Standing Out

Welcome to June everyone!  Who all is participating in our #SummerFitChallenge on Instagram?  Today's exercise is jumping rope for the 30 seconds.  I didn't get it done this morning so I'll have to do it when I get home.  I haven't jump roped since high school gym class!  Here are the rest of the exercises for you to follow along.

🔛 Are you ready for the #summerfitchallenge starting tomorrow? Here are the daily exercises we'll be doing. How many reps can you complete in 30 seconds? ⌚ 📜 The Rules 📜 Share your reps completed every day in comments on this post or on your own picture/video with the challenge hashtag. Be sure to tag me when you share so that I can repost! Your account can't be private. To be eligible for the weekly prizes you must be active and engaged daily. Let's do this! 👙🌞 #fitmom #fitfam #LAWRTW #LongAndWindingRoad #LongAndWindingRoadToWellness #BrandNewMe #fitnesschallenge #exercise #workout #healthyliving #nogymneeded #ChooseSelfLove #TheFitpreneurLife #IndyFitness #FitIndy #WellnessCoach #IndyCoach The lovely hostesses of this challenge are: @FemmeFitaleFitClub @SweshFit @FitFaithLife @TheSHGCommunity @4FitMommas @LongAndWindingRoadToWellness @TheFrugalExerciser_ Prizes sponsored by: @theshgcommunity @spri Shred Lifestyle, & @femmefitalefitclub

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on May 31, 2016 at 10:53am PDT

Standing Out

I'm an introvert (also highly sensitive) so I don't feel comfortable shouting from the mountaintop about who I am and what I can do for potential clients.  I've always been a behind the scenes kinda gal so becoming a Wellness Coach is forcing me to come out of my shell, going beyond my comfort zone.  (This new workout outfit is definitely in that category!)

Looking for ways to make myself stand out as a viable option for my ideal clients.  I'm here to help people 40+ who are new to healthy living start their journeys and those returning after a hiatus get back on track through healthy eating strategies, fitness plans, and personal development.  I've shared relevant parts of my story around the web.  I briefly research potential solutions for dilemmas or questions of members in the Brand New Me Healthy Living Community. But I must find the thing that propels me forward. If you've been around a while, what makes me stand out in your mind?

Week of Workouts

THURSDAY I did the 21 Day Fix lower body workout.  During lunch I read chapter 5 of Lifestyle Wellness Coaching.

To celebrate Austin finishing middle school I took him to Applebee's for dinner for the Wood Fired Menu.  We played trivia on that gadget on the table for a while when waiting for our food.  At one point I caught a rare image of him.  Austin didn't try to take my phone away from me this time LOL.

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on May 26, 2016 at 3:50pm PDT

FRIDAY I read chapter 6.  The outfit I won from Nicole at Fitful Focus from Reebok's Honor Your Days campaign was sitting on my front porch when I got home.

SATURDAY it took me 3 hours to dig out the west side of the garden with Austin dumping the dirt.  I don't know if I was faster digging or Austin was faster than Benny dumping the dirt.  The clay soil we have is so tough to work with.

SUNDAY I lay down the fabric and dirt then planted everything.  Tomato, black bean, radish, carrot, basil, spinach, zucchini, and lettuce are all planted now.  It took 4 hours to pull it off alone.  I ended up being sunburned on my shoulders and upper back.

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on May 29, 2016 at 1:27pm PDT

YESTERDAY I didn't feel fully recovered after resting Monday so I did yoga.

TODAY I did Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Split Session Upper Blitz.  During lunch I walked 2.85 miles around downtown after picking up some arugula at the farmer's market.  I know that I had several glances wearing this outfit.

Linking up with

Jill for Fitness Health & Happiness

MississippiPiddlin & HoHo Runs

#MotivateMe Monday with Fitness Cheerleader, Running Rachel, & Run Mommy Run

Sunday Fitness & Food Linkup with Marathons & Motivation & IlkasBlog

In the Kitchen

Have you tried a pair of silicone cooking gloves before?  I received a pair of the AYL Cooking Gloves for free in exchange for my honest review and they are AH-MA-ZING!  I could stand there a loooong time with a hot pan in my hands (only having to set it down because my hands grew tired).  AYL's gloves have a cotton lining which makes them more snuggly.  I've been using them instead of my oven mitts and potholders to handle all hot stuff from the oven and microwave.  I don't know if Austin didn't believe me at first but I got him to try the gloves this weekend and he was rather surprised that he couldn't feel the heat through them.  Supposedly you can toss them in your dishwasher to be cleaned but I don't think Benny would be willing to do try that LOL

You can find the AYL Cooking Gloves on Amazon and try them out yourself.

This weekend I FINALLY used up the rest of the turkey from Thanksgiving.  It's been sitting in the freezer annoying me to look at but I just couldn't figure out what to make.  I printed off a couple of Barbell Bikini recipes and made them.

Chicken & Spinach Egg Cups (serves 4-5)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk (I used almond milk)
• 2 Cups Diced Spinach
• 1 Cup Shredded Chicken (I used turkey)
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt (I only used 1/2 tsp since it was the fine grain)
• 1 Tsp GarlicPowder
• Dash of Hot Sauce (optional)
• 9 Eggs

 DIRECTIONS 

1. Whisk eggs and coconut milk, add chicken, spinach, and seasonings.
2. Using olive oil or coconut oil spray, coat a muffin tin well (skipped this since I used the silicone muffin pan).
3. Portion egg mixture evenly in cups (very hard for me to do LOL).
4. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes (had to go longer in the silicone).

It was as I feared, too eggy for my liking.  However, I experimented further. I topped one of the egg cups with black bean hummus.  It looked like icing and reduced the egg taste further to where I enjoyed them.  Now I have something new for breakfast!

Avocado Chicken Salad (serves 4-5)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Shredded Roasted Chicken (I used the rest of the turkey but don't know how much it really was)
• 1  Cup Mashed Avocado (I used 2 of them)
• 1 Tsp Lime Juice (I had none so mine was "dry")
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt (again I only used 1/2 tsp)
• 5 Pieces of Crisp Bacon, Crumbled (used turkey bacon)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all of your ingredients in your stand mixer with it's paddle attachment and let it mix until it's completely combines. (Umm...what's a paddle attachment?  I just mixed it by hand in the container with a normal spoon....)
2. Serve on a bed of mixed greens.

I brought some to work to eat for lunch.  I didn't use any lettuce but had it on one of my sandwich slims.  It was really odd for me to experience a buttery taste.  Is that what it's like to eat an avocado uncooked?

 

Workouts & Studies

THURSDAY I did the 21 Day Fix lower body workout.  I started reading Lifestyle Wellness Coaching during lunch.

FRIDAY I did Pilates and read chapter 2.  The Bob's Red Mill protein powder arrived for me to try and hopefully get #SummerStrong. Visit 

http://www.bobsredmill.com/get-a-coupon.html to snag a coupon so you can grab a bag and participate in the Instagram challenge July 18-23 (leads up to Fitbloggin').

SATURDAY I did Dirty 30 before heading outside to work on the flowerbed out front.  It was a chilly day (because of the wind) so I couldn't see myself working in the garden.  I cleaned it out and planted my seeds - Forget-Me-Not, Aster, Marigold and....I actually forgot what else.

SUNDAY afternoon I spent 4 hours (with breaks) digging out the east side of the garden.  There were so many weeds I had no other choice!  I'm going to use some of that landscape fabric (or whatever the garden version's called) this year to see if that'll help with weed control.  Benny had fun hunting for where to put the dirt.  No idea where he's going to put the rest from the west half...

A photo posted by Cassandra Schmigotzki (@longandwindingroadtowellness) on May 22, 2016 at 4:08pm PDT

MONDAY I did yoga to help recover from all that digging.  I read chapter 3.

YESTERDAY I didn't feel recovered enough to do a workout so I took a rest day.  I read chapter 4.

I finally got the note from the doctor for my new goal weight so I got everything updated at Weight Watchers.  So now I'm back to not having to pay!

TODAY I mixed it up and did Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Split Sessions upper body workout. This afternoon I stopped at the farmer's market and picked up more tomato starters. Now I have 10 to plant. Afterwards I walked around a little bit, totalling 2.23 miles (according to MapMyWalk).

 

#SummerFitChallenge on Instagram

Who needs another fitness challenge boost to get bikini-ready this Summer?

#SummerFitChallenge‬ starts June 1st! Each day we challenge you to complete as many reps of the exercise for that day within 30 seconds (get your timers out).

Post your pics and videos throughout the 30-day challenge using hashtag #summerfitchallenge. We'll each choose our favorites to regram. Also be sure to tag your hostesses - so FOLLOW ALL OF US (see below).

There will be weekly prizes to those who actively participate in this challenge by posting pics/vids with the challenge hashtag so if you want to WIN something make sure you use the challenge hashtag on each and every one of your posts so we know you are in!

The lovely hostesses of this challenge are: @FemmeFitaleFitClub @SweshFit @FitFaithLife @TheSHGCommunity @4FitMommas @LongAndWindingRoadToWellness @TheFrugalExerciser_

Linking up with

Jill for Fitness Health & Happiness

MississippiPiddlin & HoHo Runs

#MotivateMe Monday with Fitness Cheerleader, Running Rachel, & Run Mommy Run

Sunday Fitness & Food Linkup with Marathons & Motivation & IlkasBlog