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Our Garden: Last-of-the-Season-Tomatoes Meal

Nov 2nd, 2011 by

This year we made our first real attempt at a garden.  It was extremely rewarding and fun, but the last couple of months the crop didn’t looked so great.  We were spoiled by the initial months of no bugs!

I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with the last crop of my tomatoes since they weren’t the prettiest things in the world.  I  had some bigger ones left and a few dozen little juliets left.  I happen to catch Rachael Ray today and she inspired me to roast them.  I put all the little ones on a baking sheet along with a few of my bigger brandywine tomatoes (left) and 3 cloves of garlic with their “jackets” left on.  I sprinkled them with olive oil and roasted it all for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

The smell began permeating the house almost immediately-YUM!  I am a sucker for anything with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper on it!

In a pot I boiled a pound of whole wheat penne and saved about a cup of the pasta water, which I put in a pasta bowl.  After the tomatoes and garlic were finished, I took the paper off the garlic and mashed them in the starchy water.  Then I added all the beautiful carmelized tomatoes and all the leftover juice.  I mashed that all up with the garlic and water.  Then I added some basil from my garden and poured that in with the noodles.  I added a little more olive oil and then some parmesan cheese.  So simple and so tasty.  It felt good to use some not-so-perfect things from my garden to make a healthy meal for the kiddos.

I’d love to be inspired by your meal suggestions.  Anything healthy you are making lately?

 

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Lafayette Location is looking good!

Nov 2nd, 2011 by

The new location is coming up fast!  They are scheduled to open January 2, 2012.

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The Simple Things: A Shoebox

Oct 31st, 2011 by

It’s Halloween, but I’m thinking about Christmas.

Christmas morning at our house always starts with stockings.  Then the traditional Christmas breakfast of funny face chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, and whatever else was on the breakfast wish list.  Then it ends with opening the gifts under the tree.  We are not extravagant at Christmas, but our kids certainly get enough.  It’s one of my favorite times of the year.   Being together, laughter, a warm fire.

But  I know that not every child has that on Christmas morning.  One of the things that I have done with my kids is the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  We usually fill  two shoeboxes, one for a boy and one for a girl, with all kinds of goodies from pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, and toothpaste to stuffed animals, puzzles, and Hot Wheels cars.  It doesn’t seem like much, but it brings so much joy to millions of children (around 8.2 million last year alone!).

This weekend I read a book by Katie Davis called Kisses from Katie.  She is only 22 and has been doing mission work in Uganda since 2007 and is in the process of adopting 13 young girls.  Her story and the stories of those she meets are quite amazing and heartbreaking.  One of her missions is to sponsor children so that they get an education.  Most parents cannot afford to send their children to school, and some children are left parentless, caring for younger siblings.  She said they only need a pencil, a pen, and a notebook, but many children cannot even afford that.  It made me think twice about the things I take for granted and the many ways that I could (and should) help.  It made me think of the shoeboxes and the pencils, pens, erasers, etc. that we stuff in them.

Paper, crayons, erasers, a stuffed animal, and a bouncy ball.  Such simple, everyday things to my kiddos (and to me).   But I am hoping that those simple things will bring sweet smiles to a couple children around the globe and even help them in some small (or even big) way.

If you want more information about the shoeboxes, visit their website:  www.samaritanspurse.org.

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Guest Post (Part 2): Something is Better than Nothing

Oct 24th, 2011 by

by Kim Wood of Keeping These Things

I have a confession to make (which will come as no surprise to my fellow boot campers):  I am not the best “boot camper.”  My last blog post may have conveyed that I go to boot camp on a daily basis.  I don’t.  It’s a good week if I make it to Boot Camp three times.  It’s a normal week if I go twice.  And not uncommon to have an occasional week where I only go once or miss it all together.

I use to feel guilty about that…until I stumbled upon this quote:

“Remember, with exercise a little goes a long way and something is better than nothing.”  (Mary Byers)

I have no idea who Mary Byers is, but her quote is in a daily calendar I have called “Motherhood:  One Day at a Time…Daily Inspiration for Moms.”  And because of her words of encouragement, I feel forever indebted to her.  Her reminder is the essence of what keeps me committed to boot camp, and to exercise in general.

Before I joined Fit Body Boot Camp, I was an “all or nothing” exerciser.  I would go for weeks or even months, exercising on a regular basis (typically the summer months).  Then, life would get busy (and mornings, my ideal exercise time, would get darker and colder) and exercising would fall to the wayside.  During my dry spells, I would occasionally think, “I have time to work out today” but would choose not to, because it had been so long and I knew it might be a while before I’d work out again.  What was the point?  One sporadic day of exercise seemed futile and worthless.

Finally, last winter, I knew things had to change.  I was feeling yucky, out of shape, and unhappy with myself and my inability to stay committed to consistent exercise.  Hoping that a group setting would help my consistency and sense of commitment, I joined Fit Body Boot Camp.

And, it has helped.  Yes, I still occasionally fall off the bandwagon, but for not nearly as long as I use to.  At most, I miss a week or two at a time.  Even when I slide in my attendance, I still consider myself a part of the class, and find myself eager to jump back in when I can.

“Something is better than nothing” I remind myself when I contemplate getting up for boot camp when I haven’t gone for a while.  And how true that is.  Often it’s that one decision that gets me back on track.  And even if it is the only day of exercise that week, that one day (something) is better than nothing!

And with that mentality, coupled with my long-haul commitment to boot camp, I have now had nearly a full year of consistent exercise.  That’s way better than nothing!

Kim Wood graciously took time out of her schedule as a wife and mom of 3 and wrote two guest posts for Fit4Miracles.   She has her own blog Keeping These Things, in which she shares her lessons and insights about life and motherhood.  Stop by and see her!

Posted in Guest Posts | 4 Comments »

It’s Fall: Am I going to fail?

Oct 20th, 2011 by

Well, it seems that fall is here.  The warm weather this month made me almost think that the cold wouldn’t come.  Wishful thinking.  But the many signs of fall are upon us:  pumpkins dotting doorways, Halloween candy hidden on the top shelf, leaves evolving into reds, golds, yellows, and hot pinks, blankets out of storage and wrapped around shoulders and cold feet, and a constant itch to make hot chocolate.   This is my favorite season.

But this year I enter it with a little bit of anxiousness.  I haven’t been through a holiday season yet while on this journey to better health.  I’m not sure how I am going to fare.  I thought maybe this year would be different but I am already feeling the urge to get out the mixing bowls, put on my apron, and bake something!  Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread pudding-something!!  I find myself watching Martha Stewart everyday and thinking of how nice it would be to roast an organic chicken and put on a hearty soup.  Oh, my!  How am I ever going to get through this?!

I am hoping to fight the urge to plump myself up and hibernate under the Christmas tree.  First, I plan on continuing my exercise routine.  I try to exercise 5 times a week so I hope to continue that.  Second, I hope to keep eating right but add in holiday treats in moderation.  I love to bake and cook during these next few months so I know I need to share the wealth and hand out goodies to friends and neighbors (and maybe let someone else lick the bowl!).  Last, I am going to focus on things that don’t involve food.  My kids like to do crafts, rake leaves, hike, and help with decorations.  I want to remember that the food is not the celebration but it’s the time with family and traditions that we create that matter.

So while the bags of Halloween treats, candied apples, and Martha’s perfect pies are doing their best to tempt my inner grizzly bear, I hope to remain committed to my health and my continuing journey.  It’s totally worth it.

 

 

 

 

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The Middle of the Journey: Setting (and re-setting) goals

Oct 17th, 2011 by

At the start of this blog a few months ago, I shared with you my Aha Moment and my Plan of Action.  I was on a mission to change my health and fitness, and on January 4, 2011, things began to change.  Now when I look back I can’t believe how fast the time has gone!   I shared the beginning of my journey so I wanted to share a little more from the “middle.”

Something that has helped my journey tremendously is setting goals.  First, I set long-range goals:  I wanted to take a year to lose weight and then I wanted to take the second year to get stronger.  So immediately I knew I was on a 2-year plan.  No quick fixes.  Next, I decided on some short term goals.  I wanted to lose 1-2 lbs. per week, and I wanted to celebrate each 5 lb. mark.  Honestly, at first I wasn’t convinced that I would lose anything, but as I began shedding a pound or two a week, it was extremely helpful to meet small goals and feel that I had accomplished something.   So I set goals in 5 lb. increments and then wrote goal dates in my calendar.  I weighed myself every Saturday morning and recorded my weight.  Little by little the one or two pounds per week added up, and I began meeting my larger goals.

A really good acronym to remember when setting goals was shared on Dr. Oz this week (I’m not sure who created it originally):

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

A good goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.  You don’t want to set unrealistic expectations for yourself and feel like a failure.  For example, I have realized as the year is coming closer to an end that my long-range weight-loss goal was probably too high, so I have had to adjust it accordingly.   I have had to have some grace for myself as my body plateaus and my motivation goes up and down.

Although there have been times when I have needed to give myself grace, I have also seen the confidence that meeting some of my goals has created.  It has definitely translated into other things in my life like boxing, box jumping, lifting more, trying new exercises, working with trainers, getting on airplanes(!), etc.  It’s created in me an even bigger goal of wanting to be fit for a lifetime not just these 2 years, and I’m sure I’ll be setting and re-setting goals in that time.   This girl does not want to grow old gracefully.  I’d rather do it with some boxing gloves on!

 

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San Diego: Seals, Sunshine, and Sluggers

Oct 12th, 2011 by

In my recent post I shared a little bit about my trip to San Diego.  I really don’t like to fly but decided it was well worth it to get on a plane and have some time with my husband.   The trip started out kind of rocky when we first got there.  It was very late our time and we were exhausted from traveling most of the day.  When we got into our hotel, it was a dump.  I am not that picky but this place hadn’t been remodeled since the 60’s and was just terrible.  Thankfully, we called down right away and were refunded our money (just goes to show you that internet pictures don’t always show the true picture).  We headed down the coast a few blocks and found another place that was fine and cheaper, so problem solved.

The next morning we were able to get up early because of the time change and get a walk in before Dan’s meetings started.  I have never been to Southern California so it was really fun to see the ocean (so much different from the Florida beaches I was used to).  My favorite part was seeing the seals and sea lions (much like George Costanza I wish to be a marine biologist in another life).  The harbor seals were all lined up on the beach having a morning lounge session, and then down the beach a little bit were a dozen sea lions, a few “bullies” barking at everyone else.  Pretty amazing.  That night we got to see Dan’s beloved Cubs play the Padres.  Not a great night for the Cubbies, but Dan and I have only been to one MLB game together ever so it was fun.  Great stadium and community atmosphere.

During the day Dan was gone to meetings so I spent probably too much time in front of the tv (there’s that fear thing again-don’t like to do things by myself).  But I did manange to walk on the beach a few times, go to the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, and watch the seals.  We were able to have our meals together and found some really great, affordable places to eat.  We went to a great little storefront place called Don Carlos Taco Shop-so authentic and sooo good!  Also, found a quaint place called The Cottage, and I had my first ever Fish Tacos!!  So fresh and so good!  Ok, maybe I didn’t watch the calories as much as I usually do, but sometimes it’s good to take a break and enjoy!

On the last morning before our flight we drove to Torrey Pines State Park and hiked the trails there.  The ocean view was breath-taking and the hike was sweat-inducing.  Not so great before a plane ride, but it was great to get out, exercise,  and be in nature one more time before we left.

So am I glad I had the courage to get out of my comfort zone and get out of town?  Yep!  I think it will be easier next time when the opportunity arises (for me, but maybe not so much for my parents who stayed with the kids!).

 

 

 

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New Challenges: Still Working on Courage

Oct 5th, 2011 by

Many of you travel a lot, I know.  You fly on airplanes, rent cars, go to new places, and it doesn’t bother you.  No big deal.  Well, I wish it were the same for me (this funeral director’s daughter has lots of crazy fears).  My husband travels a few times a year to conferences and meetings, and many times he asks me to go with him.  It’s usually the same response:

“I don’t want to leave the kids.”

“Who would take care of the kids?”

“There is so much to do here.”

“I don’t want to just sit in the hotel while you go to meetings.”

“It’d just be easier to stay here.”

While all of these are legitimate comments, I know (and so does my husband) that it means “I don’t want to fly.”

A couple of months ago the question came up again; Dan was going to a meeting in San Diego and wanted me to come along.  My initial response was all of the above.  Then I started thinking about it.  I remembered all the things I had been writing about in the blog and the words that had come to my head at the beginning of the year:  Confidence, Courage, and Change.  Oh, how several months can make those fade away!  Now I felt Convicted!  Would I ever really change if I didn’t face the things I was afraid of?

So I decided to go and secretly arranged for my parents to stay with our 5 kiddos.  On our anniversary, I surprised Dan with the news.  He was pretty shocked (and happy!).  I don’t think he thought I would follow through, and honestly, I tried to back out at the last minute.  Thankfully, fear didn’t win out, and I ended up going.

We had a great time without any glitches.  The flights were crowded and long, but fine.  Each one got easier and easier.  Maybe I’m not going to be so scared next time.  Maybe it will be Dan’s turn to surprise me.  Maybe an anniversary trip to Paris?  I think I could dream up enough Courage for that. ; )

 

 

 

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Changes: My Own Words Used Against Me

Sep 26th, 2011 by

Well, I knew this blog was going to be challenging, but I don’t think I realized how much it could be used against me or make me accountable for what I say.

The other day I was on the stairclimber at Miracles Fitness, and one of the trainers came up to me and sort of dared me to work out with him that day.  When I replied, uh, no thank you not so much, my own words were used against me:

“But, Jen, I thought you were ready for the invitation.  Ready for the challenge . . .  You afraid of me?”

Are you kidding me?!!  What was I going to do then?  Back down from a challenge?  From my own words?  Well, I do lack courage sometimes, but I am competitive.  So after I was finished with the stairclimber, I walked up to the desk and said that I was ready, but he didn’t act as enthused.   Now it was my turn:

“What’s the matter, are you afraid of me?”  And we were off!

We started with walking lunges and ended with squats and stiff-legged dead lifts.  My squats are horrible so we continued working on all the details that I had learned in a previous impromptu 10-minute session, and we painstakingly, almost in slow motion, went through the dead lifts.  It was challenging, but I really appreciated learning how to do something right.

At the end of the session my words were used again; this time in a good way:

“I was reading in your blog Ten Great Things To Hear from a Trainer so, Jen, I am proud of you.”  With a high-five, we were done.  I’d accepted another challenge, learned a little more, and learned that the trainers reading my blog can be a little dangerous (but fun).

 

Posted in Changes, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Trying New Trainers: What YOU are Saying

Sep 19th, 2011 by

A Guest Post from Katie S.

It’s always great to get positive feedback so I wanted to share some with you.  My husband Dan forwarded me this e-mail from a client that had tried the training special offered for our two new trainers, Tyler and Lexi.  I wanted to share it with you because I felt that it kept with the spirit of this blog and would be encouraging.  Katie graciously allowed me to include it here:

I have been the member of many a gym.  I always read the email or flyer about new trainers.  The question in my head is always, “Would this trainer be someone that I could work with?  Would they push me?  Or push me too hard?”  I have worked with several  trainers, and it always feels like a blind date.  In my case, most have been akin to blind dates that have gone bad.  The few that I have signed up with have either talked about how much they can bench for most of the session or used terms for exercises that I have never heard and needed to google after the session.  Who has time for that?  I have been very reluctant to “train” with anyone.

BUT!  I got an email from Dr. Dan saying that they had hired two new trainers.  I read through their credentials and was impressed.  WOW.  But as I looked at the names of both trainers, I wondered, “Which would be the better match for me?”  So I shot Dr. Dan and email and asked if I can work out with both, provided I wrote about my findings afterwards.  He agreed and told me they are both     great, and I would get a ton out of each session.  (Yep, that’s what they all say.)

So, I got myself ready to embark on this secret shopping of personal trainers.  Some background…..I just had my 3rd baby a year ago but have been running and working regularly and am in the best shape of my life.  My abs are a bit “lazy” but I  feel strong.  I went into this endeavor confident that I could do anything these two could throw at me.  I might get a bit sore, but I knew I’d impress them with how advanced I am.

I will not go into all the gory details of each session.  Let’s just say they both took me down a few notches.   My  pride and my abs are both sore!   In all seriousness, both Lexi and Tyler were wonderful!   They both challenged and pushed me in different ways.   I did three sessions with each, and I can see results!  They definitely have very different personalities and techniques.   Tyler was great about helping me keep my form.  I appreciated how he would make sure I was doing the exercise with the right posture and  position.  I don’t think I have ever planked for that long in my life!  Lexi was a cheerleader and kept managing to get me do another rep, but she’d be cheering me on and encouraging me the whole way.  She seems to be queen of doing ‘one more set’!  They both listened to what I wanted to work on  and were very creative in coming up with new ways to work on those problem areas.

I thought I would be able to send Dan an email with a clear “winner” but …no way.  I have worked in the beauty industry since 1997 and I always tell clients to  have two people you alternate     between for services.  Especially hair!  That way you have two different perspectives and will not get  stuck in a rut.  My suggestion for a trainer?    BOTH.  Switch it up!  I really want to     encourage anyone that has never worked with a trainer or has had bad experiences to give these two a try!  I promise you will not be sorry.

 

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