February 03, 2015

Weekend Sunshine XXII

February 03, 2015/ sherri d'alessandro

Heyyyy everyone! Are you still winding down from the excitement (and stress) of the Superbowl? Wheeeewwwwwww that was an extremely stressful 60 minutes and I'm SO HAPPY that the Pats won it. New England has been a wild little place for the past couple of weeks. The excitement for the game and the double-whammy of snow storms has made things QUITE interesting. I'm already over the snow after today's 18 incher. Last week, it was fun and I was ready for it. Today, I actually had a mini meltdown. There is no place to put the white stuff anymore and people are getting mean. My "neighbor" took his snow plow and picked up a giant pile of snow in his driveway and plopped it right in front of my car that I had just shoveled out for two hours. True story. So freaking rude and NOT neighborly. Proof in the pudding below.

Anywayyyy, the bright side is I had two workouts today, right? Ok then.

Moving on, this weekend was jammmm packed. Friday night, we headed back to Charlestown! Molly planned a surprise dinner for Peter's Bday. It was a whole lot of fun and I didn't take any photos. WHOOPS!

Saturday after work, we met up with Mark, Kristen, Lauren, Sean, Em & Dev for dinner in the North End and then an Improv Show. It was sooo much fun and we definitely all let loose a bit. This picture was taken after the show. We NEEDED espresso martins and cannolis, ok? Ok.

On Sunday after work, I didn't have much time to make a ton of food for the game so I whipped up some easy classics. Of course, I had to make my deviled eggs and use my new little deviled egg plate.

Then, I went with homemade guac, shrimp cocktail, stuffed quahogs, spanikopitas, and mini pizzas at half time. We obviously wanted 'game food', but, also tried to keep it on the healthier side. I think we did a good job with that. Rob and I literally hadn't stopped in days so we decided to stay in and watch the game on my christmas-present-TV that he gave me. At first, we were thinking "should we be out?" and then once the game got rolling and we were screaming and I was jumping up and down on the couch... we realized we made the PERFECT decision to stay in and watch it together. Not only did we have the best seats in the house, we were also able to watch every single play and also every commercial. It was perfect and so was that game. WOW.

Crazy, stressed-out seflie.

That's a wrap, my friends! The rest of the week, I'm hoping for warmer temps or rain to get rid of some of the snow. Unfortunately, it looks like we're getting two more small storms. Mehhhh. Stay warm, everyone! Hope you all have a great week! xo

January 28, 2015

Fitness Goals at Peter Welch's Gym

January 28, 2015/ sherri d'alessandro

So, a little over a year ago, I wrote THIS POST about PETER WELCH'S GYM. Last week, the team at PWG asked their members to share their 'fitness success story' due to practice or training with the team at PWG. I thought about it for a minute and re-read my old post. I talked about how great the gym is and how it's the best workout I've ever had. I told you about how I healed my torn hamstring and PR'd in my half marathon. I also told you that the gym is no-nonsense, everyone is kind and helpful, and they come in all different shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. My successes included the aforementioned PR, my speed, my reaction time, my confidence, and the ability to eat way more (YESSSS!).

Well... a year has passed and I have more successes to tell you about. That's right, I've been going to Peter Welch's Gym for almost 3 years and I am STILL making gains. What does that tell you? It tells you that the trainers are constantly keeping classes fresh, they encourage the members to work hard and keep trying new things, and that I'm still having a WHOLE LOTTA fun!

That's me, taking a discreet mirror photo. I don't care that I have been a blogger for close to 4 years - I STILL really struggle with taking anything that resembles a selfie in public!

Moving on... There are a few internal goals I've made with myself in regards to my fitness levels.

1. Stay fast. Goal is complete and ongoing. I still feel fast at class. I am still way faster than I ever have been in my life (even when I ran high school track) and I think I might be faster than I was a year ago when I first realized that I've become a fast runner. I'm not the fastest (let's not get crazy), but, I'm much faster than I ever have been.

2. Do pull-ups! Goal complete and ongoing. I can now do about 3 pull-ups in a row and can do about 6-8 (depending on the day) with breaks. I'd like to be able to do 5 in a row at some point.

3. Deeper squats. Goal complete. My squats were very standard when I first started at PWG. Now, I've pushed myself to drop lower and use more weight.

4. Improve form. Goal always ongoing. With every class I take, I improve my form. I really listen to the instructors and I pay close attention to what the real fighters do. I DO LISTEN TO YOU GUYS! I don't plan on getting in the ring any time soon (a personal decision that I've actually spent a good amount of time thinking about - no need to share details). That being said, I want to hit the bag correctly and accurately and have the best form possible. I have so much respect for what these fighters do to train and get ready for a fight. They are incredible. If you watch how they move their feet and their bodies - never mind their hands - it's amazing! It's a true science.

5. Use 10lb dumbells for the strength round, not 8's. Goal complete. This one might sound easy, but, we hit the bag and do a crap-ton of push-ups, squat thrusts, and planks prior to the weights round. I can lift much heavier when that's my sole workout, but, in the middle of the class - it's tough! I started lifting heavier weights upstairs and then picked up 10's during a class - it's hard, but, I'm doing it!

6. Get down into a pistol squat. Goal complete!!! I did it a couple of weeks ago. I was able to do these in high school (I thank my gymnastics background for that), but, haven't pushed it since then as I was (mostly) just scared I'd hurt my knee. The other day I just told myself to do it and voila!

7. Do consistent double-unders. Goal Complete and ongoing! Heck yes, yes, yes! These tire me out like crazy, but, I can do them for at least a minute now. My only problem is when we go in for a 2nd or 3rd round of them. My body tires and I mess up and whack myself in the ass (yes it hurts). Anyway, I love doing these! And, if I can give anyone any advice on how to get better at these... it's this: JUST KEEP DOING THEM. Don't be shy to try them with an instructor who doesn't mention them. Just keep practicing. It'll happen!

So that's my latest update - my PWG Fitness Story. I love this gym. It is ever-evolving and constantly challenging. Plus, the members, the staff - they are all so great. It's a truly incredible community.

Here are my goals for the upcoming year:

1. Never tire of double-unders
2. Do consistent pistol squats
3. Five pull-ups in a row
4. Stay fast
5. Keep improving form

Questions for you all! 1. What are your fitness goals in 2015? 2. What is your favorite workout and why does it keep you so motivated?
I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!

Have a great week! Remember, when shoveling snow - LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS NOT YOUR BACK. Good luck shoveling out! xo

This is my "woof. that was a tough class but, I'm happy!" face.

January 26, 2015

Weekend Sunshine_XXI

January 26, 2015/ sherri d'alessandro

First and foremost, I'd like to wish my dad a very happy birthday! I am so grateful to have such an amazing role model in my life. I don't know what I'd do without you, Dad. Thank you for everything!

Now... Gooood eveningggg, friends! Everyone hunkered down and prepared for Blizzard 2015?! I know I am. This past weekend was the first time I wasn't away in two weeks! The last two weekend trips have been so fun and have definitely made the winter a lot more exciting and bearable. It also makes weekends spent at home... a little bit sweeter - no cabin fever! Here's a glimpse into the sunny spots of the weekend. I hope you all stay safe and warm over the next couple of days. I'll be sure to post some at-home workouts should you wish to add that to the imminent snow shoveling workout!

On Thursday night, Rae, Janet, Becca, Chris, and I took Nathan's Yoga Class at Urbanity Balance. The class was "Candlelight for a Cause" and all proceeds benefited The Pine Street Inn. Nate taught an AWESOME class. Candles were lit throughout the room and he focused on "heart openers" which was very fitting for the theme of the class. I think we all left feeling stretched, strong, open, and warm. If you're interested in taking Nate's classes (which I reccomend) you can check him out at Prana Power Yoga in Cambridge and sometimes at Urbanity Balance in the South End.

On Friday night, Rob and I met up with Lauren & Chris at one of my favorite Boston bars... Ironsides! It was SO SO SO FANTASTIC to catch up with Lauren & Chris! We had a lot of laughs, I'll tell ya!

I've been craving raspberries A LOT lately (mainly because I love berries and I eat a ton of them in the summer so I think I'm missing them hard core). Anyway, I bought a bunch of bags of frozen raspberries and made this 4 ingredient smoothie that was DEEEE-LICIOUS! Ingredients: 1 cup or so of raspberries, 1.5 tbs of peanut butter, 1 banana, & almond milk.

Saturday night, we took advantage of the 'snowy' weather and stayed in. I whipped up these quinoa taco bowls which were absolutely DE-LIGHTFUL. Rob gave them two thumbs up. Here's what I did: Cook quinoa with a little bit of taco seasoning in the water. As soon as it's done cooking, add cheese (I used grated Kerry Gold cheddar, but, it doesn't matter) and mix it up. Cook up organic, grass-fed ground beef (or chicken/turkey) in taco seasoning. Top the beef on top of the quinoa and then top with all the fixings! I love avo, jalapenos, tomatoes, and red peppers. Add some gmo-free chips for dipping and a squeeze of lime and you're good to go!

On Sunday morning, I spent some quality time with Juliet. Yes, I gave her that munchkin. Kim gave me that solid tip before I came over - win! Just love that little girl!