February flew by, it's only 2-3 days shorter than the other 11 months of the year, but it just feels soo much shorter.

I'm quite proud of myself for keeping up with my workouts (1 or 2 weeks I had a couple days off in a row, but I doubled up to make up for it other days) and I finished the Jillian Michael's Body Revolution program! 12 weeks, done.  I honestly feel so much more comfortable in my skin and all around stronger.  I highly recommend this program, it is one of those you have to buy and the initial $$ is kind of expensive, but I'll be using the videos for the rest of my life, so it was worth it to me. It starts out low intensity and then progresses every 2 weeks.  It's also set up to not work the same muscles everyday (mostly.. that gets a bit blurred towards the end with the higher level intensity workouts).  

The set-up: 6 days a week of workouts each 30 minutes long.  You can start on any day of the week you want to begin, but then that stays constant t/o the whole program.  

I. loved. it.  I may repeat it eventually, but for now I'm on to the next fitness goal...

Half-Marathon #2!

I've {finally} started running again! It's been months, like I don't even know how many months since I've last run.  It felt good, and I definitely had soreness after running 2 days in a row.  

It's always amazing to me doing one exercise that you feel is so full-body encompassing, but then you do something different and you find "new" muscles that weren't being worked as much. 

My PT brain is yelling at me... I know, I know ... specificity of training - it really is oh so true :) 

I'm signed up for a half-marathon mid to end of May and last week marked 12 weeks till the big day.   

{Above: A picture of me prepping for one of the JM workouts.  I was home for the weekend and just packed a couple different workout clothes and didn't realize it was all the same color :) I love it :)  }

I also did quite a bit of cooking and prepping for meals in February.  I want to get better at prepping this month, but it's a work in progress.

Well I'm off to do some studying then putting in a longer {4-5} mile training TM (it's still somewhat snowing and cooold out so I'm staying inside) run in for today. I'll leave you with more food/ fun/ workout pictures from the month!

Ciao <3 - BK

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."
- Lao Tzu

Happy New Year!! Oh wait.. it's February already isn't it.. whoops :) 

It's been quite a while since I've posted.

No real excuses, I've just had a lot of life going on.

It's a new year now though and while I can't promise really regular posts I am going to try and make a conscious effort to post more.  

I've been making a conscious effort to increase my physical activity.  I've got only 3 weeks left of workout program (Jillian Michaels Body Revolution) that has helped to feel better in and out

I will be starting a new adventure with a crossfit groupon once I'm done with the program - - Along with Half-Marathon training

I'm getting better (trying) at eating healthier and incorporating more clean eats.

I have a couple reaaaally good recipes that I am going to be sharing in the coming weeks.

I started Graduate School.  A three year-every other weekend-lots of studying-lots of traveling-expensive-personal growth-career building-adventure

I'm also starting this month a couple challenges that I've found online and through instagram.  

1. 1. #flexiblefeb challenge from Fitting-it-all-in through Challenge Loop
2. 2. #yogaeverydamnday challenge from Yoga girl also Challenge Loop
3. 3. #healthysELF challenge from Nutrition Ella and The Lean Green Bean

I'm excited for these challenges.  1&3 are a little more liberal in that you don't have to post every day for it which is more up my alley, but I am trying to be a lot more focused on my flexibility so that's why I have 1&2.  There are prizes with all the challenges, but I'm not doing it for them, more for the community and accountability.  With the Body Revolution it's 6 days a week and I've done really good with staying on track (which hasn't happened over the past year) and I want to continue with it.  I'm okay if I don't maintain the everyday for the yoga challenge, but it will help me to continue to practice much more then I have been.  

Ever since high school I've been very bad about stretching.  I love yoga and I love the feeling of stretching my sore and tired muscles. Here we go.

The HealthysELF is a continuation from a christmas challenge (I did not participate in it) and I found information from it from the Nutrition Nut and really liked it, so I joined it!  It has 3 challenges a week and they vary from physical actitivites, healthy eating, and mental/feel good health.  Check it out! It starts tomorrow!

I'm excited.  The start of 2013 has brought a lot of changes.  I'm ready for more (for the better).  

I'm ready for a continually healthier me. 

I'm ready to improve my organization.  

I'm ready to {once again} mix school, work, and play.

Here goes 2013 

A little montage from the past several months :) Workouts, healthy eats, school/home organizing, and new family additions.  <3 <3

Love,
BK

I've been working hard to keep my fall to-do's on my mind to make sure I continually work towards them.

•I put the list as my background
•I haven't been pinning :)
•Trying to stick mainly to the handful of blogs I normally read daily/weekly... and not letting myself spend hours going from blog to blog (it's so easy to do..)
•Annnnd lastly I'm going to post my weekly recap of my workouts on here!

So this week was a little lack-luster, but I'm trying to work on balancing work, school,sleep,working out and not wasting as much time being too lazy :). Some days after work its really hard to not just sit on the couch {some days you just have to give in too}.

Workouts of the week:
Monday: rest day
Tuesday: 2 mile treadmill run, arms/shoulders lifting
Wednesday: none
Thursday: bodyrock- 12 min
Friday: 12 min HIIT workout
Saturday: none
Sunday: none

Ugh, that looks awful to type out, but such is life, and it can only go up from here! 

And I leave you with a picture of two of the cutest boys on the planet <3 
(not the best picture.. it's from my phone and they were on a mission to get my phone from me)

Love,
BK

My fall to do list!

I looove fall.  I love the colors, the smells, the crispness of the air, the changing {crunching} leaves, and more.  It is honestly my favorite time of the year.  Reading some other blogs many people do monthly/seasonal goals and I really like this idea.  I have a whole list of little and not so little "to-do's" that I've been curating for.. I'm ashamed to say it.. 2 years! I find time so often to waste time away on pinterest, facebook, reading blogs (not that it's bad!); doing almost mindless tasks instead of actually doing.  

It's got to stop.

Like now.

So this fall I'm making my "to-do" list and putting it out for everyone to see (and keep me accountable)! 

So I'm putting myself on a pinning restriction, I have a problem.. it's so darn addicting..  amoungst other things and going to try and get things done!  The things that have been neglected for far too long.  I'm a list person, and I have 2-3 lists with my to-do's  (some things are repeated on each list, it's not that crazy long), but lists are only fun if you actually get to cross off the items you put on them.  So here's to starting to cross off items on my list!

Are there any activities/to-do's that you've been putting off? What are your goals to complete this fall? 

Peace and Love,
BK

After many many many months away I finally made it back in to a yoga class.

Finally :)

I've been meaning to go to a class, but with my ever-changing schedule I hadn't made the time to do so.  But finally I decided I needed some "me" yoga time.

I love yoga.  It's a workout but relaxing at the same time.  I tried a new yoga place and teacher that's close to where I live and I loved it.  I plan to go back and try out the other teachers soon.  

The class was centered around: Twisting.  Twisting, stretching, and squeezing.  Wringing out your muscles and body from tightness and even from something you need to let go of.  Then opening up to the opportunity of something new and cleansing.  

I loved how the instructor had a focus and talked us through the poses.  It was also a very small class tonight so we all got individual attention and help on our form if we needed it (i did!).  She had a very calming but direct voice that made her instructions and monologue flow.  

It was honestly an awesome experience and great way to get back in to yoga.  I look forward to buying a package as soon as I can (well I suppose after I make sure I like the other instructors just as well, but I'm normally not extremely picky..)

So I leave you with thoughts and motivation for a good rest of the week and helping deal with anything you're going through right now.

That is all for today.

Namaste <3

I can't believe it, my ride has already come and gone.  

It was amazing

A check on my life list :)

A beautiful scenic ride.

Very tough at times, but when I think about those who I was riding for, it was totally worth it.

I created these collages to show some scenes from the weekend without making the post sooooo long.  

I started the weekend (Aug 10) going to opening ceremonies with a very good friend from High School (top left corner).  It only rained at one point during the night, otherwise it was  beautiful night.  

There was dinner {delicious!}, an expo, and short ceremony.  I got two pairs of bike shorts and arm warmers at the expo and that was the best decision ever!   The ceremony was good and I was able to keep it together and not tear up at some of the stories.  

Opening ceremonies came and went.  I went to bed (not as early as I should have... I was nervous!) and then 4 a.m. Saturday morning came it was time head in to ride!

We started at the Columbus Commons for the start and we were provided a good light breakfast of coffee, a bagel, PB, and a protein bar.  

Before beginning the ride at 7 a.m.  a cancer survivor sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.  John Looker, he was featured on a video for the ride last year.

It was a little slow at the start with all the riders, but then off to a smooth start.  The first 20-25 miles were very smooth.  I stopped at 4/6 rest stops on the ride to Gambier.  We were provided awesome snacks and water/gatorade at all the stops and even a lunch at the 50 mile stop (this was an official finish for some riders).  The big hills didn't start coming till about 25 miles before the finish and man some of them were rough.  I honestly didn't train as much as I should have, or really much at all, but no matter what training I did they're no hills in columbus and no hills back at my hometown so they were tough.  I kept the motto slow and steady and I made it through :)

Coming in for the 100 mile finish felt so good, the longest part was done!  Dustin was there to see me come in which made it even better.  As you can see above my riding time was 7hr 8 min (don't mind the 99.94, it's a little off!) averaging 14 mph the whole time.  Not too shabby for me.  I was sore, very sore, especially my left achilles, but I ate dinner got a short massage and then hit the hay at about 8:40 p.m.  I was exhausted!

Sunday morning 5:20a.m. came quickly, but I felt pretty good that morning.  That morning we were able to have hot breakfast,  I wasn't that hungry but knew I needed to eat because I had a long day of riding ahead of me.  

The first 10-12 miles went through a local bike path and with the fog raising up it was a beautiful sight.  

After that.... whoa.. holy hills..  

They felt steeper and longer than the day before's hills especially on morning legs (still semi-tired and sore from 100 miles the day before).  There was a little bit of a head wind also, but it was warmer than the day before and no reason to complain about the weather.  Overall Sunday was definitely harder  even after getting close to Columbus and less hilly, but I still maintained an average of 13 mph for 6 hrs and 16 min of riding.  Both days I had about an hour of time for my rest stops also.  

At the finish Dustin was there to see me come in, always great to see a familiar face :) My parents and older sister showed up a little bit after I came in too.  I got ice on my achilles and calf right after finishing they were hurting, but I could walk so no worries :)

Another really cool part after my finish is that the main Dr. at OSU James Medical Center who supervises the research being done with the money raised for Pelotonia finished a little before me and was hugging those who finished (including me) thanking us for what we've done to help the research.  It's so nice to see even the higher ups in the company/vision down with everyone participating.  

All the volunteers were amazing and the support throughout the ride made me feel welcome where-ever we rode.  There was definitely a lot less people that did the 2-day ride, but I still was around other riders for most of the time.  

I am so glad I did it and still amazed that it's over.  I definitely would do it again because it is an amazing organization and ride, but I would want to do it with another person.  

Thank you, thank you everyone who has supported me with donations, words of encouragement, messages, calls, texts, etc.  All of you helped push me along the way and make it to the final finish line.  

I am still fundraising until October 12th so if you haven't donated and would like to I'll have the instructions again below.  Every penny that is donated goes to research (no % is taken out for operating costs).  

Thank you for reading to the end and thank you again for all your support on my journey to the ride and the ride!

<3 - Britt


A little more info from Pelotonia and my personal page for my ride:

The link to the faq section:
***http://pelotonia.org/ride/faq/
Here is the link to my personal profile page (it has a link to donate on it):
***https://www.mypelotonia.org/riders_profile.jsp?MemberID=172195&Search&PAGING

And then directions to donate from the Pelotonia homepage:
To donate:
1. Go to the Pelotonia website http://pelotonia.org/
2. Click on donate and then "Make a Specific Donation"
3. Type in Kimmet in the Last Name search bar (whichever ride you would like to donate to)
4. Click View my Profile or Donate to My Ride (view my profile shows all my info and also has a Donate to My Ride button)
5. Donate! :)

I have a ride {not a race} coming up in T-minus 9 days... NINE DAYS!! Holy schmoly.  I'm super nervous but very excited.

I'll be riding 180 miles over 2 days for a great cause called Pelotonia.  It's an amazing organization/bike ride that's in it's third annual ride.  You can ride anywhere from 25 to 180 miles and you have to raise a certain amount of money depending on what you decide to ride.  The great part is every single penny that you recieve/donate goes to cancer research at the James Cancer Center at the Ohio State Medical Center.  They don't take away anything from your donation for operating costs.  I could go on and on about it, but if you want to learn more about it just check out the link above!

I've been prepping for it for months raising money and getting my bike and gear ready. I've just gotten in a few pieces of equipment this week and also picked up my jersey for the ride and I am now more excited than ever.  

I am still raising money for my ride and the fight to end cancer, so if you would like to donate to either the general peloton or my ride in general I'll have the instructions below.  

Nine days.. nine days.. nine days... Wish me luck!

And of course I have to end with a picture of two of the cutest little boys I know; my nephews :) <3 <3

A little more info from Pelotonia and my personal page for my ride:

The link to the faq section:
***http://pelotonia.org/ride/faq/
Here is the link to my personal profile page (it has a link to donate on it):
***https://www.mypelotonia.org/riders_profile.jsp?MemberID=172195&Search&PAGING

And then directions to donate from the Pelotonia homepage:
To donate:
1. Go to the Pelotonia website http://pelotonia.org/
2. Click on donate and then "Make a Specific Donation"
3. Type in Kimmet in the Last Name search bar (whichever ride you would like to donate to)
4. Click View my Profile or Donate to My Ride (view my profile shows all my info and also has a Donate to My Ride button)
5. Donate! :)

Have a good night!
<3 - Britt

So much has gone on since I last posted (as per usual).  I'll update with pictures :) I have also received a request for a race re-cap, so look for that in the coming week(s?)!

Until the next time! 

Peace out Home Slice <3
-BK