To those of you who have been dealing with temperatures below 25 degrees for months now and still manage to find motivation to work out, I give you a gold star. It is a billion times harder for me to get out of bed and drive to the gym when it is cold outside.
This morning, it was in the 20s as Ryan and I drove to the gym (I’m pretty sure this is illegal in Florida) and all I wanted to do was crawl back under my warm blankets and cuddle up with Ryan and Sadie until the sun peeked over the horizon and started to warm things up a bit around here.
Workout
Once we began our warm up and I started to sweat, I felt 10 times better and the cold wasn’t so awful anymore. Sometimes simply getting to the gym is half the battle. (I actually think it’s probably more like 90 percent of the battle.)
For today’s workout, I focused on strength training and targeted my biceps, triceps and shoulders. My workout looked a lot like this biceps + triceps workout, but in place of the cardio burst exercises, I completed a shoulder exercise such as front shoulder raises or mac raises. <— Learned that one in BodyPump!
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning began with a hot cup of coffee and a creamy cup of Greek yogurt sweetened with a bit of honey.
(That mug makes me want to drop everything and go back to Sanibel!)
I also ate a clementine but was still hungry and heated up a mug of oatmeal with egg whites, sliced almonds, banana and almond milk.
Hunger = Satisfied!
Now I’m off to the gym again to work and teach.
Once I am done with work for the day, I am driving up Jacksonville to meet up with my family for a road trip. We’re driving to Raleigh, North Carolina today to spend the night at my aunt’s house before we head on to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Due to some health concerns, my grandma (Mimi – the grandmother behind my favorite sugar cookies!), moved to Raleigh after Christmas to be closer to my aunt and I’m traveling to her house in Gettysburg with my family to help move and go through some of her belongings.
I hope the trip will be fun but I know it will likely be emotional since we’ll be going through my grandmother’s house knowing that her house – the house my mother grew up in and the house I’ve loved visiting for years – will be sold in the coming months.
Silver lining: I will be able to see my aunt, uncle, cousins and grandmother in Raleigh tomorrow.
I hope you have a fabulous Thursday! Stay warm!
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Hey Julie,
I was wondering if you have stumbled across any healthy peanut butter cup recipes. Like you, i love PB and love LOVE peanut butter cups. However, they obviously aren’t good for my waistline, so I was wondering if you found any that might be better 🙂 Thanks!
That’s always hard to go through someone’s stuff for that purpose! I hope you guys have a nice time remembering all the good times you all had there.
i’m a southern california girl, so i’m a wimp when it comes to cold weather, as well! 🙂
sending lots of love to your grandma! <3
Wow, it being in the 20’s might actually be illegal in Florida. Do you guys even have winter coats down there? I’m currently in Minnesota for a business trip and it’s below zero here. It has been most of the winter. This is a tough one! Dreaming of spring…
Safe travels! I’m from NC and miss it dearly! Hope things go well for you and your family.
Small world! I grew up in Raleigh and am now stationed at the Navy base in Jacksonville! 🙂 Have a safe trip!
Have fun in North Carolina! I was just there last weekend and attempted an outdoor run, but it was so cold I cut it a little short haha!
getting to the gym or the motivation to even begin the work out right in my own bedroom is absolutely 90% of the battle!
Safe travels, lady! Love that you still see the silver lining. You inspire me to be more positive 🙂
Have a safe trip, and enjoy the company of your family! I’m sure it will be a very emotionally trying trip, but, hopefully, you’ll find joy in sorting through old memories and thinking back.
Love your Mimi’s sugar cookies! I made them twice during the holidays and they were a hit! Sad that you guys will have to say goodbye to her house. I’ll keep your strength in my prayers!
I am so glad you made them and like them! This makes me smile more than you know!
Of course, I try so many recipes from your blog! You’re such an inspiration to me and the main reason I started my own blog. Means the world to me when you reply to my comments. : )
Have a safe trip and STAY WARM! It’s pretty cold here in PA, too!
Sorry you have to sell your grandmas house but glad to here she’s doing good! I love her sugar cookies I have made them multiple times, I might even make them for Valentines day because they can be decorated really easily! Hope you have a good trip and enjoy the time with your family.
Julie – unrelated to the content of this post, but I really how you’re working on a mobile version of your blog.
This font is super difficult to read on mobile devices.
Love the redesign on desktop though!
Thank you!
Stay warm! It’s 80 here in Arizona. I grew up in Green Bay, but have been living here for 13 years. I cannot imagine cold or snow anymore. It seems like a lifetime ago!
See, you’re just lucky you get to DRIVE. I haven’t been making it to the gym in the AM before work because now, not only is it dark, but is so so cold and icy! Walking in that does not sound pleasant at 5:30 AM at all…..
Haha just realized that those “mav crazes” we do in bodypump are actually called “mac raises.” Thanks for letting me know!
Safe travels! Have a great time with your family!
Sorry to hear about your Grandma! I actually just moved to the Raleigh area from Ohio last month. The silver lining is that she’ll be near your aunt (and closer to Florida!) & Raleigh is a very nice place to live.
This weekend will be tough, I had to do the same thing for my grandmother and it is hard but it also brings up happy memories, telling stories and laughing with your family as you go through things. I wish your strength during this time!! I read your blog everyday and you are a great motivator and positive person!! I really enjoy it! Have a safe trip and stay WARM!!! 🙂
You’re coming to my home town!!! Be sure to bring lots of layers because it’s going to be cold!! (highs of 27 and lows in the single digits!)
the hardest part of my workout today was the 2 minute walk to my workout room, brrrrrrrr
I live in Raleigh, NC and my husband’s grandparents live near you in The Villages! Your positivity is exactly why I love reading your blog every day!
good luck with the move! everything for a reason 🙂
Have a safe trip!!! Love Mac raises! Didn’t realise that’s what they were called…gotta love Pump!
Sending happy (and healthy) vibes to you and your family!
I live in Raleigh! Bundle up girl, it’s going to be COLD here tonight and tomorrow!!
Soooo I was born in Toronto and I live in Michigan now (I’m quite used to the cold), and this polar vortex has shot temperatures around the -10 to -16 range the past couple of weeks, and I walk around outside to get to all of my classes hahah. #roughlife
20 degree weather feels like a heat wave aka I will run outside in a light sweater and cropped leggings. I’m not kidding either! Lol. I think my blood has been thickened!
Good job getting some shoulder exercises in! I recently found I need to be doing a lot more of those. My left shoulder had been hurting for a while so I finally went to the chiropractor and found out it’s really weak and the ligaments are taking a toll which is causing my shoulder to be out of line. So now I have exercises and stretches I do every day to make it stronger. They’re similar to the mac raises except I’m laying on my side to focus on just my left shoulder. And I’m only using 3 lb weights 😛 How much weight do you use for your shoulder exercises?
Enjoy your trip!
I would give anything to be in Florida now!!! I had to teach spinning at 5:45 am in the middle of a polar vortex of -10…unreal!
Wind chill is -20 here in Ohio now, but when I saw your mug, it made my soul warm 🙂 We’ve had family vacations in Sanibel for over 27 years (since my mom was pregnant with me!) and ever since I can remember we’ve always rode our bikes to the Lighthouse Cafe! It’s one of the highlights of our trip that we look forward to and I can say I’d do just about anything to be there now with some of their jelly! 🙂 Safe travels heading north!
That’s why I love working out from home! Don’t have to go outside! It’s been around negative thirty five here in ND lately… Gonna be super warm tomorrow though! (30 above zero!) You will see people without coats…
I found a great workout to beat the cold yesterday: bikram yoga! No way you can be cold in that 105* room, and then walking outside felt awesome afterward!
Wish I knew you were coming to NC! Just an hour’s drive away. 🙂 Stay warm!
So, I’ve never tried this egg-white-in-my-oats phenomenon, though I have read about it many places now….I’ve always just done oats heated with water, with some honey stirred in and usually a banana added (YUM!) But I’m curious about heating the eggs in it too. I think I will have to try 🙂
Love this post! It’s FREEZING here in Wisconsin, but after reading this I bundled up and headed to the gym. Thank you 🙂
I am so jealous of your productivity. One of the many reasons I like your blog. I have a quick question: What type of camera do you use? I thought about putting photography pictures on my blog and your pictures always look good! Thank you and keep up the good work!