Music Motivation: My Weekly Top Ten #1

I'm done student teaching and gave myself a few days to decompress.  Therefore, I am back on my blogging game.  You can all sigh in relief now; I know you've been waiting on the edge of your seats for my next post (insert sarcastic hair flip here).

In all honesty, though, I am very excited to be able to post regularly again! I miss blogging, and I plan on making up for lost time through lots of tips and recipes.

I wanted to try something new out, which I call my Music Weekly Top Ten.  Being a spin instructor, I use music to drive the workouts in classes.  Naturally, I rely on music to push me a little bit further in my other workouts, whether it be running, cross-training, lifting, or kickboxing.

I do post all of my spin class playlists if you are interested.  My Facebook page is called Just Keep Spinning with Jordan Miroballi. This is where I screenshot and date all of my spin class playlists; they're organized by month.  I do themes, too, so check them out!


But, since there are a lot of playlists to choose from on that site, I thought that a weekly top ten for the blog would be fun and a lot more specific.  I hope you all enjoy them!

 My top ten songs for this week (in no specific order):
1. Mind - Skrillex and Diplo
2. Truffle Butter - Nicki Minaj
3. Poppin' Bottles - TI
4. I'm So Sorry - Imagine Dragons
5. What Kind of Man- Florence and the Machine
6. Run- Allison Wonderland
7. Primadonna - Marina and the Diamonds
8. Failure- Breaking Benjamin
9. Worth It- Fifth Harmony feat. Kid Ink
10. Lean On - Major Lazer



If you have any song suggestions for me, please leave them as a comment! Never stop; keep sweating!

Product Reviews: Siggi's Yogurt

Hi all!  I became an ambassador for Siggi's Icelandic Yogurt, as many of you who attend my spin classes know, and I personally sought to be apart of this program.  I love this brand, and I know that sometimes, healthy eating can be pricey.  This brand, usually on sale at Mariano's or Whole Foods (and other times Jewel), is organic, full of protein, natural sugar/flavors, and seriously delicious. 

Photo credit: http://siggisdairy.com/products/detail/skyr/strawberry/10/#sthash.b2ZXdYeH.dpbs

That being said, this yogurt is worth every penny. 

I wanted my spin class attendees to all to get a chance to try it by handing out coupons last week, as I announced beforehand on my facebook page (click here if you're interested).  If you attended last week and got a chance to try to yogurt, I would love your feedback!  Comment below on what you thought of Siggi's.  It would be greatly appreciated!

I wanted to give you my feedback on all of the flavors I have tried.  So far, they are all fantastic.  The thing that is consistent that I like about these yogurts is that they are high in protein and have creative flavors.  They are pretty yummy but do not overdo it with the sugar.  They are creamy but not too sweet.

• raspberry 
• This is a great flavor with a light sense of raspberry and vanilla.  I mixed this one with blueberries, banana, and strawberries.
• strawberry
• I liked this one a lot.  It is a simple flavor that pretty much every yogurt brand has down, but this has been the best strawberry flavored yogurt I have had so far.  Not overly sweet, but still delicious mixed with bananas.
• peach
• I usually do not like peach yogurt because it is too fake with the flavor.  It was natural and went great with just blueberries.
• mixed berries & acai
• This one was AWESOME with bananas and almonds!
• blueberry
• Again, a great flavor mixed with other berries.  I thought putting blueberries in it also would be overkill, but it was still good!
• orange & ginger
• This is one of my favorites because it is unique.  It has an equal balance of both orange and ginger flavor.  I was hesitant to try it because I am not a huge ginger fan, but it ended up being one of my favorites.  Blueberries were my go-to for this one.
• pomegranate & passion fruit
• This is my all-time favorite flavor for this brand.  I love this unique flavor.  It goes great with all types of berries and bananas as a topping.  
• pumpkin and spice
• This is a nice change of pace from regular yogurt flavors.  Sometimes, pumpkin flavored things are fake tasting and overly sweet, but this one was a slight pumpkin flavor with some cinnamon.  I enjoyed this one alone and with blueberries.
• vanilla
• It is hard to mess up vanilla, but it is even harder to make vanilla stand out.  I really, really liked it because it tasted like natural vanilla bean.  I topped it with all types of berries as well as bananas and almonds. YUM.

There are so many other types of products and flavors that I still need to try by them (like coconut or mango & jalepeno), but I can't say I have been disappointed yet.  This has been my favorite pre-workout or post-workout treat with chopped fruit and/or nuts.  I also love this snack to hold me over before dinner; it keeps me full until then!

If you want to check their website out, here is the link for Siggi's Yogurt.  You'll learn more about how the yogurt is made and the few ingredients they use (remember: less is more!). I hope you give them a chance; you won't be disappointed!

Healthy Recipes: Homemade Cereal Bars

As I meal prep for the week, sometimes grab and go snacks are the best option.  I remember buying cereal bars as a kid with the "milk" center, chocked full of sugar.  As if cereal these days wasn't sugary enough, they made those.

But.  They were SO GOOD.  I'll be the first to admit it.

Peanut Butter Cereal Base with a Dark Chocolate Drizzle!

I found this recipe on chocolatecoveredkatie.com and adapted it to the ingredients I had in my kitchen.  It was a great idea for one of those on-the-go type weeks in which you need to have breakfast or a snack ready for you as you fly out the door.  This is a nice adaptation because it has wholesome ingredients, no preservatives, and you can customize it to your taste.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Click here for Katie's Recipe, which is more like the milk and cereal type of bar I was describing earlier.  I gravitated towards a peanut butter-chocolate combination.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of peanut butter cereal (whole grain pb panda puffs brand is what I chose)
• 1/2 cup of oat flour (which you can make on our own by blending oats or using a food processor on them)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbs of peanut butter
• 5 tbs of honey
• Later, you will need another 1/3 cup of the cereal used earlier

Directions:

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.  
2. Combine the pb and honey in another bowl.  Microwaving the wet ingredients may help.  
3. Then, combine both mixtures.
4. Top with the last 1/3 cup of cereal
5. Place ingredients in a pan to combine and dry.

I added melted chocolate to the top of my cereal bars.  I hope these help you get through the week and that you enjoy them as much as I did!

Meal Prep: Ideas for Busy Fit Freaks

Hey all!

I know I have been truly slacking on the posts.  I have been extremely busy, and I thought a great way to take advantage of it is to share some of my meal prep ideas for those of you who need to pack meals and don't want to derail from your healthy lifestyle.  I will give you some of my ideas so far.  The idea is to prepare these things on Sunday before the week begins, after you've refreshed your fridge by grocery shopping.  Wash and chop your veggies and fruits ahead of time so you can grab and go.  Cook things like chicken, quinoa, or pasta ahead of time.  You put these all in tupperware, and then you are set to grab it each day of the week or throw things together quickly.

Breakfast

• overnight oats
• combine 1/2 cup of oats with milk.  Put in tupperware overnight.  Add yogurt or protein powder, and then toppings.  I like berries, nuts, or cacao nibs.
•  wraps/sandwiches (they can be for breakfast too!)
• Example: 1 whole wheat tortilla, banana/jelly/berries, peanut butter/almond butter
•  yogurt parfait
• Have greek yogurt ready in a container, then put toppings like granola, berries, nuts, cereal, bananas, etc in another tupperware.  Top when you're ready to eat your breakfast!

Quinoa

• cook 1 cup with 2 cups of water, then use it as a base for you dinners, salads, etc.  They're even great in wraps too!
• Example: Quinoa salad 
• Spinach, goat cheese, carrots, peppers, cucumber, hummus or dressing (on the side), lemon juice, avocado, chicken

Soup

• Combine lentils or brown rice with chicken or veggie broth to cook.  Then, add veggies and beans.  Chicken would be great for this, too!

Pasta salads

• cook pasta, put in chopped veggies (peppers, zucchini, cucumber, broccoli, carrots), throw in some beans, toss with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, top with a little bit of feta before you take it to work.

 Snacks

• pb energy balls
• Combine oats, honey, peanut butter, and chocolate chips into a food processor.  Blend, and then roll into two-bite balls for a quick snack
• Cut and wash your fruit or veggies ahead of time.  Then, take a small tuppeware container with hummus or peanut butter for a healthy quick snack.  Have pretzels or baked multi-grain crackers, too.
• hard boiled eggs 
• These are on of my favorite make-ahead ideas for the week because you can eat them alone, throw them in a salad, and so on.  

All meal prep takes is some planning, and you are ready for the week(:  It makes those busy nights where you don't want to cook or make a lunch for the next day a lot more bearable. 

What is your favorite make-ahead meal?

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!