Getting Off the Bored Train

I'm going to admit something this morning: I've been really bored at the gym lately. It began before we went on our trip and didn't skip a beat when we got back. I was hoping a week away would re-energize me, but that didn't seem to work. My problem is that I've been so limited in what I've been doing over the past 3 months (yes, 3!) that it's getting really old. While my heel injury continues to improve, the pain is still determining what I can do physically, which means I still haven't run!! All I really want to do is go outside and run, but I haven't even ran on a treadmill yet.

The stationary bike is getting old. I'd love to take a class, but cardio is out of the question and the yoga teachers at my gym aren't that great.. I decided last week to try the row machine one day for a few minutes to try it out. It wasn't bad; my biggest complaint is that there aren't TVs for the machines so your eyes end up wandering. I also need to figure out how the computer works so I get the most out of it. I wasn't sure if it would bother my foot, but yesterday I tried the StairMaster. That wasn't bad either! Since I don't put pressure on my heel, it seems to be okay. I did 20 minutes after my hr on the bike both yesterday and today. It really works up a sweat! I may try the Stairmill one of these days soon if one is free. I'm also trying to add a few different strength training moves into the mix, focusing a bit more on my legs. Perhaps strengthening those muscles will create more support for my foot. 

It's not uncommon to hit a plateau or to get bored when following an exercise routine. A key part of staying fit, challenging your body, and staying present in your workouts is mixing it up often. Usually that can be pretty easy - try a new class, try running (or run a new route), try a new cardio machine, start jumping rope, workout with a friend. Unfortunately, having an injury limits what I can do, but I'm finding a few things and will get that spark back! And hopefully, sooner than later, I'll get to start running again!

On another note, I made dinner last night for Woody and me. Nothing too special but these green and wax beans I bought at the farmers market are amazing! I mean, seriously amazing. I spray a skillet with a bit of olive oil spray, throw the beans in, add a few cranks of fresh pepper and cook for about 10 minutes on low-med heat and they are crunchy and delicious! I also baked chicken with Cherry Republic's Southern Rub Cherry BBQ Sauce and made a light slaw using TJ's broccoli slaw as the base and adding shreds of zucchini, yellow squash, dried cherries, and a dressing of lemon juice, evoo, pepper and a dash of salt (the dressing was a bit off, but I think it can be remedied for the leftovers). The chicken was really delicious. The sauce was great and it was cooked just right. Oh, and we had pears, too. Here's a picture of my plate - Woody's piece of chicken was a bit larger! One thing I've learned cooking for him, is that he needs more calories than I do, so I have to make sure his portions are a bit larger than mine. Oh, the joys of learning to cook for a guy!

How do you liven up your workout routine when you start to get bored?

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workout stats -

13miles bike

20minutes StairMaster

3x10 tricep extension

3x10 tricep kickback

3x10 single leg cable pull standing crunch

100 crunches

stretching

Saturday Morning at the Gym & Giveaway Winner!

While most NYC runners were enjoying a beautiful morning in Central Park for the Healthy Kidney 10K - one of my favorite races of the year, and one that attracks elite runners from around the world - I was in the gym trying to get my workout done. Workouts like the one this morning make me yearn for the day when Woody and I have a house and are able to have our own gym. Yes, that's a dream of ours. So we don't have to deal with broken machines (we'll be the only ones to blame), dirty equipment, smelly/sweaty/loud gym goers who tune out the world around them, and especially so we can use a piece of equipment whenever we want and don't have to stand in line! All in all, I feel great after the workout but it was just a little frustrating trying to navigate the crowd (and it wasn't as bad as some days).

Yesterday I enjoyed some great meals I thought I'd share with you. I realized I haven't posted any food pictures all week, which may be just fine with some of you, but I know others appreciate healthy meal ideas.

First off was my lunch. I hard boiled a few eggs in the morning and after taking a few weeks off (with only a few exceptions) from bread, I purchased a pack of Trader Joe's sandwich thins on Wednesday. What I came up with was an open faced sandwich - one side hummus and egg, the other laughing cow cheese wedge and zucchini. On the side I had a few slices of beets with green beans and broccoli and of course, an apple. It was delicious.

For dinner I had another rice bowl. I am loving these things! I use a brown rice medly from Trader Joe's and fill it with beans and veggies with a little hummus and a few sliced almonds. Last night the featured veggies were broccoli, red, yellow, and orange peppers, cabbage, green onion, red onion and a few grape tomatoes. The bens were black. Delicious!!! And it smelled fantastic, too! It's really easy and incredibly healthy.

Thank you for reading all of that! I know this is what you're really here for! The Peanut Butter & Co. Giveaway Results!!!

According to Random.org the winner is:

(#36) MS. V!!

Ms. V enjoys her peanut butter on organic whole wheat bread and wants to give Crunch Time a try!

Congrats to Ms. V!

(please email me at lmhansen at hotmail dot com)

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway! The response was amazing!!!! And just because you didn't win doesn't mean you shouldn't give PB&Co a try! If you're in NYC, stop by their shop at 240 Sullivan.

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Workout Stats -

4mi elliptical

12 mi bike

3x10 overhead tricep extension

3x10 tricep kickback

3x10 tricep dips

3x10 pullovers with dumbells

foam roller & stretching

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Do you know why people celebrate on the "5th day of May"? Many think it's the Mexican independence day, but, it's not. It's actually the day in 1862 when Mexican armies defeated the French military at the Battle of Puebla. It seems like this is more of an American 'holiday' or, as some like to say, just another reason for people to drink!

I love Mexican food (or what we think is Mexican food), but it is loaded with calories. And since I'm watching what I eat and planning to go back to Bikram Yoga tomorrow morning, I definitely don't want to subject myself to tons of calories, fat, and sodium that will take days to undo. So, I decided to cook up a little Mexican inspired dinner for Woody and me tonight. It's simmering right now, but I'll share pictures tomorrow! I'm working on an easy chili with a little leftover lean ground beef I had in the freezer from another recipe, one large can of diced tomatoes, a can of black beans (drained and rinsed), half of a yellow pepper and orange pepper, and half a container of Trader Joe's fresh black bean and roasted corn salsa (with cilantro, onion, olive oil, and other good things!). I took a little test taste and it's going to be good! There is a little kick that I think Woody will like. We also have a bottle of Cherry Sangria from one of our favorite Michigan companies, Cherry Republic that we have kept in our wine rack for far too long. It's chilling in the fridge right now!

On to fitness. I didn't go to Bikram this morning. When I started to think about my schedule for the day, I couldn't figure out how to work it out since I have switched my weekly visit to the Union Square farmers market to Wednesday (much bigger than Mondays) and I have something scheduled for this afternoon. So, I cancelled my slot, scheduled ones for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and hit the gym this morning with Woody instead. I had a good workout, although my heel hurt a tiny bit on the elliptical, which was remedied by lowering the incline.

Do you have plans for Cinco de Mayo?
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Workout Stats -
12 mi bike
2.5 mi elliptical
3x12 ea: leg press, leg extension
3x30 sec wall sit
3x10 ea: weighted standing side twist, weighted side bends
stretching and foam roller

Broken Bikes, a Headache, Allergies, and a Local Bus

It's been one of those days, and it's not even noon!

First, woke up at 4:50am with Woody for the gym. It was 40* outside. Got to the gym, two of the three (non-spinning) bikes were broken, the other was occupied. While my heel is starting to feel a little better, my cardio options are still limited. I tried the one open spinning bike, but the TV wasn't working and 5 minutes into the ride I realized the mileage counter wasn't working. What's with that? Adding a few miles on the elliptical to my cardio routine is one of the items on my 'healthy to-do list' for the week, so I decided to try that. I kept looking to see if the bike was opening up. It did, and another woman jumped on before I could get off the elliptical! I ended up doing 3.5 miles on the elliptical. My legs were feeling pretty good, but it wasn't very comfortable for my heel so I decided to keep it relatively short and do some crunches while I waited for the bike to open. By this time, my headache had begun. I'm completely congested because of these annoying allergies that are worse this year than usual.

With one eye on the bike I wanted, I did a short dumb bell workout and a few planks. Time was starting to run short if I wanted to get more cardio in, so I decided to use the recumbant bike that was free. As I wiped it down (I do not trust that the last person who used a machine actually wiped it off) the woman started slowing down and got off the bike! Finally!! I grabbed my stuff and was waiting as she cleaned it off (thank you!). For some reason, when I first got on the bike though, it wouldn't start! Of course! Just my luck! So, after a minute, I tried again and the lights lit up! Whew! So, my bike ride was finally under way and I got in 13.25 miles. Afterwards, I did a bit of stretching, crunches, and used the foam roller. My workout definitely took a lot longer than it should have today and I did not get in nearly as much strength training as I wanted, but I did get it done.

After my workout I went down to the farmers market at Union Square to get a few things. You can definitely tell it is Spring, the market was busy! A lot of vendors are back for the season and there was a lot to choose from! I wish I could have bought more, but I limited my items to: asparagus, sweet potatoes and apples. In addition to our weekly staples, at Trader Joe's I picked up wild salmon, all natural sweet Italian style chicken sausages, a red pepper, eggplant, and garlic spread and a bag of brown rice medley. I have a few good dinners planned for the rest of the week, including one for my Birthday! On my way home I learned once and for all that I should always wait for a limited bus when I'm that far downtown. I had just missed one and figured it would be a while before the next one came, so I got on a local. BIG mistake.

Let's back up a minute to last week. I made a few things I want to share with you. First, was this really easy and tasty 'slaw.' Just a few ingredients: pre-cut cabbage, red, yellow, and orange peppers, and carrots (all thinly sliced using a peeler) and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and pepper. Super easy and really delicious.

We used it three ways. Here, cut a mini pita in half, spread hummus on the sides and then stuffed with the slaw and a little bit of feta cheese.

Woody topped some grilled chicken with the slaw for dinner while I used it here under the asaparagus that I baked in the oven with extra virgin olive oil and pepper wrapped in foil. I cut up a few purple potatoes, put them on foil with evoo and garlic, wrapped that up and threw it in the oven too. The oven was on double duty that night! Both the potatoes and asparagus can be in at the same time, but potatoes definitely need to go in before the asparagus.

How do you deal with a gym workout that doesn't go as you had planned?

One more plug for the GOTRM event tonight from 6-8pm at Lugo Caffe (1 Penn Plaza). Hope to see you there!
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Workout Stats -
13.25mi bike
3.5mi elliptical
3x10 front arm raise
3x10 overhead tricep extension
75 crunches
2x35sec planks
stretching and foam roller

Best Made Plans

Woody signed us up online for a two week free trial of 24hr Fitness (the Derek Jeter gym) and we planned to activate it this morning. So, we got up, got ready and headed out for the subway. There are only three 24hr Fitness gyms in the city, none too close, and Woody chose the Madison Square Park location for our trial. Sounded great to me, I love the area and it's close to Union Square so I could hop down there Monday morning for apples and my weekly trip to TJ's. The city is pretty dead at 7:30am Sunday mornings. Really quiet. We got off at 28th St to walk down and we ran into a movie shoot on Madison Ave! Lots of extras dressed in 1920's-30's outfits and old cars. They had even changed the outside of some of the buildings by adding period store signs. I asked one of the production crew what movie it was and he said it's for HBO. Pretty cool.

Anyway, we got to 24Hr Fitness and it was pretty quiet. Walked up to the desk, Woody pulled out the online passes and the guy said we had to meet with a membership counselor in order to activate it, and unfortunately they don't arrive on Sunday mornings until 11am. Well, that wasn't going to do us much good at 8am. Quite disappointed in the situation, we knew there was a NYSC close by so we walked to the 23rd St gym. I'm all for switching up the atmosphere when working out and while I really wasn't too thrilled that we couldn't go to 24hr Fitness, at least there was another gym nearby and we didn't have to go back uptown without a workout. The 23rd St gym had a few good things about it. (1) lots of windows and natural light, (2) the cardio floor wasn't as crowded as our gym and had really high ceilings, (3) wasn't crowded at all, (4) nice locker rooms. Unfortunately, Woody said the weight room in the basement was dismal, hot, and a mess. He couldn't get out of there fast enough. And, like our gym, weights were scattered all around and it wasn't all that clean (even though a woman was going around vacuuming. Strange). I don't understand why some gyms are so uninviting. Shouldn't they be bright and energizing? Oh, I wish I could start my own gym sometimes! There was a pilates reformer room, which I thought was cool, but those classes are an additional cost at NYSC.

We decided on our walk to NYSC that we'd try to salvage the morning by stopping by PUMP for breakfast after our workout since there is one close by. PUMP is a great restaurant that doesn't use any butter and doesn't fry anything. They're all about the healthy foods. We used to absolutely love them, but they've made several changes over the last year, as they've expanded, that I'm not too fond of (like taking the baked falafel off the menu). Still, there isn't one close to us and they have some great sounding breakfast options. We walked over, closed. Apparently they don't open till 11am on Sunday. (I'm sensing a theme here). A big dejected, we walked back to Park and picked up a bus to head back uptown. Not a great morning. We were starving by the time we got home and I made a big bowl of oatmeal, banana, strawberries, pb, flax and chia seeds. It hit the spot.

Guess we had a better morning than the thousands of people trying to travel who are stranded because of the volcano eruption in Iceland though, so I really shouldn't complain.

Quick backtrack to yesterday since I never once turned on the computer:
I rode the stationary bike at the gym for 26 miles. Yes, almost a marathon on the bike! Reminicent of a recent Biggest Loser episode! I figure that if by some miracle I'm able to run the half marathon next weekend, I'll need to know I can make it 2+ hours. So, a 2hr bike ride should help get me ready, right? At least more so than my usual 1hr rides. I felt pretty good afterwards (although a little bored) and had to make sure I got enough calories in me throughout the day. I wasn't really hungry, but I know how my body works. After a good long workout (like when I was training for the marathon) I lose my appetite after my initial meal, but the next day can be torturous. Hungry all the time. Yesterday I took a pre-emptive strike and so far it seems to be working well!

We went to the farmers market where we found carrots as big as my forearm! Seriously. Woody brought a few home. We already had carrots here, but I think he's amused by how incredibly large they are.

I did try something new last night. I bought multi-colored popcorn from the bulk section at Fairway last time I was there, so I put some in a paper lunch bag, folded it closed a few times a put it in the microwave. We weren't sure how it would turn out, but it worked well! Cheaper and healthier! This is definitely the way to go.

Will you be watching the Boston Marathon tomorrow? You can check it out on Universal Sports.

Good luck to all the runners!

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Workout Stats -

4/17:

26mi bike

100 crunches

stretching, foam roller

4/18:

14mi bike

200 crunches

3x10 upright row

3x10 seated row

3x10 front arm raise

3x10 bent side arm raise

stretching

Healthy, Easy Eats

I've been trying out a few new meals that I thought I'd share with you. They're all pretty easy, filling, and healthy.

Last week I used some mini pitas to make pizza's for dinner. Since it was my first try with this, there are a few things I'd change for next time, but overall, both Woody and I really enjoyed this dinner.

On the pizza - cooked squash, zuchini, onion and tomato (added for the last few minutes only), feta and olive oil. The veggies were cooked then placed on the pita, which had been brushed with EVOO, and feta put on top. Then baked in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. The veggies were seasoned just with pepper.
The salad - some extra veggies plus cooked turnips.

This week I decided to make a rice bowl for dinner. I actually did this both Monday and Tuesday night, but the picture from Monday did not turn out well (my camera isn't great in low light). I cooked a pot of long grain brown rice and added combinations of cooked veggies.
Monday - brown rice, spinach, broccoli, chick peas, sliced almonds and a little avocado.
Tuesday - brown rice, carrots, green beans, chick peas, sliced almonds and some avocado.

The mix is delicious and nutritious! I've been hearing a lot of great things about chickpeas and decided it was about time to incorporate them into more of my meals. They're high in protein and fiber so they fill you up. It's also low in cholesterol and sodium. (quick tip: if using canned beans, drain and rinse them before using to get rid of some of the sodium and extra calories).

For lunch yesterday I tried something a little different. When at home over the weekend my Mom and I were at a grocery store picking up ingredients for lunch that I was cooking and we found this cool flatbread called Flatout. Have you seen these? We picked them up for me to make chips to go with hummus, but I brought one back to NY with me. I was going to smear some pb on it while in the airport waiting for my plane, but that didn't end up happening. Instead, I used half of one for my lunch yesterday. I cooked up some spinach and an egg (eggwhite & half the yolk) in the microwave and two very mini sweet potatoes in the oven. Using half the flatbread I spread the sweetpotato on the bread and added the egg & spinach. I have to say, it was pretty great.

I paired it with some veggies and my daily apple! I have to find these Flatouts here in the city!

What is your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes?

Don't forget! Today's the last day to enter the Fruitzi'o giveaway! Click HERE to enter.

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Workout Stats -
13mi bike
2 mi elliptical (first time in 3+ weeks. okay, but bothered my heel a tiny bit)
3x10 (ea side) weighted twists
3x10 overhead bicep extensions
3x10 (ea side) tricep kick backs
3x10 tricep dips
100 crunches
stretching and foam roller

Playing The Game

I'm playing the 'wait and see' game.

Yesterday I mentioned one of my Monday Miracles was that my foot injury seemed to be improving since the amount of pain and discomfort I was experiencing was decreasing. I went to see the Foot Doc yesterday for another ultrasound treatment and to be taped up again. While he was happy to hear about the progress, he also said that I need to continue with the bike, add the elliptical if it feels okay, but I can't run yet (which I wasn't planning to do anyway). I have another treatment on Thursday and he'll check things out again then, but I may not be able to run until next week.

This is not great news. I was hoping to run this weekend. This makes me quite a bit nervous about the race next week. Obviously I won't be setting a PR, but I want to get through it! 13.1 miles is quite a long way when you haven't run for almost 4 weeks. I'd like to think that my cardio conditioning is up to par since I've been biking so much, but my legs are not used to the motion of running at this point. So, I'm playing the wait and see game and hopefully I'll turn out the winner! I'm really looking forward to my friends coming into town for the race and I want to run it with them! (I promise ladies, I'm doing all I can! I have my foot wrapped with a heating pad now!)

If I'm given the okay to run before the race next week, I'm going to do it. I may walk a good deal of it, but I don't want to miss out on the experience. If you're a new runner or thinking about your first half marathon, this isn't the best plan of action, but I'm hoping that my training for the marathon last year, the runs I got in pre-injury and the hours I've spent on the stationary bike will help me power through the two loops of the park. Plus, the encouragement and support from my awesome friends!

Don't forget to enter the Fruitzi'o giveaway for some delicious snacks!
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Workout Stats -
my legs were pretty stiff today after my strength training yesterday, but the foam roller and stretching helped to loosen them up. I'll use my stick a few times throughout the day.
15mi bike
175 crunches
2 planks (w/ exercise ball)
stretching
foam roller

Monday Miracles

Welcome to a new week!

It seems like Monday is the most dreaded day of the week.I wonder why that is. Just because for most people, it means going back to work after a couple days off? I definitely see that point of view, but I also think Monday's are a great time to start anew, set new goals and plan something new. If last week wasn't so great, or even if it was good, this one can be even better. Who knows who you may meet, what outstanding news you might get, or how great a particular run or workout might be. Maybe the sun and cool weather has something to do with my good mood and bright outlook this morning! I'm not sure!

I got home last night around 10 from my very quick (less than 48hrs) trip to Michigan. I had a great time and am so glad that I went. It was wonderful to see family Saturday night and celebrate my Great Aunt & Uncle's 50th Wedding Anniversary. They're such amazing people who have done so many great things for others and the 97 people who were there represent just a small number of people who have been touched by them over the years. I wonder if Woody and I will have so many people celebrating with us when we reach 50 years!?

So, today's two Monday Miracles:
1. I woke up at 5am to go to the gym, even though I only had about 11 hours of sleep the two nights before - combined. AND, I had a strong, productive workout! I needed two days off from the gym. My legs were fresh and ready to work!
2. My foot continues to feel better and I am very optimistic that I'll be running by the end of the week (maybe before!). I'm not going to push it too fast, but it's feeling pretty good! I was starting to wonder if that would ever happen.
2.5 I just finished eating a delicious bowl of peanut butter & jelly w/banana oatmeal! PB&Co Dark Chocolate Dreams and Cherry Republic Cherry Jam! Yum!!

Before:

After!

Do you have a Monday Miracle?
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Workout Stats -
13.25mi bike
100 crunches
2 planks (w/ exercise ball)
3x10 ea:
weighted side bends (ea side)
weighted side twist (ea side)
bicep curls
hammer curls
lat pull down
seated row
leg curl
leg extension
leg press
stretches & foam roller

Global Warming is Real

If it isn't real, why would it be 85* today? I mean, seriously, it's summer in April. Yes, it'll be 57* on Saturday and back in the 60's next week, but this is crazy! Not sure about you, but I wasn't quite ready for such heat. I hope it's a little bit closer to 'normal' on the 19th for all the Boston runners!

The May issue of Runner's World finally showed up in my mailbox yesterday and I was reading a bit of it at the gym this morning. I love checking out the reader questions in the "Ask Miles" section because there is always at least one or two humorous questions. This month was no different and it made me think of the summer running season:

Q: Is there such a thing as too short when it comes to running shorts?
A: Oh, definitely yes. To paraphrase the old definition of obscenity: You know "too short" when you see it. And then you wish that you hadn't.

I hope the right people (both male & female) read this and take it to heart. For the sake of all of us out there on the road and path this summer!

There is also a great article on easy ways to boost the nutritional values of foods we eat often. One that stuck out to me is something I do almost every day, and will especially do this summer. You've probably noticed I tend to stick to two types of breakfasts - oatmeal or a yogurt mess. I do love omeletes, but only have them every once in a while. Back to the point, I find yogurt, fruit and granola to be very refreshing and cooling in the warmer months. Oatmeal just doesn't work for me when it's 80+ degrees outside and after I just finished a tough workout.

Runner's World says that chia seeds are the perfect boost for yogurt. A few weeks ago I picked up some chia seeds from the bullk bins at Fairway and since we've run out, I refilled yesterday. If you haven't tried them yet, I highly recommend that you do. They are rich in Omega 3's, calcium and fiber, but don't need to be refrigerated or ground like flax. With a nutty taste and crunch, they can be added to yogurt, cereal, baked goods, granola, and more. In both water and the stomach, the chia seeds swell and form a gel which slows down digestion. Some people add them to water before mixing with yogurt, but it's not necessary to do. Your call. Just give them a try and see what you think!

Do you have a favorite summertime breakfast?

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Workout Stats -
4/6 cont.
3 mile walk

4/7
19mi bike
100 crunches
3x25sec planks
3x10ea side bends & weighted twists (each side)
long stretch and foam roller session

Injury Update

The good news: the x-rays did not show any structural problems with my heel and the stress fracture from last fall looks pretty good, too. I'm definitely glad I don't have a break or heel spur. He also said my achilles is nice and loose, which is good (all that stretching I've been doing). After listening to my extensive (but relatively short in time) history of foot problems and not seeing anything on the x-rays, Foot Doc did a sonogram to check for inflamation.

That's where he found something: inflamed ligaments. Apparently I've been doing things the right way so far, but he gave me a few additional options: (1) taping, (2) anti-inflamatory patch that stays on my heel all day/night,  (3) ultrasound treatment to decrease inflamation, (4) cortizone shot. I left his office with my foot taped, a perscription for the anti-inflamatory patch and an appointment for Thursday morning for the ultrasound treatment. I'm not quite ready for the cortizone shot but if the patch and ultrasound doesn't work quickly, I'm going to go for the shot. I am so ready to get over this. He also suggested that I use heat in the morning and ice in the evening. This is a bit different from most running injuries which require ice only and sometimes heat can actually do damage. Woody and I talked on Sunday about the use of heat, but I decided to put it off until I talked to Foot Doc and see if it was okay. Sometimes heat can do more damage than good, depending on the injury.

I picked up the prescription this morning, check out how big this box is!

Not sure about this warning label - "may cause dizziness"!

I'm sitting with heat on my foot right now as I type. The diagnosis could have been much worse, but I hope this new plan of action gets to work and does its thing quickly!

After my appointment I came home and made lunch. Had to finish off my eggplant (Woody doesn't particularly like eggplant, so I have to find quite a few uses to finish off one on my own before it goes bad). I found a perfectly ripe avocado yesterday morning at Trader Joe's, and picked up a little bit of cabbage salad from a grocery store around the corner. It looked so pretty and Spring-like! I need to find ways to add cabbage to our menu. Cabbage is a member of the cruciferae family of vegetables, along with broccoli, kale, collard greens, and brussel sprouts. Unfortunately, it seems cabbage is at its best in late fall and winter. Hmmm. Anyway, it is loaded with Vitamins C and K and is also a good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium and Omega-3 fatty acids. It's also packed with phytonutrients. In case you're wondering, here's a look at my delicious lunch:

My tip of the day: become friends with the foam roller. I've been spending a lot of time with one at the gym the last few weeks and I can tell a difference. My legs aren't stiff and my turnover on the bike is so much faster now than it was before. I spent a good 10-15 minutes this morning with the foam roller and worked out a lot of knots. It hurts like crazy while you're using it, but the results are totally worth the pain!

Do you use a foam roller or the stick on a regular basis? Do you take time to stretch?

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Workout Stats -
18.5mi bike
3x10 ea: front arm raise, weighted side bend (each side), bicep curls, hammer curls, lat pull down
lots of stretching

"Weighty Matters" Recap

First, thank you so much for all of your kind words and good wishes after my post on Saturday. I really appreciate the support! (One thing that makes this community so great!!) I see the podiatrist soon and will let you know what happens.

Friday I mentioned briefly that I had attended a program titled: “Weighty Matters: Effectively Communicating About Weight & Health.” The panel was sponsored by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and STOP Obesity Alliance. When I first read about the event on NEDA’s website, I found it a bit odd that these two organizations would be joining forces, but when explained to us Friday morning, it seemed like a perfect fit. Both organizations are concerned about how the media (news and entertainment) portrays body image, weight, and health. The goal set forth was to create a productive discussion between panelists and also audience members in order to devise productive guidelines for media to follow while reporting on health and weight issues. Both organizations feel something needs to be done about the unrealistic images portrayed in the media and also that the media has a responsibility to clarify what is healthy and fit.

Panelists included: Emme (model & NEDA Ambassador), Dr Max Gomez (Medical reporter for WCBS-TV), Kate Dailey (reporter for Newsweek), Wendy Naugle (Deputy Editor, Glamour Magazine), Dr. Donna Ryan (President, The Obesity Society), Jen Drexler (Partner, Just Ask a Woman), Joe Nadglowski Jr. (President & CEO, Obesity Action Coalition), and Dr Ovidio Bermudez (Past President, NEDA). Also in the audience were Laila Ali (Muhammad Ali’s daughter) and Matilda Cuomo (former First Lady of New York).

Here are a few key points I wanted to share with you:

• Overwhelming consensus that there needs to be a shift in focus from appearance and weight to health. The link between body image and weight needs to be broken.
• Society tells us to eat all the time (marketing, culture, etc) but we’re not supposed to look as though we do.
• Media shorthand says thin = healthy and fat = unhealthy. As of yet, there is no language to describe the spectrum of what health looks like.
• Media often reports studies without putting results into context or linking one study to another (and often time’s results are conflicting).
• Obesity is not easy to live with – quality of life is greatly diminished, psychologically and physically.
• There is a worry that the emphasis on weight-loss (not health) will trigger eating disorder tendencies in some people. Thus, the need to focus on health.
• While the diet industry is expanding, people are not getting healthier.
• The diet industry is ‘teaching’ how to lose weight rather than doctors and health professionals.
• Doctors need more training on nutrition and weight loss to effectively communicate with patients.
• Health insurance plans need to cover weight loss and nutritional counseling.
• The goal of the food industry will always be profits, but they do need to take some responsibility. People need to vote with their dollars. Don’t support companies that don’t support health.
• A decrease in weight of just 5-10% can result in health improvements, making the need for some medications unnecessary and decreasing the risk of some diseases and conditions.
• People need to take responsibility for their own condition and habits.
• The media and corporations need to start talking to women (and men) how they talk, and understand the issues they face every day.
• Media should focus on healthy habits – being active and eating right – rather than numbers on a scale and appearance.
• The focus needs to be placed on parents - their actions and words. When a young boy is referred to as a ‘big boy’ it is seen as a good thing, but a ‘big girl’ is a concern. Also, parents need to set good examples when it comes to eating and activity levels.

A note about BMI: BMI measurements are effective when tracking populations over time but it is not necessarily good on an individual basis. For instance, body builders may have high BMI’s while they are extremely fit but have high muscle mass. The Doctors on the panel agreed that we should use BMI because it is a scale we have that can be used, but more research needs to be done and the fitness of a person should be determined by other factors in addition to the BMI test.

The two hour discussion could have easily turned into an all day event. I wish the event had gone longer as I feel there were more topics to cover and ideas to be shared. The mostly female audience was passionate and full of concern, yet ready to for action. I’m not entirely convinced that enough attention was really paid to the core reason for the panel – creating guidelines for the media when discussing weight – but I hope the event does lead to change, or at least more discussion. While people are encouraged to lose weight, the emphasis should be put on health not looking a particular way. It does seem to be human nature (at least in this culture) to want to look a certain way, and we probably will never completely get rid of that ‘ideal image,’ but perhaps if the media alters the way it covers this issue, then maybe more people will be able to lose weight and gain health through a sensible approach and be able to keep the weight off once they’ve lost it because they’ll change their lifestyle rather than follow a fad diet that isn’t design to be sustained.

What do you think? Do you think the news & entertainment media have any responsibility when it comes to discussing weight?

For further reading, here's an interesting graphic you may want to take a look at from The New York Times yesterday.

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Workout Stats -
13.75mi bike
90 crunches
3x10 overhead tricep extensions
3x10 tricep kickbacks
3x10 (ea side) weighted twists
3x10 leg curls
stretching

Ups and Downs

Welcome to all the new readers! Thanks for taking time to stop by my blog and see what I'm up to!

This week has been a bit busy and I haven't been making my usual rounds in the blogosphere, but I'll be back on track soon!

Yesterday was a pretty spectacular day. The weather was incredible, I met some interesting people, and things were just generally good. That all changed in the evening. On my way back from picking up my Scotland Run 10K number at the NYRR office, my heel started to ache. Badly. It was feeling a lot better earlier in the day so I was feeling optimistic. While Woody and I watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (another inspiring episode), I had to make a disappointing decision. I couldn't run the race. By that time, I was in quite a bit of pain and I knew that if I want any chance of running the half at the end of the month, I couldn't make it worse by running today. Is a runner who doesn't run still a runner? That question has been racing through my mind all day. This morning was pretty bad too, but I went to the gym with Woody and started on the stationary bike, which seems to help a lot. The pain is on and off, sometimes very painful and sometimes I feel absolutely fine. It's incredibly frustrating. Ice. Stretch. Massage. Ice. Stretch. Massage. I really didn't enjoy seeing runners still wearing their bibs after the race this morning. I admit, I was jealous. Well, really, I was just disappointed in myself. I just want to run.

On a nicer note, I was able to try another new recipe last night. I made a tomato gratin from the Food Network Magazine. It turned out well and was pretty easy to make. I usually shy away from recipes that call for breadcrumbs, but I figure by putting a slice of my whole grain bread in the food processor, it would be fairly healthy. Plus, the combination of olive oil, grape tomatoes and garlic is nutrient packed. With the thyme from the cupboard and by using the feta we had on hand rather than parmesan, we had all the ingredients in our kitchen already! Very simple. I'm sure we'll make this again.

Across the street from the farmers market this morning was this scene:

Definitely don't see a bagpiper playing on the street every day! Even in New York.

We'll be watching the Spartans play Butler later on this evening. What are you up to today?

I'll leave you with one last picture from the farmers market.

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Workout Stats -
18mi bike
3x10 ea. bicep & hammer curls on bosu ball
3x10 side arm raise
3x10 seated row
100 crunches
lots of stretching

It IS A Good Friday

The sun is shining, it is warmer than average, and my day started out on a good note, and I will be sure it stays on that path.
I went to a great event this morning co-sponsored by the STOP Obesity Alliance and the National Eating Disorders Association. I have a lot to say about it, so I will hold off until Monday.

First, my heel is still bothering me. I have found that starting the day on the stationary bike does help. I think it loosens the muscles without putting any pressure on the heel. I have an appointment with a podiatrist Monday morning and hopefully I will get some good news then, or at least a better plan of attack. I'm scheduled to run the Scotland Run 10K in the park tomorrow for which I will go pick up my number this afternoon, but I'm not sure if I can actually do it. I don't want to make it worse. I was really hoping this would be cleared up by now. I need to run! This beautiful weather makes it even more frustrating.

Yesterday afternoon I hit up the gym for strength training. I did a few a couple things I don't usually do, so it was a nice change up. Variety is the key to life, even when it comes to food and fitness! I finished my workout with a little more time on the bike and a date with the foam roller! Stats are at the end.

After the workout I came home to make a delicious and nutritious lunch - an open face sandwich on whole grain bread with hummus and hard boiled eggs (1 egg, 2 whites), cooked eggplant and wax beans (low in sodium, high in Vitamin C, folate, and iron) and an apple. I've realized lately that hummus can be combined with a wide variety of foods with great results.

For dinner last night, I slightly adapted a recipe in the latest issue of the Food Network Magazine. This salad sounded fantastic and I had to try it. I decided to make it our main dish however, rather than a side dish and added roman beans to add some fiber and meatiness. Since it was just for the two of us, I figured one head of escarole would be enough, and that was a mistake. The volume decreases quite a bit after boiling. Nevertheless, we had enough food to fill us up, as I also boiled a few of the small potatoes left from the farmers market and made a small batch of homemade pita chips. The salad was great and loaded with healthy ingredients, but it was definitely the most time consuming salad I have ever made! With that in mind, I do think I will try it again because the combination of textures, flavors and the simple ingredients made it stand out from the typical salad. Plus, I love feta cheese!!

My weekend TV picks:
Friday: 9pm Eastern - Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is on tonight.
Saturday: 6:07pm Eastern - Michigan State v Butler NCAA Final Four game

The weather is going to be great this weekend (at least in some parts) - how are you going to enjoy it? (and don't forget the sunblock!)

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Workout Stats -
4/1 afternoon:
100 crunches
3x10 of each: leg extensions, leg curls, ab machine assisted crunches, lat pull down, bicep curls, overhead extended arm side bend (from SELF)
4.5mi bike
lots of stretching
2mi walk

4/2:
60min bike
stretching
1mi walk

It's Been A Day

I know, I'm off today. Usually I post MUCH earlier, but it's been a busy day!

Last night my heel was bothering me quite a bit so I decided that rather than walking to our gym and being inticed by the elliptical (which bothers it a little bit), I'd hit up the 'fitness room' in our building for a spin on the bike. Unlike the three relatively new treadmills and the one elliptical, the two bikes in the room look like they're circa 1995! I'm not going to record my distance today like I usually do because I'm 99.9% sure the distance was not correct. My legs were pretty limber this morning, but I don't know how I could have 'biked' just over 20 miles in an hour. Is that possible? Our 'fitness room' has three tiny TV's to keep people entertained while working out. Of the three, one doesn't work (the closest to the bikes) and while the other two have remote controls, they only control the channels. Turning on/off and the volume control must be done at the TV. This doesn't work out too well when you start your cardio workout as the lone person in the room and during the course of the hour two people come in and get on treadmills. As we all know, treadmills are not quiet. Needless to say, I could just barely make out Willie Geist's 'News You Can't Use." I did have the latest issue of Women's Health to finish reading though. Which reminds me, I saw the new issue of Runner's World on sale at a news stand this afternoon but it wasn't in my mailbox! What's up with that Runner's World? I need my fix?! It's odd. I can only read when I'm on a bike. I get bored on the bike. Nevertheless, I actually didn't have any pain when I finished my 60 minutes, so I ended my workout with a few minutes of stretching before heading back upstairs.

I quickly put together a light breakfast of toasted whole grain bread, peanut butter and a banana. No time for tea this morning. I had to get out of the apartment quick. Bad news though. I've run out of PB&Co peanut butter! I prefer buying my jars at the restuarant - I feel that way they get all the profits and no one is skimming off the top. Unfortunately I haven't been there for a while so my cupboard is empty! I did pick up a jar from Trader Joe's during my weekly visit on Monday. It's cheap ($2.99) and a pretty good flavor, but very runny, even when I keep it in the fridge. Definitely no PB&Co, but I suppose it will tide me over. I have to get to the restaurant soon!

This morning I attended a Step Up Women's Network Power Breakfast. About 20 members were fortunate enough to get two hours with Linda Descano, the President & COO of Women & Co. a division of Citi, as well as the CAO of Citi. I love the Power Breakfast series because not only do I get to meet other motivated, intelligent and active women, but we get an inside look at what makes strong, successful women tick. What inspires them and how they got where they are. 

One topic she touched on was mentoring: she has had several mentors throughout her career and has been a mentor herself. Her advice was to find someone who is an expert in something you want to know about and ask them for a bit of their time to pick their brain. Or, find someone who has a similar background as you. I think this tip can also be used when it comes to running, fitness and nutrition. What's wrong with having a running mentor? Someone who can teach you and push you to maximize your potential? I think this happens often without people even realizing that it's a form of mentorship. It can be friends introducing other friends to running or cooking. I feel this is happening a lot in the blog community as people take time to reach out, comment on posts and make a real connection. It was a great event and I learned quite a bit. Linda is an inspiration. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to attend events like this and I do not take them for granted!

This afternoon I was down at Chelsea Market. You know, where the Food Network studios are! It's a great place filled with all sorts of restaurants, bakeries, and markets. I picked up some great stuff while I was there:

I've been reading a lot of recipes using cumin seeds lately and I'm curious. I picked these up to try out. Not a bad price! I also picked up some produce, including tomatoes that weren't outrageously expensive from the freeze in Florida this winter!

I also picked up a treat for Woody and I to enjoy!

You know how much I love chocolate and I've been really good about limiting it this year. Well, I really love Jacques Torres and I really love chocolate covered matzos! The chocolate covered matzos from Whole Foods used to be great, but I was massively disappointed with it when we picked up a small package over the weekend. I had a few bites and left the rest for Woody to finish. For some reason it was more sugary and caramel than chocolate and matzo. Not good. Anyway, I also picked up these cute chocolate bunnies for Woody for an Easter treat. They're hidden now - he has to wait till Easter! (don't worry - I'm not spoiling the surprise - he doesn't read this often!)

With all my treats in hand, I made my way back home and now I'm icing my heel, writing this post and about to do some stretching.

One more thing - Molly, at I'm a Sleeper Baker, profiled me on her blog yesterday! I was so flattered when she asked to profile me! I, along with over 300 others, love her blog, so this is definitely an honor! You can check out the post here, and I also encourage you to read more of her posts, if you haven't been there before!

Okay, I'll be back in the morning! Have a great evening!

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Workout Stats -
60min bike (mileage unknown)
stretching

Oh, It's Just A Little Rain.

If you're not aware, the East Coast is getting hit by another nasty rain storm. Just as parts of New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut were starting to dry out and hopefully begin to recovery from the devastation caused by the last major rain storm and flooding a few weeks ago, here we go again! We may end up with the third wettest March on record when this is all over. It rained all day yesterday and is pouring this morning - at least here on the UES. Woody and I tune into the local news each morning as we're getting ready for the gym to check the weather. Obviously we knew it was raining, but the radar didn't look too bad, so we got ready and headed out. Wow. One problem with living in a high rise apartment building is that you can never really tell what the weather is going to be like when you get outside. It was POURING! Oh, well. It stinks, but it wasn't going to keep us from the gym.

As we dodged puddles and streams of water gushing down the streets, I mentioned to Woody "at least the gym might not be too crowded." Haha! Wrong again! It was packed! There were a bunch of dripping wet coats and umbrella's at the coat rack on the cardio floor. I'm not sure if we were all crazy, or just dedicated to fitness! It was great to see so many people plod through the bad weather to get there. That got me thinking though, what motivates people to face wicked weather to workout? Whether to go to the gym or to run in the rain?

My first 18 miler last summer was scheduled for the morning of the day we left for our week in Montreal. I had to get it in, but the weather forecast called for rain. It rained the entire 18 miles, but the last two were brutal. Hard, cold, rain. My feet were sloshing in my shoes as I finished in the park. It was part torture, part comical. I made it through and was stronger for it. Those last two miles may have been my fastest! On that day, I was motivated by the fact that it was going to be my longest run to date, a new hurdle to leap, and because I was going on vacation and I couldn't do it the next day. Usually when it's raining, I just want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book or movie. Except when it's time for the gym.

What motivates you to go out in the rain for a workout?

What it looks like outside our door!

A wind gust claimed the life of Woody's umbrella this morning. It won't see another rainstorm.

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Workout Stats -
6.5mi elliptical
5mi bike
100 crunches
3x10 bicep extension
3x10 side arm lifts
3x10 front arm raise
5x10 hip raise
planks
stretching...lots of stretching