Row, Row, Row Your Boat (WOW #3)

So after ballet class and pilates, mom and I decided we would try a new fitness class offered by the Cincinnati Rowing Club.  Billed as a low impact cross-training class, we went in with a little familiarity with rowing machines having used them for warm-ups during cardio workouts. 

The gym itself is a pretty low key building.  It shares the space with an Irish dancing company and when we entered were greeted by the site of 10 year olds jigging like crazy.  The No Limits Rowing class is a combination of rowing drills, weight training, and core work and we started with a short warm-up followed by intervals of weight lifting and then rowing.  This was overall a pretty good workout.  As total newbies the instructor did give us some minor corrections in regards to form which really helped in getting a smoother pull and release.  I kept waiting for the sound of a drum and a little skinny pirate guy with a whip to come out and yell "row ye bastards."  Alas no such luck.  

By the end of the hour our shoulders were burning and I'm sure if we kept up with the class we would start looking like these guys....

All in all a good workout and definitely something different than our usual running routine.  

Workout of the Week (WOW) #2 and Resolution Run

Well its a new year and these two bloggers were definitely ready to bid 2011 goodbye.  Aside from some great goals that we accomplished on the fitness front, our personal and family lives have been less than stellar.  So like many others out there we both are hoping that 2012 is a better year for everyone!  But before the ball dropped I coned mom and sister into joining me for round two of new fitness classes and we went to a local workout studio called Pure Barre.  This place provides Barre classes which according to the website is a technique designed to "lift your seat, tone your thighs and burn fat in record-breaking time."  Using the ballet barre you perform small movements that are designed to work your whole body and build lean muscles.  They call this "intelligent exercise"  but all three of us felt pretty stupid at some point during the workout.  Luckily it was an early morning class and we were the only three participants.  Yet while we laughed at our inflexibility and weak core movements (must work on this!!) and sometimes flat out fell (okay that was just me) we all REALLY enjoyed the class. Angela our instructor was very patient and the workout was amazing.  Who knew that squeezing a small ball between your legs while doing squats and leg lifts would burn so much!!  We also all felt this class the next day further proving that Barre workouts are not BS.

However, once the calendar year flipped to 2012 it was back to running so the three of us hit a local running store Buckeye Running Company which was hosting a New Years Day brunch run.  Amanda over at Run to the Finish  had posted a virtual Resolution Run for the start of the year so I signed mom and I up for this and we headed out to Buckeye for a free breakfast and a quick 3 miles.  It was super windy with 40 mph gusts so the first mile which featured a slow uphill and was run right into the wind was our slowest.  Mile 2 we picked up some steam and really got moving for the rest of the run as the wind was at our backs and literally pushed us back to the store.  If you ever visit Cincinnati and need running apparel think of heading over to Buckeye.  Steve is the nicest store manager and really caters to runners needs!!  Bagels, muffins, fresh fruit, mimosas, red wine, and more greeted us once we got inside so between drinking and shopping we had a great New Years morning.  Hope everyone else enjoyed their holidays and had a wonderful New Years....our journey continues in 2012!

Thank you Secret Santa

When I got home yesterday I had a small envelope from Amazon waiting for me sent by my secret Santa Leana http://runnerleana.blogspot.com.  Jill over at Run with Jill hosted a blog gift exchange and when I opened my package inside I found this:



Got a kick out of reading it and learned lots of interesting Canadian recipes like beaver tail and moose stew.  Thanks Leana and Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Random Thoughts and Trying Something New

Ahhh Christmas.  The time of year when people's driving sucks even more than usual and when sweaters that should have been burnt years ago are now proudly sported everywhere and called fashionable.  Lest my sarcasm confuse you let me reassure you that this isn't another post filled with reminiscing about the "good old days" and talking about the unappreciative youth of America.  I like Christmas and I like presents.  Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or depressed.  How can you not help but fist pump in triumph when you beat other shoppers and find that one perfect parking spot close to the mall entrance?  And you can practically taste victory when you manage to score free shipping and a coupon code on that item for Aunt Sally.  Christmas can manage to bring out the best and worst in people, but while driving around looking at Christmas lights, I focus on feeling the Christmas spirit (while harshly judging tacky light displays).

But Christmas aside, I did want to post the first of what will hopefully be weekly(ish) posts as mom and I delve into new workout routines.  We have both been really bad these last few months and are looking to drop some weight in 2012 and get back on track.  While running will still be our thing....five marathons on the books for next year (more info to come)!!  We both recognize that we need to cross train more and try new things.  The fitness world is chocked full of classes and we have decided to venture into this strange and crazy world by trying one new class every week.  Luckily a lot of gyms close to us offer a free trial class so this will hopefully be a cheap way to sweat off some weight and probably make complete a$$es of ourselves in the process.

This weeks attempt: Pilates for Runners.  Now we have both tried Pilates in the past and found it to be a great cardio workout.  Unlike the yoga classes I have taken where flexibility and head stands are called for, Pilates seems to be more of a toning and strengthening workout.  I am particularly looking forward to this class as it is taught by a marathon runner who promises to make you a "faster more efficient and injury free runner."  Who wouldn't want that!  So mom and I will be jumping in the car this evening to head out and try Pilates for Runners....I'm anticipating lots of grunting and potentially some uncontrolled laughter as I struggle to do sit-ups.  I'll be sure to post our thoughts after class!

UPDATE:  So we made the trip downtown to Pilates and all in all really enjoyed the class.  Kristine the instructor was very methodical in her approach and rather than jumping from one position to the next, really took the time to explain the reasoning behind each move and how to position your body.  Also, because this was tailored to runners, she spent a lot of time working those muscles that are frequently weak in runners.  Once again I was surprised to find myself sweating during this class as the movements are so minute and to the outsider it probably looks like we are all lying on our backs struggling to tie our shoes.  Oh well, Pilates for runners was fun and we will be sure to update you all on our next exercise adventure! 

Living in the Present

Christmas is stressful.  We all freak out about it,  whether it be gifts,  decorations,  holiday parties,  or crazy families.  And then you get a message out of the blue that puts everything into perspective. Tuesday,  I went to the memorial service for my friend's husband.. Charlie.  Charlie was only 63,  which now that I am 52.. I can say is way too young.  This was unexpected,  and no one was prepared for it.   Family and friends had an opportunity to talk about a man they had all loved.  It was a service that truly was a tribute to a life well lived.  And that was the one thing that struck me... everyone was laughing because they all had Charlie stories and the common theme was Charlie always lived in the moment.  His goal in life was to enjoy it and to make sure those around him enjoyed it as well.   Every statement was a joyful remembrance of this man's life.  I was struck by all those who related how much they would miss Charlie's laugh the most.  What a life lesson I got.  I was prepared to go and grieve and to leave feeling wrung out and miserable.  Instead I left much more light-hearted than I had when I arrived.  

Charlie was also the man that taught me how to program computers almost 30 years ago.  His patience and laughter during my beginning attempts as a programmer provided just the balance to my frustrations at learning this new task.  But he believed that I could do it,  and because I respected him,  I believed I could as well.   His belief fueled a 30 year career that has provided for my daughters all these years as a single parent.  To say I owe him much would be an understatement.  And at his memorial service,  I received another lesson from him... to live in the present.  To focus on joyful moments with friends and family because those little moments become the memories others have of us.. and wouldn't you rather want them to be positive ones!  Charlie you are already missed,  but your friends are already talking about this years Christmas party and how you will be there in the stories that are told about you at past gatherings.   You lived life well,  thank you for the reminder to all of us on how to do this.

What Do You Eat....?

So now that it is several days past Thanksgiving and we have all begun to crawl back from carbohydrate comas I thought a post discussing one of the most common questions Mom and I get would be in order.  When we decided to change our lifestyles and become healthier, one of the most important things to consider was our diet.  Previously, I had become a vegetarian due to ethical reasons.  While this change certainly decreased the amount of red meat I consumed it also meant I just swapped breads and pasta for chicken and steak and a 350 lbs. vegetarian was created.  I stuck to the vegetarian diet, even when I received quiet a few surprised looks whenever I told anyone I was a vegetarian.  I could see their eyes grow skeptical as they sized me up and thought "what a fat vegetarian!  I thought that was a myth, like Bigfoot or Yeti's."

So our first step was to ditch the unhealthy vegetarian food items and get back to the basics.  In the summer this meant a lot of salads and fresh fruits and veggies, in the winter big pots of vegetable soups.  Somewhere along the way I decided that mom and I should take the next stop and adopt a vegan diet.  This change has brought even more benefits and has left us truly feeling healthy at last.  While I'm not pushing the vegan diet on anyone else, I can say that personally it helped me drop some of those pesky pounds while leaving me feeling energized and satisfied.  I have found it is hard to be sluggish on kale and spinach!  This transition, was made that much easier with a few food items I would like to share.  These are all quick and easy products that taste great and also just so happen to be good for the environment too.

First up is the so called "miracle noodles" featured on many talk shows, diet cookbooks, and blogs.  We were on the shirataki train well before Rachel Ray decided to splash some EVOO on them and found these noodles to be a great alternative to traditional pasta.  At about 10 calories a serving you could potentially eat the whole bag and still be under 100 calories for a meal.  However there is one caution - these noodles, made of some sort of yam flour, smell extremely strong straight from the bag so follow the directions and wash them well before eating!!

If the thought of yam flour noodles doesn't make the kiddies run to the dinner table another pasta/main dish option we have found is broccoli slaw.  Those bags of pre-shredded ruffage, when steamed and lightly tossed with pasta sauce, make an awesome quick dinner for two.  Again they are extremely low in calories so you don't have to feel guilty going for that second helping.  Another note of warning about these though - if you are new to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, broccoli can cause some serious gas.  Not to put too fine a point on it, but the first time mom and I cooked up a big batch of this we created our own soundtrack to Australia as we watched the film later that night.  



Two other products I have come to love are my go to food items for lunch.  First, I am a peanut butter addict and find it difficult not to take spoonfuls of this stuff several times a day.  To combat this addiction I have found the pre-portioned Justin's nut butters to be a great option for me.  Throw this in my lunch bag with a couple puffed cakes and I'm set.  And the cakes I am currently loving are Kim's Magic Pops...we have these at several local grocery stores, and while I don't know who Kim is, I can say her cakes are magic at only 15 calories a piece and great topped with a variety of items like hummus, honey, or yes peanut butter!

So while temptation is all around this time of year, make sure you take some time and plan to have some healthy options on hand...come January 1st when the fitness craze hits everyone, you will be able to smile and strut in jeans that still fit!  


Have you tried one of these products? 

Do you have your own favorite healthy foods or tips to share?

One Hot Mama

Getting older sucks... okay I'm going to say it again... Getting older sucks.   To hell with the 50 is the new 30 crap that you hear. If you hear that from someone,  I wouldn't want to buy a used car from them,  because they are liars.  

Milestones that no one talks about.
30 +  Once you cross the 30 age mark you stop healing the way you once did.  
Remember when you could go on a weekend and party,  or perform some fun athletic event,  like whitewater rafting,  horseback riding etc,  and then go into work on Monday none the worse for wear...  Once you hit your 30's.. that leaves you.   Maybe it is for a reason.. you are 30 something after all so time to start acting like a grown up.   I got tossed off a horse at the age of 31 and dislocated my ankle.  The really cute emergency room doctor said.."wow.. your going to wish you broke that..."    Why?  Because your over 30 and that is going to take 6 months to heal.. WTF???  I was incredulous... but he was right.   It was 6 months before I could honestly say it didn't bother me anymore,  and it still lets me know when the weather is going to change.
40 +  40 something becomes the decade where you no longer have long enough arms to read.   It starts slowly.. you find yourself squinting at print and bitching in restaurants that the lighting is really bad.    You hold items out as far as you can to be able to read small print.   Finally you break down and buy a pair of readers at the grocery store.   1.25 magnification isn't s-o-o-o bad...right?  Besides they come in really cute colors.  Next thing you know you have 10 pairs of the suckers in varying degrees of power sprinkled all over the house/office/purse/car.  Next step must be the big sun-glass goggles that are so prevalent in sunny southern climes.
50 +  Welcome to Menopause...  Our mothers didn't really talk about it.   Yes they mentioned hot flashes in passing but really you couldn't have done a better job preparing me for this? Thank heavens layering is currently a fashion trend.   I head to work with a tank top under every outfit because I just never know when the strip show is going to begin. Now that it is winter in Ohio.. and my bedroom is kept at a comfortable  60 degrees,  I thought this would help.  But I go to bed under 2 blankets wearing fuzzy pj bottoms ,  a tank top and a sweatshirt.. and sometime during the night I find myself lying naked under a ceiling fan?   I know ,  I know you can take medication for this.. but really I don't need drugs to deal with something that is normal and natural,  even if it isn't exactly fun.  I have tried the teas,  and I know there are other herbal remedies to try.. but many of them are pricey... so...we shall see how long this phase lasts... And hopefully I won't have a house fire on one of the "those" nights.    Can't wait to see what 60 brings....