I gotta admit, this winter has gotten me down a bit. 

I love long walks through the city and running outside, and the snow that’s come seemingly every day makes me not want to do either. I’m trying not to give in and hibernate too much, but I just really want to sit on my couch and snuggle with Bailey these days.

Just 31 days until spring. 

I want to try to focus on the good things and the fun going on despite the chill, so here’s a little weekly recap for you, of both fitness and life.

Monday

Workout: Uplift Strength in the AM

I sat in on our NYJL advocacy committee’s meeting, since we had a guest speaker talking about advocating for preventing child sexual abuse. As a League, we’ve been advocating for stronger laws preventing human trafficking, so it was really powerful to hear Lauren’s story and how she’s been working to try to prevent this. I read her book this week, and, wow, just wow.

Tuesday – birthday!

Workout: Uplift HIIT in the AM. I’ll be honest, the HIIT classes have a ton of jumping, so I’m not super super crazy about them because they’re hard on my knees, but I wanted to take a class at Uplift on my birthday, so I did that one. Yikes. I forgot how hard it is. Their new format is all of the cardio/HIIT upfront in the first half and then strength moves with lighter weights in the second half. I walked out a sweaty, sweaty mess and started my 31st year endorphin-wasted.

I smiled all day at work, endorphin wasted, sugar-high from the cookies my sweet, sweet team got me and happy every time I saw my Facebook notification signaling someone else was wishing me a happy birthday!

At night, we had a Junior League charity shopping event at Lilly Pulitzer.

And I won this painting in a raffle! One of their designers in their print studio painted it, and it was raffled off! My apartment walls are really similar to that color, so it will be kind of interesting…

As for the outfit? It was from my StitchFix. (referral link) This time, I loved everything when I opened the box, but when I put on this outfit, I liked in my apartment before I left for work and had coffee. Once I got to work and took a good look at it, I wasn’t crazy about it. I’d given a lot of feedback in the past two boxes that I carry weight around my stomach, so these pieces were both pretty loose. I like these pieces but am not crazy about their fit.

After the shopping event, some friends and I went to Toloache 82. I loved it, and want to go back immediately. I had Brussels, tacos and margaritas. Amazing night.

Wednesday

Signing up for a session with a trainer the day after your birthday has to be some mix of maturity and stupidity, right? Maturity that you feel well enough to work out hard the day after your birthday, stupidity because, well, you still had margaritas. I walked in and warned Leanne I would sweat tequila.

At night, I went to an event New Balance was hosting for their Fresh Foam launch. I conveniently got there after the run started, so yes, I’m the only one in normal clothes. 

Thursday

I was so happy to sleep in! But when I got to work a little crabby, I realized that I’ve really become a morning workoutter (post on this to come soon!), because I feel a little off now if I don’t work out before I go to work. Did Sculpt Fusion at night after work. I love that class and look forward to it all week.

Friday

Tried out Peloton in morning, had a calm, quiet solo Valentine’s Day at night. Heart-shaped lobster ravioli were on sale at Fairway, so I treated myself to some for dinner. 

Saturday

I woke up really cranky and really wanted to hibernate. Our JuicePress run had been canceled for the snow, and I was really bummed. it’s become such a crucial part of my weekend routine. 

So instead, I went to the Rent the Runway (referral – but we each get $20 if you sign up!) showroom at Henri Bendel with some girlfriends to find dresses for our upcoming Winter Ball. I’ve always really wanted to do a green dress, and I fell in love with that green number on the left. 

Last year, I saw this hot, hot Oscar de la Renta number and was tortured by it as I was retargeted for it all over the freaking Internet. One day (not soon), it will be mine…

Chased getting dolled up to go shopping with getting sweaty doing a team workout with Michelle. She had us rotating through circuits, and it was a ton of fun. We also used the TRX straps, which I have a weird obsession with since I so rarely use them.

Followed that up with going out and meeting a bunch of Uplift ladies for Leanne’s birthday, because it’s totally normal to go out on a Saturday night with the people who make you sweat all week long.

Followed THAT up with Emily’s going away party. No more people leaving NYC, please!

Today

Pretty sure I earned my rest day! 

Head up to Port Authority (ew) to hop on a bus to NJ to go see my dad.

He had a knee replacement, and has been at a rehab facility for the past week. He’s doing really, really well, and it sounds like he’s going to take much better care of himself after he gets out. Whew. You guys know I’m not preachy at all, but it’s sort of hard not to be with my parents because I care about them so much and want to see them around forever. 

I bought him a stuffed Boo, because I think Boo has magic healing powers, and because I had no idea what else to get a 60-something year-old man. (So obviously a stuffed animal was totally appropriate.) 

Not a bad birthday week! How was your week?