The first thing I did this morning after helping my husband shuffle off to work, was step into the kitchen and consult my meal plan. It's no longer a chore. It comes to me as easily as turning on a pot of coffee. After breakfast, I loaded up a short strength training video via YouTube to cross a bit of exercise off my daily list. Early morning work outs are best for me. It's so much easier to say, "Oh, that? Already did it," than it is to say, "At some point today, I need to get that done." I stretched when I was finished and went for a glass of water, rather than soda or fruit juice.For the …
Driving along in rush-hour traffic toward Walmart today, I felt a pang of hunger in my stomach. With nothing in the car and a parade of fast food joints surrounding us, my mood quickly deteriorated. I wasn't just hungry, I was hungry for "real food." I didn't want an apple. I didn't want a granola bar. I didn't want a glass of fat-free milk and no, thanks for mentioning, I sure as diddly didn't want chicken, fish or tofu. I wanted something with cheese and butter. I wanted a pizza. I wanted a Big Mac. I wanted a Big Mac Pizza with cheese and butter sauce. I bring my dilemma to you, dear …
Do you remember the relentless anticipation of Friday afternoons in high school? The promise of the weekend to come seemed to make the rites of teenage passage even more unbearable. I lived for the weekends. I slept until it was hot outside and stayed awake until the birds began to chirp. Eventually I grew up and entered the work force, but my reaction didn't change with age. Every Friday I'd stare wide-eyed at the nearest clock, just daring it not to have sliced away another minute since I checked last. I was delivered weekly back to that awkward, freckle-faced girl waiting on the bell to …
I don't need to tell you what the weather in Woodstock was like over this glorious, gone-too-soon weekend. I don't need to tell you about the perfection of a single peach martini on the patio at Right Wing Tavern while the sun sets on a balmy afternoon, or how good it felt to walk outside without a jacket. I probably don't need to tell you that Pure was party central for the duration.What I do need to tell you is that, somehow, this bounty of sunshine alerted me to a situation happening in my refrigerator that could've easily spiraled out of control. It must've been the spring cleaning bug, …
Last week, I let you in on my favorite dirty little secret for curbing a Chinese food craving. But let's be honest-when you're pressed for time, Chinese isn't the only cuisine that will tempt you to reach for the phone or head for a drive-through. Greek, Mexican, Thai...the map of the world can turn quickly into a giant, painfully realistic buffet in your mind when hunger strikes.One of our readers helpfully reminded us that TV dinners may be unhealthy for some, so they can't always be turned to as a substitute. Whether you're watching your sodium intake or simply want to stock up on the …
If you're anything like me, one of the biggest issues with committing to a healthy lifestyle is that it generally eliminates the delivery of Chinese food. Call me uncultured, tell me it's "inauthentic", I'll happily agree with your diagnosis as I shovel in another ladle full of overcooked mussels in spicy black bean sauce. Knowing that I can fire up my speed dial and have delicious Chinese cuisine in my living room within the hour is one of life's great pleasures.Once I decided to suppress these naughty inclinations, I'm going to admit, my overall mood took a serious nosedive. Just in case I …
Over the weekend I was introduced to outdoor exercise by my husband and a pair of hiking enthusiast pals. Horrified of wasps and no stranger to the sunburn, I'd given up on the uncomfortable notion of "gettin' my sweat on" in anything approaching nature years ago, and my initial agreement to participate (brought on by being awake too long and having just been fed authentic sushi) quickly turned into a panic. Assured that those little stinging serial killers aren't in season right now and armed against the sun with long pants and a hoodie, I was somehow convinced into the back of a pickup …
Today was supposed to be one of celebration in Chateau de Stogs. Had everything gone according to plan, it would've been the day I completed Sparkpeople's 28 Day Bootcamp. The number might seem small, maybe even nothing to make a big deal about, but the rules of the challenge were to exercise all week long, with five days of half hour cardio and six of strength training in each. Exercising every single day is no easy feat for a Lazy Girl! It takes a lot more dedication than I'm used to giving anything that doesn't offer instant reward. If you're anything like me, it also awakens a petty fear…
The 2011 Resolution gusto wound down about two weeks ago for most of the country, and we've come to that point of the year where it's entirely up to our own willpower to keep those resolutions strong. I found myself slipping all through last week. I skipped a workout here or there, I dropped out of bootcamp (to be detailed next Wednesday), and on select days, I forgot to log meals into my tracker. These were familiar failures. They've grown like a fungus through all of my good dietary intentions. But this year, with a little bit of experience behind me, I've come up with a list of five ways …
Have you ever taken on a daunting project like weight loss or home renovation, and just when you start to think you've bitten off more than you can chew, you discover a product that takes a proverbial load off your shoulders? Juggling to maintain a household, a marriage, healthy meals, one and a half jobs and the gym schedule that my husband and I are on, I've had my share of moments this past month where it felt impossible to keep it all in balance. I've had my share of moments where it would have been easier to take a nap, followed by a pizza, followed by another nap. But more than once on…
More often than not, I lean toward the latter. From the first time I ever set foot on one of these diabolical contraptions as a 15-year-old, they have continued to get the better of me. Mid-workout, I can't keep from spying on the users around me, even going so far as to glance at their LED panels, astounded by how long they've been climbing to nowhere. Thiry minutes?! On a stairmaster? There's some kind of witchcraft involved there, I'm sure of it. Bunch of showoffs. I like to fantasize that I have these strong, powerul lady legs, you see, and that they're the one part of my body that I don…
For the first few weeks of my fitness journey, I thought the best way to hold onto that New Year's motivation was to begin with a temporary overload. I picked a variety of new and challenging things to try, all at the same time, knowing I would follow through on only some of them. Once I had it narrowed down to the ones I liked most, I reasoned, it would feel instantly easier than when I first started, because I wouldn't be juggling so many things anymore. Meanwhile, I'd actually be getting an even better workout by sticking to specific activities.Ladies and gentlemen, it worked like a charm…
Let me start by saying, with the wisdom of experience behind me, not every gym is right for every person. From the cluster of machines at our old apartment complex gym, to guest visits and trial runs where friends or family were working out, to the traumatizing weight machines and basketball courts of my high school P.E. room, I've done the dance only too many times. If there are an abundance of windows, I feel like I'm on display. If all the walls are made of mirrors, I won't even give it a chance. Too many people means waiting for machines; too few means low results. I believe in being …
My name is Noel, and I am a Big-Mac-a-holic. There. I said it. I've come up with some incredible excuses for the way I eat. I used everything from having worked that day to not having run the dishwasher yet to it being too cold in the kitchen to cook in there. I once convinced my husband and myself it would cost roughly the same amount of money to eat fast food every night as it would to buy enough groceries to cook at home instead. A large part of my problem is the simplicity of unhealthy meals. I become somewhat childish when I've had a hard day of dealing with family, finances or …
