I FACED JILLIAN, LEVEL 2!

I didn't know what my problem was today - last week I was working out twice a day, going to kickboxing class AFTER a tough speed workout on the treadmill, and today I couldn't get my a$$ out the door for an easy 5 miler. I was in some pain due to the many battle wounds  paper cuts I sustained as a result of my paperwork organizing spree.

Of course, as usual, my biggest challenge was getting out the door and once I hit the pavement I felt the familiar relief to be running. I had a great run (in daylight, thanks to MLK!) where I enjoyed the whole thing and felt good the entire time.

My splits were:
9:27
10:14 <------ a huge hill + scary ice
9:17
9:42
9:15

So I felt pretty good about my time, I stayed at a comfortable pace for the whole thing. I stopped at the grocery store for "a few" things on my way home, and convinced myself while I was there to skip Jillian's Six Pack Abs, but since "a few" things turned into a whole grocery cart when I accidentally forgot I was walking home, I felt bad A$$ when I got back and my arms were on fire so I decided to go for it. As I told Eric "I already posted on the blog I'm doing it!". I couldn't let my droves of several readers down!

Level 2 was way more cardio intensive than Level 1; you are standing and using weights the majority of the time. I was out of breath for most of it. I am counting this as part of my twice weekly strength training (Level 1 counted too) and if you have done it, you know why. It wasn't quite as bad as I feared - I got through it! Could be worse when I get all the moves down and actually do them all correctly. Every single exercise was different from Level 1 except for my most hated exercise of all time - mountain climbers. So glad she stuck with those. (You balance on your hands in plank position and run your feet in place - it's brutal.)

My apartment complex is offering free yoga once a week! Tonight was my second time going and I really like it. If Bikram is like the marine boot camp of yoga, this is like the laid back jog with friends of yoga. If that makes any sense. It sort of sounds like a lot of exercise for one day, but I don't really count this type of yoga, since I don't get out of breath and its mainly for stretching and relaxing. I guess I'd consider it an "activity".

We made his and hers sloppy joes for dinner tonight. We loosely based them off this recipe, but subbed peppers and mushrooms for celery and skipped the ketchup, used less brown sugar, yadda yadda.....

Eric's had ground turkey and mine had this stuff - I just saw Jillian posted an article about the dangers of soy, and I usually follow her word like its gospel, but this was on sale.

It's not every wife that can simultaneously stir ground turkey and ground fake stuff as well as chop the veggies while her husband takes a shower. The turkey was extra challenging since I have no idea what its supposed to look like.

 

Uhhhh....just realized this story would make more sense if you knew I was a vegetarian - not sure if I've ever mentioned it on the blog and I do actually have a few non - family members who read it!

Anyway, this recipe is a total winner and I bet you couldn't even tell whose was whose based on just the looks! Haven't had sloppy joes in like....20 years?  I don't remember liking them that much as a kid but loved them tonight.

Now we're enjoying some homemade ice cream and crossing our fingers for SNOW!