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!