In lieu of my regular “Scenes from the Week” and “Saturday Shares” posts, I’m bringing back an oldie but goodie format this week. With the loads of organization for Best Body Bootcamp I have had to finish this week, I simply haven’t had much blog reading time or photo taking time. I still wanted to share some link love and things going on in my little world, so I figured the countdown would accomplish just that. Enough chit chat. Let’s count it down to the weekend!
5 Links to Check Out
- Frozen Yogurt Trail Mix Bars from Lindsay. I cannot WAIT to make these.
- Do you spend too much time re-reading your past instead of focusing on the future? Then perhaps you need to re-read Carla’s words of wisdom over and over again.
- Need some new challenges for an abdominal workout? Rachel gives some great ideas!
- So delicious Roasted Sweet Potato and ChickPea Salad from Morgan.
- Upper or Lower Body Workouts of your choice from Julie.
4 Instagram Scenes from the Week

Random but delicious lunch I’ve been loving lately. An overflowing salad with hummus and balsamic (yep, still hooked Chelsey!) and a large sweet potato with a wedge of laughing cow cheese mixed in. I’ve been loving the blue cheese flavor.

Knowing that I would have a lot more cross training in my future, I sucked it up and bought some cross training specific shoes. I went with the Reebok RealFlex Transitions since I know so many of my FitFluential friends rave about them. They have been working well this past week!

Nope. Never ever gets old.

I’ve been drooling over these Athleta tops all week long. I’ve never tried their workout gear before though so not quite sure I want to spend my Christmas money on them. I have them in my cart and keep holding back from pushing the purchase button. Anyone relate?
3 Random Thoughts of the Week
- Scratching your cornea hurts like h-e-double-hockey-sticks. I could barely open my eyes all day on Wednesday for the burn.
- I really am happy with my body right now. Didn’t mean for my post yesterday to come across that I wasn’t in any way. I 100% agree I look (and feel!) happier now than in my “lean picture”.
- I really have to do laundry today. Which means Braedon had to wear some of Makenzie’s pink flowery Minnie Mouse pajamas. Don’t worry. He rocked the look.
2 Favorite Best Body Fitness Posts of the Week
- The “I’m Not My Leanest Post” I referenced above, because I’m very happy about how far I have come in my mindset. I still have my struggles, but I love feeling good on the whole.
- My Word of the Year – really, really planning to focus on that this year. I even have alarms set on my phone with reminders to put my perspective in the right place and consider how I can focus on JOY for the upcoming chunk of time.
1 Motivational Thought to Take You Into the Weekend

Keep taking steps in the right direction this weekend! #theweekendcountstoo
That was fun! Maybe I’ll consolidate like this more often! Happy Friday!
Your Turn: What’s a lunch you’ve been loving lately? Ever bought anything from Athleta? Reviews? What you up to this weekend? We have a volunteer gig most of the day tomorrow with our small group…then, not quite sure!

Mother. Wife. Personal Trainer. Exercise lover. Blogger. Woman of faith. Striving for fitness inside and out. 
































{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
yay!!! hope you love the bars! and you WILL love the shoes
same color as mine!
Great links, and posts, Tina! You’ve gotta try a baked sweet potato w/crumbled black bean burger and yogurt!!
I do black beans with chili powder and cumin all the time and love it. Never tried a black bean burger before though.
I’ve been an Athleta fan for years and have never been disappointed with a single item–both workout and casual wear. Definitely get those tops–they rock!
My littlest scratched her cornea and it was holy hell. The doc gave us a cream to help the healing. take care!
I ordered them! They’re just too cute. And hearing so many positive reviews via comments and Twiter made me go for it.
I love those reeboks!
Have a great weekend Tina! xoxo
Love the finishing quote! Heading straight to check out some links; again great post yesterday. x
henry has totally worn clara’s pjs before. Albeit tight, he rocked them as well.
We are having friends over for dinner tonight and tomorrow night I have my work holiday party – lots of fun to be had!
Happy weekend!
Yay for rocking the hummus topper on salads.
We have a fun weekend planned, but after deciding to avoid the dark & cold this morning, I do have a run to fit in tonight before things get started. We have a friend from Atlanta visiting tonight & tomorrow and then dinner (and meeting for the first time!) with a blend and her hubby tomorrow. Yay – fun stuff!
That does sound fun! Hope it was great!
YIKES! I scratched my cornea twice this year and ended up in the ER one time! It’s so painful – hope it’s feeling better!
Oh I need to check out that sweet potato chickpea recipe. Yum. I’ve not tried Athleta wear yet. Ouch on your eye. I sure hope it heals up quickly. Not fun!
That Athleta catalog is dangerous – I had to recycle it before my bank account hated me. I’ve never tried their clothes and would like to but I’ll have to wait til my bank account has some room to groove.
I love that your little boy had to wear his sister’s pink pj’s!! haha – I am the worst when it comes to procrastinating on laundry…and I don’t even have kids!!
I love that you are back with this Tina, you always provide such great links and items to read! I just checked out the upper and lower body workout one, going to incorporate some of those exercises into my workout today!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your thoughts on your body right now, thank you for the insight there Tina and your inspiring attitude!
Great links Tina! I loved those two posts from you this week.
I was just drooling over the Athleta catalogue this week too and I do that all the time – add things to my shopping cart and let them sit there until I decide. Sometimes just adding them to the cart scratches my shopping itch
I do have a couple of tops and 2 capris from there. I love my capris. The technical t-shirt tops are great. I also have one tank from them with a built in shelf bra (not the ones you have pictured and not as much of a technical top) which requires a sports bra underneath (and I’m small).
Love the motivational thought above Tina! I need to remember this as I study for NASM, it’s all a learning process, no matter what we do in life. Happy Friday!
Haha I love that Braedon wore Makenzie’s pajamas… that is awesome. And yes, oatmeal with nut butter and coffee never gets old in my book!
We aren’t up to much this weekend which is a-okay by me. It’s been go-go-go for the past few months, so I’m looking forward to having a low key weekend. I think we’ll probably go see a movie and work on the nursery more.
Definitely checking out the abdominal routine!
Thanks for the link love!! XOXO
I LOVE Laughing Cow cheeses and sweet potatoes… never thought about combining them! Totally trying this today. Just discovered making tuna salad with an avocado instead of mayo and I’m hooked!
I have a few Athleta tops and capris, btw, and I really like them. You can always try them on and see how they feel and if you don’t like them, send ‘em back (well, before you work out in them anyway). Speaking of cute workout (and related) clothes, have you seen this etsy store? http://NutritionSnob.Etsy.com Just found them yesterday and fell in love.
I hadn’t seen that etsy shop. Thanks for sharing! Super cute stuff and love all the sayings.
I have been on sushi and cucumber kick for lunch lately! I love slicing up cucumbers and sprinkling them with some shredded mozzarella cheese and drizzling all that with tangy bacon Catalina dressing. So random, but so delicious!
I love these posts!
And I just made those bars from Lindsay/Lean Green Bean, SO GOOD!!!
I love Athleta clothes! I’ve only gotten capris, so I can’t speak for the tops, but they were a really good quality and have held up really well. You should definitely treat yourself!
Hey! First of all those shoes are bad a$$. Secondly, I was reading my IDEA Fitness journal that came in the mail yesterday and read an article that you wrote about online fitness training! I thought ‘hey, this story sounds a lot like the girl who writes that blog I read’, and then there was your name at the bottom! Congrats!
Aw, thanks! It was really cool to see that. i didn’t know it would be in that issue until someone mentioned seeing it and when I finally got my copy.
I have been loving sweet potatoes topped with sea salt, cinnamon, and full fat plain yogurt. I know it sounds like a weird combination, but it’s so good! I’ve also been loving trying all the different variations of sweet potatoes at the store.
I’ve been really needing some cross training shoes. I keep seeing those mentioned by fellow Fitfluential Ambassadors and have been wanting to try them too.
I’ve been loving warm salads! Throwing roasted veggies and such on top of crisp greens and cabbage . . . I love the different textures and temperatures!
I always see the CUTEST clothes in the Athleta advertisements, but I’ve never bought anything. You’ll have to let us know if you do, and what you think about it. I recently joined pv.body (a bunch of bloggers have been posting about it), and was really happy with my first shipment. Can’t beat the price, too!
I was between Athleta and PV Body too! I ended up getting the tops because I only really needed a couple tops good for yoga. HOpe I like them! although PV Body still sounds sooo cool to me!
Great posts!!! I am going to make those frozen yogurt bars too!!! YUM!!! Happy New Year Tina!!!! Wishing you the BEST in 2013!! xoxox
I can’t recommend Athleta clothes enough. I have two pairs of their leggings and two tops and am IN LOVE. Dare I say I almost like them better than lululemon….? (Blasphemy, I know.
) They just fit me great and are incredible quality.
I think your review sealed the deal for me to hit order! And I’ve never owned lululemon and actually thought the athleta stuff was cuter when looking online. I’ll be blasphemous with you!
Hahaha I read it like four times before I realized that your link was to “how to change up your abdominal workout” …. NOT “how to change up your abominable workout.” I think it might be time for bed
So much great info here Tina. I have the Real Flex Fusion TR’s and find them perfect for my circuit training class and some CrossFit WOD’s–I hope you have the same luck with the Transitions.
I think your body is slamming too–perfect blend of a strength & beauty. Lunch? Eggs!!
Have you bought the tops yet? I’ve started buying the Athleta tops with built in bras to wear instead of a bra + cami at work — under a sweater or under a top that swoops a bit too low! I also have a few sweaters that I love, and every pattern of the “Nectar” dress — a staple of my “business casual” wardrobe! Oh, and I have some of their yoga pants too …. Anyway, their quality is great!
Man… I stopped putting nut butter in my oatmeal a while ago (and decided that I had to choose either nuts in the oats or nut butter on top- nuts won!) but that photo makes me want to put a big melty spoonful of PB on my oats. Mmmmm….
I LOVE lindsay’s yogurt/trail mix bars- I make them in ice cube trays (just made a batch today!) and gobble them up!
I’ve never set foot in an Athleta. And that’s probably a good thing!