OOTD & Fitness Updates

I have an outfit of the day to post today, but I also wanted to share some exciting fitness updates!  My H and I have been working really hard at the gym lately, going 5 days a week on average.  We are doing a fitness challenge with our trainer where we are part of a team so we are getting measurements done ever two weeks or so to track our progress.  I'm really proud of myself because I learned that I am currently at 17.5% body fat and I've also lose a few pounds (bringing me closer to my goal weight)! 

When I started to work out, I was at about 24% body fat so getting down to the teens is a big accomplishment for me. My next goal is 15% and I'll probably stop there.

As far as eating, I have been doing pretty okay. I am reading "Naturally Thin" right now, and it's helping me understand the thought process behind eating and choosing foods, which is good for me since I tend to sometimes overeat certain things (like sweets!)  I've been doing well though with eating whole grains, protein in meats, veggies and fruit.  I still have my indulgences, but I practice more strict portion control now.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that. It took me a LONG time to get the results I have, but it was all worth it because now I'm really seeing the numbers move!

I also want to note, because I know people will probably comment about this. I have said in the past that I do not weigh myself on a regular basis. That was true until I started this challenge, as I'm required to weigh in every few weeks. I am actually glad I started to weigh-in, because it helps me stay motivated to see that the numbers are moving! My weight can fluctuate throughout the day (2-4 lbs), so I always go with the lowest number I weigh in at (you know, when you weigh yourself after you pee and before you eat!)

Here's an outfit that I wore last week that I hadn't posted:

Top- Target
Skirt- Heritage Collection, Banana Republic
Shoes- Steve Madden "Fantasik"
Watch- Michael Kors
Bracelet- Pandora

Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!  I have some product reviews coming up because I feel like I've been slacking on that and I have a few great ones I want to share with you all!

xoxo,

Veronika.

OOTD: Lilac & Lace, Navy & Cream & Some Updates!

I was really excited to wear my new lace skirt and pretty top that I got at the Ann Taylor outlet last weekend and I wore this ensemble on Monday (I'm a day behind!)

Top- Ann Taylor
Skirt- Ann Taylor
Cardigan- Armani Exchange
Shoes- Jessica Simpson

Today's outfit was pretty simple. Just a navy skirt and cream top with ruffle details on the sleeves.

Skirt- BCBG
Top- Forever 21
Belt- J. Crew
Shoes- MaxStudio @ Zappos.com

I have a few other updates I'd like to share as well in this entry! 

Fitness--- I almost never weigh myself, but over the weekend when we were visiting H's parents, I used their scale and wouldn't you know it, it showed that I had lost 5 lbs.  I had gained that much when I first started to work out from the muscle I had put on, and I guess with the high intensity workouts I've been doing lately and better/more mindful eating, my body finally responded and burned some of that fat off! I use www.dailyplate.com a few days a week to track my calories to get an idea of where I'm at.

Personal--- I'm thrilled to announce that I am now a contributing write for the website GalTime, writing about home decor. You can check out my very first piece about Infusing Spring Into Your Home, here. I will be writing pieces weekly and I'll be sure to post the link here each week so anyone who is interested can check it out!

Royal Wedding--- I'm seriously having anxiety about the Royal Wedding!  I am just so darn excited about it I can hardly contain myself. My H even downloaded NBC's Royal Wedding app on his new iPad (God bless him! He's so sweet!)  Is anyone else as crazy excited as I am?  Or is it just me?

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening!  It's another busy week for me but I'm going to try and blog as much as possible. 

xoxo,

Veronika.

PS----
One of my Readers, Taryn wrote to me and I wanted to share this with you all!

...I know a LOT of people have been scouring the internet for a Steve Madden dupe (of the Valentino Bow Sandals) since you posted about them... I've actually seen this discussed on a couple other people's blogs! (like this girl: http://vscupcakecouture.blogspot.com/2011/03/steve-madden-bow-flip-flops-dupe.html) her blog about the dupe was what actually led me to start looking for a cheaper option-- haha look what you've started. Anyways, I just pre-ordered mine the other day. Here's the link: http://www.hintboutique.com/footwear/

So if anyone wants a great dupe for the Valentino/Steve Madden Bow Sandals---there it is! Thanks so much Taryn!

Motivation Mondays: My Current Workout Routine & Eating

This isn't a true Motivation Mondays post, but a lot of my lovely readers have been requesting that I post more about my fitness routine and eating habits.

I'll touch on the eating part first, because I've just been really struggling with my IBS lately so I'm seeing a specialist this month to talk about what kinds of foods might help me (I'm thinking less dairy and gluten, but not 100% sure.) 

Right now a typical meal say for me might look something like this:

• Breakfast
• oatmeal (I like apple cinnamon or maple sugar)
• toast or Kashi crackers with peanut butter
• fruit- bananas, strawberries, grapes, etc...
• 2 cups of green tea
• Lunch
• sandwich (turkey and cheese)
• pita bread with tuna
• soup (I get tomato or chicken noodle)
• veggies with hummus (as part of my overall lunch)
• 1 cup of green tea
• Snacks
• babybell cheese or string cheese
• almonds (LOVE them)
• crackers with peanut butter
• cereal
• Kashi cereal bar
• Dinner
• shrimp and veggies
• shrimp with pasta
• beef kabobs
• spaghetti
• turkey chilli
• 1 cup of decaf mint tea

So that's a basic breakdown.  I sometimes just have a bowl of cereal for dinner. It just depends what mood I'm in.  I also sometimes have toast with Nutella for dinner.  I crave sweets, as you can tell!  Right now my biggest thing to overcome food-wise is learning to stop before I'm so full my stomach hurts and also to cut out candy and replace it with something sweet that's healthier.

Now, onto the fitness part.  I've mentioned before that it's hard for me to remember my workouts because I do a different workout every time I go. It's just never the same---you have to keep challenging your body to get results!

I usually do 45 minute or 1 hour sessions that are a mix of strength training and intense cardio.  From resistance bands to bosu balls to stability balls and kettle bells---I do it all and we also do a lot of workouts that use your own body weight, like the dreaded "plank."  We focus a lot on the butt and thighs because I love the look of toned legs.  I workout my entire body though, including muscles I've never worked out before (when I used to go to the gym on my own.)

Although it's tough, I think the intense bursts of cardio we do during each session really help burn fat and increase the intensity of the workout overall.

We do everything from crunches and tons of different squats--- to moves I don't even know how to describe.  It's amazing how much more of a burn I feel when I'm really pushing myself under the supervision of my trainer. I almost feel like I'd never workout that hard on my own.

Speaking of motivation, check out these recent photos of a blonde Kate Beckinsale.  (pics: www.justjared.buzznet.com)

Now, I definitely love her more as a brunette but look at that body!  Very inspirational, especially since she's a momma!

So, what are my fitness goals as time goes on?  To stick to my workout plan. Right now I see my trainer 4 times a week which is perfect for me.  The other days I will either take rest days or workout on my own.  I think for me though, the diet will be the biggest challenge. I'm working on eating more salads, veggies and greens in general.  Hopefully 2011 will be the year where I can finally eat well.

What are your 2011 fitness goals? Let me know in the comments below!
xoxo,

Veronika.

Favorite YouTube Fitness Channels & Looks I'm Loving Now

Happy Friday everyone!  I am so happy it's Friday.  As I wrote in a previous post this week I have just been exhausted and I can't figure out why...just one of those weeks, I guess.  I got home from work today and plopped onto the couch.  I contemplated skipping my 6:30 Pilates class but my 2 Sprinkles Cupcakes that I consumed today convinced me that I needed to do some physical activity.  I was yawning and tired but as expected, the class pumped me right back up.

Speaking of fitness, I wanted to share the links to my favorite YouTube fitness channels.  These are the ones I subscribe to. They are great workouts to do in the comfort of your own home and they are intense!

First is BodyRockTV with Zuzana Light. You can also visit the BodyRockTV website, here.

Second, is ToneitUpCom.  Karena & Katrina are both gorgeous and oh-so-fit. I love their sunny personalities and they do great workouts and give healthy eating tips! You can see their website, ToneitUp, here.

Next up is Kim Strother who is a fitness model with FORD models.  She does great workout tutorials as well.  You can view her videos here.

Then there's Fitnessita's channel.  She gas fun Zumba videos on there too!  Check her out here. She also has a blog.

Another great channel is DietHealth.  Sarah Dussault hosts these and she also has her own channel which you can check out here. She does a lot of workouts, food related videos and even fitness fashion related videos. She also has a website.

Do YOU have any other YouTube fitness gurus that you like? Please share their channel links in the comments below!

...and, because it's Friday, here are some of my favorite celebrity styles lately. Whether it's the hair, makeup or outfit, something appealed to me about each of these photos so I just had to share them! Here are the looks I'm loving now:

The always lovely Kate Beckinsale

I've never seen this color on Alexis Bledel before- gorgeous!

Perfection! Love her hair color and pretty eye makeup.

Is SJP ever not perfectly styled? Love this look!

I am not sure if Reese could be any cuter. I LOVE her haircut.

Swifty- gorgeous as always- love the lace and ruffles.

Can't get enough of Kate Beckinsale...


Or SJP...


Ashley Greene pretty in black and white


Gorgeous Lauren Conrad in a pretty lace dress (I would LOVE to own this one!)


Eva Mendes- That textured skirt is gorgeous!


Pretty Lo from The Hills (far left)


Oliva Palermo with her cute new shorter hair
(photos from JustJared & Hills Freak)

That's all for tonight!  Tomorrow I am having my hair colored by the new colorist. Thanks so much for your input ladies! I figure let's not delay the inevitable and just move on.  You never know, maybe I'll love my hair even more? You just never know unless you take the chance...and anything looks better than 5 months of roots!

I will post pictures tomorrow :)

xoxo,

Veronika.

Motivation Mondays: Audrina Patridge Works it Out

Today's Motivation Monday features Audrina Patridge of "The Hills" and "Dancing with the Stars" fame. Obviously I don't know her so I didn't get to interview her like I usually do for this feature, but I did find a few of her fitness tips online and am compiling them in this entry.

I am obsessed with the blog Hills Freak and I always admire Audrina's style and of course her body!  She is very fit and even more toned since she's been training and performing on Dancing with the Stars. This is a picture-heavy post, with all photos from Hills Freak (thanks Kelli!)

Among Audrina's health and fitness tips?

• She works out at least five times a week
  
•  She does laps in her backyard pool, hikes in Runyon Canyon, goes for a run or does weight training
  
• "Even when I'm just sitting in front of the TV, I lift five-pound weights or do squats."
  
• "I wear heels when I vacuum, because it works my calves and my butt!"
  
• She works out with a trainer
  
• She has always been in shape and was on the swim team when she was younger
  
• “I go to the beach on the weekends and play volleyball.  Or I’ll go kayaking in Malibu. I like finding things to do outside. I hate being cooped up in the gym.”
  
• When she does head to the gym, Patridge focuses on toning and defining: after 15 minutes on the elliptical glider, she works her arms with 5-pound weights, keeps her belly flat by doing crunches on a balance ball and lifts her posterior with squats and lunges.
  
• I try to eat as healthy as I can. I eat alot of vegetables, fruit, fish, chicken. I never eat sweets or drink soda. I always drink water or iced tea. I take vitamins everyday.
  
•  From her Twitter page "Just left rehearsal… Dancing is probably the BEST workout everrr!! And your having fun at the same time.” 
  
• "I am not really big on sweets. I don’t like desert. I don’t like certain kinds of candy I’m not a big chocolate fan.”
  
•  "I have all this natural energy from being active everyday," Patridge, 25, tells People of her new found fitness addiction. "I feel toned and defined."

Holding a LuluLemon bag!

(x17online.com)

I know it's Motivation Monday, but I had to skip my Pilates class tonight.  My stomach has been weird all day and I actually fell asleep while writing this entry. I felt very tired suddenly and the next thing I knew I was dozing off on the couch, laptop still in my lap, this entry open. Not sure why I'm so tired today...I slept my 8 hours and everything (no, I'm NOT pregnant.) Guess I'm just feeling exhausted...On the plus side, my H made a very yummy dinner- whole wheat angel hair pasta and shrimp with marinara pasta sauce. So delicious! Thank goodness he can cook! I'm going to drink some gingerale to see if it helps with my tummy.

I always thought it might be fun to try a dancing class as a workout. I've heard a lot of great things about Zumba too. What do you think of Audrina's tips? I could never get on board with no sweets (I am addicted) but I love her ideas like wearing heels when she vacuums or taking her workouts outside (hiking or playing volleyball). Audrina strikes me as someone who isn't obsessed with food intake and just lives by the principles of moderation and portion control.

I also love Audrina's former costars Lauren Conrad and Lo Bosworth. They have enviable frames as well!

xoxo,

Veronika.