Note to self....

Note to self...Don't go to the gym in the afternoon...you just aren't cut out to deal with it....

I'm a morning gym person.  Since I have a flexible work schedule, I can get my workout in the morning and work in the afternoon.  The only workouts I do in the evenings are boxing classes at LA Boxing (those are the days I double up my workouts).

So when I needed to be at work this morning for an 8am meeting, I decided that I would go to the afternoon cycling class with my favorite teacher.  I always heard her mention she taught the 4:30 pm Wednesday class but never thought anything of it.  But due to the circumstances, I was excited that I could get a good workout in today even with the crimp in my normal routine.

As I turned into the gym, I realized the magnitude of cars. Hmm...I knew at my last gym that the evenings were insane in there but I really didn't think 4:30 would be that bad.  Ok, fine, I'll park 1/2 a mile away from the gym--it will be my warmup....I'm not one of those people who will drive around in the gym parking lot trying to find a parking space.  Yes, I see it often and Yes, when someone is waiting for me to leave I do take my sweet ass time.

Luckily I got there early because the class was packed.  It was Saturday morning packed--only one or two bikes out of 35-40 left open.  And the cycling "crowd" is totally different from my morning classes.  I don't even know how to describe it.  In the morning classes, we chat before class--we know each other because we are there several days a week together.  There's a bond and camaraderie that I like.  We hoot and holler during class when we make it up those tough "hills".  We get into it and we have fun.  Umm yea, not the afternoon class.  No one was talking to each other (other than me, the teacher and 1BB --see previous posts on cycling about 1BB--we have actually bonded now, even though I still think he's wacky!)  Oh wait, one guy asked me how long the class was....I think it was his first time.  He didn't believe me when I told him 60 minutes because I heard him asking someone else shortly after.

At the last minute, this guy came into class and lucky me, there was a bike open next to me.  So I got the short straw and I had to breath in the smoky stench for 60 minutes that was emitting from his body.  Really dude? Did you just smoke a pack of cigarettes on the way to the gym?  Because that is what it smells like.  So disgusting.

The class ends...amazing as usual...an "easy" 550 calorie burn.  And I watch quite a few of these people just leave....no wiping down the bikes, nothing.  They just walk away from the sweat dripping off the handle bars...yes, the chick next to me did.  I almost said something but I decided for once to keep my pie hole shut and made the decision to not go back to the afternoon class.  Which is really why I should have said something...hind sight is 20/20.

I made my way out to my car parked in Siberia....laughing at the lady in the mini van trying to park, almost hitting the car next to her.  So instead of backing up and trying to correct it, she had her young daughter hang halfway out the window and tell her how close she was.  She didn't care that she was close because she made it in and left her van like that.  Not sure if the other person will be able to get into their car....ahhh, gotta love it.  Good thing I was parked in Siberia, not closer in where she was parking.

The good thing is, the class kicked butt, I got my workout in.  Now I can have my salmon and green beans for dinner and chill.  Maybe I deserve a little glass of wine too....

Love this...it's me after every workout....

As Seen on Pinterest..Yonanas!

Pinterest was a great discovery of my friend and she then got me obsessed.  I have found so many wonderful recipes on there, not to mention products.  One of those products is Yonanas.  I had pinned it as something I wanted and my wonderful husband sneaked a look on my Pinterest page before the holidays and bought it for me.

The concept of the machine sounded great but I was skeptical.  Yonanas states "Yonanas tastes just like velvety ice cream! Make delicious, low cost, healthy frozen treats in minutes."  I'm thinking to myself, so I throw some frozen fruit in the machine and I basically get soft serve ice cream? Mmm.  This sounds good.

The first step in the process is to freeze your fruit.    I already had some frozen strawberries and blueberries that I use for my green smoothies.  But my husband was excited about making some banana frozen treats.  The key to using bananas is that you need to have over-ripe, spotted bananas for the best flavor--they are sweeter.  So once they are at that point, peel them, throw them in a bag and freeze them.  They need to freeze for 24 hours before using.

Then the fun begins.  First things first, you have to put a bowl under the machine to catch the yumminess.

Start adding your fruit of choice.  If you want to mix different fruits, then alternate the fruit that you put in.  This time I only did bananas.  You have to apply "gentle" pressure with the plunger they give you.

And the magic happens...it starts to slowly come out in all it's frozen gloriness!

After a couple of minutes time, you have a bowl of a yummy frozen treat.

My husband, who is used to eating Ben & Jerry's, didn't like it as much.  I tried to explain that it doesn't have piles of sugar in it like Ben & Jerry's!

But I love it.  It satisfies my sweet tooth in the evening.  I have done strawberry and banana mixed, which is wonderful.  My favorite is banana and almond butter.  I am a peanut/almond butter addict.  So I made some banana treat, then mixed some almond butter in it after.  So delicious! 

The machine comes with a recipe book, so you can try different frozen treats.  The one I plan on making this week is mint chocolate chip.  You use 2 bananas and 1 oz of frozen mint chocolate chips, which you put through the machine too. 

Check out their website www.yonanas.com 

For all those looking to be healthier, you need this machine in your kitchen!!!  It's easy to use, very easy to clean (SCORE!) and it will satisfy your need to ice cream in the evenings.

No Thanks to New Year Resolutions

I never do New Year Resolutions.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  Shouldn't you be setting goals for yourself throughout the year?  Life is about constantly challenging yourself.  Why wait for the New Year? I think people just set themselves up to fail by doing that. 

The gym was PACKED this morning.  I looked around and saw so many new faces.  I am sure by February-March I will see only a handful of those new faces.  It happens every year.  People make their New Year resolution to get healthy or workout.  They go gang buster at the gym  right after New Year's Day (because why would they start on New Year's Day, hungover?) and they get discouraged because they expect results after a couple of weeks or they get bored.  Another year the resolution is thrown out the door quickly.

I want to make a disclaimer.  You know I am all for people getting healthy and fit.  So I'm not saying people shouldn't get motivated to do that.  But I think people don't do the right research or preparation to make themselves successful. 

Statistics show that getting healthy, getting fit and losing weight are some of the top ten resolutions.  Statistics also show that only 8% actually achieve their resolution goals.  You read that right 8%.  And only 64%  last longer than a month.

This is what I have found that works to meet  goals when focusing on health and fitness:
1. Research--I read a lot of fitness and health magazines.  I research new receipes. I make sure the workouts I do are the best for me.  Knowledge is power.

2. Get help--If you aren't self motivated, work with a trainer.  Meet with a nutritionist.  This will help you stay focuses.  I am self motivated but use both to help me stay on task.

3. Find exercise you like--If you hate using the treadmill, don't!  Try different fitness classes at the gym.  Or go to a yoga, pilates or boxing studio.  Most of the time they will let you try a class for free or at a discounted rate.  You need to find what will motivate you to workout every day.  I love spin class and boxing. Both are high intensity workouts, with pumping music.  But I also do my own workouts.  I hate using the treadmill so I never do.  I alternate days for what workout I do to keep things interesting.

4. Stop making excuses-- It's so easy to make excuses.  I'm to busy to work out; I had to eat at the fast food restaurant because it was quick; I'm to tired to workout after work; I'm too old or I have health issues.....I'm calling BULLSHIT on all those excuses.  Too busy to workout but you found time to relax on the couch  watching tv or spending wasteless time on Facebook?  You had to eat fast food--How about preparing meals ahead of time so you don't make that excuse or get a salad or sandwich at Subway.  Too tired to workout after work?  Workout before work.  Or just go...you will find that once you get to the gym, you aren't so tired anymore. Too old or sick?  I have a 68 year old man in my spin class that is at the gym everyday I am there (6 days a week).  Sick? I know people at the gym who have MS, arthritis, lupus and who are going through chemo.  Bottom line, exercise is good for everyone and make symptoms for a lot less severe.

5. Believe in yourself.  Believe that you can lose weight.  Believe you can get fit.  Everyone can. Stop the excuses.

Love this...

'Tis the Season for Gorging on Cookies!

Many years ago some friends and I started the tradition of a day of Christmas cookie baking.  This meant lots of drinking (helps make the cookies taste better), lots of laughs and many cookies.  Unfortunately, as time goes by, things change.  One friend has moved on with her life and I am not a part of it.  The other passed away 6 years ago.

So as I bake every year since my friend passed away, it's with a heavy heart.  But the wonderful memories of the fun times we had are still there.  I still have the scar on my finger from where I tried to open something with scissors and opened up my finger instead.  And as any big brother would do, my brother had to note that the excessive blood gushing from my finger and the feeling I was going to pass out was because of the drinking that had started at 9a.m.  He was living with me at the time and was our safety monitor/cookie taster.

Two cookies have become a mainstay in my Christmas cookie repertoire.  The first one is the famous Snicker Surprise.  I say famous because over the past 13 years, I have wowed my co-workers with this recipe and they have become addicted to it.  As the holiday season approaches, they would always ask when the Snicker Surprises would show up.

As you can see from the opened up cookie, it has an amazing gooey center--as the cookie bakes, the Snicker melts and becomes this "crack" like substance that everyone becomes addicted to.

They are easy to make, especially if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer.  The Kitchen Aid mixer has to be the best kitchen appliance and the best investment ever.  We have had this mixer for over 10 years and it still in great shape (I hope I haven't just jinxed myself).

The other amazing kitchen tool is this years Christmas gift from an amazing friend (also fellow baker!)  I was so excited to use this over the weekend during my Christmas Cookie Extravaganza.

These have to be the cutest measuring cups and tea/tablespoons I have ever seen!! How can you not be happy while using these!  My friend knows me to well!

Back to the Snicker Surprises.  They have lots of yummy brown sugar, peanut butter, sugar and butter in them....

The aftermath once I add the flour is always disastrous.  I don't use the bowl protector and I usually do a double batch, so things get a bit out of control.  But why bake if you don't have fun and make it messy.

Snicker Surprise Recipe

2 Sticks Butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package Snickers minis

Preheat oven to 300. Combine the butter, peanut butter and sugars using a mixer on a medium speed until light and fluffy.
Slowly add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined.  Then mix in flour, salt and baking soda. 
Cover and chill for 2-3 hours. (I don't always do this. Most of the time I cook right away--the dough will be gooier but still comes out ok!)
Remove and divide into 1tbls pieces and place the Snicker in the center.  Form the dough into a ball around the Snicker.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and cook for about 12 -15 minutes. They are so delicious when they are still a bit warm. 

My other staple is No Bake Oatmeal cookies.  These are my brother's favorite.  He came over on Sunday to try out the batch I've made.  I think he went into a cookie coma shortly after.

These are so easy to make and really quick.  This is how your pot will look as you dump in the initial ingredients.  Please note I was making a double batch--I heard all the gasps when you saw all the sugar!  Still there is a lot of sugar in these but hey, doesn't the peanut butter and oatmeal balance it out??

Here is the finished product, cooling off on the counter.  You will definitely need some counter space for this.  I made the mistake last year of lining my wood dining room table with the wax paper for the no bakes.  Needless to say, I had a big mess of wax residue left on my table after.  Cookies were ok, so says my brother.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups of quick-cooking oatmeal

In large saucepan, combine sugar, milk, cocoa, salt and butter and mix well.  Bring to a boil and cover saucepan for 30 seconds to allow steam to wash sugar crystals down sides of pan.  Stir mixture and bring it to a boil that can't be stirred down for a minute.  Then remove from the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.  Add oatmeal and mix well.  Immediately drop by spoonfuls (I use my Pampered Chef melon baller which works wonderfully!!) onto waxed paper.  Let cool completely and store in a tightly covered container.

Even though I indulge in my cookies during the holidays, I make sure I stay on track with my workouts.  Makes me less guilty about the cookie gorging!!

So as you indulge this holiday says and you don't feel like working out.... remember...

80's Rewind

I am a child of the 80's and I still love the 80's--the music, the movies, the clothing...ok, some of the clothing.

The 80's are definitely making a comeback right now through clothing.  I have to say, I am quite excited about some of the styles coming back.

One of my most favorite things is the tight, colored jeans.  I still remember these hot pink tight jeans I had that I wore all the time.  I even had these floral shoes that I'd wear with them. (That may not have been the best decision, looking back on it now).  So when I saw the colored jeans back in the store, I had to get some!  I am a proud owner of purple and red ones.

The other jean style revival from the 80's is the patterned jeans.  Even though I could go crazy buy different ones, I used restraint and only polka dot ones.  I LOVE THEM!!!!!  How can you not be happy wearing some fun colored or patterned jeans???

Another style trend that I am loving is the leg warmers. Gone are the days of the Flashdance/Jane Fonda/Fame style leg warmers. (Even though I have to say that back in the day, I had some cool red leg warmers with white flecks in them that were pretty cool.)

Now the "leg warmers" are mostly called boot socks and are to be warn with knee high boots.  The fun of it is to let the tops of them stick out and it looks cute.  I am obsessed.  A friend and I hit Nordie Rack a couple of weeks ago and got great deals on very cute boot socks.  I'll try not to combine my purple jeans with my ruffled boot socks---that may be an 80's overkill.

All this 80's style got me very nostalgic to 80's music.  I listen to 80's alternative and punk on a regular basis still.  But I went through my iPod and put together a playlist for the gym of songs I hadn't listened to for a while.  This playlist gets me pumped, energized and just down right happy!!! (And for those of you who want to get technical, some of these may be early 90's but I can't really remember.  Late 80's--early 90's kind of ran together--what can I say; I was a college student then!)

Jump Around--House of Pain
Rump Shaker--Wreckx-n-Effect
Push It--Salt N Pepa
Wild Thing--Tone Loc
U Can't Touch This--MC Hammer
Humpty Dance--Digital Underground
Supersonic--J.J. Fad
Jam On It--Newcleus
It's Tricky--Run D.M.C
Pop Goes the Weasel--K7
Brass Monkey--Beastie Boys
It Takes Two--Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock

**Note how great the band names were back then!!!

Now on to the 80's rewind that I don't like.  What is the deal with Hollywood remaking 80's movies.  It's very upsetting to me.  The originals are just fine and for the children of the 80's, they have a space in our heart.  So when they are remade, it angers me.

When Hollywood remade Footloose a year or so ago, I couldn't believe it.  Sorry but you just can't replace Kevin Bacon as Ren!!  I refuse to watch the movie.  Nothing will top the original.

Recently I went to the movies with my friend that I have known since 6th grade.  So we have grown up through the 80's together--we've seen all the 80's movies that are dear to our hearts together.  We were horrified when we saw the movie poster for Red Dawn in the theater.  CLASSIC MOVIE!!!  I mean, hello!!! How can you go wrong with Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson, C. Thomas Howell, and Charlie Sheen (pre craziness).

What are they going to do next--remake Pretty in Pink or Sixteen Candles??? (Hollywood, if you do, I know all the lines and I have red hair-hint hint.)


This is totally me:

Never Say Never

The holiday season is bearing upon us and the stores are in a frenzy today for Black Friday. 

Yesterday as I was driving out to my dad's for Thanksgiving, my brother asked me if I was going to go do some Thanksgiving eve or Black Friday shopping.  I went on a mini-tirade about how it's crazy that people go out in the frenzy.  I said there is nothing I need that badly that I would risk being trampled.  Many news reports note that a lot of these door buster "deals" aren't really deals. 

Fast forward to me sitting on my dad's couch before dinner, looking at the ads to check out these "deals."  The Michael's ad caught my eye.  There were some great deals on scrapbooking stuff that I always use (I am old school and I still scrapbook.)  Plus there was Christmas wrap and some children creative art kits on sale.  Hmmm.... my mind started churning.  Then I notice the 30% off the total purchase coupon.  And the fact that they were open on Thanksgiving from 4-11pm. 

Me: "Dad!  Do you mind if I take this coupon just in case I decide to be crazy and go to Michael's tonight"
Dad: "Sure. Whatever. Take it"
My Brother: "Ummmm, didn't you just go on and on in the car about how there is NOTHING that you need that badly to go out today or tomorrow?  How quickly things change."
Me: " Shut up. That was before I saw the Michael's ad.  I don't know if I will actually go but....maybe I'll drive by and check things out"

Fast forward again to halftime of the Cowboys/Redskins game.  I am a Cowboys fan and my brother was taunting me about the touchdown that the Redskins had just scored.(Older brothers....good grief!)  I was grumpy and full from eating too much.  All I could think about was heading home and crawling into bed.  My brother asks if I was still up for my Michael's adventure as we got on the road back home.  I was wavering at that point.

Our half hour drive was pretty uneventful and there weren't that many people on the road at 6:30pm.  I started to rethink my Michael's trip.  I didn't really feel up to going home and watching the rest of the game.  Maybe a little shopping would cheer me up.  Decision made. 

I dropped off my brother and headed over to the shopping center where Michael's is.  I was worried what it would be like, as the Walmart, Target and Best Buy are right there also.  But I don't think they were opening until 8pm, so I feel confident that maybe things would be good.  And I was right.  There was no traffic getting into the shopping center.  I pulled in front of Michael's and there were 5 other cars there.  WHAT????  How could I be so lucky!!

I was walking in with another lady and she turned to me....Do you feel weird about being here on Thanksgiving? she asks me.  I said yes. I'm glad someone else feels the same way! 

It was amazing in there.  Holiday candles, check.  Christmas presents for the kids in the family, check. Wrapping paper, check.  Scrapbooking goodies, check check check.  Easy check out, check.  Huge savings, CHECK!!!! 

I felt like I was on some kind of crazy high when I got home.  I was so excited about how much I saved and excited about all the amazing stuff I got!  I can kind of see now why people go out to get the deals, even though I would never be able to deal with the crowds!

I'm not saying I would do it again because I think I was very lucky in my experience.  But NEVER SAY NEVER!

Healthy Motivation for the Day (It was an amazing day out today and after my gorge yesterday, I went for a 2 hour walk with a good friend.  Not a better way to feel energized again!)

C'MON MAN! Part Deux

My previous C'MON MAN posting was fun to do, so as I go through my days and something comes up where I'm saying, C'MON MAN, I am keeping track to fill up a new posting.  I have to say that living in Northern Virginia, I pretty much saying C'MON MAN all the time, especially while driving.

Part Deux of C'MON MAN, fiery wench style (meaning, not sport related like the "real" C'MON MAN)

This first one is actually about me.  Yes, I do say C'MON MAN to myself more than you would know!  For about the first week or so after getting my hair dyed it's fiery red, I have the issue of the color bleeding.  Usually this is just bad after washing my hair.  But since my head gets so sweaty while working out, it also will bleed because of the sweat.  So unfortunately for the gym, I use their white towels while working out to wipe my head, face and neck constantly.  At the end of the workout, the white towel now looks like I've used it to clean up a crime scene and is all streaked with red.  I'm not talking lightly; it's pretty major.  Every time, I say to myself... SELF!  You need to bring your own towel.  That is just disturbing and gross.  But here we are again, a week after getting my hair done and I left the gym with another crime scene towel this morning.  C'MON MAN!

As you all know, the time changed two weeks ago, so now we are plunged into darkness at 5pm now.  It's horrible and I hate this time of year.  What I hate more is the fact that people seem to "forget" that it's dark earlier when they are driving and are driving around without their headlights on.  C'MON MAN! Use your brain!  How can you see?  I was leaving boxing the other night at 5:15 and almost pulled into a black car without their headlights on.  Hello! I cant see you!  (Just so you know, the parking lot I am pulling out of backs to trees so there really isn't extra lights around in case you were saying C'MON MAN to me for not being able to see in a shopping area). Headlights are put on the car for a reason....use them.

Tuesday I pulled into the gym for my spin class and a lady was sitting in her car smoking.  Since there is a liquor store right by my gym (yes, exciting and convenient), I wasn't sure if she was waiting for them to open or something.  Nope...she just needed those couple extra drags off her cancer stick before coming in to the gym to pump some iron.  C'MON MAN!  Fine, that is the choice that you make and good for you to be coming to the gym.  But can you please curb the smoking until after your workout?  Smokers don't realize they stink.  STINK!  (I can say this as having smoked for quite a few years).  So when someone is working out near me stinking of cigarette smell, it's very nauseating!

Once upon a time, the retailers would start the holiday season after Thanksgiving.  Then over the last several years it edged to around Halloween.  But noooo.....2 months of holiday decorations and music just isn't enough anymore.  I was in Target two weeks before Halloween and they had out there decorations.  I got very confused all of the sudden.  Did I miss a month? I know time flies but is my memory going that I totally missed the end of October and most of November?  As I walked further two aisles, I saw all the Halloween decorations.  Nice that all these holidays can get along and live side by side in harmony.  But that didn't push me over the edge (it was close).  On Monday, I was out with a friend in a town center by us and we both stopped at the same time as we heard the wafting of Christmas music.  We looked at each other, as we needed to confirm that we were hearing the same thing.  Yes, indeed it was Christmas music.  I may also point out that it was a gorgeous day and was about 70 degrees out, which made the music even more intolerable.  Why why why do they have to start playing Christmas music so early?  Starting it at Thanksgiving always gave me a headache but now two weeks before? C'MON MAN!  Stop pushing it.  The holidays stress me out, plain and simple.  The pressures of present buying, spending all this money... trying to see all the family and make everyone happy.  It's too much.  But now the retailers have to remind me so much earlier?  I hate it.  Will we be seeing the retailers decorating at Labor Day next year?

Fitness/Healthy Tip for the day