Going HAM: An Update

Hola, peeps! Rest assured, I am still alive and didn't forget about this little blog of mine. The past few weeks have been kinda crazy with activities and a couple of projects I'm working on, but I'm hoping I'll be back to regular posting in a few weeks (at the latest). In the meantime, I wanted to stop by and give you a quick update on my HAM objectives. 

No sweets: This part is going really well. I haven't really been tempted -- I even baked a cake for my co-worker's birthday and didn't try it! I've had a few cravings, which I've been able to satisfy with a handful of dried fruit or a Greek yogurt, but for the most part this has been easy.

Keep a food log: This is going OK. I've been keeping up with the log, but the first two weeks I was allowing myself more splurges (pizza, nachos, etc.) than I'd like. Also, since I was consuming a lot more calories last month, I feel hungry A LOT. My body has to get used to eating normal portions again, and that's where I seem to be running into trouble. I eat my allotted healthy meals and snacks and then at 8:30 p.m., I'm hungry again, so I eat a PB&J or chips or whatever snacky thing I have available. Need to work on that this week, for sheez.

Get your workouts in: This has been kind of a struggle. I've been going to the gym five days a week, but the individual workouts have been rough. Like I want to go to bed immediately afterward. And then the next morning I'm so tired I can't imagine going back to the gym. I'm not sure if it's because I've had a low-level cold for the past few weeks, or I'm got out of my intense workout routine and so now they're more challenging, but I am getting my ass kicked on the regular. I'm trying to push through in hopes that it will get easier soon.

Overall, I feel like the plan is working. I'm down eight pounds from January 1 and I feel much better (not overstuffed and bloated like I was for basically all of December). My specific goals (in addition to those above) are as follows:

- Keep splurges to less than 10% (3-4 meals) per week

- Eat extra veggies/protein when you get hungry

- Take your vitamins

This week's workout schedule:

Monday - kickboxing

Tuesday - off

Wednesday - trainer workout

Thursday - sprint intervals

Friday - weights

Saturday - sprint intervals

Things I'm eating this week -- I make recipes on Sunday and eat the same thing every day for a week:

- Scrambled egg whites (and one whole egg) with sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and onions for breakfast

- Yellow Dal from The Happy Herbivore cookbook for lunch

- Salsa Chickpea Lettuce Wraps for dinner

That's all I got. :) Catch y'all on the flip side!

Going HAM

Side note: Shouldn't it be "going HAAM?" I guess Urban Dictionary is no stickler for accurate acronyms. Also, since I don't actually eat ham, maybe this would be more appropriate:

This year, I fell into the the old holiday "give up your workouts, eat a lot of crap, and pack on a few pounds" trap. This was the first year of falling off the bandwagon for me, because I was never ON the bandwagon in years prior. Not working out and eating whatever I wanted was just my lifestyle, holidays or not. Also, I was going through some shit in November, so I didn't really eat well or work out that month, either. I can't even fully blame the holidays.

As a result, I've lost strength and gained about 10 pounds. I was kinda planning on the reverse of that scenario happening, so I've had a wake-up call and realized I need to get my shit together before I gain another 10. So from now (really January 1, but I'm terrible at timely blog posts) until February 21, I'm going HAM. I'm going to give it my all to move toward fitness for these 52 days.

Why February 21? It just so happens to be my 30th birthday. And I would like to ring in the new decade of my life feeling my best. Also looking my best, because I'm headed to the beach for a week the day after said birthday. Lastly, I just want to. I finally have some motivation back, so I'm going to make hay while the sun shines and get more regimented while the desire to do so is there.

My rules for going HAM:

- No sweets. This means no cakes, cookies, froyo, candy, etc. I can still have fruit and even non-sweet splurges (e.g., a slice of pizza or French fries) on occasion, but I'm cutting out sweets altogether. It's often just easier for me to do all or nothing; I find if I allow myself treats sometimes it quickly becomes all the time.

- Keep a food log. My trainer designed a log I like, where I'm not logging specifically what I eat, just if the meal was compliant (there's a few criteria, but the focus is on veggies and lean proteins with limited carbs), with symbols for treats and after-workout meals. It's faster than keeping a full log and allows me to easily monitor how many splurges and workouts I've had.

- Get your workouts in. I try to work out five days a week (2-3 days each of cardio and lifting), so I definitely want to do that, but even on my rest days, I want to go for a walk outside or do a yoga DVD. Something that keeps me in the mobile mindset.

So, that's the plan. I decided to share it with y'all for accountability. If I'm the only one who knows the plan, it's a lot easier to stop following it. But if I let y'all in on it, I'll feel guilty if (or when; let's be real) I want to quit. I suppose you could call this my New Year's resolution, but it's not really anything I haven't done before, I'm just resolving to get back to business. Side note, part 2: Whenever I say "the plan" in any context, I think of that scene in 10 Things I Hate About You where she shows "the plan" to her soccer coach. Every. Single. Time. Probably cuz I watched that movie about once a week during most of my formative years.

Now that you've seen "the plan," tell me: Did you let your fitness slide over the holidays? And if so, are you dedicating (or re-dedicating) yourself to eating well and working out this month?

High Five for Friday

Yay, it's really Friday! With the midweek holiday, I thought Tuesday was Friday and Wednesday was Sunday, so I'm all turned around. Since I didn't do a High Five last week, I'm just going to cover the whole holiday period, since it's really all a blur anyway. Some of my favorite things from the last two weeks are:

1. Time with friends and family: I tried to unplug some over the holidays and really be present while hanging out with my loved ones. Thus, I have zero photos of my various Christmas/New Year activities. Not great for blogging purposes, but I think it was easier to be in the moment and enjoy the company that way.

2. Cards Against Humanity: This game is similar to Apples to Apples, except waaaaay raunchier. Which is right up my alley, so I love it. We played with my family on Christmas Day (playing with your parents is an interesting experience), then again with pals on New Year's Eve. Good times.

A sample Cards Against Humanity round. These were chosen at random,
so it gives you an idea of how bawdy it is. Obviously, it's not a game for children.

3. My new gym bag: I've been using a giant reusable grocery bag as a gym bag for a few years (yeah, I'm cheap - and it was so big grocery store clerks seemed afraid of it, so I had to find an alternative use), but my mom got me an actual gym bag for Christmas. It's so nice! It's lined, waterproof, and super cute. Plus, having pockets for my electronic stuff (heart rate monitor, headphones) and a little pouch for my toiletries really cuts down on time spent rooting around while getting ready. It's something I didn't think I needed but definitely appreciate.

Showing off my new bag with my best Price is Right model pose.
Just pretend my sweaty gym clothes are a sparkly cocktail dress.

4. Getting back in the gym: I've been kinda half-assing it in the workout department lately (skipping my lifting days, cutting workouts short, or just not going at all), but I finally have my resolve back. I lifted three days this week, and while it was pretty dang tough (turns out consistency is the key to progress, who knew?), it felt great. I'll share more about this on Monday.

5. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: I've been going to the movies like it's my job the past few weeks (all the big movies I've been waiting for are finally out!) and this was one of my favorites. I can be a snarky bitch sometimes, but at heart I want to be optimistic and take chances and embrace the good in life, and this movie totally appealed to that side of me. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm linking up with Jennie and Lauren; check out their blogs below. Happy 2014!

Looking back on 2013

Welp, we are officially at the end of the year. Since I only blogged for about a quarter of 2013, I thought I would complete a year-in-review questionnaire for posterity. Vital information follows, folks.

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before? 

Hmm. Off the top of my head: lifted weights, visited a Japanese (style) spa, and went to the driving range.

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 

I tend not to make resolutions, I find it's an arbitrary time to set goals for myself and I do better when I come up with them at other times.

3. Did anyone close to you die? 

No one super close. I've been very lucky in that respect (knocks wood).

4. What places did you visit? 

DC, Las Vegas, the Bay Area, Texas (Houston/Austin), Santa Fe, Gunnison, and Vegas again.

10,000 Waves spa outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Most relaxing vacation ever.

5. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? 
More resolve. I do well with starting toward goals/beginning projects, but I'm not great at finishing things.

6. What dates from 2013 will remain etched in your memory, and why?
April 8: Started my current job, the first one I've liked in a long time.

August 22: Celebrated five years of being married to T. Bob.
September 12: The day the Colorado floods started.

It's hard to believe it's already been five years!

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a job I actually wanted/enjoy! And getting healthier.

8. What was your biggest failure?
Probably not doing any work on the house. So many projects, so little time!

9: Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious. I probably had a cold at some point.


10. What was the best thing you bought?
My car. I really love it. It's reliable and gets amazing gas mileage.

My beloved Prius. Although this photo may indicate otherwise, it is not great for mountaineering.

11. Where did most of your money go?
Into buying a new car. Totally worth it.

12. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Probably "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Not for any special reason, but they were pretty ubiquitous this year, and it was on my gym mix so I heard it a lot (and it's my favorite song to climb stairs to).

13. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. happier or sadder? Happier, for sheez.
b. thinner or fatter? Thinner. Still working on that.
c. richer or poorer? About the same, I think.

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I had made more of an effort to be in the moment. I think I spent a lot of time documenting things (via Facebook, or taking photos, or blogging) and I needed to remember to be present a little more. It now seems counter-intuitive that I started a blog in the midst of that realization, but oh well.

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?
CANDY CRUSH. I wish I knew how to quit you. But I've cut down, at least.

16. How did you spend Christmas?
At my parents house with my immediate family. We relaxed and played a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity, so it was pretty awesome.

17. What was your favorite TV program?
BREAKING BAD. Holy crap, that show was incredible. I also really like New Girl, The Mindy Project, HIMYM, and Homeland (even though it had a sluggish start this year).

18. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate at this time last year?
I really don't. I'm working on not hating people.

19. What was the best book you read?
"I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales From a Happy Life Without Kids" by Jen Kirkman. Novel-wise, probably "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn.
20. What music did you get excited about?
Anything I can work out to. Also became a big fan of Bruno Mars this year. And Pentatonix is awesome.

21. What was your favorite film of this year?
Don Jon. LOVED IT.

22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29 on February 21. I went to DC the weekend before to visit my friend Jena, which was really fun (and freezing!). I think on the actual day, I went out for Indian food with my family. Then we spent the night in Denver and I got the best massage ever.

Me in Washington, DC, in February.

23. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?
Less commuting. I work about 35 miles from my house, and all the time wasted sitting in traffic gets to me sometimes.

24. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
I don't think I put enough thought into it to call it a concept. I guess I like to look put together yet still casual. I'm working on accessorizing.

25. What kept you sane?
Gym time, and T. Bob.

26. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Probably Matt Damon. Or Bradley Cooper. I have kind of a thing for gingers, so maybe Damian Lewis or Louis CK. Apparently I like men in the their 40s, although that is not at all true in real life.

27. What political issue stirred you the most?
Reproductive rights are always big for me, and gay marriage/civil unions. The idiocy behind the shutdown really riled me up, too.

28. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
I've been working on this for a while, but learning to be content. I feel like I'm always striving to do/be more, and while it's good to have ambition, I don't have to be superwoman. I heard this mantra on a podcast and it's really stuck with me: "I do enough. I have enough. I am enough."

29. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 
"But just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die. You've gotta get up and try." From Pink's "Try." I found this applicable on both metaphorical and literal levels this year.

I think we'll end there. I hope you all have a great time tonight; I'm going to a friend's house to make pizza and watch movies, which is basically my ideal evening, so I'm pretty pumped. Happy New Year!

Top 10 Movies of 2013

A snapshot of movies I've seen recently from my virtual ticket stub book. Tis the season to go to the theater!

Happy week after Christmas, y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I had lots of fun with friends and family and got some great gifts, so no complaints here. :) I wanted to do a few year-in-review style posts for the blog, but time got away from me, so I cut a few down to one: my favorite movies of 2013.

We go to the movies a lot – I saw 48 just at AMC theaters this year (this post is in no way sponsored by AMC, but I'm in their Stubs club so it keeps track online. And the AMC by my house has reserved, recliner seating, so it's the best theater ever and we go there all the time). So I have a pretty large pool to choose from. That being said, my choices are completely subjective (obviously) and based totally on my feelings about the film. Without further ado, I present my top 10 movies of 2013:

10. Promised Land - As I tweeted before watching this, "only Matt Damon could get me to watch a movie about fracking." But I'm glad he did, because it was really interesting – Damon's character, who worked for the oil company but earnestly wanted to help the landowners, presents an argument I hadn't really thought about before. And even though I'm sure it was fictionalized (and therefore maybe not that accurate), I actually learned a few things about fracking that helped me form my own opinion.

9. About Time - This movie really surprised me. I went to see it out of convenience (we wanted to go to the movies and it was playing at the right time) and was shocked by how much I liked it. I guess I should've known, as it was directed by Richard Curtis, who made one of my favorite movies of all time, but I didn't see it coming. It was just so dang charming. And even though it had a fantasy element, I found it more grounded than a lot of romantic comedies.

8. The Impossible - This was one of those movies that isn't really enjoyable to watch, but it's so powerful that it sticks with you. It follows a family vacationing in Thailand when the 2004 tsunami hits. It was based on a true story, which really added to the emotional punch for me.

7. Saving Mr. Banks - Mary Poppins was one of my favorite movies growing up, but I had no idea what the story behind it was. The blend of P.L. Travers' backstory and unwillingness to loosen her grip on her beloved characters and Walt Disney's magical worldview was really fascinating. Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks were perfection, as per usual. And Paul Giamatti was great as Travers' driver (and first American friend!).

6. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - I really enjoyed the Hunger Games novels, and while movies generally don't live up to the books they're based on, I thought this one was pretty great nonetheless. I think they adapted the story as well as they could have, and the movie was riveting: great performances, great costumes, and great special effects. I would never have guessed it was more than two hours long, because it went by in a flash. I'm ready for the next installment!

5. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - I've been dying to see this movie since the trailer came out months ago, and it did not disappoint. A great story about what it means to live life and be adventurous. I thought Kristen Wiig showed some range in a more dramatic role, and Ben Stiller (who also directed) has come a long way since Zoolander. I haven't seen the older movie version nor read the book, but I'm curious about them now.

4. Before Midnight - the third "Before" film (after Before Sunrise and Before Sunset), it picks up nine years after the second film, with the central couple now married parents of twins. I enjoyed the movie's discussion of long-term love, commitment, and how relationships ebb and flow. Also, the movie was filmed in Greece and everything looks Mediterranean and lovely.

3. Liberal Arts - the only movie on the list I didn't see in the theater, but I loved it so much I had to include it anyway (it came out in 2012, but since I watched it in 2013, it makes the list). The movie was written and directed by its star, Josh Radnor (of How I Met Your Mother fame). In a way, it's a coming-of-age story, even though the main character is 35. And it features a relationship that blossoms via letter, which I think is really romantic and adorable. Lastly, Zac Efron has a small part and totally kills it, destroying my idea that he was just a pretty face.

2. The Way, Way Back - I'm a little obsessed with bildungsroman/coming-of-age stories, and this is a great one. A 14-year-old boy spends the summer on the shore with his mom, her boyfriend, and several colorful neighbors. Steve Carell plays against type as the mom's douchey boyfriend, and Sam Rockwell is outstanding as a slacker water park employee. It was heartwarming without being predictable or trite.

1. Don Jon - Far and away, my favorite movie of the year. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt (or JGL, as I like to call him), and he wrote, directed, and stars in this film. I thought it offered a new perspective on love and sex and the way our expectations around each are formed. It was really refreshing, while still coming off as funny and sweet. Also, JGL might be the most charming man alive.

And there you have it. Now that I'm done, I've realized how hard it is to put into words why I like something. Good thing my dream job of movie critic hasn't panned out. What are some of your favorite movies from this year?

Gingerbread Two Ways

Plate of treats I made last year - including my beloved gingerbread, bottom right.

I've been known to make copious treats for the holidays. In years past, I've taken a vacation day in the week before Christmas and spent several hours in the kitchen, concocting 4-5 types of cookies and candy. This year, I decided to scale back a bit. I'm trying to lose weight, so I really don't need dozens of cookies around. And I just don't have the time or inclination to bake that much this year. Thus, I decided I would make only my very favorite cookies this year: gingerbread.

I came upon this recipe after going vegan in 2008. Some recipes can be "veganized" by subbing vegan margarine for butter, etc., but that can be hit-or-miss. This gingerbread, however, is what I like to call accidentally vegan, in that the recipe doesn't call for any dairy or eggs. I'd never been a big gingerbread fan, but this recipe changed all that. It makes a soft, spicy dough that you can cut festive shapes out of and pipe adorable decorations onto. Perfect Christmas cookies.

This year, though, something went awry. I think it was because I used blackstrap molasses instead of regular molasses (as it was the only kind King Soopers had, and I was too lazy to go to another store). The dough was so gooey it was nearly impossible to roll out, and it was so sticky I couldn't get the cut cookies off the counter in one piece. I tried chilling the dough for another hour, then adding some extra flour to dry it out, but it didn't help. I also tried cursing it into submission, but (shockingly) that didn't work, either. My first instinct was to just give up. This quote, from the excellent film Forgetting Sarah Marshall, came to mind:

I was disappointed, because baking is my thing and I make tons of treats every year and everyone would be expecting them. I thought about making a new batch of dough, but that would've put me way behind schedule. But then I remembered a Facebook exchange I'd had with an old friend after writing this post. I came away from it resolved to stop getting caught up in holiday crazy and focus on doing things I enjoy and spending time with people I love. So I decided to stop stressing and make it work.Yes, I wouldn't be making my usual gingerbread men that everyone thought were so adorable and yummy, but I could still salvage the approximately five pounds of dough I had (yeah, I tripled the recipe) and make something, right? So I rolled the dough into balls, popped them in the oven, and hoped for the best.

Gingerbread whoopie pies with peppermint buttercream filling. 

I ended up with super soft, really flavorful cookies. They're not terribly sweet, so I used some peppermint buttercream I had in the fridge (cupcake leftovers) to up the sugar factor. I sandwiched them together, crushed up some candy canes to coat the sides, and voilà! Cute Christmas treat. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting, but it still turned out just fine.

Gingerbread Cookies

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup shortening
¾ cup dark molasses (or blackstrap, if you're in the mood for whoopie pies)
1/3 cup cold water
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground cinnamon 

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and water. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours. If you're aiming for whoopie pies, roll dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. If you want gingerbread men, roll out dough to ¼” thick. Cut cookies and place 2" apart on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

The peppermint frosting was made using the buttercream recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, but I subbed peppermint extract for vanilla. If you choose to make gingerbread men, I usually ice them with a mixture of powdered sugar, water, and a dash of lemon juice (just add the liquid a tablespoon at a time to powdered sugar until you've reached the taste/consistency you want).

In closing, I offer you my takeaway from this experience: work with what you've got and try to enjoy the ride, because everything's going to be just fine. Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

High Five for Friday

Sheesh, this week absolutely flew by! That seems to be a common occurrence lately, as I just realized that today is the second-to-last Friday of the year. In an attempt to stop and savor the good times in this whirlwind, I present this week's high five.

1. I had such an amazing time celebrating Mal's graduation last weekend. There was great food, great people, and lots of fun.

Clearly, we are a very classy and refined group.

2. I've been having some neck/shoulder pain on and off for several weeks, so I finally went to the chiropractor on Wednesday. I feel SO much better already! I'm going back this afternoon, so hopefully I can get back to full functionality soon.

3. Cirque Dreams Holidaze - this year's holiday outing was something new and different for us, and I really enjoyed it. It was a great combination of Christmas music and death-defying stunts. It's not everyday you get to see dudes dressed as gingerbread men doing flips or flying through the air.

4. One of the Elf 4 Health challenges this week was to hold a wall sit for as long as you can (this article explains how to do one, if you've never heard of it). I'd never done one and was pretty intimidated, especially after seeing the times posted on Facebook – some ladies did 6+ minutes! But once I decided to face the music, I just kept breathing through it and ended up holding it for 4:36, way longer than anticipated. It served as a good reminder to continually challenge myself and push my limits in my workouts.

5. These peppermint pretzel sandwiches are the easiest to make and so yummy – I love the salty/sweet combo. And there's no batter to prepare, so you can make a few at a time if you want to limit your portion size. Recipe (if you can even call it that, with two ingredients) from Young Married Chic.

These would make a festive treat to leave for Santa.

Posting will be light next week with the holiday, but I will have my favorite Christmas cookie recipe for y'all on Monday, so be sure to check back if you're going be baking. As always, linking up with Lauren and Jennie. Happy a wonderful weekend!