there's a revolution

A gal pal and I were talking last night when she absentmindedly spoke the 3 words I've never heard before: You're. So. Skinny. I didn't know what to say. Me? Skinny? Ummm... I've never been called skinny before and by society's standards I am not. I'm curvy. I've got boobs, a butt, and a soft stomach and that's probably not going to change ( and anyway, I've come to love my boobs and butt so skinny isn't really what I hear - ever ). She followed up with: Carmen, you've got an amazing body. What?!? GASP! No way! There's been a mistake!!

Her words made me stop and think... I'm probably the healthiest I've ever been and constantly preach about the importance of loving your body. But, how kind am I to the body I've been given? Do I tell myself that I'm beautiful? Ehhh probably not - certainly not as much as I should. It's crazy! I'm so quick to tell a friend that she's stunning but I brush over compliments given to me. Better yet I make an excuse for that compliment - "ohh she just said that because I got a new dress" or "oh thank God she didn't see the giant zit on my forehead." I'm pretty quick to point out when I'm having a bad hair day or when my jeans are feeling snug.

Have you done the same? Enough. Enough! I've blogged about being kind to ourselves but let's step it up. I'm looking for a kindness revolution. Embrace your shape and love on it. Tell yourself today that you are AMAZING and believe it. Hold it inside and feel it - because it's real. Now doesn't that feel nice?

crime stoppers

After a particularly stressful day I returned home with one thing on my mind. Pizza. Hot, greasy, burn-the-roof-of-your-mouth-on-the-cheese pizza. Also on my mind (ok so that makes 2 things) was a leave-it-all-on-the-floor workout. Justifiably a slobbery, pepperoni pizza would make an amazing reward.

My workout was perfect. It was strong and sweaty and spot on. I had pushed myself and felt great. My evening was looking up! Next step pizza!!

I mentioned my dinner idea to Mr. C who looked at me quizzically. Pizza hadn't been on the menu in months and what about the no-dairy/clean eating thing? Not only that but our entire house was soaking up the aroma of the lean pork tenderloin that had been stewing in a sauce of honey, nutmeg, apple cider vinegar and tomato (yup just 4 ingredients) all day. I knew he also had a crappy day so I didn't think I'd have to twist his arm - come on everyone needs to give a little! I told him to make the decision while I showered and returned to the kitchen to find him looking at the pork. Ok, I relented but insisted that I chop up some fresh veggies (zucchini and onions).

Dinner was delicious. The pork was so tender (oh my gosh that sauce was amazing!) and the zucchini and onions (tossed in my wok with a smidge of olive oil) were the perfect consistency.

Mr. C looked up at me over his plate and said 5 simple words, "You could have convinced me." I knew it was true and I also knew that had he called in an order, I would've been all over it. We're partners in crime and last night the crime was a pizza that would've left us feeling bloated and guilty. We're in this together. Will we never eat pizza again? Of course we will. But it will be a treat, not a band aide for a rough day. It will be savored and enjoyed. I'm proud of our decision and I told him so.

balancing act

As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't been Lithing in the studio lately. My schedule has been tight all summer and I've been really missing it! Last night I worked through the Lithe Method's lunges, sumos, curtsies, and push ups before an hour of cardio (with the girls of Sex & the City in my home gym).

On the one hand, working out isn't quite as fun when I don't have the instructors or friends there to push me. On the other hand I need to remember that my health and fitness is ultimately up to me. I am responsible for the way I treat my body. It's a scary and exciting realization all at the same time. I need to take what I learn through Lithe, running, nutrition/fitness blogs and really apply them and make them work for me. It goes back to balancing all of it and understanding that my balance in May might look different when compared to my balance in August. Isn't that what "balance" really is anyway?

myth busted

My biggest concern about going no dairy was what I would do about breakfasts. I'm a firm, firm believer in eating breakfast every morning and my body depends on that nurishment to begin my day. Each morning I have 1/2 cup organic, nonfat, plain yogurt and I add fresh berries with my cup of nut flavored coffee (1/2 splenda). It's become such a habit for me and it's integrated into my morning routine. When the no dairy idea was presented I immediatly bulked at the thought of giving that up - not because I'm married to yogurt but b/c I thought I would need to cook up a huge breakfast every morning which is completely unrealistic for me. I thought my only other option was to eat granola or something... ohhh how wrong and silly I was!

Now, 1 1/2 weeks in I'm so over the notion of yogurt for breakfast and I don't even miss it! I've since restructured my routine and (really how hard was it??) I'm getting so much more from my moring meal. I've since moved to a hardboiled egg, tomato slices, and a piece of fruit (either a peach or an apple right now - got to love the summer peaches!).


I have to tell you that I feel satisfied every morning! See ya yogurt!

up. state.

(view from our porch)

Good morning! Good morning! It's week 2 of no dairy. Is it? Is it really week 2? Well ok so I cheated just a little bit (I think). Over the weekend Mr. C. and I went to upstate New York and while I was really careful about my food choices I do think that there were some slips. We grabbed food on the drive up and while I tried to make smart choices (subbing out mashed potatoes for carrots and steamed brocolli and opting for vinagarette dressing rather than ranch) I'm pretty sure there was some heavy butter in the preparation... Also on the schedule was a county fair. It wasn't hard to avoid dairy here b/c everything was fried... yikes! I was proud of myself for completely avoiding the ice cream stands (small victory!) and only induldged in 1 fried oreo (rationalle: I've never had one and wanted to see what all the hype was about) and a small cookie. After the fair, Mr. C and I grabbed real food and I selected a salad - hold the cheese and I felt great. Normally I would've overindulged and felt bloated and tired for the rest of the evening.

When we returned to reality on Sunday evening, Mr C asked if I wanted to order something but I declined and said I would rather just make some stir fry w/ venison. I just wanted something that I had cooked - I knew exactly what was in it. This is so new for me. I've never been one to really pass up a takeout opportunity but the last few months have been different. It's cheaper, healthier, and in most cases, tastier!

How am I feeling? I feel totally fine. Have I lost any weight? Not a ton. I certainly think that this is a lifestyle I can carry on. Just to note, I've been running while cutting dairy. Unfortunately my schedule has been really crazy so Lithe has been on hold. I miss it but I figure I'll be back next month.

i scream. you scream.

As promised, I wanted to share a really great homemade ice cream recipe with you. That's right! I made my own dairy free ice cream and it was just delicious. Not only that but the recipe called for 3 ingredients. 1. 2. 3. That's it! No sugars - no artificial flavors - no artificial sweeteners or colors! I made... Coconut Mike Ice Cream and we loved it!

Now please keep in mind that it's still not calorie free (what ice cream is??!) but it really is an easy alternative to the bought stuff that I craved and I felt so much better about eating it. I have to admit, after really thinking about what is in my ice cream it kind of grossed me out. Sure it tastes great but what am I putting in my body?

Ingredients:

2 large whole eggs or 4 yolks (I used 2 eggs of normal to small size from a local farmer)

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey (I used honey that we also picked up for a local farmer)

2 cans full fat coconut milk (not the light or reduced fat)

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl 1 to 2 minutes, until they are light and fluffy.

Whisk in the honey (or maple syrup) until well blended.

Pour in coconut milk and whisk again to blend well.

Freeze according to your ice cream machine instructions.

Servings: 1 quart of ice cream

I froze the freezer bowl for 16+ hours before making the ice cream. After the freezer bowl was frozen it took about 20 minutes for the mixture to become creamy and ready to eat. The whole process took (maybe) 30 mins.

Tip: Shallow, flat containers are best for freezing and storing ice cream to promote an even consistency.

feet first

It was a wonderful week of lounging and loafing. My mom was so happy that all her kids were able to come together for a trip to the Outer Banks just like old times (except now with spouses and children). It's been years since this has been able to happen and we spent most of the trip playing "remember when."

I feel a little sad that our final summer vacation is wrapped up but it will be good to get back to my regular routine of working out and eating healthy foods. While each couple took turns preparing home cooked, unprocessed dinners each night (rather than going out) I still can't say that I was particularly healthy. I was careful to watch portion size, snacking, and listen to my body but it was vacation so I wasn't going to be all over myself about it.

But I'm back now and I'm really excited to jump back to what makes me feel great - regular exercise and consistant healthy eating. I'm actually craving normalcy in my diet and it's a really great feeling.

I've decided to remove dairy from my diet for 2 weeks. My friends LH and LA (as well as my husband) have been trying to get me to do this for a good bit but I kept thinking that vacations wouldn't allow me to fully devote the focus I would need to do that. They all say that they feel great without dairy and don't even miss it. I really love my ice cream but LH assures me that there are plenty of substitutes (including homemade recipes!) out there and I certainly trust her. Honestly, I'm so excited to try this new approach!

Today will be day 1 and I'm planning to head to Whole Foods and the farmers market in a bit to gather my ingredients for the week. I'll certainly be sure to share my plans, recipes, and results.

just dance

A dancer I am not. Not even a little bit... I do like to bust a move at the occasional wedding or in my car when Lady Gaga is singing it to me straight - but I'm not aaaannnyyy kind of dancer in real life. Ellen DeGeneres described my skills pretty well when she said that everyone has about 5 dance moves and they cycle through them w/ slight tweaks to extent the repertoire. That's me. I've got probably 5... mayyybe 6 but that depends on whether or not alcohol is involved.

This weekend we watched our friends say their I Do's before it was time to dance our asses off. The dj was ready - the bridal party was moving - the guests were out of their seats. Mr. C is no stranger to the dance floor (another reason I love him so much). He is a dancing machine and his 5 moves are done with tons of gusto making it all the more fun! As we were all enjoying the music I paused to think about the cardio workout I was getting. Then it hit me that I had probably done about 3 million liberties (ok - so my opposite leg wasn't that high in the air but you get it) and probably just as many calf pumps! I'm not joking when I say I was just waiting for Thriller so I could get in an arm workout (palms facing the floor!).

Sigh... Lithe of the party!

50

Yay! I celebrated my 50th class with a beeeeaaaauuuutiful Skinny Mini w/ Krista! Wow, I just can't believe that it's been 50 classes already. This is a really cool, personal goal. This morning I was trying make a list of Things I've Enjoyed Doing 50 Times. Let me tell you, I'm not sure I would have ever expected working out to make that list. While I never really hated working out - it was never something I necessarily looked forward to either. I looked at it as something that needed to get done - like brushing your teeth (you don't have to brush your teeth but it will be pretty nasty and unhealthy if you don't... hmm maybe not the best example but you get what I'm saying)!

I feel great! I feel strong! I'm excited about the friendships I've made and the new respect I have for my curves. Best of all, I'm learning to treat myself as I would treat a loyal friend.

Here's to 50 more!!

birds of a feather

I know I've touched on this a bit in past posts but after an amazing night of Wings, I have to bring it up again. When I began Lithe, I understood my legs would probably tone up and hoped that I'd lose a couple inches. What I never expected was the definition I'm seeing in my arms.

Pre-Lithe, my arms were something of a mystery to me. I never thought about them much until it was time to get my wedding dress. Then I looked at them long... and hard... and from every angle. I decided that they just weren't cutting it - heck, they weren't "cut" at all. At the time I was working out like a madwoman but all the cardio in the world (coupled w/ a few arm exercises) just weren't getting me the results I wanted. I resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn't have super defined arms. Ever? Maybe ever.

I started taking Wings because the Monday evening class fell neatly into my schedule. And, oh, while I'm at it I'll get an arm workout in. HA! Carrie had other ideas for my wimpy little arms and it quickly became one of my favorite classes. (How or why I even thought any Lithe class would not kick my butt into shape is beyond me.)

Last night I looked around the class of fellow Lithers and thought "Wow, we've all come a long way." I remember the first class when Carrie called for a series of arm exercises that nearly reduced me to tears. My arms hurt so badly that I had zero form and just gutted it out. Last night was different... it was still tough but I realized that I was working through the series without wanting to die. I'm not gutting it out. I'm watching my form - picking up heavier weights - challenging myself - and before I know it the class is over! Mind you, it's not a walk in the park, but I felt really proud of myself. I felt proud of the other ladies in that class too. No matter how much weight is strapped to our wrists or in our hands - together - the Monday night flock is growing stronger.

inspiring

Another piece of inspiration. Lithe in the buff.

summer lovin'

Summer is here. It's hot. As I strolled into work, I was told it was going to be 98 degrees today! My response: I'll take this over mountains of snow any day of the week. Bring it, Sun.

Yesterday I briefly touched on the hectic scheduling of the summer months and, coincidentally enough, Lauren had also discussed it. I'm finding that I need to make the time to get my body moving. If it's not a Lithe class, I'm back to runnning, walking, hiking, swimming - getting creative! While I certainly give myself some flexibility with scheduling (morning workouts are mixed w/ evening workouts) I still want to look and feel healthy. I'm committed to Lithing and running - and moving. Am I excited? Yup!

Lauren H also posted about jumping back into the swing of Lithe - Reimmersion. Yay let's do it! Let's get our bodies back to feeling amazing! Strong. Healthy. Fit.

Ok, so one last piece of reading material for your morning. Lauren wrote this for Philadelphia Magazine and I just love it! In particular I love the section: Be your own best friend. "Talk to yourself like you would talk to your best friend." Be kind. Be kind. Be kind.

Well, this post was a little all over the place but I'm super stoked and motivated! Let's do it!

a quick update

Phew! June has been such a busy month. My apologies for not keeping current these last few weeks. It seems we have something going on every weekend!

Mr. C and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary with a weekend getaway to Cape May, NJ. We stayed at the John F. Craig House and had the most relaxing weekend. Needless to say, it was the perfect end to a wonderful first year.

This week I'm back to my regular workouts. I admit the last few weeks I've been crunched for time with all the travelling and such which left little time to get in a run. When we got back from Cape May I went for a much needed run and it felt great. I'm back to it.

butt what

It started out innocently enough - a subtle glance, a quick pat - until last night when Mr. C laid it on the line. His exact words were, "Babe, I love your ass." Truth be told, my husband has always made me feel beautiful. Mr. C encourages me to feel attractive and secure and he isn't shy with genuine compliments and words of affirmation. I've never once needed to question whether or not my husband thinks I'm hot (and that's an amazing feeling in itself).

When this line came out of his mouth it totally caught me off guard. While his compliments are liberal they aren't normally quite so blunt. I had just gotten home from a brutal (but wonderful!) Skinny Mini and needed a shower on the quick. My face must have revealed my confusion because he quickly followed up with "What?!" Laughing, I gave him a kiss and thanked him for being adorable.

Bring on the lunges!

lithe giving

It's June and it's hot. Last year at this time I was working out like a mad woman in preparation for our June wedding. What I would give to have known about Lithe at that time... But now I'm in it and loving it.

I'm not even sure what I expected from the Lithe experience when I first began. I knew it would be a tough workout and I knew it got really great reviews. I've created a list of the amazing things I've gained...

What I never expected (in no particular order):

1. The community of women I would look forward to seeing each week.

2. The definition in my arms. (last year I had such a poor perspective on my arms that I actually considered that I wasn't the type of gal who could get away w/ sleeveless options no matter how much cardio I did...)

3. The instructors would not only be inspirational - but also kind.

4. That I would survive if I never step on a scales again (pre-Lithe it was a daily thing)

5. I'm totally ok with the fact that my legs and butt have gotten bigger b/c it's muscle not the other stuff...

6. How strong I feel!

7. That I look forward to working out - even the days I don't have a Lithe class I'm still sweating it out on my own.

8. The direct correlation between food and exercise. (It sounds so obvious but I actually think about what I'm eating every single day and don't hate myself if I opt for a little desert once in a while. It's just become a lifestyle!)

9. I now run on my tready w/o shoes!

10. I'm so connected to the Lithe routine and miss it when I can't make a class.

some light reading

I've been following Lauren's blog since I began and I particulary LOVE LOVE the most recent post. Confessions of a Lithe Spouse is adorable! Check it out.

sun, sand, and sweetie

I'm back! The trip was a success and I'm back to the grind. Though it rained almost every day we were there (and I don't mean little passing rain clouds) I still had a wonderful time with my husband and friends.

So... did I workout? I worked out 2 of the days and I consider that to be fine by me. Admittedly, as I was on the treadmill that final day (of the 2 workouts) I thought "man, I wish I would've tried to workout an additional day b/c this feels great." What is better - I'm not beating myself up over it. It was vacation after all! In the past I would've made myself feel so guilty over not working out enough that I would've been totally beaten down. I'm back home and back on track.

I did my cardio last night and felt great! With Memorial Day upon us, Lithe is cancelled this weekend so I'll continue my cardio until class on Tuesday.

the sounds of high mini

Some people wake up to Michael Jackson running through their head... others Lady Gaga... some maybe Cat Stevens... me? This morning I woke to the chant of High Mini: Shuffle! Shuffle! Shuffle - knee up! Shuffle! Shuffle! Shuffle - knee up!

I kid you not - this is how my morning began! It makes me smile to think about it. Needless to say, tonight IS my High Mini class. Maybe my body already knows what is in store.

So where am I with all this Lithing and cardio business? I feel very strong and healthy. Do I feel like I've lost inches? Not really - yet. What does the scale read? I refuse to use the scale. So while I can feel a difference I'm not totally sure the difference is noticeable. I mentioned that Krista said she noticed a difference during High Mini (a week or so ago) and last night I received an email from Carrie saying I look toned and tiny! Made my day! It's great that the instructors notice a difference but is it something the outside world can see? Not sure.

I'm planning to bring my workout clothes to Punta Cana. I've told myself that if I can work out at least 3 of the 5 days (since 2 days are pretty heavy travel days) - I'll be doing well. It is vacation so I don't want to be too hard on myself.

Last night after class and my cardio session, I was all about packing. It started out with me throwing every favorite dress that I own into my luggage... Then I realized that I needed to get organized and EDIT. I figured out outfits for each day (complete w/ jewelry and shoes) so that I can mix and match without toting my entire closet out of the country. It was a success! I feel good about what I'm taking and I am proud to say I'm being fairly minimal!

Can you tell I'm so excited for a vacation??

check

1. Havaianas (CHECK!)

I scored these adorable Havaianas at South Moon Under. The color (gold) is perfect and will compliment each suit. Not only that but they are very, very comfortable.

2. Bathing Suit (CHECK!) I found a picture of the bathing suit. Love it!! This suit is so comfortable and flattering - a hard combination to find.

Now I just need to find the perfect cover up. I have a few options right now but I'm just not 100% in love. I want casual/chic while sipping cocktails at the bar...

lists lists

Just a few days until I'm beach bound! I can't wait! Last week I decided that I needed to take the plunge and try on my bathing suits (pun intended) to see what I will be taking and what I will need to get.

After a quick inventory I realized I need to grab the following:

1. Havaianas

2. Bathing suit

3. Light-weight cover up

For the first time I didn't cringe at the idea of looking for a new suit. I said to myself, "Ok this isn't murder - let's be kind here. You've been working hard. You will find the suit that works the best for you and is comfortable enough to last a day on the beach." Let me tell ya! I hit up Bloomingdales (the mecca of bathing suits!) and I was in and out! Tell me... when do you hear "in and out" when referencing bathing suit shopping? I just love that there are so many adorable sizes, shapes, and designs out there right now.

I found an adorable black, strapless maillot by Juicy Couture (tried to find a picture online but was unsuccessful). Initially I picked up a large and then realized it was way too big - I realized I'm actually a size small. Yay for small victories (pun intended)!

When I got home I tried all my suits again and I have to say... I might not be in a bikini but I look HELLA good in my maillots!

Now on to the other items on my list!