This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The North Face . All opinions are 100% mine.
Our big challenge in boot camp this week is an 800 meter row – that’s half a mile on the rower! Oof.
There are some pretty fit people in my boot camp because my time was definitely at the bottom of the list – I did it in 3:46:09. And I was really trying! The #1 female did it about 34 seconds faster than I did – the winning guy did it over a minute faster!
I’m going to try again in Friday’s class to see if I can shave a few seconds off. And then, in a few weeks, I’ll do it again to see if I can knock serious time off. I love these little challenges in boot camp because it’s a great way to measure and track progress.
After hearing about my positive boot camp experience, a few of you have emailed me asking if I have any resources for strength training guidance. I was pumped to learn about the North Face Mountain Athletics App, which provides a structured plan for gym strength training. It’s free and really easy to follow along!
I’m excited to team up with The North Face to give away a $500 gift card. If you win, you can use the cash to get some super cute, functional, and very high-quality gear from their new line, Mountain Athletics from The North Face.
Here’s the Kokomo Burnout Tank. This top comes in four fun color combos; I picked orange and green for University of Miami! It’s a really light fabric with a pretty cut-out in the back, so it doesn’t feel heavy and sticky when you get sweaty.
Non-scale Victory – I couldn’t close that sports bra two months ago and now I can.
I’m also wearing the Plyo Crop Pants. I’ve noticed that this type of capris are becoming more and more popular. I feel more comfy in baggy capris (v. the skin-tight ones) and have been wearing these all the time… for workouts, to the grocery store, and around the house. Super comfy!
Want to enter to win $500 to The North Face? Use the widget right here!
Here’s to hoping we have a fabulous weather weekend! It always seems to rain on the weekends that I really, really want to be outside…
I’m doing a local Girls on the Run 5K race tomorrow! I’m so excited because I haven’t experienced a GOTR 5K since I was a coach myself. This time around, I’m not running with a team of girls but with Henry. Yay! He’s been so into the idea of racing lately that I jumped at the opportunity to get him on the road to really do a 5K. I can’t wait to pin the number on his shirt – he will freak out.
Craziness – I just realized that I have a girl and one day, she’ll do GOTR races, too! WHOA.
Since it’s a 5K, and obviously my toddler can’t run 3.1 miles – although I wouldn’t be surprised if he runs the majority of it – we are going to take the jogging stroller, too. I just hope I can convince him to get into it when he’s super tired! (Speaking of jogging strollers, here’s a post comparing the two different ones we own – I have come down so hard on the ‘I prefer the Tre over the BOB’ side!).
Something fun I ate this week – bowls and bowls of veggie fried rice.
This was easy to make and tamed all my Chinese food cravings…
In a pan, fry chopped sweet onion and carrot slices in coconut oil.
Once tender, add frozen peas and cook for another minute, until thawed.
Add cooked brown rice and stir.
Crack an egg over the rice and veggies and stir. Cook until egg is set.
Add cast iron tofu, salt, and a touch more coconut oil. Add tamari or soy sauce if desired.
And I’ll leave you with another poopy story. We have a balcony on our second floor landing, and when I change poopy diapers in the morning, I normally roll them up very tight and drop them over the edge so they are downstairs near the garage door. That way, I am not juggling the diaper while trying to carry a kid down the stairs – know what I mean? Anyway, in three years, I’ve never had a problem with it… Today, I dropped the diaper over the edge, it hit the ground, and EXPLODED with poop everywhere. Hah. I swear, between two kids, two dogs, and a cat, I feel like I am always wiping up, picking up, and scooping poop.
Me as a first-time mom: Amazingly stocked dedicated diaper bag. Diapers, wipes, first aid kit, extra outfits, toys, pacifiers, medicine, extra socks, back-up bottle, etc. Never found without everything and anything I could possibly need to parent.
Me as a second-time mom: A couple pairs of diapers and a Ziploc bag of wipes thrown in my purse. Usually missing some vital item.
Last week, Claire had a poopy blowout in the car. I parked, opened the trunk of my SUV, and laid her down to change her. I was feeling all pleased with myself because I did, for once, actually have a back-up outfit for her. But I go to grab the wipes and I can’t find any! And there is poop all over my baby. I kind of consider wipes the best invention on the planet (even non-parents should keep a box in your car – you can use wipes for so many things), so I scoured the vehicle looking for a back-up box. Nope. No wipes. None at all. So I ended up pouring my La Croix sparkling water all over Claire’s bottom and using a second diaper to wipe her clean while Henry yelled, “What are you doing with your drink?!?!?†I couldn’t help but laugh through the whole thing – I must’ve looked ridiculous shaking an almost-empty can over her. But desperate times, right?
Great workout yesterday!
In the pool:
250 meter warm-up
5 sets of 50 meters on 1:15 (basically, swim 50 meters in 1:15 including your break)
250 meter cool-down
On the bike:
45 minutes of toodling around while I read a book
That’s my Misfit Shine tracker strapped to my ankle! Gotta log every stroke! Hah.
And hey, if you’re done with Ironman April, send me a photo of your completed training plan to be entered to win a prize (caitlinjboyle@gmail.com)! I’m almost done, too!
We went strawberry picking yesterday – it was loads of fun. Now we have a giant box of strawberries and I’m not sure what to do with it. I’m thinking of making Oh She Glows Raspberry Chia Seed Jam Oat Crumble Squares but with strawberries.
I hope you have a fabulous Wednesday and are prepared for any and all emergencies!
Car seats. Oh, car seats! When you’re a new parent and are car seat shopping, it can be SO easy to quickly overwhelmed. What kind do I need? Why? When can I switch styles? Most parents are aware that rear-facing is safer than forward-facing for babies and toddlers (and I’ve read even for preschoolers, too!). When Henry was born, I knew that – but that was about it. I had no idea how to put a car seat in my car, how to put a baby in a car seat, or how to wrangle a toddler into position. I’m no car seat expert, but I have learned a few keys things over the last few years, and I’d love to hear what you’ve learned, too.
#1: Chest Clips are Chest Clips
Once, on an Instagram picture, someone left a comment about Henry’s car seat. They informed me that his chest clip was in completely the wrong position. At first, I felt flustered and embarrassed. Then, I did some Googling and learned that chest clip position is super important, and I was no longer embarrassed – I was just grateful that someone had spoken up!
The chest clip ensures the straps are on the right spot on the child’s shoulders. If it’s too low, the straps can slide off the shoulders in a crash. I use Henry and Claire’s armpits as a guide – if the clip is level with the armpits, it’s in the right spot.
#2: Don’t Wear Jackets
During the winter, never put your child in his or her car seat while dressed in a bulky jacket, snowsuit, or after-market car seat sleeping bags that go under the straps. Why? Well, in the event of a crash, the fluff of the fabric will compress, the straps may suddenly be too loose, and the child can be injured or ejected from the car seat.
During the winter, I’d tuck blankets around Claire after she was fitted into the car seat (there are also many car seat covers that go entirely over the straps and are thus safe). For Henry, I strap him into the car seat and then have him put on his winter coat backwards – his arms and chest are kept warm but there is nothing between him and the straps/back of the seat.
#3: Big Kids Need Cars Seats, Too
Even if your kid is in elementary school, they probably still need some sort of car seat, as the seat belt alone won’t properly fit most kids for many years (until around age 8 – 12 or when they are about 4 foot 9 and can pass the “5 step test for seat belt readiness,” which you can Google).
For this post, I tested out the Evenflo Advanced Transitions 3-in-1 Booster Car Seat, which you can use in three different ways as your child grows. The Evenflo Advanced Transitions 3-in-1 functions as a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness, as a vehicle belt highback, and as a booster seat.
Henry is a few months shy of his third birthday, which means he’ll be using the seat as a forward-facing five-point harness for a long time. I’ve owned a variety of car seats in different brands, and there are lots of things that I like about this car seat in addition to the fact that it can eventually become a booster.
First, it’s comfortable. Especially for a car seat in this price range, the fabric is soft and cushioned. I love the adjustable headrest. I’ve had two other forward-facing car seats without this feature, and it’s really nice for napping in the car. Also, this car seat has two cup holders, which is great for holding drinks or toy cars!
Secondly, it installs easily. The seat has a feature called SureSafe, which increases proper installation by 2X compared to the typical Latch system. Installation is a vital part of car seat safety, so anything that makes the process easier and safer, I’m thrilled with! It’s important to remember that, once secured to your car, the seat shouldn’t move more than an inch in either direction. If you can move it more than an inch, it’s not secured tightly enough.
And lastly, Henry really seems to like the seat! Part of the reason that we’ve gone through SO MANY CAR SEATS is that some are just plain uncomfortable. But this one is really great, and it’s nice to know that it can grow with him until he’s old enough to just wear a seat belt.
#4: The Straps Should be Snug
And last, but not least, the one thing I definitely did not know about car seat safety before having children is this – the straps should be snug. Like – snug-snug. I do the pinch test, which means if you can pinch the fabric of the harness between your fingers, the straps are too loose.
I always do the pinch test PLUS check the chest clip when I strap the kids in – every single time. It only takes a few seconds and could make a huge difference in a crash.
What features do you look for when purchasing a car seat?
Evenflo® is taking extended use and comfort to the next level with the introduction of the Advanced Transitions 3-in-1 car seat. Visit Evenflo.com for more information. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Evenflo®. The opinions and text are all mine.
Non-scale Victory – I couldn’t close that sports bra two months ago and now I can.
