Work it Out: Focus T25

There is one big part of my life that I rarely discuss on the blog, and I am not really sure why that is. It is something I do almost every day and have done for over 10 years. It is a more consistent part of my life than baking, shopping, wedding planning, or anything else I discuss on this blog. It's exercise!

I may or may not have mentioned before that I used to be a huge gym rat. I attribute part of that to the sports that I played in high school. To stay in shape for basketball I would do a lot of weight training and running.

During college, my main form of exercise was the elliptical. I loved it because I could workout and study (or read a magazine) at the same time. After college I found spinning and was totally obsessed with it. In grad school, however, looking to cut back on some expenses, I dropped my gym membership, which meant no fancy weight training machines, no elliptical, and definitely no classes.

For the first time in 10 years I was on my own for my workouts. But as much as I enjoyed working out, I was just not motivated enough to make myself jump rope or do squats for an hour. I needed some help, which is how I got into workout videos! And trust me, I have tried just about all the main ones - P90X, Insanity, Zumba, TurboFire to name a few. Some did not last very long, but some have become regulars in my workout rotation.

Today, I wanted to share my thoughts on one of one of the newer workout programs to pop up, Focus T25. The T25 workout is the latest brain child of Shaun T, the creator of Hip Hop Abs and Insanity.

Basically, the idea behind T25 is that they are 25 minute workouts, broken out into 3 phases: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Each phase get progressively harder and within each phase there are about 5 workouts that basically cover cardio, circuit training, resistance, and abs. Simple enough, right?

The T25 workout is great for people who are trying to transition to a higher intensity workout. If you are just starting a workout program, one great thing is that they do offer a lower intensity modifier. It is also good for people that are short on time and looking for something that will still break a sweat. But if you are just looking for a quick high intensity workout, skip the Alpha phase.

 

I think what I like the most about this workout is that it is customizable. If I only have time for 1 workout, I can do that. Or, if I want to do a longer, full body workout, I can mix and match.

However, if you are in tip-top shape and looking for a workout that is so heart-poundingly intense that you can't get through the whole thing, this might not be the one for you. Or at least not your every day workout. I didn't find this workout to be nearly as hard as Insanity, which I consider to be a really tough workout. But like I said above, if you are looking for a transition from your current moderately intense workout to one like Insanity, this will be great!

Have you tried T25? Do you like it? Any other workout programs you think I should try?

Also, Happy Halloween!!!

Crowd Pleasers

This past Sunday we had our small group over for bible study. The first time I hosted, I did it all wrong. I made 3 different kinds of pizzas and had a ton of little appetizers for people to nibble on, which meant that I was in the kitchen all day and through half of the bible study. This time around I wanted to give myself a break. So I made two types chili (we have vegetarians in our group) and apple turnovers, all of which were super easy to make and I could either prep ahead of time, throw in the slow-cooker, or whip up in a few minutes.

The vegetarian chili I made is a recipe I have adapted from a vegan chili recipe over on Oh She Glows over the years. It is hearty and delicious, and you don't miss the meat at all.

The main ingredients are black beans and sweet potato, and filled out with lentils, onion, and bell pepper. Taking note from OSG, I flavor it will barbeque sauce and some liquid smoke so it has a nice, rich flavor.

The beef chili recipe was a new recipe B and I sort of came up with together,and let me tell you, it was freaking delicious. I have to give the credit to B, because it was his idea to use bacon, and what isn't made better with a little bacon?

I cooked up some bacon first, then cooked the beef in some of the bacon grease. After the meat was all cooked, I cooked the veggies in the bacony-meaty goodness left in the pan, then added everything to the slow cooker to just melt together.

Instead of making 8 different types of deserts like last time (I get excited when I have an excuse to bake), I made 1 - an extremely easy apple turnover. Of course I still had apples to use, so I whatever I made was going to involve apples.

I loved this recipe, adapted from Taste of Home, because I basically just cooked up the apples, spooned them into store-bought puff pastry sheets, and baked them. Could not be easier, and they were a huge hit!

To view and print the Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili recipe, click here.
To view and print the Smokey Bacon Chili recipe, click here.
To view and print the Apple Turnover recipe, click here.

Weekend Block Party

So, what are you doing for Happy Hour? Here's what I hope my weekend looks like:

 

I will have to work this weekend, but B and I are going to make some time for some college football!

Click to tweet about the Block Party! Like our party? Add our new button to your link up page & let us know that you did! <a href="http://www.krystalskitsch.com/search/label/block%20party" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/9679844742_159d422631_o.png" width="200" height="200" alt="Weekend Block Party Blog Linkup"/></a>   Meet your AMAZING hostesses: Ellie from Creative Geekery Rachel from Can't Google Everything & North East Bloggers Network Krystal from Krystal's Kitsch AND Sunny Soirees Lindsey from Follow the Ruels & Our Featured Bloggers!    

Everything Happens for a Reason // Confessions of a Mommyaholic // But First, Coffee // Talkative TLC

 

We had a pow wow and decided that these ladies were dedicated to our little link up, and they each have an AWESOME blog! Krystal has been reading Everything Happens for a Reason for YEARS, and each of the other co-hosts loves these blogs too! Want a spot on our Weekend Block Party Blog Crush Board? We will be choosing from the Bloglovin' list so make sure you are listed there so we can crush on YOU!

 

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Favorites

This week has been brutal. When you go on vacation, or are just away from your job for a while and then come back, isn't work so much harder? Granted, I would call the week I took off for the wedding a "vacation", but it wasn't work. And even though this is my second week back, it is just killing me. I'm sure I'll get back into the grove. But it doesn't help that work is especially rough this week

Anyways, on to my favorites!!

<center> <a href="http://followtheruels.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="FollowtheRuels" src="http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/followtheruels/FFaves_zps6c1a013e.png"/></a></center>

Link up with Jennie and me and share your favorites! Make sure you grab a button, follow your host, and say hello to other bloggers!

FAVORITE PURCHASE

Gap sweater dress (like wearing a giant sweatshirt)

FAVORITE VIDEO

Can I please adopt this child?

FAVORITE LIST

Yes, this is the AP Top 25. And yes, that is Baylor at #6!!!

FAVORITE RECIPE

Crocpot applesauce - if you happen to have 15 lbs of apples on hand.

What were your favorites from the week?

Celebrity-versary

You know how when you first begin a relationship, you celebrate every little anniversary - 2 weeks, 1 months, 3 months, 6 months, etc. That first anniversary is a big deal! Then from there you probably acknowledge the milestones between year 1 and year 2. For B and I, after year 3, we really stopped celebrating anniversaries. Hell, our 5th dating anniversary was last month and we both forgot!!

Marriage anniversaries are a little different. I hope B and I acknowledge and celebrate every year. Even if it's just a quiet meal at home.  But just like that first year of a relationship, we have already started celebrating the mini-milestones. However, instead of counting by weeks or months, we are counting by celebrity marriages!

We have already been fortunate enough to celebrate our Britney Spears and Carmen Electra anniversary. Our Mario Lopez-Ali Landry is next week. The big one will be the Kim Kardashian anniversary. I think for that one, B is going to rent out the Charlotte Knights ball park and propose to me all over again on the jumbo-tron*.

If we can make it to our Kenny Chesney - Renee Zellweger anniversary, well, then we will really know we've made it.

Here are all the celebrity-versaries we have to look forward this year!

2 days - Britney Spears and Jason Alexander
9 days - Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman
18 days - Mario Lopez and Ali Landry
26 days - Axel Rose and Erin Everly
72 days - Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries
107 days - Lisa Marie Presley and Nicholas Cage
122 days - Pam Anderson and Kidd Rock
163 days - Drew Berrymore and Tom Green
205 days - Elizabeth Taylor and Conrad Hilton
218 days - Jennifer Lopez and Chris Judd
225 days - Kenny Chesney and Renee Zellweger

Do you do anything fun to celebrate your anniversary?

*I hope you got that this was an obscure reference to Kim and Kanye's engagement. 

10 Pieces Every Woman Should Have by 30

I recently came across this post over on Who What Wear, and I decided to take my own inventory of how I am doing with this list. I have about a year and a half until I hit 30, so I have some time to complete any of the pieces I am missing.

1. A Trench Coat

I do own one trench coat, but it is green and I got it on sale at the Gap about 5 years ago, so I don't think that counts. One day, I would love to own a Burberry trench coat, but I doubt that day will be before I'm 30.

2. A Respectable Luggage Set

Thanks to our wedding registry, I do own a nice luggage set. Check that off the list! We registered for the DVF luggage, mainly because it is lightweight, yet durable, and it is not black or navy like all other luggage sets.

3. A Made-By-You Vintage T-Shirt

I have a ton of t-shirts left over from college. One of my favorites is the very first Baylor shirt I got while visiting campus as a senior in high school. But, my absolute favorite is a shirt that my dad wore when he was a student at Notre Dame, so it really is vintage. Unfortunately, I can't find it! I am sure it got tucked away during our last move, but I am going to be really upset if I lost it. 

4. A Gift To Yourself

Well, I have probably gotten myself lots of gifts over the years. I like to buy myself new purses or shoes for my birthday. But none of those things have been terribly expensive. Maybe for my 30th birthday I will get myself an extra special gift.

5. A Signature Accessory

I don't own or wear a lot of jewelry on a day to day basis. It was even a struggle at first to remember to put my engagement ring on after a shower. At this point in time, though, my signature accessory is the necklace that B got me on our first anniversary. It is the one thing, other than my wedding rings, that I wear every day.

6. A Go-To Interview Blazer

JCrew

I don't go on interviews very often, which I guess is a good thing. If I had to go on an interview tomorrow, I can't actually say that I have an interview blazer. The only "work suit" I own doesn't quite fit me anymore, so I should probably update my interview blazer.

7. Solitaire Diamond Earrings

Tiffany and Co

I know that B thought about getting me earrings as a wedding gift, but he didn't go through with it. (Don't worry, what he did end up getting me was even more awesome). Maybe the earrings will be gift I give myself on my 30th birthday. Kill two birds with one stone (or two)!

8. A Sexy Set of Lingerie
Well, this is none of your business. But I did just get married and have a lingerie shower, so you can jump to your own conclusions.


9. A Designer Wallet

Does a Kate Spade wallet count? If it doesn't then I choose this one. I'm not sure I would want to spend an arm and a leg for a wallet because mine get pretty beat up. Why spend $500 on something that is just going to get pen marks and lipstick stains all over it?

10. A Lipstick Shade the Suites You

I'm not a lipstick wearer, but I have recently found the best shade of lipstick for me. I love it! I bought it to wear for my wedding, and since then I have convinced 3 other people to buy the same shade, Rose. It's just universally flattering. And this Chanel lip gloss is pretty amazing. It stays on no matter how much eating, drinking, or kissing you do!

Can you think of any other pieces a woman should have before she turns 30? Or are there any listed above that you don't think are necessary?

A Bushel and a Peck and a Recipe

This past weekend, with no wedding planning to do, I wanted to get out of town and do something B and I have never done before: apple picking!

I had no idea what to expect. Like, how long it would take, how much it would cost, how much effort I would have to put into actually picking apples, etc. And not that I didn't think it would be fun (it was my idea after all), but B and I just had such a fun time walking through the orchards, picking apples, taking pictures, drinking cider...the whole bit. It definitely helped that the scenery was gorgeous!

The result of all that fun was about 15 pounds of apples! I have no idea what to do with all those apples. There is only so much cider and apple pie you can make.

 

Well, I did get busy making muffins (of course) with some of my many many apples. Unfortunately, that only used 3 apples. So I have about 40 more apples to use up before they go bad.

Can you recommend anything else I should make with all my apples? If you have any good recipes, send them my way!

P.S. Do you notice anything different around here?? I have a new design by the lovely and talented Sarah of A Smitten Design! I absolutely love it and would recommend Sarah to anyone looking to spice up their blog design!

Saturday Shopping

coat/ sweater/ bag/ jeans/ boots/ booties

About half way through the summer I start looking forward to Fall. I am sick of the heat and just want to be cuddled up in a big sweater with a cup of hot cocoa. I think wedding planning has distracted me from important things, like updating my wardrobe for the Fall (I hope you know I am being sarcastic...sort of), but I have finally gotten around to making my Fall wish list: light colored coat; a big, chunky sweater; a studded tote; coated jeans; over-the-knee boots; and booties.

Weekend Blog Block Party

So, what are you doing for Happy Hour? This weekend B and I are heading up to the mountains for some apple picking! I have never gone apple picking before, so I am pretty excited about it!   Click to tweet about the Block Party!   Like our party? Add our new button to your link up page & let us know that you did!    <a href="http://www.krystalskitsch.com/search/label/block%20party" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/9679844742_159d422631_o.png" width="200" height="200" alt="Weekend Block Party Blog Linkup"/></a>   Meet your AMAZING hostesses: Ellie from Creative Geekery Rachel from Can't Google Everything & North East Bloggers Network Krystal from Krystal's Kitsch AND Sunny Soirees Lindsey from Follow the Ruels Want a spot on our Weekend Block Party Blog Crush Board? We will be choosing from the Bloglovin' list so make sure you are listed there so we can crush on YOU!

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up