plankaday Archives

Lean Lena July 18, 2014

They Didn’t Make the Cut or Daily Struggles of a Selfie Taker

Hey guys! Happy Friday!

Thought I’d share something funny with you today for a change. Now this takes a lot of guts, ok? 🙂 I’m sharing 5 pics from the past that didn’t make the cut. Why? Because I look ugly in them, that’s why 🙂 But such are the struggles of a selfie taker – it takes a lot of tries to get that perfect (or near perfect, or acceptable) selfie.

Here we go!

{ONE} Cookie Monster

Cookies don’t cross the threshold of my house very often, but when they do, they don’t stay long. On such a rare and wonderful occasion one just has to take selfies, right?

Yeah…it’s hard to stay focused when you have two difficult tasks at the same time – taking a selfie and eating a cookie.

{TWO} That plank…

You know how there’s a ton of plank streaks on the Internet and everybody is posting screenshots of their iPhones with the timer and that’s awful BOOOOH-RIIIIIING? Well, some of us take it to the next level – we take pics of ourselves while planking. Now, that’s a difficult thing to do. But we try:

After a bazillion attempts that leave you with the disaster shots like above, you finally say “what the heck” and ask your husband (daughter, son, mom, dog) to take a more presentable picture of your effort to share with the #fitfam.

{THREE} Yoga Pics

I’m sharing a lot of my workouts on social media. That being said, I also do a lot of yoga and I always struggle with ideas when it comes to sharing my practice after having it. What? Take pics of your yoga mat with your feet on it every time? Booooooohriiiiing… So. This time I decided to be a little more creative and take a selfie with my yoga mat bag which has the OM sign on it.

But while I was trying to do that in from of my back door, a UFO with aliens in it came around with very bright lights:

When they were gone, I finally managed to take that selfie with my mat bag. Yeah!

I look like I have no lips, but that’s ok 🙂

{FOUR} Don’t even ask….

I have no idea, how I turned this:

Into that:

All I know it required an early Sunday morning, strawberries and 5689 attempts. 🙂

{FIVE} That one time…

…when I was alone at the YMCA locker room after my workout and decided to get creative with my selfie again.

So before I produced this:

a lot of things happened…(WARNING: graphic content, may be disturbing):

And that’s that about the tough life of a blogger and how hard it is to take that perfect selfie.

Have a wonderful weekend, guys!

Filed Under: Five on Friday, plankaday Tagged With: five on friday 9 Comments

Lean Lena February 7, 2014

Five on Friday: MNB Challenge, Week 1 Recap – Move

Hey guys!

Happy Friday!

As you probably noticed from the social media, I am participating in the Move, Nourish, Believe Challenge hosted by Fit Approach and Lorna Jane Activewear.

In this post I am going to tell you what the 5 days of the challenge were all about this past week in the format of Five on Friday! (hey, I’ve been on fire with this lately, haven’t I?) 🙂

{MONDAY} Sweat-it-Out!

On Monday the challenge participants had to show their favorite way to sweat. Well, that was a no brainer for me – Spinning of course!

and, of course, I had to sweat in my favorite way that night:

Monday night spinning class with MJ

{TUESDAY} Change it up!

On Tuesday, we were supposed to try a new way to sweat – select a workout from the challenge website and show the post-sweat selfie. I chose two workouts from the website: the 10 minute core challenge and Work it out with this Wednesday workout – with dumbbells.

It was fun! I normally don’t workout at home (too many distractions), but the weather was crappy so it was nice for a change. I really liked it! I should do it more often, and now I have just the resource for great quick workouts at home. A lot of them don’t require any equipment at all!

And here comes the selfie 🙂

{WEDNESDAY} Let’s get planking!

The goal was to plank for at least five minutes – either in one setting or splitting up.

On Wednesday we were snowed in and I worked from home – so I had time to get into my planking! Got it done in two sets – 2.50 minutes each. Whew!

{THURSDAY} Buddy up!

Thursday was a “workout with a Friend” day! I buddied up with my husband for an awesome lifting session!

{FRIDAY} Fave Friday!

This day is about sharing our Five Fitness Favorites. So here we go!

You all know of course, that mine are – spinning, yoga, lifting, planking (Oh look at that 5 min plank! It is my Personal Record so far of continuous planking on straight arms) and Polar FT40!

This challenge has been so much fun! I am meeting a lot of new and interesting people and sharing a ton of fun with them!

Next week is the “Nourish” part of the challenge – all about good food! Stay tuned, guys 🙂

Now, your turn! What are your Five on Friday or just things you’re loving lately? Link it up below or just tell me in comments to this post.

Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: fitness, Fitness Challenges, fitness events, Five on Friday, new experiences, plankaday, spinning, Sweat Pink, Weight Lifting Tagged With: fitness, fitness motivation, fitness review, five on friday, Lorna Jane, MNB Challenge, new experience, plankaday, spinning, Sweat Pink, yoga 5 Comments

Lean Lena January 13, 2014

Motivation Monday – Last Week’s Exercise Recap

Hey-hey, my fitness gang! How are you this wonderful Monday? Ready to face the week?

I feel ready and excited! Why? Because it is a new start. New beginning of everything – it is your chance to start the week off right by eating healthier, exercising more and being happier 🙂

So, let’s look at my last week from the exercise standpoint. Here’s what I did:

Monday: Spin Class – 12.5 sweaty miles!

It was freezing cold outside that night and I left the sensor for my heart rate monitor in the car. I realized that after I got changed for my class and decided to ride “naked” rather than go back to the car in my capris and cycling shoes. So, “naked” ride it was! I have to say, it felt a little weird not to be able to see your heart rate, but it was definitely liberating not seeing the calories burnt. I think subconsciously as I approach my goal number of calories burnt during the class I stop working as hard as I should. So, I definitely enjoyed my “low-tech” ride on Monday!

Tuesday: Weight Lifting and Strength Training with Jim at the Gym

I feel like I am still burning calories from that one. It even hurts to type, leave alone steer…

I have noticed that I got a little too comfortable with my routine with the weights… Those personal trainers, they can read minds, you know? Just as I thought that I wouldn’t mind increasing the weight/number of reps, he did just that!

Oh. My. God.

That step forward is always killing me the first time I take it. I just hope that next time will be better and I will enjoy it a little more, and maybe suffer a little less afterwards… 🙂

Wednesday: Always Yoga Day, I mean ALWAYS.

After my killer workout on Tuesday it was a very much welcome practice. Looooove that stretching.

Thursday: a day of relaxation and not knowing what to do with myself

Is it just me or is there anyone else who feels like he/she is getting fatter by the minute on a rest day? 🙂

I do!

Anyway, it was nice to spend the evening “couch-potating” with hubby and catch up on the new Big Bang Theory.

Friday: Rest Day

Was originally supposed to be a yoga day, but I just wasn’t feeling it. So I listened to my ~~lazy mind~~ body and made it a rest day. 🙂

Saturday: Spinning+Yoga

Totally paid for my two rest days by making it a “Saturday Double”:

Another 12.4 sweaty miles!

Followed by a relaxing yoga class

Sunday: Yoga

Was initially supposed to be a “pump day”, but I got caught up in the 49-ers game and only made it to yoga. Hey, it was totally worth it!

And that is what I did last week!

Tell me: what was your best workout of the past week?

Filed Under: fitness, Girls Gone Sporty, Motivation Monday, plankaday, spinning, Weight Lifting Tagged With: fitness, fitness motivation, GGS, Girls Gone Sporty Ambassador, plankaday, spinning, yoga 2 Comments

Lean Lena August 14, 2013

What’s New or What I Did in the Past Couple Weeks

Hello, my fit friends!

I have been totally neglecting my blog in the past 2 weeks, and I am very sorry about that. I missed writing so much!

I have had a couple weeks from hell at work, and with my exercise routine and family I had absolutely no time or energy for blogging. I did try to keep you up-to-date with other social media (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook), though. I hope you didn’t miss me too much and I will try not to take such long breaks from blogging any more 🙂

So, here I am with the highlights of the past 2 weeks or so.Continue Reading

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, fitness, healthy snack ideas, lunch, plankaday, spinning, Uncategorized, Weight Watchers, what's on my plate wednesday, WW Tagged With: dinner, family, fitness, fitness motivation, Girls Gone Sporty Ambassador, good food, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, healthy snack ideas, Lose it!, lunch, plankaday, recipes, salad, spinning, Vodka the Kitty, weight loss, Weight Watchers, WW, yoga Leave a Comment

Lean Lena July 25, 2013

Birthday Recap and foods of the past few days

Hello, my friends.

Sorry for long silence – a lot going on here!

First of all – I got sick, have a real bad cold – sore throat, congestion, fever and all the other “pleasures”. Because of that I did not work out this week AT ALL so I am going through a bad withdrawal, too…All I could manage was keep going with my #plankaday.Continue Reading

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, family events, fitness, Girls Gone Sporty, lunch, plankaday Tagged With: dining out, dinner, family, fitness, GGS, Girls Gone Sporty Ambassador, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, lunch, pasta, plankaday, travel Leave a Comment

Lean Lena July 22, 2013

Out of meal ideas? Check out this post with my menu in the past few days.

Hello, friends!

I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was very relaxing with just enough fun and activities 🙂

Oh where do I begin…Since I haven’t posted since last week, I have quite a lot to share with you, my fit friends 🙂

Let’s start with eats – here are the highlights of the past few days.Continue Reading

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, fitness, Girls Gone Sporty, healthy snack ideas, lunch, plankaday, recipes, spinning Tagged With: dinner, fitness, fitness motivation, GGS, Girls Gone Sporty Ambassador, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, healthy snack ideas, lunch, plankaday, recipes, salad, spinning, weight loss, yoga Leave a Comment

Lean Lena July 18, 2013

Quick update on yesterday’s eats

Hi Friends!

Quick update on yesterday’s eats here.

I was feeling like a savory breakfast yesterday morning (I pretty much do all the time) so I had an open sandwich on the dark German whole wheat bread with hard salami, Swiss cheese and fried egg, and some fresh cucumber and grape tomatoes on the side.Continue Reading

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, fitness, healthy snack ideas, lunch, plankaday, Uncategorized Tagged With: dinner, fitness, fitness motivation, healthy breakfast, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, healthy snack ideas, lunch, plankaday, salad, yoga Leave a Comment

Lean Lena July 17, 2013

Tabouli Salad Recipe – Quick and Healthy Summer Meal

Happy hump day, my friends!

Our family is having a pretty busy week here – I don’t know why but it feels like we’re always in a hurry and need to “make it” somewhere this week. Work-home-dinner-pool-somewhere else.

It is extremely important for me at hectic times like that to actually make an effort, stop and make good food rather than grab something on-the-go. I find it especially hard in the mornings. To begin with, I am not a morning person at all. It takes me a while to wake up and get “functional”. I like my mornings slow. I don’t like rushing and hassling. That’s why I get up earlier that I need to – so I can take a loooong “wake up shower”, get dressed, make breakfast, eat breakfast, sit outside for a bit with my coffee cup in my hands…and then go out there to face the day.Continue Reading

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, dinner, fitness, lunch, plankaday, recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: dessert, dinner, healthy dinner, healthy lunch, lunch, plankaday, recipes, salad, weight loss Leave a Comment

Lean Lena July 16, 2013

HOT HOT HOT or a little bit of the Monday Madness

Hello-hello, friends!

How is your Tuesday going? Mine is busy-busy-busy all the way around.

The crazy heat we’ve had here in the past few days really takes it out of me and I am sleepy by 10.00 pm (!!!)

We go to the pool every night and it is the only thing that “saves the day” – so refreshing! We don’t have central air in the house – just window AC units in the bedrooms, so Carmen spends a lot of time in her room while when it is cooler she likes hanging out with us downstairs. How Simon doesn’t want an AC in his room is beyond me, but he keeps saying his room has a perfect temperature 🙂Continue Reading