32 Before 33: Run a 5K

The other day I registered for the Color Vibe 5k with some of my Momfriends. Running a 5k is one of my goals for the year. If you haven't seen my list of 32 Things to Do Before 33 check it out.

I was suppose to be doing a running challenge this month with Operation Snapback but our month has been packed and I haven't been able to participate as much as I wanted. When I do find time to run I forget to turn on the freaking app so it's been a bad month for me. 

I have been speed walking (like old ladies do) to pick Sav up from school several times a week though. That's got to count for something.

And yes, that is spit up on my shirt. The boys seems to do well riding in the stroller. When it's loaded it's pretty heavy and I get some good toning workouts in using it as a weight on a decline ramp. Save loves walking home from school too so it's been a win for us all.

Next month i have to step up my cardio if I'm going to make it thru a 5k. I don't want to be the slow one that's about to pass out!

What fitness goals are you working on?

Fitness Tips for Busy Moms

One of the goals I had for 2015 was to get in better shape. Doesn't everyone have that goal every year though? It seems that way. Anyway, it's practically April and I have managed to make fitness a bigger part of my lifestyle. 

I went from occasionally going to the gym to wanting and needing to workout. If I go more than two days without a workout I start to get that gym itch. Mentally, I have transformed into a person that desires to exercise. That little attitude shift has done wonders for me. 

If you're a busy Mom like me and are looking for ways to become more active here are some things that have worked for me...

1. Get a good stroller - I personally love my BOB stroller but any stroller made for jogging/running will work. Going for a walk or run is always a nice outing for the baby and a great way for you to burn calories.

2. Make a playlist filled with your favorite music - Put all your faves on a playlist. Grab your headphones and go. Music makes me want to dance a bit harder, walk a little longer and run faster. I also listen to music while I'm cleaning to help boost my heart rate a little.

3. Spend some time at the playground - I know we all take our kids to the playground but when was the last time you actually ran and played with them? Let me tell you, that is a good workout. You all will be so exhausted afterwards.

4. Make lunch easy with meal planning - I eat a salad for lunch almost everyday. It's easy to make. Its fast and it's healthy. Play around with different salads until you find one you love. Make sure you always have those things on hand to make lunch quick and healthy. 

5. Workout DVDs - DVDs are great to have as a plan B. Rainy days, sick kiddos or scheduling mix ups don't have to ruin your workout plans. Pop a DVD in while your baby is napping and get in as many minutes as you can. 

6. Drink plenty of water - It is recommended that we drink half of our weight in ounces of water everyday. Being well hydrated will help you make it through those tough workouts.

7. Snack healthy - As Moms, we are always on the go, keep some 100 calorie packs, nuts or a banana in your purse. 

8. Join a new fitness class - I have tried everything from yoga to pole dance to barre classes. As you know, I love barre class. Find a class that agrees with your body and where you are on your fitness journey. There are so many benefits to group fitness. I love the fact that the classes are led by instructors who know what they are doing. Once you become a fan of a class you'll quickly become a fan of working out in general.

9. Rest well - Quality sleep is so important. Get as much rest as possible.

10. Sneakers & Sports Bras - Either one of these will ruin your workout if they aren't good enough. Take some time to find the right fit in both.

11. Fitness Apps - Download a couple fitness apps. I really love the Nike Running app to track my walks and runs. The Nike Training Club app is full of workouts for all fitness levels. You can do them at home with little to no equipment. I also have the Pure Barre app on my phone. I can look at the class schedule and reserve my spot in class right from my iPhone.

12.  Get some workout buddies - I don't have any workout buddies (which is why I love group fitness) but I do belong to a fantastic group of motivating women via the internet. Operation Snap Back® is a movement that inspires women to reach their fitness goals. Our next fitness challenge starts April 1st. We'll be using the Nike Training Club app to push ourselves to get lean, get tone and get strong. Join us. You'll be glad you did!

13. Yoga ball, Yoga mat, dumb bells and fitness tube - These items are all you need for a good workout at home. The yoga ball even came with an instruction manual to help guide you through several different exercises. 

14. Pinterest - Pinterest is full of workouts. Just type what you're looking for in the search and lots of options will come up. You can literally find anything. And it's free!

15. Vitamins - A good multivitamin is always a nice addition to your fitness, beauty and wellness regimen. 

I hope my tips inspire you to take your fitness routine to the next level. You can do it! Don't forget to join me over at Operation Snap Back® for this month's challenge. It's going to be fun!

Leave your fitness tips, comments or questions below! 

Pure Barre: 10 Tips for Beginners & 5 Immediate Results

Okay. So as you might remember I attended my first Pure Barre class a few weeks ago. I instantly fell in love. Now that I've attended a good bit of classes I thought I'd share some tips for beginners and what results you can expect right away. (of course results will vary)

10 Pure Barre Tips for Beginners

1- Before attending your first class watch this video. I didn't find this gem until after my first class. My second class went so much better. When class is over ask questions about any movements you were unsure of. This will help you get the most out of your time in class.

2- Wear socks with sticky bottoms. Think of the socks they give out at the hospital. You want those. They'll have some available for purchase at the studio if you can't find them. Yoga pants/capris and tank tops seem to be the go-to look for class. Save your shorts for running.

3- Drink plenty of water before class. Being well hydrated will help with possible cramping in your arms, legs and core.

4- Remember that the smaller the movement the bigger the result. An inch is really an inch.

5- Embrace the shake (of your body) at the Barre.

6- Listen to your body. The instructor will give out modifications; use them if you need to.

7- Don't give up. Push yourself to stay with the workout.

8- Don't be late. Class starts on time and you don't want to miss the warm-up.

9- Bring a friend. Trying something new is always easier when you have familiar face with you.

10- Focus on yourself, your body and your fitness goals for 55 minutes. You'll be glad you did.

5 Immediate Results of Pure Barre (that I experienced)

1- After my first class I had an amazing mental shift. If you like the feeling of being challenged and pushed then you'll love Pure Barre. Like me, you will probably be addicted after your first class. Before Pure Barre I liked working out but now I must workout. I'm on a different level mentally than I was before with my fitness goals and workout regimen. 

2- It only took about three classes for me to start noticing that I was becoming more tone. My abs and "seat" are already feeling and looking so much better. My husband even mentioned that he could tell Pure Barre was agreeing with my body.

3- Becoming more flexible is another fitness goal of mine. During class you'll stretch yourself out a lot. My flexibility has improved since my first class. My nose is getting closer and closer to my knee.

4- I like to think that being apart of a class like this is a twofer. Not only do I get an amazing workout but I also get to have a sense of community that I can't say I had before. My schedule doesn't allow me to take the same class time every week but I do notice that many of the ladies know each other. I consider making new friends a huge benefit to taking this class or starting any new hobby.

5- My fit-esteem (a word I'm pretty that I just made up. so here's a definition. {fit * eh-steem} - the way one feels about his/her fitness goals. Ex. "My fit-esteem is so much better since starting my classes at Pure Barre. ) is so much better. Every time I make it through a class I feel so much better about myself and what I just accomplished. It's evidence that I am so much stronger (physically and mentally) than I ever gave myself credit for before. I have raised my own "Barre" and I know now that I am capable of doing so much more with my body.

my goal is to get on my highest tippy toe with that leg higher and straighter

I'm telling you if you haven't tried a class yet you're missing out. If you're in San Antonio the location here is super friendly. I've had several instructors and they have all been great. Is there a Pure Barre in your area? Have I convinced you to try a class yet?

Pole Fitness Experience

In an effort to keep getting fit fun I tried out a pole fitness class last night. I had heard great things about these dance classes so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try them out. There's only one pole studio here in San Antonio and that's how I ended up at Soft Sensuous Moves.

The reviews for the studio online were great. My expectations were really high and SSM did not disappoint.  Before class we all had to choose a name for our alter ego. I chose the name Caramel. It was the only thing I could come up with on the spot. I kinda wish I had known we'd have to pick names before hand. I'm one of those crazy girl's that actually cares about what my fake stripper name is. I think I picked a good one though.
My instructor was Victoria Contortia. I wish I had taken a pic with her. Her teaching style was so direct but fun. She made everyone in the class feel very comfortable. During the "Try Me Out Pole" class we learned a lot; more than I was expecting in an intro class. The fact that all of the women in class were doing spins by the end of class speaks to the talent of the instructor. All of the women in my class were completely different. We were all at different stages in our fitness journeys.

After this class I have to say that I have a whole new level of respect for strippers, exotic dancers (because I'm not sure if those are two different job titles) and all other women of the pole. You have to be in some serious shape to do this for a living. Dancers definitely earn their dollars. 

Have you tried a pole fitness class? Do you plan to try anything new to change up your workouts?
*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I paid for my own class. This review is based on my own experience with Soft Sensuous Moves.

Weekend Recap: Soccer and a 5K

This weekend was pretty busy. And full. I'm currently participating in a run challenge with my girls in Operation Snapback™. Our challenge is to run thirty miles in thirty days. There was a free 5k being offered on base in support of Suicide Awareness. I thought I'd go for it. 

I was lucky enough to be given my hometown area code as my running number. My naive mind took that as a good sign. That 5k kicked my butt.

I'm a treadmill runner. I want to become a street runner. Saturday's run let me know that I have a ways to go before that becomes a reality for me.

A couple hours after the race we had to trek over to Savannah's first soccer game of the season. It was also team picture day for her team. When I tell you it was hot out there...

Despite the heat we had a great time. Watching a bunch of three to five year olds play soccer has got to be one of the most entertaining things I've done since becoming a Mom. Sav scored one goal and had two assist during the game. Not too bad for her first game. I was so proud of her. I literally jumped out of my seat when she scored.

Sunday after church we headed to the mall to grab some sneakers for Savannah's first day of school. They aren't allowed to wear open toe shoes to school and I didn't realize that all she had in her size at the moment was sandals until the night before school. Mommy fail. 

Anyway, her first day of school was a success. I'll be talking more about that later this week. I hope you all had a great weekend!  Any big plans for the week?

Running With Babies: Who Run The World?

Hey Ladies.

I just had to come here and share an achievement of mine. I would have never considered myself a runner before. When I was trying to pull it together for our trip to Vegas I started stepping up my cardio. That was big for me because I've never been a cardio girl. I'd take a walk with you all day but running was not something I was interested in unless I was being chased or I was chasing a baby.

The more I ran the more I liked it. Even though I couldn't run for very long at the time I still enjoyed the  way it made me feel. Then a friend of mine started the whole Operation Snapback movement and our first challenge was to run 26.2 miles this month.


I decided that I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of me conquering this challenge. By the end of this month I could be a runner. Today was the longest run I've ever done. I was into it too. Once Savannah started asking to leave the gym I knew I had to wrap it up, but I think I had at least one more mile in me.
I felt so strong afterwards.


One of my Flirty30 resolutions was to be in the best shape of my life. I think I'm well on my way. You couldn't tell me nothing when I left the gym today! I am sharing this story to remind you that no matter what your goal is you can do it. Don't let kids, husbands, work and all that other stuff keep you from achieving your goals. Do it and celebrate the small milestones along the way.

Four miles today could turn into a marathon tomorrow.