TRX Bootcamp

One of my favorite things about summer (besides having more free time since school is out) is that bootcamps seem to start popping up, and everyone is in full on workout mode due to the realization that it's not appropriate to wear hoodies and long pants on the beach all day.  Everyone is looking to get toned, in shape, and in essence, that bikini-ready body!

Luckily, I don't have to give up TRX during the summer for a less exciting workout.  During the summer, TRX hits the pavement ( or track in this case) and becomes an outside bootcamp at Newnan High School!  I haven't been fortunate enough to be able to enjoy it this summer since I had a baby recently, but I loved it last summer!

Bootcamp begins with a warm up on the track.  I would always run a mile and then stop and walk.  I liked knowing I at least had a mile in before we started anything else.  Once it was time for bootcamp to begin, it was a free for all.  We were at the mercy of Sandra Holt, and you better believe she will push you and make you challenge yourself.

There were TRX handles attached to the stadium for some TRX training (which we did plenty of!)  We also got the privilege of running up the home side bleachers all the way to the crows nest and back down.  If you're looking for a challenge, running to the crow's nest is a challenge!  I run a lot, and I had to stop a few times, because it really takes it out of you!  We did a lot of partner work as well.  I've seen on The Biggest Loser where Bob or Jillian would hold a giant looking rubber band with the victim trainee in the middle, and as the trainee runs, they would pull back on the band and add resistance.  I always thought it didn't look very hard.  I WAS WRONG!  It is extremely hard!  Having someone trying to pull you backwards while you are running forward at full speed is no hard!

Amidst the crows nest fun and the partner workouts, we would also do circuit training.  For instance, one group would do ab work on yoga mats on the grass while the other group does TRX or something else.

I've really missed it this summer, because it was such a great workout, and everyone really tries to keep the mood upbeat and positive.  We would sing songs as we're running to the crows nest and make jokes to keep the mood light, anything we could do to get our mind off of our bodies telling us to stop.  You really bond with people when you're sweatin' it out and pushing your body to its limits right next them.  I cannot wait to be back out there next summer sweating, singing, and keepin' it positive!

Get out and Sweat and push your body before the day is over!

TRX at Synergy Fitness

One of the hardest things about being a runner is working around Mother Nature.  In the summer, I have to get a run in when it isn’t too hot.  This means, I have to get up and be running while the sun comes up.  Obviously, this isn’t the ideal running situation, but there is something extremely relaxing and peaceful about getting to watch the sunrise as you run.  It is truly breathtaking!  Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get out and get running at a certain time when you have a 2 month old.  He pretty much dictates my running schedule.  Let’s face it, he dictates the schedule for my entire life. 

Another problem with only running is, believe it or not, the monotony of always running at a certain time, on the same course, and in the same place can make it start to get boring.  Don’t get me wrong, I love running, and I wouldn’t give up running for anything in the world.  However, it is important to vary your workouts.  I found the best way to do this was to find another type of workout to do in conjunction with my running.  I did classes at the gym for awhile, and that was working out great.  I had a schedule and a routine, and I was fine with all of that, but like most gyms, the classes were released on a certain schedule.  Meaning, once a new workout was released, we would do it repeatedly, every class, for at least a month.  This also became boring, so I began a search for something that would allow me everything I loved about working out without all the monotony of repetition. 

Mother’s Day 2013 I found the answer I was looking for.  I love getting people cool and interesting gifts.  I spend weeks and even months planning the perfect gift for someone based on what I’ve observed them liking, heard them say they like, fits their personality, etc.  I was searching for the perfect gift for my mom.  She’s one of those people who wants to be in shape, but doesn’t always put forth all the effort it takes to get there.  She will get on a good schedule of working out for about a week or two and then stop when, supposedly, an injury flares up.  I was tired of hearing her excuses about why she couldn’t make it to the gym for even 30 minutes to make it onto the treadmill.  I needed some way to motivate her to workout where it wouldn’t be as easy to quit.  I finally realized she needed a personal trainer.  She had to be accountable to someone who wouldn’t take the excuses and just let her quit.  Thus began my search for a local personal trainer.

You might wonder how one goes about finding a personal trainer.  I simply posted on Facebook that I was looking for one, and asked if anyone knew of one.  Almost instantly a friend responded with the name of a trainer she used.  This trainer owned a studio, Synergy Fitness (http://synergyfitness.biz/), and taught something called TRX.  I had never heard of it before, but it was worth a shot.  I called the trainer, Sandra Holt, and we arranged the purchase of the gift.  My brother and I surprised my mom with it on Mother’s Day, and she started going. 

I was curious about this TRX I had never heard of.  I was intrigued there’s a workout I haven’t done that could be exciting and new.  I listened to my mom describe her experience to me.  I decided I had to go and try a class.  From the first class, I was hooked.  It was unlike anything I had ever done before.  TRX uses handles suspended from the ceiling.  You aren’t lifting weights.  All the weight you’re lifting and maneuvering is your own body weight!

Thus began my love affair with TRX.  I’ve loved all the ways I’ve seen myself grow stronger and how lean my body has gotten.  I also love having a personal trainer, because she makes sure to mix up the workouts.  I’ve been going for over a year, and I’ve never done the same workout twice.  She combines TRX with circuit training.  We do some TRX and mix in some circuits of pilates, cardio, yoga, etc.  When it’s nice outside, we will even venture outside to run and do some workouts out there. 

TRX has been one of the best things that has happened to me on my fitness journey.  I hope you have something you love as much as I’ve come to love TRX.  I would encourage you to always keep pursuing new ways to challenge your body and push yourself.  Your body is capable of much more than you think ( childbirth is proof of this, but that’s a post for another time).  Please find what makes you happy, and stick with it!  No, your body isn’t going to transform overnight, and no, you won’t become strong overnight, but the more you stick with it and push yourself, the more of a change you will see on the inside and out. 

Get out, challenge yourself, and sweat today!

Growing Up on a Processed Food Diet

I was born in the late 80’s, but I spent the majority of my childhood in the 90’s.  I had a typical childhood (or what I assume is typical) spending my summers playing outside with whatever could be found and make-believed into a toy.  We had a small corner area in our backyard that I would drag folding chairs to, and in my mind, it would instantly be transformed into a house for my dolls and myself.  The only time I remember spending my day inside during the summer is when it rained.  Rainy days would be filled with hours of playing barbies, board games, listening to records (yes, I mean real actual records), etc.  Sitting in front of the tv for hours on end was not an option. 

During the school year, I spent 3 nights a week at gymnastics, and I played outside until dinner and sometimes after on my nights off from sports.  My brother and I were outside as much as possible.  I would ride my bike all over the neighborhood to meet up with friends.  We eventually got a trampoline and a wooden swing set in the backyard that had a clubhouse.  When I look back on my childhood, I always remember it being fun.  I don’t ever remember feeling forced to be out in the fresh air and sunshine.

In retrospect, my parents were doing everything right with regards to our exercise, but not when it came to our food.  Growing up, I really never remember hearing the word organic ever come up in conversation.  My parents made sure we sat down together for dinner every night without a tv or any distractions keeping us from having conversations as a family.  Looking back, I can see how difficult it must have been to make that happen every night, but they did it.  My mom made us home cooked meals, or what Sandra Lee would ultimately become famous for referring to as semi-homemade.  Most of the vegetables came from cans as did the salmon for the salmon patties (my least favorite meal and I’m sure you can now see why that would be).  We ate frozen fish sticks (the research I’ve seen about what these are actually made of makes me want to erase ever eating these from my mind entirely).  My mom would try to get some fresh things on the table like broccoli, but the point was moot seeing as how it was drenched in cheese sauce for my family to consider it edible. 

The worst part is that I ended up becoming an extremely picky eater, and I would make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese to substitute any meal I didn’t like that my parents made.  I ate so much Macaroni and Cheese growing up that my grandfather used to say I was going to turn into a macaroni noodle.  I am happy to say that over the past 6 years that I’ve known my husband, I have done a complete 180, and I now eat more kinds of foods than he does.  My palette has changed so much that I can’t understand why I thought macaroni and cheese from a box with powdered cheese was the best thing since sliced bread.  I think my palette had been so worn down from processed food that I had no idea what food was actually supposed to taste like. 

Over the years, I have seen a weird shift between children and health and wellness.  Where we were constantly outside playing, I see that most children sit inside watching tv, playing video games, on the computer, etc.  That’s not to say that children don’t play sports or do anything outside, but it seems like they feel forced to be outside where we felt happy and lucky to be able to play outside.  I have seen some parents really step up and try to use more fresh ingredients instead of always buying pre made processed food, but most children that I come in contact with on a daily basis survive off of fast food or pre-made freezer meals.  It appears we have given up the push for kids to play outside, but we haven’t balanced it with a good diet of nutritious fresh food.  It’s no wonder that so many children are in bad health and overweight.  The ones who are athletic probably would be in the same boat if they didn’t have sports to burn off all of their calories. 

I understand the struggles and impossibilities facing you when it comes to eating healthy and figuring out what to feed your family.  I have had to relearn how to eat correctly for my body.  My metabolism slowed down, and I started realizing that I could no longer eat whatever I wanted without worrying about it.  It was time for a change.  I want to help you navigate this unfamiliar territory by letting you in on things I’ve learned and tips I’ve picked up along the way.  I want to know your struggles, questions, triumphs, and concerns because we more than likely have similar ones.  You are always more than welcome to leave a comment on here or send me an e-mail.  I will always be available to listen and help however I can.

I'm Back!

Wow!  Sorry I've been MIA for awhile.  A lot of craziness has happened.  Shortly after my last post, I found out I was pregnant and somehow managed to lock myself out of my account.  Fast forward to today, and I am the proud mother of a 2 month old, happy and healthy baby boy, and I managed to figure out how to get back into my account.  That's a definite win!  I am going to be adding some new things and making a couple changes.

First, it is important for you to know that I had some complications during pregnancy, and I wasn't allowed to run.  I was sidelined from running for about 9 months.  I recently started back, and I've been able to work myself up to a mile!  Thats huge for someone who hasn't run in 9 months.  I'm also getting used to my new, post-pregnancy body.  Not all of it is the way I would like it yet, but I am giving it time and patience, and I know it will all work out in the end.  I carried extra pockets of amniotic fluid while pregnant, so I became a giant version of myself.  I explained it to a friend who was seeing me for the first time in a long time by saying that I looked like the person that ate my former self.  I think right before I delivered I was either 205-210.  Last time I went to the doctor, I weighed in at 160 something, so I am happy with my progress and the direction it is going.

I was food conscious before I got pregnant, but I am even more conscious of what is going in now that I've got a little one to think about.  I'm all about farmers markets, farms, fresh food, etc.  This is why I want to highlight farms, farmers markets, etc.  from all over.  I want you to be informed about what is out there and your options.  I'm going to call it "Farm Fresh Fridays".  All I ask from you is that you let me know what areas you'd like me to highlight, and what you'd like to know.  I will get all the information and give you everything right here on my blog.

If you're following me on Facebook, you will notice my name changed to Running Mama.  If you'd like to be following me on Facebook, here's the link to my page. https://www.facebook.com/GirlInAsics .  I'm still the same person, but being a mom changes you in such a beautiful and profound way.  I wanted my little man to be a part of this journey with me.  He is, after all, my new running buddy!  I'm going to be getting a jogging stroller very soon, so he can go running with me.  I have been looking at the BOB Ironman.  If you have any advice or knowledge about this stroller, please let me know.  I am all ears!

I will also be posting recipes from time to time. Please let me know what you'd like to see more of, and I will make it happen :)

Oh My My, Oh Heck Yes!

Tonight I decided to have steaks for dinner.  We had no propane, so I decided to make my version of Steak Au Poivre on the stove!  I'm going to go through the entire process with you, and I'm adding pictures to help you enjoy the experience along with me.

I started with 2 ribeye steaks.

 

Then I dry both sides with a paper towel, so they will hold seasoning better.  Then, I salt and pepper both sides.

 

 

Then I put cracked peppercorns on a plate.  I used black, but you can also use the tri colored ones.  Then, I press the outside of the steak into the peppercorns until the whole thing entire outside of the steak has a peppercorn coating.

 

Now, you need to melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan on med-low heat.  It's important to use butter because it will eventually become part of the sauce.  I use unsalted, organic butter.

Now add the steaks to the pan of melted butter, and let them sit and sear before turning them.

 



 

Once they steaks have seared nicely on both sides, and they've cooked long enough for you to be happy with the inside temperature, remove the steaks to a plate and wrap the plate in foil to keep them warm.  My steaks stay in the pan anywhere from 25-30 minutes.  I like them to be pink on the inside, but not raw.  I have a picture at the end of the inside of my steak.

 

To make the pan sauce, you will combine 1 cup of unsalted beef stock with 1/2 cups of any red wine you have on hand.  It is important to use unsalted because you do not want to mask the flavor from the steaks and the stock and wine mixture. You only want to enhance it.

 

Let this cook down as long as you want.  I cooked mine for about 25 minutes on low, so that it would cook down to the point where I could add about 1 tsp of cornstarch just to thicken the rest up.  I know it looks burned in the picture, but I promise that's just the peppercorns.  It isn't burned.

 

Every good steak needs a delicious side dish.  Using the ingredients below (Kosher Salt and pepper -season to taste-, 2 sliced lemons, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 minced clove of garlic, 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and green beans)  I have whipped up a fabulous green bean side dish that has the green beans coming out tender and delicious every time.

 

Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a baking dish, slice two lemons and lay the slices on top of the EVOO at the bottom of the baking dish.  In a bowl, combine the green beans (1 pound with the ends snapped off), 1 minced clove of garlic, juice of 1 lemon, the last 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Place this mixture on top of the sliced lemons in the baking dish and cook on 450 for 1hour.  Here's a picture of the finished product after I made my plate.  They're so good, I couldn't wait!

 

My other easy, go-to side dish is roasted tomatoes.

 

Slice a tomato, spray a baking sheet and salt and pepper it to flavor the bottom side of the tomato slices.

 

salt and pepper the top of the tomato slices after they're laid out on the baking sheet.

 

Cook them at 450 for about 20 minutes.  You have to keep an eye on them.  Clearly, I got a little distracted and two of mine got burned.  You can also cook them at 350 for 30 minutes, but I was cooking mine in the same oven with my green beans.

 

Here's the finished dinner plate!  The green beans were tender and acidic,  the tomatoes were soft and juicy, and the steak was thick and juicy with a nice zing from the peppercorns on the steak and in the sauce.

 

As promised, this is what my steak looked like on the inside once I cut into it.

 

 

Let me know if you have any questions about this meal or others.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right!

   So I have been hearing all about this show My Big Fat Revenge.  I decided to watch the first episode and see what it was all about.  I have to say that I was not at all pleased by what I saw with this show for many reasons.

1. They spent probably about 1 minute in the entire show showing the girls exercising.  They didn't spend any time talking about healthy eating, tips to cure sugar cravings, etc.  They mostly showed a lot of pushups and weightlifting and 1 short clip of one of the girls running with weights.  Even my husband said, "Where's the cardio?" 

2.  The entire show is centered around people getting their revenge on someone for making them feel bad about their weight.  While I am sympathetic towards these people for the way someone made them feel small, inadequate, and insecure,  I don't see how getting revenge on someone shows that you have grown, changed, or matured from the situation.  They're stooping to the level of their "haters" and in the end, they are just as bad.  Anyone who gets pleasure from hurting someone or seeing someone hurt is, in my opinion, disgusting.  Going after someone who hurt you is just showing them that they have won.  You are letting them know that for however long, you have carried them around with you.  You have thought about them and let them be a part of your life all this time because you couldn't move on and forgive and forget.  In situations like these, you usually have a  determined outcome you'd like to have from the person who hurt you, but usually once you receive this determined outcome, you realize you don't feel as good as you thought you would. 

3.  If you are going to lose weight, it needs to be a lifestyle change for yourself.  You don't EVER need to lose weight for someone else, because eventually, hopefully, you will grow up and move on and stop caring about that person.  Once you stop caring about them, you won't keep the weight off unless you decided to change for yourself!

Well let me know how you feel if you've seen it.  These are my opinions, and you're entitled to your own, but I hope I gave you some things to think about.  Let me know if you agree or disagree.

YOLO in NOLA pt. 2

We planned a private cemetery tour at 9:30 the next morning which we all regretted when we woke up, but actually really enjoyed once we did it.  Louisiana is extremely humid, so we had to schedule it in the morning to avoid the humidity and high cost of nighttime tours.  I have to say I learned so much about Louisiana history during that tour, and even my friends who were from Louisiana said they learned a lot of things they had never heard before.  I highly recommend doing one if you have the chance.  They aren’t really like a ghost tour.  It’s a lot more historical than supernatural.  We left the cemetery and went to tour a church close by, and we actually got the chance to see a New Orleans funeral procession complete with a brass band.  It was really something to see.  Supposedly those processions were the only time the family got to have fun because they were supposed to be in mourning for a long while after the death.  It was definitely a celebration.

 

We left the excitement at the cemetery and tried to make it to Stanley’s for brunch.  They don’t take reservations, so we were faced with an hour long wait.  Being the adventurous types, my friends and I decided to walk around and find something that was without a wait and more importantly, air conditioned.  We ended up stumbling upon a hole in the wall style place which actually turned out to be extremely good.  I can’t remember the name of it, and I actually never saw the name as we stumbled in.  I had a chicken sandwich with a sundried tomato and cream cheese spread and a side of jambalaya.  It was outstanding.  I am always harping to people on the importance of making things from scratch instead of trying to cut corners to save time.  My friend’s husband was remarking on his drink, I believe it was a Pimm’s Cup, and he was saying it was the best one he’d ever had.  I picked up the menu to see what was in it.  Well, wouldn’t you know, the lemonade that is in the drink is homemade in their restaurant, no powdered Country Time in their kitchen.  On that note alone, they had won me over.  It’s the little things like making your own lemonade that make such a big difference in the flavor of what you serve.

 

 

We left the city to relax before changing and getting ready for dinner.  We had dinner that night at Muriel’s.  It was probably the best food I had on the entire trip.  It also doesn’t hurt that there is a tragic love story involving 2 ghosts which surrounds the restaurant.  I don’t believe in ghosts, but it does help add to the ambiance and character of the restaurant.  Here’s the short version.  Apparently the owner was to marry a girl he fell for right when he saw her, but he ended up squandering away his money playing cards.  Her father took her away, and she ended up dying.  When he found out, he killed himself.  Supposedly, they serve two dinners and two wines upstairs on a table every night and every morning the plates and glasses are all empty.  The staff believes the couple reunited after death and enjoys their nights having dinner together.

So we started out the night with some delicious bread and appetizers.  I ordered goat cheese crepes with a crawfish, chardonnay, butter, onion, tomato, and bell pepper sauce.  It was outstanding.  My non-foodie husband even remarked multiple times about how good it was.  The crepes were nice and light and the goat cheese was very creamy.  The sauce was light for a butter sauce, and I was pleased to find the dish wasn’t overly heavy.  They even placed a whole crawfish on top to add to the appeal.  For dinner, I was excited to see duck on the menu.  I absolutely love duck!  It has such a nice sweet flavor.  My duck came in a fig reduction sauce with baby carrots, and duck confit dirty rice topped with shaved leeks.  The dinner was extremely delicious.  I am always a believer that you should eat everything that comes with the food because the chef meant for each flavor to help accentuate the other.  I tried the dirty rice without the leeks first, and it was okay, not outstanding.  Then, I tried with some shavings of the leek, and it tasted completely different.  It had a nice little pop of flavor right at the end that married the entire thing together.  I kept thinking what a shame it would’ve been if I’d knocked the leeks off to the side and never touched them again.  Chefs know what they’re doing when they choose flavor combinations.  Sometimes you just have to go out on a limb and trust them.  Everyone left that night remarking at the excellent food and service.  Muriel’s is a coat and tie type of establishment, and with that expectation comes the expectation that the service will be top notch.  I am pleased to say the service was outstanding and the waiters knew exactly how a dinner service should be run.

 

I, of course, did my homework, and I found out there would be a race the morning of the last day of our trip.  I had already missed the deadline to register online, but after a quick phone call where I explained my predicament to the race organizers, I was able to register and pay over the phone!  The race was HOT and HUMID, but I was so happy to be out there running and knowing I did something healthy and awesome before we had to make our trek back home.  The race brought my goal of running a race in each state to 4 states that I have now conquered.  We left to come home shortly after that, and it was a bittersweet goodbye.  I would never want to live in New Orleans, but it will always hold a special place in my heart.  I have spent a lot of my teenage years there, and I have made too many memories to count there as well.  I will always look forward to the time when I can return to it once more.  There are many more restaurants I haven’t had the pleasure of trying and many more memories I have yet to make.  Until next time New Orleans, keep it real in the Big Easy!            

YOLO in NOLA pt.1

In the midst of your journey into a whole food lifestyle, there are times when you will ask yourself if all the extra effort is worth it.  Is it worth it to forgo the canned diced tomatoes and chop them myself?  Is It worth it to make my own pizza dough and marinara sauce?  In the long run, it is definitely worth it.  Not only does it make your body feel better when you put fresh and real ingredients into it, but your food actually tastes better.  Herbs, fruits, vegetables, and spices all have their own unique flavors.  If you ever find yourself eating a tomato or any other vegetable that doesn’t have a distinct flavor, you need to drop the silverware and back away from the plate. 

My love of nutritious food that tastes good compels me to be on the lookout everywhere I go.  I just recently got back from a weekend trip to New Orleans.  I have been on several trips to New Orleans, and I love so many things about.  The history, culture, music, and architecture are so unique, but what keeps me coming back time and time again is the food.  I spend my trip indulging in delicious food, and then I come home and am saddened by the fact that the sea food, among other things, just doesn’t taste the same here.  In my opinion, there is nothing better than enjoying dinner out with a small group of friends and enjoying well prepared fresh food.

 

The first day of my trip started out great!  We had found an awesome place to go and run by the river, so we decided to start our morning with a 2 mile run.  It was humid, but ultimately it was refreshing.  After the run we came back to where we were staying and met up with our husbands, who did not want to get up early and run.  Then we got ready and went into New Orleans for lunch. We went to an old restaurant known as Antoine’s.  It is extremely unique in multiple respects.  The restaurant itself has been around since 1840.  It has a vintage charm that you can’t help but notice right when you walk in.  The restaurant also has 13 unique dining rooms and a massive wine cellar.  I was lucky enough to secure a private tour of the dining rooms a couple hours after we enjoyed lunch there. 

Upon entering the establishment, we were seated in the large annex room.  You couldn’t help but notice the elegant feel, and I was happy my friends had prepped me prior to lunch on the dress code and elegance of the restaurant even during lunch.  I had chosen a nice dress and a cardigan for lunch, and I felt right at home.  Everyone in our lunch group decided to order off of their lunch special menu.  I had a trio of oysters each with a different sauce.  One was a topped with a tomato sauce and piece of bacon, one was topped with a cream heavily flavored with Worcestershire, and the final one was topped with a cream and white wine sauce.  I really liked the one with tomato sauce.  Each oyster was nicely baked and each sauce had a nice delicate crust on top.  For entrees I chose scallops on top of creamy grits.  The scallops were cooked perfectly, so they had a nice sear on the top and bottom and still had a nice give when they were cut.  The creamy grits and seared scallops were a perfect combination.  The portion sizes were small which we all appreciated since no one wants to feel overly full from lunch and still be expected to move around.  I got a cheesecake that was sitting in a pool of homemade strawberry sauce.  I stopped eating sugar about 4 months ago, so I didn’t get to indulge in any of the cheesecake, but I was a nice wife and gave it to my husband and let my friends all taste a bite.  Everyone remarked on how nice and light it was, and they said the sauce was to die for.  I’m just happy that we don’t truly eat with our eyes, because after surveying all the desserts at the table, I would’ve gained about 15 pounds in a 1 minute period.  Everyone in our group left the restaurant full and happy.

We returned about an hour later to tour the dining rooms.  We were taken around by one of the waiters, and he gave us history on each of the dining rooms.  I won’t turn this into a history lesson, but I will tell you some tidbits about my favorite places.  Antoine’s has a tab on their website to find out the history of each room, so if you find my tidbits entertaining, you can go there and find out more.  My best friend who was with us had a grandfather who was once King of Proteus during Mardi Gras one year.  I don’t know how familiar you are with Mardi Gras, but it’s actually so much more than the drunken, flashing mob you see on television and in movies.  It is actually a really amazing time, and if you go to the right parades at the right time, you don’t have to witness any of the night time spectacle.  Elite groups actually get together and host a parade.  They will have a King and Queen which is a great honor.  My friend’s grandfather was King of Proteus, so she was very excited to see the Proteus room since it was dedicated to their group.  My favorite room would have to be the mystery room.  During prohibition it was used as a speakeasy.  You could actually leave the other dining rooms and go to the women’s restroom and go through a trap door in the back which would lead you to the mystery room.  People would return with alcohol and when asked where they got it they would reply, “It’s a mystery to me.”  If you ever get a chance to go, it is well worth it.  You can call and make a reservation for dinner and request to be seated in any dining rooms you choose.  They are all first come first served for requests.  They are all extremely interesting with their own ambiance to add to the evening.  Be prepared to get dressed up and have a night full of good food.

 

 

After the tour of Antoine’s our group left the city and returned to our residence for the weekend.  We had dinner that night at N’Tini’s in Madeville, Louisiana.  They are known for their martinis.  They even have a menu as big as their dinner menu which is full of martinis.  The members of our little dinner group each got a different martini to try.  I am not a big fan of alcohol, so I opted out.  They all really enjoyed their drinks.  For dinner I chose a piece of fried eggplant covered with a cream sauce of crawfish, crabmeat, and shrimp.  You can’t ever pass up the opportunity to get seafood in Louisiana and especially not crawfish.  It is too die for.  It also came with feta and green onion risotto and sautéed squash and zucchini.  Normally, I wouldn’t order anything fried, but when you’re on vacation, it’s okay to splurge right? 

My friend’s husband ordered an appetizer with escargot in a delicate homemade tomato based sauce.  I’d had a chance to try escargot 11 years earlier on a cruise, but my friend who was cruising with me told me she’d get sick if she saw me eat a snail.  Not being an adventurous foodie yet, I declined the opportunity and it has taken me this long to find another opportunity to try it.  I’ve always heard it is rubbery, but it must be that everyone who told me that didn’t have it cooked correctly.  I thought it was delicious.  I’m not going to lie and say it tasted like chicken, because it certainly did not.  I was expecting it to have a texture like calamari due to all the comments I’ve heard about it being rubbery.  I also recall seeing an Olson twin movie where one of them eats escargot and says it tastes like a balloon.  Needless to say, I was preparing myself for a less than pleasing texture.  Boy was I surprised when I bit into it, and it seemed to melt in my mouth.  I would say it has a texture more similar to a scallop, but the escargot is still softer.  It was actually one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.  If you know me, your jaw is probably hitting the floor right now because up until about 3 years ago, I was doing good to eat anything that didn’t come out of a Kraft macaroni and cheese box.  Now here I am eating snails!  Who would’ve thought?  If you ever go to N’Tini’s you have to find out if they have the snails and tails appetizer (oh yeah did I mention it had alligator in it too?).  It will not let you down.

Dinner came, and I enjoyed the delicious creamy seafood sauce.  It had huge chunks of crabmeat, shrimp, and crawfish.  It was absolutely outstanding, and I ate every bit of it off of the eggplant.  In hindsight I probably would’ve enjoyed the eggplant more if I’d asked for it to be grilled.  Oh well, there’s always next time!  I was a little disappointed that what they advertised as risotto was actually orzo with green onions and feta.  It was still really delicious, but orzo and risotto are not the same.  If you aren’t familiar with them, orzo is actually small pasta which is basically in the shape of rice.  It really looks like rice, and when I first started cooking it, my husband thought it was rice.  Risotto is made from Arborio rice, and it has a very creamy quality to it.  It is really delicious if it is cooked right.  Either way the orzo with feta and green onions was delicious.  I was just upset to find orzo being masqueraded as risotto.  Those of you who know the difference in taste and texture will probably be appalled as well.  I was, however, excited to see sautéed squash and zucchini on my plate.  Two of my all time favorite vegetables!  They were cooked perfectly just the way I like them.  I thought the dinner couldn’t get much better until I looked over and noticed my husband had untouched real green beans on his plate.  Yum!  One of the rules of being married to a foodie is that you are required to share the deliciousness from your plate with your spouse.  This works especially well for me, because my husband isn’t a foodie.  I gobbled up his green beans in an instant. 

 I have to stop and explain my green bean obsession.  Growing up I was only fed green beans from a can…yuck!  These I do not consider to be real because they have sat in a can on a shelf for goodness knows how long soaking up liquid, sodium, preservatives, and all other kinds of unhealthy junk.  Real green beans are the ones you select individually in the produce section and come home and snap each end off and cook them to your desired texture.  I happen to prefer them roasted with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.  I enjoy the texture to be soft and delicate.  My mouth is watering right now just thinking about them.  I’m growing them in my garden this year, but they aren’t quite ready for picking right now.  Maybe I can find some snails out there too… just kidding.

We went home that night and continued our enjoyment by playing a riveting game of phase 10.  If you don’t play phase 10, you are really missing out.  It’s one of the few games where you can spend 75% of the game losing, and in the final round you can jump way ahead and beat everyone.  I being an ultra competitive person happen to love it!  The game went late into the night, and we were all really tired the next morning.

Navigating Clean Eating and Exercise While on Vacation

My husband has a job where he gets to travel a lot.  Sometimes he goes to the same, usual places over and over again, but other times he gets to go to new and exciting places that I haven't been.  I try to go with him as often as I can, so that I can enjoy a nice, mostly paid, vacation with him. 

The summer is probably the busiest travel season due to the fact that kids are out of school.  The thought of an impending vacation can be fun, but also scary.  Sometimes before a new vacation, I find myself agonizing on how I will stay on track with my running and clean eating.  It is extremely easy to get caught up in the whole vacation experience and fall off of the bandwagon.  So how do I do it?

I'm going to make individual posts for each place I've been to tell you exactly how it worked in that particular place, but for now, I will just give you some basic tips.

1. If you're going to be staying over a weekend, chances are there will be some kind of race, usually a 5k, near or actually in the city you are staying.

• If you don't have a car, you need to find the race before you book the hotel.  After you know where the race is, you can check for the hotels around it, or see if there are any hotels around subway stations that could get you to the race.  It all depends on how comfortable you feel with what you will have to do to get yourself to the race.

2. If you're not staying over a weekend, your chances of finding a race are very slim, but you can still be looking for running groups.  There are usually multiple running groups that have a facebook page or a website with an e-mail.  I usually google something like, "running groups in __________".  When you explain you will be there for vacation, and you want to link up with a local running group to stay active, they will happily allow you access to their facebook page and let you join. 

• I have actually done this, and I've never had anyone turn me down.
• This is also a good way to find out about local races going on.  The group might know of some smaller races that you didn't find advertised online.
• Also, the group can help you in choosing a hotel for proximity to their group run location, and they can give you the skinny on how safe and reliable the public transportation is.

3. I spend a lot of time before trips looking up restaurants in and around the hotel we're staying in.  My husband will be at an office during the day, so I am usually on my own for lunch.  The safer I feel in the city = how far I'm willing to travel by myself to get food. 

• When you find menus online, don't be discouraged if they don't have everything exactly to your liking.  There are always ways to "tweak" your order, so that it is health friendly. 
• It is a good idea to have a couple things from each place around you that you could eat, because you never know where everyone else will want to go. 

4. When you first arrive at your hotel, walk around and take in what's around you.  You might be surprised to see people jogging, walking dogs, pushing baby strollers, etc. in  an area where you hadn't even considered running. 

• This is also a good way to find restaurants that you didn't find via your "google search".  I usually use "yelp" to find things near me, because it will also give you directions to follow if you need to walk a block or two. 

5.  You can also check to see if there will be gyms around your hotel or in your hotel.  Most hotels have a very basic gym that consists of a treadmill, bike, elliptical, and free weights.  You can use whatever picture the hotel provides to assess what they have available and make your own workout routine with those items, or I like to utilize pinterest to find workout routines to my liking.

• sometimes there will be crossfit facilities or a big gym around you that will be willing to give you a pass to come and workout for the week you're there (for a small fee of course :)).  I haven't been lucky enough to find anywhere that's doing TRX, but  one day it will happen.

6. Try to locate some good running trails or paths that will be near you.  My rule about running in a foreign place is that I don't run by myself anywhere where I will be alone.  You have to be safe when you're in a new place.  How you handle that is entirely up to you, but here's what I do.

• I use my phone as my Ipod, and my husband and I are linked via the "find my friends" app.  He can use the app on his phone to see where I am at any time.  This makes both of us feel safer.
• I own runner's mace that sits in the palm of your hand while you run, but you can't always take that since the airports aren't so excited about finding things like that in your bags. 
• The main thing is that you should ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings.  Don't EVER be caught off guard and unaware of something that potentially could or is going to happen.  That is how people get hurt.

I hope these tips help.  Please take a look at my specific location pages to see specifically what I've done to be prepared and stay healthy and active in each place.  Above all else, PLEASE BE SAFE!

Happy Running!

junk food or longevity of life?

Everyone starts their journey with a specific goal in mind.  Sometimes, we aren't completely honest with others or even ourselves about what that goal is because we don't want to hear that it is unrealistic or unobtainable.  I know I am always my biggest critic no matter what the situation, and the same goes for my journey to get healthy.

I cringe at the words "weight loss journey".  The journey shouldn't ever be to lose weight, it should be to get healthy.  What is the point of being super teeny tiny if you are seriously unhealthy?  I want to be healthy, so that I know I am putting forth the effort to prolong my life instead of cutting it short.  Greasy pizza, cheese fries, milkshakes, ice cream, cake, candy, etc. are all vices that you might indulge from time to time or more often than not, but I would rather live longer than eat another slice of pizza any day of my life. 

My plan is to exercise regularly, eat non processed food, and just make smart choices in general.  I want my body to be fit and solid, and I don't want parts of it to move as I walk across a room.  We all have those places we'd like to see smoothed out, tightened, toned, and flat.  We need to be honest with ourselves about how we feel about these things.  Here I go.

I have the way I feel when I eat processed food.  I feel gross and yuck all the rest of the day and sometimes into the next.  I feel sluggish when I try to exercise, and I feel like I have to drink even more water than I normally do to try and flush all the toxins out of my system.  All of it could be easily remedied by eating right from the beginning.  We need to stop and make a change.  I know it is hard because you are used to doing things one way and anything different can be scary, but if we do it together, it will be much easier. 

If you want to learn more about eating non processed, healthy food, or if you just want to know how in the world you're supposed to get your kids to like fresh veggies instead of mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, check out www.100daysofrealfood.com Let them know Girl in Asics sent you!

Fight the good fight of longevity for your health and wellness, and I will touch base with you hopefully tomorrow!

Can I Come Back from This?

Last week I was watching Extreme Makeover Weight loss Edition, and it was the episode with Jami.  I love shows like this and The Biggest Loser because of how inspirational they are.  I love watching people in all the stages of their journey of not only changing their body, but also finding and changing themselves on the inside. 

Jami's episode touched my heart in a new way.  There was a very impactful moment right after she had been weighed in for the first time, and she looked at Chris Powell with tears in her eyes and asked, "Can I come back from that?"  Obviously she was referring to the weight and how much damage she had put on her body, but it resonated so much more with me. 

We've all asked ourselves that question because everyone has had a point in your life when you feel you have hit rock bottom, and there absolutely cannot be any way out of the hole you've dug for yourself.  I'm here to tell you that's never the case.  There is ALWAYS a way out.  Until you are dead, you can always come back from anything.  I don't ever want anyone to feel like you are so far gone that, like Jami, you make a plan and intend to follow through with killing yourself.  There is always someone to help even if it's a stranger on the other end of a phone (suicide hotline) or a nurse at a hospital.  Please, please, please seek help before you think it is too late. 

I encourage you to reach out for help, prayers, opinions, information, and whatever you feel like you need to keep yourself afloat in the raging river we call life.  If something is wrong please don't hesitate to reach out to me, and I will do my best to find someone who I can connect you with who will be able to help you.  Just remember it is NEVER too late.

You can come back from this!