Mirror, mirror, on the gym wall

I know that working out is supposed to make you feel better about yourself - more confident, stronger, leaner, more energized, yada, yada, yada.  And it generally does.  But it's also one of the only times that I really take a good long look in the mirror and scrutinize my body.  

It takes me about 10 minutes to get ready in the morning once I get out of the shower.  I'm not one for standing in front of the mirror until my makeup and my hair and my outfit are perfect.  Maybe I should start, because I'm sure I look like a hot mess more often than not.  But it's just not in me.  

But at the gym, I'm forced to stand and face a mirror head on for part or all of my workout. Sometimes, this means looking at myself for upwards of an hour!  I know that I'm supposed to be using the mirror to make sure that my form is correct and I'm doing moves in the most effective way possible.  And for the most part, I do that.  

But come on, you can't expect me to be able to concentrate on my form that intently for that long.  I'd lose my mind.  

So, I start critiquing myself.  Yesterday, during my hour-long yoga class, I noticed: 

• I have a major case of Oprah arms if I hold my arms a certain way. Apparently all of those triceps exercises haven't really been doing much for me. 
• My toes are totally disproportionate.  My second toe is longer than my big toe, and my middle toe is also slightly alien-like. 
• My fingers can look long and sinewy if I just stretch them out really far.  This is something that I'm sure will come in handy in everyday life.
• When I wear undies under thinner yoga pants, I get terrible panty lines.  But I don't like going commando, so I'm just going to need to not focus on the panty lines. 
• My thick thighs make yoga pants look silly on me.  Especially next to the long and lean yoga teacher.
• No matter what I do, no matter what kind of non-slip or frizz controlling headband I wear, I will always have a frizz halo somewhere in my hairdo.  And random pieces of hair that don't want to stay in my bun for some reason.  

The thing is - and this is not in any way, shape, or form revolutionary thinking - nobody's watching me do yoga.  Or lift.  Or bike.  Or run.  Or whatever else I'm doing.  At least they're probably not.  And so what if they are.  They're probably not noticing my freakish toes. 

Maybe they're noticing how I'm smirking to myself because I just almost fell over.  Or how I'm subtly bouncing my head to the beat of whatever song is coming through my headphones. Or how I'm doing an exercise so incredibly perfectly that it brings tears to their eyes (note: this is probably not the case).

They're also maybe noticing my VPL.  But at least I'm wearing undies, right?  And they might notice the rats nest of hair on my head.  But hey, I've got to accept that.  Other people can have perfectly coiffed hair whilst working out.  I can't even get perfectly coiffed hair while standing still. (Although somebody did tell me my hair looked fabulous the other day.  So, there's that!) 

I sometimes look at other people in the gym or in a class.  Usually, it's not in a creepy way.  (Usually.) But because they're wearing a really cute shirt.  Or because they're doing an exercise that I've never seen before, and I'm intrigued.  Sometimes, it's because they're being annoying and drawing attention to themselves.  Or because they're wearing an outrageous outfit.  Or a lack of clothes. 

But it's usually not because of some physical flaw, an out of place hair, a little extra weight around the middle.

So why should I do that to myself?  Why can't I just admire the way my muscles are moving, or how my shirt shows off my shoulder, or the way that my headband keeps my hair out of my face while adding a little sparkle to a winter workout.  

This is something that I want to work on.  Need to work on.  Something that I think will help my workouts be more effective for me both physically and mentally. 

Sure, it could be as simple as just not facing the mirror.  But I don't think that's the answer.  I think there's a way to shift this - to make the time that I do spend staring at myself in the mirror a more positive experience. 

An experience that can help to transition other aspects of my life in the new year, and help to make 2014 a positive year for me.  (More to come on this on Wednesday).  

I want 2014 to be a year full of not caring about frizz-free hair and Oprah-free arms; of noticing fewer panty lines and having a more positive self image; of continual growth and happiness. 

My Christmas gift to you

I wanted to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!  

After you open all the presents and before you sit down to stuff yourself with all sorts of Christmas goodies, why not give this Christmas-themed workout a try?  Put on some festive Christmas tunes and get your sweat on.

Enjoy!

Parties with only passed hors d'evours are the worst

Whether it's a holiday party or just your run of the mill fancy schmancy party, having passed hors d'evours as your only dining options makes figuring out what to eat so difficult.  You either leave feeling like you need to immediately go eat an actual meal, or feeling like you can't eat another bite.

Maybe that's just me.  I was raised in a (half) Italian family where if you didn't have enough food for everyone at the table to be uncomfortably full and then still take home enough leftovers for at least two more meals, you didn't make enough food and should be terribly embarrassed.  So maybe I just need to feel like I can eat my weight in food to be satisfied with the offerings at a party. 

But I don't think this is just a Megan problem. 

Maybe my strategy for where to stand is wrong, because I always end up seeing the guy with the coconut shrimp, which are a no-thank-you food in my book, 80 times.  The guy with the crab cakes or the sliders, which I love, will come by once each, if I'm lucky.  

Or, the opposite happens.  

You just never know. So I'm loathe to pass up an opportunity at something yummy, for fear that it's going to be the last yummy-to-me thing that I see all night.  Since there's no way to survey the whole scene and see what's available, I can't really formulate a great plan of attack in my head.  Plus, I've noticed that a lot of places like to bring the hors d'evours out in waves.  The first wave might be chicken skewers and coconut shrimp and some weird pate.  But then, bam, all of the sudden mini grilled cheese is the mix.  And an hour later, out come the crab cakes and the sliders.  

And, since hors d'evours are supposed to be one-bite finger foods, I can't really take multiples when I see something I like. 

I mean, I guess I could.  But then I probably wouldn't get invited back to many places. 

I also know that hors d'evours probably aren't supposed to be a meal - they're just supposed to be something to nosh on while you drink and mingle and chat.  But, if you're holding a party at meal time, I expect to be able to eat enough to serve as a meal.  I don't want to go to a cocktail party after work just to have to go home and eat something more substantial at 9 p.m. 

How rude!


I've found that a lot of corporate holiday parties lately have employed this strategy (or at least at my company, they have).  Maybe it's cheaper or considered a more social, interactive experience.  But after a long day at work, if I'm going out, I want to have a good meal.  Not chase down the mini baked brie guy because they're so good and he only walked by me once. I also don't want to have to hoard fried mac and cheese bites in my napkin, "saving" it for a "friend" who would love it but just hasn't arrived yet.

The funny thing is, if you just lay all of the options out on a buffet table, this problem goes away entirely. Even just throw in a carving station and/or a pasta station and the problem goes away.  That way, you can quickly scan your options and formulate a plan of attack.  You know that there's always a fallback option if the hors d'evours gods don't work in your favor that night. 

It's having to figure out how, with the ever changing dance of the hors d'evours, to operate.  How to eat enough to not get cranky (not that that ever happens with me), yet not eat too much that you need to unbutton your pants.  How to make sure that you're getting a taste of everything that you want to taste without stalking the underpaid, overworked server. 

I don't have a good solution to this.  I guess eat something beforehand or keep a snack in your purse to make sure that you don't starve/make sure you have something to absorb the alcohol?  But that's really just a lame suggestion.  Because if you're going to a party at a good restaurant, or even just a friend's place who's an awesome cook, then you really want to be able to eat and enjoy the food.  Even if its just hors d'evours. 

So, got any good suggestions on how to handle the dreaded hors d'evours party?  Should I just bring my own plate next time and start a stockpile?

Shoot it like Everdeen

I just finished reading the Hunger Games books.  So there could not have been a better time to take my first archery lesson.  Learn to shoot game right through the eye. 

My sister and I had been wanting to do it for a while, but the timing never worked out.  When it finally did, it ended up being on one of the coldest days of the year.  While the lesson didn't take place outside, it did take place in a barn without heating, with a concrete floor, and with very little insulation. So, it was cold. 

If Katniss can learn in the woods with a homemade bow and arrow, surely I could learn in two hours in a 40 degree barn with borrowed equipment. How hard could it be?  You put the arrow in, pull the bow back, aim, and let go. 

I clearly underestimated the complexities of archery.  

Lesson #1: it's easier to shoot without 80 layers plus gloves on. 

We learned about where to stand. How to stand. When to move past the yellow line. When not to move past the yellow line. How not to shoot someone else.  How not to get accidentally shot by someone else.  

Grab the bow handle. 

Rest the bow on your hip. 

Grab an arrow. 

Don't drop the arrow.  Especially not in front of the yellow line. 

Nock the arrow.  

Bring the bow up to position.

Keep your elbow straight.  But not too straight. 

Pull the bow back.  With three fingers.  But not too far back. 

Aim. 

Take a deep breath. 

Let go. 

Don't move until the arrow hits the target. 

Wait for all clear to be called.  Retrieve your arrows.

Katniss Everdeen, I am not.  I honestly don't even know how she would be able to move that quickly with her bow and arrow.  It took a good 30 seconds or so each time for me to get my arrow, nock my arrow (which made me laugh every time the instructor said it), get into shooting position, and shoot.  Any animal with half a brain would be long gone by that point.  

Plus, I can really only hit stationary objects, and even with those, I don't have great aim. Even though I'm left handed (at least with this), I'm right eye dominant.  Which makes it a little hard to aim super well.  I'm sure if you give me enough time, I'll figure it out.  I did try to shoot right-handed once.  While my aim was slightly better, it was more than offset by how awkward the motion felt. 

So, wildlife of New Jersey, rest assured that you're still safe from me.

I sadly did not get to wear a quiver of arrows on my back.  I imagined that I would be like Link from Zelda.  Instead, I kind of look like a deranged Easter egg who can't be trusted with sharp objects.

Ignore my haphazard outfit.  It was in a cold barn and this was what I had. Layers.  Like an onion.  

Even though I knew it would be taking place in a barn, I somehow imagined us in a field, with targets on stands. Something like you'd see in Robin Hood.

I'd love to say that I hit the bulls-eye every time. But clearly I didn't. 

On the plus side, I only completely missed the target once.  Yay, me! 

I want to go again.  It was so fun.  And, hey, maybe if I ever need to live in the woods, I won't die. 

So, if anyone needs a last minute Christmas present for me, a left-handed bow with some cool looking arrows would be great.  And this.  I obviously need something to shoot at.

Snowday workout

Winter has arrived here in Jersey.  Not officially, yet, but the weather seems to think otherwise.  It's snowed several times over the last few weeks, with more scheduled.  And, it's been cold.  Like, so cold you don't want to go outside.  

So getting outside for any workouts (other than walking to and from work) has basically been off the table lately.  I like getting my sweat on outside, but I like feeling my hands and toes better.

To make up for the lack of outdoor stimulation, I've been doing my best to vary my inside workouts to make them fun and keep me on my toes (and give me something exciting to get me out of bed at 5:15 a.m. when the world is so much colder than my cozy bed).  

I don't use the Bosu as much as I should, but it really is a great way to add some extra intensity to tried and true moves. (Bonus points if your Bosu is slightly less than fully inflated, like the one at my gym is.  You need an extra level of balance and focus not to fall off of the thing!)

Here's one that I did the other day.  It took me about 40-45 minutes to complete (I'm really slow on the 1-legged squats to warrior 3's!).

You should do 21 reps of each exercise the first round, 15 reps the second round, and 9 reps the third round.  Of course, you could do this entire workout on a balance disc, a pillow, or the ground if you don't have access to a Bosu. 

Even if it's snowing outside, you'll get a great, full-body workout and be a sweaty mess by the end of it.

Enjoy!

My return to fitness

Here's something that I wrote that appeared on Fit Bottomed Girls last week. 

I was a very active kid growing up.  I was always running around the backyard as a wee lass (and rolling around in mud).  When I moved to a new town and started second grade, my parents signed me up for organized soccer for the first time.

I still remember that first practice, making my first new friend in my new town, who I'd be close friends and teammates with all the way through high school.  Her dad is actually still my dad's accountant.

I also started playing basketball and softball.  I played in rec leagues, on school teams,  travel teams, summer leagues, fall leagues, winter leagues.  Indoor leagues, outdoor leagues.

By the time that I was in seventh grade, I was playing some sort of sport almost every day of the week, year round.  This only ramped up when I made it to high school.

Sure, I took some breaks in there.  Mostly when I was forced to.  There were two ACL surgeries, in eighth and ninth grade.  There were numerous sprains, strains, and other ailments (never a break though, knock on wood).

I also ate like complete crap.  We'd always have a nutritious three square meals a day, but my parents house was also stocked with junk food, soda and juice.  Still is to this day.  I don't think I ever voluntarily drank a glass of water growing up.  But it didn't matter, because I was incredibly active all the time.  So I was a totally normal weight, and generally very healthy (although, being bigger than all my stick-thin friends, I didn't think that.  That's a story for another day, though.).

When I went to college, I suddenly decided that I only wanted to drink water and eat granola bars and go to the gym all the time.  All things that I had never really done before.  So, I went to Sam's club, got bulk-sized packages of water, granola bars and animal crackers, and cup-o-noodles soup (I now know that those are actually not at all healthy).  I made a point to go to the gym for almost an hour every day, I walked everywhere, didn't drink a ton of alcohol, ate salads.  

I distinctly remember being on the recumbent bike for 60 minutes at a time several times a week.  How I didn't die of boredom, I don't know.

But nevertheless, with my new "lifestyle" I lost weight and was generally healthy.

Then, I entered the real world.  Long days of work, long commutes, and short lunch breaks led to a lot of expensive, unhealthy meals and very little exercise.  Chipotle and Au Bon Pain became my good friends.  The woman who made salads at ABP knew my order by heart.  It included lots of cheese, Asian noodles, and salad dressing, with a side of bread and lemonade, and not a lot of veggies.  

The gym was something that I paid $100 a month for but rarely ever set foot inside.

So, work and lack of exercise, coupled with a few serious bouts of depression, and depression medication, and a general lack of desire to do anything good for myself, and a third ACL surgery, led to a very sedentary, very unhealthy lifestyle for me.  I gained weight, sure, but I also just did not feel good in my body.

For years.

Until something suddenly changed in my mind.  

Right after I got married, my husband and I decided to start using The Fresh Diet, a diet meal delivery service.  The meals were portioned out for us, and cooked with healthy, fresh ingredients.  And they were actually good.

Sure, I was starving at first, but I eventually got used to their portions (which were normal-sized portions, and not the mega portions I had been eating).  I got used to eating good, fresh food and even started enjoying some foods I never thought I would (hi, quinoa and beef).  I started losing weight, but more importantly, I started to feel good in my body again.

That's when I decided to add exercise back in to my life.  I don't remember how the decision was made, but it was decided that I would wake up at 5:15 three mornings a week and go to the gym (which is thankfully right in my building), and I'd get some form of exercise on the weekends too.

I made that decision cold turkey. 

That first Monday morning wake-up was brutal, and it took a while to get used to the schedule.  But, with my past life as an active person to lean on, as well as a multitude of exercise apps for inspiration, I eventually fell right back into the rhythm of an active lifestyle.  Before I knew it, I was signing up to complete my first ever mud run.  It was slow and it was painful, but it was for a great cause and I had a blast.

It's been over two years since I rediscovered fitness.  In that time, I've completed five mud runs, numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, and two half marathons.  I've also hiked, biked, run, lifted, rollerbladed, flown on the trapeze, paddle boarded and walked my dog more.  I've pole danced and kickboxed and rock climbed and yoga'd. I've started a collection of workout DVDs, have at least 50 go-to workouts saved on my phone, and have a small pile of workout equipment in the corner of my room.  I also have two full drawers worth of workout clothes.

Yes, I've lost a few pounds and my clothes look better on me.  No, I'm not the skinniest person out there.  Yes, there are days when I wish my stomach were flatter or my thighs were smaller or my arms were more defined.  But, I know that those arms are now strong enough to carry all of my groceries into the apartment by myself in one shot.  And I know that those thighs have taken me through many many miles on the road.  

But, most importantly, I've gained a new found respect for my body.  I've gained confidence in myself.  I've learned to fuel my body right, to give it what it needs and wants.  Sometimes that's chocolate and donuts.  But more often than not, it's fruits and veggies and protein.

Ultimately, I've learned that to make my body happy, to make it perform at it's best, I need to balance.  The good and the bad.  The active and the lazy.  The healthy and the not-so-great-for-you.

Apparently, life is all about how you balance it.

You gotta walk the walk

I love to walk.  I walk all the time.  I walk at least a mile and a half, if not more, to and from work most days.  The only days I don't do it is if the weather is crappy (rainy, snowy, or super duper hot or cold). 

I'm actually kind of bummed that we're moving to an office that's closer to home for me.  It's going to cut about a half mile off of my walk each day.

There's a subway that I could take that would take me a lot less time. But I choose not to use it. I'd rather walk.

I walk at lunch when I can.  Sometimes I have a destination, sometimes I don't.  But it doesn't matter.

I walk on the weekends with the dog when he wants.  Sometimes he wants to get up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. and walk a mile or so.  It's not my workout for the day, of course, but it is an awesome way to get the day started.  Before the neighborhood wakes up.  When it's just the birds and the deer and us.

Sometimes we'll go to the park and walk.  Chase the bunnies and the birds and he'll sniff all the trees.  It's not much of an aerobic exercise, but I still love it.

Yes, I know that walking has a ton of health benefits.  But that's not really why I do it.  I have no idea how many steps I walk a day.  I don't wear a pedometer.

When I walk, I don't even really count it as part of my activity for the day.  It's a transition time.  It's a way to gear up for the day, or decompress after hours of sitting at my desk. 

It's when I can think.  Or not. 

It's when I can focus on what's going on around me.  Or when I can just tune out the world.

It's when I can listen to music without interruption.  Or listen to the ambient noises of the city or the neighborhood.

And sure, walking is a way to get in a little bit of extra movement throughout the day.  It's a way to get the blood flowing, get the mind moving, get the juices flowing.  

It's also a great way to see a new city, or explore a town that you've known your whole life.  You can move as fast or as slow as you want. 

I know enough not to take for granted any day that I can get out of bed and walk.

I love walking.  It's one of my favorite things to do. It helps me maintain my sanity during the week when I'm stuck in a city that can drive anyone insane. It helps me relax on the weekend, especially when I can get out and soak up nature.

I sincerely think that everyone that's able should walk as much as possible every day.  The world would be a much better place if they did.

Workout Wednesday

I love to mix it up with my workouts.  Sometimes, I get inspiration (or full workouts) from the interwebs - other blogs, YouTube, and places like Shape Magazine or Women's Health.  But sometimes I get inspired to come up with my own workouts (or supply workouts for my sister). 

Like this one below.  It's relatively quick - it will take you 33 minutes to complete - and deceptively simple looking.  You'll definitely be working up a sweat by the end of it. 

As always, make sure you push yourself when you can, but don't push yourself too far outside of what's comfortable for you.  Maybe you do the first cardio portion at a lower intensity to warm up a bit, but the second two should be at an intensity that's difficult for you. 

Wall sits too easy for you?  Do the suggested variation!

Planks a walk in the park?  Try lifting an arm or leg - and of course, alternating over the course of the minute so that you get an even workout on both sides. 

Supermans hurt your back? Try just lifting your arms or your legs. 

Mix it up, make it your own, and have fun with it. Enjoy!

Change it up

D2: The Mighty Ducks was one of my favorite movies growing up.  I've seen it numerous times and can still vividly recall whole scenes of the movie, even though I haven't seen it in years.  I have never seen the first or third movies. Just the second.

My favorite part of the movie is when the Ducks get schooled in a pickup game in LA, where they meet Russ and his knuckle puck.  "Whoop! There It Is" by Tag Team plays during the video montage of the game (Megan Trivia: I can sing that whole song).  Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez is there as well. (Wrong movie?)

Anyway, there's a scene in the movie where Coach Bombay is being a whiny baby and doesn't show up to coach the team in a game.  He's off skating around on his own on his bum knee.  In order for the team to play and not forfeit the game, they need a coach on the bench.  Apparently, they have no assistant coaches or trainers or parents or anyone that knows even a little bit about hockey hanging around to step into the position.  

Instead, they have to convince their tutor, Ms. McKay (played by Detective Eames herself, Kathryn Erbe), to coach the game.  Even though she's been hanging around these kids for months at this point, she apparently hasn't picked up any hockey knowledge. She agrees to act as coach for the game so that they don't have to forfeit, but the players will essentially have to coach themselves.

At one point in the game, Ms. McKay notices that the players on the ice are looking tired.  But she's not sure how to get them to come back to the bench for a rest while other players take their spot.  (Although, if they were really coahcing themselves, one of the other players on the bench probably should have picked up on this and told her what to do.) 

Never fear, Pacey Witter (errr, Charlie Conway) let's her in on a little secret.  She just needs to yell "change it up."

Thank you, Charlie, for this valuable lesson.

Change it up is a term that we should all learn to love.  In addition to apparently switching out the skaters on a hockey team, it is essential for living a balanced, happy, healthy life.

I'm reminded of this all the time. 

I've been taking a yoga class on a regular basis the last few months.  It's at the same times each week, with the same teacher.  And while no two classes are exactly the same, they're still very much in the style of the teacher.  Which is not a bad thing, at all.

But, I had unknowling become very accustomed to it.  So when we had a substitute for class last week, I spent the first half actively hating it.  For no reason other than it was different than what I was used to. 

We didn't start and end in a seated position.  We didn't do the same vinyasa that we normally do.  We didn't have any background music, or the same melodic rhythm of our teacher's voice.  I was bummed about this.

Until I realized that I was enjoying class.  Enjoying the new flows and the positions that we didn't normally try.  Enjoying the change of pace and the fact that it took more focus to follow along with a new teacher.

I have to constantly remind myself to change it up, or else I get bored (this is probably why I hated training for a half marathon - too much sameness, not enough variety).  Usually, this means not doing the same workout  twice in the same month.  Trying new combinations and new routines and new classes continually.

Sometimes I add hills to a walk.  Sometimes I do interval workouts.  Sometimes I pop in a workout DVD or find a new workout video on YouTube. 

But I always seem to forget that I should change it up even further.  Change up the weight that I use for, say, shoulder presses.  Or the number of reps that I do for lunges.  Or the pace that I do squats.  Or the intensity that I do cardio at.  Or, heck, even the length of my workouts overall.

Changing things up keeps me from getting bored with my workouts.  Which keeps me from getting bored with exercising in general. But, it also keeps me from getting stagnant.  Keeps my body guessing and keeps it ready for anything.  Most importantly, it keeps me happy and healthy.  And it keeps me on my toes.

What ways do you change up your workouts to keep them fun and interesting?

It's ok to make an ass of yourself

Sometimes in life, you just have to laugh at yourself.  I generally make an ass out of myself on a regular basis. Laughing at myself is the only way to get through it.

Like when you try to open a door by pushing it, only to look down and see the "pull" sign.  You could get mad at the door or call yourself an idiot, but it's much healthier to just laugh at yourself for doing it and then actually pull the door open.

Or when you trip walking up the stairs (this happens to me more than I should probably admit).  You could be embarrassed or curse at the stairs for being uneven or something.  But I find that it's much easier just to laugh at myself.

Or when you accidentally dump half a bag of dog food on the floor.  Just laugh along with everyone who witnessed it and then get the dog to help you clean it up. 

The same is true when I'm working out.  Sometimes, I just really screw up a move.  I try to do a single leg deadlift and fall over (like I imagine a cow would if you went cow tipping).  Or I try to do the last rep of man makers and fall on my face while trying to do a pushup.  Or I'm in yoga class and fall out of tree pose.

Just the other day, I was doing a P90X2 video in my dad's basement and slowly rolled sideways off of a stability ball, flipping myself over in the process.

Now, I could get mad at myself for not being perfect. For not being able to perfectly execute these moves.  Some of which I've done before, and some of which I've never even heard of before.  But really, what good would that do me? If anything, it would just discourage me and make me quit my workout early.

Instead, I usually laugh at myself.  I'm sure I look like a lunatic falling over in front of the weight rack and chuckling, or rolling off of a stability ball and breaking out into a full-on laughing fit by myself.  If I'm in yoga class, I try to keep the chuckle in my head and just smirk a bit.  

I've found that people don't really like when you burst out laughing in the middle of yoga.

But who cares? It keeps it fun.  It keeps it light.  And it keeps me coming back for more in my workouts. 

Yes, I laugh at myself after a total fail.  But, I also take note.  Maybe I need to try that move again, with a little more concentration.  Maybe I need to call it a day and give my body a rest before I hurt myself.  Maybe I need to actually pay attention to the instructions on the DVD to figure out how to do a move.

Sure, fitness is serious and you could get seriously hurt if you don't pay attention, have proper form, listen to your body, etc.  But it's also supposed to be fun.  It's supposed to be something that's good for you, something that you want to do to feel good and good about yourself. 

And laughter is, after all, the best medicine.  So go ahead and try that move that seems crazy difficult.  And laugh at yourself when you fall on your face or trip over your own two feet.  But, get up and try again.  And keep at it until you don't fall on your face.  Then, you can laugh about how you used to think it was impossible. 

And you can look forward to your next gym floor laughing fit.  After all, life is really just a series of embarrassing moments.  The ability to laugh at yourself will get you a lot further than beating yourself up for your mistakes.

Boring

I ate Thanksgiving leftovers for pretty much every meal for at least 4 days.  Yes, even for breakfast.  I'm sure everyone else in my family was probably tired of leftovers after day two, but I honestly don't mind them.  I can, and do, often eat the same thing day after day after day and never get sick of it. 

There was the time years ago when I would get the same exact salad at Au Bon Pain every weekday.  For months.  It was a joke amongst my colleagues.  Lunchtime every day, they knew I was going to get "my" salad.  The woman that made the salad knew exactly what I wanted in it.  Exactly what I would ask for a little bit extra of.  Exactly how much dressing to put in.  It was kind of sad.  And I probably spent a lot of money on those salads over the months. (And didn't do my waistline any favors - it definitely was not what anyone would consider a healthy salad.)

I'm sure some people would think that this is incredibly boring.  And, it probably is. 

But, it also makes it so much easier to plan my meals for the week.  It makes it easier to shop.  It makes it easier to prep.  And, it makes it easier to not eat like crap.  If I plan fairly healthy meals and snacks during the day, I don't feel bad if I eat a piece of candy or have dessert at night. 

You can pretty much set your watch to my eating schedule during the week. 

At around 9 a.m., as I settle in at my desk and check my emails, I have overnight oats.  I make a big batch on Sunday night, and bring it to work for the week.  It always includes oats, Greek yogurt, milk, and honey.  Sometimes I mix it up with a scoop of cookie butter.  Or cinnamon, or vanilla, or ginger.  I know, I'm living on the edge.  Occasionally, I'll have a grapefruit or pear with breakfast.  And tea with lemon.  Always tea with lemon in the morning.  

On Thursdays, we get bagels at work for breakfast.

At noon on the dot (or sometimes a little earlier, if I'm really hungry), I have lunch.  A salad.  Made with mixed greens, red pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, avocado, hard boiled egg, a few crispy onions or croutons, and salad dressing.  I have a nifty container for it that lets me keep the onions and dressing separate until I'm ready to eat. 

Then, at 3 p.m., it's snack time.  Usually an apple with a scoop of peanut butter.  I have one of those family size containers of peanut butter at work and I probably go through one a month. Sometimes, when it's warmer, I'll get froyo. 

And, not to omit anything, sometimes there's also a piece (or two or three) or candy from the candy bowl at work.

Dinner is a little more freestyle.  I usually eat around 7 or 8 p.m.  It's usually something that I've made and frozen (meatloaf or soup or a pasta bake).  Or leftovers. Sometimes, it's another salad.  If I'm feeling really crazy, I might make some fresh veggies and a protein (chicken apple sausage is amazing). 

And then there's dessert.  Almost always dessert.  Which I never feel bad about eating, because I've been a (mostly) good girl all day.  Sometimes I'll have a cookie, or some chocolate, or whatever other yummies we have around the apartment.  

I always enjoy it while I'm eating it.  It's usually too much sugar for me that late at night (and by late, I mean like 9 p.m.  I'm an old lady and go to bed at around 10 p.m., if not earlier). I usually curse myself when I can't fall asleep after eating dessert and tell myself that I need to stop eating sweets at night.  Sometimes I'll have a pear or a piece of fruit instead.  Usually though, I just eat some sweets.  

The weekends are a bit more free form, although I do still try to get in similar meals each day, especially for breakfast and lunch.  I find that it makes it easier to not gorge myself on all the food.  Also, since I have such boring, relatively healthy eating habits during the week, I feel better if I let myself indulge a little bit on the weekends.

I don't need to be 100% good and healthy 100% of the time.  That's just boring and no way to live.  But, I find that being boring and predictable much of the time makes it a lot easier to balance out healthy eating with a bit of good old fashioned indulging.

Meatloaf Monday

I love to have a freezer full of homemade meals that I can just pull out for lunch or dinner any day.  It makes life easier when I don't have to think about what I'm going to eat for dinner, and when I don't have to come home from work and cook. 

One of my favorite freezer meals is a good old fashioned meatloaf. It's so versatile - you can basically throw in whatever veggies you love, and it's a great way to use up any produce that you might have left over at the end of the week.  

Here's how I usually make it, but feel free to make it your own with different veggies, cheese, spices, or flavorings.

Loaded Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, sliced 
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1.5 lbs ground beef (can also use ground turkey)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup spinach, stems removed (can also use frozen spinach, just thaw and wring out the excess water first)
• 1/2 cup cheese, cubed (I prefer cheddar, but you can really use anything you like)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp. mustard 
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. 
2. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat on high.  Add onions, saute for a minute on high heat, then lower heat to medium-low and saute until caramelized (usually takes about 10 minutes on my stove). 
3. In the meantime, add rest of ingredients to a large bowl.  Using your hands, combine until all ingredients are mixed well.  
4. Transfer meatloaf to prepared baking dish and shape into a loaf. 
5. Top with caramelized onions. 
6. Cover with foil and bake for approx. 30-40 minutes (depending on how thick your loaf is/how big your pan is) You can check the doneness by cutting a little slot in the top.    
7. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, until top is crispy. 
8. Remove from oven. At this point, you can either serve it right away, or let it cool, cut into slices, and freeze for easy meals throughout the week. 

Bon appetit!