HIGHS & LOWS..

That's what Day 2 of the Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference was like for me.

I started on a very HIGH note with a Kangoo class courtesy of Wendy at Body Dynamics in Boulder. Never heard of Kangoo?? I hadn’t either. Then I watched this video… and I thought, “What the h%*l is that?” followed closely by, “It could be fun…” and since the Conference was offering the class for free I then thought, “Why not?”

Here I am in my Kangoo Jumps (The pic is a little blurry, because it is almost impossible to stand still on those things):

Pretty H-O-T right?

I can honestly say that it was the most fun I have ever had in an exercise class! I am seriously considering buying a pair, although I am not sure if it would have the same affect if it were just me in my living room & would probably freak out my cat...

In a group we all looked crazy together, so in turn no one looked crazy. Plus you can’t help but feed off the smiles of the other jumpers around you. I dare you to try this without smiling the whole time… and if you can do it, you better send me a video, because I don’t believe you! Check the video Anne of fANNEtastic food made here. I am in the back corner and mostly hidden, but I assure you I am there...

In addition to the joy and fun factor, there’s the health and fitness factor (oh yeah, I forgot… we were exercising too). Since the shoes are on springs, there is no impact or stress on the joints, so people with injuries or a few extra pounds to carry can get an amazing cardiovascular workout without the stress on the body. It allows for more dynamic movement than may not otherwise be possible and burns more calories- 25% more to be exact! Kangoo also helps to improve balance and coordination. I’m definitely going to get to some Kangoo in NYC! Apparently this is the guy to see.

So riding my Kangoo High I got showered and changed at Body Dynamics before the first seminar, which I was really looking forward to. Since I was staying with my family who lives nearby, I had taken the car to the conference (Kangoo was at 7am and no one seemed to keen on dropping me off at that hour & I don’t blame them). I went to drop some stuff in the trunk that I didn’t want to lug around all day before I headed out in search of coffee in breakfast. I had budgeted my time perfectly and had 30 min to find them. That’s when it happened… One simple thought changed my state from highest high to lowest low. It went something like this:

“I don’t need to take my whole bad and computer to go find coffee. I’ll just leave it in the car.” With the keys in it… Yup.

In the slam of a Honda trunk I was suddenly plunged into the depths of helplessness, AKA locking the keys in the car. So, naturally, the first thing I did was call my dad to come to my rescue… and naturally he said he'd be right there. He’s good like that. I would like to point out that I did NOT cry… which if you know me well is pretty huge. I tend to freak out over things like this that throw a wrench in my life. I calmly asked the front desk at the hotel for the number of a locksmith, called and explained my troubles. Then, I went to the Hotel Starbucks and got some Coffee and Granola (remember I had Kangoo’d earlier and still hadn’t eaten) and had breakfast with myself on the trunk of the car and waited for Isaac the locksmith.

Breakfast of people who lock themselves out of their car.

Long story only slightly shorter, he came and saved the day!

He was pretty easy on the eyes too, which didn’t hurt. He was also very understanding when I told him that it was necessary for me to document this as I was attending a bloggers conference. (wink)

Even better, I was only about 15 minutes late for the session and still got to hear Toni speak... plus I had a good story!

The “low” was very temporary, which is a good thing to keep in mind, I suppose.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my dad did pay for my blunder, so here is my very public THANK YOU, DADDY!

**In other news, I have decided to become a locksmith, because that is apparently where the money is.

Have you ever had a roller coaster day like this??

KEEPIN' IT GREEN...

30 Day Challenge!

Inspired my one of my Pilates & Blogging heroes, Lisa Johnson, and her 30 Day Challenge, I have decided to do one of my own.

At first I had a hard time deciding what I was going to do... I don't really like the idea of giving something up. That mentality has never worked for me. It only makes me want said thing even more. So I thought, what's the opposite of giving up?
Adding in!
I had my answer... For the next 30 Days (and hopefully a lot longer) I will make sure to have SOMETHING GREEN with every meal. In truth, I am already pretty good at this for 1, even 2 meals a day. But every meal will be an interesting challenge...

One way I plan to keep this promise to myself is by making Green Drinks in the morning. Greens aren't the easiest things to add to breakfast, but I have found that drinking them is so easy and tasty!!

Here is the Green Drink Recipe I am loving at the moment:

Big bunch of Kale or spinach leaves- I'm not going to tell you how many to put in, because it's up to you. I will say this: Imagine it is on your plate and you are eating it with dinner. How much would you eat as an adequate serving?
Big handful of parsley- adds some snap!
1 green apple peeled, cored and chopped
Handful red grapes- Blueberries are another good option.
1 banana
Juice of 1 lemon
Water- How much depends on how thick you want the drink. I like mine to be more like Juice so I add quite a bit.
Splash of Soy milk- optional, but I like the texture it gives.

Throw it all in a blender (or use your emersion blender like me) and viola...Yummy Green goodness- which I promise tastes AMAZING!

*This recipe makes 2, so you can have one now and one later, OR share (Jay is on board and really loving the green drinks).

Eventually I want to start experimenting with other green things/veggies to add in to my drinks, so if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Being as it has never been my style to share everything I eat or drink here on this blog, I am not going to be documenting my every green meal. I will however be keeping you all updated on my progress (I'm thinking once a week) and sharing yummy green recipes I come across.

Also, feel free to share in the green goodness and join me on my Keepin' it Green 30 Day challenge!

LEAN BODY LOVES...

Because I LOVED writing my Valentines Day post so much, and also in an effort to get back to doing some weekly segments- Remember my LIFE ESSENTIALS??- I am starting a new series called:


Once a week I will talk about something I am loving at the moment- products, websites, classes, recipes, TV shows, etc. I thought about just bringing back Life Essentials, but somehow the title seemed too serious. These Loves aren't essential to my existence, just things that make me smile and I hope will make you smile too!

This week, LEAN BODY LOVES...


At the risk of sounding totally crazy, I am borderline obsessed with Jessica Seinfeld (yes that Seinfeld) & her website doitdelicious.com. Here's why:

The Recipes

First and foremost, she cooks amazingly flavorful, healthy, and simple (as in quick & easy not unrefined) food. She also provides nutritional info, helpful hints, a list of tools you need and ideas for what to serve with the dish to make it a meal. Here are 2 veggie recipes that I am loving right now :

Parmesan Kale Chips

Broccoli with Golden Raisins and Garlic

Her first cookbook was about sneaking veggies into meals for kids, but the truth is, sometimes ADULTS need to be tricked too. In fact, I whipped up some of these Kale Chips on a night we were having a friend over for dinner who is notorious for his dislike of most things green (much to the chagrin of his vegetarian fiancee). He tried a chip to be polite, and promptly said "Wait, I actually LIKE these!" as he went back for more. And just like that, another leafy green success story!

The Kitchen Guides

Learn how to stock you kitchen, shop for & store your food, and decifer labels to be a more intelligent consumer. Love it! I took the Well Stocked Kitchen list with me to the store right away.

The Videos

The idea for Do it Delicious was born out of Jessica wanting to help her friend Ally learn to cook. She started making videos for her to show her how simple it can be to make good healthy meals. So, in addition to step by step instructions & photos, there are videos for some recipes. The videos are great because, if you are a visual learner like me, it's easier to see someone actually cooking than to read a recipe and figure out what your are supposed to do. Plus, she doesn't take herself too seriously and has a good time, which make the meals seem even easier. I am going to be making this Peppercorn Steak VERY soon!

Jessica's Blog

It's not only entertaining and personable, but informative as well. This post on being an EATIE is one of my favorites... probably because I am one.

So if you are: busy and on the go/trying to get the family to eat more veggies/ trying to eat more veggies yourself/ afraid of your kitchen & cooking/ excited about your kitchen & cooking/ looking for new recipes/ or just an EATIE like me... check out Do it Delicious!

**All the opinions on this blog are mine and mine alone, and everything I endorse is out of my own true love of that product.**

All photos courtesy of Do it Delicious.

PILATES MYTHS...

debunked! On my journey I have realized that there are a lot of ideas floating around about Pilates, that just aren't true, so I thought I would address a few.

MYTH #1: PILATES IS FOR GIRLS

I find this myth particularly ironic seeing as Pilates was invented by a MAN.


I'm not sure how or why this stigma was created, but I must say that it troubles me. Men especially can benefit so much from Pilates. For instance, I find that a lot of the men I train (and I pride myself on training quite a few) are strong but not free, ie. locked in the shoulders and hips with tight hamstrings. Pilates addresses all of these issues and helps to achieve more overall fitness, not just brute strength. Muscles are nice, but tightness is not.

MYTH #2: PILATES IS NOT A WORKOUT

I think this generally depends on the instructor. Unfortunately, there are some instructors floating around out there, who guide people through an hour of sleepy time stretching and breathing and call it Pilates. Believe me, I have taken their classes... During my training, an amazing teacher, Ron Speiss, said to me : "Pilates is exercise. It's not physical therapy or rehab. It's not stretching or relaxation. It's exercise, so get your students moving!"
I haven't forgotten this, and keep it in my brain every time I teach. I am not a doctor, I am an exercise instructor. My job is to work people out. Pilates is exercise! For fun, I put together a little list of my favorite First Class Quotes:

"That is the hardest thing I have done in a very long time." -after finishing the Hundred.

"When you see a class from the outside it doesn't really look like anyone is doing anything... And then you take the class and realize that's not true at all!"

"I was expecting something much more... Feminine." -a personal favorite which came from a competitive boxer.

"I'm going to be sore in muscles that I didn't even know I had!"

MYTH #3: YOU HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE TO DO PILATES

Pilates is designed to help you gain more flexibility and range of motion, while strengthening your core so you can support that flexibility. If anything LACK of flexibilty is a reason to get into a Pilates class. I'm just sayin...

** Note, I planned to include a pic of a VERY flexible human here, but they all really creeped me out, so I decided against it. Google "flexible" to see for yourself.

MYTH #4: YOUR ABS ALREADY HAVE TO BE STRONG TO DO PILATES.

I hear this a lot, "My abs aren't strong enough to do Pilates," and it confuses me so much.
Now, obviously you need a certain amount of strength to do the advanced work, but no one is expecting that you will come into your first class and do a perfect straight leg teaser right out of the gate.


Just like you wouldn't run a marathon the first time you laced up a pair of running shoes... It's a process. Most people have to learn how to engage- and in some cases even find- their abdominals before they can start strengthening and sculpting them. But if you still insist on getting strong abs before you take Pilates... I suggest you take Pilates.

MYTH #5: PILATES ONLY WORKS YOUR ABS

It's true that the core of Pilates is the "core" but the idea that it is only good for the abdominal muscles is crazy. I dare anyone to get on a mat or any of the equipment and not get a total body workout. The beauty of Pilates is that the abs are ALWAYS working, and supporting the spine during every exercise, which not only leads to a rockin' bod but a healthier and injury free bod as well. What good is lifting heavy weights if you aren't engaging your core and protecting your lower back?


Sure, you may be "working" your arms, but what are you "harming" in the process?

MYTH #6: PILATES IS THE SAME AS YOGA

This is another one I hear a lot. I like to begin my classes by asking if anyone is brand new to Pilates, and inevitably I will get someone who raises their hand and says "I've done Yoga." That's great. Yoga is great! But Yoga is not Pilates. Do they have similarities, yes, but they also have some major differences. This chart from Pilates Supply does an amazing job of breaking it down:


**I realize the chart may be a tad hard to read, so a larger more legible version can be found here.

So next time you feel like using one of these excuses as to why you aren't doing Pilates, you are going to have to think of something else... And then I will debunk that.

TAKING A DAY OFF...

Easy for this guy:


Not so easy for a freelancer who loves her job. Seeing the empty space on the calendar- which I have carved out for myself on Wednesdays- is hard, especially when people are wanting me to teach classes or schedule private sessions.


It is so tempting to say "Yes, I am available," and give up my free day. In fact, earlier this week I caught myself thinking: "I don't need a whole day off," and "It's basically a day off if I only teach one class or one private."
And then... I got sick. I'm talking head cold, nothing life threatening or serious, but significant enough to knock me on my a%$. So I here I am on the couch with a box of kleenex, very thankful that I have today off, and also realizing that not having a day off is not an option. There is a difference between ambition and stupidity, and thinking I can work every day is just plain stupid. I am no good to anyone (including and especially myself) if I am burning the candle at both ends and in turn, completely burned out. No one is going to fault me for taking a day for myself... a day when I get to choose the places I go and the people I see- and if they do, they aren't the kind of people I want to be around.
So... I'm officially writing it here to keep myself in check:

Until further notice, Wednesday is my day off and I will not be teaching any group classes or private sessions.

Believe me I am not happy that I got sick, but I am taking it as a sign that I need this day of rest. I urge you to take a look at your own work schedule- especially if you are your own boss- and make sure there is at least one day OFF.

I'VE STARTED DATING...

Fitness Dating that is!
It's is a great way to try new things and also cultivate amazing friendships. I have found a lovely fitness date in fellow Pilates instructor, and all around awesome and inspiring chica, Lindsay Lopez (who's also blogging about our experiences). We are traveling around NYC together to find affordable and fun fitness!
As Pilates instructors we run the risk of falling into a couple of traps:

Trap #1. We do too much of one thing. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE Pilates, but I think is beneficial to try all types of fitness methods, if for no other reason than to compare and contrast. How does this relate to my field? What is different/the same? What do I agree/disagree with? Answering these questions makes me a better, educated and more well-rounded instructor. And, like I said before, it doesn't have to be one thing or the other.

Trap #2. We are so busy whipping other people into shape that we forget about ourselves. It's hard to schedule in your own training time when you are training other people all day long. However, as instructors we have a responsibility to practice what we preach and set a good example for our students. Scheduling a Fitness Date is a good way to keep up on our own bodies. I am much less likely to break a date with Lindsay than with myself.

After a successful first date, Lindsay and I had our 2nd date (which, if my single lady memory serves, makes us officially dating) last week at Blink Fitness, Equinox's new affordable gym. We had a free trial- my kind of price- but membership is only $20 a month!


This is most certainly a bare bones work out facility, and for those of you who love to hit the cardio & weight machines and do your own thing, probably heaven.


For a class lover like me, not quite. I have never been a fan of mindless indoor cardio (though having a date on the elliptical next to me seemed to make the time breeze by) and like I said, since I train other people for a living, I kind of want someone else to tell me what to do for a change. That's why I love classes so much.
I will say this: Blink is beautiful, new, and SUPER clean! I was especially impressed with the built in iPod/iPhone chargers on the machines! You don't have to worry about using up the juice on your phone while you work out or it crashing to the ground. Very nice touch!
One last piece of advice: If you plan on showering, BRING YOUR OWN TOWEL!


There are showers, but no towels (or toiletries), so you will be forced to drip dry or take a good old fashioned hooker shower- like I did. TMI?
Needless to say, I won't be joining Blink, but I can totally see why other people are. If you live in NY, go to their website for your own FREE pass and see for yourself...

I will keep you updated on our upcoming Fitness Dates, and if you have any suggestions for where we should go/classes we should try, please comment and let me know.
Also, don't be afraid to explore the world of Fitness Dating for yourself... Grab a friend and get moving!

IN HONOR OF VALENTINES DAY...

I have compiled a list of 14 things I am loving right now, in no particular order (except for maybe #1).

Being Married to Jay

This really goes without saying, but I wake up every day feeling so lucky to have found my soul mate, and to get to spend the rest of my life with him.

Charlie

He is a crazy, freestyle jumping, booger-faced, snuggle bug, lick monster... and I couldn't love him more!

These Babies

**Just in case you were wondering, the sonogram is not mine, and seeing how it is not my news I shall keep the identity of the belly anonymous. :)

Pilates on 5th

I am "back in school" at Pilates Academy International doing some continuing education and certifications. I have had the opportunity to work with some truly amazing instructors and am feeling very inspired. I am definitely not too cool for school!

My "Girls"

In my opinion, every girl needs girls. I am so fortunate to have some amazing ones in my life: my Mama, sisters, friends I have known for years, and now new friends (who I am super excited about turning into "friends I have known for years"). Here's to you, ladies... Thanks for being there!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

This is miracle stuff! Try it and you will thank me.

Modern Family & Parenthood

Maybe I love these shows so much because they both remind me of my own family- who I miss like crazy- quirky and fun with a whole lotta HEART.

Joel Gott Red Zinfandel

Yum.

Eataly

AKA: Heaven. I can't get all the way into it, because you will be here reading for hours. What I will say is this: Go to Manzo, sit at the bar and have the Beef Carpaccio and the Pappardelle. When you are finished, grab a glass of wine for the road (BECAUSE YOU CAN!) and walk around shopping for pasta, olive oil, kitchen gadgets, etc. as you sip. Like I said... Heaven.

No-bake Cookies

**Note: not my cookies, but similar looking

I have seriously become obsessed lately. I have made batch after batch trying to perfect the recipe, and I do believe I have done it! The beauty is, there is no added sugar- obviously there are ingredients that already have sugar in them.
Makes a small batch of 8-10 cookies:
3 heaping tablespoons of creamy peanut butter 3 tablespoons of milk
(I used soy milk)
3 BLUE Lindt Truffle Balls (I know this sounds nuts and a little OCD. You can obviously just use chocolate chips, but we found them to be too bitter and strong for our taste...Trust me on this)
1/4 C oatmeal
1/4 C coconut flakes
Heat Peanut Butter, Chocolate and milk in a saucepan until the chocolate is fully melted. Stir in oats and coconut and then remove from heat. Use a tablespoon to form into balls and place on a plate. Cool in fridge for at least 15 min. Enjoy!

My All-clad Pan

All pans are NOT created equal. Jay bought this beauty for me for Christmas and it was love at first sight! I still can't bare to put it away, so it sits out on the stove top to be admired. This is my favorite recipe to make in it right now. Get your own here.

Mumford and Sons

I dare you to listen to Little Lion Man and not love this band. Their performance on last night's Grammy Awards was amazing and totally confirmed my love for them, and made me really want to see them live!

Callen Lorde

This amazing clinic in NYC saved my life! Well, my teeth anyway... and my wallet for that matter. If you live in NYC and don' t have dental insurance, this is your place. They give treatment on a sliding scale based on your income, so what was going to cost me $9,000.00 at a Madison Ave Dentist, cost me under $1,000.00 at Callen Lorde AND I loved my dentist! So stop putting off that cleaning you know you are overdue for...

Colorado

It's where I grew up and where my family is. I love NY, but I am very proud of my Colorado roots. Seriously, just look at it. If you haven't been... GO!

And of course, YOU for reading my blog! Happy Valentines Day!

WHY I AM AN AWESOME WIFE & OTHER NEWS...

I'm not trying to be cocky, but I truly am an awesome wife. The proof lies in one simple word:

BEER

For Christmas I bought my husband a beer brewing kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop.
**Note to wives: BEST GIFT IDEA EVER!**
I got him the Everyday IPA kit. That is our favorite kind of beer! Hops, hops and more hops...


We decided to brew the beer right after New Years so it would be ready by Super Bowl Sunday. It takes 4 weeks total. I will say this... while fun- and a little like making a giant pot of oatmeal- brewing is kind of stressful. I never realized how many minor details there were to ensure brewing successful beer. For instance, yeast is a tricky little bugger. You have to sanitize EVERYTHING, because apparently it doesn't take much to make the yeast react in a bad way and ruin the whole thing. Also, there is a lot of timing and temperature taking involved. Things have to be done to the minute and to the exact degree to ensure proper brewing. I also never knew there were such fun words used in beer brewing, ie. The Mash, and The Sparge.

Here are a few more tips based on our experience that will hopefully make yours successful too:

1. Have 2 BIG pots. They say 1 and maybe a 2nd, but definitely have 2.
2. Get a big mesh strainer to fit the entire pot. Ours was too small. We made it work, but we will definitely get a larger one for next time.
3. Read the directions many times and watch the video before you start and FOLLOW them 100%. Once you get going there is no turning back (We did do this, and Jay even did some other online research to be sure he knew what to do. I just want to make it clear how important it was).
4. Before you begin, say "I love you" to each other, which will negate any brewing stress related snaps that may come out of your mouth later. ;)

Once the beer is brewed, it has to ferment for 2 weeks in a cool dark place. While we waited, Jay and I came up with a name for our beer and he designed a fancy label. So talented this man!


Then came time to bottle. We got some big fancy bottles with pop tops, but you can also use regular beer bottles and buy a capper. Bottling is super tricky. I give Jay major props, because he handled this like a pro. You have to siphon the beer into the bottles and it happens FAST! I'd say we did pretty well.


The bottles then have to sit for another 2 weeks, which was torture. We just wanted to try it! Luckily, Super Bowl Sunday was here before we knew it and we each enjoyed a nice frosty glass (or two) of our J&J Brewing Co. IPA: Boogie Brew*.


It was TASTEY! It was a great husband & wife project and we will definitely do it again.
For New Yorkers who are interested: Brooklyn Brew Shop is giving a class on How to Make Beer in Your Tiny Kitchen at the Whole Foods on Houston st. on Tuesday February 22nd @ 7pm.

*FYI Boogie is what we have nicknamed our cat Charlie, since he likes to shoot giant boogers out of his nose when he sneezes.

And now in other news:

- I was recently featured on Healthy Living Blogs as their Friday Feature! It's a fun little Q & A with yours truly, so head on over if you want to learn a little bit more about me and my blog.


- I also just got a job teaching more group classes at Gotham Gym in the West Village! I am super excited about this place and if you are in NYC you should definitely check it out. Classes will start on February 16th and I will be teaching be on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings. Times are TBA, but I will be in touch with more details soon!


Hope your weekend was as great as mine was!