I look forward to the runs I can go to.  I usually run to the location we meet at, and the last part of my long run for the week (given I can fit it in) is now something to look forward to.  I get to run and socialize during the last portion of my run.  It makes the time go by so much faster, and I am making some new friends along the way.  It is exciting to learn about the new people I surround myself with.  I also get excited to see the people I have met before at the last run.  When you join something like a running group, you can guarantee that you will have at least one thing in common with them and can chat with them about.  Chances are that these people will have even more in common with you than you think.  For instance, I am studying to be a teacher, currently in my student teaching phase of my degree, and there are numerous teachers in my running group.  It is fun to share my stories with them and go to them for counsel.

Again, running groups are not the only way you can exercise in a group setting and have this type of bond with others.  Here are some ways to be social and exercise:

• Join a local running/race training group
• Join an intramural sports team/create a team that meets at your local gym for a pick-up game once or twice a week
• Sign up for a dance class or attend Zumba with friends
• Purchase a yoga or pilates membership
• Go to a spin/cycle class
• Join an outdoor biking group 
• encourage your friends or family to sign up for an upcoming race (i.e. triatholon, mud run, spartan race, half marathon, 5K, etc) and train together 
• sign up for a boxing membership
• Attend a weights class or a strength training class (like TRX)
• sign up for a bootcamp 

These are only a few!  What is your favorite way to socially exercise? Comment below!

Healthy Recipes: Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese

Hey readers!

Top with a little extra paprika, salt, and pepper and you're good to go! I put lightly seasoned veggies on the side.

I made a pretty successful winter meal that I want to share with you.  If you have a lot of people to feed on a cold day, this is the perfect comfort meal that won't derail you from your health-related New Year's resolutions!  One of my favorites to warm me up after a cold day, aside from soup, is macaroni and cheese.

Here is what you will need (plus the nutrition calculated based off of 8 servings!):

 

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook and drain your macaroni.  Set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt your butter (yogurt butter).  Use a whisk to add flour with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  
• Gradually, add your milk to the mixture and keep whisking/mixing.
• Add the cheddar gradually, stirring as you go.  Make sure that you add this little by little, after you let the cheddar melt into the mixture.  Keep about 1/4 of the cheese to top your macaroni when you bake it.
• Place your macaroni in a pan.  Pour the mixture on top of the pasta, and make sure it distributes evenly.  Then, mix in some paprika with a little more salt and pepper.  Don't overdo the seasoning-you can always add more.
• Top the pasta with the remaining cheddar, and bake for 20-25 minutes.  It will be ready when there is a slightly browned crust on top of the dish.
• Divide into 8 servings, and enjoy!  Season to taste.

 

Hope you all are keeping warm right now!  What is your favorite winter meal?

Fitness: Cheap/Free Ways to Entertain Yourself When Exercising

Sorry I have been MIA during the holidays!  It has been crazy hectic on this end, but, I promise, all of my recipes and ideas are still being recorded in my phone, ready to become blog posts(:  And I am talking plenty of recipes(;

I have been looking for countless new ways to keep myself occupied with exercise, specifically with exercise that I find a little...tedious *cough* ellipitcal *cough*.  Just because I love to do it, it doesn't always mean that I am consistently enthusiastic and excited to work up a sweat on a stationary, hip torturing device.  Here are some (physical) ways to switch up your workouts.

• Do interval training
• fast pace for 30 seconds, 30 second break (and, if you're feeling super energized, try a few 60 second fast pace, 30 second breaks)
• Play with the resistance.  Climb a hill by adding a level every 30 seconds, play with your heart rate by increasing your pace, then climb back down.  This can be an interval and strength exercise.
• go backwards (for the elliptical specifically) -this can work the glutes more and cause muscle confusion (the only kind of confusion I like)
• Try a new sport/class
• Play basketball with friends, go to zumba, cycle indoors instead of out (or vice versa), rock climb, box, or learn how to strength train.  varying your workouts makes your routine...less routine(;
• Exercise to the music
• when running, walk during choruses as a break
• when doing intervals, speed up with your song or every chorus
• save these playlists for ONLY exercise, so they become something to look forward to when you hit the gym and become associated with workouts

As you know, I am a huge fan of audiobooks during my runs.  Now I have been trying podcasts during running and reading my new kindle (Thanks, Santa!) on the elliptical while doing my interval training.  

• Some books to try out on kindle or audiobook
• Hunger Games, Gone Girl, Bossypants, Why Are All of My Friends Hanging Out Without Me, Sylvia Day series, etc (if you ever need a book recommendation, I would LOVE to pass them along)
• Call a friend! (or bring one, which is even better!)
• This gives you a chance to catch up and bond.  Before you know it, 45 minutes will fly by!
• Netflix
• Watch it on your smartphone, tablet, or kindle when on a stationary machine.  It makes the time fly (if you're able to not sacficice your attention to your workout while using it these devices!) 
• It took me a long time to balance this stuff out.  Some days, I can.  Some, I can't.  Depends on my attention span and mood.  The workout comes first; I can always watch TV to relax afterwards.
• Podcast obsession: Serial
• These are free, and they are amazing!  This one specifically investigates a real murder case that was thought to be solved long ago.  The researcher wants to find the real story.

What is your favorite way to pass the time during a workout? Comment below!