I Go Big

It seems that whenever I eat a meal I always end up with crumbs on my clothes, a smear of food on my face or chocolate on my arm. Yes, chocolate on my arm. This has happened multiple times. I don’t know how.

Today as I was eating my ham unwich at Jimmy John’s with Ryan, he motioned to the side of his mouth, signaling that I, yet again, had food stuck to the side of my mouth.

Pre Food-On-My-Face

Ham Unwich

“Why do I always do that?” I asked. “I always seem to ‘save some food for later’ when I eat!  This is ridiculous!”

Ryan said, “Don’t worry about it. When you eat, you just go big.”

I agreed. Mealtime isn’t for quitters in my book. 😉 Go big, or go home.

Ryan Goes Big at Mealtime, Too. One of the Many Reasons I Love Him.

Once we were done eating at Jimmy John’s, we headed over to Mochi for some soft serve.

I filled a cup with peanut butter soft serve and topped it off with Butterfinger pieces and shredded coconut.

PB + Butterfingers + Coconut

This combination was winner, winner, chicken dinner.

So good!

After finishing our soft serve Ryan and I talked about making tonight a “fro yo for dinner” night. We have yet to visit Menchie’s, a new soft serve place in Winter Park and tonight we may change this.

I also feel like being a little experimental in the kitchen this evening, so we’ll see how things end up!

Totally Random

I know this is totally random, but I am seriously loving the song “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz.

I can’t get enough of it. It came on while Ryan and I were eating our frozen yogurt and I wanted to drop my fro yo and break into a dance party on the spot. (Okay, maybe not drop the fro yo… More like place it to the side to enjoy after the song concluded.)

I wanted this song played on repeat during my bachelorette party last weekend and whenever it came on, it was like Christmas morning. I actually looked over at my sister dancing when it was playing and I felt like I was looking at myself dancing.

Turns out all the Bream girls dance the same: Not sexy, but with utter abandon.

At one point Leslie even busted out the cross your arms over your legs move.

A Classic

Obviously I had to join in.

We’re more of the “spin me around” and do the “Carlton” kinda girls than the “drop it like it’s hoooot” type.

Question of the Afternoon

What is your dancin’ style?

From Cardio Queen to Strength-Training Machine

Well look who it is!!!

Mah Date!

This afternoon Ryan met me downtown for a lunch date at Jimmy John’s, followed by dessert at Mochi.

I love lunch dates! They help break up the monotony of the work day and I get to enjoy lunch away from my desk which is a treat.

As usual, I ordered a turkey unwich for my meal while Ryan stuck to his beloved bootlegger club.

Unwich

Bootlegger Club

Though I adore Jimmy John’s, this is the second visit in a row where they’ve messed up my order. Last time they added peppers to my unwich (too spicy for me!) and this time they forgot to include the turkey! Luckily they remade my sandwich both times, but I’m beginning to feel like I should write my order down for them!

After inhaling our main meals, it was time for some frozen yogurt.

Mochi, here we come!!!

We knew we’d be making a stop for the cold ‘n’ creamy dessert when I heard that Mochi had red velvet soft serve (*my favorite*) on tap.

The Best

Red Velvet + Sprinkles + Chocolate Caramels

I’m convinced I could eat my body weight in this stuff.

Though we stuck to the red velvet flavor, we both really enjoyed our free samples of the Lovers flavor, a new combination of strawberry + mango.

Lovers!

Of course we had to take a picture with my lover in front of the lovers sign. (This was actually Ryan’s idea. He’s becoming a blog genius. 😉 )

Krema & Crazy Richards Peanut Butter Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the following winners of the Krema & Crazy Richards peanut butter giveaway:

• coffeeismycarrot: “My favorite use for PB is a good ole PB&J. Classic! Or smeared on a banana…or on oatmeal. I can’t choose!”
• Angela: Peanut butter blondies! Everyone goes for the pb and chocolate combo, but pb and vanilla is where its at. Just use half peanut butter in the recipe and add some peanut butter chips. So so good. But peanut butter is good every way.”
• Wheeda: “I love peanut butter! Any way is good for me …but usually it’s on celery or on a piece of whole wheat toast with a little honey drizzled on top. Yum!”

Please email me at pbfingers@gmail.com with your mailing address so you can receive your two jars of pb ASAP! 🙂

***

Now, onto some fun fitness talk!

From Cardio Queen to Strength-Training Machine

I used to be a cardio queen.

During my first two years of college, my weekly workouts looked like this:

• M: 50 min. elliptical
• Tu: Spinning class
• W: 20 min. run, 20 min. swim
• Th: Kickboxing class
• F: 50 min. elliptical
• Sa: Spinning class
• Su: Off

Do you see something missing? Um, yes. How ’bout some weights? Maybe a little strength training?

My former-self thought “strength training is for boys.” Taking a peek into the weight room at my university’s gym only reaffirmed that prejudice.

Big, beefy guys dominated the squat racks. The five pound weights on the free-weight rack seemed to be collecting dust since the manly men who were busy flexing in front of the mirror wouldn’t dare touch such “girly weights.”

As my interest in health and fitness grew, I began to read more and more about the importance of strength training. I knew in my heart I was missing something by only incorporating cardio into my workout regimen, but I’m a creature of habit and felt apprehensive about changing my routine.

Eventually I decided to suck it up and add some weights to my workouts. I am now a firm believer that weight training (coupled with healthy eating!) is what can truly form and shape your body into the toned and athletic look many women strive to achieve.

• Will someone mistake me for the Hulk?

If you are a cardio queen and have not included weights in your workout because you think you’ll begin to look manly and overly buff, please abandon that thought immediately. Cross my fingers, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, you won’t look like the Hulk by incorporating weight training into your routine. I strength-train three times a week and I feel strong, but I don’t think anyone would mistake me for Arnold (Lord, I hope not).

• How do I begin to incorporate strength training into my routine?

I’m no expert (at all!!!), but here’s what worked for me:

• Take a group exercise class that focuses on strength training to learn basic moves and proper form. (You know I love BodyPump!)
• Start out slow! Select a body part or two to focus on (like back and biceps) and complete three sets of 15 repetitions at a weight that feels challenging.
• Do the strength training workout that’s right for you. I love total-body strength training (training all of my muscles during one workout), but many people prefer splitting up strength training into multiple workouts.
• Don’t be afraid of heavy weights. Once you begin to progress in your strength-training routine, don’t be afraid to reach for heavier weights to continue to challenge your muscles.
• Print out sample workouts to bring with you to the gym so you don’t feel lost or intimidated.

For examples of some of my total-body strength training workouts, click here and here. You may also enjoy this article about strength training for beginners from Fitness magazine.

Questions of the Afternoon

• Do you incorporate strength training into your workout routine?
• How many times do you strength train during the week?

Ready for the Weekend

Though I thoroughly enjoyed the change of scenery on our morning run, I think the act of driving somewhere new and spending the morning running with Sadie and Ryan made me feel like it should be the weekend already!

Not too much longer… 😀

This Weekend

This weekend should be a fun one!

Around noon tomorrow, Ryan and I are having friends over to grill out before we head over to Beer Fest downtown around 4 p.m.

Beer Fest!

Beer Fest is an all-you-can-drink festival featuring lots of beer, food and fun! I’m thinking some crazy shenanigans will be in order. 😉

I just about flipped out when I heard Mochi, my favorite local frozen yogurt shop, will have a booth at the event.

Beer + Friends + Frozen yogurt = Fantastic Saturday

I plan to have a long talk at Beer Fest with the Mochi manager about the necessity of keeping the red velvet soft serve on tap always. It’s the best one, after all!

Lunch

Lunch today was spent with Ryan, as it was one of the Fridays he has off from work.

Of course we hit up the ol’ ‘John’s for our respective favorites.

Bootlegger club fo’ him.

My Date

Unwich fo’ me.

Yaaaay, Unwich!

Naturally we swung by Mochi for some dessert.

PB + Strawberry

We split a cup of peanut butter (YUM!) and strawberry frozen yogurt with mini Reeses’ pieces, rainbow sprinkles and a Reeses’ peanut butter cup on top!

Gettin’ Tickets

Ryan and I also had a very important errand to run after we were done eating.

We headed down the block to pick up our Beer Fest tickets.

Tickets!

Gotta love saving $5 by buying in advance!

Of Possible Interest

• BCBG sale on RueLaLa.com today! (I already bought this dress.)
• 10 Fattest and Leanest Cities in America (MensHealth.com)
• Fitness-Friendly Snacks (CookingLight.com)

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to my best friend Leah!!!

Fab 5

(Leah is in the green. We called this picture our “Christmas card,” taken our sophomore year in college.)

I’ve been friends with Leah (and all the girls in the above picture) since elementary school and they’re all going to be bridesmaids in my wedding. I am so excited to see them multiple times this year since they all live a plane-ride away now.

Happy 25th Birthday Kafka! 😀

Question of the Afternoon

How many bridesmaids were in your wedding? If you’re not married, how many would  you like to have?

I will have six bridesmaids: My sister (maid of honor), four best friends from elementary school and my best friend from college.

Unwrap the Love

Today was is of the every-other-Fridays that Ryan has off from work, so I was lucky enough to enjoy his company for a mid-day lunch date!

We went to our favorite lunchtime hot spot, Jimmy John’s, for our usual fare.

Before I could bite into my unwich, I had to “unwrap the love.”

Unwrap the Love

Let me just say there was a lot of love crammed into that unwich!

Lovin' on the Unwich

I stuck with my unwich and Ryan stayed with his staple, the bootlegger club.

Bootlegger Club

Happy Boy

Since it’s Friday, we had to celebrate what’s quickly becoming a tradition: Frozen Yogurt Friday!

FroYo

Our frozen yogurt from Mochi was free today, thanks to our fully-filled punch card! I think Ryan and I may have set a record as to how quickly someone can fill up a punch card!

Today we split a large half cookies ‘n’ cream, half snickerdoodle frozen yogurt, topped with rainbow sprinkles, because they make life better. 😉

I love the sweet stuff!

This Weekend

This weekend will be quite eventful! Though Ryan and I are really excited about our plans to see Straight No Chaser (an awesome a cappella group!) in concert tomorrow night, the main event of the weekend is the 3^rd Annual Baldwin Park Doggie Derby!

Sadie is the reigning champ of the Doggie Derby, having beat nearly 100 dogs last year!

With Our Little Champ

Ryan and I learned about the Doggie Derby the day before the big event when we were at the dog park with Sadie. A man approached us and commented on how fast Sadie was as she ran back and forth, playing fetch. He said we should enter her in the Doggie Derby, a charity event where dogs race against each other in a 25-yard dash.

Ready to Run

We signed her up on the morning of the race with low expectations. To get your dog to run toward the finish line, you can throw a ball, squeeze a toy… basically employ any means necessary to get your dog to cross the finish line.

Vizslas are known as “Velcro dogs” and are very attached to their owners. Ryan and I knew using one of us as “bait” at the finish line would be our best strategy. Ryan held Sadie at the start line while I called to her from the finish. When the horn went off, I took off in the other direction and Sadie sprinted her little heart out to catch up to me. The tactic worked like a charm!

Go, Go, Go!

Sadie won her first heat, then the next one, then the next one and so on until she was crowned middleweight champ! We were so excited for our little girl! For the overall victory, Sadie had to beat out the heavyweight champ and the lightweight champ.

She somehow managed to come out on top and we were awarded with a trophy and a goodie basket of dog treats! Sadie was even mentioned in the Orlando newspaper!

Proud Family

Tomorrow Sadie will race to uphold her Doggie Derby champion title.

Have any of your pets ever competed in an event?

We’re hoping Sadie goes all the way tomorrow, or gets eliminated right away because the Doggie Derby is one heck of a long, hot event!

$1 Off Starbucks Ice Cream

Starbucks + ice cream = heaven! Click here for $1.00 off a pint of Starbucks ice cream.

Rainbow Sprinkles Make Life Better

Just like every other Friday, I got to enjoy some wonderful company at lunchtime today!

Since Ryan’s works a 9/80 schedule (9-hour days, 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off), I always look forward to our every-other-Friday lunch dates.

I know you know exactly where we went…

I ❤ Jimmy John's

Sandwich Champ

Jimmy John’s!!!

As always, I got an unwich (turkey with lots of veggies, vinegar, olive oil, and dijon mustard) and Ryan opted for the Gargantuan on wheat bread, which I naturally had several bites of as well.

Turkey Unwich

Turkey + Veggies

Gargantuan

After demolishing our sandwiches, we were in the mood for some sweets!

We headed to Mochi (my second time in two days…), for soft serve with sprinkles.

Sprinkles Make Life Better

I think rainbow sprinkles make life better. How can you not be happy digging into ice cream with sprinkles!?

The weather was so nice out and we seemed to plow through our lunch and soft serve pretty quickly, so we took some extra time to walk a couple blocks to the New York Deli downtown.

Neither of us had ever been and I was in the mood for a cookie (Cookie Friday, anyone!?) and figured they’d have some good ones!

When I went to pay for our cookies (chocolate chip for me, white chocolate macadamia nut for Ryan) the nice man at the counter didn’t accept my money! I was shocked and thanked him several times.

Free cookies! What a nice Friday treat.

We enjoyed our cookies outside by a pretty fountain.

Cookie Friday!

Weekend Plans

I am so excited for this weekend!

Right after work my mom is picking me up and we’re heading to Gainesville to visit my sister at the University of Florida for her sorority’s mother/daughter/sister/aunt/any woman in your family weekend. Yay for girly fun!

Other plans include:

Friday:

• Mother/daughter dinner out in Gainesville

Saturday:

• Sister’s sorority brunch
• Pottery painting
• Drive back to Orlando
• Dinner out in Orlando

Sunday:

• Church
• Look at bridesmaid dresses
• Visit Something Blue Bridal to meet the designer of my wedding dress!!!!!!!

Can you tell I’m especially excited for the last one!?

I can’t wait to actually meet the many who designed my wedding dress in person! My dress was designed by James Clifford (who also designs dresses under the name Jim Hjelm) and he’s coming to the boutique where I bought my dress on Sunday. Fun!