Tuesday, January 31, 2012

BRAT

Let me take you through my day in pictures.....
Argh!  Bananaramas....



Apple (yep, I sauced him up after those shenanigans)

Toaster Cakes (minus the cake.)
 And, well, there's more, but it's a bit too graphic for the 'nets.  Back to the couch!

Monday, January 30, 2012

January in Review

Hello hello!  Can it really be that the first month of 2012 is coming to an end?  Wow!  How bout a month in review then?  Sounds good to me :-)
First of all, today.  I woke up feeling pretty lousy (stomach bug?) but since my car was in the shop, I had license to stay in my jammies until noon.  When I went to go pick it up.  Via a run.  Wait, normal people don't run 12 miles in 20 degree weather to go pick up their car from the shop?  Shoot.  Well, my mechanic didn't bat an eye (of course, he is a family friend, so he knows my shenanigans.)  I'm such a bada$$.  Or, at least I pretend to be.  Now, after freezing off my tooshee, I'm sitting here in my jammies again, with a mug of Earl Gray and a cat on my lap to write this post.  Perfect.
But January.  Let's talk about January.
My goals for the month were to be a bit better with eating.  How did I do?
Well, I got better at late night snacking.  Still working on making my morning meals bigger, but it's a process.  I've gotten much better at eating whole foods.  Still love my reese's, but moderation is where it's at, yo.  I've also become a bit more "relaxed" about my eating, and have made some choice indulgences at parties, special dinners, and on weekends, rather than being "overly careful".  But also taking care to eat only what I think is delicious, and not eat just for the hell of it.
I've also had a few slip ups....a few carb binges (yuck), a few late night indulgences, and a few here and there's.  C'est la vie, right?  One day at a time.
At the end of the month....I'm down 3 pounds.  Sweet.  Nothing drastic, nothing ridiculous, just a bit more mindful.

Oh, and I played.  With friends.  And family.  And the hubster.  And that, my friends, is all about balance.  Ohhhh..ohhhhh....is that a theme? :-)
How are your rezzies going?  Ready to bring on February?

 

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Bring on the cheese(cake)!

Putting off the week end report till tomorrow...we have bigger and better things to talk about today.  Namely, my favorite Octogenarian, Grandma Glaser!  Yep, today the hubster and I, along with the Glaser clan, gathered to wish our favorite Grandma a happy 8....eighty something :-)
There was the birthday girl....

And a yummy dinner (I mixed the roast into a salad beast!)

And cake!  Mmmmm homemade cheesecake.

And singing (poor Grandma)

And presents!

And normal Glaser shenanigans....
Fun Sunday :-)  To eighty "something" more birthdays..complete with family, jokes, "roasting" and fun!
Happy Birthday Grandma Glaser!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

You so UGLI!

Don't run away, I didn't mean you!  I'm just pretty lame-saucers with titles, and have the sense of humor of a 5 year old, so you get what you get :-)
In my quest to "taste the rainbow" and eat more produce, I came across a cool lookin' fruit this week (okay, I lied, it's fug.  Thus, the name).  an Ugli fruit!  They were on sale for a dollar, and anything that gets blog fodder is healthy for a buck works for me!
So, what is an "Ugli fruit?"Basically, it's a hybrid between a grapefruit and a tangerine-a lovechild that, interestingly enough, is bigger than both it's parents, and much much less attractive!  According to wikipedia,.... The light green surface blemishes turn orange when the fruit is at its peak ripeness. A tangelo fruit is usually slightly larger than a grapefruit (but this varies) and has fewer seeds. The flesh is very juicy and tends towards the sweet side of the tangerine rather than the bitter side of its grapefruit lineage, with a fragrant skin. The taste is often described as more sour than an orange and less bitter than a tangerine, however, and is more commonly guessed to be a lemon-tangerine hybrid. The fruit is seasonal from December to April. It is distributed in the United States and Europe between November and April,and is on occasion available from July to September.
Cool.  As my "lunch dessert", I gave it a whirl.  Prep?  Just peel.  I like to try things in their natural form (that's what she said?). 
This guy's got thick skin....perfect for my household :-D
Peeled and divided...half for me, half for the hubster.
The verdict?  According to my eloquent other half...."it tastes like citrus".  Hmmm.  There ya go :-)  (Better than the sand at Sodus though, which is what I got once when I served him fish.  I wonder if he secretly eats sand?.... lol)
My take?  It was pretty good!  Not at all bitter like a grapefruit, super juicy, and somewhat like a mild tasting orange.  I think it might need some jazzing up on it's own....next time I might broil it with some cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.  Now THAT'S a dessert!
Have you ever had an Ugli fruit?  
         Or do you shy away from unattractive food?
             How bout the sand at your local beach?  
(Just kidding, hubster.)

Friday, January 27, 2012

Excuse me, Miss!

Hey hey hey!  Excuse me!  Excuse me?!? Let's talk about something.  I've got a little chip on my shoulder I need to get off, so pull up a seat.  Please :-)  (Then, rest assured, we can resume our Friday dance.  I'm not pissed.  Just mildly annoyed).

So, here I am, on my way back from the gym today, minding my merry own business (10x400 repeats at a ridiculous fast pace for me, thankyouverymuch).  I'm sweaty.  I'm happy.  I'm also in a hurry, as I am cutting it close for my New York State mandated one hour lunch break (yeah, I can get in a 40 minute run during lunch.  Super grateful for this!)
As I round the corner to dodge into the Sibley building, I pass by a group of hangers on who like to hold court by the bus station.  No biggie.  Except for, about once a week (and apparently this was the day), I get either cat calls, random comments thrown my way, or, my favorite (note sarcasm),  "Excuse me.  Miss!  MISS!  Ex-CUSE me!  Do you have a phone (or insert dollar, money, etc., but today it was phone)?  MISS? MISS!  HEY!"
Right.  Like I'll reply to that.  First of all, I have no issue with being friendly.  I've said hi before, exchanged a comment about weather, or a smile.  But...am I going to lend my phone to you?  No.  (I don't even carry the thing 90% of the time).  Am I going to respond to you with your condescending attitude?  No.  And, lastly, though, okay, this is my personal pet peeve....do not call me Miss. 
I suppose this doesn't bother everyone, but when I get called "Miss" I conjure up images of being a teenager, when everyone assumes you have a bad attitude and it shows in the voice they use.  Ugh.
Then again, to play devil's advocate....what should be used?  Ma'am?  No thank you.  I'm not old enough for that.  The other day, the hubster and I were drafting testimony (don't ask), and he referred to me as Mrs. Glaser.  Wow.  Weird.  Not ready for that.  We started laughing (because really, we are about 10 years old), then switched it to Ms.  But you can't yell that out at a bus stop.
So....let's just go with "Excuse me".  Once, maybe twice.  After that, give it up.  You're just being annoying.
Phew.  Glad I got that little, useless, silly rant off my chest.
Anyone else have problems being called "Miss?"  Is there an age limit on it, or should I just get over myself? :-D

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A big ole WOD

Crossfit.  Crossfit.  Crossfit.  I feel like it's all I hear about lately.  It seems that America loves a phase....first it was marathons, then triathlons, now it's all about crossfit.
In case you've been living under a rock, crossfit is a type of workout that relies on strength and conditioning principals, and is used  for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and elite and professional athletes worldwide.  It uses a set schedule of days on/days off, and for each day, posts a "WOD" or "workout of the day" to follow (usually they take about 20-40 minutes total, so it's a great time saver).  However, what the workouts lack in "time" (as opposed to a 2 hour trainer ride) they make up for in intensity!  I, personally ,adore High Intensity Interval training (HIIT).  Lotta bang for your time investment buck! Anyways...you can "crossfit" at a gym or center, or you can "crossfit" at home by going to the crossfit site and doing the WOD.
Now, my wallet can't really afford a center (usually about $60 or more a month), but I'm all about trying some different types of cross training on my own!  Reviewing the site and other crossfit sites, I've created a few WODs of my own (please, please, know....I'm not an expert.  Just a fitness junkie who likes to try random things!)
WOD #1 - The test set
Warm up 10 minutes easy jog
Repeat for time: (x7)
10 crunches
10 push ups
10 squats
3 flights stairs
TOTAL time: xx:xx
Cool down, 10 minute walk

Attempt #1 main workout took 12:31.  I tried it again tonight, shaving off :45.  Sweet!  Today's WOD on crossfit.com is all about speed work, which is on my docket for tomorrow, so I skipped it in favor of my own made up (and really, quite tame) workout.  But after doing 70 pushups and 70 squats, I felt that!  (I added in 20 pounds with squats for resistance, but you can go it it alone).

And since, according to Pinterest (oh, so obsessed now, thanks alot sis!....no really, thank you-this site rocks!) you can't out exercise a bad diet, I followed up my WOD with some healthy, easy, quick yum yums....
Stir fried tofu and veggies with terriyaki, pineapple and ginger.  Yum-o.  Now I'm hittin' some trash TV and (ok fine) the piece of dark chocolate I have in the pantry.  Antioxidants, yo.
Have a pleasant night!


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

What Dreams May Come

And sometimes, even with the best of intentions, reality is just a bit too much to focus on.  So let's talk about the imaginary world today, shall we?  (Disclaimer-just the Wednesday blahs.  I'm ready for he weekend, the calendar hasn't caught up yet. Ya feel me?)
Now, lest you think I'm going to ruminate on butterflies and unicorns, I'm not.  i wanna talk about about dreams.  No, not the "if you build it, he will come" type of dreams.  The wonderful little quirky adventures that happen in the (hopefully) 8 hours in the sack.  Lately, I've been having some crazy a$$ dreams, so I decided to keep a dream journal for a week and catalogue my crazy nightly stories.  After seven days, I remembered two dreams vaguely, three dreams vividly, and none for the other two nights.  Want to hear my insanity?  Check out the three "vivid" dreams:

Source
Night One:  I'm in an Ironman triathlon.  Not sure where, but it appears to be exotic (salt water, palm trees, etc.)  I'm nervous, but prepared.  At the last minute, the race director tells everyone that they are switching things up and that it will still be 140.6, but instead we are going to bike 2.4 miles, swim 26.2 miles, then run 112 miles.  He tells us we will have as much time as we need to do it, but that all other triathlon rules apply.  I freak out, but the hubster tells me that that's the way life is, and I need to deal-and that I am strong and ready.  Everyone drops out but 3 of us, and I win the race.

Night 4:  I'm on a "field trip" like we used to go on back in the day, at a museum.  Everyone in the "class" is someone that I know in real life, and we are assigned "buddies".  I end up touring the museum with this guy that I know, and fall madly in love with him. He holds my hand throughout the day, then calls me later on to tell me how awesome I am. We meet up for a "date" that night and he kisses me.  Very PG and 7th graderish. Weird take way-I know this guy in real life, and would never, ever kiss him.  The hubster was also in the dream, but clearly, we weren't married. 

Night 5:  I go over to my mom's house for dinner.  I find her there with my best friend from high school (a guy) and one of my current girlfriends and her husband.  My mom is dividing up all my childhood toys and stuff she kept among my high school BFF and my girlfriend.  She sees me and tells me she never wants to talk to me, that I messed up and she doesn't consider me her daughter.  I ask my high school BFF for a ride and he ignores me.  I run to the neighbor's house in tears and try to call the hubster.  He tells he will pick me up but that we're through.  The neighbor tells me I can stay there, but I walk out of the house and into some fog. 

Weird, right?  I consulted a  few dream dictionaries  to take a look at some of these symbols.

Night One Interpretation: Any kind of race being run is a form of obstacle dream in that it predicts success in whatever concerns you most.  If you dreamed of running in a race yourself, you can expect an exciting new offer whether you won or lost. A dream featuring race relations signifies progress if the climate was pleasant, but disappointment if it was not.  Hmmm.  Wonder if this means that I can handle obstacles?
Source
Night Four Interpretation:   If you are having an affair in a dream, you are being asked to get intimately in touch with your male side if you are having an affair with a man, or your female side if the affair is with a woman. Confidence, belief in yourself, feeling worthy of the space you occupy, career, ambition, sex drive and spiritual healing work through your male energy. The dream may be triggered due to an imbalance which is affecting your ability to develop or move forward in an aspect of your life.
This makes sense to me.  The person who I dreamed about is not someone I would ever be with in real life, but does portray himself as having many qualities I admire. 

Night Five Interpretation:  A dream including your mother is likely a comment on your relationship with her and how it is holding you back in some area of your life now. Dreams only focus on problems in your life. Although you may have a wonderful relationship, there are still often traits or attitudes you copied, or an influence you allow that you could do without.  Heh.  Sorry, Mom!  Not sure how accurate this interpretation is...in this case it might be (negative connotation in dream), but what if you had a positive dream with your mom?

Interesting stuff!  Do you analyze your dreams?  Ever have completely crazy ones like I do?

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

IT'S PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!

Happy National Peanut Butter Day!  With Shelley's excellent guest post yesterday on fighting the "restriction" mode, I think we can spring an excellent discussion today on a wonderful food (enjoyed in moderation) that might have gotten a bad rap in the past... peanut butter!
I love peanut butter to bits, but have not always had such a healthy relationship with it...for us reformed "fat" phobes (and I mean that in terms of fat dense foods) peanut butter can be scary.  I either used to avoid it or eat half a jar in one sitting in a peanut butter stupor.  Ugh.
Now I'm pretty good about sticking to one serving, or a few spoonfuls, and can really appreciate the flavor, it's versatility, and the way it fills me up for hours!  Plus, let's be real, peanut butter has a way of making you feel 8 years old again :-)  So, in honor of this great holiday, I want to share with you my top ten favorite uses for this food.....
1.  Let's start with good ole pb toast.  You've got carbs, protein and fat all in one...add a piece of fruit for a perfect breakfast....lunch...or dinner!  Plus, it's my go to pre race brekkie.  This is individual preference of course, but it sits well in my tummy and keeps me going.
2.  It's the perfect bedtime snack.  A good ole spoonful of pb when my stomach insists it's still hungry (or, ok, my mind does).  Sits well for sleep, and no middle of the night kitchen raids (I know everyone doesn't have that problem, but I will admit I am a recovering addict here).
3.  It's a pump up smores secret ingredient!  2 graham crackers, melted marshmallow, square of chocolate and tsp. of pb.  Yum yum.
4.  Reverting to my inner child...ants on a log.  In lieu of raisins, I now use cranberries.  Perfect snack.
Choosing Raw's Soft Serve
5.  It keeps me sated during long bike rides.  I either cut up a sandwich into 4ths or make some pb granola bars to stick in my jersey pocket.  Natural, cheap, and much purer than an energy bar.  Perfect for 4 hour rides.
6.  Make banana soft serve.  Freeze two bananas (cut up in chunks).  Stick in a food processor for 5 minutes and add in 1 tbsp. peanut butter.  Heaven in a bowl.
7.  It's the perfect office stash snack....if you forgot your lunch (spread on crackers), your PM snack needs jazzin' up (apples or carrots need a dipper), or, ok, you just need something healthier than a Butterfinger!
8.  It's the perfect temporary shut up remedy.  Don't stick your foot in your mouth...stick some PB in!  It takes awhile to swallow and your mouth gets all sticky, so....foot in mouth crisis...deliciously averted :-)
9.  It adds excellent flavor to Thai dishes.  Whole wheat noodles, broccoli, tofu, soy sauce and peanut butter = dinner. 
10.  It pumps up oatmeal's flavor, staying power and yumminess.  1/2 cup oats, strawberries and spoonful of pb = full for hours and tastes wayyy more decadent than it should.

All hail peanut butter!  What's your favorite use?  Do you love this stuff as much as I do?  :-D

Monday, January 23, 2012

Beating the Binge: Intuitive Eating

Hello TFB readers! My name is Shelley, and I blog over at Salmon and Sandwiches. I am a triathlete, like Rae, which is what initially drew me to her blog. However, I have stuck around for her honest and down to earth posts as well as upbeat attitude! One thing we have talked about a little is intuitive eating. I enjoy reading Rae’s weekly updates and can completely relate to everything she writes, so I figured it was a good opportunity to share a little of my intuitive eating story and tips! Let me start by saying that intuitive eating is no walk in the park. There are so many messages in our society that contradict intuitive eating.
It’s all around us! At the grocery check out…

Source
The dressing room, the cafeteria at work, out to lunch with friends…you just can’t escape!
Sometimes these messages can get in the way of truly listening to our bodies. Ok…maybe not for you, but for me they can! So just bear with me while I get to the point.


For years I ate what I thought were “good” foods and a somewhat restrictive diet. I thought exercise was the only way to lose weight or achieve the “perfect” body but didn’t know how to properly nourish myself for it. This restriction and desire to be thin led me to a binge- deprive cycle. Let me tell you, this was not fun. My mood was strongly affected by the number on the scale and I stressed about food, weight and exercise, all.the.time. I thought I was doing all the “right” things, and didn’t understand why I was on the path of steadily gaining weight versus losing.


It all seems obvious to me now, but when you are in the midst of it, having some clear insight can be tough! The good news, is that I have a very positive relationship with food now and exercise for the right reasons instead of just wishing to transform my body. The other good news, is that I truly believe every woman (or man!) can get there! The disclaimer is that it takes a bit of work and patience to achieve. If you are like me, the negative patters far outlived positive ones, so retraining the brain can take time. But once you get there, it is SO worth it.
Source
What helped me go from food obsession to listening to my body? Well let me tell you!


I ditched the scale. That’s right. Altogether, up and stopped using it. The scale wasn’t doing me any favors. It was more of a source of self criticism, and a desire to be in control. The reality is that the average woman’s weight fluctuates throughout the day, week, month, year..you name it! We are not supposed to weigh the same every day when we wake up, sometimes we need to retain some water or store some nutrients for our body. That is normal and it is ok.


Some find the scale helpful and it doesn’t affect their mood or how they feel about themselves at all. If it works for you, then keep on doing it. As long as you aren’t causing more stress in your life- whatever you do is a-ok in in my book! I’m just here to share what worked for me 


Ditching the scale was scary! I thought I was going to balloon up over night. I didn’t. Instead, I found other ways to observe my size that were a lot more helpful.
I gauged how my clothes fit. As long as I could still zip my pants, sit down comfortably, and wear everything with ease, I knew I was maintaining. There have been times when my pants get a little snug. Does this make me anxious? Of course. But instead of going into restriction mode (which I have learned, usually leads to overeating anyways), I do something else…


Listen to my hunger and satiety signals. This is the crux of intuitive eating. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. For me, I had to get rid of the scale and all the negative thinking that went along with it to actually be able to listen to my body. I also started being able to listen to other things my body was telling me, which I had often responded to before with food. Boredom, tiredness, anxiety, these were all things I became increasingly aware of.
In addition to this increased mindfulness, there were two other things besides the scale that had to go to really help my intuitive eating…


I stopped counting calories. Calories were like the scale for me, not helpful! I would always have a restrictive number in my head that I didn’t want to go over for the day. Since it was restrictive, I would usually go over. If not that day, probably the next. Once I gave up this “calorie goal” and started trusting my body to tell me what it wanted, life got SO MUCH EASIER.


At first I thought, oh my gosh, I am going to get SO fat! But, if you think about it…does your body want you to be fat? No! Of course not. Your body wants to feel good, be energized, move with ease and live life to the fullest. Does that include being overweight? Definitely not. Once you let go of the control that goes along with calorie counting, restrictive diets, or weight obsession, and just trust your body..amazing things will happen. I promise. You will not become overweight, you will not even gain weight most likely, you WILL feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of your shoulders, and you WILL feel better about your body. I promise!
This was not an overnight transformation. I started with a basic plan provided to me by a nutritionist that didn’t include calories (it focused on food groups instead). And within a few weeks I was able to keep calories out of my head for the most part. I also learned, that, as an active person, I need a lot of nutrients to keep me going! I learned to embrace this as well, with delicious meals and snacks, instead of being scared of what I thought was a “lot” of food. I actually found that I ended up eating less because I wasn’t binging due to deprivation and restriction.


Along with counting calories, I decided to stop restricting foods that were kept in the house or that I didn’t allow myself to eat.


I took all foods off the “bad” list. This was a step taken later on in my journey. Ditching the scale and calorie counting were enough for me to take on at the beginning. But I slowly introduced formerly “bad” foods into my diet. Peanutbutter? Yes please! Ice cream? Bring it on! When I gave myself these things with full permission, I did want to eat larger quantities at the beginning. But when it really sunk in that I could have these foods whenever I wanted and I could have how much I wanted, I wanted them less frequently and in smaller quantities. That’s the beauty of listening to your body. It will only ask for how much it needs, when it needs it.
Now, you might be wondering…What if I want to lose weight through intuitive eating? Good question! I personally, am not at a point right now where I have a goal of weight loss. I by no means am a stick figure, but I am happy with my body! I know that if I listen to my body and trust what it tells me, I will stay in a happy place with my weight. If you want to lose weight, take into account the following:


• Don’t adapt changes you can’t do forever.


The ups and downs of fad dieting will mess with your metabolism and most likely cause stress. You don’t need this! You will be happier and healthier, with slow and sustained changes.


• Why do you want to lose?
For many, the weight is not about the weight. Just like food is not really about food. Food can be used to cope with sadness, stress, boredom…and the list goes on! Same with weight. Losing weight won’t solve life problems. If you want to lose a few pounds to feel better and more energetic, then intuitive eating (not restricting!) can get you there. If you want to lose weight because you think life will be easier that way, life will still be the same regardless of that extra weight. Using weight and your body instead of facing other issues isn’t usually successful (trust me, I know from experience!).
• Restriction is not the answer!
Be kind to yourself and make sure you are giving your body the energy and nourishment it needs! You will feel better and be happier that way.
Since this post has now gotten a little long, I will wrap it up. Hopefully some of this was helpful to you, and if you ever have questions about my journey or tips/advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to me (Shelley.oberhofer@gmail.com). Just remember, listen to your body. You will become more confident and accepting of yourself if you just trust and listen. Let me know how it goes!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Snow....shoes!

Huzzah, what an awesome weekend!  I'm tired, sore, sunburned on my face, and have the perma smell of firewood on my parka.  I'd say that makes it a successful winter weekend :-)  Check out the highlights!
First up, Winter Snowshoe tourney.  Our friends Rich and Amy threw this to benefit Teens with Cancer, a local non-profit.  I've never thrown a horseshoe in my life, but figured $20 for a good cause with a yummy vegan lunch, hanging out with fun people, and making a fool of myself for a few hours was a decent way to spend a Saturday.....little did I know....
Teens with Cancer, our charity
The hubster, tearin it up!
We freakin won-how crazy is that???
Rich, the MC, handing us our trophy.  Go Team trigger!!
Delicious spread.




What was originally planned as, "hey, we'll stay for an hour, lose our game, hang out, then head out to our campground turned into 4 hours, delicious award winning vegan chili,frozen toes, fire pits, new friends, laughter, oh yeah, and the hubster and I beating the pants off 9 other teams to take home 1st place!  Boo.  ya.  Can't wait for the summer tourney....I bet I suck at horseshoes when I can feel my fingers and toes :-)

After that, the hubster and I headed out to Letchworth, a "gorges" NYS park.  heh.  My cousins had a cabin for the weekend, and while we missed Saturday sledding, we went up for dinner, games, catching up, and a wonderful trail hike this morning!
"Holding Court"  A way too true to life game :-)
Our room!

Gorges.


The cabins!




All said and done, an epic weekend.  Now I just need a few days to recover....no?  Darn :-)  How was your weekend? 

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Week 3...Taking care of me!

Well, since I'm off horseshoein' and campin' and other such non January typical nonsense, let's do this wrap up early...my guest post, like most excellent things, is simmering with brilliance but not yet ready to post, so watch out for some good intuitive eating tips coming your way early next week!  in the meantime...let's take a look at week 3:
Source
Week #3
(1/16/12-1/21/12):
Pounds lost: 0.  Plateau's happen!
Days Active: 6 (short week).  2 strength (one kicked my toosh), 4 cardio.
Miles n Miles:  8 (running), 95 (biking),  2 (swimming), 2 strength sessions, 1 yoga session
Snack attacks:  One minor!  Squashed with some wasa crackers and ricotta cheese w/cinnamon
Close Calls:  Two.  Both averted (I consider minor a success)
So even though the scale says I plateaued, I feel pretty good about this week.  I tried something new workout wise, averted a few close calls, and overall did well.  And to be frank, the stress was pretty bad this week.  The difference?  I ditched my journal and listened to my body.  And reached for fruit or protein first, rather than empty carbs.  Sure, i still enjoyed some chocolate each day, which is key for me (no deprivation, folks!)  Let's see if I can keep the ball rollin'....
Meaningless statistics state that over 60% of Americans give up on their New Year's rezzies after 21 days...i will NOT BE A STATISTIC!

The only difference between those that succeed and those who do not is that, when confronted with barriers, those who succeed refuse to give up :-D

Now, it's time to go play in the snow.  Happy weekend!!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Fringe Benefits

Hola amigos!  (Yeah, that's all I got.  No Spanish skills-but I did buy a language lesson kit for 6 months of online courses, so we'll see what happens!  Anyone want to take me to Mexico?)  No takers?  Nah, I didn't think so.
So, how's the day treating everyone?  making big plans for the weekend?  The hubster and I actually have some fun plans for the weekend other than the usual run bike swim eat sleep repeat rigmarole.  Sweet!  Tomorrow afternoon we are in a horseshoe tournament to benefit Teens with Cancer-pay $20 a team and see if you can win a sweet trophy, all proceeds to the charity.  I can get behind that!  (Too bad I've never played the game.  Don't tell the hubster that!)  Post horseshoe throwin', we're off to Letchworth for the rest of the weekend to camp and play in the snow. 
Yeah, I know....who throws horseshoes and camps in the winter?  Well, we do. Gotta make it interesting, right :-)  I expect marshmallows, plenty of hot cocoa, sledding, and sleeping bag fun.  (HEY.  I mean that in a PG manner!)  I guess the cabin has no running water or flush toilets, so expect some interesting repertoire when we return.  In the interim, y'all have an excellent guest post making an appearance tomorrow...get excited!  Just promise me you'll still come back and read my lil bloggie when you're exposed to someone who writes actual content rather than sarcastic drivel :-P
Now, ONTO tonight.  What's on tap for you guys?  I wish I could say that I was staying home and watching a new episode of Fringe on TV, but no dice.  Darnit.  On Tuesday, when we had the major windstorm, it blew out our satellite and now we are out for a week.  Ugh, soonest they could fix it.  Since the hubster got the fee waived and a month off the protection plan, plus a $20 credit, I consider it okay.  The bad part?  We're missing Fringe.  And Up All Night.  And The Bachelor (Greg is crying).  And Alcatraz.  Lame, lame, lame.
Who's gonna fill me in on what happens with Fringe tonight?  It's the one I miss most :-(  I suppose I could find other things to do with my night rather than the boob tube :-D

Thursday, January 19, 2012

I am a weenie.

Well now, the week's just flying by, isn't it?  (clearly, I'm trying for optimism.  Let's see how far it gets me!)
So, after two days of treadmill running (test set and speed work, both done without socks because I'm an idiot hardcore), I decided something different was in order today.  My computer did a nose dive at 11:40, which I took as a sign to grab my gym bag and head off to the noon class (rarely get to do that).  My choices:  Spinning or Total Body Blitz (an hour long weight training class).  I've done spinning a few times and it works well for bike training (no kidding) but I haven't lifted yet this week and tend to shy away from weight classes so....carpe diem.
I shoulda known I was in trouble.  I figured, I lift free weights and do core a few times a week and am a big bad ultra special endurance athlete (snickers)....I can handle a 60 minute class, right?
BAH!  Was  I sadly mistaken.  I assembled my goods (watching the vets):  a stability ball, 10 pound dumbbells, a 15 pound kettle bell, 30 pound barbell, busy ball and resistance band (I was promptly handed the "toughest" band by the instructor.  Love her to bits :-P).  And then....the fun began.  We started out by doing 15 minutes of abs on the ball-yowtch.  My legs were shaking by the end-trying to hold the ball between your feet while working your abs is no joke.
Next transition:  squats (about 300, i swear) and alternating band work with biceps.  I could barely do one set of curls with this mother-honkin band.
Third stage:  bridges with the ball (about 300), mixed with reps of pushups. 
And if we were bored (HA!), next up- alternating lunges on the bosu with kettle bell lifts alternating with-yeah, you got it, running on the damn bosu!  Seriously??
I missed a few sets, but that was the best of 'em.  Know how the day after a good weight set your arms feel like jello?  Well, mine already feel like last night's dessert.  Wowza.
I am a weenie.
The takeaway-I am cardio strong, strength week.
The Prescription-Thursdays = Total Body Blitz.  Give me a month.  I will dominate. 
I think it's such fun to find different workouts, especially in the off season!  Shakes it up, keeps you from getting bored, and works new muscles. 
Are you local?  Check out the Downtown Fitness Club for this no joke workout.  They have drop in rates!
Not local?  Does your gym do a body blitz class?  It's sorta like Turbo Pump, but with cardio bursts in between-a real bonus to your workout schedule!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

There's always room!

Hiya friends and happy Wednesday!  How's your week chugging along?  It's dandy-tastic on my side of the world for the middle of the week.  Aside from the fact that our temperature dropped 20 degrees overnight and the wind could carry me to Oz, it was a great night's sleep and a full day of char-char-charging ahead!  Last night when I posted about my random treadmill thoughts, I talked about dessert (a shocker).  Well, that was for tonight.  See, sometimes people take pity on me and the hubster and give us a social life invite us over for a homemade,yummy in your tummy Italian dinner.  Tonight was such a night.  And since I'm not a total schmuck (most of the time) I offered to bring dessert.  The catch(es?)  Our hosts are diabetic, which means sugar free.  No biggie, I love to try to make things a bit less rich.  The bigger catch?  I've been so darn tired after work that I always forget to stop at the store, so I was left with some lameo ingredients with which to create a presentable dish.  The result?  Angelic Ambrosia.  Pairs well with Italian, right?  Okay, not hardly, but roll with it :-)

Angelic Ambrosia
The goods:
2 packages sugar free Strawberry Jello
1 container Strawberry Greek Yogurt (6oz, I used Chobani)
1 can Libby's Sugar Free Mandarin oranges, drained
2 tbsp. coconut

Add the jello powder to a mixing bowl.  Boil 2 cups water on the stove, whisk into the jello.  Add in 1 cup cold water, stick it in the fridge for an hour.  Stir the semi-jelled mixture, add in oranges and yogurt.  Pour into pretty pie plate so it looks like you tried hard.  Sprinkle coconut on top.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.  Serves 4 dessert lovin people.

in case you're interested in the stats, it works out to be about 90 calories a serving.  As a volume eater, I can get behind that.  Cause there's always room for jello, right?
Well...maybe not after this soup.  (Italian Wedding!)  Go ahead and drool, it's acceptable.  I'll see if she will part with the recipe.  Mmm mmmm.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Random thoughts

Today= 3 mile time trial on the treadmill.  It would have been great if A-I hadn't fallen asleep immediately when I got home and woken up at 6:10 in a panic, and B-In my haste to git r done, I hadn't forgot socks.  Yup, I'm rockin the blisters now...who stops halfway through a time trial for a silly thing like socks?  (Oops).
Anyhoo, I did better than I thought-23:41 for 3 miles on the 'mill, which, fight me if you want, I find harder than running outside.  Time to build my next half plan based on this :-)
So....what happens while staring at mindless trash (The Bachelor) for a half hour while running on the hamster wheel?  Well, you heard it here first....
Random Treadmill thoughts.....
1.  Seriously, what grown ass woman wears a bikini while skiing down the hills of San Fran (okay, the people that go on the Bachelor)
2.  I wonder how bad ass these blisters are gonna be....if I bleed through my shoes, does that make them lucky?
3.  Oh man, I forgot to defrost the chicken for dinner.  Can you foreman frozen chicken?  (You can)
4.  I wonder what I can make for dessert tomorrow based off of what I have in my kitchen..... jello, canned oranges, yogurt, chocolate, and marshmallows.  Hmmm.  (Not a good combo....but I did go with Ambrosia Salad).
5.  I think I need a new scale.  The gym scale is consistently weighing me in 3 pounds lighter.  I hate my digital scale.
6.  While I know it's not possible to lose weight in one area (spot reducing), is it possible to gain weight in one spot?  Usually, my tush grows, but right now my bra cups are getting bigger.  Most people would be okay with this.  Me, I'm just bitter that I have to buy new underwear.
7.  Extra's Apple Pie gum is really good to sort out a craving.  It is not as excellent for doing a run.
8.  My sports bras are from 2005.  I should probably invest in some new ones.  Eh, who cares....I'm in my basement.  It's not like the bachelor's gonna give ME a rose!
9.  OH NO SHE DIDN'T!  These women are crazy!  Oops, gotta stay on the belt.
10.  2.95....almost there....3.....woohooo!!

Yup, I bust out some real good ones.  Do you think of ridiculous things while working out, or is it just me? :-)

Produce count o the day:  banana oats, snacks:  apple, carrots and hummus, peach, and orange.  Chicken stir fried with mixed veggies for dinner.  Yum Yum.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Lotta green, little green

And it's time for fresh start Monday!  Despite feeling bloated and icky after a few too many indulgences last week, I decided to move along and take this operation on day at a time.  Thank you for your comments and emails-I appreciate them :-)  First up-a wholesome breakfast of greek yogurt, berries, and toast.  Then it was time to get down to brass tacks...if you wanna eat healthy, the food's gotta be there in the fridge!  So I dodged a million soccer moms and their day-off-from-school 8 year olds at the store and brought home my haul:
Score.  Check out that rainbow...along with some decent protein options to boot (I'm not a veggie, but I don't eat meat that often).  The best part?  You're lookin' at $22 bucks and some change.  I kid not.  Apparently all the January food enthusiasts have given up, leading to some sweet clearance deals in the organic section of Tops.  SWEET! (Oh, the alien stuff in the bag is kale.  Have you ever had Kale chips?  NO?  Well, I'll make some this week.  They sound weird, but taste awesome Promise).
Along with some canned goods, milk, bread, and other household goodies I knocked a $119 grocery bill down to $52.  Not too stinkin' bad.  Awfully pleased with myself, I headed home, ate a bowl of oats mixed with strawberries and chia seeds, and changed into my bike gear.  Two sweaty hours and 3 episodes of Fringe later, I've knocked my activity off my to-do list.  What's next?  I think I'll relax with a new book.  I could get used to Mondays off :-)
Dinner tonight is pressing (tofu steaks and butternut squash fries) and it's a wild night of TRash TV...the Bachelor will be DVRing for some post work walking tomorrow, and Alcatraz premiers tonight!  What better than super human ex-cons walking around the streets of my favorite city 30 years after they are supposed to be dead?  I guess I'll find out :-) 
Have a wonderful day, friends and if you are lucky enough to have off, take a moment to remember the great man who had the courage to stand up for what he thought was right and say "I have a Dream"....

Sunday, January 15, 2012

How'd I do, Week Two

Two weeks down, 50 to go.  Hows your 2012 going?  There's been a few bumps in the road this week...but that's to be expected, right? Check out week #1 if you missed it...and now,  in the realm of complete honesty, I'll lay it all out there for you....week #2, the good, the bad and the ugly!
Source
Week #2 
(1/9/12-1/15/12):
Pounds lost: .5 (whew)
Days Active: 6.  Took one day with a nice walk and yoga, but no hard cardio
Miles n Miles:  9 (running), 84 (biking),  4 (swimming), 2 strength sessions, 2 yoga sessions
Snack attacks:  Two.  One minor (cookie attack), one major middle of the night full out binge.  Ugh, I hate writing that.
Close Calls:  3.  I need to de-stress :-(

Even though I technically lost weight, I'm not proud of this week at all.  I did fit in a few yoga sessions, which is good, but my stress eating was through the roof in terms of simple carb comfort.  Lame.  So, what am I going to about this?  
After some deep thought, and admittedly, some self- berating, I've had a few revelations.  Okay, one.  And I'm late to the party on this one.  First, okay, don't beat myself up.  The past is past, the future is what we can change and need to focus on.  Okay, good.  The real meat and (sweet) potatoes of the matter is....I need to eat more meat and sweet potatoes.  Wait, what?
Source
Yup, I've been chasing the wrong horse.  Weight loss is....80% diet, not 80% cardio.  How did I miss this? So, rather than writing down the fact that I did seven zillion minutes on the bike and therefore my 3 fistfuls of M&Ms are justified, I need to work it the other way around.  Less focus on getting in a million hours of cardio, more focus on carrots.  And chicken.  And apples.  And not crappy white carbs (most of the time!).  No fear, I'm not going paleo.  Not excluding anything.  But being wayyy more mindful on why I am eating and what I am eating.  I thought about starting a food log on my blog, but I think that would be kind of boring for y'all, no?  And we all know how much I hate boring you :-P
Deep breath.  I can do this.  And I will feel so much better when I do it.  Dangle the carrot, baby.  Literally.  Stay tuned for week #3....the Produce week!  

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Going the Extra Mile

Whew.  Didn't think I was gonna make it though this week!  After yesterday, I kinda felt like my co-worker, EJ...
Yup, it was another rough week at work.  So, rather than drag y'all through sub par (even for me) reading last night, I came home, shoveled half the driveway before my neighbor rescued me, changed into jammies, and watched Fringe and read "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" while the hubster watched hockey.  It was a wild n crazy night at casa Glaser, I tell ya.
Well, onto the weekend.  Today marked the Olympic Trials for the men's and women's marathon team for this summer, so, of course I watched for inspiration while pounding out 26.2 miles of my own (on my bike.  I'm not THAT crazy.)  I was super happy that my fave for the men's team won (yay, Meb!) and was impressed beyond belief that the top 3 women all beat the trial record by 2 minutes or more.  What kills me is that the winning time for the women (2:26:xx) is more than 90 minutes off my marathon PR.  Now those are some fast legs!  One can dream :-)
Not too much else going on around here...it finally snowed in WNY yesterday-we got a whopping 6 inches and you would have thought the world shut down.  I think the city of Rochester is into extreme sports...let's turn our freeways into a sledding race with cars by NOT plowing-yay, superfun!  Well, I always like to spend almost 3 hours on my commute listening to bad radio, so carry on, carry on.  Today was much prettier...another light dusting and nowhere to go outside the house, so I'm on board with winter again.  Ask me tomorrow how I feel after my long run.
Enough mish mosh.  I'll talk more tomorrow about week #2 check in (I had a revelation) but I got some mail from a pretty wise man I want to share with you...very apropros with the New year and trials today.  It's entitled "New Year's Resolutions" and I picked my top 4:
1.  Know that God loves you and live accordingly.  God made you for a reason, and the world would be poor without you.
2. God has forgiven you much; forgive others.  Grudges and anger will only make you miserable, and in the end, you will find yourself a lonely and bitter person.
3.  Work at making others happy; this is the true road to self-fulfillment.
4.  Tell those you love that you love them.  There is no greater regret than losing a friend or relative to whom we have not expressed our love.

Obviously this is a religious path to resolutions, and I am not super religious, but I thought these were kind of neat.  Something a bit deeper than the "lose 10 pounds" plea.  Not that I'm not behind that one, too, but all too often we focus on our body rather than soul and it takes both to function :-)  Food for Saturday thought.

And on that deep note, I'm gonna go watch the 49ers kick some NOLA ass.  Go San Fran!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

The TT Exercise plan

Well, now.  It's good to know that I'm not the only one that uses my frustration to fuel a workout!  I suppose it's better than actually punching someone in the face, so keep on keepin' on, folks.  I will to.  And, speaking of exercise, today I wanna talk about it.  How's your active resolution going?  Good?  Mine too.  (It's too bad the expression is "You are what you eat".)  However, if you're lagging a bit, I have some thoughts.  Remember my trash TV confession?  Yup, it's getting bad.  I ditched "The Firm" (couldn't get into it) but am holding pretty strong with "The Bachelor" (kill me now.  Those ladies are psychotic.  And that's being nice).  Some of the trash (Fringe, Family Guy, American Dad, Up All Night) are hubster approved-we watch those together while I cut out coupons or address baby shower invites (:-D)
 But the shows that AREN'T Hubster approved (Young and the Restless, The Bachelor, Undercover Boss) Those need a plan.  And not a sit on the couch stuff my face with cheetos plan.
The Show:  Young and the Restless.  5 hours a week.  Down to 40 minutes a day with skipped commercials.
The Equipment:  Bike and trainer. 
Episode 1:  Tempo Ride, 13 miles = 40 minutes.
Episode 2:  Speed workout:  Warm up 5 minutes.  All out 1 minute, recover 2 minutes.  Repeat 10 times.  5 minute cool down.
Option B:  Bike fartleks:  Warm up 5 minutes.  All out every time someone sleeps with a family member, kills someone, ages overnight, gets married, or goes to jail.  Cool down 5 minutes (Warning-I think I died once attempting this.)
Episodes 3-5:  Long easy ride.  2 hours, about 40 miles. 
Total mileage per week off of crap TV:  60-70 miles.
The Show:  The Bachelor .  2 hours a week (about 80 minutes with commercial sped through)
The Equipment:  Treadmill
Option 1:  Tempo speed walk with hills.  Warm up 3.2, increase to 3.5, incline 1.  Increase the incline by 1 every time a woman cries, snarks, kisses the bachelor, shows boob, or wears a bikini.  Since the treadmill maxes at 15%, bring down to 1% again after 20 minutes.  Repeat as necessary.  Awesome tush workout.
Option 2:  Consistent walk at 3.5 mph-I can cover about 4 miles a show.  Better than sitting on my bum!
The Show:  Undercover Boss.  1 hour per week (40 minutes total show time)
Equipment:  Free Weights and a mat (optional)
Warm up 2 minutes jumping jacks or similar.  Repeat 5 times:  20 crunches, 20 squats, 20 push ups, 20 dead lifts, 20 bicep curls, 20 tricep curls.  Cool down stretches. 

Crap TV:  8 hours a week, est. viewing time 6 hours total.You just got in your American Council on Exercise's recommendation for physical activity for the week.  Times two.

Hows that trash TV habit looking now?