Playlist Thursday: Pop Music

When the hell did it get to be July 30?! Seriously! Where is the summer going?

Anyway, since it's Thursday, that means it's time for another playlist!

Seriously, I would love to thank the awesome Pavey for making this happen! I'm trying to keep it going as long as I can! 

This week, I decided to step outside my current alt-rock zone and throw it to pop music. Which was good until the late 2000's. Then it became (mostly) crap. Anyway, here's the format:

Something Old: Songs that are at least 5 years old. (I know that isn’t too long to be considered old, but music turnover happens quickly.) Something Current: Songs that have been released within the past year. Something to Consider: This is the wild card category. Feel free to list any song: old, current, guilty pleasure, underground, whatever.

Here's what I came up with:

Something Old

Artist: New Radicals
Song: You Get What You Give
Side Note: This is probably (okay, definitely) the only song you've heard by this band. It's a catchy song for sure. and it was probably associated as a graduation song in the 90's and early 2000's. Basically, it's saying just keep working at life, or anything really, and it will pay off. I recently just rediscovered this song and it rings true in my own life at the moment. 
Quotable: You feel your dreams are dying, hold tight.

 

Something Current

Artist: Ariana Grande (feat. Zedd)
Song: Break Free
Side Note: This has become one of my favorite songs. Totally upbeat but it has such an awesome message. This song is about not taking any crap from a certain someone, or just the world in general. Whatever. It's one of those songs I listen to when I've had a bad day and need to get some fire back in me.
Quotable: This is the part where I break free, 'cause I can't resist it no more.

 

Something to Consider

Artist: Ellie Goulding
Song: Burn
Side Note: I looked up the song and found out that Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic was one of the writers. No wonder I like it so much. ;-) Really, it is a good song though. I believe that this song is about standing up for what you believe in and not giving up on it (letting the fire burn). It can also be about spreading that belief around the world, like we're the stars. 
Quotable: Light it up, like we're the stars of the human race.



There you have it! Three songs in the pop world that basically all say not to give up, in some form or another. It wasn't until I put this playlist together that I realized it either. It works. No clue what next week's playlist will bring, so enjoy this week's!

What are YOU listening to this week?

Playlist Thursday: It's About the Journey, Not the Destination

Hey, everyone! It's almost Friday! Yay! 

Well, you know what that means: Playlist Thursday!

I got the idea from the one and only Pavey, and decided to make this a weekly thing as long as I have the desire to keep going with it.

This week, I decided to dig out my training and race playlists and picked three awesome songs, and realized that it's not all about the destination, but the journey itself!

Here's the format:

Something Old: Songs that are at least 5 years old. (I know that isn’t too long to be considered old, but music turnover happens quickly.)
Something Current: Songs that have been released within the past year.
Something to Consider: This is the wild card category. Feel free to list any song: old, current, guilty pleasure, underground, whatever.

Here's what I came up with:

Something Old

Artist: U2

Song: Beautiful Day

Side Note: This song is (almost) TEN years old! I knew it was released in the 2000's, but I didn't think it was that long ago. Whatever. This is one of my favorite U2 songs, and perfect to run to. Ironically, in my May 5K, the pouring rain hit just as this song came on my playlist. Still, I keep it in my running rotation because the message in it is incredibly true, even if the weather is not on your side! ;-)

Quotable: You love this town, even if that doesn't ring true. You've been all over, and it's been all over you.

Something Current

Artist: Calvin Harris/Alesso (feat. Hurts)

Song: Under Control

Side Note: Unless you're a huge Calvin Harris or Alesso fan, you may not have heard of this song. This was on the 2014 album Motion, and it is one of my favorites from the album. It's in the typical Calvin Harris electronica style, and is an awesome song for working out or blasting in your car. It's not on my race playlist right now, but maybe someday. I usually listen to it at least once when I'm in training mode though. 

Quotable: Waiting for the fire to light feeling like we could do right.

Something to Consider

Artist: Foo Fighters

Song: Walk

Side Note: I was introduced to this song through spin class, and it made its way on to my race playlist for this year. Listening to it, I feel like it makes sense in my own journey. I feel like I had to get up and rebuild when I started on this path of healthy living, as I got injured three years ago, and as I took on 5K running. This journey may not be perfect, but as long as I never want to give up, and get back up when I fall down, I'm on the right track!

Quotable: Set me free, again. To keep alive, a moment at a time.

There you have it! Some more tunes to keep you rocking through your next workout or wherever life may take you! 

What are YOU listening to this week?

Fitblooggin' 2015: The Tribe!

This is the last of my Fitbloggin' posts for this year. Cue the sad faces.

Yes, I realize it's been a month since the conference, but that silly little thing called real life got in the way, and I haven't been able to sit down and blog as much as I would like. 

I decided to save this post for last, and am dedicating it to the tribe!

Basically, it's going to be a lot of pics...haha.

  

First, and foremost, I would like to thank the awesome Roni Noone for making this conference a reality!

Next, Steve, Jen, and Libby. You three rock and we made for the best scavenger hunt team ever! Thank you guys for helping me to push out of my comfort zone a bit and have a blast! The Goonies forever! 

Seriously, I could write a whole post on these three alone! They are that awesome!

Here are some more of the awesome tribe:


Erin, who is super adorable when she's not kicking asses at the crack of dawn. ;-)

Ty, who is as hilarious and witty in person as he is on the socials and his blog. One of my favorite people and partly why I was so eager to get to Denver! (P.S.-If you weren't there for his Ignite speed round, you missed probably the most hilarious moment of the conference.)

Nicole, a newbie to the scene, loves adventure, and is just full of awesome! We shared a car to the hotel, and have been pals since.

Alyssa and Kelly, two totally different, but both incredible girls. So happy I get to call them friends!  

Dre, one of the first people I met at my first Fitbloggin' back in 2012. He is a sweetheart and I can say  I got several hugs from him during the weekend.                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                     

The amazing Brooke, who tells us all how to live life not on a diet! ;-) In fact, it was one of her challenges that helped give me the final push to get to goal almost two years ago!

Heather, one of my roomies! Thank you for letting me room with you! It was awesome meeting you and getting to know you better!

Tara, who is incredible in her own right. I met her back in 2012, and am amazed with her. So happy I got to see her again in Denver! 

And the rest, old friends and new ones too, everyone I met that weekend is awesome and made me happy to be part of this incredible tribe! =)

 Pauly and Dani

Heather, Jen, Laura (who rocked the 5K with me), and Sarah

 Alan, Robby, and Brooke

 Lena

Dacia

Christie, who is cool despite being a Lightning fan. ;-)

As Dani said in her Ignite, "Fitbloggin is more than a weekend, it's a family!"

On that note, is it Fitbloggin' 2016 yet? 

Playlist Thursday: Rock On!

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for another Playlist Thursday!

Pavey had been doing them for awhile, and I decided to start doing my own!

I'm still on a bit of a rock kick, and that reflects on this week's playlist. This is more of a mixed bag though, as I have three very different artists and songs on here.              

Here's the format:

Something Old: Songs that are at least 5 years old. (I know that isn’t too long to be considered old, but music turnover happens quickly.)
Something Current: Songs that have been released within the past year.
Something to Consider: This is the wild card category. Feel free to list any song: old, current, guilty pleasure, underground, whatever.

Here's what I came up with:

Something Old

Artist: Billy Joel

Song: We Didn't Start the Fire

Side Note: This song pretty much sums up a 40 year span in American history. (Joel's birth in 1949 until the song's release in 1989), and Joel decided to take those headlines and form them into a song. The song itself has over 100 events, yet most people who listen to this song understand most, if not all of them. I have a degree in history, and as a result, this has become one of my favorite songs.  

Quotable: "We didn't start the fire, It was always burning since the world's been turning. We didn't start the fire. No we didn't light it, but we tried to fight it." 

Something Current

Artist: Walk the Moon

Song: Shut Up and Dance

Side Note: You know that one song you hear on the radio, gets stuck in your head, and can't remember the name of it? Yeah, that was this song for me. The song is totally catchy and it took me forever to find out the name of it. I eventually downloaded it and love it. The story behind it may be cliched, but it's still a good song.  Plus, it was performed on Tuesday night before the MLB All-Star Game. That must mean it's good, right? ;-)                         

Quotable: "Oh don't you dare look back, Just keep your eyes on me. I said you're holding back, She said shut up and dance with me."

Something to Consider

Artist: Bastille 

Song: Pompeii

Side Note: This is actually the fourth single from the album "Bad Blood," but is probably Bastille's most well-known. Lyrically, it's about the Roman town named Pompeii that was wiped out when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. Even so, I think that the song can relate to today's world, depending on how one looks at it. This song has become one of my favs, and I listen to it at least once a day.
Quotable: "I was left to my own devices. Many days fell away with nothing to show."                                                 




There you have it. Another Thursday, another glimpse into my music library. I plan on making this a weekly thing. I have more than enough music to keep this going for awhile! ;-)

What are YOU listening to this week?

Fitbloggin' 2015: The Workouts

How has it been two weeks since Fitbloggin' ended? I still feel like it just happened! 

This is my second recap, and in this one I'll be writing about the workouts!

I actually got to participate in several this year, as I wasn't injured, and while they were different from what I normally do, I had a blast!

Friday

• Early Morning Bootcamp with Erin! Originally, I wasn't planning on the early workouts, but then realized that this is Fitbloggin', and nobody sleeps much. So off to bootcamp I went. It was awesome! It was all indoors, since it rained early in the morning, but it was still a great workout! We did warm-up moves as we introduced ourselves, then moved into resistance band moves that used the band in pretty much any way possible, from bicep curls to presses to partner moves holding the band while wall sitting. Of course, there was running too. What bootcamp doesn't have that? I ended the workout feeling amazing! Not a bad way to start the conference, right? 

Erin and me! Of course you know I had to sparkle my way through bootcamp! 

;-)

• Zumba! Okay, you know I am NOT a dancer of any kind. But I know Zumba is a tradition at Fitbloggin', and it was in Baltimore where I did my first class. Nellie and Co. were awesome, and while I wouldn't call myself the best at it, it was an enjoyable class. I wouldn't say that Fitbloggin' has made me a Zumba addict, but I think that I will do the class every year at the conference. 

Saturday

• Glider Yoga with Sweat Pink. Definitely not your traditional yoga class. Half of the class was done high intensity interval style (HIIT) on the glider plates. Push-ups on the plates are no joke, and I think I did some on my knees as a result. The mountain climbers were also tough. After the HIIT part was over, it was time for the traditional yoga flow. Now we're talking! I am more than familiar with this kind of stuff as I do a class called Centergy (basically a mix of yoga and Pilates). Again, I did what I could, but wasn't afraid to modify either (low lunges on my knees, for example), and was more than happy to lay in corpse pose at the end. It was different than what I'm used to with the Centergy, but not unfamiliar. I enjoyed the class, although it will be awhile before I do anything on plates again.

• High Intensity Interval Training with Jacklyn Ho. I missed the sign-up for the Yoga on the Roof (as I was ironically in the gym that night), so I decided to check out the HIIT class. I normally don't do these kind of workouts, so it was an interesting experience for sure. There were cardio moves (high knees) mixed with body weight strength moves (squats, push-ups, etc) done circuit-style. I liked this one, and plan on doing some HIIT work once my racing is done for the season in October.

I am so happy that I got to do the "fit" part of Fitbloggin' this time more than I did three years ago! I tried things that I normally wouldn't, and actually enjoyed them! I wouldn't say that I'm a total bootcamp or Zumba fanatic, but it gave me a different perspective on working out, and made me realize that I can do almost anything I put my mind to! 

Playlist Thursday: Alternative Rock with Meaning

TWO posts in one day from me?! Mark it on the calendar!

I decided to do a Playlist Thursday, which I got from my girl Carlee at Be The Change, who originally got the idea from Pavement Runner.

If you don't know me by now, you know that music pretty much fuels my life. I love checking out and creating playlists, so I decided to hop in on the fun! You can also check out what Carlee and Pavey are listening to! 

Here's the format of Playlist Thursday:

Something Old: Songs that are at least 5 years old. (I know that isn’t too long to be considered old, but music turnover happens quickly.)
Something Current: Songs that have been released within the past year.
Something to Consider: This is the wild card category. Feel free to list any song: old, current, guilty pleasure, underground, whatever.

Here's what I came up with:

Something Old
Artist: Foo Fighters
Song: The Pretender
Side Note: I've been on an alternative rock kick lately, and found this song on my Pandora one day. I wound up downloading it and love rocking out to it, whether in my car or on the elliptical. Dave Grohl alluded to political unrest behind the song (released in 2007), but never gave a true meaning behind it. Honestly, it's not something I would have thought of, but hey, it still led to an awesome song.
Quotable: "What if I say that I'll never surrender? What if I say I'm not like the others?"





Something Current
Artist: Fall Out Boy
Song: Centuries
Side Note: Okay, this song was totally overplayed thanks to ESPN using it for the College Football Playoff as well as the NHL All-Star Game. So what. It's still an awesome song. Plus, we all know everyone has those moments in life where they want to scream the chorus of the song. ;-)
Quotable: "Some legends are told, some turn into dust or to gold, but you will remember me, remember me for centuries."




Something to Consider
Artist: Imagine Dragons
Song: Warriors
Side Note: I love Imagine Dragons. This was another Pandora find that turned into a download. The song itself is short (2:50), but it is awesome from start to end. It was originally written for the 2014 League of Legends Championship, but also became the anthem for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. How cool is that? Anyway, this song makes me feel like a warrior because I am one, even though I never played League of Legends. Still, I fought to make myself the person I am today!
Quotable: "When you'll have to rise above the best and prove yourself, Your spirit never dies!"



Yup, I'm definitely on an alternative kick, but at the same time, I love songs that are also powerful and can make me feel like a rockstar myself! ;-)

What are YOU listening to this week?

Fitbloggin 2015: The Sessions

I've been back from Fitbloggin' for two weeks and I am now just getting around to writing recaps. Fail. 

I decided to break down my recaps a little differently than I did in 2012, where I broke down the weekend day by day. I will be breaking them down by category. This one is about the sessions I went to throughout the weekend. I know, boring stuff. However, I took more away from this conference than I did in 2012, probably because I actually went to FEWER sessions.

This year, my goal was to scale back the sessions so I got more out of them, but at the same time not be overwhelmed trying to get to EVERYTHING. I wound up going to five total for the weekend, most of which were health/body-image related. I felt that perspective was more of what I needed this time, so that's what I stuck with.

Here's the breakdown of the sessions I went to. For more detailed posts, check out the live blogs on Fitbloggin's official page.

Friday

• How to Build Readership Through Social Media. This was hosted by my friend Ty of Seeking Boston Marathon. I admit Ty was pretty much the reason I went to this session, but I did get a bit out of it. For example, I realize that for my blog, I am definitely more of a Twitter and Instagram person. Facebook has pretty much become a "pay-to-play" atmosphere for "like" pages, and something that I really don't want to get caught up in. Plus, I post links to my blog on my personal page anyway. I also realized that I need to work on not auto-posting from Instagram to Facebook and Twitter.  Overall, a great session and one that helped me focus on two platforms in the social world.
• Body Love: Becoming Comfortable Showing Your Skin. See my earlier post on this one here.
• Fitfluential with Kelly Olexa! I am a Fitfluential ambassador, and decided to check out Kelly's presentation. In a nutshell, I learned that I need to step out of my comfort zone a little more, and I actually did throughout the weekend, and have a bit since the conference ended. Baby steps, but I'm getting there!

Saturday

• "Nice Job Maintaining This Week!" Why Being an After is SO Hard, hosted by Sarah Quina. This was another much needed session for me. As someone who has been at goal (or thereabouts) for almost two years, I know that maintaining is harder than losing. The "maintenance" phase of weight loss is rarely talked about, so that's why so many struggle. We're not wanting to see change on the scale, but we're looking for new things to achieve instead. Being an after IS hard, but honestly, so was being heavy and so was losing. Life is about choosing your hard, and I would rather choose the part where I'm not 246 pounds. Like other sessions I went to, I realized that I am more than a number on the scale, and I'm rocking it.
• Eat, Move, Love: Finding Yourself Without Losing Your Mind. This one was hosted by Dacia, Thea, and Heather. The path to health and wellness is not set in stone, and can get tiring. Basically, it can become a game of keeping up with the Joneses. Not fun. One thing I got out of this session is to keep doing what I'm doing for ME, not for anyone else. I also am trying to apply the principle of "What's the worst that can happen?" more. Unless it's death, then go for it! However, one thing that really hit home is that the "old" me is still part of me, that it was that person that changed my life and led me to who I am today. Basically, I need to keep going for myself and do what I want because it's what I want. 

So, there you have it. The five sessions of Fitbloggin' that I attended this year and what I got out of them. I realized that I need to stop trying to please everybody else and love myself for who I am and what I do. I also realized that I need to step out of my comfort zone and take more chances in life. Overall, I walked away from this weekend with a much needed new perspective on myself and am loving myself a lot more than I did before! 

30 Days of Tracy: Countdown to My 30th Birthday

Hi, everyone! Hope you all had an awesome 4th of July! 

I was thinking of what I could do to countdown to my 30th birthday on August 7, but was stumped. I didn't want to do a run streak, since my body physically needs rest days. I didn't want to do a photo-a-day, since I never seem to finish them. What was a girl to do?

Then, on Friday, my girl Tara over at WorthEveryOunce said she was mindfully doing something good for herself over the next thirty days, as she counts down to her 40th. 

DING-DING!

I decided that I will do the same thing for myself the thirty days leading up to my 30th. I realized that I don't take enough time for myself, especially down time to just zone out. I'm always doing something, whether it's working, being in the gym or playing with the nephew. Granted, I feel lucky to be able to do all this, but at the same time, I want to also take care of my mind and soul.

Therefore, not all of my activities will be fitness related. I would love that, but I know it's not what's best for me. I plan on doing something for me once a day over the next month, starting on Wednesday. I know that no matter how small the activity may seem, it will be something that makes me happy, which will help me be a better person, either mentally or physically.

You can follow all the fun too! I'm @Tradledee85 on Twitter and Instagram, and will be using the hashtag #30DaysofTracy to record this experience. I can't wait to see how this turns out! 

Here's to an awesome last month of my 20's!

How do you count down to YOUR birthday?

July Goals!

Reality is slapping me in the face. Hard.

First day back to work today and it was brutal getting up at 4:00 in the morning. It had to happen, right?

Well, speaking of reality, I decided that I need to do a little rebuilding this month and set a set of goals that reflect that:

1) Apply #wycwyc in my life more. Actually, this should read "Apply #wycwyc into my life in general." Anyway, I rend to be an "all or nothing" person, and applying "What You Can, When You Can" (better known as wycwyc, pronounced wick-wick) will help me get out of that mindset. Life is about balance, and hey, we do what we can, and that is a hell of a lot better than nothing, right?

2) Create a training plan for my October races. You read that right. Races. I am running two 5K's on back to back Sundays, and want to come up with a legit training plan this go-around. I plan on three days of running, one or two of spin, two weight training, along with mind-body and core work. I'll post what I come up with when I do it.

3) Try one new recipe. I love to cook! I don't do it as often as I could or should, so I will seek out a recipe and try it. Maybe even using a new-to-me ingredient!

4) Comment on five or more blog posts a week. Again, this is something I don't do enough of. I met a ton of people at Fitbloggin' last weekend, and have lots of new blogs to read! So this is totally doable!

5) Place $50 into savings. Yeah, Fitbloggin' also wiped out my savings. I just want to rebuild my account a little.

As for a reward? New bed sheets! I have two sets, but would love to have a third. Nothing like crashing into a cozy set of sheets on your bed at the end of the day!

There you have it! I plan on rebuilding and getting back into a routine this month! 

How about you? What are you working on in July?