I enjoy a challenging workout.

There have been very few workouts that I bailed out on. Instead I chose to push on through the pain and exhaustion.

Well, the Bodyrock.tv workout aptly named “It Will Rain Sweat 1,000 Rep Workout” had me almost ready to throw in the sweaty towel.

Halfway through this workout, I was almost shaking with exhaustion and I was laying on my back out of breath wishing it would just be over. And it was only the HALFWAY point (around approximately 36 mins).

I got up and walked my living room debating in my head whether I should just adjust my notes and make this a 500 rep workout. Surely that wouldn’t be too bad? That was still a lot to have accomplished.

Then I looked at my little marks in my notebook that denote the rounds I completed and without another thought, I crouched down and started another 10 burpees. Without even considering the option of stopping, I completed 10 squat jumps after that, then 10 pushups and so on

I gave up thinking about it. Forgot considering the option to quit.

And I pushed through the second half of the 10 rounds with strong form in less time than it took me to complete the first half.

When I was done, I felt completely wiped out, but I wasn’t as tired as I’d thought I would be. Instead I was satisfied, my mind was at peace and I was… proud. Proud that I hadn’t stopped.

So here’s what all that story means.

You set goals for yourself.

You do your workouts and sometimes you spend half the time complaining in your head.

Sometimes you may even give up.

But I PROMISE, that you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You are tougher than you can even imagine.

The only way you find out just how strong our tough is by pushing yourself. Pushing past the complaints and doubts and just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Maybe you’re wavering on some New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps you’ve already thought to abandon those lofty goals you felt so strongly about just three weeks ago.

Don’t quit.

Keep going and you will surprise yourself by just how amazing you are and what you’re capable of.

If you think I’m crazy and just making this up, than I challenge you to STOP. Just stop thinking about how difficult it is. Stop telling yourself how you can’t do it and just do it.

The only thing standing between you and your goals is your own doubt.

If you don’t believe that this is possible, than try it for yourself

Next time you’re running or busting butt in an exercise class, or even at work, push yourself to the point where you can think of nothing but quitting. Then KEEEP GOING. By the time you finally do stop, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Then you’ll know that you are capable of much more than you give yourself credit for. And that is a truly empowering feeling.

I love to try new things.

I’m not just talking about new flavors of lattes at Starbucks, but all sorts of things.

Sometimes I hit a home run and find something I absolutely love.

The whole point of my blog is to share some insight, inspiration and a bit of love where and when I can, so I’m starting “Things I’m Loving Now Wednesdays“!

What better time to share a positive tidbit than the middle of the week?

So my goal will be to share something I love with you each Wednesday.

Maybe you’ll learn we have something in coming. Maybe you’ll think I’m a nutter (if you don’t already). Or maybe you’ll find something you want to try for yourself.

So let’s give this a go and let me know what you think!

For my inaugural Things I’m Loving Now Wednesday post, I’m sharing a long time love.

Trader Joe’s Italian Bruschetta

It’s tomato, basil and garlic goodness in a jar. So delicious you’ll be happy to just crack said jar open and eat it with a spoon (which I may or may not have done more times than I can count on my fingers alone).

At 25 calories per serving (2 TBSP), it’s not nearly as indulgent as it tastes.

Keep it for yourself or share it with others.

Put it on a sandwich, bake it on a crostini and sprinkle it with cheese, toss it in a salad, or add it to your morning eggs.

You won’t be disappointed.

What are you loving right now?

Ahhhh, Sundays.

Despite being the last day of the weekend, meaning the workweek is just hours away, Sundays are truly my favorite day of the week.

This Sunday is especially nice since I feel like I’ve gotten back into a routine after a hectic few weeks of long work hours, traveling, visiting, more traveling and then the dreaded “catch up” when I returned to the office after 10 days of being on holiday.

Indeed I’ve been so busy, I haven’t blogged in weeks!

Today is my favorite day of the week though, plus the start of a new week, and I’m finally feeling organized. Really, it feels more like January 1st than January 8th.

I didn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions really, because I don’t typically wait for a new year to make changes in my life. To be honest, I had formed some awesome routines before the holiday-rush set in and I’m just thrilled to be back to focusing on those.

My routine consists of goals that I set throughout last year and am trying to carry forward. Some I have tweaked, some have just been home-runs, others I’m still trying to perfect.

Some examples:

• Eat Clean – Lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins (mostly veggie-based and seafood), whole grains, limited sugar and processed foods.
• Workout 5-6 Days Per Week – I can usually get 5 of my Bodyrock.tv workouts in, but I also try to include biking and yoga as well.
• Get Plenty of Sleep – I try to fight my night-owl instincts and get to bed by 10pm most nights so I can get at least 7 full hours of sleep.
• Rise Early – Getting up between 5:30 and 6:00am to do my workout and get ready for work during the week, and not sleeping in too late on weekends.
• Keep Work-Life Balance – Ignore my workaholic tendencies and not work long or lots of extra hours. It takes a toll and increases my stress levels when I’m not getting enough down time.

All in all, I’m just trying to maintain these goals and introduce new ones throughout the year.

On that note, I did my first meal plan of the year for this week and stocked up on yummy foods, so I made a delicious and mostly healthy lunch/dinner today…

Grilled Cheese & Spinach Sandwich with Seasoned Waffle Fries

and Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Though the fries weren’t terribly healthy, they were so flavorful, I didn’t need a dipping sauce (bonus!).

The grilled cheese was made with a skim American cheese with LOTS of baby spinach on a 15-grain bread cooked in about a half TBSP of butter with garlic powder (seasoning your butter adds loads of flavor to your grilled cheese without adding tons of calories).

And the soup… oh the soup…

This is one of my Trader Joe’s favorites that I actually had my Dad ship down from Massachusetts (until the Naples, FL one opens). I tossed a handful of broccoli/carrot slaw on top for crunch (and some added veggies) and it was amazing. I don’t know why, but this soup tastes like pizza to me – probably why it’s a favorite.

This is Sunday comfort food at it’s best for me. Delicious and so flavorful you think you’re being incredible naughty, but there are all sorts of healthy goodness in here!

Plus the portions are just the right size. (Note how I use smaller bowls and plates for my food-good trick to keeping portions more on the modest side)

I’ll be highlighting some of the other simple meals I make in the future. So simple, a recipe isn’t even necessary!

Meanwhile, another bonus to Sundays… some long overdue kitty bonding time.

We’re both glad to be back to the routine.

Are you getting back into a routine after the holidays? What changes have you made after the New Year?

I know I’m late, but better late than never, right?

Happy Holidays!

and…

Happy New Year!!

I spent my Christmas up in MA with the family…

but traveled to Richmond, VA for a great New Year’s Eve with new friends to watch the ball-raise.

Yes, you read that right. They don’t drop the ball in Richmond, they raise it and then just leave it there.

(Don’t be fooled, the glowing ball in this picture is rising to the top of that needle, not dropping, for the 10 second countdown to 2012)

Hey, whatever floats your boat right? We had fun and even scored a cab home 10 minutes later despite all the other people on the streets!

Hope you all had a great time too!

Maintaining a healthy diet around the holidays is like pushing a two-ton chocolate-covered Christmas cookie up a hill.

I understand and sympathize! Despite my usually clean diet, I do actually give in to the holiday temptations here and there. Life is short, I do it in moderation and I don’t want to feel like I’m missing out during this short season.

This year though, I’m trying to add a new element into the how-I-manage-my holiday-eating. I’m creating healthy holiday recipes.

I’ve got sugar-loaded, butter-packed recipes coming out of my ears already, but why not add some healthier holiday-esque bites in there?

Thus the Pumpkin Spice Protein Balls.

They’re tasty in their warm spiciness and packed with nut-protein as well as a good amount of vegetable goodness (yes, pumpkin puree is a vegetable). The best part is that they’re satisfying.

Eat them with a hot cup of mint tea for breakfast or dessert, it doesn’t matter!

Obviously, this is not a recipe for those with nut allergies, but as a vegan and gluten-free recipe, this baby rocks!

Did I mention they’re delicious? Not to sweet, but oh so yummy. Try them for yourselves.

Pumpkin Spice Protein Balls

Modified from the recipe on BodyRock.tv

Makes about 28, 1-2 inch balls

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup oats, ground
• 2 cups almonds, ground (or bought almond meal)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp agave syrup
• 4 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (can also substitute carrot or sweet potato puree)
• 1 1/2 cup sliced almonds (smashed with rolling pin)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the ingredients: Ground the oats in food processor; ground 2 cups of almonds in food processor; smash sliced almonds in a bag with rolling pin (or wine bottle); and melt coconut oil in small saucepan on low heat until it is liquid.

Next, combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the sliced almonds (set those aside in a large plate) in the food processor and pulse until combined. Dough will be sticky, but you should be able to shape it.

Roll the dough into 1.5 inch balls and then roll each ball in the mashed sliced almonds. Place on non-stick, un-greased baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before moving/eating.

Do you have a health holiday recipe you make?

 

 

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I love the holidays.

It truly is my favorite time of the year with the music, gatherings of friends and family, decorations, food, seasonal smells and layered clothes by crackling fires.

I know that it can be a bit of a stressful time of the year though.

Years ago, I spent most of the holiday season worrying about what gifts I was going to get and being overwhelmed by the overall obligations that seem to come up each December. Who can go to all those holiday parties, afford gifts for coworkers in addition to your family, always have the perfect holiday outfit, find a date for those holiday parties, squeeze in extra hours for shopping and cooking, remember who you need to send a card to (on-time), and maintain their sanity?

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It took me a couple years, but I finally realized that it’s impossible to do it all, unless you make it your full time job. And who can do that?

I realized that I could enjoy the holidays to their fullest when I wasn’t spreading myself so thin, time-wise and financially.

The key is to examine it all ahead and plan to take your time through it all, knowing that it is a short six-week time of the year and chances are you’re better prepared than you think.

So each year, I lean on The Holiday Plan to help me enjoy the season. Here it is:

• Have a Gift Policy – As early as November, but really by the start of December, I discuss my gift giving policy with my closest friends and family. It may sound overly business-like, but most people will be secretly relieved to know that you’d like to follow a gift limit or budget. Decide on what you can spend and share that with those you wish to exchange gifts with. For those you can’t afford to swamp gifts with simply explain, “I’m trying to simplify the holidays a bit this year and would much rather spend some time with you over a dinner or coffee than exchange gifts if that’s okay.”
• Limit Your Card List – If you are one of these people who receives countless holiday cards each year and spends weeks writing and sending cards and is constantly overwhelmed by this, there is hope. I found that most people just wish to be acknowledged over the holiday season, but they don’t necessarily need a written card that is going to go in a pile after they glance at it. Divide and conquer your card list. Limit the list of people who will actually receive a mailed card to those who you want to deliver a special holiday wish to. For everyone else, send them an e-card. If you don’t have their email, then a message through a social network can correct that. Plan to start your card mailing by the second week of December though to make sure your get your cards mailed in time.
• Brainstorm Your Shopping Strategy – One night in November or December, turn on some holiday music, pour yourself a glass of wine or make some tea, and sit down with your list of gift recipients (GR) (who know of your gift policy). Shopping doesn’t need to be stressful in this day and age of online-shopping. You just need to figure out what you want to get people. Make a list of favorite interests for each of your GR and flip through some recent conversations or experiences with each to get ideas for gifts. If you need to, email the tricky ones for a few gift ideas (most people have a few tucked away by early December).
• Shop in Stages – The easiest way to start shopping is online, but you must do this as your first stage as shipping gets tricky by mid-December, plus you can knock off some of the bigger items online with good sales pretty early on. Once you wrap up the online shopping, set aside one evening or afternoon to stop in the bigger discount stores to knock off some additional main items that you can typically find at a Costco, Target or department store. Next, work in the specialty stores shopping trips on a couple days when you can treat yourself to a hot coffee or lunch nearby (helps maintain the sanity by treating yourself at the same time you’re shopping for someone else). Finally, save the gift shopping for last, as it is usually either the last resort type gifts, or the stocking-stuffers that you can’t plan on, but are fun.
• Accessorize Your Party Outfits – You don’t necessarily need to buy new clothes for all those holiday parties, but you may need to pick up a few sparkly-type seasonal accessories to dress them up. A sparkly pair of heels, bright colored tie or shirt, and a new sweater or wrap will add a seasonal edge to clothes you already have. Play with the accessories and mix and match them with some classic outfits and you’ll look like the festive party-goer with only a small investment.
• Have Safety Gifts – These aren’t second-hand gifts (though sometimes re-gifting works out for everyone), but rather your safety net during the holiday season for those you didn’t count on popping up. Also, they double as host/ess gifts when you’re going to all those parties. Be prepared during the holidays by stocking up on a few safety gifts like bottles of wine, tickets to a holiday show (you can always use them if you don’t end up gifting them), or even a gourmet coffee basket. These gifts shouldn’t cost too much, but aren’t so generic (like a candle) that just anyone could give them.
• Decorate Before You Buy – Before you hit the stores, go through your holiday decorations and put what you have up. Live with them up for a couple days before picking what new additions you’d like to buy that year. You don’t always need to buy a bunch of new things. Sometimes you can go for a walk in the woods and pick up some holiday decorations – pine cones, evergreen branches or even winter bush branches can make nice additions and will save you the hassle of going out to buy new things. Enjoy your decorations and let them get you in the spirit!
• Set Aside You Time – It’s easy to get caught up and say yes to every party invitation out there, but unless it truly is a time sensitive occasion, such as visiting friends or family who are only in town a limited time, don’t be afraid to say no or, “how about we set something up for after the holiday so we have more time to enjoy each other’s company?” Make sure you have some nights planned aside for YOU or a date night with your honey to slow down and enjoy the holiday atmosphere and TV programming and movies!
• Find Your Inner Baker – Instead of buying gifts for coworkers or offering up chips and dip as an offering for yet another dinner party, impress everyone by find one or two types of cookies that are easy, that you can make in bulk and that will delight everyone. Almost everyone knows of at least one recipe that is easy and tastes delicious. Just go to your local dollar store or the dollar section of your local Target and buy a bunch of holiday tins/boxes to package them in and you’ll people will think you slaved for hours. Limit yourself to two types of cookies though, as any more than that and you’re going to get burnt out fast.
• Eat Before Holiday Parties/Dinners – One of the biggest things people worry about over the holidays is that they’re eating too much rich foods and will gain weight. A good trick for parties is to eat your regular dinner or a smaller version of it, before you go to a holiday party or dinner so that you don’t feel compelled to stuff your face with snacks and sweets.

Of course The Holiday Plan can be modified to fit your lifestyle, but it is a good guideline to help you get your holidays into a more manageable time.

Hopefully this helps, but remember that the holidays are actually about seeing and spending time with those you love, so try to remember that whenever you get overwhelmed. If that doesn’t work, stop and count to three before saying “Happy Holidays”.

Now for some Christmas tunes!

It’s easy to get swept away in the holidays as well as all the wonderful traditions.

From the food, friends, family, decorations, and did I mention the food?

Though I’ve had a full week to recover from the pants-popping deliciousness that was my Thanksgiving feast, I still remember ever tasty bite.

I’m getting ahead of myself though.

Nick and I embarked on the 3.5 hour trip to the slightly cooler East coast of Florida bright and early Thanksgiving morning. After a couple of pit stops for breakfast and refreshments, and a 40 minute detour through Jensen Beach, we finally arrived to the aroma-packed beach-side condo where my uncle had been hard at work cooking for days.

Just because I don’t eat the turkey doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the good smells!

After delivering a healthy snacking treat for the rest of the weekend (recipe to come) and greeting my grandparents and aunts who were settling in as well, I quickly hopped in front of the television to catch the last 30 minutes of the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade.

(For some reason, it doesn’t feel like it’s officially the holidays until I see Santa ride across that green Macy’s street logo, waving endlessly to the crowds of parade-watchers.)

The meal was served up in its usual splendor, as my uncle believes in proper presentation of each dish, and the family took their seats as the final basket of hot rolls hit the table. After a quick toast we dug in.

Now, years ago, I made the decision to go vegan right before Thanksgiving. Many mocked my decision stating the the holidays were the absolute worst time to give any vice up.

Well, that was probably true, but it put my will power to the test. It was hard though. Especially on Thanksgiving. Especially when I caught a whiff of my mom’s family’s pork stuffing, which I’d looked forward to each holiday season almost as much as the perfectly wrapped gifts on Christmas morning, since I was a kid.

That first vegan Thanksgiving started a new tradition though, as I haven’t touched a piece of turkey or gravy covered pile of pork stuffing since. I was lucky though, as my uncle had prepared a quick spiced black bean dish for me that year and he has served it ever since. It’s my vegetarian Thanksgiving protein!

Totally vegetarian Thanksgiving plate (with wine)

You may not think one could be satisfied by Thanksgiving side-dishes alone, but have you ever stopped to really examine the mouth-watering sides on your holiday table?

Cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, squash, green beans, warm biscuits and rolls, brussels sprouts and bread stuffing. It’s quite the spread for any diet-type (minding everything is prepared outside the turkey).

Dessert is usually a slam dunk for the vegetarian minded as well. Squash pie (in the pumpkin pie family, but more… earthy in it’s taste) was my choice, but usually you can find an apple pie around as well.

All in all, I don’t really miss out at all at the Thanksgiving feast. I don’t miss having to clean the turkey bones after the meal either. Being vegetarian excuses be from that fun chore, though I am usually helping clean up everything else.

Yes, it’s a Happy Thanksgiving for all indeed.

Seeing my family, which unfortunately doesn’t happen as much as I’d like, is a real treat and it was great bringing Nick there to enjoy the non-stop football games after dinner with my uncle. (I maxed out after the second game in a row.)

Though I miss being with my parents at Thanksgiving, it always cheers me up to pull my mom and stepdad up on Skype (also a tradition that has caught on in the past couple of years) and doing a family video-conference. I love that my grandparents always seem mystified by the magic of Skype.

Did I mention delicious leftovers that followed the next day for lunch…

Veggie Quesadilla with leftover black beans.

Nick’s Thanksgiving sandwich using leftovers.

Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holidays though, so you had better believe I listened to Christmas music all the way home to Naples (Nick was thrilled too, though he won’t admit it).

Do you have any new or old Thanksgiving traditions you absolutely adore? 

I’m a big fan of the holidays.

Actually, for anyone who knows me, that is a ridiculous understatement. The holidays are my FAVORITE time of the year.

Not because of the gifts, even though wrapping is a favorite artistic outlet for me.

Not even because of the decor, even though I think twinkly lights could be the greatest invention ever.

No, it’s because of the perfect combination of family, friends and food.

That trio creates this amazing warm fuzzy feeling all over. It’s a feeling that I’m happy to invest time, money and traveled miles to achieve.

Another great thing about the holidays is that you can celebrate a holiday before, during and after the actual date. Take Thanksgiving for example. I started celebrating over a week ago.

In a day and age when sitting around a formal, or even casual, set table is all too rare, I’d like to give thanks to the amazing people in my life who I will do just that with this holiday season.

I’m thankful too, that I got to start my holidays early with this fantastic home-cooked dinner. I can’t wait to be thankful for the family I get to spend my Thanksgiving Day with as well. I know it will be delicious as well!

“]

Bodyrock.tv host Zuzana [photo courtesy of www.bodyrock.tv

So I’m on my eighth straight day of working with just four more to go (thank goodness!) and to jump-start this home-stretch, I decided that I needed a good kick in the behind this morning.

I’ve been keeping up with my daily Bodyrock.tv workouts for the last two months (I can’t believe it’s already been two whole months!) and it’s been amazing.

Not only do I feel stronger, have more energy and am more relaxed, I notice a difference in how I look. I’ve even received a few comments in the past week on that same note, which gave me a great esteem boost.

For those that may not be familiar with the HIIT workouts, I’m sharing the kick-in-the-butt workout I did this morning. May it motivate you too!

I am having trouble lifting my arms after this workout (which is slightly problematic as I have a lot of typing to do today), but I actually beat Zuzana’s posted time of 26:02 with my time of 24:17, which is a first for me.

I still can’t come close to her push-up scores. My arms aren’t there yet (clearly, because she is ripped). I feel the progress though and am energized for my day!

How did you start your week?

So I had completely forgotten that I didn’t share a “Part II” to the story of My First Triathlon! I had been waiting for the pictures from the triathlon photographers to post and a week after the race, I finally got to see them.

Most of them were… priceless.

Priceless, but nothing I wanted anyone to really see.

So needless to say, I am only showing the ones I didn’t laugh at too hard myself.

I have to choose a photo to buy, since just a high resolution file is $33!

I’m thinking the bike photo might be the winner where I look somewhat like I know what I’m “in the zone.”

Which do you think I should buy as my souvenir?