I've moved!!

Hi All,

After a bit of a hiatus, I'm back -- but at a new address! Come view some of my most popular posts and keep up with new ones at "Officially Forked"

Xoxo,
Steph

Wieners Gone Wild!

Accompanying every barbecue, ball game, or picnic, a hot dog is more than just meat in a bun – it is an American pastime. In “WIENERS GONE WILD!” a hot dog cookbook featuring over 40 original recipes with flavors from around the world, the classic dog is combined with a tasty 21st century makeover.

Hot dog aficionados and Massachusetts authors, Holly Schmidt and Allan Penn, have designed each recipe with specific cultures in mind.

“WIENERS GONE WILD!” is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold.

Holly Schmidt and Allan Penn are the co-owners of Hollan Publishing, where they have developed and photographed hundreds of non-fiction books since 2006. Hollan Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Beverly, Mass. Visit www.hollanpub.com.

New Yorkers find freedom from Passover restrictions with Bread-Free Bagel

Photo: Inbal Hotel

New Yorkers desperate for their morning staples of black coffee and bagel can rejoice: Passover is no longer a breakfast death sentence. The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel announces the launch of the world’s first kosher for Passover Bagel. This groundbreaking idea was conceived and developed by Executive Chef Andreas Marinkovits, who has perfected the original recipe to create a New York style bagel, complete with hard crust and fluffy inside that is 100% kosher for Passover and is exclusively available at the luxurious Inbal Jerusalem Hotel.

The Inbal Jerusalem hotel is an award-winning, five-star deluxe hotel situated in the heart of Jerusalem overlooking the Old City walls, and minutes away from all the major cultural and historical sites. With its Jerusalem stone exterior, the 283-room hotel is known for its intimate authentic Jerusalem character and impeccable world-class service. Trip Advisor awarded the hotel with their Certificate of Excellence for the last two years in a row, ranking The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel among the top ten percent of leading hotels worldwide. For more information, please visit www.inbalhotel.com.

14 Workouts to Try

So I got an email from MyFitnessPal today. I've still been tracking my weight and checking in with MFP, but I've found more success with WW, so my tracking has become more consistent on WW than on MFP.

I still think MFP is a great free tracker/database resource for those interested in living a healthier lifestyle.

So anyway, MFP sends me a newsletter entitled, "14 for 2014"...... Points off because it's March... but the newsletter had some intriguing recipes, mantras, and workouts to try during the year. I've included the workout section of the email below:

Here are 14 fresh workouts to try–that you may end up loving all year long:

1. Tabata Training. Okay, it’s not new, but it’s the 4-minute workout that a lot of fitness buffs are still loving this year. The basic principle is this: go all-out for 20 seconds and rest for 10. Repeat 8 times and for a 4-minute round. Do 4 or 5 rounds and you’ll be spent! Changing up the moves keeps things fresh and your muscles sore afterwards. Read up on it and then check out some of examples of Tabata workouts on Pinterest.

2. FitSteps. People in the UK have been stepping out with FitSteps, a new dance exercise based on moves from popular dances like the Cha Cha, Tango, Jive and Quickstep. Fat burning, ab-tightening, and arm sculpting are just quicksteps away.

3. Werq. This dance workout borrows its name from dance slang and is a little less traditional than FitSteps. Apparently if someone says,  ‘werq it’, you’re dancing very well! These fun classes will have you shaking it and sweating to pop, rock and hip-hop.

4. CrossFit. If ‘werqing it’ isn’t your thing, maybe box jumps, sprints, squats and cleans sound like fun? If so, give CrossFit a try. This workout involves performing high-intensity, functional movements in a group gym, or a box as CrossFit fans call it, and are scalable to accommodate any fitness level.

5. Animal flow. This workout is a mix of the Brazilian martial art Capoeira with a dash of gymnastics, yoga and dance thrown in. Be prepared to crawl, jump from side to side, and balance on your hands, among other things, all the while keeping things moving and flowing. The focus is on strength and flexibility.

6. Indo Board Yoga. Bikram is out, Indo Boards are in. Hop on this 6-foot-long wooden board and rock on. Staying balanced on the board engages way more muscles during each pose which means you can get a much harder workout from this form of yoga.

7. Battle ropes. These aren’t the ropes you used to climb in gym class. Battle ropes are thick ropes of varying lengths that you can wrap around floor-bound anchors and use as bodyweight resistance tools. Research suggests that battle ropes may burn more calories than running or spinning, so tie one on and give these Top 20 Battle Rope Exercises a try.

8. Bells. Not the kind you ring, Kettlebells, SandBells, or if you’re really tough, SteelBells, are super hot this year. These versatile weights can give you quite a combined cardio-strength workout in a short amount of time. Check out a kettlebell class near you to learn the proper form, or ask if a trainer at your gym can show you a few SandBell or SteelBell moves.

9. Tower running. People typically go out of their way to avoid walking up a lot of stairs, but others are finding new ways to run them! Tower running, also known as vertical racing, is a fast growing sport involving running up the stairwells of some of the world’s tallest buildings. Find a monster set of stairs near you and give it a go–just watch out for the occasional employee making personal phone calls.

10. Cardio Barre. The barre method is a body sculpting exercise that originally focused on a ballet bar. Cardio Barre takes it up a notch, and a few steps away from the barre by incorporating cardio for a more intense, full-body workout.

11. Boutique biking. Not a fan of spinning? Boutique biking salons like SoulCycle and FlyWheel are popping up all over the country. These classes combine high-intensity cycling with inspirational coaching, choreographed playlists, and some of the wildest moves you’d never think to do on a stationary bike.  It’s been a celeb favorite for some time now, which probably explains the high price tag!

12. Aqua cycling. If SoulCycle makes you feel like you’re going to fly off your stationary bike, slow things down with aqua cycling this year. It sounds relaxing but don’t be fooled… The burn of pushing those pedals while submerged in water will torch calories and strengthen muscles. It’s been a ‘thing’ in Europe for awhile, and has quickly earned a reputation  for being a great full-body, strength and cardio workout that keeps you cool.

13. Playground workouts. This fun workout can be a nice change of pace, but it isn’t kid’s play. Running, climbing, and sliding non-stop around a playground can make for a rigorous cardio and strength routine. Just get your workouts in early before the kiddos arrive!

14. HIIT. Last but certainly not least,  HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a type of training entails short blasts of high-intensity effort followed by a brief recovery period. It’s not much different than Tabata training in terms of maximizing time and efficiency, but intervals can be longer with more rest time in between.

Remember, at it’s core, exercising should be about doing what you enjoy. It’s hard enough to find time and motivation to be active daily–there’s no need to dread it all day long, too. If you like your routine, stick to it–but if changing it up sounds fun, give one, or a few of these a try.

- See more at: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/01/14-workouts-to-try-2014?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=email&utm_content=14workouts&utm_campaign=mar14newsletter#sthash.AGod3LXq.dpuf

Progress on Weight Watchers

Since joining Weight Watchers in June 2013, I have lost:

• 18.4 pounds
• 3 Dress Sizes
• 0.7 inches off my thighs (each)
• 2 inches off my arms (each)
• 3.7 inches off my bust
• 3 inches off my waist
• 3.85 inches off my hips

I'm pretty pleased. Feel free to check out my breakdown of the program here. I'm a big supporter, so if you have any questions, let me know!

Israeli Post #1: Grocery Store Anxiety and High Tech Tortur---Treadmills

Dammit, another month went by with only one post. I'm so sorry, dear readers, I am epically failing the blog while I'm away.

Let's catch up:

I've been in Israel for a few days more than a month. And it's been..... interesting.... I think most people thought, when I explained that I was moving to Tel Aviv for several months, that I'd be off site-seeing, visiting museums, touring historical sites, and laying out on the beach. Unfortunately, I am not a tourist, but a working visitor, in this country, so I needed to be a functioning person able to communicate with the public, contribute to client projects and conversations, and get myself from point A to point B.

It's definitely been an adventure, with both overwhelming and fantastic moments. I wanted to share a few food/fitness related highlights:

Kitchen Accommodations in the Israel Apartment

If you're a regular reader of CCAIRC (God, I really do need a new name), you have realized that I spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen. I had really planned to cook most of my food during my time in Israel, as I always had.... that is, until I walked in on a COCKROACH in my apartment's kitchen on my first night.

To put it lightly, I LOATHE cockroaches. I have been very very fortunate to only have one past encounter with one (and honestly, my FANTASTIC college roommate, Becca, took care of it before I woke up). Now, like any rational person, I started avoiding my kitchen completely... as in, the menu was..

• Yogurt for breakfast (because I could grab it and run before the bugs came to eat me)
• PB sandwiches for lunch/dinner(I kept the PB in the fridge so the cockroaches wouldn't touch it)
• Fruit (which again, was kept safely in the fridge)

Don't worry, I've since reclaimed my kitchen, and cooked some great meals.

Grocery Shopping Anxiety

I mentioned before that I don't know Hebrew. That is, I can recognize letters, and (with vowels and certain punctuation marks) can sound out words. However, I do not understand what I am reading. This has made reading food labels and their corresponding directions, quite difficult. So for the first 10 days, I'd go into a grocery store... browse... realize I had no idea what I was doing... and walk out with 3 produce items. It will forever be a mortifying moment. I've since gotten better. I am able to identify cottage cheese, deli turkey, veggie frozen shnitzel, and have even found a pasta sauce that I prefer.

Fit & Slim, The Gym of Nightmares

At the urging of my roommates, I have committed to a two month subscription to the gym, "Fit&Slim". Normally, I wouldn't go for this, but I have a bit more disposable income during this temporary transfer, so why not, right? 

Fit&Slim has only two kinds of machines in it. The first is this "aquabike", which resembles a spin bike, except you use this one with your body almost completely submerged in a giant pool of water -- for added resistance (of course).

The second machine resembles more of a torture device. Fit&Slim calls it the "Silhouette+", but the machine is known around cyberland as the "Vacufit." At its more basic form, the Vacufit is a type of treadmill. Except, to use this treadmill, you first have to put on this "skirt" made out of what I can only assume is a heavy-duty wet suit material. Then, the "door" to the treadmill opens, because, oh by the way, the thing has walls and is enclosed from chest level down. FINALLY, a Fit&Slim employee takes the edge of this wet-suit skirt and stretches it around the opening to the treadmill compartment -- sealing you in.

So at this point, you're on a treadmill, strapped into an airtight compartment. And then the Vacufit takes you through a 30-minute program of varying speeds an elevations. Normal, right? NO! Because, with the Vacufit, the machine is also vacuuming the AIR out of the compartment to change the pressure and resistance as you're going through the program. Not that difficult at 3.0 mph, but good LORD, when the program hits 6.0 mph -- a speed many people run at, and you're FORCED to walk...... it's flipping insane.

I'm told the vacuum actually makes your blood vessels expand, so that the Vacufit reduces cellulite. I really don't buy that at all. I am, however, viewing this as a change in my workout routine, and absolutely the oddest thing I've ever done at a gym. I'll let you know my results!

Saying "Goodbye" to my WW Meetings for 5 Months

Goodness, it has been QUITE a while since my last post. I am truly sorry, dear readers, for my absence. My situation changed quite a bit.

Just before Christmas, the CEO of my company asked me to transfer to our Israel offices for 5 months to work for the firm's clients from that locale. It was a tremendous opportunity, and I took it.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activity. Booking flights, finding an apartment in Israel, sorting out work responsibilities, moving OUT of my current apartment, saying goodbye to everyone. My diet and exercise regiment suffered.

Eventually the days wound down to my last WW meeting, which had become a pretty stable and integral part of my life since the summer. Weight Watchers is an international company, with locations around the globe, but I didn't think I'd be able to keep up with meetings with a more insane schedule, so I had switched my membership over to solely online.

Now in an ideal world, I would've come into this last WW meeting completely confident and ready to tackle this new international adventure with all my weight-loss and healthy lifestyle tricks by my side --- everything that the last few months had taught me. There'd be a great loss on the scale, which would be this fantastic harbinger (SAT Vocab word, y'all) of all the fitness/weight loss success that I'd have in Tel Aviv.......

Yeah, that didn't quite happen.

 My weight was up, and not by .2 pounds, either. And it was tough. The move to Israel was already feeling like an uphill battle --- I don't know many people in the country, I don't speak the language, and I need to be a functioning employee --- and now I need to really concentrate on my weight loss goals.

But putting additional pressure on myself to get "there" by a certain point isn't the way to do it.

Weight loss and the commitment to a healthier lifestyle is ongoing process, and it's not easy. There's give and take, and ups and downs. The most important motivation is remembering why you started the journey at all.

I know I did, but you'll have to keep reading to see my Israel updates!

Demon Butternut Squash Soup

I had a horrifying kitchen experience last night. I've dubbed it the "Demon Soup Story".

My dear readers, if anyone EVER makes you butternut squash soup, know that they care about you IMMENSELY. Why, you ask?

Because butternut squashes are asshole vegetables. 

To make creamy butternut squash soup in a relatively short amount of time, one needs to cut the squash into small-ish chunks that cook quickly. THIS IS AN INSANELY LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS THAT WILL RESULT IN PAIN AND HAND CRAMPS FOR THE CHEF. I'm talking about sawing through this LOG of a vegetable. Oh, and then you've gotta peel it, bulges and all, and then seed it. 

Then, once all the veggies have softened, the chef has to blend batches of the mixture until it is smooth. Now, this seems simple. But, when 100% of the soup is in the pot, and 60% is blended, and 40% is still chunky...... finding the chunky parts to blend ain't. easy. 

FINALLY, at this point in the cooking process, your chef will have to reheat the now fully blended butternut squash soup so that it is the perfect temperature when their loved ones eat it. So he or she will heat the soup on the stove, adjusting seasoning if need be ----- until the asshole butternut squash will refuse to die a culinary death and instead "SPIT" at the poor chef as it starts to boil. 

Now, one might say, why not reheat the soup in the microwave at this point to save some time and aggravation? 

NO. Just. NO. After this poor, downtrodden chef has spent HOURS sawing through squash and no-doubt dealing with blender difficulties, there is NO DAMN WAY that he or she will do something as sacrilegious as putting the soup in the microwave. 

So, long story short, having someone make you butternut squash from scratch (and I mean, cutting up the vegetable and not cheating and using that pre-cut nonsense) is truly the culinary equivalent of someone buying you diamonds, a car, or a yacht and needs to be appreciated. 

The end.

P.S. Mom: You are a butternut squash soup making warrior. I have succumbed to defeat, but your recipe is amazing. I will simply wait til you make it from now on.

Recipe: Spaghetti Caprese

This is a great solo week night dinner that's under 500 calories!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. spaghetti
• 1 large diced heirloom tomato (seeds removed)
• 2 TBS fresh basil (chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 oz mozzarella, part skim (finely diced)
• 1/2 cup cannelloni beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 1/2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• fresh parsley (to taste)

To Make:

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
2. Toss cooked spaghetti with tomato, sliced basil, garlic, olive oil, and mozzarella. The goal is to get the mozzarella to soften just a bit.
3. Finish dish with cannelloni beans, drizzled with white balsamic vinegar and spring of fresh parsley (or more basil, if you prefer).

Servings: 1

Per Serving: 440 calories, 70 g carbs, 11 g fat, 23 g protein, 14 g fiber, 11 WW pts

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Goat Cheese Pasta with Green Peppers and Mushrooms

This was one of those "on the fly" recipes which turned out surprisingly good. For those who aren't tomato fans, I'll let you in on a secret: I'm actually not a fan of them, either. However, I've found that if I buy cherry or grape tomatoes and quarter them, they cook down and become more of a sauce than actually pieces of tomato.  When the goat cheese mixes in, the resulting sauce is reminiscent in texture and color to a vodka sauce, but its much lighter and has a delightful "tangy" flavor that's absolutely addictive.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz dry pasta
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and quartered
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced into thin strips (or color of your preference)
• 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 oz creamy goat cheese (I'm using Vermont Creamery)
• salt/pepper/garlic powder -- to taste

To Make:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Spray a pan with non-stick spray, and saute pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes until tender. The tomatoes should break down. Season with salt/pepper/garlic.
3. Add pasta to pan with sauteed vegetables. Add goat cheese and mix to fully incorporate. 
4. Remove from heat and serve.

Servings: 1

Per Serving: 333 Calories, 60 g carbs, 6 g fat, 15 g protein, 9 g fiber; 9 WW Pts

Recipe: Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower "Wings"

Saturday night is when I have my cheat meal. Actually, Saturday night is when I pay homage to one of the world's most perfect foods: Buffalo Wings.Needless to say, buffalo wings are some of my favorite foods. Under duress, I may admit to dreaming about them occasionally. Unfortunately, they aren't exactly the healthiest things out there. In fact, with each individual wing clocking in at 3 points, they may be closer to the "unhealthy" end of the spectrum than a lot of other foods -- especially the amount I'd ideally like to be eating!

The good news is, I found a substitution which will allow me to get that crispy buffalo kick I love.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• Dash of hot sauce
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch salt substitute

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Mix flour, water, salt, and dash of hot sauce into a small bowl.
3. Chop cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Dip pieces into batter until coated evenly, then place on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until batter has hardened.
5. Once cauliflower has completed baking, brush pieces with your favorite hot sauce and continue to bake for a few more minutes, until cauliflower is crispy.
6. Remove from oven and enjoy!!

Serves: 4

Each Serving: 104 calories, 23 g carbs, 1 g fat, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 3 WW Pts

I Dreamed a Dream.... of Chopped?!

A few nights ago, I had a dream I was a contestant on Chopped. I honestly don't remember what ingredients were in my appetizer and entree baskets, but my dessert needed to include:

• Chocolate
• Mango
• Orange
• Celery

Honestly, if I'd been given these ingredients in real life and told to create in 30 minutes, I don't know what I would do. But in the dream, I decided to make "Dessert Nachos".

First, I went to the pantry for flour tortillas, which I cut up, salted, and threw in the oven to crisp up into chips. Then I chopped up the chocolate and put it on a double boiler to melt. Finally, I chopped up the mango, orange, and celery and marinaded them with fresh mint, tequila, and a bit of rum -- so that the end result was a salsa of sorts. Finally, I took my tortilla chips out of the oven, and drizzled my melted chocolate over the chips. 

Before everyone gets too excited, I woke up before I finished the dream -- so I don't even know if my plates were done by the time the buzzer sounded. I like to think I won, though.

To be honest, I almost want to try to make my dish in real life, just to see how it would've tasted. Hmmmm could make a great Manfriend Taste Test video.....

Jenny Craig: Does it Work?

Some people find that they have an easier time losing weight if they join a formal program, rather than go at it on their own. I cannot say enough positive things about MyFitnessPal and Weight Watchers, but I also wanted to provide you with information on other diets that are available.

For those unfamiliar with the Jenny Craig Program, the basis of the program combines dieting with counseling. 

According to the Jenny Craig Wikipedia:

Jenny Craig offers weight loss programs tailored to women, men, people with diabetes and seniors. Clients are provided with individual, private counseling sessions with program consultants.  Initially, clients are given a planned menu to follow, utilizing the company's line of frozen and dry foods, along with grocery items like dairy and vegetables. Clients later are able to customize their own menus using the same range of foods. The goal of the program is that once clients reach their desired weight levels, they no longer need to rely on the program's prepackaged food, planned menus, or consultations to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

My dear friend Serena, who is currently having great success on Jenny Craig, has agreed to be interviewed.

Steph: Hi Serena, thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. How long have you been on Jenny Craig?

Serena: Hi Steph, I've been on Jenny for approximately 5 months.

Steph: What do you believe are the strengths and weaknesses of the Jenny Craig program?

Serena: Strengths I would say are that Jenny's plan definitely helps you get your calories in check and teaches you portion control.  It is so simple to follow, you have to legitimately TRY to fail.  Meal plans can be picked for you, or you can choose them yourself.  You're told what to have supplement wise and there's even a guide for "a yogurt is equivalent to a milk"  "one hotdog counts as 2 meats".  

Weaknesses, I'd say for me, were that after a while i got bored with the food.  HOWEVER, I don't like cheese, so this cut out a TON of options for me.  In addition, because the plans are so simple to follow, it becomes mindless.  Which can be great because it's so simple, but then when you need to choose your own food off the Jenny meals, you have to start paying closer attention to how many proteins, sugars, carbs, sodium etc.
 

Steph: Is exercise incorporated into the Jenny Craig program?

Serena: It is definitely encouraged!  I was losing weight before I was exercising while on Jenny, but hit a plateau.  Once I incorporated exercise as per the suggestion of my consultant, the weight started to come off again. Jenny also has videos and other exercise supplies to help give you options.

Steph: Is the food good? Do you exclusively eat the Jenny food, or do you supplement it with your own cooking? How do you think that has hindered or helped you in the short and long term?

Serena:  The food is good, but like i said before, I don't like cheese, so that hinders a lot of what I get.  Overall, i enjoy most of the options I have and I just avoid the ones I dislike.  Also, I became bored quickly, so I began supplementing -- At first, I made unhealthy choices, which led to another plateau.  Now, I cook my meals at home and use some of the recommended recipes on Jenny or other weight loss sites. Skinnykitchen.com is probably my favorite.

Steph: How important do you believe it is to have that consultant acting as a cheerleader for your weight loss?

Serena: Jenny has you meet with a private consultant once a week.  It's nice because they ask you how your previous week went, weigh you, see what you have planned for the week upcoming, and help you devise a routine that can help you continue success.  I personally like the one-on-one time because I can focus on myself and what I need to do all while getting another person's opinion.  And if you don't mesh well with your consultant, Jenny let's you switch anytime until you find the right match, that's really important too because if you don't like your support system, well then how is it going to support you?

My consultant specifically seems excited to hear when I'm doing well in life in general, not just with weight loss success. That kind of all-around encouragement helps push me to strive more because its someone who isn't a part of your everyday life, but they are still in your corner. 

Steph: How much weight have you lost on Jenny Craig since you started?

Serena: I've lost about 25 on Jenny.  I had 2 plateaus but overall I am happy with the results.

Steph: Can you describe your diet history?

Serena:  I have been trying to lose weight since high school and have tried quite a few things.  Fad diets i would either not stick to or gain the weight right back.  I tried Weight Watchers but it was difficult for me to follow--I also don't think I was READY to lose weight.  I got to a point where I came close to 200lbs, and at that point I was like "ummmm, no. I need to change this RIGHT NOW".  Once I made that choice for myself, i made some small changes, lost about 10 lbs, and then chose Jenny.

Steph: Have any dieting/fitness advice for my readers?

Serena: If you want to lose weight or get healthy or into shape, it has to be completely your decision.  You need to want it bad enough.  I also recommend putting up photos of what you don't want to look like (a picture of some really obese or unhealthy person) and then some photos of what you do want to look like--I have photos of Allison Sweeney up because although shes fit, she struggles to this day and she's still a little curvy   To me, that's inspiring and inspiration is motivating.  You know what is good and bad food wise, it's just will power.  

Also, learn to cook!  Jenny, Nutrisystem, and even WeightWatchers (Smart Ones) offer meals for you, but those are quick/easy solutions.  In the end, some of them can be high in sodium or lacking on other nutrients so they aren't reliable weight loss tools.  Learning to cook not only keeps you a little active, but allows you to experiment with your own flavors and have leftovers if the dish came out well!

Steph: Any last thoughts?

Serena: In regards to pricing, Jenny sometimes does deals. When it is not a deal, the program costs $30/month plus the cost of food.  Sample deals have been $20 for 20lbs plus the cost of food (then in fine print it says or 10weeks..so 20lbs or 10 weeks -- whichever comes first).  There are also longer term or more expensive programs but there are incentives with these.  For example, pay $349 for a year (plus the cost of food) then get half back when after a year of hitting your goal you are still within 5lbs. Another program features a special arm band that calculates your sleep, exercise, EVERYTHING.  This is more expensive, but can be helpful if you need/want the extra information about when your body is burning the most and least.

Here's Serena -- before and after:

Serena plans to continue her weight loss and healthy lifestyle. 

Carpet Alarm Clock

I was surfing Pinterest today for post ideas and came across a carpet alarm clock -- that is, an alarm clock embedded into a smart carpet, which you have to stand up on to turn off the alarm's beeping.

Seems effective. I mean, there's nothing stopping you from crawling back into bed once the alarm is off, but I guess at that point you're up and awake.

But why stop there?!?! I'm now waiting to see an alarm clock that forces you to go through a mini-workout, squats, crunches, lunges, push ups, and jumping jacks. I imagine it would be more of a gag gift than anything, but you never know what kind of fitness resolution could start with this kind of product.

Turbo Roaster Cooks Poultry in Half the Time

Americans love their poultry -- They consume more than 8 billion chickens every year.  And, this Thanksgiving, according to a National Turkey Federation survey, they will gobble down about 45 million roasted turkeys.

A conventional oven cooks turkey from the outside, which tends to dry out the meat. Enter the TurboRoaster, with its vapor-infusion system, which cooks poultry from the inside, guaranteeing juicy and tender meat. The TurboRoaster takes the guesswork out of cooking and  produces a perfect 6-pound chicken in just 45 minutes, or a 25-pound turkey in just 2 hours and 15 minutes, every time.  Just add water to the glass container, insert the attached tube into the chicken or turkey, and roast.  The patented vapor-infusion system does all the work in half the time, giving you more time to spend with your family this holiday season.

TurboRoaster is available in stores nationwide, including Bed Bath and Beyond, Walmart, Target, CVS Pharmacy, and retails for just $19.99.  

Kickboxing Party

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You've heard of Tupperware parties, and you may have gone to a Lia Sophia party, but tomorrow, yours truly is going to a KICKBOXING PARTY!

My coworker is hosting a workout class -- in her apartment, as taught by a friend of hers who is a personal trainer! We'll be getting a great workout while learning kickboxing techniques.

The average 150 pound woman can burn 714 calories in an hour of kickboxing -- given that a Big Mac has 550 -- that's quite a workout.

Also, statistics show people are more likely to keep up with an exercise regiment if they workout with a buddy.

So let's all help this trend catch on -- if you have the space, think about hosting a healthy fitness party. You need not hire a personal trainer, laughing along at your friends' attempts to follow Jillian Michaels or one of the Insanity workouts will still be good for your body, and your friendships!

Have a great weekend!

The Great Halloween Candy Debate

Happy Halloween Foodies!

I'll be honest, I've never been big into Halloween. When I was a little girl, it was a time for class parties and candy, but as I got older, there was always this burden of finding a clever costume. Truth be told, the best part of Halloween in my adult life?

FOOD NETWORK HALLOWEEN SPECIALS!

(Regular readers of this blog should not be surprised)

Anyway, I bring Halloween up in this post, because I've noticed a fair bit of controversy in regards to the candy aspect of the holiday, and I'm very curious to hear people's thoughts.


First, Self Magazine posted an article entitled, "Halloween Candy: Is It Worth It?" earlier this month. The article states that before you reach for candy, you should be aware of how hard you'll have to work to burn off the following:

• 8 Starbursts = 160 calories (50 minutes of Pilates)
• 3 miniature York Peppermint Patties = 150 calories (17 minutes biking at a moderate pace)
• 19 pieces of Candy Corn = 140 calories (19 minutes playing tennis)
• 2 Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins = 350 calories (33 minutes running at a 6 mph pace)
• 1 caramel apple = 250-350 calories (40 minutes moderate effort on standard rowing machine)
• 3 Hershey's Milk Chocolate Snack Size Bars = 190 calories (1 hour of moderate weight lifting)
• 1 roll Smarties = 25 calories (6 minutes treading water)
• 2 fun size Snickers = 160 calories (22 minutes vigorous Vinyasa Yoga)
• 1 package Skittles (61g) = 250 calories (27 minutes of aerobic workout with 6-inch step)

Granted, the target audience of this article is specifically not the general public. That is, the majority of Self Magazine's readers are either trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, or trying to reach a healthy weight or take steps toward living a healthy lifestyle. However, does the article go too far? 

Second, a woman the media is dubbing, the "Halloween Grinch". Check out the video below:

Is this woman also going too far? Should children be allowed to enjoy the innocence and candy of Halloween, or does it embody and breed the culture of gluttony and obesity? Lay those thoughts on me!

Third, Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney appeared on Ellen DeGeneres' Halloween episode to discuss how she deals with her children's Halloween candy.

I will say this about the "Switch Witch" and I invite people to agree or disagree with me. I very much disagree with labeling foods as "bad" or "good" and I believe that Alison's approach causes her children to believe that candy is "bad". I think that certain foods are healthier than others, but I don't think anyone should start believing that any food (in moderation) is completely off limits. Feel free to post your comments below


In closing, with my resolve to live a healthy and fitness-filled lifestyle, I tend to be lukewarm about candy. I don't deny myself candy, but I also know that I'd MUCH rather have a nice pasta dinner than a few candy bars. Or, if I do want a sweet, I'd much rather have one of the gourmet bon-bons that the Manfriend and I picked up from a chocolate class we took at 2 Chicks With Chocolate yesterday.

That being said, I'm not condemning anyone who IS enjoying the fruits of Halloween. Frankly, It's one night of the year so Snickers on, good friends.

Recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Soup

One thing I love about being on Weight Watchers -- the recipes!!! This one my meeting leader shared on her Facebook, and I'm sharing it with all of you!

Fall is pumpkin season, but before you reach for a pumpkin spiced latte (5 WW Points for a tall!) -- try this soup to warm you up.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS canola oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp salt [or salt substitute]
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups reduced sodium, fat free broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated fat free milk
• 6 TBS plain fat free Greek yogurt

To Make:

1. In a large pot, heat oil. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the rest of the spices, salt and pepper.
2. Whisk in broth and pumpkin. Bring to just a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk and simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. For thinner texture, add more broth. 
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with yogurt.

Servings: 6

Each Serving: 104 calories, 14 g carbs, 3 g fat, 7 g protein, 3 g fiber, 3 WW Points Plus