Quinoa & Turkey Stuffed Peppers

We're all busy, right?  That's exactly why I love to share healthy recipes with you that are fast, and easy to prepare.  Not only will these stuffed peppers be delicious when you first make them, but if you have leftovers like I did, they're easy to reheat and are just as tasty as when they first came out of the oven.  ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 red peppers, insides cleaned out (cut off top and part of bottom, and chop)
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp tabasco
• 2.5 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, 1 tbsp to sprinkle on top
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• fresh parsley for garnish

PREPARATION: 

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  Cook quinoa according to directions

3.  Crumble turkey meat with wooden spoon over medium heat

4.  Saute peppers, onion and garlic over medium heat.  As everything begins to soften, add remaining ingredients, except feta and pine nuts.

5.  Combine turkey with above ingredients, then add feta and pine nuts.

6.  Spoon mixture into peppers and place on a baking sheet.  Top with remaining feta cheese and bake for 30 minutes.  Garnish with parsley when cooked.

Healthy, Delicious Supper Salad

Every so often I like to share a healthy recipe, and this one is delicious!!!  Try it, I think you'll like it.

Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad

Serves 4

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (6 to 7 oz), trimmed & butterflied

½ Tbs. chili powder

1 tsp. light or dark brown sugar

½ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. ground cumin

Kosher salt

6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for the grill

2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for garnish

2 tsp. honey

Freshly ground black pepper

Green Tobasco (optional)

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

4 oz. small cherry (or grape) tomatoes, quartered or halved (about ¾ cup)

1 large scallion, thinly sliced

2 small heads Bibb lettuce, torn into bite size pieces (about 9 cups)

1 medium firm-ripe avocado

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Prepare a medium-high grill. 

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, and ¾ tsp. salt.  Rub some of the spice mix over both sides of the chicken breast and let it sit while the grill heats.

Clean and oil the grill grate.  Grill the breast until the edges of the top side are white, about 3 minutes.  Flip and cook until just done, another 1 to 2 minutes.  Let the chicken rest 7 to 8 minutes.

In a small bowl, or glass jar with a tight lid, combing the olive oil, lime juice, 1 Tbs. of the cilantro, the honey, ½ tsp. salt, a few grind of pepper, and a few shakes of the green Tabasco (if using).  Whisk or shake well to combine.
Combine the black beans, tomatoes, scallion, the remaining 2 tsp. cilantro, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.  Add 2 Tbs. of the dressing and toss gently.

Put the lettuce in a bowl, season with a little salt, and toss with just enough of the dressing to lightly coat.  Slice the chicken breast thinly.  Pit and slice the avocado.  Arrange the chicken, avocado and bean mixture on the lettuce.  Drizzle a little of the remaining dressing over the chicken and avocado.  Garnish with pine nuts and cilantro leaves.

My 9/11 Experience. 10 Years Later

Do you remember that day?  It was a spectacular day - perfect weather.  Most of my memories of that day are as clear as the skies were blue.  I will NEVER forget.

I taught an early morning spin class at New York Athletic Club on 57th St, then headed downtown on the subway to New York Health & Racquet Club, where I worked full time as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor.  I was making a phone call in the office, when one of my co-workers came in and said "Holy shit, a plane just hit the World Trade Center".  I, and three of my co-workers headed out to see what was going on.

The club was just a few blocks south of the WTC, so we didn't have to go to far to see what was happening.  I remember looking up at the building and thinking I was watching some sort of james Bond movie or something.  And just like everyone else thinking "What an idiot!  How the heck could someone make a mistake like that?".  There wasn't anyone on the street - this street anyway - that thought this was an act of terror.  What nobody realized is that because we were standing on the south side of the building, we were actually looking at the side with less damage, where the plane "came out" of the building - if you remember correctly, the first plane hit the building from the north.

As we're standing there watching in disbelief, suddenly I hear the loudest buzzing sound I've ever heard, and feel a vibration all through my body.  I swear, it felt like the bottom of that plane was just above my head.  Then it was gone, just like that.  Gone.  Now I don't know if it were just me, or what, but I didn't hear any loud noise, no crash, bang, no boom.  All I heard was a loud pop - like a balloon popping.  Then screaming.  Now I know this was intentional.  I ran as fast as I could back to the club, the whole time thinking we're all going to die.  That this was it.

Nobody knows what to do - do we stay in the building?  Do we get the heck out of here?  If we leave, where do we go, and how do we get there?  This is downtown Manhattan, the end of a thirteen and a half mile long island, and the options are somewhat limited, especially under the circumstances.  A million thoughts are going through my head - I really don't want to be down here right now, but getting on the subway probably isn't a good idea..  If they're are more planes out there, other targets in NYC could be the Empire State Building, Times Square, Penn Station, or the United Nations.  Who the heck knows.  I call my boyfriend at the time, who also works downtown, and we decide we're going to meet in front of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal and figure out what to do.  I've got a gym bag with me that we fill with waters and candy bars from a newsstand, because who knows how long we're going to be out here.  It's pure chaos.

Black smoke is pouring from shattered windows on floor after floor, I'm seeing bodies falling from the sky, people are running all over the place with really nowhere to go, while others are frantically trying to use their cell phones to no avail.  It's very chaotic, and I'm starting to freak out a little bit.  We just stand there and watch the buildings burn, because we don't know what else to do.

Fifty six minutes and ten seconds later, we saw the top of the South Tower tilting horribly, then watched in utter amazement as it fell to the ground.  We ran as fast as we could away from the smoke, but it was moving so fast that we were quickly consumed by it and had a hard time breathing.  That gym bag I had with me came in quite handy at this point because of the extra gym clothes in it.  I wrapped a pair of my pants around my face so that I wasn't breathing in God only knows what.  We settled in Battery Park for a bit, and then at 10:28 AM watched the North Tower collapse.

After what seemed to be an eternity, we decide it's time to leave the downtown area - we're walking through soot and dust, and over unrecognizable debris - I just can't believe this is going on right now.  We were directed to get on the FDR and walk north.  We were covered in soot, as many people on that walk were, and the walk was chillingly silent.  Most were walking slowly and with their heads down.  How do you wrap your head around what just happened?

We stayed on the FDR until about 14th street, because I had to (of course) go to the bathroom.  As we made our way back into the city streets, it was a whole different world.  Of course people knew what had happened, but I don't think many realized how bad it was until they saw us covered in the gray dust the way we were.  Now, I lived in New York City for about 10 years, and I've never used the bathroom at Duane Reade until that day.  I'm pretty sure if I ever did ask before that day I would have been told no.  But NYC was already a changed city.  We continued walking, and as were were, people asked us questions, handed us bottles of water, and asked if we needed anything.  Everything just felt so surreal.

We finally made it home to 96th & 3rd, put on the TV, made some calls, and took showers.  I cannot describe how disgusting the bottom of the tub was after those showers.  It was scary.  At this point we really had no idea what to do, and after staring out the window of the twenty third floor apartment watching floods of people walk north,  we head down to a restaurant to drink.  Apparently this was a popular plan, because not only was that place packed, but so was every other place in sight.  All the TV's were on, and when the President came on to speak, everyone became silent.  We all listened intently, and when he declared war the place went nuts chanting USA, USA!!

The days that followed were scary - we really didn't know what to do, how to help.  People were coming in from all over the country to help, and they didn't want us "regular folk" going downtown.  We pretty much watched television and cried.

About a week later, NYH&RC opened back up for business, and we tried to get back on some sort of normal schedule.  It was definitely a challenge...what was normal going to be now?  The gym became a triage center for guys working at the site.  It was a five story gym with squash and racquetball courts, so I'd come in at any given time and see fifteen/twenty guys asleep on the floors.  They were taking showers and brushing their teeth in the locker rooms; the lobby of the gym was stocked with donated clothes and food, and the workers were around all the time.  It was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time.

In the weeks and months that followed, NYC was as I'd never seen it.  People were actually making eye contact on the streets, smiling at each other on the subway, and holding doors open for others.  Every time a police or fire truck would go by on the street, loud cheers would erupt.  There were American Flags flying everywhere you looked.  I went to the first Yankee game after 9/11, and words can't even describe how emotional everyone in that stadium was.  It was all pretty freakin' amazing.

I've probably told this story one hundred times, and I've always thought mine doesn't even compare to so many other stories out there.  The devastation this caused to so many thousands of people is beyond comprehension and I truly hope we never forget.

Thanks for listening...

Warrior Dash 2011

When I woke up Saturday morning, one of the first things I did was check my finishing time from last year's dash.  32:18...that's what I had to beat.  The top female did it in 26:54.  Holy fast!

We were on the bus at 6:30, ready for the trip.  We made it to Windham with little time to spare before our heat we got out bib numbers, checked our bags, and lined up at the start.  We only had about 4 minutes until the horn blew and we were off.  It was a slow walk until I heard the chirp, indicating my clock had started and it was go time.  Just like last year, it was about a one mile trek uphill.  I ran as much as I could, and walked fast when I needed to catch my breath.  There were twists and turns on the way up, and not many flats for a break.  I lived in New York City for 10 years, and know if you want to make any headway in a large crowd, you need to stay on the outside of the crowd - so that's what I did. As I was coming up behind people, I would say "coming through please"...a nice way to say "get out of my way!", right?

The first couple of obstacles came and went pretty quickly - the Barricade Breakdown, where I jumped over and crawled under about six or so walls, then Road Rage - hopping through tires, and climbing over broken down, beat up cars.  After Road Rage, there was a little more of a climb up the mountain, but then a short downhill run to Tetering Traverse, where my balance skills were tested on boards that I ran up, down, across, and up and down again until I was off and running to the next obstacle.

The timing of Deadweight Drifter was perfect - this was a waist deep water obstacle with logs in the way.  The choice here was to climb over the log, or dunk my head into the muddy water and go under them.  Although I was sweating, and the cold water felt great, my choice was to stay as clean as possible for as long as possible, so over the logs I went.  Off again, up and down some trails, maneuvering through the woods, and if my memory serves me right, another water obstacle, this one called Cliff Hanger.  The water here was only knee deep so I ran through it as much as I could.  At the other end of the "pond" there was a rope which I used to pull myself up a slanted wall.  More running through the narrow trails in the woods, trying to go fast, but being careful as there are rocks and boulders and tree roots all over the ground.  Any misstep, and my ankle could roll, so I was moving cautiously fast.  "On your left, on your right, coming through"  Get out of my way!!!!

As I approach Deadmans Drop,  there are people standing around...I have no idea why, maybe they need a break, maybe they're trying to figure out how to get up and over this wall.  It's nothing crazy, really.   You just have to take some steps up several two-by-fours, to get to the top and slide down the wall to the other side.  When I get to the bottom of the wall, I turn around and see a big hill - going DOWN!  Yeah, it's certainly more challenging to run uphill, but it's a lot harder on the body going down, so you have to be careful.  I saw some people that looked wildly out of control, so I did my best to steer clear of them as I ran down, looking forward to whatever obstacle was coming my way next.

It was called Rubber Ricochet.  Warrior Dash describes it as a rubber jungle...tires hanging from ropes that swing around when you run through them.  It could definitely get a little tricky if there were a big crowd of people all going through it at the same time, but I was fortunate enough to only have one other person in there with me, so I got through it pretty quickly.  This reminded me of the Electroshock Therapy at the end of Tough Mudder, only without the electroshock, thank God.

The course continued downward to the Cargo Climb, then the Chaotic Crossover.  The climb was about twenty to thirty feet up, then back down the cargo net, and the crossover was traversing across the same type of net.  You move a little faster through both of these obstacles with a little hand/eye coordination.  The trick here is to also pick a path that seems to be moving quickly - otherwise you're stuck behind someone who could really slow your pace.

I was a little disappointed with the Petrifying Plunge this year - this is a water slide obstacle where you dive head first to get down.  Last year it was much steeper, and you FLEW down.  I'm thinking they may have had a few incidents last year with crashing, so they may have had to make it less steep.  My own experience last year sent me flying into the girl who was ahead of me - if I didn't grab onto her feet and push her the rest of the way down, my head would have ended up where the sun don't shine.  Probably would not have been a good time for either one of us.

Anyway.... after getting up from the slide, I'm really in the home stretch of the race, spectators are on the side line cheering everyone on as we pass.  I happen to notice a photographer taking pictures, so I do the old "Rocky"pose and hold my hands up over my head for a victory shot.  Then, like a giant ass, I trip!  It was epic, but thankfully it was quick.  After gathering my pride, I run to the Warrior Roast, where I leaped over fire as gracefully as I could, then right away on my hands and knees for the final obstacle, Muddy Mayhem - the low crawl under barbed wire.

I crossed the finish line with a time of 32:08, ten seconds faster than my time last year.  The rumor was there were more hills incorporated this year, and the obstacles were more challenging.  I concur.  I took first place in my age group, beating out 746 other women.  I was the tenth female finisher out of 4532 women overall.   I'm certainly happy with those results, and look forward to competing next year!

 

I Love Getting Dirty!

I'm a Warrior, I'm a Tough Mudder, I'm a Spartan.  I just can't get enough of these mud runs!  The most recent one I did was the Spartan Sprint, in Tuxedo NY on June 5th.   The Sartan Sprint is a 3 mile course with some challenging obstacles.  It was kind of a last minute decision to do it - I had done the Pawling Triathlon the previous day, but I figured what the heck.  The only person I could drag along with me on this one was my good friend Chris.  When I asked her if she wanted to do it, I also asked her if she'd be ok doing it by herself, because I wanted to race it.  Being the good sport she is, she signed on for it.  The morning of the race, I went online to check the top female finishing times from the day before to see what I was up against.  58 minutes.  No problem....I can beat that.  :)

Unfortunately, things didn't turn out exactly how I had planned.  Long story short, we were 20 minutes late to the race.  We were in the last heat of the day, scheduled to run at 12:30.  When we finally arrived at Tuxedo Ridge, I ran as fast as I could - uphill through the parking lot, and leaving poor Chris behind (she caught up, don't worry) - to find the race director to beg him to let us run it anyway.  He was kind enough to let us do it, but we couldn't get a timer chip or our bib numbers because registration was closed.  So much for racing it...oh well, at least we could do it.  I asked him what time it was, and we were off.   Start time:  12:47

There was no easing into this race, it was balls to the wall from the get go.  It began with going UP a ski slope, which seems to be a common denominator in these types of races.  I started out with a light jog, dodging rocks, boulders, and crevices.  We made it through the first few obstacles - the over-under-and through walls, the boulder pull, and the balance beam with very little difficulty and were loving each and every minute of it.  Then the eight foot wall appeared in front of us, along with a photographer.  We definitely played the sympathy card with every photographer we saw throughout the race... "Can you take our picture please...we were late and couldn't get bib numbers" (this is how they identify you for pictures).  I figured if we weren't going to have official finishing times, we might as well try to get a lot of pictures!

Back to the course....my strategy for the monster wall was to have Chris sit in a wall squat while I stood on her legs, and pulled myself up over the wall.  I strattled the top of the wall while she put her foot on the tiny foothold that was about three feet off the ground.  She grabbed my hand and I pulled her up until she could get both of her hands on top of the wall to pull herself over.  Mission complete!

It seemed we were doing pretty well as far as time was concerned...we started "chicking" plenty of people.   Chicking is a term the Spartan people came up with to describe a girl passing a guy on the course.  We started the race 23 minutes late - it didn't matter to me who we were chicking - guys, girls, whatever....I was totally psyched to be catching up to, and passing people!

One of the most challenging obstacles on the course at this race was the Bucket Brigade.  We were instructed to fill a Home Depot five gallon bucket 3/4 full with stones and carry it up what at that point seemed to be a giant incline, then back down.  Total distance was probably a quarter mile, but it was pretty torturous.  I started out by carrying the bucket like I was hugging a tree, with both arms wrapped around it, thinking that having the weight evenly disributed would help.  It didn't.  So I decided to switch back and forth between my arms for a bit.  That didn't help either - this is just a HARD obstacle.  Now my legs are starting scream, and I have to stop for a few seconds.  As I muster up the energy to get up that damn hill, I decide putting the bucket over my head and holding it with both arms is now the best option, and it's working for me.  I lift my head up to see where I'm going and now my view is not only this giant mountain,  but a girls who's ass cheeks are hanging out of her shorts.  God bless.  I have to pass her....it's too distracting, and not really what I'm interested in looking at, especially as sweat is pouring into my eyeballs.  I make it to the top only to start my descent with caution.  There were a couple of missteps and slips because of rocks and stones that were scattered all over the ground from what I'm sure was from people dumping stones out of their buckets.  Cheaters!!

We didn't have too far to go to get to the next obstacle - the Sleigh Pull.   This was straight out of Medieval times, and I was cracking up as we approached it.  Someone, or several someones, had the brilliant idea to put a milk crate filled with sand bags on top of two rickety old wooden skis, attach a rope to it, and have the competitors pull it around in a giant circle.  Just before reaching the end of this circle that went uphill for a minute, you went through a path of fire.  Just in case you weren't hot enough.
Time to trek back up hill, through the woods, back down and up again only to conquer the Zig-zagging Balance Beam and the Soapy Wall.  I quickly scaled up the soapy wall without using the rope to pull myself, only to be yelled at by a 20 something year old girl for not going right up the middle of the wall.  Obviously she didn't realize how smart I was by not running up the soapiest part of the wall.  With age comes wisdom!   Onward and upward to the Wall Scale - where we were again more concerned with pictures than time - and the Spear Throw.  Yes, I do live in the suburbs of NYC, but no, I don't get much practice throwing spears up here.  You're only given one chance, and if you fail, you do 20 burpees.   Once again though, we played the sympathy card and begged for another shot, only to suck again and have to do those burpees.  As much as I love burpees, I was glad on this day that this was my only burpee obstacle. 

Next up was the longest mud crawl I'd ever seen - and it was UPHILL!!  This was unlike any other mud crawl I've ever done.  It was the muddiest, wettest, rockiest, mud crawl to date.  I felt like porky the pig as I rolled and crawled around in this muck.  Oh, and don't let me forget to mention the barbed wire that was floating just above your body.   Big asses beware - keep it low!   You know the saying though, right?  "happier than a pig in shit" - it was a blast!   And we even got to pose for a couple more mug shots as we went through.   Finally making it to the top, I stood proud, pulled up my capris and marched on through a trail of boulders that were to be navigated through carefully because of wet, muddy, heavy feet.  After clearing the trail and coming out the other side, I stopped dead in my tracks to see another crawl - only this time it was through ice.  "Are you kidding me?" was my first thought, then, "ok, I'm feeling a bit warm, so this might even feel good".  Yep, it did...for about 2 seconds!  Good thing this crawl was down hill and not up, because I literally rolled through it as fast as I possibly could, which if I do say so myself, was pretty fast.

All that was left was a quick down hill run, a Fire Jump and the Spartan Gladiator Pit!  Ah, the Galdiator Pit.... handsome, six-pack-ab, shirtless twenty-something boys holding on to pugil sticks...I'm thinking this was a better way to end the race rather than the empty calorie free beer!

It turned out to be a great experience to share with Chris.  It took us 1 hour, 12 minutes, but we stayed together and posed for pics every chance we got.  Hey, if I wasn't placing, I may as well get some good pictures, right?

Next mud run, the Warrior Dash in August (also 3 miles).  Then, the Spartan Beast on Staten Island (8 miles).  I plan on redeeming myself - first by leaving extra early to get there on time.  Then by kicking ass on the course!  Anyone care to join?!?!

Off to the Races!

The 2011 triathlon season has officially begun for me, and I'm off to a good start with two races under my belt.  The excitement of taking 1st place in my age group (and 7th female overall) for the first race of the season was quickly replaced by taking 3rd overall female in the next race exactly one week later.  My forte is competing in the sprint distances - usually a 1/4 to 1/2 mile swim, a 10 to 20 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run.   This year though, in August, I will take on an Olympic distance - a 1 mile swim, 24.9 mile bike, and a 6.2 mile run.  People ask me all the time about doing an Ironman; it's just not something I see in my future, but you never say never, right?  An Ironman is the ultimate endurance challenge - a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike, then a 26.2 mile run.  As crazy as that sounds, what's most daunting to me about the Ironman is running a marathon after doing the other two disciplines.  The women's world record time for an Ironman was set in 2009 by Chrissie Wellington, with a time of 8:54:02.  The cut off time for the event is 17 hours.  That's a pretty long time to be swimming, biking, and running, no?

The butterflies are always bustling in my stomach while I'm standing on waters edge waiting for the horn to go off.   Most races start at 8...I'm usually up at 5 - water, a little coffee, some breakfast, and about 37 trips to the bathroom.  The swim is my weakest, and it's really because I just don't get in the water enough.  It's much easier to hope on the bike and go for a ride, and even easier to strap on a pair of sneakers and go for a run than it is to get into a pool, or preferably a lake.  And a lot of times when I finish a race,  my mind wanders to the bike, and I think about how I could have pushed myself even more than I did.  Then I look at my transition times and wonder what the heck I'm doing that takes me so long to get out of there.   Always something to work at, I suppose.

Here's a breakdown of my races, thus far:

Saturday, June 4th, Pawling Sprint Triathlon  (1st in AG, 7th overall)

Swim:  1/3 mile.  Time:  11:54
Transition 1:  1:37
Bike:  11.5 miles.  Time:  35:17
Transition 2:  1:31
Run:  3.1.  Time:  23:22
Total time:  1:13:41


Saturday, June 11th, SBR Series Sprint Triathlon  (3rd overall)

Swim:  1/2 mile.  Time:  15:25
T1:  2:31
Bike:  15 miles.  Time:  56:45
T2:  1:13
Run:  3.1 miles.  Time:  23:19
Total time:  1:39:11

Metro Dash

On May 14th, 16 girls from Westchester Adventure Boot Camp drove out to the Meadowlands to compete in an obstacle course race called the Metro Dash.  We had such a blast, from the drive out there - caravaning in four SUV's and getting lost in the parking lot. to the competition, where my team took 2nd place of female teams, to tailgating in the parking lot after the competition.  A great opportunity for some female bonding and competition.  Two of my favorite things!

This was my first time competing in something like this - a competition based mostly on strength.  Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but I am "strong like bull".  LOL!  The sixteen girls were broken up into teams of four, and as long as you got through the obstacle, you were allowed to go back to help the rest of your team - this was useful for the monkey bars, for sure!  If you weren't able to complete an obstacle, your punishment was 5 burpess.  No burpees for me, however, I did have a couple of teammates  (I won't name names....!!) who had to do them.  Only two times though, which I think was pretty good.  One at the 15 foot cargo net climb (she's afraid of heights), and another at the 24" box jumps.

The horn blew and we were off to climb up Moving Ladders.  Once you got to the top and tapped the high bar, you climbed back down to grab a 20 pound medicine ball to sprint back and forth once with.  You then dropped that ball and ran a short distance to climb over two consecutive 5 foot walls.  After that we were on our elbow and knees for a Low Tunnel Crawl, then over to climb up and down a Cargo Net that was 15 feet high.  On to Box Jumps we went, where you jumped up onto 12'", 18", 24", 18", 12" inch boxes consecutively.  Next was the Tire Flip - flipping a tire that probably weighed about 75/80 pounds from one point to another.  This one I got to do this one twice as I was helping a teammate who got there late because of those darn box jumps!  We then had to make our way up and over an 8 foot wall, which had very little room for feet or hands; then on to what I would consider to be one of the hardest ones - the sled.  First you had to pull it with a rope, probably about 20 feet or so, then you had to push it back to the beginning.  The sled had a 45 pound plate on it, plus the sled itself, which had to weigh at least 75 pounds.  Another on I was lucky enough to do twice.  :)   Then we made our way to the over/unders - I think this was the obstacle where most of the girls got their bruises.  There were 2x4's that were 3 feet high that you had to go over, then under three times.  I avoided the bruising by hoisting myself over those 2x4's instead of climbing them.  More bruising to be had at the next obstacle, which was high hurdles - 3/3 1/2 feet high.  Again, hoisting was my choice here.  The next one was called a Hill Run...a man made wood hill that you had to run up, then down. Then you were off to the Balance Beam, which was similar to the "hill" in that it went up, then down.  Obviously balancing on a beam made it more challenging.  The most challenging obstacle for most, and the obstacle that was front and center for most spectators to watch you succeed or fail was the Monkey Bars.  As long as one person from your team made it across, they could then go back and "carry" teammates across.  Everyone did their best here, not giving up and going for it the maximun of two times before being assisted.  We had four out of sixteen make it all the way across with no help (time to get these girls using heavier weights for their pulling exercises in boot camp, no?).   We were then off to an obstacle they called the Log Climb, where we had to climb up and over a structure made of wood that was about 15 feet high.  Then over to the Low Wall, where you had to get yourself over two 4 foot walls, and quickly make your way over to the Farmers Walk; carrying two kettlebells from one point to another.  Next was Sand Bag Carry.  I would say a 25/30 pound sand bag that you had to carry any way you could from one point to another.  I chose to put it on my right shoulder and move as fast as I could.  The next two obstacles were pretty easy, one was called Low Hurdles - going over three 3 foot high pieses of wood without touching them, then the Low Crawl, which is very similar to the Tunnel Crawl, where you crawl on your hands and knees.  The difference here is that there were wires just above you that you couldn't touch while you were going through.  That means you have to keep your butt down nice and low.  They called the next one the Strongman - carrying two heavy objects back and forth.  The first object was a tire, the second a sledge hammer.  Over to the Wall Traverse, where you move your way across a wall that was 5 or so feet long that had pegs sticking out of it for your hands and feet.  Then the Window Jump...climbing through a small square cut out of a piece of wood, basically.  Another favorite  of mine was the Rope Wall - using a rope, you had to pull yourself up and over a vertical wall that was 12 feet high.  Then the Ramp Jump - kind of silly, just a slanted piec of wood to go up and over.  The Black Hole, another Low Crawl, which was made very dark because it was covered with a big piece of tarp.  Onto the Log Carry we went, where we had to each pick up  heavy pieces of log that were attached to each other by a chain and carry it from one point to another.  Finally, the Rope Swing.  Grab onto the rope and swing yourself over a 3 foot wall, then run to the finish line.

Your teams time ended when the last person crossed the finish line.   My team finished in 17:21, and took 2nd place for female teams.   Such a blast!

TOUGH MUDDER RECAP

Saturday, May 7th I ran the Tough Mudder at Mount Snow in Vermont.  I love competing, I love races, and I love getting dirty, but this isn't your average race - or even your average mud-run.  Most races are timed, but not Tough Mudder - it's all about teamwork and camaraderie.   Dont get me wrong, it takes strength, stamina, and mental toughness to compete in this event, but you need your team behind you.  And my team was made up of seven strong.  5 tough chics, and 2 guys (they were tough too...). 

The morning started off as it usually does the morning of a race - water, coffee, bathroom.  Breakfast, bathroom.  More water, bathroom.  Get dressed, bathroom.  You see a pattern here, right?  Happens everytime.  We arrive at Mt. Snow and the energy in the air is electrifying.  If I remember correctly, the temerature in the air that day was 56 or so degrees.  We were told the water would be between 39 and 42.   Brrrrrrrr!   Nervous energy everywhere, people warming up their bodies, stretching their muscles, and getting ready to go.  We pick up our packets, sign our Death Waiver (yep, you read it right), pin our numbers, get our bodies marked, and duct tape our sneakers.  Then of course, go to the bathroom.  We walk around the base of the mountain to check things out, and see an area where they are giving mohawks and/or tatoos if you dare.   However tempting, I, and the rest of my team decided to pass.  Our wave was at 10am, so a little before that we headed up to the starting line.   After the Pledge of Allegiance, we recited the Tough Mudder Pledge, which went a little something like this:

As a Tough Mudder I pledge that…

* I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge.
* I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.
* I do not whine – kids whine.
* I help my fellow Mudders complete the course.
* I overcome all fears.

Onto the course we go!  The first challenge - The Braveheart Challenge... first running downhill, then up, into air filled with water from the snowmaking machines.  Fantastic, we're wet right away!  Then the Death March, basically continuing to climb Mt. Snow.  At this point, I would say we were running a little bit, and walking some.   The conditions of the ground were pretty muddy, and had patches of snow here and there.  Once we get to the top, there's a water station with a line...my teammates wait, while I go pee behind a tree.  :)  Onward to Killa Gorilla...an extremely muddy area that you had to trek up and down 4 times.  Devils Beard...cargo nets that were low to the ground, so they had to be held up while you went through them.  Boa Constrictor - narrow, dark tunnels that we had to crawl through.  The tube started out dry, but as you crawled through, you crawled into a body of muddy water, so this was the first obstacle where we got really wet, and kind of dirty.  If you felt cold from the water, not to worry, you were climbing right back up the mountain, where you're sue to warm up again!  Next obstacle is Tires - just like they do at football practice.  Then Tree Hugger, where we do a little scrambling climb through rocks and woods.  Here is where they have a sign that reads: "If you were doing Warrior Dash, you'd be done right now".   The Tough Mudder people like to poke fun at the WD peeps quite a bit.   Another water station at the top of the scramble, then we move on to Ball Shrinker - this was the best....you've seen this before - hold on to a rope above your head that other people are also holding onto, so it swings back and forth.  Below your feet is another rope, which, if you were smart enough, you figured out to let that one go and just pull yourself with your arms.  Well, the rope gets lower in the middle because of all the people on it, so your body gradually starts going into the water - the very cold water.  Hence the name, Ball Shrinker.  Of course we head back uphill, and through an obstacle they called the Mud Mile, which was just a muddy hill, much like the rest of the mountain.  We approach Kiss of Mud, where we have to crawl under barbed wire in a mud pit, then onto Hold Your Wood... grab a log, carry it uphill, then back down.  Head around the corner to run uphill again, and this time when we came down, we got to Hey Bales, where we had to jump over giant bales of hey.   If you landed in the middle, there was a giant hole which you dropped ino.  Onward to Evil Kenival, which was another one I really enjoyed - a half pipe that you had to run up and catch the lip at the top.  When you did, you pulled yourself up and over to the other side, where you had to repel down a rope.  Off to Spider's Web we went, where we climbed up, then back down a cargo net, which if your team did not hold steady for you, moved all over the place.   Now - you guessed it - back uphill to the "Mystery" obstacle, which before the race was topic of speculation.  Some were thinking because we were in Vermont, it would be maple syrup related.  Others though it was a bath of hot sauce.  What it turned out to be was Fish & Chips - yet another body of water you went through, to crawl through wood chips, under a low, narrow cargo net.  I guess cargo net is a lot cheaper than maple syrup or hot sauce.  The most terrifying obstacle of all was Walk the Plank.  As we approach it, there's a sign that says "Water is 45 degrees.  Do not jump if you are not ready"  We have to pull ourselves up an angled wall with a rope, probably 15 to 20 feet.  Once at the top, we jump into water, then have to swim to the exit.  When I hit that water, it took my breath away.  It was so cold!  And you went so far under because of your heavy, muddy shoes, it scared the crap out of you!  I get out, and pee while I wait for my teammates. :)  I would say from this point on, our whole team pretty much stayed cold.  We were off to running through the woods, maneuvering through rocky, muddy water, then to Underwater Tunnels, where there were 3 "tubes" of water that you had to go under and into the water - each tube getting closer to the top of water so that you had to go under even further.  This body of water was pretty gross, as the smell of manure filled the air.  I was told that, and hope that it was, sulfer.   Off to the Glacier we go...when we get there, the line is ridiculous, and they announce that for anyone waiting, you can skip it.  We did - and only because we were SO cold, and the line was so long.  So, down the hill and back up we go through Gauntlet, where we are being sprayed by an evil guy with a fire hose, who was taking way too much pleasure in his job that day.  And if that wasn't enough,  the snowmakers were on here too, and not that it mattered at this point anymore, but the ground was extremely muddy.  We start decending to Blood Bath, which was 3 dumpsters filled with ice cold, colored water.  You had your choice of red, green or blue water to submerge yourself into.  On to Funky Monkey, which were wicked monkey bars - some were greased, some rolled.  I wouldn't know much about them because I fell almost immediately.  I think I made 2 or 3 bars.  Sad, I know, but I couldn't even get a grip on the bars because my hands were so cold, and it just felt impossible.  So, I dropped into the lake, which was absolutely the coldest body of water of the day.  Off to the Berlin Walls we go, where we have to work as a team to get over 12 foot walls.  We make the first one, feeling pretty confident as we get to the second on.  After two attempts at that wall we bail, because it was really muddy by our feet and we kept slipping.  We did however, make it over the third wall to redeem ourselves!  The next callenge we face is Tower Hurdle, where we have to climb over chair lift poles.  Then onto Fire Walker...trekking through a narrow path surrounded by four foot walls of kerosene soaked straw.  At this point, we were thinking we were done with the climbing because the last five obstacles were at the base of the mountain, but noooooo...up we go, to Turds Nest, a cargo net that we had to crawl across -  or roll across, like our team did.  Another favorite, Greased Lightening - a giant slip and slide.  It was awesome, and if you were going fast enough, you landed in a nice little pond at the bottom - just in case you weren't wet enough to get through Electroshock Therapy.  This was the grand finale...run though an obstacle of live wires.  Good times.

After crossing the finish line, you got a free beer and the Tough Mudder head band.  I was shivering so much my beer was spilling all over the place.  After changing into dry clothes, we got some food, some more beer, and some shots of Patron.  Definitely worthy of a celebration.  I am a Tough Mudder. 

WAIT! Don't eat that!!

You know the main purpose of food labels is to sell the product to the consumer, not tell you what's in it, right?  Food manufacturers spend billions on marketing and advertising trying to get you to buy and eat their products.  The ingredient list on food labels is the most important information on the package.  This is where you find out what's really in the product and how healthy it is.  But in order to understand the healthfulness of the product, you have to know how to read and interpret the ingredients and nutrition information on food labels. You may be shocked to find out what's really in the foods you and your family are eating.  The list is long, but I promise you it's worth the read.

PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OIL:  Hydrogenation is the process of heating an oil and passing hydrogen through it in order to harden it.  It prolongs the shelf life of many food products - even some in your health food section, so read the labels carefully.   Hydrogenated oils contain high amounts of trans fats, which are extremely bad for your cholesterol, and should be avoided completely.

HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP:   A liquid sweetener that is similar to table sugar (sucrose), however, thought to be more dangerous because of the way it is processed.  HFCS is the most common found added sweetener found in processed foods and beverages.

SUCRALOSE (Splenda), ASPARTAME (Equal, NutraSweet), SACCHARIN (Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin, NEOTAME, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM (Sunett, Sweet One):  These artificial sweeteners are widely used in processed products like baked goods, soft drinks, powdered drink mixes, candy, puddings, canned foods, jarred fruit spreads, dairy products, and scores of other foods and beverages.

POLYDEXTROSE:  A chemically created food ingredient which is commonly used as a sugar, starch and fat replacement in foods such as cakes, candies, breakfast cereals, salad dressings and frozen desserts.

SUGAR ALCOHOLS (Erythritol, Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, Isomalt, Lactitol, Maltitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol, Pure Via, Truvia):  Sugar alcohols are used in a wide range of products, including baked goods, frozen foods, chocolate, candy, chewing gum, toothpaste and mouthwash.  Sugar alcohols are often combined with artificial sweeteners in products to enhance sweetness.

NATURAL SWEETENERS (Agave Nectar, Date sugar, Grape juice concentrate, Honey, Maple sugar, Maple syrup, and Molasses):  All often promoted as healthier options to other sugar subsitutes, these "natural" sweetners are still processed and refined.

*There is just no health advantage to consuming added sugars of any kind, and doing so can lead to a long list of health problems including tooth decay, poor nutrition, weight gain and increased triglycerides, which increases risk of heart attack.  If you choose to consume any added sugars, moderation is key.  Women should consume no more than 100 calories a day from any added sugar source (that's about 6 teaspoons), and men, no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons).

MONO and DIGLYCERIDES:  Simply put, these are fats made from soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, or palm oils.  They act as emulsifiers to provide a consistent texture and prevent separation in foods, and as stabilizers, which improve the consistancy of foods.  They are used in most baked products to keep them from getting stale, and in ice cream and other processed foods, including margarine, instant potatoes, and chewing gum.

SILICON DIOXIDE:  A synthetic additive primarily used mostly in powdered foods to prevent the ingredients from binding together.  You'll often find this ingredient in packaged foods such as mashed potato and rice mixes, soups, cereals, spices and seasonings.

XANTHAN GUM:  Used most commonly as a food thickening agent and stabalizer, to keep ingredients from separating.  Foods like salad dressings and sauces, egg substitutes, ice cream and other frozen foods and drinks will have Xanthan Gum on their list of ingredients. 

ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR:  This sounds like a good one, right?  After all, it says "enriched", and it's wheat.  Actually, it's white flour. The bran and the germ portion of the whole wheat, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, have been refined out. To compensate for refining out approximately 20 nutrients, they add back 4 synthetic nutrients, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, and riboflavin.

BLEACHED FLOUR:  This flour has also been stripped of all it's natural, whole-grain nutrients.  Then it's milled and bleached with chemicals like calcium peroxide and chlorine.

CALCIUM PEROXIDE:  Peroxide.  Yes, the same stuff you may have put in your hair to make it blonde back in the day.  Peroxide is an agent that is used to bleach flour white, and improve the strength and texture of it.

FOOD COLORING:  A powder or liquid substance that is added to food or drink to change it's color.  Studies in recent years have suggested that artificial food coloring might exacerbate attention deficit disorder in children.  Specifically, Yellow No. 5, Red No. 40, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red No. 3, and Yellow No. 6.

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMINE (MSG):  A flavor enhancer that is commonly used in Chinese food, processed meats, canned vegetables and soups.  MSG has been linked to side effects such as nausea, headache, flushing, sweating, facial pressure or tightness, numbness, tingling or burning in face, neck and other areas, heart palpitations, chest pain and overall weakness.

DISODIUM GUANYLATE:  Another flavor enhancer, simliar to MSG.  Disodium Guanylate is produced from dried fish or seaweed and is often added to canned vegeatables, instant soups and meals, cured meats, potato chips and other packaged snacks.

SODIUM BENZOATE:  A chemically produced preservative, which is prevelant in acidic foods such as salad dressings, pickles, and other condiments, carbonated beverages, fruit juices.  It's also used in medicines, cosmetics, and fireworks.  You know the whistling noise you hear from fireworks?  Sodium Benzoate helps make that happen. 

BHA (Butylated Hydroxytoluene):  A fat soluble compound that is used to keep fats from becoming rancid. It is also used as a yeast de-foaming agent. BHA is found in butter, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and beer. It is also found in animal feed, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products

BHT (Butylated Hydroxyanisole):  Also prevents oxidative rancidity of fats. It is used to preserve food odor, color, and flavor. Many packaging materials such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals incorporate BHT.  It is also added directly to shortening, cereals, and other foods containing fats and oils.

THE GOLDEN RULE:  If you can't pronounce what's in it, don't eat it.  I also ask my clients and boot campers to stay away from foods that have more than five ingredients on it's list.  You should also know that ingredients are listed on the label according to quantity; with the largest quantity of ingredients being listed first, and the smallest quantity being listed last.  Pay attention to your ingredients - this is your health!

 

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What's going on?

This is my 5th year of owning and running Westchester Adventure Boot Camp.  I've been in the fitness industry a long time, and other than being a rock star, I really couldn't imagine doing anything else.  :)  Nothing is more rewarding to me than hearing a client tell me I've helped them make positive changes in their life; that they feel stronger and more confident than ever before.  That they are wearing clothes that haven't fit into in years, or they've been shopping and have gone down a size or two.  I love to help women learn to be powerful and develop self confidence by working out.  Every day, they are working toward becoming the kind of person they want to be, and toward living the life that they want to live.  This is why I love my job.

It's taken me a long time to get on the blog band-wagon.  When I first went into business for myself, I was told it was a must, but it always seemed so self-indulgent to me.  Do people really care, or want to know what' going on with my life?   I think I'm just a regular person, doing regular things, you know?   In thinking about it more, and seeing the phenomenon of Facebook prevail over the past few years, I've realized people do want to know "stuff".  I reach a good amount of people with what I do, and if I can help just one person see something differently, or give them an idea - whether it's with their training, or their diet - than that's great.

For the next year, I will be studying through Intergrative Nutrition to be a health coach.  I will be part of a growing revolution to awaken and change society for the positive.  Nutrition is the only science where people can scientifically prove opposing theories and still be right.  People are completely confused about food, and our county is unhealthy and fatter than ever.  I feel like in a way, I've always been a health coach, but now I'm learning more tools to help people take control of their lives, unlearn destructive habits and start living to their full potential.  What a wonderful journey this will be. 

Stay tuned - I have a feeling Im going to have a lot of fantastic things to share with you!

Have you had your QUINOA today?

What is quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) anyway?  Well, it's often called a whole grain, but it's actually a seed of a leafy plant that can be subsituted for grains in cooking.  The people of South America have been using it as a staple in their diet for thousands of years.  They call quinoa the "Mother Grain" - and they call it that for a good reason; it's pretty close to being a perfect food with the balance of nutrition that it provides.  The nutritional profile is simalar to brown rice, only quinoa delivers more protein, and all eight essential amino acids.  It's a great source of B vitamins.  It contains high levels of riboflavin and potassium.  It's a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, folic acid and vitamin E.  It's also gluten free, and can be substituted for just about any other grain.  Quinoa has a delicious nutty flavor, and is kind of fluffy, yet crunchy at the same time.  It's also lighter and less filling than other grains.  The following recipe is one of my favorites, that I make often.  It's fast, easy, and delicious! 

Cranberry Walnut Quinoa
Makes 10 servings

1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup frozen edamame beans (or green beans)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over hight heat.  Reduce to simmer, cover, and continue cooking until all the water is absorbed.  (about 15 minutes)

While quinoa cooks....In a small bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic until well blended and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine dried cranberries, beans, walnuts and green onions.  When the quinoa is cooked, add it to the medium bowl, then pour the olive oil mixture over it.  Toss until well blended, then add salt and pepper.  (I acually never add the salt).  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Calories: 158, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 5g, Fiber: 6g

 

Snacks & Treats for Under 250 Calories

Are you on a diet rollercoaster?  Not surprising...diets don't work!  Most diets severly restrict your calories, and cause your metabolism to slow down.  When your metabolism slows, your body goes into preservation/starvation mode.  Then, your body will start taking nutrients from your muscles for energy.  Do you really think this sounds like the way to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle?  NO WAY!!  To keep that metabolism kicked into high gear, and for maximum weight loss, you should be eating 5 to 6 meals/day.  Now, I know most of us have no problem getting in three solid meals -  take a look at those meals too, chances are your portions are out of control.  Three meals, and two snacks a day is the way to get your body to the lean machine you've always wanted.  I've put together some snack ideas for you that are 250 calories or less.  I even gave you a couple of sweet treats, because we all have cravings, don't we?!?

Buy a scale, weigh and measure your food for awhile until you feel comfortable eyeballing it.  I still weigh my food when I'm home cooking, just to be on the safe side. 

Enjoy - and let me know what you think!

HUMMUS EGG SALAD

Mix 4 hard boiled egg whites with 2 Tbsp hummus.  Put into a small whole-wheat pita, with lettuce.
184 calories, 3.8 g fat

 

MINI PIZZA

Split 1 whole-wheat English muffin, top with 1/3 cup tomato sauce, and 1 low-fat string cheese stick.  Bake in toaster oven until cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes.

135 calories, 10 g fat

 

 

 

 

EDAMAME BEANS

Boil 1 cup edamame and sprinkle with sea salt.  Eat the beans in the pod.

179 calories, 7.5 g fat

BLACK BEAN ROLL UP

Fill one small corn tortilla with 1/4 cup mashed black beans.  Top with 1/4 of an avocado, sliced, and 1 Tbsp salsa.
199 calories, 8.7 g fat





STRAWBERRIES & CHEESE

Top 4oz of low-fat ricotta cheese with 1 cup of sliced strawberries, and 2 tsp of honey.

209 calories, 6 g fat



 

 

CHOCOLATE MONKEY

Dip a banana in 1oz melted dark chocolate.
250 calories, 11.6 g fat

EASY TRAIL MIX

Mx 10 kernels of raw pistachios, 1oz dried apricots, and 1oz dark chocolate chips.

250 calories, 14.3 g fat

NEED A GOOD WORKOUT, BUT CAN'T GET OUT OF THE HOUSE?

All these snow days are getting a bit ridiculous.  Since when did we becme such wimps?!?!  I remember the blizzard of "76, when I was a kid living in Newport RI....my father and I were out on the roads for some reason and had to park his van at the the top of the road and walk home because we were at the bottom of a hill.  I also remember always being outside playing in the snow, or asking my neighbors if I could shovel their driveways.  I rarely see kids out these days.  What are they doing?  Sitting inside on the computer or playing video games?  No wonder you parents are going crazy with all these snow days!  Who wouldn't need some stress relief from that?  While you may be stuck inside and not able to get to boot camp or the gym, you can still get a good workout, right at home.  The only thing you'll need for this total body workout is a set of dumbells and a bench.  No worries if you don't have the bench, you can use a step, a coffee table, or even a chair.  If you are uncertain of any exercises, Google or YouTube them.  Or, you can contact me.  :)   Now, go burn some calories, and let me know how you do!

Perform each exercise for 1 minute.  Go through at least 3 times; that should take you close to an hour.

PLANK
PRISONER SQUATS
RENEGADE ROWS
JUMPING JACKS
PUSH UPS
BULGARIAN SPLIT-SQUAT W/BICEP CURL
TRICEP DIP
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
SIDE PLANK
SINGLE LEG HIP BRIDGE (AKA HIP EXTENSION)
SPIDER MAN PUSH UP
BENT OVER ROW
BICYCLE CRUNCH
SQUAT JUMP