DECEMBER DOESN'T COUNT...

Clearly, based on the date of my last Blog post, I have subscribed to this silly notion that often gets the better of people this time of year.
Somehow, it is so easy to write off December. "It's the Holidays" becomes the excuse that works for everything. For example...
I can eat/drink whatever I want... It's the Holidays.
I can't start any new projects/business ventures... It's the Holidays.
I don't have time to work out... It's the Holidays.
I don't have time to clean... It's the Holidays.
The list goes on and on and believe me, I have used them all. I woke up the other morning feeling in a total haze and I found myself thinking "I can't wait for January when I can get focused again." and then I mentally slapped myself in the face and said "HELLO?!? What in the world does January have to do with anything??" Seriously, what is so magical about January?
NOTHING!
We we use the "It's the Holidays" excuse to let everything go in December, so we have to work twice as hard in January to just get back to where we started.
So how to we fight the haze? How do we make December count?
*I know it is already December 22nd, but trust me the majority of the damage happens from now until Jan 1st, so here are a few tips for keeping your waistline and your sanity in tact during "The Holidays".

1. Move your body! Schedule your workouts like you do your Holiday Parties. Make them a priority. It's the best gift you could possibly give yourself.
2. Reserve the "whatever I want" days for the big ones- Christmas, New Years Eve- and don't feel bad about it. There are some days when it's impossible to be good...
3. Think before you eat!

It's so easy to munch on goodies and party snacks, but do you really even WANT them? Are they even GOOD? If the answer is Yes, then by all means... but if you even have to think about it, put the cookie down!
4. Find other "Holiday" activities besides eating and drinking- ice skating, shopping, sledding, or simply taking a winter walk with friends are all good options.
These will be my sledding buddies... my awesome nephews Cade and Nash:


5. Don't stress out. Stressing out often leads to mindless eating of things like Christmas cookies and Fudge. When you feel yourself starting to go there, just tell yourself "It's not that serious," because it probably isn't.
6. Try to accomplish ONE thing on your To Do List every day- whether that means laundry, shopping, wrapping, errands, cleaning up opened presents, or returning that sweater that "just isn't you". I know the list is long, but if you can just focus on one thing at a time it won't seem so overwhelming.
7. Allow yourself to take a break from the action and SLEEP. My Bengal, Charlie is an expert at this one!

(Yes, this would be me trying to find an excuse to show a cute picture of my cat)
and most importantly...
8. Enjoy it! MAKING IT COUNT also means, being present and cherishing time with family and friends, so don't get crazy trying to be good either. Cut yourself some slack.
So, this is my first step in making the rest of my December count- picking up my laptop and blogging.
What are you going to do?

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE...

Ok, now that I have that, may I have your UNDIVIDED attention please?
I don't know about you, but the latter is a difficult thing for me... For most of my life I have been a chronic multitasker. It's not uncommon for me to be on my laptop, with the TV on, taking on the phone and playing fetch with my cat, Charlie (yes, I have a cat who plays fetch, he rocks). Often times, I feel a little something like this...


Now, I know it is much more effective to do one thing at a time and do it 100%, believe me I do. After all, if I am doing 3 things at once and giving each thing about 30% of my attention, I can't expect to get much more than 30% out of them. I think this mug (which I need to have) says it perfectly:
So what is a girl, who has to do 10 things at a time, to do???
PILATES! That's what.
I know you're probably thinking, "Wait, what? How did we get here?" but just hear me out...
The whole philosophy behind Pilates, is bringing the Mind and Body together, thus the only thing the mind can be focused on during a successful Pilates session is the body.
One thing at 100%- Are you with me now? Good.

There are Six Principles of the Pilates Method:

1) Breath- Properly connecting breath to the movement, which enhances circulation and helps remove toxins from the body
2) Centering- Initiating movements from the core or "powerhouse," and using these muscles to control the rest of the body
3) Control- controling of every aspect of every movement, so you are "in control of the body, rather than at the mercy of it." (I absolutely LOVE this quote by JP)
4) Fluidity- Flowing seamlessly from one exercise to the next, creating a dynamic series of movements and building strength and stamina
5) Concentration- Connecting the mind to the body, and knowing exactly where it is in space and what it is doing.
6) Precision- Proper form is essential to ensure you gain the most benefit.

As you can see, there's really no room to think about anything else, for it to be effective... And I don't know about you, but when I step into a session (or workout of any kind) I want nothing less than 100% of the benefits. Now, I am using what I know about Pilates and working to bring that kind of attention and focus into my everyday life tasks... I can honestly say I have gotten better! So, if you are like me, do yourself a favor, and try engaging in something that it is impossible to turn into a multitask. You will start to find it easier to give your UNDIVIDED attention, and also very rewarding.

image 1: mindcafe.org
image 2: buzzaboutscience.com

BOOTCAMP IS IN & PILATES IS OUT...

HOT

NOT?

This issue has been floating around the internet a lot this week, do to a study put out by the American College of Sports Medicine, on projected fitness trends for 2011.

I say, "Why not both?" This in or out/hot or not thing is silly. It's likening these exercise systems to over-the-knee boots, or jeggings. I love how people like to call Pilates "trendy" or a "fad". Guess what... it's been around since the early 20th Century, and in my humble opinion it's not going anywhere. If you love Pilates, you love Pilates... period. I realize I may be sounding a little snarky, but clearly I am sensitive to this issue, because Pilates is not only something I believe in, it's also how I earn a living. The biggest argument posed by the article was that Pilates is too expensive. I think people are forgetting that Pilates was originally developed on a mat. A mat is what, $40 at most? And, furthermore, most reformer exercises can be mimicked with smaller hand-held equipment (stretch bands, magic circles, mini-balls, foam rollers).


I love the mat workout and find it very effective. Give me an hour and I'll give you a total body workout. Now, I'm not saying that the reformer, chair, or cadillac aren't effective, rather that the "too expensive" argument doesn't really hold any water.
The truth is, there really is room for it all. I know that Pilates is not for everyone, and neither is Boot Camp. The same could be said about Yoga, or Spinning or long distance running, or kickboxing...the list goes on and on. I think we have to realize that it's amazing that there are a plethora of exercise options open to us, and then try to see the ways in which these systems can work together, as opposed to against one another (I, myself, have been known to take a Pilates class on Tuesday, a Boot Camp class on Wednesday and Yoga on Thursday). In fact, this article in the NY Times from just a few months ago talks about how the Army has revamped its own training and fitness regime to combat (pun intended) less physically fit troops, who were getting injured more often. You should definitely read the whole article, but here is a little snippet I found quite interesting:

The new fitness regime tries to deal with all these problems by incorporating more stretching, more exercises for the abdomen and lower back, instead of the traditional situps, and more agility and balance training. It increases in difficulty more gradually. And it sets up a multiweek course of linked exercises, rather than offering discrete drills...

Some of the new routines would look familiar to a devotee of pilates, yoga or even the latest home workout regimens on DVD...“It’s more whole body,” said First Lt. Tameeka Hayes, a platoon leader for a class of new privates at Fort Jackson. “No one who has done this routine says we’ve made it easier.”

So, you see, even the ARMY (who invented Boot Camp) thinks there is room for both. What more proof do you need? I mean, I certainly would want this guy in my Army...

I don't know what is going to happen in 2011, but I do know this: I teach a Pilates mat class at the same time there is a Boot Camp class in the studio next door, and BOTH classes are always full. I'm just sayin'...

photo 1: mscareergirl
photo 2: Jay Sullivan
photo 3: Yogamad
Joseph Pilates Photo: I.C. Rapoport

CAN YOU BAKE A PIE??

YES I CAN!
One of the things I have been wanting to cross off my Life List, is going apple picking in New York, and then making an apple pie... after 6 years of living here, I have finally done it! Jay just got a motorcycle(!), so I hopped on the back with a backpack to bring home the goods, and off we went.
It was, literally, the perfect weekend for a ride. The sun was shining, and the leaves were at their peak- the colors were amazing! I maintain that the best way to see the fall foliage is on the back of a motorcycle. It was so nice to get out of the city for a day and get some fresh air. Check me out playing Biker Chick:


We ended up about 75 miles north of the city at Fishkill Farms.


The PERFECT apple:




They give you a big bag and you can fill it for $20! We (ok I) may have gotten a little carried away...


Note to self- 20lbs of apples is kinda heavy- especially on the back of a motorcycle.
But we made it home and I got to work!
Prior to this I had made 2 pies in my life, both pumpkin for Thanksgiving, and I was super happy with the Martha Stewart crust or- if you are fancy- Pate Brisee recipe I used, so that's the first place I went. Martha has never let me down when it comes to baked goods...
For the filling, I found her Classic Apple Pie Recipe, which I modified a little: I did a traditional top instead of the leaf cutouts, and I eliminated the egg wash (egg yolk and heavy cream), and used a little water on top instead.
I also used a technique I found on this video (still Martha) for the bottom crust. Instead of rolling out the bottom crust you press it in the pie pan a little at a time. It cuts the dough rolling in 1/2, plus it makes an awesomely rustic and thick bottom. I will do pies like this from now on. **I didn't use the recipe from the video, so feel free to just skip ahead to the crust pressing part.


The first one was so good (And we had enough apples for 4 pies), I decided to make another one!
This time I got a little fancy and went for some leaves.

I found a star cookie cutter from Christmas and turned it into leaves by making the veins. Worked like a charm! I could feel myself channeling Martha!


Of course we didn't get any after it was baked because we were just too excited to eat it. I am sure there will be many more pies in our future, though... and many more Pilates workouts to counteract that butter crust!

THE GSMtm...

worked for me! My lovely -and very smart as you will see- friend/walking buddy Jen is the mastermind behind the GOAL SETTING MATRIX(tm) and she was kind enough to share it with me on one of our walks back in September and I am now passing it on to you!
First, I want to give you a little background and tell you about my own personal GSM. As I have been hinting at, I am making some big changes in my life that have been a long time coming and are now actually happening!
Some of you know that I got my college degree in Musical Theater. After school it was Broadway or bust- in other words, find a restaurant job. And that is exactly what I did. I started bar tending right when I moved here (completely by accident by the way, I didn't know a margarita from a martini). It seemed like I perfect gig... and it was. My days were free to audition and I only worked 3-4 nights a week.
Fast forward 4 years... I had done some regional shows and also a tour, and every time I came back I start another bar job, and at this point, despise them all. I was also in an awesome relationship, and could see myself marrying this man and quite honestly don't have much interest in leaving for another tour or anything. I needed something more stable. There had to be another way... which brings me to PILATES and the joy of finding something that I love AND can make money doing! Heaven.
Fast forward 2 more years (this past September to be exact)... I am MARRIED- just had our 1 year anniversary! A certified and working Pilates instructor! And still bar tending... : \ I realized this was necessary in order to get my Pilates business off the ground, but right now, if I am not teaching I am bar tending and I would like to have a life and maybe even see husband every once in a while. So the time had come. I was ready to take the plunge into being a full time Pilates instructor!
Enter, Jen with her GSM. It was unbelievably helpful to me and I hope it will be for you too:


JEN's GSM(tm)

"So the Goal Setting Matrix or GSMtm...after reading a lot of self-help/goal-setting/be an effective person type books, I figured out a way to boil down goal-setting into a one-page reference.

Take a piece of paper, turn it horizontally and draw a rectangle covering the whole page. Draw a cross so that the rectangle now has four boxes in it. Each of these boxes is a quadrant in your GSM:

Quadrant #1 (top left): Write what you want your goal to be. Use the statement "I will" so that the universe knows you mean business. For example, "I will become a pilates instructor."

Quadrant #2 (top right): Write down the date you want to complete your goal. You have to have a "finish line" in order to know if you've crossed it!

Quadrant #3 (bottom left): Write down the people you will tell about your intended goal, along with your date. The reason for this is threefold: some or all of these people can support you and encourage you to complete your goal; some of these people can actually help you achieve your goal; by telling other people you make your intention real -- no backing out now.

Quadrant #4 (bottom right): Break down your goal into manageable steps for achieving your goal (you can also make individual GSMs for any of these steps if it helps you), preferably with target dates to keep you moving along."

And now, I give you my GSM:



You'll notice the date is November 1st, which is NEXT WEEK! It feels so good to be so close to the finish line! Here goes nothing...

**** VERY IMPORTANT: I, in no way, want anyone to think I am knocking or judging bar tending as a profession. It is a great and valid job and requires a lot of skill. It has given me so much in my 6 years of doing it- including my husband. It just isn't for me anymore and in order to move forward with my Pilates career it was time to let it go.

PROMISES, PROMISES...

Yes, a musical currently running on Broadway, but also... something you shouldn't make unless you intend to keep.


With that being said, I apologize for (unintentionally) not keeping mine. As you have probably noticed there haven't been any new videos this month, which I promised there would be. I should have known better. The truth is, that whole "overwhelmed state of being" hasn't really let up, and something had to give. Thus, the videos have just been put on hold for a little while. I am also taking the Weekly out of the titles. I hope to have Lean Body Workouts back online soon. In the meantime, please continue to watch the videos that are up, and if you are in the NYC area, come take a real-live Lean Body mat class (see schedule to your right), or private session from me.
I am working on some really cool upcoming posts-including my first ever apple pie and an awesome goal setting and achieving method- so I hope you will stay tuned even though my appearances have been rather sporadic lately. I don't promise to do better, but I do intend to. I pinky swear...


Just kidding.

GIVE ME THE MUSIC...

I have been playing around with incorporating music into my Mat Classes, lately, and I must say, it is quite enjoyable! It's been pretty gloomy here in NYC and my students and I needed a little pick-me-up. Music always puts some pep in my step, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
Until now, I never used music, mostly because that is how I was trained, and quite frankly it's a lot of pressure to choose the right soundtrack... I have taken classes with and without music, some successful, some not. The best playlist is one that you notice but aren't tuned into, so that the mind can still focus on the body. The music should enhance the movements, not distract from them.
So without further adu, I give you a Lean Body Pilates Mix for your listening and Pilates-ing (not a word) pleasure. Enjoy!


1. Dog Days Are Over- Florence and the Machine
2. Black and Gold- Sam Sparro
3. Sweet Disposition- The Temper Trap
4. Giving Up the Ghost- Dj Shadow
5. Drum Song- The Temper Trap
6. Tight Rope- Janelle Monae
7. Terrapin (Mr. Scruff Mix)- Bonobo
8. Forever- Chris Brown
9. Chaimbermaid Swing- Parov Stelar
10. The Last Dance- Parov Stelar
11. Wanna get- Parov Stelar
12. Spy Game- Parov Stelar
13. Let the Drummer Kick- Citizen Cope
14. Shine- Black Gold
15. Shot in the Back of the Head- Moby

IT'S OFFICIAL...

I am overwhelmed! My current state of being can best be described by this cartoon:


There's a lot happening with me and with Lean Body Pilates, and it's all starting to catch up with me. I tell you this, because ordinarily I would be releasing a new Lean Body Weekly Workout today, but I really needed a week off and regroup. I hope you all understand...
I promise to be back next week with something great! In the meantime, you can view and do past Lean Body workout on my You Tube Channel or the Lean Body website.

WEEKLY WORKOUT #8...

Side Leg Series #2!!!


There are so many variations on the Side Leg Series, so I wanted to do two videos. And, honestly, don't be surprised if somewhere down the line Side Leg Series #3 pops up. I just can't get enough of this amazing hip, thigh and butt workout...
The key word for this series is "rotation". Once you check it out you will see what I mean. You can view it on the Lean Body Pilates website here OR on the Lean Body Pilates You Tube channel here.
Have fun!

WATCH ME...

and WORK OUT with me on the new Lean Body Pilates You Tube channel!
Check it out!

WEEKLY WORKOUT #7...

is all about the side leg series!

I must admit this is one of my favorite parts of the Pilates workout. Get ready to feel the burn and sculpt sexy hips, thighs and butt!

*Quick reminder it's not about range of motion, it's all about the control... so, for example, it's no use kicking your leg all the way up to your face, if your hips fall completely out of alignment. Remember: Hips stacked, shoulders stacked, abdominals engaged, and crown of the head reaching to the opposite wall keeping the neck nice and long.

Enjoy!

LEAN BODY IS EVERYWHERE...

Ok, maybe not everywhere, but I have found some new online communities that I am psyched to be a part of.
As you can see on my sidebar I have become a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher! Foodbuzz is a San Fransico based company that is essentially "facebook for foodies". It's a great way to share recipes/cooking tips/restaurant reviews... all things food related. Featured Publishers get their content highlighted, an opportunity to actually make a little money through advertisements, and lots of other cool perks- bring on the samples! Lean Body Pilates may not be a traditional food blog, but I do LOVE food- from eating (obviously), to learning to make new things and incorporating healthy recipes into my life. It seemed like a good fit to me and I am glad they thought so too!
The other site where you can now find Lean Body Pilates is Healthy Living Blogs.

Healthy Living Blogs is a new resource for the health blogging community. Created by Lindsey of Sound Eats- a great blog BTW, HLB is designed to enhance the positive community of the healthy living blog world. Once again... good fit! I love fitting in!
So, check me out in my 2 new spots!
**And if you happen to join foodbuzz, be sure to become my friend and buzz me!

I HAVE FOUND FOOD HEAVEN...

and it is Joseph Leonard.
Jay and I happened upon this West Village gem quite by accident a couple of months ago. We just had drinks there then, but last week we finally went back for dinner, and I am already dreaming of going back...
Everything about this place is PERFECT as far as I am concerned. There is even a chefs counter you can sit at and watch the magic happen! We almost sat there, but it was a little warm, so we opted for stools at the bar (in fact, the exact spot in the pic below), but near to the chefs counter so we could still watch a little. ;)

The decor is amazing! Check out all the mirrors... Plus there's this:

I was in love right away... Thank God the food lived up to the decor (nothing worse than awesome atmosphere and not so awesome food).
I love sitting at the bar! We had an awesome bartender who was super helpful with the menu and the WINE LIST. It was hot, so we knew we wanted something white and refreshing. They didn't have our usual go to Marlborough Sauvigon Blanc, so we were a little unsure. He recommended a Muscadet... New wine to add to the love list for sure! So now that the evening was off on the right foot, we were ready for food.
We started with oysters on the half shell and octopus. Oysters are my FAVORITE, so that was a no-brainer. Jay and fell in love with Octopus when we were on our honeymoon in Positano, Italy, so there were some huge shoes to fill. The chef nailed it! I am still getting used to the whole taking pictures thing, so I didn't get a pick of it. But seriously, trust me and try it.

I DO have a pic of the pan roasted chicken I had for my entree...

It was served with golden beets, spinach and a spicy-onion relish.
I'm telling, there is nothing better than perfectly cooked chicken... lucky for me I found the recipe online on the Village Voice Blog. Score!
Jay had a New York strip steak with fingerling potatoes and a jalapeno relish.
Our bartender also sent us a complimentary side of "summer stuffing." What's that you say?? Stuffing in the summer? That's crazy...
Crazy good!

And as if that wasn't enough... then came dessert. Oh the dessert... We definitely felt like splurging so we each got our own! I had the salted caramel pudding.

There really aren't words to describe it's goodness. It was topped with whip cream and crumbled sugar cookies... need I say more? Jay had Carrot Cake.

I only had a bite (or two) because I was very busy with my pudding, but it was delicious! Both were a perfect ending to a perfect meal!
What it all boils down to is, Joseph Leonard is my kind of place.
Amazing fresh and seasonal ingredients+ awesome decor+ super friendly and knowledgeable staff+ a VERY handsome dinner date= Heaven!

food photos:serious eats NY
interior photos:Sam Horine

WEEKLY WORKOUT #6...

Even with my new walking obsession, I still found time for my Lean Body Weekly Workout. Check out #6!


It's a shorter video this time, but has a big pay off... lots of balance and strength work with quadruped and planks. Hope you are ready for a great total body workout!

WALK THIS WAY...

to better physical and mental health!


I admit that I never really gave walking too much thought. Maybe, it's because I am a New Yorker, and that's what we do... walk. A lot. I recently read an article in Whole Living magazine (formerly Body and Soul), that got me thinking about walking. It discussed walking from three different angles:

Walking for fitness
Walking for therapy
Walking for meditation

I was so intrigued! Maybe walking's not just a way to get me from home to the subway and vice versa... Maybe there is something more to be gained from putting one foot in front of the other. I set out on a mission to try all three...

WALKING FOR FITNESS:
The first thing I did was to be more mindful and aware of the walking I was already doing- this seemed like a good place to start, because like I said... It's A LOT. I implemented the principles I read about walking for fitness into my everyday walking commutes:

-Practicing correct posture with the crown of my head reaching to the sky and shoulder melting down my back and of course my abdominals engaged up and in.
-Keeping my strides short, quick and light, rolling from my outer heel to my big toe (not as easy as it sounds)
-Keeping my elbows bent at a 90 degree angle swinging from the shoulder joint bringing my fist up as high as my chin and back to my hip (I have lovingly named this "Barbie Arms") -And lastly trying to make sure I am at at least 75% of my max heart rate and no slower than 3mph

Now, instead of dreading my walk to the train, or gym, or grocery store, I look forward to it! It's like I get a mini workout without taking any extra time out of my day. It is less of an annoyance if I am getting some physical benefits out of it. PLUS... I have been able to incorporate fitness walking into one on my private clients' routines, by going to the park and coaching her as she walks. She needs more cardio on top of the Pilates, but has a hard time staying motivated and focused, and also has troubles with her knees. Having me there to remind her "how" to walk has been so good for her! She has already made great strides- pun ABSOLUTELY intended! ;)

WALKING FOR THERAPY:
I have a little bit of experience with this one, because Jay and I like to walk together. We would much rather walk than take a train if we can. We even walked to Manhattan from Queens over the 59th street bridge to avoid the subway. My favorite tradition of ours, is walking around the Jackie O reservoir in Central Park on Thanksgiving Day. It's so beautiful, especially in the fall! Plus we feel better about stuffing ourselves later...
He was the only person I ever really walked this with, so I thought why not try out this therapeutic walking business with some girlfriends. I happen to be going through some pretty big life changes (which I will discuss here when the time is right) and I knew I wasn't alone, so I was hoping I could get some gals on board. I was right! I have had successful walking dates with a couple girlfriends (one of whom is a new mom, so we combined fitness and therapy in one) and plan to have many more! It's a much healthier- not to mention inexpensive- way to hang out with the people I love, than grabbing a drink or eating out. It's also a great way to explore. I found two new places I never even knew existed in Central Park the other day with my girlfriend, Shea: check them out here and here; and I went to Astoria park- which is very close to my house and which I had never been to in over 3 years of living in Queens- with new Mommy, Jen. I highly recommend taking a walk next time you are craving some girl time or spouse time. It's a wonderful way to connect, talk, listen, and burn some calories in the process.

WALKING FOR MEDITATION:
This one has been the hardest for me but I am working on it... I think it's because there are so many distractions here in NYC. Even if I wanted to quiet the gazillion thoughts traveling around in my mind, the fire truck blaring it's siren has other plans for me. I am sure meditating is a lot easier in a place like this:

I think another trick is not having a destination in mind, or a time that you have to be anywhere at least. I do walk by myself a lot, but I am always going somewhere.
I'm going to keep trying to figure this one out, and I'll keep you posted.

I am extremely thankful to Whole Living for opening my eyes to walking, and how much more there is to it than just getting from one place to another. If you are like me, and live in a city that requires you to walk from place to place, I encourage you to cherish that time, and use it to your advantage. If you live in a "car culture", find a trail or path, and a buddy and move those feet! Relish in the fact that your body has the ability to propel you forward- literally and figuratively- and move you where you need/want to go in life.

WEEKLY WORKOUT #5...

It's time to flip it over and do some back extension work!


** One quick tip/reminder: When you are on your tummy, relax the legs and butt on the floor and press the hip points down into the mat, as you draw the belly UP and IN away from the mat- keeping it engaged- so it is never splayed out on the floor. This will keep your lower back protected as you work those back muscles! Have fun!

NYC IS HOT, HOT, HOT...

and I have a cold! Ugh.
The only comfort of a summer cold is how awesome icy treats feel sliding down a sore throat, so it seemed like the perfect time to let you all in on my new favorite frozen treat.

BANANA SOFT SERV!

This is some I made yesterday

I found this gem of a "recipe" on Choosing Raw on a post entitled "This Post Will Change Your Life." I had to try it! I use the term recipe loosely, because literally all you do is stick 2-3 cut up bananas in the freezer- I put them in a tupperware- for a few hours and then throw them in the food processor. Process for a about 5 minutes and I kid you not you will have super creamy banana soft serve! It has to be a processor, not a blender, otherwise you'll just have a banana smoothie.
Once you have the base you can mix it up with melted dark chocolate, chocolate chips or peanut butter (Jay's favorite). I kinda just like it plain though.
This definitely fits into a Lean Body Lifestyle... It's a great way to enjoy a sweet frozen treat without the guilt.
IT'S BANANAS!
Sorry for the pun... I think my husband is wearing off on me. Enjoy!

WEEKLY WORKOUT #4...

This video is all about ABS! Get ready to work... It's a doozy! Check it out here.

P.S. I am loving all the feedback on facebook, but I would really love to get some more commenting happening on the blog... Thanks for all your support!

COOKING LIGHT...

is probably my favorite magazine at the moment. I swear, it's like Christmas when it comes in the mail every month! I was particularly looking forward to this months issue, because I was in a serious food funk. Over the past several months, I have developed a true love of cooking, but lately I have been feeling totally uninspired by food... which for anyone who knows me is TOTALLY CRAZY. Enter the September issue of cooking light to save the day... I read it twice and am totally back on track!

Last night I made salmon* and a Golden Corn Salad with Fresh Basil from the magazine. It was soooo good and totally easy! I got the ingredients from this AMAZING (but super expensive) grocery store on the Upper East Side called Eli's. They have the most beautiful produce! I snapped a pic of the heirlooms in my basket to send to Jay.


It is right across the street from my Thursday night mat class, so I tend to find myself in there after I teach. I am glad I am only in that neighborhood one day a week or I would be broke!

So, here is the magazine version:


and mine (Jay's plate turned out to be prettiest):


Not too shabby, right?? I wish I had better lighting and composition, looking at it now, but we were hungry and anxious to dig in... I swapped the regular cherry tomatoes for heirlooms- my favorite- and bought white corn, because it was fresh and local. To quote Jay, "This is one of the best meals you have ever made!" It will definitely become a staple around here. Thank you Cooking Light!
Oh and, as a bonus, this issue also has a great article about Pilates! It's good for anyone thinking of giving it a try for the first time...

*We just really wanted Salmon. You could serve the salad on it's own or with almost anything really.