back at barre3 + breakfast

theclairewithredhair has hit a milestone... 50,000 page views! i cannot thank y'all enough for reading my ramblings and recipes, my thoughts and tribulations! i really do enjoy blogging and as long as you keep reading, i'll keep posting. and if you really like it, share with your friends and family!

as you have read about before i am not one to shy away from trying out fitness classes... from barre3, to total body to spin to hot yoga, i have tried quite a few. some i have hated (read: zumba) and some i am sore for a week afterward. my latest fitness class obsession is barre3. i have written about it before, but now i practice barre3 more frequently than in the past and can really see results. i started going to class infrequently about a year ago, but in the past three months or so, i go on a regular basis.

i have noticed such a change now that i go 3+ times a week. not only just in getting better and challenging myself more in class, but in my everyday life as well. barre3 is all about the mind body connection, a three part formula that carries you from class to work to home. the workouts are designed to change the body to "one of equal balance, flexibility and strength." so what changes have i seen since practicing regularly? more than i am most likely aware of. i can tell that i breathe better and more controlled in my other workouts and am aware of how my breathing connects with my workout. i have much better posture. i was talking with one of my favorite barre3 knoxville instructors, cara, and she told me that my posture has improved exponentially since i first started and she has noticed a change. i find myself carrying myself taller and sitting up straighter while in lecture or even just at home watching tv. my physical body has also changed. as many of you know, i was drastically underweight. now i am at a healthy weight, putting on about 15 pounds of muscle in the past year. barre3 has helped me do that. through isometric holds, light weights and small one-inch movements, i have built muscle and actually have a what they call a "barre3 butt!"

the barre3 method combines holds and both small and large movements to give the full body workout that revs the metabolism, increases the heart rate and energizes the body. i have never once left a class feeling worn out and exhausted, but rather feel energized.

in addition to taking studio classes, i partake in the online workouts as well as read the barre3 blog for recipes (which are all amazing) and health tips and have the barre3 app on my phone! i really do believe in everything that barre3 teaches... it has improved my lifestyle for the better. everyone at barre3 always has a smile on their face and is willing to talk to you, modify any poses and help you in any way that you can.

don't be afraid of trying a new fitness class. with the new year, try something new. you never know, it could become something that impacts your life in a positive way. try barre or spin or yoga or a new healthy breakfast recipe (below), whatever strikes your fancy!

PB2 overnight chia oats

1/4 c old-fashioned oats

1/4 nonfat greek yogurt

1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp PB2 powdered peanut butter

1. combine all ingredients in a container with an airtight lid. mix until well combined.
2. refrigerate at least overnight. (you can prepare up to two nights ahead of time)
3. serve with sliced banana, berries, nuts, etc.

xoxo,

clp

the week ahead...

well i am officially in the homestretch for this semester. over the next couple of weeks, i will be spending more time in murfreesboro than knoxville. my goal this weekend was to finish up all my homework and assignments so that i don't have any to do over thanksgiving, clean and organize my room/the apartment and to pack my stuff up for home. i got all my clothes together and its safe to say that i am taking an obscene amount home but since i will be home all but five days in all in december, i am taking most all of my winter clothes home. loading and unloading the car is sure to be fun. i also finished up all my christmas shopping for gifts for just me and picked up a few other gifts to help mom out some.

the week ahead is definitely a busy one even though i only have one day of class. we have thanksgiving at our house which i love helping host and the current headcount is 22 people i think. luckily, the four of us make a good team and we get everything done that needs to be done. with so many things to do, one may wonder how i stay organized. i write everything down in my planner and of course, make lists. i have a meal plan, workout plan, and to-do list for this upcoming busy week that officially kicks off the holiday season. 

the meal plan: thanksgiving is meant for overeating and i'm not going to try to change that. i don't allow myself to splurge often and thanksgiving is certainly a day i should allow myself to do so. nonetheless, i am going to watch what i eat (and what my family eats because their health is just as important to me as mine own) very carefully in the days leading up to turkey day and a healthy breakfast on thursday. here's the menu i have in mind for this week.

• monday: Peanut Butter and Pepper's chicken pot pie with a fruit salad
• tuesday: Freutcake's enchiladas with pumpkin sauce, black bean salad and pumpkin salsa 
• wednesday: spaghetti squash with crockpot pasta meat sauce, salad (no carbs!) 
• thursday morning: banana and berries steel cut oats made with almond milk 

the workout plan: 

• tuesday: spin class
• wednesday: cardio and body pump
• thursday: treadmill 

the to-do list:

• tuesday: cleaning, last minute grocery run for any forgotten things
• wednesday: going to get the christmas tree (but not decorating until AFTER thanksgiving!), some pre-thanksgiving cooking and setting up the house and decorating for thursday 
• thursday: watch the macy's thanksgiving day parade of course and enjoy the holiday! 
• friday: decorate for christmas! 

y'all probably think i am an OCD freak who has to plan everything out and if that's true, so be it. i think i would go crazy if i didn't carry my Lilly planner with me 24/7 and that's okay with me. i may be a 45 year old in a 21 year old body and that's alright. planning everything out reduces my stress level which i need all the help doing. 

with such a busy week ahead, today i am planning to relax some. i can't start checking things off my to-do list until i get to murfreesboro so today i am packing up my car, painting my nails in essie's "penny talk" (a fabulous rose gold that is perfect for this time of year), studying for a test i have tomorrow and trying to stay warm! i will be murfreesboro bound mid-afternoon tomorrow so i want to make sure that i have everything packed and that the little red rocket is ready to roll out after my exam! i can't wait to spend time with my family this week for thanksgiving and the traditions we have are things i cherish. from thanksgiving to decorating for christmas, this coming week is one of my very favorites. blog posts may be few and far between but i will try not to desert y'all! happy early turkey day!

xoxo, 

clp  

first day recap

what a first day back to school it has been! i feel like i have walked to africa and back and am so happy the day is finally over. i know i will sleep like a baby tonight.

the first day of junior year started out with one of my absolute favorite breakfasts: peanut butter banana oatmeal with strawberries. it is so easy to make and keeps my full through the morning until lunch.

peanut butter banana oatmeal

1/2 c old-fashioned oats

1/2 c water

2 tbsp low sodium better'n peanut butter

1 banana, sliced

other toppings of choice (nuts, dried fruit, berries, etc.) 

1. Combine oats, water and peanut butter.
2. Microwave for 1 minute, stir.
3. Microwave for 45 seconds, watching closely (you don't want the peanut butter to get too hot or the oats to spill over). Stir. Repeat until desired thickness is reached (oatmeal will thicken as it sits). 
4. Top with banana and additional toppings! Enjoy! 

all ready for school! 

all my classes this semester are diving into my major, supply chain management (logistics), and my minor, retail and consumer science. i am really looking forward to taking these classes. i am most excited about my fashion and culture class, for obvious reasons! whats even better this semester is that i have girls in my sorority in every class! i love having friends in my classes so i am never alone! the only downside to this semester's classes is the amount of books i had to purchase. i think i sold my soul to the UT bookstore (or rather my parents' souls). 

today's workout was also a favorite of mine! to get a break from the usual cardio machines, i decided to do a nice little bike ride on the spin bike. i slightly modified the ride from one of the MAC trainer's rides that has become one of my favorites. the workout is a pyramid that always leaves me worn out afterwards! the ride begins with a warm-up then a set of intervals that are repeated and end with a warm-up and adds up to a 45 minute workout. 

spin pyramid

5:00 warm-up with resistance

:15 run in hand position 2

:15 seated sprint

:15 standing climb

:15 standing climb sprint

:30 2-count jumps

:30 run in hand position 2

:30 seated sprint

:30 standing climb

:30 standing climb sprint

:30 2-count jumps

1:00 run in hand position 2

1:00 seated sprint

1:00 standing climb

1:00 standing climb sprint

1:00 4-count jumps

2:00 run in hand position 2

2:00 seated sprint

2:00 standing climb

2:00 standing climb sprint

2:00 8-count jumps

1:00 run in hand position 2

1:00 seated sprint

1:00 standing climb

1:00 standing climb sprint

1:00 4-count jumps

:30 run in hand position 2

:30 seated sprint

:30 standing climb

:30 standing climb sprint

:30 2-count jumps

:15 run in hand position 2

:15 seated sprint

:15 standing climb

:15 standing climb sprint

cool-down until 45 minute ride is completed

we also got a preview of the family portraits i posted about a few weeks ago that Angel Pardue took! i am anxious to see the rest of them! i really like the one of the six grandkids. 

(photo credit Angel Pardue Photography Facebook) 

after such a long, busy day (i didn't even tell you have of it) i made one of my favorite 30 minute meals,  broccoli chicken mac and cheese, and fixed a salad to go with it. of course i modified it for just me but i highly encourage you to make the original recipe. the only thing i change is adding more broccoli and less shells. here's the link to the delicious broccoli chicken mac and cheese from iowa girl eats. she has a great collection of healthy recipes you should browse through! **update 4.14.14: this pasta is just as good cold too! great to make and take!**

this turned into a much longer post that i intended so i am going to stop here! this red-head is worn-out and ready to call her mama! 

xoxo, 

clp

just another tuesday and a recipe

today was absolutely perfect! of course, it began with my morning MAC trip which consisted of 45 minutes of cardio (stairclimber, elliptical and treadmill) and ab work.

after workouts, i then met my grandmother and cousins at Goodness Gracious Cafe, which may just be the best restaurant in murfreesboro! they serve breakfast, brunch and lunch and the mushroom burger i can't seem to stray from is to die for. i didn't see one thing come out of the kitchen that didn't look delicious. i always love having lunch with my mawsie (my grandmother on my mom's side) and my cousins.

OOTD

louis vuitton bandeau worn as headscarf, tory burch logo earrings, j. crew dress, tory burch sandals

mawsie, erin and i also went to target for a quick trip but ended up being there for over 2 hours. we had so much fun picking out clothes for my younger cousins and for ourselves! i had to practice some self-constraint but ended up getting some workout wear! everything target has, from clothes to home decor, is adorable and i know i'll be back at target soon enough! 

i came home to a surprise again today (i love my surprises). my grandmother on my dad's side had dropped off the tomato relish and pepper relish she makes (with my dad's help on the pepper relish)! her relish compares to none and i am so lucky she shared it with us!  

colorful tomato and pepper relish from grandmommy

and last but not least, a recipe for y'all! we had these last night served over cornbread made in the waffle iron (so good!) with a side of Central Texas Slaw and watermelon! i first had these beans at one of my best friend's birthday suppers and had to ask for the recipe! it comes from a friend that we consider part of the family, talented-portrait artist, Mary Miller Veazie. it is a true southern summer dish that can be served as an entree or a side and is perfect for a potluck or bbq! so without further ado, i bring you Mrs. Veazie's Cowboy Baked Beans!

Cowboy Baked Beans

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1/2 lb reduced-sodium bacon

1/2 C chopped onion

53 oz can of baked beans

15 oz can of lima beans

15 oz can black eyed peas

1/3 C ketchup

1/2 C brown sugar*

2 TBS vinegar

1 TBS dry mustard

Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Brown ground beef & sauté onions. 
3. Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
4. Dump all ingredients together in large, deep casserole dish and stir together. 
5. Bake covered for at least 45 minutes or until hot throughout.  

*I used 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

xoxo,

clp