Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Krispy Kreme Burgers anyone?

I just read a friend's facebook post about a new "vendor treat" for an upcoming public event:  Krispy Kreme Burger with a side of chocolate covered bacon.  Wow.  Did you feel your arteries clog just now?  Besides the fact that the nutritional content is horrendous, the food combination is a bit bizarre.  Makes me wonder, who knew that peanut butter and jelly...or candy corn and peanuts would taste so good together? 

Throughout the years, I have also enjoyed some strange combinations of food:

* cubed chicken, cubed golden delicious apples, spicy brown mustard mixed and wrapped in lettuce leaves
* cottage cheese, unsweetened cocoa, caramel stevia (you can also throw this in a blender, add a bit of water and some ice and freeze.  Tastes like a fudge pop)
* saltines and fat free mayo or saltines topped with grape jelly
* sliced pepper jack cheese wrapped around a carrot stick
* celery dipped in salsa...or better yet- celery dipped in salsa/cream cheese/greek yogurt
* peanut butter and cool whip mixed together and chilled

I suppose we all have our own unique little taste bud quirks.  Undoubtedly, I will never try the Krispy Kreme Burger (simply because of the nutritional make-up), but I am not opposed to putting good things together to make something great!   To each their own, Bon Appetite!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Peanut Butter Obsession

I'm not sure when my obsession with peanut butter began - maybe it was when I was a child and my dad made the most amazing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - mixing equal parts of two simple ingredients and slathering 3 inches worth between two fluffy pieces of "light" bread.  That was just the beginning.....
peanut butter and jelly....peanut butter and nutella.....peanut butter and apples....peanut butter and celery..... peanut butter and cool whip (yes, cool whip).....but best of all - straight out of the jar.

Unfortunately, peanut butter cannot reside at my house.  You wouldn't set out a bottle of vodka in an alcoholic's kitchen right?  Same thing.  Peanut butter is not a bad thing, it just is for someone like me that wants to demolish the whole jar.  So, it's best that I not tempt myself with its presence. 

Now, all of that to tell you this - my wonderful little discovery at the Natural Food Store.  Btw - I love love love this place.  I am constantly finding little treats in there that make eating clean enjoyable.  I went in for my weekly shopping spree to pick up caramel flavored stevia (YUM!), baked apple chips (Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmmm!), and fruit strips (my husband refers to these as fruit jerkey) ....when I spied a tiny bottle of liquid flavoring - PEANUT BUTTER FLAVORING.  Mind you, there were other flavors, but I couldn't even tell you what they were.  These were tiny drops to add to your food.  0 calories, 0 sugar, 0 carb, 0 everything.  Add it to yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, smoothies, baked apples....the possibilities are endless!  They may not spread well on a sandwich, but I'm willing to overlook that :)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Balancing Act

Balancing is not easy for Type A - OCD people like me.  It is one of those things that I must continually work on.  My mom's favorite thing to say to me growing up was "you are gonna go, go, go until you collapse."  Turns out she was right.

About 5 or 6  years ago, I felt like I was at my fitness peak.  My bodyfat was down to 7% (not healthy by the way) and I was working out like a crazy woman.  I ran EVERY day without fail, I taught multiple fitness classes  and I was eating so clean you could hear me squeak when I walked by.  Eating clean was not bad, however; I was not taking in enough calories to support the insane exercise routine I was keeping.  In my mind, I was a fitness machine.  Then one day, my machine finally broke down. 

I remember sitting on my couch on a hot summer day under a thick blanket.  I was shivering and burning up at the same time.  I called my sister to come over because I literally could not support my own weight to move off that couch.  When she got there, she immediately took me to the ER.  At this point, I was not functioning well at all.  My temperature was 104 degrees and I could not stop shaking.  I was admitted and given an IV to put fluids back into my body.  I had let myself completely dehydrate.  My over-zealous fitness regimen had finally taken its toll on my body.  Too much of a good thing really can be bad.  There is such a thing as exercise addiction.  This is going above and beyond what is considered healthy.  This experience was the eye-opener I needed.  My husband (boyfriend at the time) had been warning me that this was coming but I wouldn't listen.  I have always had body issues and have always had to struggle with my weight.  At the time, I thought I was invincible. 

Today and every day I struggle to maintain balance in my fitness/eating routine.  There are days that I fail miserably.  I know how hard it is to get back up, dust off and try to hop on a moving train.  So, my number one fitness goal?  Lose 10 pounds?  Nah......Run a marathon?  No......
At the end of the day, I want balance.  I want to accept my failures, learn from them and move on.  I want to do my best to eat healthy and exercise, but not go completely overboard in either direction.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Birds of a Feather

Today is my wedding anniversary.  Four years married to the most wonderful man in the world.  I am a very lucky woman!  We actually met 6 years ago at - big suprise here - the gym.  I can remember seeing him there but being too shy to actually go up and speak to him.  Plus, it seemed very cliche to try and "chat up" someone at the gym.  Turns out, he was a little shy as well, so a mutual friend set us up on our first date. 

One of the many things that attracted me to my husband was his value of health and fitness.  Like me, he has struggled with his weight from time to time and knows how important exercise and a good diet are to being healthy.  Together, I hope we are instilling these values in our daughters.  They are both very active and hopefully will continue to be throughout their lives. 

I've had relationships in the past with people that did not share my value of fitness.  It can be difficult and sometimes even destructive.  I can remember being belittled and berated by my EX husband for spending time working out.  It is important to surround yourself with people that are on the same fitness page.  We need them for support and encouragement.  Some of my best friendships are ones that have grown from this common thread. 

I thank my husband today for his support and encouragement throughout the years.....for being my voice of reason when I tend to go overboard......for enduring countless hours of me practicing class choreography in our living room.....and for loving me no matter what I look like, or how many pounds I have gained or lost.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Spice of Life - Give me a dash of PIYO!!!!

Variety.  Isn't this what I preach to others when talking about creating a workout regimen?  I do try and have a variety of activities on my workout plate- running, Zumba, Bodypump - and most of the time I am open to trying new things I haven't done before.  Ask me to run bleachers, "I'm there!".....do a Turbokick class, "Sure!"......yoga, "Um, I think I'm busy..."

I have tried yoga in the past and decided I was way too immature for the class.  Something about the calming music and serene surroundings makes me want to......burst into laughter.  I know, how old am I right?  I wanted to like yoga and pilates....I wanted to be like all the celebs with their brightly colored yoga mats and cool designer yoga clothes.....It just wasn't hap'nin.

So, it was with a bit of skepticism that I decided to give PIYO - a combo of Pilates and Yoga - a go this morning.  I had been assured that it was not like the yoga I'd tried before.  (Let me just add, that I do admire and repect those that practice yoga and pilates regularly-  I know it takes alot of strength, conditioning and mental focus.  Plus, you get a body like Madonna and Jennifer Anniston.  What's not to love about that?  It's just not my cup o' tea.)

Back to PIYO.....Let me just say, I was very pleasantly surprised!  First off...no tinkling, "fall asleep head first down into your mat" music.  It  was current.  It was hip.  It was awesome.  The workout itself was a WORKOUT!  I was not bouncing off the walls, but I was definitely working up a big-time sweat.  There was a dash of plyometrics and a pinch of stretching and several cups of strength training and muscle conditioning.  I left feeling somewhat refreshed and exhausted at the same time.  Pretty good combo.   I will definitely be taking up on seconds!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

LOSE IT

I have taken down alot of trees in my lifetime journaling my daily food intake.  I have kept a food journal for the past 20 years of my life.  No joke.  20 years.  And those of you that know me well, know that I am somewhat OCD and I can assure you that I actually wrote in them faithfully.  I keep track of my calories, carbs, protein, fat, etc etc. as well as the exercise I do for each day.

Food journaling is one of the best ways to make sure that you are eating healthy and staying on track with your fitness goals.   A recent convert to the iPhone, I think I was more excited about having the "Lose It" app than the actual phone itself.   "Lose It" is a free app that keeps track of all the goodies for you.  You begin by entering in your specific information and your specific goals.  The program will then calculate (based on your information) how many calories you can consume each day to reach your goal.  You enter in foods you eat throughout the day as well as the amount of physical activity you do.  There is a slider scale that has your "cutoff" calories for the day (your total minus your exercise).  Once you exceed your allotted amount, your bar turns red.  You'd be surprised how motivating this simple ingenius little visual representation is.  Going into the red by lunchtime is never a good sign. 

You can also "friend" your buddies and keep track of their progress - no,  it won't show you exactly what they ate or how much they weigh - but it is a way to be able to give encouragement to other "Losers" using the app.

These days our phones take the place of so many other everyday tools...our phone/address books, watches, alarm clocks,  grocery lists, calendars, cameras and such.  Think of all the space you save on your desk at home.  I know my days of pen and paper journals are long gone.  I'm a Loser from now on!

Friday, March 4, 2011

"Losers visualize the penalties of failure, winners visualize the rewards of success" - Larry Bird

Bittersweet- both pleasant and painful.

A perfect word to describe the final game for the Lady Lions basketball season....and the final game in my daughter's high school career.    As a child,  Lindsey  "tried on" many different sports....tennis, gymnastics, cheerleading, softball and basketball....to try and find one with the right fit.  

I met my husband Ricky when Lindsey was in the 6th grade.  He changed her life in more ways than one.  Being a former basketball player and coach, Ricky knows more about  basketball than anyone I know.  It was his passion for the sport and his drive to help her succeed that influenced her love of the game.

In the beginning, Lindsey's basketball abilities were.....how can I say this delicately.....HORRENDOUS.   She spent the majority of her time "riding the pine" during her middle school and Jr. High years.    Not to be discouraged, she bided her time on the bench and continued to practice and learn all she could from her team, her coaches and mostly from Ricky.   Through the years, I have continued to be impressed and proud of the time and commitment she has devoted to being the best she could be.   She has had her good games and definitely her bad, but through them all she never once gave up.  She never once quit practicing.  She never once quit trying.  She never once lost her passion for the game.  

Ricky always said that what she learned during her basketball career would help her in the rest of her life.  Teamwork.  Courage.  Determination.  Sportsmanship.  Hard work.  Perseverance.   I see all of these in her.

Today, I want to devote this post to my daughter who I have watched grow as a player and as a person ..... Love you Linz.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Fountain of Youth

There really is a fountain of youth.  I try and drink from it every day.  I read once that being physically fit takes 20 years off your chronological age.  20 YEARS!  That makes me practically a teenager again....well, at least in my 20's again!

I can't help but apply this trivia tidbit to a persons "mental" age as well.  We all know that exercise releases endorphins- the feel good stuff- in our body.  And being happy definitely takes 20 years off my mental age!  I thought about that this morning as I was having a great time in Zumba class.  Who has this much fun at 5:30 in the morning????  I attribute it to the endorphins, to the great music and mostly to the people in there dancing with me.

I LOVE it when the class really lets go - all pride and worries checked at the door.  Remember when you were little and you would dance or sing without inhibitions or insecurities?  That's what its like in there.   It doesn't matter if you are 20, 30, 40 or 50, let yourself go and allow yourself to make exercise fun.  You are never too old to dance like no one is watching!!!