Thursday, March 24, 2011

dinner in the sky - if you're not afraid of heights...

I get chills just looking at these pictures.   It's a brilliant concept by a company in Belgium.   I have a relatively new phobia that has my knees shaking when I'm above the fourth floor (showed up when I was pregant).   Prior to that, I would have LOVED this...

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

beautiful bodies en (and in) Vogue

I LOVE opening the mailbox and finding the latest issue of Vogue.
Rihanna is on the cover and as expected, she looks fabulous. "I wonder who her trainer is?" is one of my first thoughts. 
Ok, that's my second thought.  My first thought is "I miss being young."   (I was right, turns out Rihanna is a mere 23.)
Ary Nuñez is the artist’s feisty personal trainer and owner of Gotham Global Fitness. A Brooklyn native, Nuñez has three black belts and is a professional dancer.  I haven't heard of Ary before but she's obviously quite talented (and just scored BIG with her client on the cover of Vogue). 


Photo via Vogue.com

Monday, March 21, 2011

Dance, Stretch or Spin through NYC?

I'll be in NYC in less than 10 days and they offer workouts that you simply don't find anywhere else.  I'll only be able to fit in a couple of these, but here's my long wishlist.

"Broadway Cardio" at Broadway Bodies.  I could spend a week here -- "Michael Jackson Mondays" and "GLEEful" sound like a blast.

"Dance Workout" at Downtown Dance Factory.  Unfortunately I won't be there on a Tuesday to hit "Rock and Roll Ballet."

Pure Yoga is a fave and I must return; all the classes are superb.

Kimberly Wilson's sparkly, pink blog turned me on to Jivamukti.   I have yet to run into Russell Simmons, who is a regular, but maybe this time...

And I've wanted to hit Physique 57 since Mirabella and I ran into Kelly Ripa in Miami.  Kelly's body will convince you to follow her and her gym bag everywhere she goes. 

Maybe a spin class at Flywheel or Soul Cycle.

"Ready...OK" - Cardio Cheer a big hit in Philly

The Lithe Method, founded by former USC cheerleader Lauren Boggi, has students jumping for joy, and fitness.

Boggi, the founder of the incredibly popular Philly-based Lithe Method, uses a cardio-cheer-sculpting method at her studio.

Although there’s a barre in the room—don’t let that fool you. Instead of concentrated low-impact movements a la Lotte Berk, this boutique workout owes its inspiration to cheerleading.

“We do a lot more cardio, aerobic activity than your average barre class,” Boggi explains. “Lots of people come in and expect Pilates and barre, and you are going to get that, but your feet are definitely going to leave the ground.” Resistance bands suspended from the ceiling complete the system.

Inspiration and photo courtesy of Well and Good NYC

Friday, March 18, 2011

Zip-a-loc bags slim you down

This morning, the scale said I dropped five pounds.  Overnight.  Just like that.

Well not just like that.  It didn't move for a week, then it dropped five pounds.  Yay!

Loved this article on the RealAge website.  They suggest that making up mini-snacks saves you huge calories (it does).  My belief in zip-a-locs is related to meal planning.   By creating a week's worth of meals on Saturday or Sunday (like I did here in "22 Meals in 120 Minutes") really saves calories through the week. 

And it really saves stress.  Just ask any woman in an office "what are you feeding your family for dinner tonight" and you'll see a look of exhaustion and guilt.  

I don't like using all that plastic, so I try to rinse and re-use when I can.   But you can't beat it -- this convenience gets pre-cooked, portion-controlled, lean protein and veggies on plates in five minutes.
Love it!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

How Hard Can it Be?

I've been frustrated with my nutrition "Spring Cleaning" and wondering if I can ever manage to get through one month without cheating.  Have had my highs and lows.
Mr Right left to go skiing this morning, so that will help.  (Darling husband showed up at my office yesterday with two cupcakes.  So sweet. So many calories.  And no, I didn't HAVE  to eat them.)
I saw this new show coming, "How hard can it be?" and had to laugh.  Surely if people are flying in houses a la Karl and Russell, surely I can skip sugar and starch for one month?

Image via NGC Blog; inspired by Black Eiffel, a very cool blog.


Saturday, March 12, 2011

Breastfeeding love and trials

I loved Joanna's post on breastfeeding.  Memories flooded my mind after reading it.

Selling the pump made me cry.  Was surprised by that.

When pregnant, I really intended to breastfeed for three months.  I actually did for a year.  I was even more surprised by that.

Smuggling frozen breast milk through customs.  (How do you declare it, even if you want to?   "Dairy" was the closest option.)

My first trip away from M took me to Toronto overnight.   The hotel had so refrigerator for my room.   It was a small hotel, with one of those mini gift shops next to the check-in desk.  Desperate, I stashed the milk in the bottom of the ice cream freezer.   Had to hurry down the next morning and retrieve it before someone thought Medela was a new kind of ice cream bar.    It's funny.  Now.

A couple hotels were NOT helpful.  I begged a hotel manager in Florida for freezer space when the tiny dorm room fridge they gave me wouldn't freeze milk.   He said no.   I snuck down to the lobby bar after it closed and stuck my milk in their ice machine overnight.  

Another helpful conference hotel had no refrigerators.   You haven't lived until you've had to excuse yourself from a Board meeting every two hours to pump and then again every hour to run to your room for the ice bucket, hit the ice machine and then refill the ice in your sink to keep the milk cold.   For three days.   {Thanks for nothing, San Antonio Hilton.} 

I'm lucky to work for family physicians who are really supportive of breastfeeding and of working Moms.  I can't imagine having my employer act inconvenienced on top of the work and stress required to pump milk.

I remember going home after work on Tuesday to pump and squeezing into a 34E sports bra and then putting a second sports bra on over it before heading to step class to burn a few of some stress.   34E. 

Working moms get  a double-whammy because you have to pump and don't get the milk right into the baby.  When you aren't pumping, you are washing the pump, the attachments, the cords, etc.  Then drying pump, putting pump away, carrying milk to the freezer.  Then you have to wash bottles that the baby ate the milk from.   I calculated that I spent 7 hours per day producing and providing breastmilk.

Hard work.   And the little peanut will probably not appreciate it until she's a mom.   But I'd do it again in a heartbeat. 

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

46 and Hot!

All three of these women are my age.
Sarah Jessica Parker is exactly one week older than I am.
Courtney Cox and SJP --Clearly they don't sit around eating starchy-carbs, but I've always chalked these gorgeous bodies up to a definite genetic advantage.  Obviously thin frames that very little flesh lives on.  
Sandra Bullock?  My envy, my idol.   Apparently her favorite workouts are Pilates and running.  Whatever it is, she is obviously very loyal.  
I became a really serious fan when she dedicated her 2010 Oscar to "the Moms who take care of the babies and children no matter where they come from."   Nobody knew about little Louis then, but what a powerful, well-deserved acknowledgement to those Mom's.

These women have inspired my pre-birthday "Spring Cleaning."   As in cleaning me.   I've written off sugar and starch, and I really hope to stay injury-free long enough to be consistent with my workouts.  Miracle weight loss probably won't occur (though welcome with open arms), but come April 1, I will know I've given my best effort to turning 46 in good health.

Friday, March 04, 2011

Friday Facts

1.  The spokesperson from the Heart Attack Grill died.  From pneumonia.

After accounting for factors such as lifestyle and education, moderately obese men -- those with a body mass index between 30 and 34.9 -- had a 40% greater risk of pneumonia compared with those of normal weight (BMI of less than 24.9). Men who were severely obese, having a BMI greater than 35, were twice as likely to get pneumonia," said this news article last year.


Rueters says obesity may increase pneumonia risk, particularly in men.

2.  Employer-based health coverage is on the decline.  I hate this.   The horrible colds my family passed around last month and my daughter's nasty fall last week required time in doctor's offices and hospital.  I can't imagine adding to the stress of those situations by not having insurance.   I hate it even more that insurance is so expensive and that this has to be a difficult decision for employers.  (Yet another reason why I am so lonely in politics.)

3.  Since discovering her a couple weeks ago, Garance Dore has been everywhere in the media and blogs.   She is so hip.  Adding her to my "want to be her" list.

4.  Fitness Magazine featured ways to turn up your metabolism, which were quite good.  No surprises, but good.   I am working on getting over my attitude.  I have to quiet my reply: "you're turning 30 and you're metabolism is slowing down?  just wait."   Sounds old and cranky and I won't allow my phit self to go there.

Have a good weekend.  Workout.  Sleep late.  Eat healthy.  Indugle (once!).