Putting It Out There...

I'm a pretty happy girl at the moment. 

I've got an amazing husband.

I have an incredibly rewarding job.

I have the most wonderful family imaginable. 

I've got some pretty insanely awesome friends.

I also have an exciting two years journey to look forward to (I'm returning to school to get my MFA in Acting in the fall).

Not to mention clothes on my back, a roof over my head and enough food to eat. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for all the good things I've got going for me. 

Buuutttt... if you're like me, you're curious about everything and always taking new opportunities as they present themselves! I love challenges, and I'm never satisfied, which is why I'm setting two VERY BIG goals for the summer!

Summer Goal #1: 

To Run My First 1/2 Marathon!

I've never run any distance of timed race before, but I've done Tough Mudders ranging between 8-12 miles, so I figured I should challenge myself and aim for a 1/2. How long do you usually train before a race? Do you have an "off-season", or are you an intense runner year round? Know of any great training regimens I can find online? 

Summer Goal #2:

To Finish Study and Take My ACE Personal Trainer Exam!

I've had the materials for over a year now, but it keeps getting pushed aside because new and exciting opportunities are popping up. I honestly don't know how much I'd actually work as a trainer once I'm out of school, but having the knowledge and the certification, even if only to help out friends, is something I'd love. Are you a CPT? Who do you hold certifications with? Any advice for studying for the big exam?

Thanks for the support, pals! :)

P.S. Yesterday's workout was not really as planned- I was psyched to do a nice long run... And when I got there, there were NO treadmills. At all. And three people waiting for them. Ugh. So I hopped on the elliptical.

I did some kettlebell work at home (swings, snatches and squat presses) plus some pushups and ab work. Sassy!

Running Shoes: Suggestions Needed!

Happy Tuesday pals! I hope everyone's having a great day! 

Yesterday's run was a little rough for me. It was early. I hadn't eaten much (I don't usually for early AM cardio). I was doing fine until my cell phone fell off my TM at around mile 2.5. I stopped the machine quickly and hopped off to pick it up and felt like I was going to PASS OUT. I don't know if I stood up too quickly or what, but it was scary. I pushed through the next 3.5 miles feeling like I was going to fall asleep while running (the weirdest sensation ever...) and finally called quits a little after 6 miles...


Dinner last night was DELISH! Balsamic tofu and leftover leaf-less salad!

Awwww yeahhhh....


If you've ever read this blog before, you'll know that I am TERRIBLE at providing recipes, mostly because  I measure nothing and don't pay much attention to what I'm throwing in a dish... This one was super simple, though. Slice tofu, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with Montreal Steak Seasoning (or whatever other spices you enjoy- this would be great with some fresh minced garlic) and bake, uncovered at 450 degrees until... ummm... it looks good?


I mixed things up with today's smoothie- water, frozen mango chunks, kefir, Macro Greens Green Powder (love), Jarrow Rice Protein (don't love so much, but don't want to waste), fresh strawberries and raw spinach! I've seen so many other bloggers putting spinach into their smoothies and I've been curious/ nervous to try it... Admittedly I only put a handful of leaves in, but honestly, I couldn't taste it at all...

Don't worry- I'm aware of how incredibly disgusting this looks- I swear it tasted swell! :)

I hit the gym early this AM for an hour on the elliptical and did some squats, lunges, chest presses, shoulder presses and kettlebell work at home. I'm trying to acclimate to working out out at home, because I'll be freezing my gym membership when I go back to school in the fall, A) because I'll be a poor student and the gym membership at my school is only $20 for the semester and B) because I'll be spending so much time at school between classes, rehearsals and workstudy (hopefully) that it'll just be easier to workout there.


Suggestions for at-home fitness essentials that DO NOT take up space (I live in a TINY Brooklyn studio apt)? I have kettlebells, a jump rope, resistance bands and some light hand weights...


I need new running sneakers! I have knee issues (16 years of Irish Step Dancing will do that to you...) so I need some serious cushioning but I don't like clunky feeling sneakers... What shoe do you run in? Why do you like it?


I'm off to teach and then I have to book it over to Brooklyn College for my first official meeting with my department head and the six other students in the class of 2013 MFA Acting program! So psyched! :)

Weekends make me go "AHHHHH"

 Is there anything better than spending a weekend with your friends and their adorable children?

I had Saturday AM plans to take a Bikram class, but I didn't manage to drag myself out of bed in time... Instead I did a few quick circuits at home (lunges, burpees, mountain climbers, pushups, squats...etc.)

 

 In the afternoon I enjoyed a picnic in Central Park with my friend Christina and her adorable son, Ronnie. Christina was one of my bridesmaids and I hadn't seen her since I returned from the honeymoon, so it was great to catch up!

 Tea Bites from Argo Tea Company. SOOOOO delicious!

We hoofed it to the west side of the park to grab some delicious wafels from Wafels and Dinges (and to see my cute hubs...). On the left- a liege wafel with speculoos ice cream and nutella, on the right, a liege with strawberries and speculoos ice cream. AMAZING.

After walking Christina and baby Ronnie back to the west side, I headed down to Columbus Circle to meet the hubs for a quick dinner at Whole Foods... He refuses to make nice faces for pictures...

I hit the gym early this AM for a run... I'm admittedly a little out of running shape, so this 6.25 miles was challenging for me! Felt goooood, though! :)

After the gym, Joe and I joined our friends Jon and Maya and their adorable son Christopher (our ring bearer) for a field trip to the Red Hook Soccer Fields! On weekends from Easter to Labor Day, the fields are home to some raucous soccer games and AMAZING Latin food!

Christopher sizing up a huarache...

Horchata the size of my head...

Plantain chips, pupusas (chorizo and pork) and pickled cabbage... MMMMMmmm...

Joe chowing down on some fried plantains with sour cream...

We changed Christopher's name to Cornstopher (because of his obsession with roasted corn). He proposed to me with that ring pop and even asked my husband's permission to marry me. Thoughful kid.

It was a little chilly out, but still a great day!

I Skyped with one of my best friends for FIVE HOURS when we got home... How does that happen? Time FLIES when you're chatting face-to-face (sort of). 

Dinner was quick and light- Joe whipped up a leafless salad and some pomegranate/ seltzer spritzers!

 Celery, pear, carrots, strawberry, green peppers and avocados with lemon juice! Mmm...

Ahhhhhhhh...

How was your weekend? Do you ever make leafless salads?

A Weekend Full of Playdates!

Happy Weekend, pals! I've got some exciting cooking/ baking plans for this weekend, but I'll share those later... As soon as I'm done sipping on my daily iced coffee, I'm getting ready to do some quick circuit workouts (it's possible I slept a little to late to go to bikram as planned)...

And THEN, I have a lunch date with one of my best friends and favorite babies- we'll have a picnic in Central Park, and then walk over to FAO Schwarz and visit my husband at the Wafels & Dinges cart for some dessert! Weather, PLEASE keep it together!

ARE THEY NOT ADORABLE? Our husbands went to college together, and the four of us have been close friends for almost seven years now! It's so exciting to see your friends get married and have insanely beautiful offspring! :)

We had our last play date two months ago and although I look like a crazy baby stealer here, I gave him back (begrudgingly) at the end of the day...

AND TOMORROW I have another playdate with some friends and their super handsome munchkin- the ring bearer at our wedding!

Wedding Photo Sneak Peek! My husband and I high-fiving our adorable flowergirl and ring bearer!

On a slightly random note, I'm bumping one of my favorite tracks to lift to- Duzzit Slow by Bassnectar. My sister and I got tickets to see them on Governors Island this summer, and we're stoked!!!!

What does your Saturday look like? Awesome relaxing fun-ness, I hope!

Check back later for playdate pics and updates on my new-recipe testings! :)

Good Sweaty Fun...

As you may or may not know, I'm a dancer. I've been dancing about since I was able to walk. My family had it pretty rough financially when I was a kid, but my mom was AMAZING at finding cost-free scholarships and opportunities for my sisters and I. I took my first dance classes as a free-trial when I was four, and I was HOOKED.

Four-year-old me LOVED dancing, despite how I look in this photo...

I was the runt in my first dance class...

There was no way we could pay for dance lessons after the trial expired, so I took what I learned and danced  on my own- forcing my sisters, parents and anyone who'd humor me to watch.

A few years later, when I was 9, my sisters and I began Irish Step Dancing at our afterschool program. When we left that school, my dance teacher allowed us to take regular classes free of charge. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. 

15 years after my first Irish Step Dance class, dancing a solo at the Miss New York Competition.

Dancing has allowed me to travel the country and the world, provided me a deep appreciation of discipline and determination and has introduced me to some of my best friends. 

It's also a DARN GOOD workout! :)

So I'm PSYCHED to see so many dance/ fitness opportunities on sites like Groupon, Living Socials, Lifebooker...etc.

I've scored a few awesome deals for some sweaty dancing fun this summer, including:

TEN Burlesque Bikini Bootcamp Classes for $49

THREE Beginner Pole Dance Classes for $6 

ONE Aerial Silk Class for $13

I'm literally shaking with anticipation. Dance classes in NYC start at $15 and can go up to $40 for one group class. Insane, right? Which is why I'm STOKED to have scored these deals!

Do you dance? What style? Do you have any training, or do you just freestyle?

Bringing (my) sexy back...

So I got married. (Photos here- I promise to do a wedding recap post once the disc arrives). I went on an AMAZING honeymoon (recap in the works). I was away from home for three weeks (one week for the wedding, and then a two-week honeymoon! I know- we're lucky!). And I didn't "work out" once during those three weeks. Don't get me wrong- I was definitely not napping for 21 days straight...

My sister and went stomping through the woods to collect twigs for my centerpieces.

Why buy them when they're just laying there in the woods waiting for us to find them? 

Hahaha.... Courtney had to wrestle the twigs into the back seat of her car...

We also climbed some trees...

\

And then there was pre-wedding shopping...

At Costco pushing GIANT shopping carts with my favorite sister-in-law!

And I definitely broke a sweat at my bachelorette party...

One of the most athletic forms of dance EVER. Holy. Moly.

AND I got to play with some of my favorite munchkins! (Olivia, my flowergirl, her sweet brother Cole, and my other boyfriend ringbearer, Christopher).

AND I squeezed in a little swimming! Ok fine, hot tub partying. Same thing....

Our honeymoon was pretty active, too- caving, hiking, swimming, walking... But let's be honest. I also ate more on my two-week honeymoon than I've probably eaten in the previous month. And every last bit was DELICIOUS. So worth it.

But it had been almost a month since I'd had an honest to goodness sweat session, which is why this week is devoted to getting back into the swing of things! I discovered that my friend Joshua (he's a musician- check him out here) hits up my gym at 6a almost every morning- he's my new workout buddy! I've been to the gym when it opens 4 mornings this week- it's amazing how motivating it is to have someone waiting for you there...

Look out for honeymoon and wedding pics soon, and then it's back to the workout/ nutrition grind! :)

Happy Sweating!

I'm Baaaccckkkk....

Wow! I've only been out of town for three weeks, but it feels like three years! I promise a more substantial post soon, but for now, here's a link to my wedding photos: http://www.clairebuffie.com/Keelie&Joe

In other news- I'll be running my 3rd Tough Mudder on Mother's Day! I'm psyched! Check out the coursehere!