I haven't been to the gym in about a week. I know, I know. I've been on sabbatical ok? Learning new things, acquiring new skills...even though really the only thing I learned was that perhaps the look on John Locke's face when he got hit by Desmond's car was really his realization that he's aware of both time lines - past Locke and island Locke (that's some Lost theory for those of you not in the know). So that counts, right? Ughhhh fine, so it's been more like a hiatus. Regardless, I haven't been going. But, why?
Well, I was away this past weekend in Illinois doing some productive wedding planning, and then the week came and I suppose you could say I had some things come up, and so I was unable to go. That, and Aaron was going to be home later Wednesday and tonight so someone has to let poor Cam out of his crate. Oh and tomorrow, no that won't work either. We're taking some pictures Saturday and we need outfits! Hmm...to color coordinate, or not to color coordinate?....
But..I have trainings booked for next week and I refuse to let another span of time this long happen again. I love going to the gym, really I do. And any significant length of time away from it means bad things for my body and muscles - Bobby loves doing lunges, ergo, I love doing lunges. (bullshit theory, because I effing hate lunges). But the more time I'm away from my normal routine of shredding it at the gym, the harder it will be once I go back. And if I'm going to continue my new pattern of losing 6 pounds every two weeks, I better get my tushy back in gear.
Sidenote: For the past two weeks I have substituted my coffee drinking with green tea drinking. At first, I'll admit, I was a bit panicky. How will I get my day started? And what about the caffeine headaches? Ahhh the caffeine headaches!! So, why the switch? Well, my palette is not "refined" enough to drink straight black coffee. I think people who are able to do that don't have tastebuds. Because if they did, they'd know how awful it is. So when I drink coffee I add one or two hazelnut single serving creamers...they make the coffee delicious....and fattening. Those things are not good for you. And powder creamer I just think is so unnatural it freaks me out, so no thank you to that. But the green tea has been working out really well! I drink Yogi Tea's Green Tea Kombucha (caffeinated) and it's really good. It's got hints of spearmint and plum, it tastes so good in the morning time. And it's less caffeine than coffee - one tea bag is about 30mg of caffeine as opposed to the 90mg you get in a cup of coffee. So I may not ever go back to drinking coffee...but I do have a gift card to Starbucks that says otherwise.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've had a good day, and a bottle of white wine chilling in my fridge that I'm going to break out the fancy glasses for.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Farmers Markets
On Monday night I had training with Bobby and during the first portion of my workout - OUTSIDE- I was jump roping (not well I might add) and we got on the subject of the farmers market. And in the midst of jumping rope and doing squats I was reminded of one reason I enjoy the spring/summer.
I LOVE this time of year for this very reason. I adore farmers markets. Usually you can find me and Aaron there every Saturday morning around 8:30. I really enjoy going and use it as a grocery store substitute for produce in the spring/summer season. Why do I like it so much? Glad you asked!
- I'm one of those people who really enjoys going grocery shopping, so any chance to shop for food, I'm in. Plus, the chance to do so outside in some nice weather? Sign me up
- I like having the variety of options to choose from. Sure a lot of the stands sell the same stuff, but I can walk around and see what the best deal is or who has the best asparagus or cantaloupe. Then when I know which food I want, I can go get my three green bell peppers for $2.00, or $.50 cucumber. Also, (and this may sound geeky to you guys) it's giving me a chance to learn more about picking produce, good or bad. Sight, texture, smell - it's all in how you choose
- It helps us control portions and eliminate waste. We only buy what we need for the week and then when we need to restock, we go back. I buy produce at every stage of ripening so that the food lasts throughout the week and none is wasted due to going bad. And OK, to some it may seem like a hassle to keep going back, but, we wouldn't keep doing it if we didn't want to. So there
- The food is grown by local farmers and it's always nice to support local farms in your community
- Often, the prices are somewhat lower than grocery stores. It's always a benefit to save on food and keep your pockets full of money and less filled with a fat ass (ya know, 'cuz you're eating fruit and veggies) :)
- Not only can you get produce, but oh my gosh the flowers! They're so pretty! Every time I go it takes everything I have not to steal an orchid, but damn, they are gorgeous. Kinda pricey - but worth every penny in beauty. (purple or white orchids - in case anyone was feeling generous. haha)
- Other local food and shops in the area. I don't know about anywhere else, but the City Market in Kansas City (downtown) has some of the best local restaurants. Burrito Brothers, Carollo's Italian Deli (best. sandwiches.ever), and if you know me well enough then you know I have an affinity for asian cuisine and Hien Vuong - Vietnamese food, it's delicious! There's also some really cute shops and vendors that are down there selling interesting knick knacks (and I stress the word interesting).
- Oh! I can't believe I almost forgot this. It ties into the previous bullet point regarding vendors. There is one vendor Aaron and I go to every time we're at the market (if they're there). Please forgive me that I can't remember their name (some loyal customer I am right?) but they make really good handmade soap. It's a woman and her husband, just under a pop up shade tent, with their little set up of soaps and there's a lot of variety and they all smell really good! Personally, I generally like/prefer to use something like soap in this capacity. It's natural and not packaged in a plastic bottle. So if you're into it and you're ever at the farmers market there, check them out. I'll put it on here if I remember the name.
So yea, those are just some reasons why I enjoy partaking in the farmers market experience. If you want to check out your local farmers market then, great! If not and you're comfortable with getting your produce from the grocery store or some other alternative, then that's cool too. As long as you're buying and eating fruits and veggies, you won't hear me doggin' on you. Now, this...well....that's a whole blog entry in itself.
*Also, if you ever visit a market, bring bags with you. Normally they have plastic bags there to hand out, but it is way more environmentally friendly to bring your own bags - whether they're canvas grocery bags, backpacks, or other plastic bags you've saved up.
I LOVE this time of year for this very reason. I adore farmers markets. Usually you can find me and Aaron there every Saturday morning around 8:30. I really enjoy going and use it as a grocery store substitute for produce in the spring/summer season. Why do I like it so much? Glad you asked!
- I'm one of those people who really enjoys going grocery shopping, so any chance to shop for food, I'm in. Plus, the chance to do so outside in some nice weather? Sign me up
- I like having the variety of options to choose from. Sure a lot of the stands sell the same stuff, but I can walk around and see what the best deal is or who has the best asparagus or cantaloupe. Then when I know which food I want, I can go get my three green bell peppers for $2.00, or $.50 cucumber. Also, (and this may sound geeky to you guys) it's giving me a chance to learn more about picking produce, good or bad. Sight, texture, smell - it's all in how you choose
- It helps us control portions and eliminate waste. We only buy what we need for the week and then when we need to restock, we go back. I buy produce at every stage of ripening so that the food lasts throughout the week and none is wasted due to going bad. And OK, to some it may seem like a hassle to keep going back, but, we wouldn't keep doing it if we didn't want to. So there
- The food is grown by local farmers and it's always nice to support local farms in your community
- Often, the prices are somewhat lower than grocery stores. It's always a benefit to save on food and keep your pockets full of money and less filled with a fat ass (ya know, 'cuz you're eating fruit and veggies) :)
- Not only can you get produce, but oh my gosh the flowers! They're so pretty! Every time I go it takes everything I have not to steal an orchid, but damn, they are gorgeous. Kinda pricey - but worth every penny in beauty. (purple or white orchids - in case anyone was feeling generous. haha)
- Other local food and shops in the area. I don't know about anywhere else, but the City Market in Kansas City (downtown) has some of the best local restaurants. Burrito Brothers, Carollo's Italian Deli (best. sandwiches.ever), and if you know me well enough then you know I have an affinity for asian cuisine and Hien Vuong - Vietnamese food, it's delicious! There's also some really cute shops and vendors that are down there selling interesting knick knacks (and I stress the word interesting).
- Oh! I can't believe I almost forgot this. It ties into the previous bullet point regarding vendors. There is one vendor Aaron and I go to every time we're at the market (if they're there). Please forgive me that I can't remember their name (some loyal customer I am right?) but they make really good handmade soap. It's a woman and her husband, just under a pop up shade tent, with their little set up of soaps and there's a lot of variety and they all smell really good! Personally, I generally like/prefer to use something like soap in this capacity. It's natural and not packaged in a plastic bottle. So if you're into it and you're ever at the farmers market there, check them out. I'll put it on here if I remember the name.
So yea, those are just some reasons why I enjoy partaking in the farmers market experience. If you want to check out your local farmers market then, great! If not and you're comfortable with getting your produce from the grocery store or some other alternative, then that's cool too. As long as you're buying and eating fruits and veggies, you won't hear me doggin' on you. Now, this...well....that's a whole blog entry in itself.
*Also, if you ever visit a market, bring bags with you. Normally they have plastic bags there to hand out, but it is way more environmentally friendly to bring your own bags - whether they're canvas grocery bags, backpacks, or other plastic bags you've saved up.
Monday, April 12, 2010
10 Things That Never Cease To Make Me Feel Like A Fat Ass
1. Bathing Suits (need I say more?)
2. Pull Ups - not the diaper, the physical exercise of lifting your own body weight. Never gonna happen.
3. Tank tops. Too much arm exposure for the tonally challenged.
4. Spatulas. They make it too easy to scrape up every last bit of food, leaving nothing in the bowl and me with a brownie batter mustache.
5. Really big sandwiches. It's impossible to cram the whole bite in my mouth, but I sure as hell try to.
6. Buffets. Doesn't matter where I'm at or what's on them. It's the magnitude of options and my ambitious endeavor to try them all.
7. Scales. DUH
8. The bottom of the chip bag. When the chips are all gone but there's still some crumbs crammed in the corner of the bag at the bottom. You know what you do to get them out. No shame.
9. Life jackets. (this is more so due to the struggle to snap it around the chest area, not so much the tummy).
10. Split rocks. Never have I feared for my life more.
Know what doesn't make me feel like a fat ass? A 3-pound loss last week! Boo ya!
2. Pull Ups - not the diaper, the physical exercise of lifting your own body weight. Never gonna happen.
3. Tank tops. Too much arm exposure for the tonally challenged.
4. Spatulas. They make it too easy to scrape up every last bit of food, leaving nothing in the bowl and me with a brownie batter mustache.
5. Really big sandwiches. It's impossible to cram the whole bite in my mouth, but I sure as hell try to.
6. Buffets. Doesn't matter where I'm at or what's on them. It's the magnitude of options and my ambitious endeavor to try them all.
7. Scales. DUH
8. The bottom of the chip bag. When the chips are all gone but there's still some crumbs crammed in the corner of the bag at the bottom. You know what you do to get them out. No shame.
9. Life jackets. (this is more so due to the struggle to snap it around the chest area, not so much the tummy).
10. Split rocks. Never have I feared for my life more.
Know what doesn't make me feel like a fat ass? A 3-pound loss last week! Boo ya!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Art of Snacking
Chili Cheese Fritos. When it comes to junk food snacking items, these are definitely at the top. You can't go wrong. They're delicious, they're bite size, they come in that smaller bag so you don't feel so bad eating half of it - win, win.
What's that? They're not good for you? Impossible, think about the smaller bag!
If only that were true. As much as I enjoy a Chili Cheese Frito, a food that gets a C- on the nutrition grade can't be all that good for you. And if you're like me and have the metabolism of a slug, your ass can't afford to savor a handful of those puppies. So I've had to find alternative forms of snack food that are good for me.
Now, I don't think I've perfected the art of snacking, but I try damn hard to. I think I enjoy snacking more than actually eating a whole meal. I don't know why, I just do. For instance, I get hungry around 10:30 am everyday and so I have a snack. Usually it's some fruit, yogurt, or almonds, but lately I've been famished so I eat all three.
About 1 cup of organic vanilla yogurt
Blueberries or strawberries (no more than half a cup usually)
A few whole almonds - i have these on hand as a snack at my desk anyway so I throw them in for some texture
I look forward to this snack everyday, more so than I do lunch. And when I'm done with lunch, I wait in anticipation for my afternoon snack, and then after the gym I get another small one plus dinner. So many snacks! So many opportunities to eat! My inner fat girl is loving me.
So what do I snack on? Well, it kind of depends on my mood, but mainly it's fruit and/or nuts. I eat at least two apples everyday - that's pretty standard, sometimes I have them with peanut butter (it's so delicious). Sometimes I just eat a spoonful of peanut butter by itself, right off the spoon. I have the yogurt in the morning, usually an apple with lunch, and then either some almonds or the second apple later. But, I frequently run into the problem where after I eat an apple or something, I'm still hungry. I just ate, how can I be hungry? I'm not a nutritionist nor claim to have the knowledge they do, but I try and follow the philosophy to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, it's pretty simple. But this is what I do and it seems to work just fine:
If I'm still hungry, I'll drink a glass of water to fill me up. Doesn't work? Try some tea - caffeine is known to suppress hunger. Still hungry? Eat in small doses, I don't go balls out and eat a whole lot of food, just eat a small amount of something I have a taste for and if I'm still hungry, eat a little more. Now, one might expect that if I eat well and follow good food philosophies that I would be a pretty trim individual. Not the case. Not yet anyway. I'm a work in progress, but I'll get there. I'm a human (duh), and I don't always make the best food choices, but I try. And lately, my efforts have stepped up because I have to order my wedding dress soon (insert panicky look here).
So, Chili Cheese Fritos, I hate to say it, but I'm going to have to take a leave of absence from you. I'll miss you greatly.
Ice cream, don't you worry, I will never leave you.
If you want some ideas and information about healthy snacking, visit the motherland of yummy, good for you snacks.
What's that? They're not good for you? Impossible, think about the smaller bag!
If only that were true. As much as I enjoy a Chili Cheese Frito, a food that gets a C- on the nutrition grade can't be all that good for you. And if you're like me and have the metabolism of a slug, your ass can't afford to savor a handful of those puppies. So I've had to find alternative forms of snack food that are good for me.
Now, I don't think I've perfected the art of snacking, but I try damn hard to. I think I enjoy snacking more than actually eating a whole meal. I don't know why, I just do. For instance, I get hungry around 10:30 am everyday and so I have a snack. Usually it's some fruit, yogurt, or almonds, but lately I've been famished so I eat all three.
About 1 cup of organic vanilla yogurt
Blueberries or strawberries (no more than half a cup usually)
A few whole almonds - i have these on hand as a snack at my desk anyway so I throw them in for some texture
I look forward to this snack everyday, more so than I do lunch. And when I'm done with lunch, I wait in anticipation for my afternoon snack, and then after the gym I get another small one plus dinner. So many snacks! So many opportunities to eat! My inner fat girl is loving me.
So what do I snack on? Well, it kind of depends on my mood, but mainly it's fruit and/or nuts. I eat at least two apples everyday - that's pretty standard, sometimes I have them with peanut butter (it's so delicious). Sometimes I just eat a spoonful of peanut butter by itself, right off the spoon. I have the yogurt in the morning, usually an apple with lunch, and then either some almonds or the second apple later. But, I frequently run into the problem where after I eat an apple or something, I'm still hungry. I just ate, how can I be hungry? I'm not a nutritionist nor claim to have the knowledge they do, but I try and follow the philosophy to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, it's pretty simple. But this is what I do and it seems to work just fine:
If I'm still hungry, I'll drink a glass of water to fill me up. Doesn't work? Try some tea - caffeine is known to suppress hunger. Still hungry? Eat in small doses, I don't go balls out and eat a whole lot of food, just eat a small amount of something I have a taste for and if I'm still hungry, eat a little more. Now, one might expect that if I eat well and follow good food philosophies that I would be a pretty trim individual. Not the case. Not yet anyway. I'm a work in progress, but I'll get there. I'm a human (duh), and I don't always make the best food choices, but I try. And lately, my efforts have stepped up because I have to order my wedding dress soon (insert panicky look here).
So, Chili Cheese Fritos, I hate to say it, but I'm going to have to take a leave of absence from you. I'll miss you greatly.
Ice cream, don't you worry, I will never leave you.
If you want some ideas and information about healthy snacking, visit the motherland of yummy, good for you snacks.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
You want me to lift what?
For those of you who know me, then you're aware that I have a personal trainer. For those of you that don't know me, well - I have a personal trainer. His name is Bobby and we've been training together for a little over three months now, and when I told him about my new found desire to start blogging, he got worried that I was going to bash his name all over this thing. I assured him that would never happen, however, I do understand where his fear comes from.
I train with Bobby two days a week for one hour. Now, that doesn't seem like a lot (at least to me it doesn't) but trust me, it's plenty. I rotate my training workouts between my arms, legs and a combination of chest and back (my fav). Now....I'm not a bad client, but I can get a tad...whiney. It's usually just on legs days, but at the drop of a really hard exercise I get the somewhat high-pitched voice that says "Seriously?" This is what makes Bobby a good trainer - he looks at me and says "Yes. Go." And then I do. I go. He doesn't put up with my shrill girl voice, doesn't let me slack off, nor lets me barter for exercises. Ha ha. Often times I say, "I'll do 20 more of these, if I don't have to do anymore of those for the rest of the night." Never works, but I try my damnedest. I should justify that I do push myself during these sessions and I do all the exercises he tells me to at the quantities he demands. I'm just not always chipper about it.
Having a personal trainer has really made me love working out. Don't get me wrong, I still have to literally force myself to go to the gym, but when I get there I'm glad I showed up and I'm ready to go. Some people feel really guilty if they miss a workout, and it's not that I don't feel guilty, but, I feel like there's a void. It's almost as if my day isn't quite complete. I enjoy the feeling of being sore - it makes me feel like I really exhausted my muscles. And I really enjoy the tone they're getting. Just ask my family - I was a flexing machine over Easter. Now, going through the process of gaining sore & toned muscles feels like hell, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun while doing it.
Get some exercise! Either outside or at your local gym - just please wipe off the machine when you're done with it. Germs are nasty.
I train with Bobby two days a week for one hour. Now, that doesn't seem like a lot (at least to me it doesn't) but trust me, it's plenty. I rotate my training workouts between my arms, legs and a combination of chest and back (my fav). Now....I'm not a bad client, but I can get a tad...whiney. It's usually just on legs days, but at the drop of a really hard exercise I get the somewhat high-pitched voice that says "Seriously?" This is what makes Bobby a good trainer - he looks at me and says "Yes. Go." And then I do. I go. He doesn't put up with my shrill girl voice, doesn't let me slack off, nor lets me barter for exercises. Ha ha. Often times I say, "I'll do 20 more of these, if I don't have to do anymore of those for the rest of the night." Never works, but I try my damnedest. I should justify that I do push myself during these sessions and I do all the exercises he tells me to at the quantities he demands. I'm just not always chipper about it.
Having a personal trainer has really made me love working out. Don't get me wrong, I still have to literally force myself to go to the gym, but when I get there I'm glad I showed up and I'm ready to go. Some people feel really guilty if they miss a workout, and it's not that I don't feel guilty, but, I feel like there's a void. It's almost as if my day isn't quite complete. I enjoy the feeling of being sore - it makes me feel like I really exhausted my muscles. And I really enjoy the tone they're getting. Just ask my family - I was a flexing machine over Easter. Now, going through the process of gaining sore & toned muscles feels like hell, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun while doing it.
Get some exercise! Either outside or at your local gym - just please wipe off the machine when you're done with it. Germs are nasty.
Monday, April 5, 2010
I have a confession...
Upon my return from the gym this evening I was feeling good. Got a good workout out in, got the blog somewhat up and running and I couldn't wait for Aaron to read the first entry. So I get home and read it to him, and upon its finish he walks over to the fridge and says, "So I guess I shouldn't have bought these?" And holds up a package of Nestle Chocolate Chip Ultimate Filled Cookies. Which is basically a chocolate chip cookie with a heart attack's size of chocolate fudge in the middle. Yea, I know. Let me give some background as to why Aaron would have bought these. Aaron works for Nestle Purina and at their work complex they have a company store. No, it's not just filled with dog food, it also holds any brand under the Nestle name. We're talking Wonka candy, Lean Cuisine, Nestle Tollhouse Cookies, etc. And they get it at a discount. So any regular Joe can bring home that package of cookies for about $4.50, but Aaron, $2.70. It's a definite perk when it comes to Lean Cuisine's and Cetaphil, but the candy and cookies are a downright sin. And I ate one. I know, I know! The devil joins me in hell and he's in the shape of a delicious cookie.
I should also confess that I'm getting married in November and while normally it's no reason to cause a confession, but this hellthy living thing makes the art of getting into a wedding dress a hell of a lot easier. So part of this lifestyle change is to lose some serious poundage in light of that event. I suppose that this is then, somewhat of my weight loss journal as well. I'll tell you what and how I'm doing and if you're lucky, I'll post some proof. Before and after style. Oh yea.
Perhaps I should also confess to Aaron that I plan on bringing him along on this journey, so he better put that cookie down. ;)
I should also confess that I'm getting married in November and while normally it's no reason to cause a confession, but this hellthy living thing makes the art of getting into a wedding dress a hell of a lot easier. So part of this lifestyle change is to lose some serious poundage in light of that event. I suppose that this is then, somewhat of my weight loss journal as well. I'll tell you what and how I'm doing and if you're lucky, I'll post some proof. Before and after style. Oh yea.
Perhaps I should also confess to Aaron that I plan on bringing him along on this journey, so he better put that cookie down. ;)
And so it begins..
It’s with a past weekend of feasting and a gut full of Easter candy that I finally get this bad boy going. Nothing like a (un)healthy amount of Reese’s Easter Eggs to jump start a blog on healthy living, and yet, here I am.
My name is Cassie and I am on a mission to live, eat and breathe a healthy lifestyle. The times, they are a changing and I with them. However, my mission isn’t new. You see, I’ve been trying diets all of my life, since the 6th grade to be exact. I remember my first one like it was yesterday. It was some grapefruit diet that caused you to drink grapefruit juice everyday and abandoned “white” foods. It was terrible. Have you ever tasted grapefruit juice? It’s disgusting. Since then, I probably tried a different diet every year, and each one more unsuccessful than the next. I’m what you would call a diet “sprinter.” I hit it hard the first few months and then I tire out and end up right back where I started. It’s cyclical. But I’m determined to be a cross-country dieter - stamina, patience and long distances.
By now you’re probably wondering, “why call it hellthy Cassie? Why use that extremely clever and witty play on words?”
Well my friends, healthy living isn’t easy. The beginnings of any hellthy movement are the hardest be it a week, a month, or several months. To me, you go through a certain personal “hell” on your journey to becoming a sound, health conscious individual. Over time, it gets easier and eventually just becomes part of how you live. But it isn’t without internal conflicts. My personal hell consists of constant ice cream cravings, lack of good running skills and a love of ketchup. But I get through it, one blueberry at a time.
So I write this to archive my journey through hell and hopefully come out a better person in the end. It’s my life, and I’m choosing to live it well - mind, body and soul.
*Eventually I’ll start putting recipes on here, so stay tuned for those!
My name is Cassie and I am on a mission to live, eat and breathe a healthy lifestyle. The times, they are a changing and I with them. However, my mission isn’t new. You see, I’ve been trying diets all of my life, since the 6th grade to be exact. I remember my first one like it was yesterday. It was some grapefruit diet that caused you to drink grapefruit juice everyday and abandoned “white” foods. It was terrible. Have you ever tasted grapefruit juice? It’s disgusting. Since then, I probably tried a different diet every year, and each one more unsuccessful than the next. I’m what you would call a diet “sprinter.” I hit it hard the first few months and then I tire out and end up right back where I started. It’s cyclical. But I’m determined to be a cross-country dieter - stamina, patience and long distances.
By now you’re probably wondering, “why call it hellthy Cassie? Why use that extremely clever and witty play on words?”
Well my friends, healthy living isn’t easy. The beginnings of any hellthy movement are the hardest be it a week, a month, or several months. To me, you go through a certain personal “hell” on your journey to becoming a sound, health conscious individual. Over time, it gets easier and eventually just becomes part of how you live. But it isn’t without internal conflicts. My personal hell consists of constant ice cream cravings, lack of good running skills and a love of ketchup. But I get through it, one blueberry at a time.
So I write this to archive my journey through hell and hopefully come out a better person in the end. It’s my life, and I’m choosing to live it well - mind, body and soul.
*Eventually I’ll start putting recipes on here, so stay tuned for those!
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