This week, I talk about what I am obsessed with, from morning collagen Matcha to fitness themed shows and good workout soundtracks.
What I’m obsessed with this week
Foodwise, I am obsessed with my “powerhouse” matcha collagen blend. I mix Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen Latte, 1 cup of almond milk, a pouch of Golive prebiotic/ probiotic, and 2 scoops of Green Superfoods Alkalize and Detox. This is getting too quickly to be a go-to breakfast drink this summer. It goes really well with my nut butter and toast combo, making sure I get the extra protein and veggies. The green superfood powder has a blend of a lot of different greens including chlorophyll and spirulina. Chlorophyll has amazing blood building properties, including improving hemoglobin deficiency. If you are a runner and encounter heat during your runs (which is now almost impossible to avoid in the summer), a high red blood cell count is important to ensure the maximum amount of oxygen reaches your cells. This is important especially if you are using this summer to up your endurance running, as an Israeli study found that anemia and iron deficiency is more common in highly trained athletes than non-athletes. This condition may be more present for runners, because of the fact that running actually increases your blood cell count, but the plasma in your blood also expands as a result, thus distorting hemoglobin levels. I have been drinking this combo for a week, at least, and feel a noticeable difference in my energy throughout the day.
New Show alert for fitness freaks
If you have Apple TV, you HAVE to check out their show getting rave reviews, Physical. It is produced and stars Rose Byrne (Helen from Bridesmaids), who smashes it out of the park playing an exercise-obsessed aerobics teacher who uses that to catapult herself out of an unrealized potential. This is all set in San Diego in the glorious 80s, and you know that can only mean one thing – a never ending montage of leotards, spandex, and 80s music. Even though Byrne’s character, Shelia, is a narcissistic, blackmailing, delusional at times megalomaniac with a mean girl inner monologue, somehow I found myself rooting for her. The mean girl inner monologue is probably my favorite part. The meanest narratives are saved for herself, and I think most women and even men can relate to that judgey, nasty voice we have in our heads that calls us names, only in her case,it’s on fleek. Anyway, if you remember the 80s at all, or want to see exactly why that decade was unforgettable, watch this show.
Music soundtrack
My last obsession has to do with MUZAK – I watched Netflix’s Elite during my July 4 vacay (if you are wondering how I have time to do all the stuff I do AND watch stuff, then read my getting things done post.). I didn’t think I would get hooked on a show in another language (it’s in Spanish, and takes place at an elite high school in Spain with ridiculously dramatic telenovela plotlines). I will recommend the first three seasons of the show (the fourth one is terrible, IMO, all the good characters left.) AND the soundtrack, you must download ASAP. Most of the songs are well known even if they are not in English. It’s a perfect playlist to time reps and sprints with, and the fact that it’s not in English actually makes me concentrate better, because I am focused on the beat (which is awesome). If you have an iPhone just go to Apple Music and search for Elite Playlists – several will pop up. If you want to see the complete list of songs you can go here.
The Physical soundtrack is also full of awesome 80s songs (of course). You can find the Physical Soundtrack here.
Workout of the Week
Equinox’s Pilates Fusion class was my new workout that I tried this week. It was a blend of mat pilates with some standing movements, like arm exercises, squats, lunges, and standing balance poses. It also incorporates more equipment, like hand weights and an iO ball. You can read more about this class and other Equinox classes on my Equinox review post.
I also recently located an article discussing how lunges can actually prevent knee pain. I know knee pain is a concern for many of you, so definitely check it out!
