Meet the Shaneyfelts

Exercise

A Spin Class App (that I’m obsessed with)

Last Friday, the male PE teacher at my school showed my teacher friend and I this new spin app (Look up “Peloton Cycle” in the app store) we could use in our school’s spin room instead of trying to find a random spin workout on Youtube.  I downloaded it at school on my iPad and checked it out before we headed to spin after school.  IT IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!!!  I cannot get over it!!!



Here’s what’s so great about it:  I love group fit classes.  I love being pushed and having to make myself keep up with the rest of the class.  I am so competitive with myself.  While I joined the my new gym for their variety of classes, there is one class offered three times a week (and during the times I can go) that I tried and didn’t like.  This app is like being in a group fit setting, but you can do it whenever is convenient to you.  You can join a live class or do an archived class if you can’t spin at a time when the live class is offered.  I’ve done two archived classes from the instructor Nicole and love her!  She’s upbeat, a great motivator, and her music is awesome!  When you do an archived class, you’re able to choose the amount of time you want to spin–Friday, I went 45 minutes and Sunday, I only had time for 30 minutes.  

If you look at my picture above, you’ll see that the spin bikes at my gym have a little area for two water bottles by the handlebars, but thankfully, it’s a perfect resting place for my iPad while I watch the instructor!  

Here’s the only negative:  the bikes in the Peloton spin classes apparently have a computer screen that tells them their resistance levels and RPMs.  Mine don’t.  You just have to guess on the resistance and I watch Nicole’s feet peddle so I match her RPMs.

I love running, but I might be on a spin kick while it’s so cold and yuck outside.  I know once it warms up and stays daylight longer, I’ll get back outside and run, but right now I am having so much fun spinning.  Hope you get to try it!!

A Day in the Life–January 6, 2015

Tuesday morning started bright and early with my new goal of waking up earlier than usual. My alarm was set for 5:10 so I only slept 4 extra minutes…not too shabby!
 I head downstairs first thing during the winter.  I cannot stand jumping in the shower as soon as I wake up when it’s so cold out.  I have to warm up first, so I eat breakfast.  Once it warms up outside then I’ll shower before breakfast.  Is there anyone else like that?
 
I mix it up at breakfast sometimes.  Usually I have 2 slices of whole wheat 35 calorie toast with apple butter, but this morning I went for the whole wheat bagel with whipped Greek yogurt/cream cheese.  I needed the extra nourishment on this first day back!  I also drink 1 glass of water each morning at breakfast.  I’m a big water drinker and I make sure I start my morning out drinking it.
This is what my classroom looked like as I opened the door.  Since I got up earlier, I was able to get to school a little earlier.  Win-Win!  (Seven Habits, anyone?)  I prayed for my students before they walked into homeroom.
My planning period was normal–extremely busy.  I teach 4 advanced English classes, 1 regular English class, and 1 intervention class.  I introduced linking verbs, predicate nouns/adjectives, and verb tenses to my students and then we cleaned our binders out!  I thrive on organization (not evident in the picture below) and want my students to be organized too.  They don’t realize how much easier their life will be!  In my intervention class, we started reading Freak the Mighty.  I read The Hunger Games with them last semester and they LOVED it!  I’m hoping they will fall in love with this book, too.
Today also started back my outside afternoon car duty for 9 weeks.  (insert silent cry)  It’s going to be below freezing on Thursday–as in, the windchill will be in the single digits.  I may wear a ski mask.
 
When I walked in the door this afternoon, I found Dustin in the kitchen 🙂  He’s cooking this week (his first time while we’ve been married) and so he had to cook his supper before he left for work.  He breaded and baked chicken nuggets (which were pretty good!!!) and collard greens (yuck!).
Sidenote:  I wasn’t able to get a picture of my outfit this morning before I left because Dustin had already gone to sleep.  Here I am after school…I looked much better that morning, I promise.
What I’m wearing:  
Dress and necklace: Anthropologie
Gray tights: Hue
Boots: Frye
After Dustin left, I sat down for about 30 minutes to check social media. Then I changed for the gym and got there around 5:00 PM.  This picture is blurry because I had to take it before someone saw me!  I did the elliptical for 32 minutes.  I was still a little sore from the 2 classes I did Monday night.
After I got home and showered, I heated up some of the chicken nuggets and had some veggie chips.  This isn’t my typical dinner, but I’m thankful for Dustin’s cooking this week!  (note the glass of water!  I drink at least 2 during supper each night.)
I washed the sheets and sat down to watch Friends and blog.  I caught up on a show I had DVR’ed earlier in the week.
Before bed, I straightened up a few things around the house–sweeping the kitchen, putting all of the dishes away that have dried in the dish drainer, etc.  
 
I did my quiet time–which is a nighttime thing for me and then I went to bed at 10:00 PM!  Ready to do it all over again tomorrow!

Gym Classes and Chocolate

School started yesterday for teachers and I found out Sunday night that I didn’t have to be at work until 8:00 AM–not 7:30ish like I thought!!  Yay!!  Then I got this idea in my head that I would wake up super early and go to the gym to work out.  Later that night, I reasoned with Dustin that it would make more sense for me to sleep in and work out Monday evening while he was gone.  Yep, I pretty much talked myself out of an early morning workout and had my husband agree with it haha!  Side note:  I’m making it a goal for myself to make myself a morning person.  I’m fine with getting up at 6:30 to workout during the summer, but I need to get up much earlier to be more productive during the school year.

After Dustin had left yesterday, I watched a little bit of TV before I had to change to get ready for the gym.  A few weeks ago I moved my membership to another gym in town that had a lot more to offer in the group class area.  And that’s what I love.  I love a good hour-long class with other people pushing me to do something that I would have quit if I were working out alone.  Plus, now that it gets dark earlier and I’ve got after school car duty for the next 9 weeks, there hardly is time to run in the afternoon during the week.  Last night I decided to do Step Cardio and CXWX (which is a core class).  Let me just say this–I really wish I had a video camera on me during the step class.  I felt like I was in Zumba but with a step–I am not coordinated!  I had to hold in a laugh when I looked at myself in the mirror trying to remember the moves and keep up with the instructor!  Thank goodness it was only 30 minutes!  I loved the CXWX class after Step Cardio–it kicked my tail and worked my core so much.  I am going to be sore!

I rushed home in time to shower, eat supper, and watch The Bachelor.  Eating healthy is so important to me but I’m human and I was craving something sweet!  I raided our pantry for anything that was sweet–which wasn’t much because I just don’t buy it.  I ate about 5 (!!!!) leftover reduced-fat oreos and a handful of chocolate chips.  I felt bad afterward but hopefully my metabolism was still up from my workout earlier!  Eating sweets are fine as long as it’s done in moderation, and in my case, not every day!  Also, I NEVER consume caffeine and so I may be up a while from all the caffeine I had in the chocolate.  You may think I’m kidding but I can’t eat chocolate after lunch time because I’ll stay awake at night.

I plan on doing a “Day in the Life” post soon of my day today.  I just finished reading one from another blog and thought it was so interesting.  Stay tuned!