5 For Friday: New Year's Eve Edition

Happy New Year's Eve! I hope this has been a great year for everyone and you're looking forward to an even better 2011! This week I'm going to look back at a few things that made the year.

1. I spent seven months unemployed, not by choice. In January I was laid off from a job I had held for almost six years, that I loved (even though it stressed me out and I did complain about it), and where I had met most of my best NYC friends. It was tough, however I can also count myself as one of the lucky ones as I began my new job in August.

2. I was injured for a good amount of the year as well. This taught me how much I take my feet for granted and how much I do love to run. I was forced to find new ways to exercise but unfortunately I still gained a few pounds and am working to get them off. I'm back to running, Woody joined me for two races this fall (his first ever) and I have big hopes for next year!

3. Even while unemployed, Woody and I made sure we took a vacation in June. Being mindful of our budget, we spent the week at our family cottage. We also took a long weekend trip to Boston with my family to celebrate my Mom's birthday. Taking time to relax and rejuvenate is important, whether you're working  a 9-5 job or working on finding a job.

4. My Grandfather passed away in May. It's weird that he's not around anymore, but he lived a long life, accomplished incredible things and went amazing places that I can only dream of. In happier life moments: a good friend married her soul mate, my sister gave birth to a beautiful and healthy little girl who has a very proud big brother, and another good friend gave birth to her first, a little boy!

5. Woody and I moved to a new apartment after 3.5 years in our last one and absolutely love it. Then we hosted my parents for Christmas; our first time being hosts for a holiday! I think it went well, even considering that they ended up staying three days longer than expected due to the Holiday Blizzard of 2010!

What were some of the highlights in 2010 for you?

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!

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today's workout -
5.5-6m run
went for my last run of 2010 this morning! not sure how long it was because of a few detours due to snow and ice, but it was still a great run!
3x10 squat/medicine ball toss
3x10 lateral pull downs
100 crunches
stretching

Tips To Get You Out Of Bed And To The Gym (or trail)!

We all know the start of a new year means new goals. It's perfect timing, if you think about it, to make some changes. Right after the holidays and all the holiday treats, we've been thinking about (and experiencing) all the things we have to be thankful for. Why not set new goals?

As long as I can remember it's always been the thing to do - to set a resolution for the new year. Personally I didn't really put much thought into it when I was younger, and sometimes would just say whatever came to mind when someone asked me on New Years Eve. A lot of Americans make resolutions at the start of the year, but even with the best intentions, the majority of them don't follow through for one reason or another. Some of the most common resolutions are to stop smoking, eat healthier and to lose weight. (I'll share my goals for 2011 in a few days)

Most of you probably know that I like to work out in the morning. But this wasn't always the case, it was just necessary. When I started going to the gym after I had moved out to NYC and gained a good bad amount of weight, I recognized that my work schedule wouldn't allow me to exercise at night. I worked late hours and often had shows to go to that wouldn't be over until close to midnight. There was no way I could get to the gym at night on a regular basis.

Instead, I joined a gym (money is always a huge motivator for me since I don't like to waste it) and started waking up a little earlier each morning. Yes, it was helpful that the gym was only a few blocks from my apartment and didn't take long to get to. Not long after I started doing this did I realize that I was feeling better, had more energy throughout the day and my diet naturally changed because I didn't want to ruin my day after I had started it off so well! I then set my alarm a few minutes earlier and would line up outside the gym with several others so we could get in right when they opened at 5:30am. Sometimes it was really tough. I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep, but then I would remember how good I'd feel afterwards and I'd get myself to the gym. Once Woody moved out here, it was even easier. Having someone else waking up with you with the same goal, is great support! Whether I actually would or not, I feel like I would let him down if I went back to sleep after the alarm went off. I don't want him to have to tiptoe around getting ready so I can be lazy and sleep instead. Plus, our walk to the gym together, first thing in the morning when there is hardly another sole around, is our time to be together. Just the two of us. Even if we don't say a word the entire way there.

My tips for anyone who wants to workout in the morning (it's pretty simple):
1. Write down your goal, put it in a place where you'll see it, and make it simple.
2. Set your alarm (or two) a little earlier every few days to gradually get used to waking up earlier.
3. Have your gear out and ready before you go to bed the night before so you'll need less prep time in the morning.
4. Remind yourself why you're getting up as soon as the alarm goes off.
5. Tell someone about your goal and keep them updated on your progress.
6. Have a buddy: either make a date to meet someone at the gym or running path or make a pact to go with someone you live with.
7. Don't plan to go every day of the week. Start out with two or three days a week and if you want, add another day or two, but always have at least one day off.
8. Make it fun! Do something you enjoy when you get to the gym or go running! If you don't like doing it, you'll definitely never like getting up early to do it.
9. Make it a habit. If you only go once a week, every few weeks, it doesn't work. Do it regularly, even from the start.

These easy tips will really help you get moving in the morning and stick with your resolution! After a month of waking up early, treat yourself to something special! Maybe a manicure or new piece of workout gear. Reward yourself (in a healthy way) and celebrate all your accomplishments along the way!

Is getting fit or working out more on your list for 2011? If you get up early to work out, what is your favorite tip?
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today's workout -
50min elliptical
3x10 cable pull push-downs
3x10 leg press
foam roller
stretching

Getting Ready for 2011

I've said it before, I'm a media sponge. Admittedly there are many others who are able to absorb more than I, but I'd un-scientifically estimate that about 90% of my average waking day involves some sort of media.

I watch the news at the gym while I'm on the elliptical. We watch the news getting ready for work. I blog before work and try to read at least one or two others while eating breakfast. A book or magazine is with me during my morning commute. At work I'm on email all day long, both work & personal, I check FB, twitter, and various news sites throughout the day. Right now, I have 10 windows open in Explorer. Once I make it back home we're watching the news or The Daily Show and then whatever other TV show we're addicted to is on that night. And most nights the computer is on after dinner so I can finish reading any articles I didn't get to during the day or new blogs that have been posted. Does this sound familiar?

Over the years I've also signed up for a lot of email newsletters. Unfortunately, most of them are daily and my inbox is filled with more of these than emails from friends or family. They arrive in my work and personal email in-boxes. What's worse is that I want to read them all. If I don't, how do I know what's going on? There is so much information out there and so much happening every moment, I feel lost when I can't read the headlines at the very least just to get a snapshot. It would be impossible to read every article or tweet. Which reminds me, how do people tweet so much every day? Granted, less than a quarter of all twitter users actually use it a lot. But those who do, do a lot! Some days I will tweet frequently, but most days are pretty sporadic. All I hope is that I'm offering worth while tidbits of info (aside from the occasional "it's so cold in here!").

One of my goals for 2011 is to reduce the number of email newsletters I get. But where do I begin to cut?

• AdAge Daily
• MediaVOX
• Ragan's Daily Headlines (PR Industry)
• HARO (yes, this could probably go but it's so interesting to see what people are writing about!)
• NY Times Media Decoder
• ProBlogger Blog Tips
• NY Times Today
• TastingTable NYC
• Vital Juice Everywhere
• Vital Juice New York
• Pop Sugar Daily Digest
• Daily Candy
• Flavorpill
• Jetsetter
• Tablet
• The Beauty Bean
• Eat This, Not That
• Weight Watchers
• Hungry Girl
• Healthy Bitch Daily
• Runner's World
• Women's Health Daily Dose
• New York Road Runners
• Living Social
• Groupon
• And 1 (or 6) retailers and blog feeds

Wow, typing all this out makes me a little nauseous! I have gained at least a few insights from all of these, but there are definitely a few here that I can get rid of. Others though, I just can't part with. I imagine that hitting the 'unsubscribe' button while cleaning out my inbox will be a bit refreshing and will help me start 2011 feeling a bit lighter and my life a little less cluttered. Who knows, I might find a few extra minutes each day that I can reallocate to running or relaxing with my husband!

To be accountable for cleaning out my inboxes, in two weeks I'm going to revisit this post and report on how I've done!

Do you have an unhealthy addiction to media and e-newsletters like I do? Are you planning to lighten your inbox a little come 2011?

(fyi - if you want info on any of these newsletters or websites, just email me or leave a comment)
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today's workout -
40min elliptical
3x10 upright row
3x12 overhead tricep extension
3x10 weighted side bend
3x10 cable pull twists

Weekend Recap: Last of 2010

Yep, I know, this is a day late. I posted pics of the snow yesterday instead, but that doesn't mean I don't want to share my last weekend of 2010! I hope you all had a great weekend, whether you were celebrating the holiday or just relaxing and having fun!

While Woody and I got a nice new Cannon S95 camera for Christmas, I only got a chance to really sit down and play around with it on Sunday, so all my pictures from the weekend are pretty blurry and ugh. But, I did try to get a few to remember our first Christmas hosting family at our place.

Pretty, isn't it?

My parents arrived Thursday evening and we did some last minute food shopping, checked out a couple holiday markets and made a trip to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve Day. For dinner I had prepared the Squash & Chickpea Moroccan Stew the night before so all I had to do was prepare the quinoa and slice the fresh bread we had picked out at the farmer's market.

It was a light but hearty and warm meal. Perfect for the occasion.

Christmas morning I made brunch - my PB&B stuffed french toast! It was pretty late by the time we ate, since we slept in till 10am, but everyone agreed it was worth the wait. Woody made coffee and turkey bacon and we also had fruit salad.

In the afternoon we bundled up and headed out for a little walk around Downtown to show my parents our new neighborhood. We'd been down here another time or two when they had visited, but now we know the area better!

Before I got into cooking dinner, I put together a little spread for the three of them to munch on. Not too bad if I say so myself! Raw almonds, dried apricots and dates, fresh baked pita chips, and peppers with TJ's hummus and a quick and easy bean dip.

Dinner was pork roast with a cranberry chutney, a veggie potato bake, butternut squash and rolls. Can you believe that somehow I didn't get a picture of it? Well, I did, but the quality was so bad I could hardly tell what it was! It turned out well, and that's all that really matters in the end, right?

If you want to read about Sunday and the snow, go HERE. Otherwise, I hope you have a great day!! Oh, and please send good thoughts out for all the people stuck away from their destinations due to the weather! My parents were supposed to fly to Minneapolis yesterday, then this morning, and now not until Thursday afternoon. Here's hoping they get to see my sister and her family before the New Year!
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today's workout -
50min elliptical
3x10 front arm raise
stretching

Oh, Snow

It began snowing yesterday morning around 10:30am. We had trecked over to try brunch at a little place on Chambers called Kitchenette (we all enjoyed our meals, by the way) and not long after we sat down did the snow start. After we ate, Woody and I attempted to show my parents around Tribecca for a bit, but the snow was just annoying and really made it difficult to look at anything. So we stopped at Whole Foods on our way home for a few food stuffs and then hunkered down for the day.

All of the local airports are closed and my parents, who were supposed to fly out today, are now flying out first thing tomorrow morning. They've gone on an adventure around the city in search of holiday windows while I work from home today. But before I started working this morning, Woody and I made our way to the gym (thankfully it's nearby) and this is what we found....

Hopefully I can get out and take a few more pictures before all of this melts! Apparently it may be in the 40's by the end of the week (perfect running weather!).

Do you love or loath the snow?
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today's workout -
50min elliptical
3x10 hammer curl
3x10 bicep curl
3x10 cable pull side twists
stretching

Wishing You and Yours....

Memories of Christmas' Past

My parents arrive this evening from Michigan to celebrate Christmas with us! This means, of course, that I may not post for a few days, so I want to take a quick second to welcome the newest followers and I hope you'll all wander back here after Christmas. I will be posting again next week. (maybe before, you never know!)
When I think of Christmas, a few memories come to mind from over the years.

Christmas when I was young, was usually spent at my Dad's parent's house in East Lansing, only a few minutes drive from our house. The whole family would get together, so we'd have about 19 people in all and 9 of us were young, running around, playing games, jumping in the piles of wrapping paper and the eight of us girls would torment (lovingly) our only boy cousin, who has the misfortune of also being the youngest. I wish I had a picture of the chaos to share. I really need to digitize some of them. Just imagine a big family gathering around a couch with a camera on timer to take a big family photo. Fun stuff.

Some years we actually drove to New Jersey to visit my Mom's parents. That would be 12 hours, in the van. When we were really little my parents would put my sister and me in the van still in our pj's and hope we'd sleep. We knew the mountains of Pennsylvania well. Typically just before we hit Philly my sister and I would be going stir crazy and start singing carols. This could last until we arrived at our Grandparent's driveway. I loved visiting them because it was so different than Michigan. They had interesting neighbors and a big yard. My Grandma would always have a bowl of Hershey kisses in the dining room. My Grandpa always wore the same outfit each day: dark blue work pants and usually, a dark dark blue button down work shirt. Every time we visited he would measure how tall my sister and I were on these sticks of wood he had up against a wall in the basement. His favorite cereal was Sugar Smacks (do they even make that still?) and there was always an Entenmann's coffee cake in the kitchen.

One year we spent Christmas in Key West with my mom's family, staying at a condo. I remember my uncle swinging into a big pond filled with fish from a rope. My sister made a 'Christmas tree' using Christmas lights on the wall. We got Cabbage Patch Dolls with 'real' hair that year.

Another year we spent the holiday at Disney World with my Dad's extended family. All 19 of us! It was the same year we got our new van, picking it up one night and leaving the next day to drive all the way down to Orlando. It was cold at Disney that year and we were glad to have our winter coats with us! It was a little odd celebrating Christmas at a hotel, but it was fun none the less and I am very grateful that our Grandparents took all of us there!

My great-grandma, Mimi, as we called her, would always give us M&M candy canes. You know, those big plastic candy canes filled with M&M's? We can't find them anymore.

The first year I lived out here I missed my connection flight on Christmas Eve in Detroit so my Mom drove to the airport to pick me up and we went straight to Church. This was the last time I took a connecting flight to Lansing. Of course, my luggage didn't get off the plane and I didn't get it until two days later. Unfortunately I was meeting Woody's extended family for the first time on Christmas day. Good thing one of my gifts was a sweater!

We spent one year with Woody's family in Florida. It was the first time I had ever been to a midnight Mass and we had a real Polish Christmas dinner. I have to admit, it was really weird to see green grass and no snow. I definitely prefer a white Christmas, but it was wonderful to be with his Mom, brother and Grandparents. We are excited to visit them in January!

Last year we spent a very cold Christmas in Minnesota, but it was nice to have the family together! It was also fun to see my nephew really enjoying Christmas and all the wrapping paper.

We've celebrated in New York a few times, I even tried cooking a somewhat Polish meal for Woody once, but this is our first time hosting anyone for Christmas. I have been to multiple grocery stores picking up all sorts of items (this is one time when a car would really be useful) and I hope I have thought of everything. I hope my parents have a great time, that we all do. It will be fun to show them around our new neighborhood and hopefully we'll get a little snow while they're here to really make it special!

Today I'll leave you with our Christmas tree!

What are some of your favorite holiday memories?
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today's workout -
50min/5.75mi elliptical
3x12 straight arm raise
3x40sec planks

stretching

I've Been Tagged: The 5 Questions

The other day Jeff over at A Detroit Runner tagged me in a post after he had been tagged by Adam at I am Boring (both great blogs, go check them out. After you finish reading this post, of course!). Jeff lives in my home state of Michigan, so it's fun for me to read of his cold weather running adventures! He's also running a race in the Spring that is on my list of 'must do races,' the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City! Well, I just want to run the half marathon. It will be Jeff's first marathon as he just started running in June 2009.

Anyway... I've done my part and kept the chain going. Read on for the questions and answers....

1. What are you most fond of accomplishing in 2010?
Being patient with my injuries and getting back out there! If you haven't been following for long, I've been injured on and off since the NYC marathon last year and finally started running again in July. I'm still not 100%, but I'm getting close and I'm proud of myself for taking the time I needed to recover.

2. What are your running goals for 2011?
Next year is going to be a big year for me. God willing, I will run at least three half marathons, maybe four. I'm not planning on another marathon (at least not yet) but I do want to increase my mileage and maintain a good level of fitness. I'm also hoping to regain some of the speed I've lost through my injuries.

3. What is your favorite race?
Although I didn't get to run it this year, the NYRR Mini 10K is always a great race. I love running this women's only race that starts along Central Park West before heading into the park. There's tons of energy and the women support each other the entire way. It's also a competitive race that draws elite runners.

4. What is your favorite holiday guilty pleasure?
Basically anything chocolate (but what's new?) and cookies. Oh, the cookies. Thankfully there haven't been too many at the office so I haven't been tempted too often!

5. What was your most embarrassing running moment?
I'm sorry to say that I don't really have any embarrassing moments. Which I think, is a good thing! Although it's not very funny, I am pretty embarrassed that I broke my foot running the marathon. I don't enjoy admitting that, but at least I made it across the finish line!

Okay, now it's my turn to tag a few other bloggers. I hate calling people out because I'd really love to learn more about all of you, so instead I'm going to break the chain (sorry Jeff, I hope you're not disappointed!) and ask that you choose one, or more, of the questions and answer in the comments!

I hope you're all having a great week and if you're traveling for the holidays, please travel safely and breathe deeply if things start getting hectic! You'll get there eventually and have so much to be happy about and thankful for!

I'll leave you with this picture of the Bloomberg Christmas tree

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today's workout -
50min/5.75mi elliptical
3x10 weighted side bends
3x10 squats
foam roller
stretching

Book Review: "Run to Overcome"

I recently finished reading Meb Keflezighi's autobiography and was overcome by his inspirational story. Admittedly, when I opened the book I didn't know much about Meb beyond the fact that in 2009 he was the first American to win the ING New York City Marathon since 1982. While I love to run, I haven't actively sought out a lot of information on elite runners until recently and I was curious to learn about this great runner.

Meb's story is pretty incredible. He and his family really embody the 'American Dream' we've all grown up hearing about. He was born in Eritrea, a country in north east Africa that fought for independence for generations. After years trying, Meb and his family finally made it to America and settled in San Diego when he was 12 years old. His father was the only one in the family who could speak English.

Running came into Meb's life when he was in junior high and had to run a mile in PE. He's competitive by nature and his parents had instilled in him and his siblings from an early age that they were to do everything to their best ability. Needless to say, his life was never the same after that day. His love of running has taken him far and brought great things to him, his family and the Eritrean-American community. He began winning championships in junior high and high school, moving on to UCLA and then USATF, the Olympics and of course, the ING NYC Marathon. His faith and family connections have helped him through the tough times and given him strength to succeed.

The book is in Meb's voice, but was co-written with Dick Patrick. It was a pretty quick read and gives a great look into the life of an elite runner; I learned quite a bit about the industry and found it really interesting. Meb's faith is incredibly important to him and is a large focus throughout the book. Perhaps that also had something to do with the publisher of his book being Tyndale (a publishing house focused on Christian works). All in all, it was a really good book and I highly recommend it for any runner (hint, hint: still looking for a holiday for that runner in your life?).

Click HERE for more information

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today's workout -
(short workout today; the gym opened late this morning so I had to cut my workout by a few minutes and opted to maintain my cardio time)
50min/5.75mi elliptical
foam roller
stretching

Weekend Warrior

We had a busy weekend! I'm kind of exhausted and not everything is done, but I'm really happy about all we accomplished. We even got a little bit of time Sunday evening to relax...a little.

Since I started running again after my latest foot injury, my weekend workouts have mostly just consisted of running and/or yoga. While I was injured and before I started training for the marathon last year, I would extend my weekend workouts to take advantage of the fact that I didn't have to rush to work. Well, I've decided that it's about time I start doing that again. I liked being done with laundry and my cleaning duties on Sunday morning before 11:30am, but if I'm going to drop these few pesky pounds and pump up a little, I have to make some changes.

Last week I added 5 minutes to my time on the elliptical each morning. It's not a lot, but it's something. I also increased the intensity for a portion of the time.

Saturday and Sunday after my runs I came inside and headed to the gym in our building for workout pt 2: core work, stretching, strength training and a little more cardio time.

I felt great and accomplished each morning by the end. Well rounded workouts. Neither were too heavy with the weights, but it's more than I was doing before and on weekends when I'm not quite so busy, then I'll be able to spend a bit more time on it.

Each run was pretty good. I hadn't run since last Saturday, but my legs were really loose Saturday morning. It was pretty cold but the sun was shining brightly and that helped warm me up. Sunday was a different story though. It was a few degrees warmer but also really cloudy so it felt colder. The tights feel great, but they definitely were not enough for the temps. At least not for me. My legs were cold the entire time and my quads started hurting a bit by mile 5. Plus, there was a strong headwind running north along the East River which made it tougher. It was still a pretty good run though and I'm glad I got out there.

On the life side of things, we also got a lot done. A little Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, bought a new table lamp to match one we already have, finally hung some pictures on the walls after four months being in this apartment, wrote some Christmas cards, cleaned the apartment, hit up the last New Amsterdam Market until Spring, spent some quality girl time with Kether and Grace, and cooked two really tasty and healthy dinners for us. And after a busy weekend, we indulged in a little treat my parents sent us: Boomchunkas! (my favorite cookie ever)

I still have some things to do this week before my parents arrive, but I'm confident it will all get done and we'll have a great visit!

How do you deal with the busy holiday season?

The Week Ahead:
book review: "Run to Overcome"
Columbia winter coat & hat review
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Saturday's workout -
6mile run
20min elliptical
3x10 squat/ball throw
125 crunches
3x10 hammer curls
3x10 bicep curls
1x50sec plank
stretching

Sunday's workout -
5.5mile run
20minute elliptical
3x10 weighted side bends
3x10 overhead tricep extension
100 crunches
stretching

today's workout -
50min/5.7mile elliptical
3x10 lateral arm raise
3x10 front arm raise
stretching

5 For Friday

This has been a busy week and unfortunately the weekend looks to be really busy too, so I'm not really sure when I'm going to get some time to rest, but I'm looking forward to Christmas and having my parents visit us for the holiday next weekend.

1. Tuesday night we finally got our Christmas tree. If you're not in New York City, you may not realize how we buy our trees out here. There are Christmas tree stands all around the city on the sidewalks. Companies set up for the entire month of December and are open 24 hours a day. There is always at least one person camped out watching the trees and selling them - huge and tiny - to New Yorkers. We have found that there is a distinct lack of stands downtown so we purchased ours from a stand across from Woody's office. In midtown. We brought it home on the bus. It was still rush hour!

 bringing it home

we still have work to do, but at least it has lights!

2. White Christmas is my favorite Christmas film. I know Holiday Inn was really the film where Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas" for the first time, but the foursome of Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen is legendary. They're amazing together. I love Bing Crosby's voice and demeanor plus, he will always remind me of my Grandfather. The other day I was tipped off to this new video on FunnyorDie.com. Will Ferrell and John C Reilly did a remake of a classic video of Bing Crosby and David Bowie singing "Little Drummer Boy" So, for your viewing pleasure...

And click HERE for the remake

3. This weekend, starting today, is a special holiday market for the Hester Street Fair. Good thing is that it's not outdoors! My one gripe is that the fair (a market, really) is in a space on the LES that is much to small for the amount of people it draws each week. This was it's first year though, so hopefully next year they'll be able to make it a bit easier to move around. This one is going to be indoors and I hope it's big enough! Grace, Kether and I are meeting up Sunday afternoon to partake in a little shopping and girl talk! I guess that will be a chance for me to relax after all! Go HERE for the details.

4. Since a lot of people travel for the holidays I thought it would be a good time to share these two lists with you. The first is a list of hotels that you should stay away from! According to tripadvisor.com, THESE are the dirtiest hotels in the country. On a much better note, THESE are the best hotels in the country, so go ahead and book that much deserved vacation!

5. On a consumer awareness tip, Dannon has agreed to pay $21million to settle State and Federal investigations into the marketing of their popular yogurt, Activia and yogurt drink DanActiv. You've seen the ads where they make health claims that the yogurt helps settle GI issues and promotes the "Activia Challenge". Well, turns out there isn't clinical proof and now they will have to get FDA approval before they market the products in such a way. I'm wondering, have you ever tried this yogurt? Did you buy it because of these claims?

Have you reached all the goals you set this year?
Enjoy the weekend!
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today's workout -
50minutes/5.75miles elliptical
3x10 straight front arm raise
stretching

Oh, Granola. You Brighten My Day!

I never attempted homemade granola until last fall and I loved making it. But then, I just got out of the habit, the main reason probably being that I stopped eating any dairy for quite a while, and I only ate granola with yogurt. Saturday I changed all that and made a batch of granola. Then on Sunday, I made another! They both turned out really well, so of course I wanted to share it with you!

Cheery Cranberry Granola
ingredients

2.5cups whole rolled oats
.5cups crisp rice cereal
1tbs ground flax seeds
1tbs wheat bran
1/3cup slivered almonds
1/3cup sunflower seeds
.5tsp cinnamon
1/3cup honey
3/4 to 1cup dried cranberries (your preference)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350', cover cookie sheet with tin foil
2. Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl
3. Add honey and stir thoroughly to cover all of the mixture
4. Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheet
5. Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven and carefully stir, repeat, bake 3 more minutes then remove from oven. (You want the mixture to brown but not burn, so exact baking times will vary depending on the oven)
6. Add the dried cranberries while mixture is still warm and stir to combine. Store in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.

I love the bright color the dried cranberries add to this granola; very festive and... cheery!

Cherries Gone Nutty Granola
ingredients

2.5cups whole rolled oats
.5cups crisp rice cereal
1tbs ground flax seeds
1/3cup slivered almonds
1/3cup lightly salted peanuts
1tsp cinnamon
1/4cup honey
1/4cup plain unsweetened applesauce
3/4 to 1cup dried cherries (your preference)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350', cover cookie sheet with tin foil
2. Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl
3. Add honey and applesauce then stir thoroughly to cover all of the mixture
4. Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheet
5. Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven and carefully stir, repeat, bake 3 more minutes then remove from oven. (You want the mixture to brown but not burn, so exact baking times will vary depending on the oven)
6. Add the cherries while mixture is still warm and stir to combine. Store in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.

Because I used unsweeted applesauce and less honey in this version, it isn't quite a sweet as the first one. The cherries give it a good sweetness though!

The thing I love most about granola is the wide variety of options. I imagine it would be a good project to do with kids - letting them choose the ingredients and help put it all together. I also love making it at home, because I can make much healthier (and customized) versions than what I can get in stores. Plus, it's so inexpensive!

And I can't forget to mention that granola is also a great gift to give family and friends at the holidays! I'm participating in a gift exchange at work today and my gift to my co-worker includes some of this homemade granola.

What do you think? Would you be happy to get this in a 'Secret Santa' gift exchange?



Do you like granola? Super sweet or not so much?

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today's workout -
50min/5.75mile elliptical
3x10 weighted side bends
2x40sec planks
stretching

Cold Weather Gear Review

Quite a while ago Adam ran an awesome giveaway on his blog I Am Boring; the prize was a $50 gift card to Road Runner Sports! Two reasons why I should not have entered: they don't have a store nearby (although they do have a pretty good website) and I was injured an not running at the time (although I was looking forward to running again). Fate being as it is, I did win. I'd go to the website and try to figure out what to get, but as the weeks went by and I still couldn't run, I didn't want to get anything not knowing if it would be for the right season.

A few weeks ago I finally made my choice and ordered something - the RRS Pro Velocity Thermo Tight, because I didn't have any good pants to wear while running in cold weather. They arrived the day after Thanksgiving and felt amazing. They seemed warm and soft, but when I tried them on, they were too big. Definitely not compressive like they are supposed to be. When I called about an exchange I was informed that this style was discontinued and they were all out of the size I needed. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. The associate I was speaking with helped me pick another pair, although I knew they wouldn't be as good for cold weather, but I'd give them a try.

The other pair, the RSS Velocity Tight, arrived last week and Saturday was my first chance to try it. They definitely fit better, but they were not going to be as warm. The pants are made from a fabric that's good at pulling moisture from the skin, there are a few reflective details, a pocket in the back, and 'flatlock seams.' I bundled up and headed out. It was about 34' during my run and my legs were definitely a bit chilly, but they felt really good. I had no issues with the tights at all and really loved the mesh in the back of the knees, although it probably doesn't help with the warmth issue. Still, overall I really liked the pants but they won't be warm enough when it gets much below 30'.

I do have a new favorite when it comes to cold weather running. The Under Armour Tech Longsleeve T. I have two of them and I love them! They are so comfortable and just the right weight. The tops are perfect for me in anything 40's and below. I sometimes wear a short sleeve top over them and sometimes a jacket when it's really cool, but they lay perfectly, don't ride up and don't bunch up either. Ever. They're really cute too, so it would be easy to wear these out and about. Apparently it comes in 9 colors, so it seems I have quite a few more to get! It's interesting because as I'm reading the description on the website for the first time, it says that the 'heatgear' technology that the top is made with makes it good for extremely warm weather. Odd, since it's long sleeve and I love it for cold weather. I really can't imagine wearing it in hot weather, but hey, maybe someone else could! Under Armour has really expanded their line of sports apparel for women and I definitely plan on adding more to my of it to my running wardrobe!

please excuse the pic, it was post-run

check out the ankle zipper and mesh at the knee

What is your favorite piece of cold weather gear?
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today's workout -
None. Early to work today so it's my rest day.

Weekend Weather Workout Woes

What a weekend!

Saturday was pretty nice and got into the high 40's by the middle of the afternoon, I think. It was such a great change from the past week when we had the coldest days of the season so far! I got out for a nice run Saturday morning and ran about 5.5 miles. It was a really great run actually. Right now I'm not training for any race in particular (although hopefully that will change come the middle of January!) so I usually go out with an idea of how far I want to go, but really decide when I'm out on the run. Unfortunately I don't have a watch with GPS, so I can't get an exact distance, but I can estimate. Like Saturday, I didn't go quite as far as I go on my 6 mile route, but I did go farther than my 5milers, so I'm somewhere around 5.5. I decide how far to go based on the weather, how my legs are feeling and how my sinuses are reacting to the temperatures. It was a pretty good day and I'm sure I could have gone farther, but it was what it was.

We had been forewarned about the upcoming massive storm system that was going to hit the area Saturday night, so I knew ahead of time that a run was very unlikely. We've actually been really lucky with our weekend weather the last few months so it was about time something happened to damped weekend plans! Woody was going to go to the gym near City Hall (the one we go to on Wall St is closed on Sunday) but I was just planning to use the gym in our building and do mostly cardio. Well, we woke up to howling winds and lots of rain. Our building was creaking like crazy! Woody quickly decided to stay in and go to the gym downstairs with me! I do not like running on a treadmill, but I have to get used to it in order to run through the winter. To make it a little more interesting, I decided to split up my workout. There were a few other people in the gym, but not too many so we didn't have to worry about people waiting for machines.

• dynamic stretches
• free weights
• 3 miles running
• free weights
• 1 quick mile running
• 20 minutes elliptical
• stretching

It was good to switch things up a bit and my heart rate stayed up throughout the workout since I didn't take much time to rest between the segments. I definitely hope to try this a bit more moving forward. Unfortunately due to the setup of our regular gym, it's just not possible there, but I can do it here.

Two weeks ago you might remember that I tried an after work strength workout. Well, because of my work schedule last week I wasn't able to fit one in, but I hope to this week. I don't think I'll be working such late nights so it'll be easier to do!

Before I go, I would be a really bad wife if I didn't tell you that Woody made an incredible dinner for us last night! It was his turn to cook and he put together some great tacos, shredding chicken and cooking it in a glaze from Cherry Republic, avocado, sauteed onion, garlic and peppers seasoned with a little chipotle, tomatoes, fresh shredded organic jack cheese and lettuce. Black beans and a few tortilla chips made with chia seeds on the side. It was absolutely delicious and I was thrilled! I wish I had a picture to share but none of them came out well. Of course, I helped with the clean up! It was sooo good and I think he should cook more often!

Did you get hit by the huge storm too? Did you brave the weather and head out for a run?
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Saturday's workout -
Approx 5.5 mile run
3x10 front arm raise
150 crunches
2x40sec planks

Sunday's workout -
4mile run
20min elliptical
3x10 hammer curl
3x10 weighted side bends
3x10 bicep curl
3x10 upright row
1x50sec plank
stretching

today's workout -
3x10 front arm raise
52min/5.75mile elliptical
100 crunches
stretching

5 For Friday

Our presentation to our client yesterday went well and we were all glad when it was over! Stressful week and only today left until the weekend!

1. Mark Zuckerberg is the latest millionaire to join Warren Buffet and Bill & Melinda Gate's effort to enlist the wealthiest people in America to pledge at least half of their wealth to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations. While The Giving Pledge isn't a legal contract, all participants (also including Michael Bloomberg, Ted Turner, Diane Von Furstenberg and Barry Diller, and many others) must make a public statement announcing their intentions. It's a great initiative and I'm happy to see whenever someone joins this elite group.

2. It's the holiday season and, like me, you might be stumped on what to get a friend or family member. If you are, check out the Grub Street Gift Guide for some great ideas for your favorite foodie! So far there are 3 parts to the guide and I wouldn't be surprised if more are added. The first highlights regional specialties from all across the country, the second features expert picks, and the last is a list of classes and tours. Woody and I can personally vouch for the Grasshopper portion of the Momofuku Frankenpie (so good!).

3. Also while hanging out on Grub Street I read the sad news that IHOP is planning to open 24 locations in the NYC metro area, including one in Times Square. Now, I spent my fair share of hours at the IHOP in East Lansing after High School football games and Woody and I even went to one a few times while we were dating, but it's just not cool for IHOP to be moving into Times Square. Just like TGI Friday should not be in Union Square. A quick note to anyone who may visit NYC, please, please, please do not eat breakfast, lunch or dinner at a national chain restaurant. There are so many amazing places to enjoy a quick meal or a luxurious lingering dinner, try something uniquely New York City when you're here. If you're worried about knowing if it's a good place or not, chances are that if it's really busy, then it is!

4. When the temperatures get cold, I love a cup of really good hot cocoa. Travel & Leisure magazine has put together a list of the best hot chocolate in the country. Once when my parents were visiting, we visited my favorite chocolate shop in the city and tried their hot chocolate (which is also the first one on this list). It was so thick, it was literally like drinking liquid chocolate. I couldn't even finish the whole little cup and I LOVE chocolate! It is delicious though!

5. I was made well aware the other day that there are only two weeks before Christmas. We have yet to buy a Christmas tree, and haven't even started our holiday card list or shopping. I need to work on the menus for our Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas day meal. I have to find a church downtown so we can attend a Christmas Eve service. I haven't put up one decoration. Thankfully my parents sent us a mini-tree and advent calendars (yes, the chocolate ones of course!). We have a lot to do!

How are your holiday activities going?
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today's workout -
45 minutes/5mile elliptical
3x10 weighted side bends
1x40sec plank
stretching

So Tired I Don't Have A Title!

I don't actually have much to talk about today. The last few days have been quite busy and long. My team at work has a meeting with our client this afternoon to present a rather large and important pitch, so many, many hours have been spent on it this week and I'm quite exhausted, to tell you the truth. Yesterday around mid-day our boss scheduled a meeting for 5pm that was expected to last six hours. Thankfully it didn't last that long and I left around 9:30pm but a few people were still working. I've done my part, I'm prepared, and the presentation is going to be great, but we've really put everything else on hold for the most part the last few days. I will be very happy when 4pm rolls along and we'll be done! While late nights at the office aren't usually fun, I did have a good time working with this group, collaborating and being creative. This was the first time I've had the opportunity to work on a project like this since I started my new job and I feel the experience has been one that has given me better insight into this industry and also strengthened my relationships with some of my co-workers. So, even though I'm exhausted and am pretty surprised I'm even putting sentences together right now (at least I think that I am!), I'm grateful for the experience.

I didn't get to the gym yesterday morning because Woody and I got home pretty late Tuesday night from the MSU basketball game at The Garden. Unfortunately the game didn't end how we had hoped it would, but I still had a good time seeing so many other Spartans in one place and cheering for our team. I just really hope they can fix what's not working right now and be the amazing team that they are.

This morning I did head to the gym but I'm kind of thinking now I should have slept. I'm exhausted. I did want to go running but since it was 24' with a 16' wind chill when I woke up, I decided against it. I know, that's nothing for some of you, but for me, when I'm tired, that's tough! My workout was pretty good actually, but short, like most days now. I'm glad I went to move, sweat a bit and get my heart rate up, but I need more caffeine than just this cup of green tea!

Okay, enough of me babbling, I'm finishing breakfast and heading back to the office. I hope you're all having a great week and enjoying the season!

After four years, we're going to get a new point & shoot camera! It can't be too big and must shoot really well in low light. I'm leaning towards the Canon S95. If you have this, or the S90, what do you think? What kind of camera do you use? Would you recommend it? I'm looking for suggestions!
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yesterday's workout -
none. rest day.

today's workout -
47min/5.15mile elliptical
100 crunches
stretching

Long Hours, Sweet Treats, & New Ads

I was supposed to go to a happy hour fundraiser last night for our local Michigan State alumni association scholarship fund. Sparty was there. Woody was there. I was at my desk at work, neck deep in a budget mess (one that I didn't create but have to clean up). I got home pretty late and have to be back at work early today for a 2.5 hr creative meeting. Fun stuff! At least I have the Michigan State basketball game tonight at Madison Square Garden (part of the Jimmy V Classic) to look forward too! It'll be a really late night, but hopefully it'll be a great game! 

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I found something at Trader Joe's the last time I was there that I'm now in love with! It was love at first sip!

Yes, that's Candy Cane Green Tea! Because it's decaffeinated it's the perfect night time treat so I can still enjoy a little sweet treat without the calories. It's great and exactly what I was hoping it would be. If you go to Trader Joe's or have one nearby, I definitely recommend giving this a try.

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Have you received your January issue of Runner's World yet? If you have, no doubt you've seen the fold out Vibram FiveFingers "You Are The Technology" ad. At first I was a little shocked. (I guess that's the best word) Most runners are fairly used to seeing people in little clothing, but this is pretty cutting edge and risky for a running shoe ad; running shoe companies tend to show people racing through beautiful meadows or on urban streets in ads. This one does make total sense for the product and they're clearly illustrating that Vibrams are different from other running shoes. Go to the website and after it "removes the technology" you can either choose the man or the woman to read the Vibram manifesto. The company has taken pretty interesting approach to their first print ad campaign, but the microsite really isn't very interesting. I feel like they're trying to capitalize on shock appeal, but after the first look, it's not really shocking. According to Ad Age, in 2006 Vibram FiveFingers sold 10,000 pairs, this year they sold 1.5 million and they expect to double their sales next year. Not to bad considering they haven't done any traditional advertising. I just hope that all those 1.5million people are being careful and not rushing into using them - they're supposed to help, not injure! We don't need a fad hurting our running partners! I'm not sure this print ad and site will do much more for their sales than the word of mouth that has spurred on the trend so far.

 Do you wear Vibram FiveFingers? Have you seen this ad? What do you think?
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today's workout -
47minutes/5.25mile elliptical
3x10 weighted side bends
3x40sec planks
stretching

Sometimes It Just Comes Together

Like most weekend's, Woody and I went to the Union Square farmer's market on Saturday. We didn't have anything in particular in mind but wanted to pick up a few things that looked particularly good.

We ended up with carrots (yellow, orange and purple), potatoes (purple and red), an onion, kale, apples and pears. We still had two squash at home since we picked up three last week.

That night I had no idea what to make for dinner and to tell you the truth, I was kind of tired and didn't even really want to cook, but we have a bunch of great food in the fridge to eat so I had to come up with something. Often I just throw things together and hope they turn out okay. Well, thankfully, that's what happened Saturday night.

This recipe is not exact at all since it was very ad hoc, but hopefully it will give you an idea of how to put it together for yourself if you think it sounds good (and I hope you do, cause it was!). This made two servings, but we hadn't had lunch and this was our entire meal. The dish is naturally low in fat and I can only imagine, pretty moderate in calories as well.

Winter Veggie Bake with Kale
ingredients
3 med sized carrots (I used one each: yellow, orange, purple) chopped in discs
5 small potatoes (I used 3 purple and 2 red), cubed
1/2 acorn squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium sized yellow onion, large chop
2 cloves garlic, large chop
1 medium bunch kale
1/4c water
pepper to taste
hummus for garnish

1. Pre-heat oven to 350' and spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Prepare all ingredients other than the kale and place in pan spreading out evenly. Add fresh pepper.
3. Bake veggies in oven, covered with tin foil for 20 minutes, stirring after 10.
4. Wash and tear kale into small to medium pieces and place in large skillet, sprayed with cooking spray, add water and cook covered on low heat.
5. After baking veggies for 20 minutes, remove tin foil and cook for approximately 20 more minutes, stirring again after 10 minutes. The veggies should be browned but not burned, and tender to the fork.

6. As you're getting near the end of baking the veggies, turn the heat up a tad on the kale, take the lid off and stir it a bit to make sure it's all cooking. It will be done when it's all bright green but still quite full in size, don't let it wilt down. Turn off the heat and if there's water remaining in the skillet, tilt it and soak up the water with a paper towel so the kale doesn't get too wet.

(sorry about the bad flash)



7. To serve, use kale as the base for the dish in a large bowl then add veggies on top. Add a dollop of hummus.

Woody and I were both a little shocked by how good this dish was. It was hearty but not too heavy, and very healthy and all but the garlic, hummus and pepper were from the farmers market! Sometimes things just come together really well!

You might wonder what I did with the other half of the acorn squash. Well, I baked it in the skin then scooped it out. This was the first time I had used acorn squash and while it worked well in this dish, it is really hard to peel and I should have thought of that before I started the dish. I have, what I think is, the best veggie peeler ever made, but it was still hard because of the shape of the squash. I'm sure this would work well with butternut squash as well.

Do you cook at home more often on the weekend or during the week?
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Sunday's Workout -
yoga

Today's Workout -
45 min/5mile elliptical
crunches
stretching