It's All Good!

I LOVE THIS!! I actually just stumbled upon a blog I used to read in the past but had stopped for some reason ~ I think a lot happened when I made the switch from the Blogger platform to Squarespace....many of the blogs that I was following got lost in the transition. Anyway, not sure if any of you read Josh Hillis' blog, you can check it out by CLICKING HERE.

It was cool to read up on his latest posts and see that he's all about strong sexy women and training HARD. Like I've said before, if I'm SHOWING UP to workout, I'm gonna GO BIG OR GO HOME. I'm not here to superficially sweat! I'm here to make a difference! It got me really amped to hit the GYM. Usually I'm all about my home gym, but there is something to be said about going really heavy and hard on some moves that you can't do at home without a spotter. So, I'm gonna be mixing in some HEAVY time in the gym with my home gym workouts. Yummy!

I also....did my first 'official' weigh-in this morning on my Eat Smart Scale. Kids, the anticipation I had or the anxiety that I was STARTING to build up internally was pretty big. But then I recognized that destructive negative self-talk and stopped it. I stepped on the scale and Amen it was not as horrifying as I thought, I was kind of exactly where I had told my BFF Sherry I thought I would be. So-- I will inevitably share my #s with you all, LATER. Not yet. I'm taking baby steps ok?? 

I do love the scale- it's all digital and even measures by the quarter pound.....I was waiting for it to talk back to me and say WHOA GIRLFRIEND! YOU WANNA BACK UP THAT BOOTIE? COME ON NOW! SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE, LET'S DO THIS!! haha I should help them create a talking back scale. And then a talking REFRIGERATOR!! And pantry! Can you imagine? Every time you go to have an extra Klondike 100 calorie ice cream bar, you see a video that's like "Ain't that your second piece TODAY? Are you sure about that?" hehe

Later in April, we'll be doing some contests and giveaways with the Eat Smart folks, so stay tuned. I'm digging the bathroom scale. It's my friend. 

Now, I've been so delayed the past 2 weeks in announcing our winners from the Multi-Grain Cheerios Twitter parties!! So, our first winner was Ms. Julie of Adventure is Out There won the 2 Biggest Loser Cookbooks and food scale! WOOO!! And Miranda from Chicago won the Biggest Loser "video game"! WOO!! 

So, tonight, BOOM BOOM POW! I get to host another giveaway. I'm working with the folks at General Mills every Tuesday night to co-host Twitter chats at 7pm CST on Twitter- with Multi-Grain Cheerios and NBC's The Biggest Loser! (#client). Join us by jumping on Twitter and following the hashtags: #MGCheerios and #BL11! (#client). And tonight, we will choose a winner for this cool as heck fitness video game, AND your own box of Multi-Grain Cheerios!

You like that? No, it doesn't come with Bob or Jillian, for those of you that asked. I will tell you, I've always found Cheerios to be a yum cereal that actually has a reasonable serving size (um, not a tablespoon!) and low-cal, low-fat. I dig it. And now, new flavors! Sweet. 

They have a GREAT website set up with recipes and videos and tips; CHECK IT OUT HERE.

To be entered to win, leave a comment telling us the last time you had Cheerios, and if you have tried any of the new flavors. I PROMISE I'll announce our winners this Friday!! ;-)

Now- yesterday I shot a vlog and YouTube must've been having a rough day because it would NOT upload. So bear with me on this vlog actually from yesterday. I'll be back tomorrow!!

UPDATED: I just finished my workout (BOOYA to me for doing a workout this late in the day when I really "didn't feel like it"). I did 20 minutes of Cathe HIIT 30/30, followed by a Shoulder Circuit, designed by me. 

Circuit One:

• Front Raise 12x
• Lateral Raise 12x
• Bent over Raise 12x (Rear Delts)
• I used 8lb dumbbells here and did not stop between sets. BEFORE starting this circuit, my heart rate was up and then I ran up and down my stairs 2x, followed by 12 kettlebell swings with a 20lb kettlebell, followed by 16 plyometric plie squats, hands touching the floor each time. I did this circuit 3x, and in between each circuit, I did the stairs, kettlebell swings, plyo squats to keep my heart rate elevated.

Circuit Two: 

• Side Lateral Raise- single arm, at an angle. 12x each arm
• Upright Row - 12x, focusing on not hyperextending
• Overhead Press- 12x
• I used 8lb dumbbells for the side raises, 12lb dumbbells for the upright row and overhead press. NO pauses between sets, and between the circuits, I did the stairs/kettlebell/plyo squats as mentioned above. I finished the whole workout by taking 10lb dumbells, then 12lb, then 15lb and doing "static" overhead presses- where the range of motion is like 2 inches, it burns!! 

Overall Calorie Burn was: 380 calories. Breakdown: After the 20 minutes of HIIT I was at 167 calories burned, after the first circuit I was at 262 calories burned and then 343 after the last one, then a stretch. Only 50 minutes total! NOT bad.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you weigh yourself? Measure yourself? Or neither? 

YUM City!!

You like that? Do you watch NBC's The Biggest Loser (#client)? Do you dig Cheerios? Um, yea, join us with Multi-Grain Cheerios tonight at 8pm EST on Twitter while you watch the show. Follow the #MGCheerios hashtag and the #BL11 hashtag for The Biggest Loser.....tune in for great fitness gab, special guests and the chance to meet fitness fanatics from all over the country! WOO!! We love it!! 

One lucky winner will win this cool funky fresh fitness game you see above ANNNNDDD a box of Multi-Grain Cheerios, one of (in my opinion) the best tasting, lower calorie cereals out there. I like mine with Almond Milk. Yummy. 

Are you in? Can't make it? Leave a comment below to be included in the drawing anyway! Pass it on! WOOO!

Unpredictable Can Be Good.....AND PRIZES!!!! Booya!

WASSSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP????  

How are you kittens doing this fine Tuesday? It is Tuesday, isn't it? Y'all know that half the time I don't know what day it is, or what city I am in or what month it is. Embarrassing but whatevs! ;-) In fact, I am in NYC this week and talk about unpredictable- I landed yesterday and the temp outside was 63!! What the world?? Today it is 33 and tomorrow is supposed to be 53. Righto. 

Here are a few funny non-fitness observations of NYC from KO, a Chicago girl:

Many people think of Times Square when they think of NYC. I often have to stay in this area when I'm in town, since many of the conferences seem to locate in this vicinity. Time Square, like Vegas is SO NOT MY THING. What cracks me up about TV shows and movies that film in NYC is that they never show the trash situation here- did y'all know that the streets- I mean even Madison Ave and Park Ave -- are lined with trash like this at night and early morning: 

I was so like HUH?? when I saw it..but yea, you don't see that in movies.....trash bags on the sidewalks all over. Don't get me wrong, I love NYC. I don't mind visiting here at all - personally I would not want to live here, but that's just different strokes for different folks. I don't want to live downtown Chicago either, I'm a grass and trees kinda chick. ;-) 

Also, NYC cab drivers are like INSANE. That can usually be good if you want to get somewhere fast but they also are some guys (I have yet to have a female cab driver here) with serious anger issues. And I do believe that this may be the most expensive cab rides on the planet. Whatevs! 

Lastly, it is probably a good thing that when you live in NYC you walk everywhere because OMG there is a cute/adorable/yummy looking restaurants and cafes EVERYWHERE. I just found this precious little coffee shop with about 18,000 calories on display of full-on carbs. DAYUM! I also don't find New Yorkers to be mean/rude at all, but very friendly. They simply don't mince words, and that is something I am learning to do as well- stop worrying about trying to be overly NICE all the time and please everyone--- I've had to get rid of some people in my life that simply - well, I'm not gonna get into the details but suffice it to say, I learned the hard way that being NICE doesn't get things DONE. Being direct and up FRONT about things.....sometimes you gotta do it, and it can't be all polished and pretty 100% of the time.

MMM. Now I want a cappuccino. 

Also #FAIL on my part again- dumba** Kelly forgot the flipping CORD to my camcorder!! I have my camera, my remote, my tripod, my everything but I cannot upload today's sweaty vlog because I FORGOT. I was SOOOO not in the mood to pack on Sunday night--- I was like CLINGING to being in my house and having some semblance of a weekend, so I packed Monday morning in a hurry. Not ideal. 

So--- what I said in my vlog - after doing today's workout, which was Ilaria's BodyStrikes 2 DVD!! OMG killer, I love that woman!! 375 calories burned in 51 minutes!! WOOT! If you haven't seen a peek, here you go:

OMG She ROCKS. She's so funny, she like giggles when she says "Ok, let's do 3 more times, ok??". You like love to hate her. HIghly recommend this DVD. I did NOT do the Formerly-Psycho-Mindset of thinking I needed to do another hOUR of working out after this. Nope. Today is cardio only. Tomorrow is weights or TRX in my room, depends on how the day goes. ;-) 

My eats this week have been good. Monday was an "indulgence" day. I had my breakfast- Coach's Oats

and two scrambled eggs. Yummy. (no coffee!! What's up with that? My Tassimo is on my last nerve lately. I read that Starbucks is getting into the home pod thing soon- you know that makes KO happy.) Then at the airport I had a Starbucks Chai Tea Latte and something else- I think I got a cup of fruit and a lo-fat muffin, ate only the top of the muffin and got a tummy ache from the fruit. YIKKY. For dinner I had a steak salad with balsamic reduction- so good. Then I went out later with a colleague and had a BEER! OMG I haven't had a beer in AGES!!!!!!! It was yummy. I also had half of a buffalo chicken wrap that set my face on FIRE. Holy crap I think it made me sweat off 10 calories at least because it was so HOT. I also may or may not have had a chocolate chip cookie. 

Today, was "let's balance that indulgence day". I had a small but beautiful cappuccino for breakfast with 2 scrambled eggs. For lunch I had a tuna sandwich on whole wheat - not heavy mayo, very light. I had a chai latte. And then steak salad for dinner. Now I'm having green tea. And NO cookie, no badness. I'm fine with it. 

I’m working with General Mills as a panelist for the MultiGrain Cheerios Twitter Parties! Now, I want y'all if you are around to hop on over to Twitter tonight at 8pm EST for another round of these fun Twitter chats co-hosted by yours truly and Multi-Grain Cheerios! Tune into NBC's The Biggest Loser (#client) and our chat, for a cool fitness gab-a-thon. Look for the hashtag #MGCheerios or just follow ME baby! ;-) AND WHO WANTS TO WIN A PRIZE??

Ahhhh You LIKE THAT?? How about in addition that killer Biggest Loser Video Game- you can also have a box of the new Multi-Grain CHEERIOS! BOOYA!!!!

Tell me how much you love and want both of these in the comments- and I announce the winner on Friday! GO FOR IT PEOPLE!!! **

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you eat the same thing for breakfast every day, or do you change it up? I need to start changing it UP!!! Give me some ideas!!

**Disclosure- this prize giveaway was provided by General Mills.