{Wordless Wednesday} I’m KIND of Obsessed
Filed under Health & Fitness, House/Fashion/Beauty, Products I've Tried
A Fun Family Weekend
This past weekend was Father’s Day weekend and I must say, it was really nice.
Saturday, the hubs had to work and the little man had a birthday party to attend, but that night we attended a local festival. Our town hosts this large shindig every year in our local recreation center (the same one where my beloved trail is). They have tons of food trucks, different vendors, live entertainment and then a field full of inflatable bounce houses and slides for the kids. They also have a bungee type jump and rock climbing wall for the older kids, and they even added a DJ on the basketball courts for the teen crowd this year, which my daughter liked.
My hubs and I both splurged on dinner that night. I decided to have a Philly cheese-steak and he had sausage and peppers. If you’ve been to a fair or festival, you know how awesome they are, despite the price. Stuff like this takes me back to my childhood in Brooklyn at our annual festival, and I’m a fan of trips down memory lane.
Remember kids…it okay to eat stuff you like that isn’t 100% healthy from time to time. Just don’t turn it into a daily habit!
The night was spent watching our son bounce, slide and make friends with the animals in the petting-zoo. Once it got dark, we found our daughter, grabbed a sweet treat and headed over to pick a spot to watch the fireworks before heading home. There is something about ice-cream and fireworks that just summer, right?
Father’s Day was spent at home in our yard.
I woke up early, ran to the grocery store for some fresh baked rolls for lunch and then I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for some daddy treats and coffee. I skipped the donuts but I did treat myself to a warm bagel. I have a weakness for the little nutritional black holes….especially when they are hot out of the oven. (I know, there is much healthy going on in this post, we’re human…like you.)
We thankfully had really nice weather and just enjoyed sitting outside, grilling and having fun. We had yummy burgers for lunch and dinner was grilled cilantro lime chicken and grilled corn, tossed with over roasted potatoes, onions, peppers and hot sausage. It was another experiment and turned out really good! I actually can’t wait to make it again, since it was super easy and flavorful.
Because donuts aren’t bad enough, I made a cake. A cake surrounded by Kit-Kat’s and topped with M&M’s. (I know…what the hell…but dad’s deserve treats…plus I blame Pinterest!) I spent the entire afternoon telling the kids, my husband and my mother to quit trying to steal M&M’s off the cake. It was exhausting, but so worth it!
Yesterday was hubs day off from work, so he and I headed to the movies to see Man of Steel, which he has been dying to see all weekend. We went to an IMAX theater to see it, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I really liked the way they told the story, and Henry Cavill really brought Superman/Clark Kent to life for me. Michael Shannon was excellent as Zod and I was surprised that I liked Russell Crowe as Jor-El. My biggest gripe was the length of the film…too long! Hollywood really needs to quit making movies that are 2.5 hours and longer. First off, they are a day killer. The movie started at 12:45 and we didn’t get out until almost 4pm…I don’t have time for that. Second, movie theater drinks are HUGE and my bladder is small. If I get up to use the bathroom, I’ll miss part of the movie. As a result, I sit there with a full bladder, squirming around waiting for the movie to end. THIS is why I can’t wait to see Monsters University, Despicable Me 2 and TURBO. Kid movies are always a normal length and they are bladder friendly!
Well…I hope I didn’t bore you to death with my weekend and I hope you enjoyed yours! Did you do anything fun? Have you seen any good movies lately? Looking forward to anything coming out soon?
Filed under Family Fun
Kale vs. Spinach: Which Is Healthier?
I’m a fan of both of these leafy greens and tend to interchange them in recipes and smoothies. I mostly lean towards spinach as my go to green, but I’ve always wondered which was actually better for me. I stumbled upon this infographic and thought I would share!
*Infographic courtesy of Prevention.com – Click on the image above to visit the original*
Filed under Health & Fitness
Grilled Ratatouille
The warm weather of spring and summer bring about lots of time spent outdoors. We love to grill in the summer and we also visit farm stands and farmers markets more often. I tend to gravitate towards meals that showcase the great veggies I pick up at these stands or that my neighbors drop off.
I’ve typically always thought of ratatouille as a meal prepared in the oven (as well as a Pixar movie), but I love the spin that this recipe has put on a classic meal.
Grilled Ratatouille
Ingredients:
This photo is from when I prepared it on the stove, but it’s still super tasty!
Salt
- Pepper
- Cajun seasoning, to taste
- 3 tbsps red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed with press or minced
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 large orange or yellow peppers, quartered
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions:
- Prepare your grill for direct grilling on medium-high.
- In small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, and garlic.
- Cut onion crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Trim your zucchini and eggplant, then cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices.
- Brush half of the vinegar mixture on one side of onion, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with cajun seasoning.
- Grill tomatoes 6 minutes, zucchini and eggplant for 10 minutes, and peppers & onion for 12 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender and charred, turning over once.
- Transfer vegetables to a cutting board. Cool slightly, then cut into 1/2 inch pieces. (I remove the skin from eggplant at this time)
- Toss with vegetables with remaining vinegar mixture, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
You can serve this with pasta (you would toss the pasta along with everything in the last step. Or serve over rice.
I’ve made this on the stove when the weather wasn’t good for grilling and it came out just as good (just a little less char). I also love picking up the pre-marinaded chicken breasts or thighs from Wegman’s to cut up and toss in with this. My current favorite are the Cilantro Lime ones….so yummy!
What is your favorite way to prepare fresh vegetables in the summer months?
Filed under Health & Fitness, Main Course, Recipes
Brett Hoebel Took My Flywheel Virginity
A few weeks ago when I was at #FitBlogNYC, Brett Hoebel was one of the speakers there. At the end of his lecture, he told us that he would be returning to NYC in early June to teach a Flywheel class, and if we were interested in joining to tweet at him. Of course I tweeted at him despite having no idea what a Flywheel class consisted of. As the days went by, I totally forgot about the class, until I received a tweet from Brett with a link to enter a drawing for the class. I filled out the entry form, said a little prayer that I would be selected and went about my day.
Two days before the class date, I received an e-mail saying that I was selected to attend Brett Hoebel’s inaugural ride at the Flywheel Flatiron location!! I was super excited and then panicked because once again, I was sick. I haven’t had much luck in the health department the past two months, but I was on day three of antibiotics so I responded that I would be there and started looking at which train I would need to catch.
The day of the event, I was very nervous. I had never attended a spin class before and I really didn’t know what to expect. I did a little research on Flywheel the night before so I knew it was stadium seating cycling, I knew that the room is kept dark to help you focus on making the ride your ride and I knew that there would be loud music and that I shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when first setting up my bike. Ok…sounds good to me!
I caught my train into NYC and knew that I would be early so I packed lunch with me and upon arriving in the city, headed over to the Flatiron District. One of the my favorite buildings in NYC is the Flat Iron building so it only made sense to me to walk over there, grab a bench in Madison Square Park and just enjoy the view.
After lunch, I headed over to the Flywheel Flatiron location and signed in. I was given a special pair of spin shoes, shown where the lockers are and I grabbed a bottle of water and a towel.
On my way to the lockers, I saw Brett in the room we would be using talking to a few other people, so I popped my head in, said hello and snagged a picture of the bike set-up.
After stowing my stuff in a locker, I headed up front, said hello to few fellow bloggers and then it was time for class. I felt my nerves kick in as I selected a bike in the back and I was grateful to the gentleman in front of me who taught me how to snap my fancy spin shoes into the pedal. A girl who worked there came around and helped me adjust my bike, only we didn’t adjust it correctly, and I didn’t find that out until the class was already in full swing. Oops!
After Brett explained the bike display to us and how to adjust the torque, the room went dark. Only the instructor stage and bike’s display screen are illuminated so you can focus on the workout, and not everyone else around you, which I really liked. The class is a mix of fast, sprint intervals and slow climbs, which help to build endurance and muscle while burning a ton of calories. There is even an upper body segment to the class which really gets you sweating!
The music playlists for each class are created by the Flywheel instructor themselves, which I think is awesome. Instructors choreograph their own classes, syncing their rides to the beat of their songs ensuring a new experience every time you take a class. I loved Brett’s music selections since I’m a big fan of BPM on Sirius XM radio.
My favorite song from the workout was “Fade Into Darkness” by Avicii:
Brett guided our workout, suggesting resistance levels and RPMs, but ultimately it’s your ride, so you decide the pace of things by spinning the knob for more or less resistance on your bike. I had to dial it back a few times due to my seat issues but I still got breathless and had a crazy sweat going on.
Overall, this was one of my best fitness experiences in a group setting. Brett Hoebel is an amazing instructor. He is truly inspirational and it’s like he’s in your head as you’re doing this workout. Every time I felt like dialing back, slowing down or saying “I can’t do this” he would say something to ignite that spark within myself and I found the strength to keep going.
The class lasted about 45 minutes and we did a light stretch at the end of it, which was much needed.
As everyone was headed out of the studio, I snagged a moment with Brett to say hi again and to thank him for giving me such an amazing opportunity.
This was honestly the toughest thing I have done since week one of Insanity…although I didn’t curse at Brett like I did at Shaun T! I will definitely need to keep eye out for Brett’s return to NYC and try to catch another class. He truly is a phenomenal trainer!
After changing into dry clothes and collecting my belongings, I enjoyed another stroll through NYC, to catch my train back New Jersey. As I returned home I was filled a feeling of joy and gratefulness. I’ve been given a lot of amazing opportunities the past few weeks and each one has been an amazing experience.
Have you ever taken a Flywheel class? What did you think of it?
Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness
{Semi Wordless Wednesday} Halfway There
Yesterday I hit the halfway mark on my journey to 500 miles. It came a month later than I thought, I almost got hit by a falling tree branch on the trail and I apparently didn’t lace up correctly, because I ended up with a killer blister, but I did it!
Filed under Fitness Inspiration, Health & Fitness, Running
FitBump Almost Makes Me Wish I Was Pregnant
No, no, no…there is no baby on the way here, or in the future. This mama is done with that road in life, but let me tell you… If you are expecting and are into fitness, you have to check out FitBump!
I had the pleasure of meeting the founder of FitBump, Kira Kohrherr, as well as her PR rep Liz Graham a week ago, while attending The Brooklyn Baby Expo. At the time, I didn’t realize that Kira also designed a full line of maternity fitness apparel, but as soon as I saw it, I was in love!
This line, which is due out in July 2013, is full of fun colors and cute prints, plus it sports flattering silhouettes that celebrates the bump, while the active-chic styles easily transition from the gym to everyday wear!
One of the things I hated most while pregnant, was constantly having to buy new clothes to fit my ever growing belly. With FitBump’s revolutionary design you don’t have to, because it expands over nine months and then retracts as your post-baby body gets back into shape. How awesome is that?!
Seeing this line almost made me wish I was pregnant, but then reality hit me, I heard a room full of fussy infants and I remembered how much I love to sleep.
FitBump just launched their new website about two weeks ago, and it was created as a one-stop-shop to help wellness-focused women make mindful, educated decisions throughout their pregnancy and beyond.
Their site offers a community with advice from wellness experts and real moms. There are also categories you can browse including Fitness, Nutrition & Recipes, Mommy & Baby Care, Style, Holistic Health, and Green Living.
FitBump doesn’t stop there! They also offer products to make living a healthy life easy and fun. One of the services they offer is called Thrive Foods, which is a specialty meal delivery service. It provides nutrient-dense dishes for moms-to-be and new moms. This farm-to-table option is delivered in 5 or 7 day meal plans. The plant-based, gluten-free meals are prepared in Oxnard, CA and shipped overnight in sustainable, recyclable packing. Nothing is frozen and an air-lock system keeps food fresh and healthy. Click here for more information on this service.
As you can see, FitBump has a lot offer to mom-to-be, so make sure you visit their site, check out the amazing fitness apparel and maybe even give this Total Body Workout a shot!
If you order something from their maternity fitness line, I would love to hear what you think about it, so be sure to stop back and give me a full report!
Also, a big thank you to Kim and Nicole from A Child Grows and Melissa Chapman for allowing me to be a part of the #BklynBabyExpo!
Filed under Fashion, Health & Fitness, House/Fashion/Beauty
Obsessed With Nautical
I am a jeans and t-shirt type of girl. I am known for my love of hoodies and my hatred of heels. My idea of accessorizing, is grabbing an elastic band for my hair that matches what I am wearing.
This summer, I have decided that I need to put a little more effort into my clothing. I need purchase actual outfits, as well as a few dresses and non flip-flops for my feet.
You can quit laughing now.
No really. Stop it.
As you know, I spend a lot of time on Pinterest, so I began pinning outfits I liked and I even picked up a few things for my birthday and over the passing weeks. Do you know what I keep gravitating too? Nautical style prints.
Honestly, I’m obsessed with it.
If it’s blue, red or yellow, my eye goes straight towards it. Add stripes to that color palette and I instantly run to it. I don’t know what it is. I just can’t help myself. Even when it comes to accessories, if I see a sailors knot, I want it.
Quick! Someone stage an intervention!
Which summer fashion trend are you gravitating to this year?
Filed under Fashion, House/Fashion/Beauty
Semi {Wordless Wednesday} National Running Day
Did you get up and go for a run today? If not, there’s still time!
Filed under Health & Fitness, Running
{Product Review} Ivory 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash
I recently received another product from Influenster to test and I must say, I was quite impressed.
The product I received was the Ivory 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash.
I’m not normally a fan of 2-in-1 products, but my husband and son are so I asked them to join in and give this product a try too.
Upon first opening the box to see what I received, I was not at all impressed by the design Ivory chose for this product. If I was in the store shopping, I’d pass it right by, but I wasn’t in the store, so the next obvious thing to do was flip open the top and check out the scent. This I was very pleased with. It had a nice, clean scent it, without being overpowering, too feminine or too masculine. Nice save Ivory, however that packaging still needs some help.
Of course the next step was to actually shower with it. I reluctantly hopped into the shower and used only one product for my entire shower. This is completely foreign for me but I was pleased with the results. It gave a nice lather when added to my puffy sponge (do those things even have an actual name?) and it left my hair clean and manageable without drying it out or leaving a heavy feeling to it. (Both a plus since I have curly hair that I straighten daily.)
My husband and two kids also really liked this product, so it was a win with everyone in the family. (How often does THAT happen?!)
I think this would be a great addition to your gym bag or suitcase when traveling. Who wouldn’t want to lug around less bottles but still smell good, feel moisturized and have clean manageable hair?! I know I’m all for “less is more” in both of these cases.
While I don’t think the Ivory 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash will replace my normal products, I do see a use for it and would definitely purchase it. I know my kids liked it and showers become a twice a day thing around here in the summer, so this could definitely make life easier. Two kids, one product, less empty bottles to recycle…. who knew my laziness could be good for the earth as well!
Filed under Beauty, House/Fashion/Beauty, Products I've Tried
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