Roses are red, violets are blue...

Wall balls always suck, and sled drags do too!

Unfortunately for my husband my birthday and Valentines fall in the same week. But yay for me and the shower of presents that ensue. Lucky for him though, if its Crossfit or fitness related, I want it. So this week I received lots of new toys to motivate and thoroughly kick my rear into shape.



From my hubby I got a Fitbit Force for my birthday and a 14lb wall ball for Valentines day. Nothing says I love you like a wall ball. Here go do Karen, hope you can walk tomorrow. The Fitbit Force is AWESOME though. Hubby got one for me and one for himself. He runs way more than I do so his steps are like twice mine (my inner competitive side is not pleased with this) but I love being able to see how active I am throughout the day. The only thing is I still have to wear my Polar FT40 for Crossfit to track my activity but you can't win them all.



From the parentals, for my birthday, I got a Rogue Fitness Fatboy Sled and a Wod Love tank! Can't wait to drag this thing around the neighborhood, maybe I can make a dent in the Fitbit steps that the hubby is ahead of me. And these shoulders and legs are about to be in trouble!



My brother and law also shares a birthday around Valentines so this year we celebrated our birthdays together. Well Hubby didn't check with the parents on who was getting what and also bought me a sled, so Dino got extra presents! But actually it benefits me because now I have a sled to drag around when I head up to Oklahoma to hang out! Win for the both of us!

Can you tell I'm a happy girl?

Sparkly things and roses... Who needs them. Give me Rogue gear and workout clothes and I'm set!!! (Okay roses would have been awesome too but who am I to complain?!)

I also wanted to share with you a new tape I bought, Jillian Michael's Yoga Inferno. Did you know Jillian said in one of her recent podcasts that she won't even do her own dvd's because they are hard? For some reason that just cracks me up! Anyways, it tough and fun. I didn't think it was going to be tough but I was wrong. Workout two literally killed the back of my legs for two days. So try it out! You can find it at Target for $9! Definitely worth it!



Also got some yummy goodness in the mail this week! When these bad boys showed up on my doorstep I was ecstatic! Heat them up for 15 seconds in the microwave.... Heaven. Definitely a must try.



Last but not least I wanted to share a little wisdom. Recently I have seen a lot of people pointing fingers ad criticizing others because their fit lifestyle doesn't match their own. Lets remember everyone's fitness journey is different. We all have different goals, plans, and triumphs. Some may want to be able to keep up with their kids, some to just be healthy, some to look good, and others to compete. Don't look down on someone else's journey just because it doesn't look the same as yours or they aren't doing the same as you. Be kind, inspiring, uplifting and helpful - and we can all help each other accomplish our dreams.

Well I'm off to go drag heavy things around the neighborhood! Wish me and my legs luck!

Question:
What did you get for Valentines day?
What are your fit goals?

Eat clean, train mean, && inspire others!
-Jaren

Also a huge thanks to Real Fit Girls on Instagram for the shoutout! Check them out for motivation from Instagram's finest Real Fit Girls - @real_fit_girls!

New Gear and Goals!

Hello my lovelies! Oh how I have missed you.

All is swell here: lots of work, school, and crossfit. It’s a never ending cycle. (PS. Managerial economics BLOWS)

Anyways onto the fun stuff.

Spent my weekend in Oklahoma visiting my sister and her family! It was such a great weekend, the weather was awesome, and it was nice to just hang out and relax!

My little sister Logann and I drove up Thursday and didn’t get there till after midnight, it was a long drive in the Camaro but we passed it by listening to lots of Muse, Glee, and Mumford & Sons. We had to stop in Denton at Chipotle on the way up, duh!

Friday we went to the outlet mall, had lunch at Smashburger, picked my nephew up from school, and bought a fire pit for Candace’s back porch. Then I managed to get a wod in there home garage! Candace’s hubby made a sled with a tire and that thing is no joke.

Then I ran around the yard and chased the kids for hours which is tons of fun and a great way to stay in shape fo sho. 

After that I worked on my handstand while Candace made Chicken and dumplings aka Awesomesauce. The rest of the night was filled with time around the fire making s'mores. No better way to spend the evening for sure.

Saturday, the Hubby (who arrived at 2am Saturday morning) and I went to Dick’s in search of Reebok gear. Our Academy’s back home don’t carry Reebok. This girl loaded up.

I also got a pair of red shorts, not pictured. Those shorts are probably the best pair of shorts I've ever bought. They are a smidge short but if you are used to Lululemon's run speedy's then they won't bother you. I also think they are more comfortable then my Lulu's, the waist band is think and soft so no uncomfortable muffin top. The sports top is super comfy, maybe not good for running or box jumps, but great for everything else.

After fajitas at their local Mexican restaurant we spent the rest of the evening with my niece and nephew making more s'mores and carving pumpkins. Texans represent!

I was super bummed with the weekend ended.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my short term and long term fitness goals so I thought I would share them here.

Short term:
Back squat 200lbs (I’m at 185 right now)
Do an unassisted pull up
Be able to clean my body weight
Eat less starchy carbs
Run more
Continue to work on my 100 burpees for time (epic suckage)
Drink more water

Long term: (1-5yrs)
Get the nerve to compete in my first crossfit competition
Get my NASM
Get my Crossfit Level 1

Tonight the hubby cooked Skinny Taste's Shrimp Cobb Salad and Creamy Cilantro Dressing while I worked on my quiz. Now just relaxing with a Purple Haze (first beer I've had in AGES), carving MORE pumpkins and watching the Conjuring. SCARIEST MOVIE EVER.

Can you believe that tomorrow is Halloween already? We don’t get many trick or treaters out here in the woods but we did buy one bag of candy. And so I wouldn’t touch that candy I bought myself a Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cup! NOM.

Questions:

Do you have any long term or short term goals?
What do you plan to be for Halloween?

Cooking with grease, well not really grease... Thats gross.

Knock, knock...

Whose there?

Me. :)

If any of you follow me on Instagram (KiwiFitBlog) you'll know that life has been sorta nuts for me the last few months. Half my family moved off, my little sister moved back, accounting almost killed, crossfit tries to kill me everyday, and my trusty Mac Book straight up just gave up on life. Well not really; it runs, the hard drive is just bad and so trying to do anything is impossible... Even blogging.  After receiving such diagnosis from the doctors at the Genius Bar the hubby and I bought a new baby...   And here we are. Getting all my music, movies, and pictures off of my old laptop is proving to be a pain... {hence chocolate was needed} About to ship that sucker off and let someone else get the grey hairs.

Anyways. My world. You're probably wondering what is new... Our home gym is finally finished, and this bad boy came in the mail! Rogue Fitness Charlie bar and bumper set, as well as the S-4 squat rack! Absolutely love it, definitely allows me to work on form and technique at home, practice makes perfect! They couldn't get the semi down our road, so the hubby went and brought it to the house on the tractor. Only in the country. :)

Recently, I came back from heaven. You may call it Florida, but seriously it is as close as it gets. I hate dragging myself away every year, if only I could win the lottery... I would never leave. Ate way to much seafood, spent countless hours on the beach {holy crap the water was cold}, and got to see my awesome MeeMaw {HI MEEMAW, LOVE YOU}!

While in Florida, I bought some Saucony's! I love them! I was hoping they would help with some leg pain I have been experiencing while I run.... No go. Going to work on form this week and if it doesn't get better then I'll probably go to the sports doctor to make sure nothing is wrong. I have never liked running, but I am still trying.

As for this wonderful holiday weekend, I spent Friday on the beach laying out with Logann and watching Dino and Mom paddle board. Never wanted it to end. Saturday was spent in the back seat of the Camaro, watching movies {Star Trek and Mirror Mirror} on my iPad. Yesterday, the husband I had a flat out awesome day. Got up early and did our Sunday food prep while watching Ever After. Tilapia, brussel sprouts, green beans, and quinoa for the week!

Then we went to the mall to see the Apple doctors, saw Star Trek Into Darkness {OMG IT WAS SO GOOD-yes I'm a nerd}, walked around Hubbell & Hudson {a way cool market in the Woodlands}, and finished the night at our favorite restaurant America's! We had plantains with pesto and empanadas as appetizers. The hubby had a glass of wine and I, off course, got my mojito. We split steak and buffalo as an entree, and topped it off with tres leches for desert. SO GOOD. 

Today, the hubby is grilling and is forcing me to watch the whole Duck Dynasty series... Oi vey. 

On another note, look what our friends at Lara Bar sent me to try out... Its their new ALT BAR! It has 10g of protein made from PEAS! Its vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and non-GMO. Super filling and delicious! I loved it and I can't wait till they arrive in stores!

Last but not least, tonight when you sit down to enjoy your beer and BBQ with your friends and family please remember the reason for today's holiday. Raise up a prayer or a thank you for those who gave their life so you can enjoy freedom. They gave up all for you. 

Well I'm off to order the Rogue SR1, was finally able to string 10 double unders together! WINNNNING! So this girl is going to practice, practice, practice! Good night!

Eat clean, train mean, and inspire others!

-Jaren

Drinking the Koolaid

Good evening my lovelies!

Christmas has come and gone and we are standing at 2013's door! Holy cow where did the year go? I blinked and it was gone. Friends, fun, love, wedding, hard work, and good memories made up a great year but it is time to look forward.

January is that time of year where people think about change. They set goals, make promises, make commitments... To better themselves, to better their health... Sometimes for their own benefit and sometimes for their loved ones. 

So what are your goals for 2013? To quit smoking? To quit drinking? To eat cleaner? To lose weight? To get a better job? To find love?

As for me, I have started a new journey of my own in November. I drank the koolaid and started crossfit. Yup, I did. I have been at it for a month now and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. I signed up for 6 months {which I will definitely be extending}. I have never been so humbled or sore. Seriously for a week sneezing and laughing was akin to torture. I thought I was in good shape, I thought I was strong... SIKE. I go to the 5am class so my workouts are out of the way and after work I have the rest of the day to play! Everyone in my class is so nice, supportive and humble. Even though who have been at it for years and are waaaay stronger than me. There is nothing like struggling through a workout and having a room full of people cheering you on!

In the short time that I've been going I have seen lots of changes in my body. I've noticed more definition in my legs, in my arms and definitely in my back. My midsection has leaned out. I have noticed more of a change in a month than I  ever did when I was actively doing Insanity or P90X {which are AWESOME programs}. I am not as strong in my arms and I am in my legs but I'm progressing. I did set two PRs for myself though; 105lb front squat and 140lb back squat.

{little ol' me in the background there}

And I got these bad boys for Christmas {THANKS MOM}! Reebok Nanos 2.0. I absolutely love them! They are light, and comfortable. They do run a little on the small side so you may want to add a half size to what you normally wear. But I highly recommend them to all you crossfitters out there!

So question of the day:
What are your goals?
Leave a comment, I would love to hear what you will be working toward this new year! 

Everyone please stay safe! Have fun, but be responsible!

Eat clean, train mean, and inspire others!
-Jaren

Quote I saw this week that loved.
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and I could say, 'I have used everything you gave me.'"

When I said I do...

SCHOOL IS OVER. {For a month.} Who is excited? This girl. I survived both my classes, and I'm so relieved to have them behind me. 

I have finally sat down to take the time to write a post about the wedding, nearly two months later. I think though I will save the reception for another post cause there is just too much to write about.

So the wedding.

Well lets start with the day before shall we? I got up early and drove to Houston to pick up a rental camaro, since I didn't want anyone messing with my own. It was a gorgeous 2012 Victory Red 2SS/RS (which means its a fully loaded V8 for those who don't speak car). Perfect chariot for the weekend. 

After I picked up the camaro, I met my little sister Logann and my best friend Brittney to get our nails done. It had been a long time since I had gotten a mani/pedi and it was such a blast to sit there and chat with my girls while we relaxed. From there we met my aunts, grandmother, other sister and mother at Crossroads Tea Collection for another round of high tea! Sitting around nibbling on sandwiches and drinking tea in such a gorgeous setting just made me feel like I was in a movie. Could not have been any more perfect and I know my grandmother enjoyed it a lot! 

The last stop of the night was the rehearsal dinner at the church. We did our run through in the chapel and then headed down to the large hall for some yummy fajitas catered from Margarita's Mexican Restaurant by the husband's super sweet mom! Everyone sat around and mingled, lots of laughs and shenanigans as usual. 

When it was time to go home and get our beauty rest, I took the camaro and hit the road. Never fails. Got pulled over by a state trooper; I explained to him that it was the night before my wedding and that I was exhausted so he let me off with a warning but all my friends got a huge kick out of it.

The day of I woke up around 9am, double checked my list, got dressed, and loaded the car with mine and Logann's stuff. Let me tell you that car was loaded down, you'd think we were going on a trip for a month! We drove to town to pick up my older sister Candace, stopped by Starbucks {of course}, and headed to the church to get ready! One of my super sweet Camaro club friends did my hair and my make up while we jammed out to music, munched on subs my mother dropped off for us, and we goofed off. Next thing I know the photographers have showed up and its less than an hour to go! 

They were not kidding when they said time would fly. Every time I went to do something someone kept saying -45 minutes, 40 minutes... Oi vey. Dad forgot the marriage license and had to go all the way home to get it! Granny's rental broke down and they had to get help! I was starting to worry. Everyone kept saying how calm I was during everything but I was so excited, no worries or woes. Thirty minutes out and I didn't have my dress on, not to mention started the laces on the back. In the last few minutes we were rushing around like little bees, so was my stomach! 

Next thing I know we are standing in the hallway, lined up and ready to go, piano music is blaring in my ears, Dad is waiting on me... My bridal party heads in, and I started shaking. I was worried about walking in my shoes, dropping my bouquet, falling flat on my face. 

They opened the doors and first thing I see is the husband is crying, like not a tear, full out crying. BE STILL MY HEART. I just wanted to hug him. 

The rest flew by, I do remember the preacher trying to get him to look at me instead of her, everyone laughed at that. We almost missed our kiss cue, you'd think we'd remember the most important part, and then it was out the door in a flurry! 

And we will save the rest for another day... :) So stay tuned.

PS. The professional pictures are courtesy of Kat and Loren from Mustard Seed Photography, I love them dearly they are beyond AWESOME. 

Eat clean, train mean, and inspire others!
-Jaren