I DID IT!!!

The Fun Run at the Son's school was totally hard, completely fun and amazingly satisfying!

Not only was his was my 6 month goal but it was my first competitive athletic event ever, if you don't count Field Day in elementary school and I did it. I finished 109 out of about 200, I think that's pretty good.

The only disappointing part was that my family couldn't be there. My Son got a stomach virus the day before and had to stay home but he cheered me on over the phone before hand and he was the first person I talked to when I was finished. He had high hopes that I would win the entire race but I just wanted to finish and I did. I brought him home a medal for being the best inspiration ever.

The race itself was pretty tough I have to say, the course had a lot of hills, a few not very long but quite steep or with a curve in the middle. There was also a group of guest runners who threw me off a little at the beginning with their amazing speed. I knew this group was serious as they all stood there in worn out Newton running shoes which are only available at one place in Costa Rica. We were all at the same point for the start and within 10 seconds they were already 500 meters ahead and hitting the first corner. It started to throw my pace off and then i just settled in and reminded myself not to watch other runners. I kept my pace comfortable and never had to walk like many other people did.

I will admit I did look back a few times to see what was happening behind me but it was mostly to make sure that the ambulance wasn't right behind me. I didn't want to be the very last runner and I wasn't.

The entire experience was really fun and I can't wait to do it again next year. I figure if I can be in the middle group of finishers after 6 months of training I should be able to crack the top 50 after a year of training.

I have another race in March, a 5k.
I'm going to stick with that distance for awhile.

xoxo
martha

!!!REVIEW!!! Tracie Long Training

So after owning Tracie Long Training's DVD Better Burn Better Buns  for at least 2 months I finally set out to get some Better Buns this morning. 

First let me say that you definitely need to review this one, at least once before attempting. It is very choreographed and if you don't pick up change ups or dance moves quickly this will become frustrating fast.

The workout itself is pretty long, it runs 55 minutes but is very varied which is really nice. I can't really tell how much of a sweat it worked up since I am one of those uncoordinated people who needs to do something a couple of times, especially with a new workout. 

Tracie uses some really fun and different moves in this video which keep it interesting. You transition from warm-up to cardio to abs floor work to some sliding stuff, lots of med ball moves. I am not usually one for those sliding moves that require a rag or a slippery disk on the floor but she made it fun and safe. 

I think the next time I do this DVD I will work up a serious sweat. Again the routine is very inventive and different from a lot of others I've seen. In particular there is a skater sequence which, after I get the moves down a bit more, should be a real ass burner.

There are two other women in the video, one who dies modifications and one who performs the higher impact versions of the exercises so you can switch it up to suit how you're feeling or adjust to your level of fitness.

Tracie also sets up this video so you don't really need to much equipment, a mini med ball, a mat, a couple of rags for the slide moves but you do need a solid hour if you want to do the entire video.

All in all it's a keeper with lasting power. I will be revisiting this DVD often as well as checking out some of Tracie's other videos.

4 out of 5 Luv Muffins

enjoy!

martha

motivation

Sometimes you just have to do it, break the tired old cycle and get yourself back on track. Tonight I started that. I have been running very regularly and hitting the gym, semi regularly but I haven't been doing too much at home and I needed to. How much I needed to I realized tonight when I revisited Tom Holland's Total Body Workout. 

I had been feeling a bit lazy lately and uninspired and I couldn't figure out why. I still don't know why I've been feeling this way but tonight I broke the cycle and got some DVD action happening again. I have a stack of DVDs piled up that need reviewing so I'm going to try to do a different one at least every other day, got to leave room for the unpredictable family life so I don't want to say everyday.

Tomorrow I'm heading to the gym early to get in some swim time. I have been trying to add a 1/2 hour of pool time to my week and for the past 3 weeks it has worked out. Swimming is one of those sports that wipes you out but feels really good.  It also works a bunch of muscle groups you might not otherwise use so it really balances your entire workout program nicely.

All for now, keep an eye out for new reviews.

more later.

martha

Fun Run and Dominical Road Race

We just got back from a fantastic weekend at our friends Jess and Sean's place out on the Pacific coast. 

The weather was perfect and they have a really amazing home/view/pool.

And while there some folks who came by had flyers for a 5k road race in March so we all decided to run it together, should be tons of fun. We will also be picking up a cutie-patootie new beagle puppy since their little darling Sparkle is about the give birth any second now.

I got my first email regarding the CDS Fun Run today. It will be February 22 and they warned that it was a hill course. I'm going to spend the next few weeks trying to lengthen my regular run. I figure I can handle the hills a bit better if I can run farther, kind of shift the strength from distance into endurance, maybe it will work, or maybe I'll feel like I'm going to die. The hill the the finish line is really long and steep so it should be really interesting.

In the next week I will be posting a review of at least one Tracie Long DVD and a new recipe.

more later.

martha

Grilled Marinated Eggplant

!!!RECIPE!!!

This is a very simple recipe with a lot of flavor and yumminess.

Ingredients:

2-3 medium sized eggplants

olive oil

garlic

thyme

oregano

red pepper flakes

vinegar (red wine vinegar works well but any kind you like will do)

salt and pepper

Sterilize a large (3 cup) wide mouth  jar by placing it in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

Cut the ends off the eggplant then slice the eggplant the long way, about 1/4 inch thick. This is kind of a pain if you don't cut a flat end onto it first.

In a sauce pan bring 1/2 cup water and 2 cups vinegar to a boil. PUt several slices of eggplant into the boiling water until slightly translucent, about 1 minute. Drain on a paper towel or kitchen cloth. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

In a small bowl mic salt pepper, garlic, thyme, oregano and pepper flake. Use amount that suit your taste. You will need about 3 tablespoons total volume.

On an outdoor grill or stove top, grill the eggplant slices until browned. I use a cast iron grill pan which has ridges that put nice lines onto everything that cooks in it but you an use a cast iron skillet or a rack in the oven.

Place a pinch of seasoning into the jar, layer several slices of eggplant on top and repeat until all the eggplant and seasoning has been used.

Now cover the eggplant with olive oil. You can also use a combination like sunflower and olive, just make sure that whatever you use doesn't have a flavor or it will interfere with the yummy olive oil taste.

Place in the refrigerator for at least a day, 2 to 3 days in better.

enjoy!

martha

avoidance and motivation

Yes, I know, I am a bad blogger. 

This entire month has been a wash. I can blame it on the holidays or school vacation for The Son keeping me busy but the truth is I just haven't felt like it. I have been slightly avoiding it because I have felt off my mark for a few weeks.

Time for a new Daily Calender!!! Woohoo!

Whenever I get this kind of malaise I do one of, or both of, two things. 

I create a new calendar and I organize something, could be my closet, could be the giant toy pile or just throwing out a ton of loose papers that are in a sliding stack on my counter.

Tomorrow is a calendar day. The Son goes back to school early next week so that frees up some daytime for the gym or errands or whatever. Which is great for incorporating the Women's Health Ultimate Fitness Plan 2009 into my regular workout routine. It's great, it got a few parts which including 2 different sets of weights moves and interval training using your choice of cardio. Check it out HERE.

I have a few reviews I am working on, some stuff from Tom Holland and Tracie Long as well as a recipe or two.

more later.

martha

Happy New Year!

2009!

It's here and the past is past. I never make resolutions out loud. I usually take some time to look at last year, think about what I accomplished, where I didn't finish something and how I can change that but I never make a specific New Year's resolution.

I am, however, getting back on a schedule of exercise and nutrition effective immediately. The holidays kill me, all the food, less exercise (though this year was better than most), cold weather and too much traveling.

Fruits and vegetables, fish and grains, throw in some Super Foods ad everything should be normal again in a week or so.

The Husband got me a Polar HR Monitor for Christmas, I've used it twice, it's totally fun. You can track all kids of stuff with it, HR, calories, time, zone time, etc. There's some sort of website companion feature but the application seems to only be for PC so I haven't tried it yet.

I am hoping to get some gym time on this week/weekend. I need to reassess my current routine and update and/or change it to get reinvigorated.

I should have a few new reviews coming soon and possible a product review. as well, I will have some new recipes and articles in the not too distant future.

All for now.

martha

white christmas

Merry, Happy and Shalom!

So I arrived in the Great White North to a wintery wonderland that froze me to the bone but made The Son incredibly happy and that's what counts!

For running outside it's tough. I got in a good day on Wednesday, it warmed up to a blistering 35-40 degrees and was sunny. It was clear but windy, after a few blocks I was warmed up enough but it's super strange to breath in icy cold air.

I went to the Y in Westboro today to meet up with my friend Karen. They have a really nice facility with an indoor track which was WAY nicer than running outside in the frigidity.

Unfortunately the days are flying by and we leave soon to head back home. I'll be happy to get back but it's always too short a visit, we never seem to be able to get in everything we want to but things have been nice.

Off for another visit.

more later,

martha

hills and holidays

Well I finally shook the bronchitis, it's gone, all the way, it only took about 2 weeks but it's gone.

I got back to normal running over the course of last week after a few days of serious lung burn and today I switched up my route and took a huge hill that a friend had recommended, it was a serious ass burner but luckily levels out at just the right time.

I found a few interesting articles that I thought I would share. Here are the links:

Double Your Strength by Slowing Down

14 Natural Remedies

Beyond Guacamole

New Study Ties Hormone Treatments to Breast Cancer

I'm hoping, that this week I can start adding some resistance training back into my routine, that bout of illness really threw me off and I can feel a potential backslide coming on which I really want to nip in the bud immediately. I also need to get back into my yoga groove. The Baby has been getting up earlier and so that threw off my morning stretch ad I have been studying for a project in the evening which has been throwing that off. I need to regroup and reconfigure in order to get it back to regular I think.

Last Friday I made Christmas tamales with friends. This is a Costa Rican tradition. Basically, you get together with your family and make a mountain of tamales and then give them out to your neighbors and friends, they are really delicious and filled with tons of fat and a chunk of pork with veggies and rice and fat, did I mention they have a lot of fat and they are delicious?

I'll be running off tamales for the next couple of week for sure.

more later...

martha

cough, cough, brrr

My friend didn't bring me the magical cough syrup because the guy at the macrobiotico 

(natural remedies store) said that since I am still nursing the herbs would upset the baby's stomach. This prompted me to go to the doctor because I was miserable and low and

behold I have bronchitis. They took blood and x-rays and gave me a shot in the arse. I feel much better now, I have been on medication for 4 days or so. 

I went running this morning and had to walk a 1/4 of the way because my lungs just couldn't keep up. Little by little I guess, until I'm fully healed, but I'll tell you it was nice to get out there. Not exercising for a week is hard and I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get going again. 

In about 2 weeks we head to the Great White (or More Likely Just Terribly Cold) North for holiday cheer, drama and food. I am excited to see the family but it's hard to go be inside for a week. I'm hoping it's dry so I can still go out and run, there is a really nice park near the parents house. It will look like one of these pictures while we are there and in the Northeast you never can tell which it will be, their weather is totally schizophrenic.

I haven't run in cold weather before so I have been dorking out on runners websites looking into what I need to know. Basically it's the same as running in the tropics but with more layers. For example, drink lots of water, use sunblock, don't try to add miles or speed when getting acclimated. I just need to wear tights or long-johns under my shorts I think. I think it won't be too bad if it's dry. 

If it's wet, well, we'll see...

martha

cough, cough and protein

I have been totally sick with some kind of respiratory annoyance for the past few days. I think it is getting better, a friend is going to get me some natural herbal cough syrup that she swears by so I am hopeful to be out running in the morning. 

So that's the cough, cough, now onto Protein.

I only eat seafood and fish but lately am concerned that I am not getting enough protein for the amount of exercise I am doing. I have been tracking my nutrition with my GYMINEE account and have definitely been low on the protein numbers, like, less than half of what I should be getting which is really not to great, especially since protein is essential to build and repair muscle tissue. Protein allows muscles to contract, gain in size, and increase in strength and if you aren't getting enough protein your body takes it from your muscles leading to muscle loss. 

Of course now I am monitoring it more closely so I am going to try a few things to boost it before I make any major changes to my diet, like eating meat. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike meat, I am not really morally opposed to eating meat, I do think the food industry tries to poison us, especially with meat.  I really think it is every person's decision to make on their own. I just go through phases where it honestly, kind of grosses me out. I also have a lot of animals including a pig and lots of chickens so I do feel like a traitor eating them.

What are the options? Well, I could just start eating lean, low fat meats like chicken again and the occasional beef. I could eat more vegetable and fish based protein like tofu and tuna or I could supplement with protein powder. 

Pros and cons.

I don't really want to eat meat so that is pretty much last on my list of options. I did have 

a little bit of turkey last week but I don't really want to make it a regular thing. Last time I got back on the meat wagon it made me pretty sick for a few days and I think the larger expenditure of energy needed to digest meat could be spent doing other things, like running really fast. However, eating some meat would be the more natural, whole food way of getting more protein regularly sooner.

Upping my vegetable and fish based high protein foods would be relatively easy, a handful of garbanzos here, an extra fillet there, should be a no brainer, right? Yes, it should but occasionally, like right now I am kind of sick of everything I eat and am not feeling very creative in the kitchen, maybe that's why the meat thoughts are creeping in?

Whey protein powders are probably the most common supplements being used now. I have read a bit about these and others, there are egg protein powders, soy, and some other stuff. Apparently whey isolate is the best. This stuff is also really expensive and apparently tastes like crap. There are also noted side effects like gas, bloating, and diarrhea, three things I usually try to avoid. Okay, now protein supplements are last on the list.

more later

martha

REVIEW!!!!Total Body Workout

This DVD has been around for a while but I felt it was worth a mention.Tom Holland's Total Body Workout is a great strength training workout that includes cardio and abs. This workout requires hand weights, lots of squats and lunges and other old school moves.

Here's a sample from the workout:
Warm-up-1 minute
Light Stretches

Cardio Interval-30 seconds

Squats-15 reps
Alternating Biceps Curl-12 reps each arm

Plie Squats-15 reps

Alternating Biceps Curl-12 reps each arm
Toe-In Squats -15 reps

Cardio Interval-30 seconds

Crunches-15 reps
Pushups-10 reps
Overhead Shoulder Presses-12 reps

Static Lunges-10 reps each leg
Overhead Shoulder Presses-12 reps
Cardio Interval-30 seconds

It's a really simple set-up with Tom Holland talking you through a traditional progression of resistance training moves in real-time. Tom makes a point of explaining that the video is shot in real-time with no edits, meaning, he is really working out with you. If you like doing DVD workouts at home then you need this one in your library, it's a keeper, I revisit it regularly.

I do have to admit that there is something about this video that makes me laugh until about the 15 minute mark, I don't know if it's the scene/angle choices or Tom Holland's delivery but in the beginning I could hardly stay focused but after a few minutes I was totally into it.

For more information about Tom Holland and his training services, radio shows, etc. CLICK HERE.

To purchase Tom Holland's Total Body Workout CLICK HERE.

More after turkey tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

martha

run, run, run

I know it's better not to quantify workouts as good or bad but I had a GREAT run this morning.
I haven't been able to run for a couple of days because The Son has tonsillitis and The Husband has been out of town so I was really happy to get out on the road this morning. I seriously felt like I could have run for hours. It wasn't too hot or windy this morning and there wasn't much traffic.I was able to get in a few extra hills which will be good for the Fun Run since it's in a part of town which is ALL hills. Perhaps it's time to add some more distance onto my run, I've been pretty conservative about this because I didn't want to hurt myself. Maybe now is the time.

Also, I have a few REVIEWS of DVDs and online fitness communities posting soon.

more later,
martha

holidaze

I seriously have no idea where time is going right now. For the past week, at least, I have felt somewhat disconnected and a little scatter brained. Perhaps it's the holidays rushing to meet me, maybe it's the seasons changing here, could be some kind of breast feeding hormonal thing, I really don't know but it's starting to annoy me.

So what to do? Tomorrow I am going to calendar the next month, get things back on track or at least make myself feel that they are. I think I will be really happy when the month long holiday break kicks in for The Son. A full reset will do the body/mind good.

Regardless of my molasses brain this week I have been working pretty hard at keeping up the workout schedule/physical activities. This past week was a little slow but all in all it's become a regular part of life. I run almost everyday, on off days I totally miss it and look forward to it. 

As part of my calendar I'm going to update my workout schedule. I am feeling a bit plateaued and think I need to mix it up. I also need to get more yoga happening again. 

Okay so I'm rambling a bit but here are some links to articles about SUPER FOODS:

Super Healing Foods Index

What Makes Super Foods, Super?

Veggies A-Z

All for now, let's hope that after my little mental pring cleaning tomorrow I can get things back on track.
xoxo
martha

beef and booze and presents! oh my!

I've been thinking about food a lot lately because of Thanksgiving and Christmas being so close. In reflecting on the holidays I have been trying to strategize how to make it thorough this season without:

1. gaining back all the weight I've lost, and never getting rid of it

2. having a heart attack

3. setting myself up for cancer,  or cancer,  or cancer

Yes, I know this sounds dramatic but seriously, how totally bad for you is meat. I don't eat meat anymore, I have fish and seafood pretty regularly. I don't dislike meat, or at least I used to like meat, now, honestly, the idea of it makes me a bit queazy. 

My family, who I will be spending Christmas dinner with, eats meat, to me they eat a lot of meat. For Christmas we have a giant beef roast with Yorkshire Pudding and gravy and all sorts of creamed vegetables, it's a veritable feast of butter and cream and it's all super yummy and super bad for you. 

This year I am bringing 2 veggie dishes to share and even though it's cooked in the smoking hot beef fat from the pan I WILL eat some Yorkshire pudding because it is heavenly.

However, as it is perpetually winter where they live and they aren't gym goers I have been, as I said earlier, strategizing. 

How to get the best and avoid the worst at the Christmas feast without going off the deep end?

1. Make a plan, think about your schedule for the holidays. Establish times when you can get in some exercise, even if it's just for a few minutes.

2. Eat before you go to a party or dinner, even a small snack like an apple can keep you from going overboard with the rich foods.

3. At holiday functions look for the healthy snacks first. I know in my family there is always a tray of celery and carrots hiding somewhere behind a cheese ball and dips.

4. Remember that alcoholic drinks usually have a lot of calories, 2 or 3 drinks can equal a meal so go slow on the booze.

5. If traveling to a different town for the holidays, find out what gyms are around your destination and what there holiday schedule is. All gyms will sell you a day or weekly rate. 

6. If staying at a hotel make sure to book one with a gym, most hotels have some kind f fitness center or discounts at gyms nearby. Call ahead and ask.

7. Make sure you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep encourages poor metabolism, get 8 hours whenever possible.

8. Register on any of the fitness websites that have downloadable, printable or streaming workout videos on their websites. Self, Fitness and Women's Health all do. These are great because you can take the workouts with you. There are plenty that don't require equipment so you can get in some activity without too much effort.

9. Don't stress. When feeling taxed by all the running around, shopping, eating, drinking, whatever, just take a deep breath and relax.

10. Enjoy yourself! The holidays don't last very long, so have some fun. It's as good for you as working out.

xoxo

martha

true love

I love chocolate! There I said it, I admit it freely. If there is one food on the planet that I never tire of it's chocolate. I don't really like candy, cookies or cakes, they are okay but chocolate, I truly enjoy. 

So how bad is chocolate really. I remember hearing as a teenager that chocolate gave you zits, which is either untrue or I am now immune to this side-effect because I eat chocolate as often as possible and don't have acne.

It often has a lot of calories for the size of the enjoyment. The bag of Hershey chocolate chips I have in the freezer says that a smidgen 1 Tbsp of chips has 70 calories. It doesn't sound like much until you think about how many chocolate chips are in a tablespoon. I checked, there are about 20. Not a lot when you get a nagging craving for chocolate.

The truth is that chocolate is good for you. Cocoa contains flavonoids which have been shown to prevent heart disease and cancer. However, many of the chocolate products

like candy bars or hot chocolate have been adulterated with alkali (Dutch chocolate) or toms of fats and sugars to boost the flavor and richness. To really get the antioxidant benefits of chocolate you need to choose dark chocolate with a higher cocoa level. And forget about Milk or white chocolate, these don't have the same effect on the body and they are much higher in fat and calories.

Here are a few links to articles that discuss the benefits of dark chocolate:

Is Chocolate Good For You?

Dark Chocolate is Healthy Chocolate

Chocolate Can Do Good Things for Your Heart, Skin and Brains

Remember, even though chocolate has some pretty great health benefit, everything in moderation, especially during the upcoming holidays which always seem to involve a lot of chocolate.

enjoy!

martha

new annex addition

I've posted an update to the Snack Pack Annex   (CLICK HERE) that I started last month. This month has information about stretching, focusing on Self Myofascial Release (SMR). 

If you aren't familiar with SMR then I recommend that you definitely check it out. It is an aspect of flexibility training which can really take you help you in your fitness training or general exercise.

It is a form of soft tissue therapy that incorporates self massage using a foam roller. The process involves a gentle application of pressure to adhesions or "knots" and applying the pressure for a minimum of 20 to 30 seconds. This will stimulate neural activity which will help restore the body to optimum functioning.

SMR can be used pre-warm up or as part of your cool-down.

more later...

martha

weekend round up and recipe

I had a nice run this morning, managed to fit in the Warriors and Goddesses workout and played some basketball with my son. 

This week should be pretty hectic, it's getting closer to the holidays so there is a lot happening of course. This also means lots of eating yummy foods which are totally NOT on the regular diet list and this brings us to today's recipe. 

I will tell you right now this is not a healthy treat if by healthy you mean low in fat. It is made with whole ingredients and by whole I mean BUTTER! No margarine or oil here, I guess you could try to make substitutions but really who wants to do that. 

So here it is, a delicious holiday cookie from Vegetarian Times.

Pistachio-Cherry Sandwich Cookie

1.5 cups shelled pistachios

2 sticks butter, unsalted, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tbs. lemon juice

3 cups al purpose flour

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

.5 tsp. baking powder

.25 tsp. salt

1.25 cups cherry preserves

1. Process pistachios in food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugar in food processor until fluffy. add egg, lemon juice and pulse until combined. Scrape down sides. Add pistachios, flour, lemon zest, baking powder and salt. Pulse until dough clumps together, about 15 seconds. Divide dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and put in refrigerator for an hour or until firm.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Roll out 1 disk on lightly floured parchment until about 1/8 of an inch think. **Transfer parchment with dough to a cookie sheet and place into freezer for about 5 minutes to firm up.

4. Cut out cookies with a 2 inch cutter and place onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Place cookies 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

5. Spread ***1 tsp. preserves on to half of cookies and top with remaining cookies.

NOTES

** I skipped the step of putting the dough in the freezer, my freezer simply isn't big enough. I chilled the dough as disks for about 1.5 hours and worked quickly to roll it and cut it, so it's really up to you if you want to skip this step.

*** I used less than an entire teaspoon of preserves per cookie. I also used just a tiny bit of water to thin the preserves before I filled the cookies.

enjoy!

martha

p.s. Camille, you should be getting some of these tomorrow so watch out!

i've been a bad blogger

Yes I have, I haven't been posting lately and it's for no other reason than forgetting. I got all caught up in the election !!Woohoo Obama!! and with my 1.5 week internet outage I got out of the habit. 

Which is just what can happen when you take a break from exercising. You skip a few days because you get side tracked or have to travel or any other reason/excuse we put on there and BOOM! the next thing you know it's been a month and 5-10-maybe even 15 lbs. have just appeared on your hips and you're left standing there asking yourself what happened. 

Well if you have lived this sort of scenario you know what comes next, hard work to get caught up and back on track, so that's what's happening here. I have a few posts I'm working on, a couple of SUPER yummy recipes, some fun free workouts, a DVD review, and pictures. 

I keep saying it, I know, but really I have pictures!

So hang in there with me, I will be swinging through again to post again later today, tell your friends, your co-workers, yell it from the rooftops!

THE SNACK PACK IS BACK!

xoxo

martha

expanded snack pack

Click HERE for a new annex of The Snack Pack. 

This will be updated regularly if there is interest.

Let me know your thoughts.

xoxo

martha