Play-By-Play of a JoJo's Day

Hey there, JoJos! I hope you all are having a wonderful 2014 thus far! The start to our new year here at Dona Jo has been very busy but also very fun. Now that the holiday season is coming to a close, hopefully you have found yourself back into your routine and you're on your workout grind. The best way to reach your fitness goals is to develop some kind of plan that works for you. This week, I'm giving you an exclusive look into a day in the life of this blogging JoJo.

 7:00 - Good morning!! I like to wake up to a cheerful sounding alarm, and I try to change the tone often because this helps to prevent the association of the tone with the snooze button. (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!) To get my day started, I ALWAYS drink a big glass of water. Drinking lots of water throughout the day is beneficial, but drinking it first thing in the morning has some extra advantages. Once I've guzzled my H2O, I eat a light breakfast. Lately I have been on an apple+whipped peanut butter+honey craze. (If you haven't tried whipped PB yet, I highly recommend it!) The carbs and fat from this snack provide energy for the upcoming workout. Protein takes longer to digest, so it is good to eat some before a workout as well because by the time you're done, your muscles will need it.

7:30 - I get dressed into the outfit that I laid out the night before. This is a great habit to form because not only will you be excited to get into your cute Dona Jo workout gear, it will also set your mind on autopilot. What I mean by this is, you won't even start to let thoughts like, "maybe I will just work out later and go back to sleep" into your mind because you will just start putting your workout clothes on. Today's outfit includes these fun coral print JoJo Running Shorts because this print really fires me up to work my glutes! I like lifting in shorts (even in the winter) because it forces to me make sure I am fully warmed up before starting into the exercises. It also motivates me to stay on track because if my legs are revealed, I will want to make sure they are toned!
I do a light, natural makeup routine and twist my bangs or pull them back with a headband. (Teaser alert: check back for a future blog post on how to achieve the "natural" look when applying makeup for the gym!) Just before heading out, I scroll through some quotes that inspire me on the "Good JoJo Vibes" board on our pinterest page. This motivates me and usually results in me running out the door to go conquer my workout!

8:00 - Once I get to the gym, I make sure to get a thorough warm-up in. I use some type of elliptical for 10-15 minutes to get my heart-rate up, then I do dynamic stretches to get my muscles moving. My strength training session lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. I like to utilize my bodyweight, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, physioballs, and the TRX bands that I was recently introduced to by a trainer at my gym! They are my new obsession. (Check out our "JoJo Workouts" board on pinterest to see some TRX exercises that I have repinned as well as other great workout ideas.) Before heading home, I roll out my leg and back muscles on a foam roller and/or stretch with an infinity band.

10:00 - After arriving home, I eat breakfast part two. This week, I tried a recipe from fitfunandfantastic.com - a fun and drool-worthy blog by Amy Clevenger that includes new delectable recipes each week. She also has ebooks on her site (created in collaboration with Sarah Grace from freshfitnhealthy.com) which give you access to dozens of healthy recipes not seen anywhere else. I have been eyeing up the Holiday Edition ever since I saw a teaser picture of the "Birthday Cake Mugcake" recipe! For instant updates on Amy's latest recipes, follow her instagram page, @fantasicallyfit.

The recipe I tried was the Lemon Blueberry Protein Mug Cake.
(If you haven't heard of mug cakes, they are like cupcake's healthy cousin!) I chose this recipe because for one thing, I love blueberries. But I also liked the looks of it because in addition to egg whites and cottage cheese, it includes whey protein from About Time. Whey protein is great to consume after (or even before and/or during) your workout because your body absorbs it very quickly AND it contains all nine essential amino acids that your body doesn't produce on its own. About Time is unique in that it is 100% natural, gluten free and lactose free.
I haven't made a cake in a microwave since my Easy Bake Oven days so this was extremely fun and easy for me to make! It was a fantastic blend for a post-workout recovery food, and super filling! (I tried to make my picture here as cool as Amy's pics are on her instagram, but I don't know if it looks quite as enticing.)

10:30 - Once I have my recovery meal in my system, I change into my Dona Jo Running Calf Leggings. I sit and get some work accomplished while my food digests.

11:00 - I'm laced up in my running shoes and out the door for a run. I am not training for anything at the moment, but I run several times a week to maintain my cardio game. Plans for a half-marathon are in the works though! The Running Calf Leggings are great for the winter outdoor runs because they are so warm and the compression component of the leggings keeps the heat in but at the same time provides breathability with movement.

11:30 - After my run, I roll out on my foam roller, stretch, and shower, and I'm ready to blog the day away! I'm working hard to provide fun and fashionable fitness content for you, JoJos! Our comments were recently enabled, so feel free to provide your feedback!

**I'd like to note that I'm not a registered dietician or an exercise sports medicine expert. I do research and try to learn as much as I can about healthy eating and physical fitness, so I just provide my personal advice from what I have learned. Make sure you talk to your doctor about the diet and exercise programs s/he recommends for you!