Day 24: POP Pilates thigh workout

It’s hump day and Day 24 of the Pinterest Project. For today’s project I decided to get physical and work on my legs. As a warmup to this workout I ran in Central Park after work today. I only did a 30 minute run, but it felt so good out there with 60 degree weather. This winter I went on a running hiatus since it was so cold and I just couldn’t force myself to run outside, so since it’s finally warmer out, I’m trying to get back into my old running routine so I can compete in some more races this summer/fall!

For today’s project, I did the POP Pilates thigh workout which is specifically targeted at your inner thighs and creating that ‘gap’ between your legs that every trim or fit woman has. This workout was originally posted from the blog ‘blogilates’ which focuses on pilates and healthy eating. For this workout you are completing a cycle of four different leg workouts and repeating this series 3 or 4 times.

POP Pilates thigh workout: (repeat cycle 3 or 4 times)

• Heel Pulse – 20 pulses on each side
• Single Leg Raise – 20 on each side
• Froggers – 20 total
• Sideways Scissors – 20 total

After completing this cycle a few times, I personally thought that  Heel pulse and the Single leg raise had the most benefit on my legs. I really could feel the muscles in my inner thigh’s working on those two exercises. I felt like the frogger and sideways scissors worked my abs more than my legs. All of these are really good workouts, and I already do the single leg raises a few times a week. I’ll definitely have to add the heel pulse to that routine!

 

Ok, so it’s getting kind of late and I am absolutely exhausted, but I had to tell you about today before I sign off. Today was the first day of my new job and it was AMAZING!!! Seriously, it is so much better than the last place I was working. Everyone is really friendly, I get summer Friday’s, lots a vacation time and the place has a pretty stress-free vibe to it. Also, that salary I’m getting makes it even better!

I’m really happy that I found this place to work and everything really just fell into place for me getting this job. I was kind of stressing out about resigning from my old job, but I was trying to be patient and pray for direction in what to do. I literally resigned from my job and immediately found a new one. This was definitely proof that God’s timing is perfect and he played a huge role in finding me this job right away. It’s literally everything that I wanted in company, which makes the move even that much more meaningful! I feel so completely blessed right now and excited for what my future might hold here.

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.” Lamentations 3:25

Ok time for bed because I have to be at the office now at 8am…eek!

Day 20: Cheese Enchiladas and Day 21: Awesome Legs Workout

It’s been a few days since I have posted anything, so let me catch you up on what’s been going on! On Friday I found out that I got a job offer from a  company that I had interviewed at on Tuesday, so that was really exciting! Plus, I’m getting a huge pay increase, which makes the new job even that much more exciting. I start on Wednesday!

My old office gave me some flowers as a going away gift. Look at those yellow roses…they made me think of the Yellow Rose of Texas!

Ok, onto the Pinterest Project and I actually wrote this post out last night after eating, but for some reason the darn thing didn’t save and I was too tired to rewrite it, so I figured I’d just post days 20 and 21 together!

Yesterday was Day 20 of the Pinterest Project and I made Cheese Enchiladas! I’m not a big enchilada eater, but when I do eat them I want them to be spicy! My favorite homemade enchiladas growing up with some that my mom made and she accidentally messed up the recipe causing them to be spicier than normal. To this day my brother and I still talk about those enchiladas and how they were the best ones my mom ever made.

This enchilada recipe is actually one that I have been making for the last year, and I have pinned it on Pinterest. It is a cheese enchilada recipe that I adapted from the March 2011 issue of Martha Stewart’s ‘Everyday Food’ magazine. [Sorry mom – I took this one to NY with me!] I changed this recipe up by making it a little spicier!

Cheese Enchiladas with Tomato-Jalapeno Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:

Tomato-Jalapeno Enchilada Sauce

• 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce, depending on how hot you want it (I use Frank’s)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• pinch of sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Enchiladas

• enchilada sauce
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)
• diced onion, avocado, cilantro or sour cream (optional), for serving

Directions:

Sauce

In a blender, combine 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, onions and jalapeno. Puree until smooth and season with salt and pepper. In a medium pot, heat oil over high until shimmering. Add tomato mixture and simmer, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in thyme, vinegar, sugar and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 4 days.) Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Enchiladas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1 1/2 cups of enchilada sauce into 9 x 13 baking dish. Working with one tortillas at a time, sprinkle cheese down the middle of tortilla. Roll tortillas around cheese and arrange, seam side down. [From the picture below you’ll see I had to use two smaller baking dishes as I don’t have one that is 9 x 13.]

Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake until heated through, 10 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

 It doesn’t take long at all for these enchiladas to bake! Corn tortillas are still nice and soft and with the extra cheese on top, they’re nice and cheesy!

I made some fresh guacamole to go along with these spicy bad boys. If you don’t like spicy enchiladas, then leave out the hot sauce and the jalapeno. If you end up doing that, then you’ll have a tomato tasting sauce, which will be much more bland.

Don’t those look so good! They were amazing and spicy, which is just what I wanted!

Apart from making these enchiladas yesterday, I went and saw the Hunger Games in the morning!! I was so excited to see the movie and overall I thought it was pretty good. I was actually surprised at how much they left out from the books, but they did get a lot in in 2 1/2 hours. I’ll be interested to see how the next two movies are since I think those books (especially Mockingjay) were pretty graphic and intense!

Today I was super lazy! I actually ended up watching movies most of the day and eating leftovers. The only active thing I did today was for my pinterest project, which for day 21, I did the Awesome legs workout that I had repinned to my fitness board. This leg workout is supposed to tone up your legs and make them summer ready in just 5 minutes a day, and apparently you see results in as little as 10 days! This workout was originally pinned from the website, ‘T-tapp’. There are 3 phases to this workout and you do 2 reps of each phase, eventually working up to 3 reps per phase.

Unfortunately I am not able to upload all of the pictures that show exactly what you are doing, so it is imperative that you go to the t-tapp website to see the movements. You are basically lying on your back with your legs in the air and are bending your knees (one at a time) while tightening your muscles.

This wasn’t a hard workout, but I already have pretty strong legs from running and years of swimming and water polo. If anything I think I’ll feel it more in my lower abs from holding my legs up in the air. On the website, they stated that this helps the muscles in your legs be longer and leaner, which is the result I’m looking for. I’m planning on incorporating this into my workout routine since it only took 5 minutes, so we’ll see if I get longer, leaner muscles as opposed to them being bulkier. Wish me luck!