Blog Archives

Just Beat It

7/31/2014

Okay, you know what?
I wanted to write a blog post about the Micheal Jackson choreography class I took this weekend at Ballet Austin during their International Day of Dance event.
Like, I even wrote a whole first draft of this paragraph (draft... lol. I just type shit and if it gets erased I'm like "that was my first draft" because it sounds better than "that was fucking lame".) but after watching the "Beat It" video a couple of times. I want to discuss... so many things.
So. Many. Things.

I could seriously Mystery Science Theater this video all day...

Snap, snap, snap (One day in the year 5000 they're going to do a study on violence in primitive years and all the felons and gangsters are going to snap. They will site Beat It and West Side Story as research material)
Does anyone work at the diner or pool hall? or did they all clear out to watch the pending knifey- dance off?
Why are white gangster's pants SO SO high waisted?
What is the point of a leather jacket if you're just going to roll the sleeves up? Perhaps a nice cardigan would be more appropriate for your particular needs?
Why doesn't MJ get jumped when he breaks up their knife fight? He's just like "it doesn't matter who's wrong or right" and they're just like "yeah. he's right. let's snap it out now" (IDK, dude. Maybe gang members do snap)
who's the guy with the hipster glasses? why does he get a close up? is he seizing? Should... should we call an ambulance?

apparently, his name is Dane Parker. Linked above is his unofficial facebook fan page. That had 17 likes when I found it and now has 18. You're welcome, Dane.

And now, I have an assignment for you. Watch "Beat It" and then immediately after watch this Hot Cops clip from Arrested Development and tell me they AREN'T THE EXACT SAME VIDEO.

because they are.
the same thing.

So, anyway. We learned the steps to Smooth Criminal first. And that shit is hard. And so for the first half of the class I was struggling to really enjoy myself because that's never been my favorite song so I was having a hard time getting into it paired with OMG WHY IS THAT THE HARDEST MOST UNNATURAL CHOREOGRAPHY EVER?

and 1,2,3,4, defy gravity, 6,7,8

pictured: actual stuff we learned. it's still really hard.

So, I was just sort of whatever about, but having fun.
Totally not keeping up with any of the people there, but it's something new.
And then we did "Beat It" and it was the FUNNEST!!!!
(side story. The other day I was at a pool party and I said something was "the funnest" and this guy corrected me because "funnest" isn't a word. I just nodded, but like the whole next day I was replaying the scene in my head where I was like "yeah, dude. I fucking know funnest isn't a word. Thank you for your wisdom and condensation. dick"... okay, side story over)

It's just a better song, in my opinion. It's easier to move to. The moves are more fun to do and come more naturally- less choppy. Oh, and there's a video. Ballet Austin sent us all a video of the class doing the "Beat It" dance.

In the spirit of fairness I will point myself out, but there are a lot of people in this video who are fucking. good.

Youtube won't let me use the music from the video they sent me. But you know the words. So just sing it
I am on the last person stage right in the green top and shorts
Yes, I am about 1 count behind everyone else. I will never dance on Broadway. I've come to terms with it. You should too.

Oh, and my friend Hope- who is my Ballet Austin hook up- just sent me a link to another all day FREE dance day they are having towards the end of August where they will be hosting a BEYONCE DANCE CLASS.
So.
That's going to be amazing.
I'm just glad Partition doesn't really have much choreography to it. (Is rolling around, posing on chairs & seducing Jay Z choreography?)
Because... like, I can't even listen to that song with other peopel in the room. It's too much. Too sexy. Too much sexy.

Also, what is this? Are we supposed to believe this is what Beyonce works out wearing?

Is that.. like a metallic belt? A metallic belt and a spandex onesie?

No. Shut your mouth. Where do I find this outfit because I need it for this dance class.
NEED.
IT.

So... anyway.

I Tried a New Recipe!

I have been meaning to make a chocolate avocado pudding for the longest time. I've experimented with putting avocado in with my shakeology and it made it super thick and creamy, so when I saw my friend, (and PiYo challenge group participant) Amanda post a recipe I decided I was going to try it that day.

Okay, I am all for making this again. I'm just going to make a few changes. Y'all it was so delicious and I ate my whole serving, but I was so freaking full I thought I was going to be sick.
I did add half a banana and a spoon of almond butter (also, used half honey half agave). But I think it was the 40z of dark chocolate pieces that did it.

This is supposed to be a picture of the final product, but I didn't realize my flash was on "fucking blind the bitch" mode... and I didn't take any more pics before eating it. Oops!

So, next time I think I'll just use the shakeology for the chocolate bit (because I love the taste!) and maybe stevia instead of agave. But seriously, if you're wanting something sweet and decadent that isn't processed crap-- y'all should try this.
Just.. ya know. Don't add so much dense chocolate unless you want a stomach ache for days.

MY PIYO GROUP STARTED

So, all together I think 13 ladies doing the group which I'm super excited about. Three signed up with me (I'm just getting started) and we are currently on day 4. I think it's going pretty well! Not everyone in the group is doing Piyo, but everyone seems to be participating and enjoying it.

My challengers are:

Amanda-- she and I are friends from college. We used to party together, and now we both fairly domestic grown ups obsessed with our dogs. She is rocking it pretty hard with PiYo and the Vegan Chocolate Shakeology (just like me!) She called PiYo Sweat her "soul mate" workout. That makes me so excited when someone really just clicks with a workout (like the oppoiste of me and step class. I am glad Amanda is having the opposite experience I have every step class I attend)
Che- So, funny story. Che and I have never met in real life, but I feel like I know her. Like, if I wanted to bitch about my day I feel like I could call her up. We actually met on a MyFitnessPal vegan message board and we both live in Austin and through obsessively telling her about PiYo I wore her down. Thanks for joining!!
Katey- Katey was in my last group. She's actually doing her second month of Insanity and seeing great results. Katey just ordered chocolate Shakeology and is discovering the nomness of chocolate shakeo & peanut butter smoothies. Yummm... hey- ya wanna see Katey's results from month one of Insanity??

She is proof that if you stick with it, it works. Watch your nutrition. Do your workouts. And unless you're actually physically sick-- don't make excuses.

Or this. This is perfect advice to live by:

PICTURES!

more stuff has happened, obviously, since last time I posted. But I'm kind of just tired of writing. So, please feel free to just... look at pictures of these things. Maybe read their descriptions.

OKAY LOVE YOU BYYYEEEEEE

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Awkward is The New Black

7/11/2014

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Hey! Hi, hello. How was your 4th of July? Did you have a great independence day? I found this picture and it was more or less the highlight of my day:

HA! Nerds. I'm sure all my English friends will love this. Luckily, you can't see the internet in England...
But, no. My 4th was fine.
I was craving watermelon HARD. Hardcore needing watermelon in my life

(do I even want to know what that means?)

So, like the first thing I did on my fourth was... well, crave watermelon all throughout my Asylum workout. But the second thing I did was... take a shower. OKAY, I did all the normal things I do before starting a day all whilst craving watermelon and then when I left the house I went to HEB to get some.

So, I finally got myself to the ghetto HEB. If you live in Austin- you can probably decipher that I'm speaking of the unnecessarily GIANT HEB on East Riverside. (and it's kind of a weird and embarrassing story how I even ended up at that one.. yeah too awkward for this blog even) Yes, it's like the newest HEB in town, but it's still THE ghetto HEB. I mean...
....it's on East Riverside.
... Poor guy never really had a chance.

UGH! I looked up what drinkin' watermelon is supposed to mean.

Anyway, I'm in line and I'd grabbed one of those pre-cut halves of a watermelon. I was wishing I hadn't because it was kind of starting to leak all it's perfect watermelon goodness all over the place. So, I'm pretty preoccupied with that when the elderly woman standing in front of me turns around quick and abruptly and says-- serious as a heart attack--

"DON'T DO THAT AGAIN"

Shocked, I stammered
"I... didn't do anything?"
"Yes you did."
"I...didn't--"
"don't do it again. Don't do that again"
And then she turned around
And I was left standing there trying desperately not to do it again. Whatever it was.
So, yeah. Happy 4th of July y'all!
(a week late)

I WANNA TALK ABOUT MY CHALLENGE GROUP!

They are killing it, y'all. I'm so happy that my first Beachbody challenge group is going so well.
I mean, I'm not hosting it on my own, but with the help of my personal coach- Rachel (go like her on Facebook. She's great. I'm a lucky woman to have an awesome mentor)
But yeah, of my challengers I've got a couple that are really dedicating themselves to the group. Here's what a 30 day challenge group is:

You make the decision to be totally accountable for 30 days
You get on a Beachbody program like Insanity, P90X, Piyo, 21Day Fix etc..
You drink Shakeology (nom nom nom)
You interact with the group challenges and post your meals everyday

And challenge groups are fun, interactive and awesome and really help most people stay focused and stay in it.
So, for instance my one friend is doing the 21 Day Fix- which is an amazing program that focuses on portion control. It's also ideal if you're not quite ready to jump around like a madman with Insanity or something. Look at this collage I made

I need to start remembering to put the awkward burpees stamp of "this is mine!" on these things

So, Shana (the friend who's doing 21 Day Fix. Stay with it guys) posted the following quote the other day and it just about made my day

"One of my coworkers was in Houston all last week attending a class for work. Today she saw me and was shocked by how much weight I've lost in just the week she was gone"
-Shana... from the challenge group
(come on guys
try to pay attention)

I was just through the roof for her. She's just truckin' along busting through her barriers and crushing her goals and it's crazy how proud I am of her. Yeah. HELL YEAH!
But seriously- awesome job Shana (and everyone in the group)

AND I'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE COMING UP!

I have another challenge group starting later this month. It's focused on Piyo AND I'M SO FUCKING EXCITED ABOUT PIYO.
Like, I feel like I'm not giving Asylum enough of a review and talking it up enough because I'm so ready to get started with Piyo. I've neglected my yogas for too long. Mainly because my favorite yoga spot in town started making all their yoga classes hot yoga and I get gross and sweaty on my own without the help of man made heaters.
"No, you use the sweatband. You sweat more than me"-- direct quote from my boyfriend re: how gross and sweaty I get

And yoga really was my first love exercise. I mean the first exercise I ever got into was running. And that was just because I was 16, realized I was getting chubby and finally figured out that that wasn't going to change on it's own. SO! I started running. Not because I loved it (I still really just do it just in case there's ever a surprise 5k I might want to do at any point) (Austin is fucking crawling with "fun runs")
Anyway, I chose running because I could do it alone (no one else in my house exercised) with little to no instruction needed.

that too..

Yoga was the first exercise that I did because I enjoyed it.
So, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
I've just neglected it so, so much in the last year. And I'm sorry yoga. Please forgive me... with the help of Charlene Johnson
But, yeah. I'd love to talk to you about it if you're interested in joining our rock star challenge group.
Or if you just want to talk about your goals
Or if you want to show me pictures of your dog.
... I really want to see pictures of your dog

PICTURES OF AWKWARD ANIMALS

okay, bye.
I leave you with some animals who also carry the burden of awkwardness

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Author

My name is Katy. I live, work, workout & make everyone a little uncomfortable in Austin, TX. I love trying all kinds or new workouts, foods, venues & outdoor adventures. I live in 78704 with my boyfriend & "special" dog Teddy.

Whoa, Whoa. You want me to do how many burpees?