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...