Fitness in Philly

I just got back from a trip to visit Joey at his home in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. It was a fun week filled with a lot of relaxing, but we also made a successful effort to get to the gym every day. It's been a solid two weeks of eating for me which is a totally normal and okay thing to do (in some moderation) over the holidays, but it definitely felt great to get to the gym once a day and work off all of the sugar cookies and birthday cake I've been happily consuming lately :) .

So here is a look at this past week's workouts:

12/26- day off...traveling and christmas with Joey's family prevented time for the gym but a day off was good for me and my body!

12/27- 4.6 mile run + 7 minute uphill speed walk, 5 minute abs + planks (1 minute in a regular plank position, 1 minute right side plank, 1 minute left side plank), stretching = 60 minutes total

12/28- 4 mile run, 7 minute uphill speed walk, 8 minute stationary bike, 5 minute abs + planks (same as day before), 55 girl push-ups, 8 minute cool down on the stair master, stretching = 68 minutes total

12/29-4.5 mile run, 5 minute uphill speed walk, 10 minute stationary bike, 5 minute abs = 60 minutes total

12/30- 35 minute run with sprint intervals every five minutes, 3 minute cool down, 7 minute stationary bike, 5 sets of 10 upper body lifts on the incline bench (great lower ab workout!...i was very sore the next day) = 50 minutes total

12/31- 4 mile run, 10 minute stationary bike, 75 girl push-ups, 1 minute alternating leg lifts (side and back...great butt work!), dumbbell bicep curls (alternating 20 on each arm x 2), stretching = 60 minutes total

1/1- 40 minute sprint interval run (sprinting every 2 minutes), quick 5 minute arm work with resistance bands, stretching =50 minutes total

1/2- Day Off!

All of the above workouts were designed to burn at least 500 calories (according to my height and weight). Definitely give them a try and let me know if you do!

Pictures from my trip were pretty scarce. I hardly took any pictures of food because I didn't have my camera or phone with me much while eating. Every morning for breakfast I made myself I big bowl of hot oatmeal sweetened with almond milk, agave, and blueberries on top! Lunches varied greatly from homemade spinach and goat cheese pizza to a salad and fruit cup at Bryn and Dane's-Healthy Fast Food. Likewise, dinners were pretty much all over the place. I had a few delicious homemade meals that Joey's mom was nice enough to make. She knows that I like to eat healthy so she always makes sure I'm taken care of come meal time. A few highlight dinners from the trip were a big elaborate sushi dinner, baked salmon with spinach and whole wheat angel hair pasta, and grilled shrimp with veggies and hummus!

Also one more quick but important note. I found a way to be healthy at Chipotle. My friends love this place because we have one right on our campus and it's super easy and fast, but I've always been a bit opposed because it's hard to find things for me to eat there. But I braved the Chipotle menu on New Years Eve night and got a veggie salad (not in a taco bowl) with black beans (fiber and protein!), lots of veggies, and little cheese, salsa, and guac! It was a really good and hearty salad so I think the Chipotle at Hopkins will be seeing a lot more of me next semester.

That's all I got for tonight! Again, sorry for the lack of pictures. I'll be back more this week with posts featuring new recipes perfect for any college student, and also some great books to read next time you're running on the treadmill or on the elliptical (I promise it can be done!). So look forward to those coming soon!

XOXO