Fitness routine winter 2021

home fitness gear winter 2021

Home fitness gear for winter 2021 from top left: backpack (I cannot live without mine!) / weight set (I use this one all the time) / yoga mat / soft beach towel / workout top (I love mine!) / water bottle (I have one in red and love it) / yoga socks (I wear these and love them) / running shoes / adidas leggings /

Whew! It’s cold out there! When the temperature drops, I tend to try and move my workouts inside. Unfortunately, our gyms in California are outdoor only right now, so I am bundling up and working around the cold!

I am in a fortunate situation where my gym has moved a lot of fitness classes online during the pandemic. This has been a godsend since I can attend classes at home, in addition to going to the gym in-person for outdoor fitness. It really has given me a lot of options which work well with my schedule.

If your gym has been closed, I recommend finding an online fitness option so you can still attend classes. It really makes a huge difference, and helps keep you motivated and on track. Love it!

My fitness goals at the moment include reducing stress, shedding my quarantine weight, and staying healthy. So, in order to accomplish this, I am mixing up cardio with interval (HIIT) workouts, and weekly yoga. I have lost ten pounds since May! Love!

Without further ado, here is how my balanced fitness schedule:

Sunday: Yoga (online or in-person depending on weather)

Monday: U-Jam (cardio, online class)

Tuesday: The Drop (HIIT style, online)

Wednesday: 30 min walk outside (light cardio)

Thursday: Tabata and Core (HIIT style, online)

Friday: Cardio kickboxing or Ignite (cardio or HIIT style depending on Saturday)

Saturday: rest day or hiking with the family (weather permitting, we take a two hour hike)

If we are able to go hiking on Saturday, then I opt for either a rest day, or an Ignite class, on Friday. My goal is to have one rest day each week, three cardio days, and two HIIT days. I have been going into the gym one day per week. The rest of the week I either opt for an online class through my gym, or I head outside for a walk or hike.

It’s important to get outside, and breath in the fresh air; even when there isn’t a pandemic! There is something calming about nature. I love being able to enjoy it.

If you are trying to put together a weekly fitness routine, I recommend scheduling three cardio sessions, two HIIT sessions, and one yoga session each week. If yoga isn’t your thing, opt for a workout which includes stretching and core exercises such as Pilates.

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your workout!

XOXO

Cathy

Casual and cozy on a winter day

casual winter outfit los gatos street style it bags 2021 under $500

wearing: hoop earrings / grey scarf (under $100) / ivory sweater / spring nail polish / bead genuine gemstone bracelets c/o TiffsJeweldom (only $25 each!!) / black handbag (IT bag under $300) / distressed jeans (under $50) / Gucci sneakers /

Well, the warm weather we enjoyed last week went away quickly! We are now in a cold weather pattern, so it’s time to get back to bundling up! I love this classic ivory sweater from The Perfect Provenance. It’s a fabulous go-to sweater I know I will be wearing for many years to come. If you haven’t invested in one yet, I highly recommend it! It’s so soft and cozy; perfect for a winter day!

Raise your hand if you love jewels. My hand is way up! How fabulous are these gemstone bracelets! They are designed in San Jose by a mother/daughter design team who is extremely active in the community. They do so much volunteer work to help the community, I am not sure how they found the time to start  a design business; but they did! Love it!

All of the bracelets by TiffsJeweldom are handmade in San Jose, California. They are created from genuine gemstone beads and adorned with different charms depending on the gemstone. The gemstone beads are a great size. Sometimes beaded bracelets have beads which are too big; making it clumsy when typing on a keyboard, or writing something down. Of course, there is the other extreme where beads can be too small and look cheap. Thankfully these beads are the perfect size! They look much more expensive than they are; and I can type or write all day long without them getting in the way. Love that!

I wore this casual look while walking around downtown Los Gatos with my family. We enjoyed getting out of the house, and stopped for some boba tea along the way. We are definitely looking forward to the stay-at-home order being lifted so we can start doing more things! I think the Bay Area is the most locked down part of the country! How are things where you are?

Shop my casual winter look:

Be sure to check out TiffsJeweldom. These beautiful bracelets are a great gift idea for Valentine’s Day, or a gift for yourself! I love mine and plan to wear them often.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

coach handbags 2021

Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe

creamy chicken pasta recipe light

Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe: tapered mug / Italian Soda recipe (inside mug) / turquoise dinner plate / tablecloth (sold out, also love this one) /

One of our favorite types of food is pasta. There are so many different ways to fix pasta, so it’s a fabulous staple to keep in the kitchen pantry for lunch or dinner. If you love pasta, and you love chicken, this is a great recipe you can make with them both! You can use chicken purchased for this meal, or use this as a way to incorporate chicken leftovers. It’s great with BBQ chicken leftovers, baked chicken leftovers, and rotisserie chicken leftovers.

This Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe uses cream; which, as we know, isn’t great for a diet. I made it lighter by switching the cream to half-and-half. You can also substitute milk for an even lighter version of the sauce. That being said, here is what you need to make Creamy Chicken Pasta yourself!

Creamy Chicken Pasta ingredients

  • 1 pound of your favorite pasta
  • 2 cups shredded chicken (I like to use Safeway’s shredded rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken chopped in smaller pieces)
  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes (or one can diced tomatoes-drained)
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped or smashed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (I prefer extra virgin)
  • 1 pat of unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cups of heavy cream (I use half-and-half instead)
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Dash of salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 1 tablespoon each of paprika, basil, oregano
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion

You will need two pots to make Creamy Chicken Pasta. One large pot for cooking your pasta, and one medium saucepan for the sauce. Cook your pasta separately from your sauce. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together and simmer on medium for thirty minutes. Stir frequently to keep the cheese from sticking to the pot. When the pasta is done cooking, drain, and then mix the sauce together with the pasta. Voila! You have easily cooked Creamy Chicken Pasta! Love!

My kids really enjoy this meal, and it is an enjoyed by adults too. This makes a great family dish! You can top it with more parmesan cheese if you’d like, once it’s on your plate. This should make about nine servings. We usually have leftovers, and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day. I hope you enjoy my Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy