Tuesday, October 27, 2015

How We're Staying In Shape this Fall

I'm feeling a little intimidated to write an uninspired Training for Tuesday considering the link-up is hosted by two unbelievable believers. Alyssa has her sights on her first marathon in just five sleeps while Tracy just beyond-owned her own "Super Secret Radical Goal" time of 6 hours in her Half Iron Distance Triathlon. While I could sit this one out today, I know that no matter what topics I cover here will be met with good cheers and support from these two.

The weather is turning here in Tennessee. Last week we saw what was likely our last day in the 80's with an immediate swing to my Northwest memories of rainy mornings and dark evenings. This seasonal shift brings a deep desire to trade my evening gym dates for some cozy blankets and the latest on HBO Go.

No matter what way you look at it, fitness gets a little more difficult in the colder months whether it's the rain, the food or the football. Here's just four ways we've agreed to stay in tune with our fitness goals this Fall.

+ Muscle Meetings

The office welcomes a brand new gym this week, just in time to combat the Halloween candy we've all been sneaking for the past month. There's no showers available for the grand opening so this new location will be an evening treat. I'm thinking of the time I spend in the work gym as a meeting with my muscles. The man-friend is excited to spend a little less time on the cardio machines and more time hoopin' with the guys. The biggest win about this after work meeting is that I won't feel so bad to get home and straight into some cozy men's clothing to start the night off right.

+ Tea-rrific!

Drinking every last drop of cold filtered water may be everything I want in the summer, but once I'm wearing layers and blankets just to keep warm at work - I'm sometimes known to wear gloves - I can't stand to replenish my water bottle with the cold stuff. To stay hydrated, I'm tapping into the complimentary tea bags at work and will be steeping strong. I'm encouraging the guy to do the same.

+ Southern Comfort

I'm talking Southern comfort, not Southern discomfort. I'm bound to be trying new foods this year as I spend the holiday season in the South for the first time. The past few years I've been blessed with consistent paleo-friendly holidays and mom's light cooking, but this year I'll be taking 'courtesy tastes' of everything I've been missing out on and doing my best to not insult anyone when I don't return for more of everything. No matter how good, buttery or this-is-my-last-meal-ever-y those new tastes are against my lips, I'm practicing plate portions this holiday season.

+ Tropical Thoughts

Instead of feeling like we can just wear looser clothes to hide the winter layers in the new year we've been talking about the possibility of somewhere warm, bright and with tropical rum drinks a'plenty. Having these palm trees in our dreams will stop us from going back for seconds - or thirds - this gluttonous holiday season.

What about you? What are you doing this winter to keep your body, mind and spirit in the right place so that you're not just jumping on the wagon for January 1st?

alyssagoesbang

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Confessions

I couldn't tell you the last time I sat at home - sweats, glasses, coffee - and started writing. Especially in the morning on a work day. This luxury has been brought by second-day hair, by a lunch that was already prepped, by an outfit that was already chosen and by a little Wednesday tradition that's resurfaced in blog world thanks to this sweet almost newlywed.

I confess:

I'm trying to make boots and scarves happen in Tenessee even though highs are still hitting the 80's occasionally. Including today. 

I have to un-sexy my traditional Oktoberfest outfit for a 10 year-old's costume Birthday party we're attending this weekend. Help?

Speaking of un-sexy, I have to hand over a urine sample to a stranger this afternoon as a next step toward full-time employment.

As guests of a beautiful wedding, we made a few innocent prop bets on some of the bride and groom's behaviors. From "will she cry walking down the aisle" to "will cake be smeared in faces", there were no boundaries.

I have 3 photos from the weekend in Portland, none of which involve my golden sisters, Trader Joe's or the wedding.

There are so many cool things to do in my new city that I want to check out for myself, but won't sacrifice my favorite after-work ritual or the wonderful gym dates we've come to enjoy.

Thanks for the visit, see you soon!

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Three in Tennessee

The past three months of life in Tennessee have been good to me. 

From the start of the epic road trip across eight states, I've had a hundred new, exciting, frightening and humbling experiences. A terrifying leap was taken into the unknown that included quitting my steady job, leaving my family behind and donating many of my belongings to Goodwill. A risk, which may have appeared to others as a train off its tracks, that I was willing to take to follow my heart. A risk that had no certainty in a successful outcome, and quite honestly still doesn't. 

Without this terrifying yet perfect-for-me life moment, I wouldn't know what was possible.

With a long distance love, everything you do and every time you see each other after weeks can seem like the most magical experience possible. The texts as you're still descending in an aircraft, the holy-sh*t-i-can-feel-your-presence goosebumps, the first sighting, the first touch, the first passionate kiss, the insatiable desire for one another.

My fear was that this could possibly disappear if I were to plant my roots in Tennessee.

Who wouldn't be afraid of losing a touch of this magic while establishing a routine? Waking up together, working together, eating lunch together, walking to coffee together, grocery shopping together, sweating together, falling asleep together. Just to do it all over again the next day? Snore?

To my surprise and far-exceeding my expectations, it's not a snore at all. It's amazing! The past three months have given me every bit of validation that this choice was the right one to make. While everything may not be picture perfect, I've seen the importance of teamwork, communication, respect, honesty, laughter, silliness and adventure.

Adventure comes in many forms for us. A new restaurant, a new TV show, a different haircut.

Just Friday at lunch we were discussing our evening plans of gym, grocery needs and planned exit from the office. While this is my ideal Friday agenda, I went out on a limb and suggested a quick road trip to Nashville for the night.

For the night and right after work without already packing? To spend all that money on just a place to rest our heads and order late night post-bar calzones? He initially hesitated at the thought, but within a minute there was a huge grin on his face and the glimmer of Nashville's lights in his eyes. 

A spontaneous weekend trip to spend some frivolous cash is why we have an adventure budget (also funded by things like our ice cream tax, losers of Uno games and under the table sports betting).

We drove, we sang, we danced, we snuggled, we ate, we laughed, we drank, we planned, we goofed. We shared a triumphant ending to the night slow-dancing to a country cover of "I Want it That Way". We even squeezed in a trip to Trader Joe's that I wasn't expecting until our Oregon vacation coming up in 8 sleeps.

I'm a big fan of this new life and look forward to what the next three months have in store, no matter how they look.