Diets All Over the Place

My local Starbucks barrista was very supportive when I decided to cut out coffee for a week. She'd send me an iced green tea sweetened with Splenda (gratis) back with my coffee drinking side-kick. I don't care for Splenda, but it's the thought that counts...Point being, she was a woman looking out for another health conscious woman. 

We've all been there and we've all tried our fair share of diets. The good, the bad, the crazy. Every week I read something that contradicts something I read the week before. "Eat dairy for fat loss, wait don't eat dairy!" Do I or don't I?!

The latest craze is macro counting or IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros).  Your "macros" being macro-nutrients; fat, carbohydrates, protein, fiber and overall caloric intake. 
You're allowed so many of each based on your age, height, weight,
activity level and fitness goals. For example my daily Macros would be::

• 155.7g of Carbs, 

• 47g of Protein

• 58.8g of Fat

• between 29-37g of Fiber 

• and an overall caloric intake of 1740 cals

To put that in perspective, a typical *New York Bagel has 64g of carbs, 10g of protein, 1g fat, 3g of fiber  and is 290 calories

All of this is similar to the Weight Watchers Point System.  Again, you're allowed so many points a day based on the above criteria and instead of tracking each marco individually, you count points. For example, that same delicious NY bagel is 8 points. Significant if you consider this is a plain bagel with nothing on it. Breakfast can add up quick if you're total allotment is 25 points.  Regardless, both have positive feedback and teach balance and portion.

This is just one of many options out there. Paleo anyone?


I take it all with a grain of salt (iodized, Himalayan or Kosher - take your pick). 

It's taken me years, but I have an idea of what works for ME.
My body won't digest or process food the same way my best friend's does
and that is ok.

I still try to educate myself on nutrition and have learned enough to know that balance is the key to life. In food, work, love and everything in between - we need balance.

Check out one of my favorite bloggers, Kris. She has a similar vantage point on dieting in general.
Young Married Chic - Thoughts On Diet

*Bagel Stats from NYC Bagel Deli
Macros calculated with IIFYM 

Daily Motivation :: Kid President's Letter To A Person On Their First Day Here

If you haven't seen Kid President yet, get ready to fall in love!

Aside from being too adorable for words, he offers insight people three times his age don't have.

Here he is giving advice to someone on they're first day on Earth.
I think he recorded this for his new nephew.

It's so sweet and so real. I really hope he does become President one day.

Good Eats :: Mexican Quinoa

My friend found this recipe on pinterest and makes it all the time.
Now I see why. It's super easy and delicious. I made mine without meat but I'm sure it would be just as delicious with ground turkey, chicken, steak or even with a piece of fish. Enjoy!

Mexican Quinoa

• 1 Cup Rinsed Quinoa (I was low on ingredients so I actually used the remaining quinoa and brown rice I had on hand. About a half cup of each give or take. It worked just as well.)

• 1 Can (15.5 oz) Black Beans. Rinsed and Drained.
• 1 Can (15.5 oz) Unsweetened Corn. Rinsed and Drained.
• 1 Can (15.5 oz) of Chicken Stock
• 1/2 Cup of Water
• 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil

•  2 Gloves of garlic. If you like more garlic, feel free to add more. I think fresh garlic is delicious but pungent and I don't like to smell like it the next day.

• Small Spanish Onion. A white onion would work too.
• *1 Tbsp of Cumin
• *1 Tbsp of Chili Powder (I like heat so please use less or omit if you don't like a kick!)
• *1 Tbsp of Adobe Seasoning 
• *1/2 Tbsp of Cayenne Pepper (Again, I like my food to bite back)
• Canned or oven roasted tomatoes.  I had leftover vine ripened tomatoes that I roasted earlier in the week so I threw them in.

I started by heating up the olive oil in my pan and adding the quinoa. I bought pre-rinsed quinoa since apparently rinsing quinoa is a thing. I don't know who has time or patience to rinse their grains but check the box before buying it to save yourself the extra effort.
I lightly toasted the quinoa over a low heat for a few minutes before adding the garlic and onion.

I then added a little bit of the chicken stock so the onions had some liquid to cook in. I threw my seasonings in, making sure to coat the onions and garlic. Once the onions were translucent, I added in the remaining stock, water and quinoa (quinoa/rice combo).

I stirred up the onion, garlic, quinoa in the liquid and brought the heat to high then I added in the beans, corn and tomatoes before I covered the pot to bring it all to a boil.

Once the mixture boiled for about 3 mins, I reduced the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally until the quinoa was cooked through.  All in all, it cooked for roughly 35 to 40 mins while I cleaned my kitchen and watched HGTV.

It was a one pot, super simple meal that I topped with fresh scallions and some greek yogurt!

I will definitely be adding this to my meal rotation.

Recipe adapted from A Teaspoon of Happiness

Daily Motivation

Source: backonpointe.tumblr.com

Gym Bag Staples

My Gym Bag Goodies

::Deodorant::
Let's start with the obvious, this should be a staple in everyone's gym bag. This should also be a staple in your desk and car. I've forgotten to put deodorant on enough times to realize I should never NOT have it on hand at all times.

::Brush::
For the times I shower at the gym or just need to brush my mane, this little guy has been with me since AT LEAST 2001. True story.  I have a massive amount of hair and this thing gets it done every time.

::Hair Tie::
Ever gotten to the gym only to realize you have no hair tie? Rubber bands are murder on your hair. No for real, it feels like my hair is being murdered when I have to take one out after a sweaty workout.  I also have these in my car. We can talk about what I don't have in my car in a later post.

::Smell Good::
On occasion I've met coworkers for drinks after the gym but before showering. Gross? I suppose. I can guarantee I still smelled better than most of the people I smell on a daily basis. I work in Manhattan, trust me on this.  Happy Hour waits for no workout, hence the deodorant and body spray. Get it now?

::Shower Flops::
My gym bag has a ventilated compartment for sneakers/flops/other smelly items you don't want in close proximity of your intimates. These are from one of the several weddings I've been in. They're very cushy and paired well with my black bridesmaid dress at the time. Now they live in my gym bag for the days I shower there.

::Lifting Gloves::
I feel a little silly when I wear these but they save my hands from gross callus'.  They also help me get a great grip while I'm trying to perfect my pull ups. I got these from TJ Maxx for a whole $7. 

::iPod Nano::
It's old school, with old school music. I don't think I've actually added any new music to it in about 2 and a half years.  I used to distance run a lot more so this thing is loaded with heart pumping musica to keep me going. There is also some terrible music on there and I live in fear I'll forget it one day where it will be found and laughed at. Worth noting, I also love the stop watch/timer feature on these.

::Face Wipes::
I love these. I've used several brands, I don't discriminate but this particular kind, alba, is dual sided.  One side is smooth for removal and the other side is slightly raised for exfoliation. It's gentle enough that it doesn't bother my skin while exfoliating. I wear face make-up daily, so aside from preventing breakouts, removing my makeup before a workout eliminates the embarrassing make-up marks on those pristine white gym towels. I found these at Target.

::Notebook & Pen::
I leave this in my bag for keeping track of my workouts. I don't track every workout, but there are days when I have a great workout and know I'll want to duplicate it in the future, so I write down what I did while it's still fresh in my mind.  It's great for the times I also take a killer class at the gym and know I'll want to try it again on my own.   

::Lock::
Locks are a must to keep your valuables safe and sound. When I say valuables, I mean dirty tupperware containers.  I like this one because it's a code I picked on my own and can easily change if need be. It's very user friendly and it doesn't require me to carry a gym key onto the gym floor. I used to work at a gym (which is where I got this one) and I've had to cut my fair share of locks off of members lockers because they lost the key or forgot the code. This lock eliminates all that fun stuff.

Make it Last

I'm talking about produce. I have no experience in any other "long lasting" department. I apologize.

Two of these tricks I already knew courtesy of the time I lived with my Grandma for 9 months.  I think we're both happy those days are behind us but we both learned things. She learned who Guy Fieri is and I learned how to make my produce last.

::Tomatos::
1) Rinse your tomatoes when you get them home, let them dry and then leave them on the counter as opposed to putting them in the fridge. I usually buy grape tomatoes and have learned this makes them last several days longer than if I place them in the fridge.  My dear Grandma does this with tomatoes on the vine, stem side up.  I trusted her since she's from Italy, 93 and always uses tomatoes in her cooking.

::Asparagus::
2) Asparagus should be stood up in a cup of water if you're not using them right away.  My Grandmother would be beside herself if I didn't cook EVERYTHING I had in the fridge in a day's time. She clearly doesn't grasp what a fridge is for and I wonder how she's pulling this off since she can't drive to restock her produce supply. I made the unfortunate mistake of going away for a weekend and leaving fresh asparagus in the fridge. I came home on a Sunday night, she took me by the hand and told me she had to show me something. It was very dramatic and very Italian and I should have known better than to get my hopes up. She just wanted to show me that I could make my asparagus last longer if I treated it like a bouquet of flowers.  I tried to pass this trick onto my brother but it was too late, his aspargus had seen better days. Better days about two weeks prior to me finding them.

My Avocado Keeper!

::Avocados::
3) This one I picked up on my own. I believe it came from Pinterest but I can't be positive. I eat avocado almost everyday but I dont' eat a whole one. I take what I need, usually about 1/3 to go with my lunch of protein, greens and complex carbs. I run the remaining portion, flesh side exposed, under cold water. This keeps it from browning. So simple and so effective! I also have an avocado keeper that everyone in my office ogles over, but you can use a ziploc just as easily.

::Lettuce::
I saw this at the house of a former classmate. Her family always kept their iceburg lettuce (it was the 90's no one knew better) wrapped in a damp paper towel. It kept the leaves from browning. That was about the only useful thing I learned from going over there.


Some more helpful hints thanks to Huffington Post OWN
Make your produce last

The Difference Exercise Makes

Infographic by Alissa Scheller for The Huffington Post.

Work it Out

I killed my workout today. There was sweat, a lot of it. Some grunting, sprints, wall balls & squats. The stuff fat burning is made of. I didn’t want to go to the gym today. I wanted to run home from work and sit on my couch feeling sorry for myself.

You see, I was dumped yesterday. It’s a re-occurring theme in my love (lack of) life so although I knew it was inevitable in the back of my mind, I was blindsided by the timing. 7:30 AM is no time to dump anyone, let alone via text. If I hadn’t just finished a yoga class, I would have been less Zen in my response.

I felt drained and beaten down by the game and just wanted to hide out. I passed out on the train on my commute home. My mouth open, kind of sleep.  I woke up in time for my stop, feeling even less enthused for a workout. But as I dragged my pathetic butt to my car, I knew that I’d regret not going even more than agreeing to date a guy 6 years my junior in the first place.

What’s that saying? ‘The only workout you regret is the one you didn’t do.’  Well it’s true. I’ve never regretted showing up and sweating it out, even on my tiredest of days.  Not every workout is a killer. Some days I know I’m going too easy on myself but at the time, its all I have in me and it’s better than not working out at all.

When I workout I focus on my form, my breathing, getting lower, going deeper and feeling my body work for me.  Feeling the sweat, sometimes literally pouring off my face, is the most cathartic feeling in the world.

Do I still feel sorry for myself? Always. I also felt fantastic at the end of my workout knowing I gave it my absolute all. In the gym, as in life, sometimes that’s all you can do.

Smorgasburg!

My brother convinced me to tag along with him and the girl he's been seeing to Smorgasburg in Brooklyn this weekend. What is Smorgasburg? you ask. It's a Flea Market of local food vendors. There are sweets, savory, outlandish & comfort foods being sold by Brooklyn's finest underneath the Brooklyn Bridge*.

I didn't really want to invest time in meeting said girl, I have a feeling she won't be around for long, but there was food involved so I slapped on my polite face and took the ride to Brooklyn.  Luckily she brought a girlfriend with her as well, so I wasn't the awkward 3rd wheel.

This day trip would be exciting for a few reasons; 1) my brother hates people and doesn't do well in crowds, 2) I saw Porchetta on the menu and 3) I haven't spent a lot of time in Brooklyn and was excited to check out Pier 5. Not 10 minutes in and I convinced my cousin to join us. Copious amounts of delectable food is right up her alley.

First things first, we made our way to the Porchetta table. Good thing, because they were one of the first tables to sell out of food. For $7 you get a little bun filled with slow roasted, salty pork goodness.  I was sure to split mine with The Friend since I knew I needed room to taste as much as I could!

We made our way to get an "ice cold" coconut to drink out of. Do I like coconut water? Not particularly but When in Brooklyn, Do as The Hipsters do and walk around with a bowling ball sized fruit and a straw.  The wait for the coconut turned ugly when they ran out and had to restock. Of course I'd get a luke-warm nut. It was tasty and still somewhat refreshing in the surprising heat. No breeze off the Hudson today!

mmm coconutty!

Meanwhile my brother and his Lady Friend unwisely decided to EACH get a mac & cheese. It was pick your own toppings, not one to shy away from animal by-product, my brother got sausage and bacon on his large order of cheesy bow ties. It was delicious but more than any one (or two) people could eat, especially on a hot day. 

mac & cheesy goodness!

Collectively, we consumed Empanadas, noodles, ice cream sandwiches, pigs-in-a-blanket, fried chicken, tacos and ice pops. We were all over the place!
It quickly turned into a lot of line waiting and being overwhelmed by your choices. Do I want pigs-in-a-blanket or a Ramen burger (the line was insane)? 

Apricot Vanilla ice pop. Hipster Potpourri as my brother calls it.

My options were limited since I try to stay away from wheat. It literally makes me sneeze and does a number on my stomach. I eat it occasionally, but I pick my battles.
I just gazed at the massive, scrumptious looking black & white cookies. I was DYING to try one but I knew I'd pay for that decision for about a week. Not worth it. It looked worth it though...

I would definitely go back but with a better idea of what I wanted, head straight to that vendor and then make my way to the picnic tables along the Pier. Check it out if you want your taste bud's to party!

Smorgasburg
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Porchetta
Brooklyn Piggies

* There are 2 Smorgasburgs. One on Saturday  in Williamsburg and the one I went to at Pier 5 on Sundays. 11am - 6pm