GNC PUREDGE: Chocolate Protein Mug Cake

The following post is written on behalf of GNC through my relationship with Linqia. All opinions are my own.

Over the past few months I have been coping with running injuries, recovering from knee surgery, dealing with digestive issues and overcoming fatigue. It hasn't been easy, to say the least.

However, the GNC PUREDGE line is easy to integrate into your every day life. The line includes a variety of products to meet several different needs: amino, energy, bars, and protein.

The GNC PUREDGE line is whole-food based and promises:

- No Gluten-added ingredients

- No GMO-added ingredients

- No banned substances

- No artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners

- No preservatives

- No wheat, yeast, fish, or egg

- No sugar alcohols 

GNC Complete Amino includes glutamine, so it was the first product I tried. Glutamine is known to help muscle recovery, fight illness, and improve digestion. It was recently recommended to me by a running friend. When I mixed with water it tasted a lot like the tropical punch Kool-Aid I drank as a kid. I have been blending it into my morning smoothies The tropical punch flavor overpowers the fruits and vegetables, but it is still good.

GNC Daily Energy is recommended to jumpstart your day or your workout. After days of hauling myself around school on a crutch, I was running on empty at the end of the day. Adding a scoop of cherry limeade to my smoothie gave me a boost, but the flavor didn't overpower my freggies.

GNC Complete Protein Bars are easy to toss into your lunch bag as I like to do. As much as I wanted to love these, both flavors tasted a little too much like vitamins to me. I'm very picky about my protein bars though.

GNC Complete Protein was my favorite product...maybe because it was chocolate! I had been looking for an excuse to make some sort of dessert and this product gave me a great excuse.

Inspired by an awesome recipe from Julie for chocolate mug cake, I made some modifications to make it gluten-free and protein packed so it can be a delicious post-workout indulgence!

I can't believe how easy it was to make cake…and in the microwave.

How do you use your chocolate protein?

Don't forget to check out all the GNC PUREDGE products here.

This post is also part of the #WIAW link up hosted by Jen

#HolidaySweat Challenge Week 3 Update

I don't know why it's taken me this long to do a Holiday Sweat Challenge post, but here we go!

Week 3 started as I was 4 days post-op from my meniscus surgery. I stayed home from school an extra day to give my knee one more day of rest in the hopes of reducing the still significant swelling.

I tried to ice my knee and get some work done, but after a wellness call from Dr. O's office I spent three hours getting an ultra sound and waiting for the results. The good news was I had no clots, the bad news was I had to limit my weight bearing by using one crutch until the end of the week.

My week of workouts suffered as a result of my recovery. On one hand I couldn't do much because of my knee and on the other I was exhausted. Maybe my body was working overtime for the healing process and maybe maneuvering myself around with one crutch is just tiresome.

In addition to tracking workouts during the challenge, we also track our servings of fruit, vegetables, and water. This part of the challenge has been eye-opening.

Monday - Arm strength workout (you can check it out here) and leg exercises. Water and 3 freggie servings.

Tuesday - Another arm workout, water, and 3 freggie servings. Bed at 8:15 PM

Wednesday - Water and 3 freggie servings. Bed at 8 PM

Thursday - Leg exercises, water, and 3 freggie servings. Bed at 7:30 PM!!

Friday - Leg exercises, water, and 3 freggie servings. Bed at 8 PM

Saturday - Spent 2 hours walking around the mall Christmas shopping. Normally this would not feel like a workout, but it was the most walking I've done (crutch-free) in over a week! 2 serving freggies and tons of water.

Sunday - Arm strength workout and leg exercises. 4 freggie servings and tons of water.

This challenge has shown me how much I am lacking in my water intake. Add to that some medicine that can cause constipation, and well…not so good for my tummy. At the end of the week I saw an article on Facebook about a woman who drank 3 liters of water a day and changed her life (read it here). I knew I had to make some changes myself.

I started using the Plant Nanny app after my friend Dani told me about it. It's an easy way to keep track of how much water I'm drinking and reach my daily goal. The app also gives me my own "plant" and every time I drink water, I water the plant and watch it grow. I named my plant Water Baby.

What do you track?
Do you use an app?

Workout Wednesday: Arms on Fire

PT for my knee will not start until I'm two weeks post-op, YIKES! That's a long time.

It didn't take long for me to remember that there is nothing wrong with my arms or abs and the wise words of Christine from TI Fitness, "You'll be a better runner with a strong upper body."

She's right. In "Run Better By Working Your Upper Body" from Runner's World, Nikki Kimball explains the importance of upper body strength.

"The best distance athletes don't just have impressive quads and glutes. They have muscular arms and shoulders that help them maintain speed throughout their races. When you run, your arms counterbalance the motion of your legs, resulting in saved energy. The swing of the arms helps propel the body forward so the lower body isn't doing all the work. And a strong upper body bolsters a runner's form when fatigue sets in."

Since I only own a pair of light hand weights, I thought about the arm workouts that had me near tears at Booty Barre. Those 10 minute strength sessions were about repetitions, not weight.

You may be looking at that set of exercises and thinking, serving tray? bowling? 

They really are exercises (I promise) and they look like this:

At then end of the first circuit, my arms were already feeling the burn. Each exercise got harder and harder to do.

Using my 2 pound weights, the whole workout took me about 15 minutes

and

my arms were on fire.



Do you prefer reps or weight?

This post is part of the Workout Wednesday link up hosted by 

Diatta, Sheila, Amanda and Heather

#DishtheFit: What's Next? Goals for 2015

Today I'm linking up with Jill Conyers and Jessica for Tuesdays #DishtheFit and today's topic is:

What's next? Goals for 2015.

Honestly, it is hard to think about 2015 while I'm sitting here with ice on my knee and crutches by my side.

It seemed best to start by looking back at my Bucket List for 2014 for a little recap of my year. My goal to hit 1000 miles was curtailed by all of my injuries. I ran at least 2 new races during 2014: the TI Disco Fever 10K and the Ragnar Relay Cape Cod. Although I did not add another state to my places I have raced list, I did run a lot of miles in Vermont! Two new activities that I tried were Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Zip Lining. Sadly I was closed out of the coaching certification class, but I continued to make healthy food choices and fell in love with smoothies!

It didn't take long for the little walk down memory lane to get me thinking. What is next for me?

Rehab my knee - My first priority is to get back into my running shoes. My goal is to be logging miles by the end of January.

Build my overall strength - I want to take at least one cross training class every week and focus on my upper body strength so I'll be a better runner.

Volunteer at another race - I did this with MRTT at the GOTR Fall 5K and it was so amazing to be part of such a big day for so many runners. I'd love to volunteer at the Boston Marathon (fingers crossed).

Just run - That's it. No worries about distance, pace, or PRs. More group runs, more fun runs, more family runs.

Be the BEST Ambassador - It will be my mission to spread my love of running wherever I can: the high school Run Club, a National Running Day event,  ZOOMA Cape Cod in September. (see discount on my sidebar!)

What's next for you? 
Any big plans in 2015?

I've also added this post to the Tuesdays on the Run link up!

Meniscus Surgery

Thursday I had my third and hopefully last knee surgery.

Trying to wake up in recovery

It all began in February of this year, when I started having knee problems. After visits to the high school trainer, chiropractor and my PT, I was sent to see an orthopedic.

X-rays showed the remnants of my old knee injuries, screws, staples, and some arthritis, but it wasn't enough to explain the painful clicking and clacking that I was experiencing.

Eventually a MRI confirmed that I had a longitudinal tear in my meniscus. Since then I have been getting cortisone shots every couple of months and running/working out relatively knee pain free.

Sadly, the instability and weakness in the left knee caused me to have a lot of other problems: in my calf and some tendinitis in my TFL. All three of the doctors felt that the torn meniscus was the root of my other injuries and the only solution was to get in there and clean it up.

My surgery was over in about 45 minutes. Dr. O performed a partial meniscectomy, chondroplasty of the femoral trochlea, and removed loose bodies. Sounds bad, but compared to my previous ACL surgeries it feels very minor.

I have been restricted to some simple leg exercises:

quadriceps contractions
straight leg raises
ankle pumps
heel slides

Starting on Monday and for the next few weeks, I will be rehabbing with Dr. Bri to get my full range of motion and strength back.

Have you had an injury that required surgery?
How did it go?

Flock Workout

With the arrival of winter at Thanksgiving, I've had to take my workouts inside.

The Oiselle Pros are doing the same and recently shared some of their favorite workouts. I don't have all the fitness equipment that they do, so I made some modifications to create my own no-equipment needed Flock Workout.

This workout combines exercises that focus on the abs and legs, but it doesn't leave out the cardio.

Tadas: Otherwise known as "plank with twist" or "plank and rotate." Dynamic planks are reported to be more effective and mimic the natural movements of our core during running.

Jumps: Squeezed in between the core work, the three jump exercises seriously get the heart rate up. By the time I got to the jump overs, I was very winded.

Spiderman Planks: Planking while being out of breath is much harder, but I like that challenge.

My warmup and cool down was a brisk 5 minute walk on the treadmill. In the near future (hopefully), I will run.

This workout is good for anytime of year, but it's especially good to use during the #HolidaySweat challenge!

It's time for another #FitnFashionable share! One thing I love about fitness gear is when it is easy to transition from exercise to everyday function. For this workout I chose Oiselle flyte shorts and a stripey scoop neck with the flyte shimmel racerback underneath. After a workout I can throw on a pair of jeans or casual pants and I'm ready to relax or run errands with some #flystyle.

Do you wear your fitness gear outside of your workouts?

 This post is also part of the #FitnessFriday link up hosted by Jill.

On-the-Go Egg Muffins

I'm all about making things simple.

The time in the morning before I go to work goes by the fastest. I like to try to enjoy a full cup of coffee while watching the morning news before I leave. No matter how early I get up, it never seems like I have enough time to do everything I want or need without feeling rushed.

I've made packing lunches easier by preparing on the weekends. You can see some of my favorite recipes here and here. mrC helps with breakfast by making smoothies when he is home, but lately I've been wanting something warmer. Hmmm, wonder why?

On-the-Go Egg Muffins

6 eggs beaten

shredded cheese

shredded ham

shredded spinach

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Grease muffin pan

Fill with ham, spinach & cheese

Pour egg mixture

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place center rack 20-25 minutes (to light brown)

Let cool before removing from muffin pan

So good. So easy to grab a couple and heat them up for a quick breakfast before I leave. I can even toss a couple in a baggie and heat them up at school if I want. In fact, they make a pretty good lunch option that way too.

Sometimes I don't always eat right after a run/workout because I don't feel like making something. On-the-go egg muffins also make an excellent post-run or workout snack because they're packed with protein which is good for muscle recovery. In my recipe spinach is good too because it helps muscle growth.


What do(would) you like to put in your egg muffins?

This post is part of the #WIAW link up hosted by Jen

Fitness Center Workout: Body Blast Interval

I love pinning workouts on Pinterest, but what I love even more is when I actually use them! While waiting for the power outage to end here in New Hampshire, I took advantage of the hotel fitness centers and my Pinterest page.

Yesterday I created my own morning workout with a mix of strength and cardio. I am a big fan of HIIT workouts because even though they make me breathe harder, they burn more fat calories.

My RPE was level 5 on the stationary bike and I tried to keep the RPMs in the 70s. Not an easy task. Each round on the bike got harder and harder. My legs were basically jello.

Each circuit got harder after the first because I was out of breath from the bike. At times I didn't think I could even move my arms let alone my whole body. Those are the moments that leave you smiling after the workout, right?

You can find the Body Blast workout that I pinned from Pop Sugar here.

Today's #FitnFashionable look is all Oiselle. The Off the Grid Knickers were perfect for this fitness center workout in front of a wall of windows. Plus the side zipper pocket kept my room key safely tucked out of sight. I'm a big fan of racer backs and the Winona Tank doesn't disappoint. It's form fitting but without revealing the insecure spots (my gut!)

Do you like to create your own workouts?
Any fitness clothing you are loving right now?

Saturday Sweat: Turkey Burn

My highlight of the day yesterday was going to the morning #SurfnTurf class for the annual Turkey Burn Workout at TI Fitness. I would have loved to do the Bootcamp class AND the 5K Run, but the whole no-running thing squelched that option.

I watched about 15 people leave after the Bootcamp class ended and then noticed that I was the only one remaining. I guess the other people who signed up for class were no-shows (not cool). So I basically had a private session with the owners.

We did a new move on the board during Surf called reverse table and added some leg lifts. I could feel my whole core working on that one.

The focus for Turf today was arm strength. We did 4 stations with dumbbell exercises and weighted transitions in between. I struggle with arm exercises and love being pushed out of my comfort zone in class. We also took a "break" from the stations for a little HIIT with the jump ropes and kettle bells plus some pushups added for a kicker.

My body felt like lead and my heart was pumping hard. Turf is seriously challenging for me!

I always look forward to seeing how many calories I burn during these 25 minutes Surf and 25 minutes Turf classes, but this class was shocking. I think it's my PB for Surf classes.

Have you ever shown up for a class and you are the only one in it?

Powerless Thanksgiving - Shake It Off

mrC had a trip on Wednesday and when I heard the forecast for heavy snow, I should've known that the power was going to go out. It rarely happens when he is home. As pretty as it is to see the snow stuck to all the trees, it's a serious bummer when the trees fall or break on the power lines.

Original pic from Allie

I normally tough it out in the house with our small generator and as many small appliances as I can plug in, but not this time. This time I grabbed the dog and the credit card and checked into a local Holiday Inn. 

So instead of being surrounded by family on Thanksgiving, I found myself surrounded by fitness machines. 

When the power went out, I was not a happy camper. After walking by the fitness center a few times, I decided that I needed to shake it off. It was the perfect place to earn a little #holidaysweat workout challenge points.

I started my workout with a 20 minute ride on the stationary bike. I do not use fitness machines often (ever) besides our own treadmill, so I really had no idea what I was doing. I choose a calorie burn workout with a max level of 7. OMgoodness. It was HARD and I was seriously sweaty.

Next I jumped on the elliptical. On this one I selected a 20 minute cardio workout. Loved it. I felt like I was running. The best part was my mom FaceTimed me during the workout. She thought I was an awesome heavy breather, haha.

At the end of the 40 minutes, the smile was back and I was feeling better. Can you blame me? Look at the calories I shook off.

After my workout, I leashed up the dog for his workout. We walked for about a mile.

How was your Thanksgiving?

Did you get in a workout?

Fitness Shopping Deals 2014

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I hope you are enjoying the day exactly the way that you want to. We are snowed in a little here in New Hampshire, but we're enjoying our adventure. 

I know for many of you shopping after Thanksgiving is a BIG thing. LittleC is going with a friend at midnight! Not me. No thank you.

Nowadays, shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday requires planning and maybe even a little training if you're thinking about sprinting through the stores to snag that must have fitness gear! I'm all about finding a good bargain and there are a lot of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals being offered by our favorite fitness brands.

Love chocolate peanut butter protein bars!

Banjees wrist wallet is my favorite item!

Love my Foot notes!

Use code GIVETHANKS to get 10% off
your order from Run Far Girl

Happy shopping!

Are you planning to shop Black Friday (tonight) or Cyber Monday?

What do you like about it?

Workout Wednesday: SurfnTurf through a Snow Storm

The day before Thanksgiving means early dismissal from school for this English teacher. Translate: I could go to SurfnTurf class!

As soon as my last class was over, I changed into my workout clothes and headed to TI Fitness. It was just starting to snow and I loved the idea of making some #surfsweat while there was a snow storm going on.

View from the 4th floor studio

The first part of the class was on the boards with a fast paced mix of cardio. One thing that keeps me coming back to these classes is the challenge of the pace. As soon as I think I'm going to keel over, the instructor slows things down just a bit to let me catch my breath. 

After a brief break, the fill class was divided into three groups to move through stations that combined strength and cardio. We ran the stations for 4 minutes each repeating the exercises until time was up. 

Station #1 was with the hand weights: 15 cross punches, 15 squat press, 15 plank rows. 

Station #2 moved to the cones: 5 high knees, medicine ball jump, repeated 4x, suicides, and jump rope 10x. The instructor modified the suicide for me to jump rope 30x.

Station #3 was with medicine balls: 15 full sit-ups, 15 squat toss, 

Station #4 was at another set of cones: shuffle cone to cone with squat jump at each, up & down the stairs 2x (hand weights optional).

Station #5 was at the kettle bells: 15 swings, 15 figure 8s, and 15 jacks.

Station #6 was at the ladder: plank walk, side jumps back to start, 10 sit-ups.

We finished up with a round of abs…ugh. I'm going to feel that tomorrow.

As usual it was a great workout. I'll be going back for some Turkey Burn on Friday.

Are you burning some calories today?

**Note: I was in the process of writing this post after getting home from the class when the power went out. The snow storm is dropping tree limbs and drivers are knocking down poles. I am now comfortably checked into a hotel where I will wait for the power to come back on! **

Trail Tuesday: Top to Bottom Circuit

Even though I'm not currently running, I still spend Tuesdays and Thursdays on the trail…watching the high school Run Club runners.

We meet after school in the parking lot and then they head out. I walk to the trail and wait for them to pass by about a mile into their run. It works.

Today I decided to be more active while waiting for the runners and the trail seemed like a good place to do my first #holidaysweat challenge workout.

I received the workout in the Holiday Sweat Challenge Monday email. It was designed to be done on the TRX (which I don't have), but the email included modifications (love that). I completely changed the atomic push-ups to spiderman planks aiming for the same over-all effect.

It took a while, but I did find a relatively soft spot on the trail to do the workout (not where the photo was taken, that's just for the blog (; ).

My arms are going to be sore tomorrow. I can feel it.

Did you workout today? Tell me about it.