a year of minnesota nice : helping out tornado victims

just like when the boston bombings & the newtown shootings happened ; any type of 'non-oklahoma' post seems insensitive & unnecessary.

today over on my other blog ; i am sharing ways you can help out the folks of moore, oklahoma.
please stop over & find a way to help.

be kind to each other today.

#whatsbeautiful : the benefits of mini-goals

happy monday!

do you ever have those moments when you have so much to do, so you avoid it all and get nothing done? [totally how i was feeling last week...]

here is to a new week with moving forward & making progress.

if you have been following the 'whats beautiful' campaign [sign up here] ; you should be super motivated. so many women ; different shapes, sizes, backgrounds ; all setting goals & knocking them down. 

[if you want to join my team, check it out here.]

on the site, there are tons of challenges you can complete to help you get closer to your goal ; most are to be documented by a photo or a video blog.

last week, i was a bit of a 'blah' when it came to working out // hitting my goals. i walk daphne for 90min-2 1/2 hours a day, but my heart rate isnt blasting. and i bike to work & back 5 days a week ; but i know that i need more cardio [plus lifting].

so, i created a list of mini-goals to help keep me accountable.

now that its warmer, i feel like its easier to go out to eat versus staying in to cook [anybody else feel like this?]

also, starting june 1st we are going to start a turbofire // insanity hybrid program. im afraid that i will get bored // burnt out on just one program ; so we will mix it up. [i changed my mind after i made my list ;)]

id love to read about your mini-goals!

leave them in the comments.

#whatsbeautiful : strength is beauty

last week, i posted about the new #whatsbeautiful campaign that i am participating in. under armour & fitfluential picked health // wellness // fitness bloggers from all over the country to encourage YOU to set a goal & crush it.
your goal can be anything from going to the gym 3x a week to finishing your first triathalon.

you can sign up to participate here. once you are there, you can find friends [or make new ones!], share your goals, complete challenges & join teams. [be my friend here]
i started a team called 'get up & go.' if you want to join my team, its right here.

the challenge runs through the middle of july ; so i have decided to dedicate a couple posts a week towards fitness // wellness // challenges for the campaign. also, 8 weeks gives you plenty of time to work hard to reach // surpass // get closer to your goal.
im hoping you will join me, but i also need to keep myself motivated.

my 'main' goal is to be able to do 20 no-knee push-ups in a row. but i have a lot of smaller goals as well. everything from lowering my body fat percentage, to drinking 8 glasses of water a day.

todays challenge from the site [there are tons of challenges ; you decide which ones to do & when] is strength is beauty. take a picture of yourself showing both your inner & outer strength.

post your own photo on twitter with #whatsbeautiful & #iwill as the hashtag or post it on your whats beautiful profile page!

share with us ; what are you doing today to get closer to your goal?
me : im drinking lots of water, biking 10 miles to work & back and hitting up a hot yoga class tonight!

whats beautiful? : and why i am challenging you to be better

This post is sponsored by Under Armour through FitFluential

happy friday.

earlier this week, i posted about what it means to compare yourself to others & to use the f-a-t- word during a workout class.

under armour just recently launched a new campaign called 'what's beautiful.' they want women [YOU] to set new goals, to push harder & blow past any challenge that has been in your way.
its simple. you create a goal. and then you crush it. and along the way, you can post photos, videos & other mini-challenges to help you get there.
your goal can be anything from toning your triceps, to going to yoga 3x a week, to biking 50 miles, to completing a triathalon.
you can set up a personal profile page, can follow others, can chat with members & can also join teams.
there are a hundred [more?] teams ; from moms that run, yoga lovers, women that cross fit, ect ect.

once you are signed in & registered, under armour will continue to post new challenges for you [take a photo of yourself working on your goal, sign up for an event that will help you achieve it].

you have 8 weeks to join in & participate in this campaign. you do not have to meet your goal by the end [say you want to run your first marathon on october..] ; but the goal is to continue to work on that goal, inch by inch. and also, you will be 8 weeks closer to where you want to be.

want to join me? 
here is my profile page [lets be friends!] and i created this team called 'get up & go.' it is for ANY WOMAN with ANY GOAL! just make a commitment to get up & move your body most days of the week!
and if you are on twitter, share your goals with the #whatsbeautiful & #iwill hashtags so we can check them out!

and what about my goal?
i want to be able to do 20 [no-knee] push ups in a row. real-deep-elbows-skimming-my-sides-with-my-chest-an-inch-from-the-ground push ups!

lets do this!
id love to read your goals in the comments!

that time i called myself f-a-t during hot yoga // week 1 of our 30-day challenge

happy monday, everybody!
i am only a week in with having 2 blogs & i can already feel myself slipping a bit..
i have been having a blast with my acts of kindness on my new blog ; come see!

so, lets talk about hot yoga!
this month is the 'grow your yoga challenge', hosted by moksha yoga studios, all over the country [& canada].
blake & i bought a pass, with the intention of attending at least 28 classes in the month of may.
do you know moksha? its an super eco hot yoga studio. they offer a few different styles of yoga, all at 103*.

like running, i love the idea of yoga. the idea of pure calm. and listening to your body. tuning out the world. focusing on all of the good & breathing out all of the bad.
and sometimes, that happens for me.
but yesterday? not so much.
last night, we attended the 6pm hot hatha practice. the room was FULL. i mean it. bodies & bodies filling the already sweltering room.
when you walk in, before class starts, are you suppose to lay in savasana [corpse pose] ; breathing into your mat, setting your intention and preparing for class.

from the start, i just couldnt get it together. i was aware of the heat. of the heavy breather a row over. aware of the really fit girl wearing short shorts & a bra a few mats over. thinking about my to-do list.
as class went on, i was struggling. one of my knees was giving me trouble, no matter what modification i would do. and then i saw them ; i realized that i was surrounded by really skinny // fit girls that were really deep into their poses.

and that was it. i started scolding myself. for needing water. for thinking too much. for feeling like my pants were too tight [and drenched]. and then i said it. the f-a-t word. 

now, i am pretty average size. millions of people are thinner than me. and millions of folks weigh more than me. i work out 6 days a week. lift weights. do push ups. bike commute. i am 153 pounds & 5'8. i am not fat. sure, my thighs touch & i have some chunk in my middle ; but i am not fat.
i dont use that word lightly. its never a word i use to describe myself or others.

so, what the hell was i doing?!
i think this is what we [women] do to ourselves. we sabotage our successes & focus on our shortcomings.
i would never look at someone my size who had to modify a pose & think 'gosh, shes too big for yoga.' so, what in the world was i doing, saying it to myself?
all these hard-bodied yogis got into my head. i allowed their practice to effect mine.
after i realized what i was doing, i laid on my mat. took a few deep breaths. and got back to ME. i told myself that i was strong. i biked to class. i lift weights. i eat well. and take care of myself.
i might not look like a fitness model, but i am what fitness looks like to me.
i deserved to be in that class.
i deserved to be a part of that practice.

i hope that you will also realize that where you are right now ; that is good enough.
we can all improve. we can all get better.
but please, please, please stop & take a deep breath! 
you are amazing. right now ; today.

*i should also say that moksha is great. they are welcoming & the community is amazing. in no way am i saying the staff or certain members were targeting me. this was my own issue. if you are local [or have a moksha in your area], i highly recommend them!*

yep, its made here : 9 awesome goods to make your home even cooler!

happy friday! 

have you checked out my new blog? [yay!] i am super proud of it.

today, i have another round-up of cool products that are made here in the us.

its kind of a hodge-podge of awesome home items!

here we go : 

1) legal paper paperweight! isnt this cute?!

here

2) these cork coasters are handmade in chicago

i love how hip & urban these are ;)

here

3) these are cool, too!

new york-themed rubber stamps.

plus, they are on super-sale!

here

4) are you a game person?

this one looks super fun. 

[also, i think its awesome that there are still a few companies that make games in the states]

here

5) i am big fan of NPR ; i listen to public radio each and every day.

hello, its a coloring // activity book featuring 20 of the coolest indie bands.

[such a rad idea!]

here

6) have you used badger products? they have something for everybody!

i need this sleep balm [i have a really hard time sleeping!]

here

7) i love bees!

beecology has a really cute gift basket ; lip balms, soaps & body cream. all made with beeswax

here

8) field notes! these are my favorite notebooks! i have at least 20 of them at home. they are made in oregon & last forever.

if you are looking for a pocket notebook ; go field notes!

here

9) oh my goodness! have you ever seen these before?

one of my favorite parts of doing this series is finding great products i didnt know existed!

this is one of those!!

flying wish paper ; you write a wish on a piece of paper, light it on fire & it goes into the universe.

[totally on my list of random acts of kindness!]

here

thats it!

i hope you have an awesome weekend.

we have some big plans that i am excited to share & document.

see you on monday.

the project i am the most proud of! : a year of minnesota nice

you guys!!
i am so excited to *finally* share this with you!
my heart is swelling super big & i am so excited.

after the boston bombings, my heart [like yours!] was super sad & i knew i had a responsibility to do something more to spread kindness around.

so, i have created a new project called 'a year of minnesota nice!'
my first post went up today [woo hoo!] & i will officially start the project tomorrow.

what is it? 
well, each day [tomorrow] for an entire year, i will practice ONE simple act of kindness & then document my experience on the blog.
some acts are free. some cost money. some will take 3 minutes. and others will take some planning. recipients will be random strangers. dogs. kids. and people that are already in my life.

i have spent the last couple of weeks creating the blog & a list of 365 acts [i only have 285!].
i really am SO excited for this!
hop over here to check out my first post, the about me // the project page & my list of all the things!

come over & join!
lets change the planet together!!