Shrimp lovin’ + Friday Frenzy workout

Hi friends! How is your Friday going? Hope you’ve had a lovely day. Thanks for those of you who shared your food-hungry-crazy stories over on the Family page this morning. It’s nice to know I’m not alone 😉

I woke up this morning the total opposite of refreshed. Tired, groggy and kind of out-of-it. The funny thing is that we set up our bed and after borrowing one from my madre since I moved to Tucson, I realized how tiny our bed is for us. It’s a full! [We were borrowing a queen] For years and years, the Pilot and I have shared a full, and I never thought twice about it, even though we usually had the Pilot, Bella, Viesa and myself in there.

Now, my Snoogle takes up half the bed- I need to take a pic of it on there, it’s pretty funny.

snoogle

I knew b-fast would wake me up:

cereal

{Bfast cookie dough cereal with half a Larabar crumbled on top + coffee with almond milk}

and a Friday Frenzy workout.

Since I’ve been teaching and taking group fitness classes for quite a while, I tend to get bored SO quickly on cardio machines. I thrive off of group energy and it’s more challenging for me to cardio alone, unless I have a good plan beforehand. I’ll use things to tactics to keep my attention, like a new magazine or podcast download, or switch equipment so I’m not stuck on the same beast for the entire time. That’s what I did today 🙂

Friday Frenzy Workout:

1) Pick 3 cardio machines (I chose the stairmaster, elliptical and treadmill)

2) Split them up into steady state, speed and hill workouts (I rolled with 15 minutes steady state on the stairmaster, speed intervals on the elliptical –easy for 1 minute, balls to the wall as fast as I could go with resistance for 30 seconds, repeat for 15 minutes, and 15 minutes of hills on the treadmill, adding resistance every minute until I couldn’t take it anymore, then taking it back down to 4.0 and repeating)

For lunch, I wanted something cold and refreshing, so I made some Spicy Shrimp lettuce wraps.

shrimp

+ 2 more- I couldn’t fit them all on one plate 😉

Cilantro lime shrimp (from Costco), with diced mango and post-photo, covered in a salsa blanket 🙂

The Pilot has a roll call tonight, so I’m going to the movies and dinner with some of the squadron wives before picking him up. Should be a blasty 😀

See ya in the morning!

xoxo

Gina

How do you keep boredom from sneaking into your cardio workouts?

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43 Comments

  1. girl in the pink on July 29, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    I am a big fan of watching movies/shows on my ipad or ipod while on cardio machines. I also think intervals help time pass by quicker!

  2. Ashley H. on July 29, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    You guys need to upgrade to a King!! We just did from a queen and can’t believe the difference. We have a little pug that sleeps with us and even though she’s only 15pounds she still manages to push us off the bed. 🙂

  3. Shayla @ The Good Life on July 29, 2011 at 6:37 pm

    What a great workout! To break up boredom I like to listen to my fav playlist on my iPod and do an interval workout on the elliptical where I pick up the pace during the chorus and then recover during the verse. It makes the time fly by! 🙂

    • Fitnessista on July 29, 2011 at 6:41 pm

      i love musical cardio! 🙂

  4. Emma (Namaste Everyday) on July 29, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    I LOVE doing a 15-15-15 breakdown for cardio! I like treadmill, bike, and elliptical 🙂

  5. Gina @ Running to the Kitchen on July 29, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    Oh my gosh, I don’t even know how you could stand one minute on a full! We have to sleep on a full when we visit my in-laws and I honestly would rather spend the week on the couch.

  6. Jen on July 29, 2011 at 7:01 pm

    I’ve always relied on music to get me through my long cardio sessions. But recently I discovered spinning, and am now obsessed with the group energy. It’s all I want to do now!

  7. Sara K on July 29, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    Shrimp and mango is an epic combo (try shrimp with pineapple salsa too…amazing tang)
    I switch up my playlists a lot so it gets me to look forward to a cardio sesh

  8. Brittany @ Itty Bits of Balance on July 29, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    That workout seems awesome!
    Honestly, I just started Bodyrocking and because my workout is different every day– I rarely get sick of it!

  9. chelsey @ clean eating chelsey on July 29, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    You guys sleep in a full? Holy moly – I thought a queen was small!

  10. Ruthiey on July 29, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    Those lettuce wraps look tayyy-stee!

  11. Hillary on July 29, 2011 at 7:07 pm

    Shrimp and mango? Oh, heavens.

    I try to listen to new music or read a new magazine when I’m on a cardio machine. Once those get boring, I try different interval workouts or cardio DVDs to switch up my routine and keep it interesting!

  12. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) on July 29, 2011 at 7:10 pm

    Yum, those shrimp lettuce cups look delicious!!

  13. Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn on July 29, 2011 at 7:33 pm

    Ahhhh delicious <3333 I want!!

  14. Sarah @ serotonin for breakfast on July 29, 2011 at 7:34 pm

    I like the musical motivation as well as switching machines, but a lot of times I make lists or write my workout plans for the rest of the week. Writing doesn’t work well on the treadmill, but if I’m multitasking I definitely don’t get bored!

  15. Keelie (SweatEqualsSuccess) on July 29, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    My cardio mood varies- sometimes I just need to zone out by myself, but often I LOVE getting sweaty in a group!

    … and now I’m craving shrimp. 🙂

  16. Mama Pea on July 29, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Have a fun night with your girlies!

  17. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga on July 29, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    Oh the diced mango in those boats looks perfect!

    Have fun w/ the other wives tonight. You DESERVE some downtime and R & R and girl talk. Have fun!

    You only have a full sized bed? Omg one of my legs takes up half the bed when I flop it over. I am a flopper and a sprawler, not a tight in a ball sleeper usually. Also once baby comes and you are nursing all thru the night, you will have nursing pillows in the beginning, and baby, and a million baby blankets so there will be even more in your bed 🙂

    Have a FUN night!

  18. Leslie Wingate on July 29, 2011 at 8:32 pm

    YUMMY SHRIMP! I always hated it, and now, it’s one of my favorite things.

    QUESTION: I’m trying to follow your tips to tone up and be more fit since losing my weight. What’s with bread? I have whole grain, but I notice yours is rice bread and other types. Are they better for us?
    Gracias! And, “lurve” your new digs! 😉

  19. cathy on July 29, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    enjoy the movie – what did you decide to see?
    cardio on machines: i switch up what i’m doing with every new song. so stairmaster, treadmill or bike i change the intensity/pace. elliptical, add arms, go backwards, take away arms, go forwards etc. time flies!

  20. Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me on July 29, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    Yum those lettuce wraps look delish.

    Looks like a great workout! I typically just switch it up if I’m getting bored. Take a new class, lift etc.

  21. Tessa @ Amazing Asset on July 29, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    Great workout, as usual 🙂
    Those look wonderful! I love anything with shrimp, so I am psyched to give these a try sometime

  22. Lindsey on July 29, 2011 at 9:06 pm

    I like to vary the speeds or resistance constantly so rather than thinking I have 30 more minutes it 2-3 minutes before I switch it up again 🙂

  23. Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin on July 29, 2011 at 9:24 pm

    I love that workout idea! I think I might give it a try on Sunday!

    Whenever I’m running on the treadmill, I like to make patterns with my speed… like increasing by 0.1 mph every 2 minutes or jumping in between two speeds. It definitely keeps me from getting bored!

  24. Holly @ The Runny Egg on July 29, 2011 at 9:46 pm

    I either switch up my music or the tv channel if I’m at the gym.

    At first I thought those lettuce wraps were shrimp + hunks of cheddar cheese — that seemed pretty nasty to me! Good to know it is mango 🙂

    • Leslie Wingate on July 29, 2011 at 9:59 pm

      I thought it was cheese cubes too, at first glance. 😉

  25. Roselyn on July 29, 2011 at 9:47 pm

    Get a king, girl! 🙂 best thing we ever did.

  26. Brynne on July 29, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    I love the cilantro lime shrimp from CostCo! Putting them in lettuce wraps is such a great idea!

  27. alex on July 29, 2011 at 10:23 pm

    I almost bought those shrimpies as Costco. How are they?

    I do the same thing as you as far as cardio is concerned. I get bored and have major cardio ADD if I have to be stuck on a machine, so I rotate. I also throw the row machine in there too.

  28. kaila @ healthy helper! on July 29, 2011 at 10:52 pm

    Love that cardio idea! Cardio is so easy to get bored with….but something like this definitely helps!!!

  29. Mallory @ Teach Run Repeat on July 29, 2011 at 11:10 pm

    I had never eaten a mango until a few months ago when my teaching assistant (who is from Barbados) was practically heart broken that I had never had one! She brought one in the next day, taught me how to eat it ‘the right way’, and I’ve been addicted every since! Qdoba has a delishhhhh mango salsa!

  30. Ali @ urbanfruitbat on July 29, 2011 at 11:39 pm

    I like to read or computer whilst I cardio. Or I take it outside, that always seems to help. I walk and read on my way to work, and I almost never fall down!

  31. Laura @ Backstage Pass on July 30, 2011 at 12:06 am

    I am in the midst of marathon training, so unfortunately boredom has crept in big time! I am excited that my boyfriend will be joining me for my 14-miler tomorrow morning, though – that should keep things interesting 🙂

  32. Orla on July 30, 2011 at 2:49 am

    My husband insisted we get a king bed and I thought it would be overkill, but it’s incredible. Soooo spacious! It’s basically a glorious combination of getting to snuggle + having a bed to yourself 😀

  33. Yolie @ Practising Wellness on July 30, 2011 at 3:15 am

    That Friday Frenzy workout sounds awesome, just the ticket for making a session fly by! Will absolutely positively be doing that next time I hit up the gym – thank you for the great idea! 🙂 xyx

  34. Melanie on July 30, 2011 at 4:40 am

    I’m so glad there’s another married couple out there who has a full bed. We do too…my in-laws bought us a Sleep Number bed as a wedding gift nine years ago, but we didn’t know what kind of housing we’d be in (hubz was going to seminary and we were moving to TX) so we opted for the smaller one. And our kitty, Shelli, sleeps perpendicular to me, so we each end up only getting 1/3 of the bed. Talk about cramped!!

  35. Megan on July 30, 2011 at 7:27 am

    I think switching up the type of cardio you do really helps. Since its summer I take advantage of the outdoors; running, biking, hiking etc. Also, and this sounds goofy, I try to get something in my mind to plan. Something I need to organize, a class I am going to teach, something I want to research – I come up with some really good stuff and it totally distracts me from the negative talk like “oh its so hoootttt.”

  36. Amber @ Chicken and Chocolate on July 30, 2011 at 9:32 am

    I ALWAYS have magazines or a book, and my iPod cranked up with good music! Sometimes I just push one of the program buttons on the treadmill and let it tell me what to do. I never know what is next and the time flies by!

  37. Kristie on July 30, 2011 at 9:52 am

    Not related to the shrimpies, but I just wanted to let you know that I finally tried the breakfast cookie dough cereal this morning. I was too skeptical to try it for a long time. Anyway, it was awesome! Now I’m just crossing my fingers that it’ll keep me full because the good taste and easy prep would make it a nice weekday breakfast :).

    • Leslie Wingate on July 30, 2011 at 10:39 am

      W00T! I had it this morning too. It’s so yummy and feels like a treat! I just feel so gross when I eat lots of protein in the morning. I need light/cold stuff…especially in this Tx heat!

  38. kris |iheartwellness.com on July 30, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Lol! I’m on my cardio machines now catching up on blogs!! I love keeping my mind off of them!

    What movie did you see?

    Xxoo

  39. avery on July 30, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    The coffee you have in this post reminded me of something funny….every time my boyfriend sees me reading your blog, he calls you “The fitness Barista” which I think is hilarious.

  40. Molly on July 31, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    oohhh, yum! Shrimp lettuce wraps!

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