What Moves You?

I know you're probably thinking I'm going to spout off about fiber again but I'm not (this time).  I read an article online today called "How to become an exercise addict".  I had mixed feelings about that title but I read it anyway.  First, I'm not sure an addict is something to aspire to per se but I get where they were going. Next, I'm not sure you can teach someone in any number of steps to become an exercise addict.  Not everyone does or will love exercise but surely you can find ways to make it more appealing, thus making it part of your regular routine.  I can say that it has taken me literally years to find what works the best for me.  I've done the gym thing, spending time on cardio equipment and then making the rounds on the machines.  I was bored to death.  And it seemed like it took forever. Both times I started with a workout buddy (which did make it enjoyable for me) and both times the workout buddies canceled frequently (I would still go) or bailed all together.  I'd suck it up and go it alone for several months but eventually I too would bail.  Workout buddies (in my world) have been hard to come by and I was unsuccessful at replacing them. I still forced myself to do it for a while but then when life got in the way and I was unable to go for a week or two (or after an extensive recovery from bilateral bunionectomies) at some point, that was the end of that.  I've had two separate rounds of that scenario over the past 4 years.

My next attempt to find what I loved was to take a class.  I signed up for one called Willpower and Grace (it's an actual thing where the instructors get a specific certification to teach it).  Well, that totally sucked.  I'm not sure exactly what I hated about it so much (aside from the fact that it was summer and the class took place on the second floor of the municipal building, which is an old school and there was no AC and the window was stuck shut....).  It seemed like endless squats and I don't even know what else but my knees hurt through the whole thing.  I stuck it out through most of the 10 classes but I think I skipped the last one when it got up to 99 degrees.  Enough was enough.

At some point I started running.  I think it was during my second stint at the gym when a friend convinced me in January to run a 4 mile race in March.  Since it was my first race ever, that definitely kept me in the gym longer preparing for that.  From there I kept running, signing up for 5k's, mud run's and such to keep me going.  I did this for three years.  Never did I fall in love or even remotely become addicted to running.  I just did it because I knew it was important to be active and I was able to convince some of my friends to do it too.

Still searching for something I liked, I signed up for a Zumba class.  Well if that wasn't one of my worst ideas... The first class or two I felt completely lost trying to follow the hip swinging, salsa footwork mixed with aerobics class moves that my super charged up, amazingly fit, could pass for a Latino superstar (she's Italian) instructor made look so easy.  But I figured I'd do my best and as long as I kept moving I was still getting something out of it even if I was always moving in the opposite direction of the rest of the class.  My good attitude lasted for about two, maybe three of the ten classes I had paid for and steadily dwindled from there. Don't get me wrong, this was a tough workout.  I sweat my butt off and I was really sore the day after for a couple of weeks, but this dance stuff was not my bag.

I continued to suffer through the running.  I found some podcasts I liked, that helped.

Then I found a Boot Camp class and signed up for that.  Finally I found something I liked!  It was far from boring, the hour flew by, it was challenging and I even felt athletic rather than pathetic while I was there.  The only problem was this was only two days a week.  I would have loved at least three just to really feel like I was improving my fitness level. This was a class offered through the town so it was only for six weeks?  Maybe eight.  I can't remember.  Either way it was short lived.

Next I joined a gym that offered classes like boot camp, cardio kick-boxing, R.I.P.P.E.D and so on.  The classes were/are super crowded and not at the best time for my schedule so I've only gone to a handful of those.  Last summer a friend asked me if I wanted to go to an Insanity class with her so I did.  Insanity is one of those workouts you see on t.v. infomercials with Shaun T, but this was a live class taught by a certified Insanity instructor (who happens to also teach that previously mentioned Zumba class).  I really liked the class despite the fact that I thought I might die during the full grueling hour of high intensity intervals.  I went back for more the next week.  And another time after that.  I guess that's when I got turned on to T25.  This is another Shaun T program that you see on the infomercials.  Its 11 DVDs (I think).  The workouts are not boring at all, totally challenging (still cannot do a one armed burpee to save my life) and they're only 25 minutes.  It comes with a 10 week schedule to tell you which workouts to do which days.  You do 6 workouts over five days of the week (one day you do a double).  I'm pretty sure most people can find 25 minutes a day to work hard and do something good for yourself.  It was next to impossible to come up with an excuse not to do it (or a good one anyway).  There were a couple of times that I switched my workout day with a rest day to accommodate whatever, but that's no biggie.  I was still able to do all six each week for 10 weeks.  Nelsy did it too (and he works a regular full time 9-5 job).  I definitely feel stronger and see noticeable changes in my body composition.  I'm still doing the workouts even though I "finished" the program.  I am going to continue to run occasionally (that pain in the neck 4 mile race is coming up in March) but I'm feeling so good about finding my exercise niche.

I'm far from addicted but I do like it so I don't have any trouble getting it done and feel really good when it's over!  One of the reasons I decided to get certified as a Health Coach is because I get it.  I get that not everyone loves exercise, I get that people have a variety of obstacles and challenges that prevent them from making a lifestyle change.  I get that not everyone wants to eat nothing but nuts and seeds and meal replacement shakes.  And not everyone thinks they can make or know how to make the changes they need to be healthier.  I think (I know) that people can greatly improve their health by practicing moderation, getting active in whatever form is most enjoyable to them and learning some strategies to avoid pitfalls.  Sometimes you just have to keep trying until you find your thing.  And when you do, stick with it.  And remember, you're still benefiting from all the stuff you try out but don't love (providing you don't quit right away!).  So if you're not addicted to exercise or don't even like it, get creative, try new things and most importantly Don't Stop Trying!

For The Love Of Friends and Family

So Saturday was the Paige's Butterfly run in Syracuse, our second race where we attempted to coral our friends to run or walk.  Like November's Jingle Bell run, we did pretty well I'd say.  This time of year it gets a little tricky because the kids all have sports and what not (we skipped a few things to do this but it was worth it).  I think its really great to get out there with your friends and family that you usually gather around food and drinks with to do something healthy together.  I was having fun with the photo editing so I thought I'd share a few pictures from the day.

This is my sister Ouije and I.  You've seen her before.  She's really a trooper when it comes to this stuff.  It wasn't all that long ago that she could be quoted saying things like "Running is bad for you!" an so on.  In the past couple of years she's decided that as an "older " parent (became a mom at 40) that it's time to get her butt in gear to live a nice long healthy life for her boy Chase.  We always take a pre-race photo.  In case one of us doesn't make it I suppose.  Just kidding.

This is Phoebe and her friend MacKenzie.  This was their second 5k in two weeks!  These little girls are impressive indeed.

These three cuties where geared up to run their first 3k.  Chase, Hayden and Sammi.

Here's me nearing the finish line.  I was working hard to beat last year's time, but also very focused on beating this guy.  Sometimes I just need to set my sights on someone and go for it.

Check it out, neck and neck with that guy.

Honestly, I'm not sure how its panned out but I'm pretty sure I'm beating him.

Here we have Rob, MacKenzie and Phoebe bringing it on home!  Phoebe's looking good, beat her time from Memorial day by 1 second (what are the odds?).

Here comes Ouije! Busting out the high fives for everyone.  She's such a celebrity.  Unfortunately there is no picture of Heather coming in because she was 5 seconds behind me and Melanie (who was taking pictures) had no clue where she was!  Next time Mrs. B!

Woot Woot! Here's PJ finishing his first 5k! This is a big accomplishment, especially when he had to overcome stress fractures before being able to really train for it. 

Here's MacKenzie's mom, Amy.  How does she keep her hair so cute after 3 sweaty, muggy miles?  I always have an Afro when I'm done.

I've been friends with PJ since about 5th grade.  We've never done anything healthy together until this year.  Sorry, I'm cracking myself up. Look how happy he is!

Ouije and I like to take an "after" picture too.  Just to prove we survived it.  After the 5k was the 3k walk/run.  Everybody participated in that one (except Ouije and Phoebe who were on photo duty).

Here's Haydo busting it out at the end of his 3k!

He and Nels had a pretty tight race to the finish! (Yes, Nelsy ran two races, one with each kid.)

Run Chase RUN!!!!!! I love this picture.  I'm pretty sure I need to blow it up and get it printed.

Talk about impressive.  Mike is practically a paraplegic, OK, I'm exaggerating but he has a really bad back and some days are pretty terrible.  He was supposed to walk the 3k but got caught up in all the excitement and decided to try and run.  And run he did.  Here H is meeting him for a high 5 as he nears the finish line (eating Chase's dust).

We all look pretty psyched in this picture.  Jenny's pumping her fist back there, Melanie looks pretty excited, I look like an orangutan.  Not sure what all that was...

One more for the road.  Jenny, Heather, Zoe and Sam.  Nice looking bunch!  Not sure what our next group event is, but I'm sure it will be fun and I'm sure we'll be glad we did it.  Now what are you waiting for? Go make a plan with your crew!

Aack! I almost forgot the Dance Party! Pretty funny stuff.  Gangnam Style.

Spring Fever

Wow.  In a matter of a week our lives went from pretty chill to running around like chickens with a million things to do and places to be.  Things will probably remain this way through June so I have no choice but to plan like crazy for each week to fit in feeding the family real food and squeezing in some exercise amongst all the games, practices, homework, open houses, concerts and God knows what else. Last weekend we had a sleepover, baseball game, two soccer games a 5k and 10 mile race between us.  I'm sure things won't be quite that obnoxious anytime real soon.  I know many of you are always running in 5 directions or have 3 or 4 or 5 kids doing different things at different times (not sure how that works but...).  My best two suggestions for getting through it all without eating a ton of crap and skipping out on physical activity is to sit down on Saturday or Sunday and plan your meals and figure out how to use your time wisely.  I've mentioned this in the past but what better time to squeeze in a run or a walk than when you're sitting at a soccer or lacrosse (or whatever) practice.  I load up the iPod with some interesting pod casts and walk around the fields for an hour or run for 30 min.  I watch the games but do I really need to watch practice too?  Um no. So there you go, he practices soccer and I get ready for whatever next event I have coming up (signing up for races keeps me motivated).

 



 Two weekends ago I went with Phoebe on her Girl Scout outing to Orenda Springs which was a ton of fun and ended up being a great workout to boot.  Here I got strapped into a harness...

While Phoebe climbed this big o'll tree (also harnessed) all the way up to the platform....

Then they had me run and jump until I was swinging through the air and they hoisted me up to where Phoebe was.

I only have video of the real exciting part but Phoebe jumped off the platform and we grabbed hands while hanging and swinging way the heck up there.  This was taken as they were lowering us down.  The real workout came when we did the zip line.  It's a one way street and everyone has to get a piece of the rope and run like mad up the hill to get the zip liners back on the ground.  I was very sore the next day after running up the hill about 5 times.

 This past weekend my sister Ouije and I did the Color Me Rad 5k.  This was family friendly, non competitive and a lot of fun.  I mean, I've never seen Ouije get so enthusiastic about running.  See how nice and clean we started out?  This, like most 5k's, was a fundraiser and you can walk or run.  I really recommend trying these things out, even if you're not a runner.  The vibe is great, everyone is doing something healthy for a cause, and I love the sense of community you get at these things.

And sometimes you get to get down right messy.  Thank goodness for those sunglasses!

The race was not timed, we ran it together and just had fun.  Gather your friends and get out there.  These types of events are going on every single weekend if you search for them.

On Sunday it was Nelsy's turn.  Phoebes whipped up some signage and we headed out to watch him run the Mountain Goat.  10 hilly miles through the City of Syracuse.  No thank you.  I do love to watch though!  I always feel so proud of the runners, crazy as they may seem (I saw one wearing a banana costume).  They seem to be of all ages and abilities.  So impressive.

Here's Nels looking fresh right around mile 4.  Coming in for a high five.  At mile four I would be on my last leg. 

And there he is going down the home stretch.  Way to go Nels!  So the take away here is get active when you can and do what it takes to stay motivated.  I'll tell you there's nothing like a looming 10 miler to get you to the gym every night (sadly, many nights it's after 8pm before Nels makes it to the gym).  I'm staying on track by signing up for a Memorial Day 5k that I'm running with Phoebe and her Running Club, and another on June 8th with a whole bunch of friends and their kids. 

So, lets talk about food for a minute.  When you're making your list, go with things that are quick or can be made ahead.  This is what our week looks like:

M- Turkey Burgers (make them in the am or the night before, pull them from the fridge and toss on the grill when its time to eat.

Tu- A quick pasta dish (there is no shortage of these!), I'll share this one soon...

W- Pizza and salad (Nels is going to cook a chicken tonight while H and I are at soccer that we can use for a couple of dinners, including the pizza.  The kids really dig chicken on the pizza).

Th- We'll use the grilled chicken and have nice big salads with chicken and plenty of veggies.

F- No activities or plans! Yay! We'll figure that one out when we get there.  We have meat from our CSA in the freezer and plenty of produce to some up with something.

All quick meals, nothing from a box or drive through.  It can be done, it just takes a little planning and a little practice.  Good Luck (we all need it!)!

Good Things Come To Those That Move

I've been a little slow with the recipe sharing lately but I've been busy studying for my Health Coach Certification exam.  I'm happy to report that I passed with flying colors and I'm glad to take a break from studying for a while.  Although I do have a bunch of recipes on deck to pass along, today I want to share the most recent gathering of the brunch girls.  A couple of weeks ago on a sunny Sunday afternoon we gathered at my sister's house for a lovely pot luck brunch.

We were shy a couple of brunchers but we had a lovely time and a lovely meal which was not totally exaggerated for a change.  I think we're finally getting the hang of figuring out an appropriate amount of food. 

We started with a beverage and this White Bean and Prosciutto bruschetta that I found on the Food &Wine website.  I did doctor the recipe to my liking and decided after the fact that it is perfectly delicious without the meat.  I'll share my version sometime soon but if you can't wait, check out Food & Wine's website.

I should show you how nice and inviting the table was.  We're not always this fancy at brunch but that sister of mine, well, she can be pretty fancy.

Jenny made us a really nice spinach salad....

Ouije made this Egg Strata that trust me, we could all use the recipe for but she has to dig through her magazines or just put it on paper for us because it is delish!  I love the asparagus in it, yum.

Melanie made a really tasty Carrot Ginger Coconut soup.  She played with this recipe a bit too but if you click on the link, it's pretty close to what she made in her Vitamix blender.

Heather is always good for some sweets, she brought these Irish Cream cupcakes which were just perfect for March. 

So we ate and chatted and discussed our up coming events (wish I could remember what was just said, look at their faces!).  The next big one being The Paige's Butterfly Run which is a 5k in early June.  Missy will be running her first race and we are all bringing our families to either run or walk.  While on the topic of running and exercise we learned that one of our girls had a significant reduction in her cholesterol since she started running a few months ago!  Her total cholesterol went down and her HDL (the good one) went up quite a bit!  I love to hear things like this because it really proves that you can take control of your health.  And talk about your benefits of exercise, listen to this!  One of our girls was diagnosed a few years ago (at age 38) with osteoporosis.  Since that time she has been running and taking a R.I.P.P.E.D. class (interval training boot camp type class) and has since REVERSED her diagnosis.  How awesome is that?  I think sometimes people get too focused on exercise being about "getting skinny" (I'm not a fan of skinny by the way, I prefer healthy over skinny any day) rather than living a nice, long, healthy, comfortable life.  So here's to being able to keep up with our kids and even our grand kids, staying away from preventable diseases and spending our free time doing enjoyable activities and not being laid up,  and not spending our hard earned money on medical bills!  Cheers!

Tis the Season!

Well, I'm happy to report that my grand plan to get a group of friends to get out together for a fitness event was a success!  It took a couple of years (literally) to get everyone on board but we did it!  We all had fun and felt pretty darn good about it too.  The 5k we chose was the Jingle Bell Run/Walk.  It was pretty chilly but nice and sunny.  More importantly, it was flat.  Some of my girls still have a major aversion to hills, but we're (and by that I mean I'm) working on that (them). 

Here's Phoebe and I before the race.  She did the kids fun run with Ella.  She has a very shiny nose.  You could even say it glows.

Here we are toasting with our pre-race Gu.  We thought it might be fun, and make us faster.

This is what my face does when I try to swallow the Gu.  It doesn't taste that bad but the consistency is rather disgusting.

I believe that Ouije shares that sentiment.

So then we headed to the start.  I'm not sure what direction we were going in but I'm pretty certain that these guys were heading south.  Nelsy was going to attempt to get each of us at the finish but things were a little disorganized and he and our friend Josh thought they lost our kids so photos were minimal.

He did however get this young buck coming towards the finish.  I'm not sure if this is Brendan or Ryan but whoever it is looks pretty cool!

Here's a group photo after the race, minus our walkers.  I had to ditch out of there with my poor sick son who was freezing his buns off.

This is Heather after her first 5k! She rocked it.  Like I knew she would.

After the race we met up at our house for a nice brunch.  These two lovely ladies also kicked some 5k butt.

We got our sweet potato waffles made.  These are so good. 

I whipped up a celebratory round of pomegranate and Proseco drinks.  It's important that we get our anti-oxidants in, ya know?

It's all fun and reindeer games around here.

Check out the spread!  I missed a picture of the fritatta muffins that Ouije made (same ones you all went nuts over when I previously posted that recipe).

Kristin (who somehow did not make it into one single photo....I need to work on these things...) made these pumpkin muffins and Heather also made a variety of Weight Watchers muffins. 

This is Jen and her cute baby.  She's so adorable we could've eaten her for brunch (seriously, check out those cheeks!).

Jen made this fabulous roasted vegetable tort.  This was quite a hit.  I will be making one of these sometime!

I will also be making Melanie's Huevos Rancheros some time.  I'm pretty much a sucker for anything that involves black beans and avocados.

So there you have it.  A group of people who normally gather around excessive amounts of food of various degrees of bad for you, CAN gather around a fitness activity and food that is good for you!  We are already talking about next time!