A Very Merry Workout

Hey everyone! With Hanukkah already in full swing and Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd share a festive holiday activity that allows you to spend time with your best buds AND get your sweat on a little. 


         Introducing the time-honored holiday tradition of ICE-SKATING!

My fellow Lifestyle+Charity gals plus my good friends R and I spent two hours last night at Central Park's Trump Wollman Skating Rink and it was a blast! There are just too few things in life that can make you feel like a kid again but this outdoor activity is definitely included!

R & I. So darn cute!

Some of us were, ahem, more comfortable out on the ice than others.... Hey, I say, if you can just get out there and try it you're already ahead of the game. 


Whether  a part of the group that ventured no further than two feet from the wall or one of those people out there trying new tricks (I managed to do several fast spins around in a circle... Next year, I'll try jumping! ... Maybe.) we all had a wonderful time skating, laughing, and acting like children together. For most of us, it was the last time to hang out as a group before heading all over the country to visit family. 

In total, we spent about an hour and a half out on the ice, so at my weight (126 pounds), I burned approximately 635 calories- Niiiiiice. Of course, I rewarded myself with a hot cocoa  directly afterwards. ;) 


So, if you're in the market for a fun activity to get your heart racing but still manage to smile at the same time, , I strongly urge you to try your hand at ice-skating this year. And if you're in the NYC-area, check out Central Park's Trump Wollman Rink, Rockefellar Center's Ice Skating Rink, or Bryant Park's Citi Pond.


What are some of your favorite holiday-oriented fitness activities? I DEFINITELY have skiing and snowboarding to try this year! I've never attempted either and I think it's about time.  


Also, in the spirit of this wonderful holiday season where we are all so fortunate, check out LifestyleandCharity.com for some great ways to give back to others all year long!

Fun Announcement!

Hey Everyone!

I hope this latest post finds you well. I just wanted to let you guys know that you're in for a treat very soon. :)

At the end of the month, I have the AMAZING opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia to volunteer and explore for about three weeks with my best friend, M. We will spend two weeks volunteering with Buddhist monks in Thailand before embarking on a trek across Vietnam and Cambodia. I cannot tell you how excited I am or how grateful I am that we will be taking this trip of a lifetime.

M & me earlier this week when I visited Atlanta. :)

While there, I will definitely still be engaging in exercise routines and plan to share them with you but it may be difficult for me to update in real-time here on LaFemmeFITalle. (I'm still pinning down the details on my internet accessibility.) No worries, though, because I have enlisted the help of some incredibly talented writers/health enthusiasts whose posts I know you will enjoy in my absence. In fact, I've already received a couple of them for editing and I loved 'em so just trust me on this.

I wanted to take this moment to invite YOU to submit a post for LaFemmeFITalle. Unfortunately, I don't know you all personally but if you're reading LaFemmeFITalle than I know we must have a lot in common and I'd be honored to give you a platform for you to voice your health and fitness ideas. So please, email me at LaFemmeFITalle@gmail.com if you think this is something you'd be interested in doing. If you are interested but not sure what your topic would be, please still contact me and we can brainstorm together! (Note: All posts will need to be completed and emailed to me by Friday, December 23rd.)

                               I look forward to hearing from you all!

Reality Check

I think I'm getting old. 

But lemmie start at the beginning. I remember when I was little, riding on the multi-colored merry go-round for hours at a time at Gonzales Park in Jacksonville Beach, FL and training myself to not get dizzy like the other kids (I was a bit competitive). My friends and I would take turns jumping of the swings and measuring who went the farthest and I even broke my arm once after rollerblading down a "bumpy" slide; I actually did it twice successfully before taking my monster fall. Not my shining moment but I did look pretty snazzy in my hot pink cast and, better yet, my BFF (... at the time) had one of her own from falling off her bike two weeks later. But I digress.

I'm getting old. I've come to this conclusion after taking a Trampoline Yoga class a few days ago. Now, don't get too excited because, so far in the class, the trampoline has not come into play much. What dominated the one-hour class I took at Shen Tao Studio in Midtown was stretching. All different ways- forwards, backwards, to the side, this way, that way, faster, slower... At FIRST it was relaxing but soon, I realized I was becoming nauseated every time I reversed the direction of my stretch.

... Seriously?

When did I get so frickin' sensitive?! Of course, I bought a five class package so I have to go back. In this case, though, it's not just about the money I've already spent...

Pictured are the trampolines we moved around on and the stretching contraptions that made me feel so sick. Ugh.

I don't know if this is a quarter-life crisis thing (I am 26) or if I'm imagining it but I refuse to go down without a fight. If it's mind over matter, I will flip and stretch and twist until it becomes natural because I whole-heartedly believe you're only as old as you feel! Besides, my teacher (whose name I forget but was incredibly nice as was the owner) told me it was normal for adults to feel how I did and that with just a little more practice, it'd be no big deal anymore.

So commiserate with me, please! What types of activities did you do as a kid and find, as an adult, don't come to you so easily anymore? Do you feel like fighting it or is it just one of those things you accept?

Caffeinated Cookies

This week I got on a baking kick- Woohoo! 


There is one minor issue with my "kick", though: I don't love sweets. Nah, I'm definitely more of a salty or spicy type of girl but I do love baking. So, full of holiday cheer and in the giving spirit, I gave away my treats to my roommate, H's, co-workers and visiting family (my roomie doesn't like sweets very much either). I hear they went over rather well with her colleagues and I'm glad I could supply them with the caffeine and sugar necessary to get through another long work day! :) Check 'em out.... 

Espresso Crinkles:

Ingredients:

4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided (I used half this amount)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoons of salt

5 1/4 teaspoons canola oil (I used apple sauce instead)

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I used 1 1/4)

1 teaspoon instant espresso granules

3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 large egg whites 

Directions:

• 1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine oil and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat; cook until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Add espresso granules to pan; stir until blended. Remove from heat. Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl; cool 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, syrup, and vanilla. Add egg whites, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring gently just until combined. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
• 2. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dredge balls in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar; place balls 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until tops are cracked and almost set. Cool cookies on pan 2 minutes or until set; remove from pan. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

My Call on These: 

Well even though I don't love sweets, I did try them and they were good! If you like coffee (Oh, how I do!) and/or rich desserts, I think you'll like these. 

Now you know I didn't create this recipe on my own- I only tweaked it a bit to take out some of the excess sugar and calories. Here's a link to the original: http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/holidays-occasions/10-timeless-holiday-cookies-00400000036149/page7.html

Thanksgiving Sushi?

                 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I am having an "alternative" holiday this year. That basically means I didn't fly home to spend T Day with the fam so there will be no huge spread of turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, soufflés, pies, greens, etc for me. I'm a little bit bummed about missing out on the big day with my family but I know I'll see them all soon. Thanksgiving dinner this year entails a reservation for two at a sushi restaurant in the Meatpacking District- I'm so NY. Just kidding but I am truly thankful for the "family" I've built up here and grateful I get to spend it with some of them this year. :)

But back to this post. Yesterday, with Thanksgiving and sushi on my mind, I came up with a brilliant plan! So without further adieu....

What you see here is homemade sushi made with turkey and cranberry sauce. Pretty simple. This was my first attempt at making sushi and I have to tell you, it was a little difficult because a) my sticky rice was, in fact, not so sticky (I don't know why... I bought short grain rice like the guy in the Japanese store instructed me to...?) and b) my knife was a bit dull which made cutting my rolls a little complicated. Those two issues aside, though, the rolls themselves tasted pretty good!

To make these, simply take your seaweed paper (rice paper is a better option but of course that occurred to me after I'd already made two trips to the grocery store for the ingredients) and lay it out with the "rough" side facing up. After you've boiled your rice, take a handful and spread it out evenly in a thin layer on the seaweed paper leaving a little room at the top. As I mentioned before, my rice wasn't very sticky but if yours is (as it is supposed to be), be sure to have a bowl of water mixed with rice vinegar nearby for keeping your hands slick when handling it. Take your "fillings" (in my case, oven roasted turkey and cranberry sauce) and place them together at the bottom of your rice-covered sushi paper. Then roll. Once you have the long roll, take your (sharp!) knife and cut it into five or 6 pieces. Done.

I had planned to add veggies like peas, asparagus, and mashed sweet potatoes to my sushi rolls but I could tell straight away that because my rice wasn't cooperating with me, I needed to keep it simple. I regret this now though because I really think it would've added to the flavors.

My sides were super easy to make: homemade mashed potatoes with (not homemade) gravy, peas and lima beans, fruit salad, and sweet potato fries (obviously not pictured... they were still baking). After cracking open a bottle of wine and indulging ourselves to my cooking, my roomie and I agreed that our alternative Thanksgiving meal, while a bit odd, was delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and THANK YOU for continuing to read LaFemmeFITalle. Let me know how you spent your holiday and if you'd ever try turkey sushi!

Groin, Throat, Eyes. I Got This.

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

Howeva. I am a single young woman living in a great big ol' city and as strong and safe as I like to think that I am, I know that I could be a potential attack victim. So, I decided that I shouldn't live in ignorance any longer or feel defenseless if, God forbid, I was targeted. Luckily for me, my good friend E felt the same way.

Groupon to the rescue! With just $35, I scored a five class package at James Sherman Krav Maga studios in Midtown. E and I picked a date to start and got ready to become the Krav Maga goddesses we know are in there somewhere!

Our first class was two weeks ago. We both arrived at the studio, met James, and signed in. James is a real bad-ass (and I don't use that term lightly!) He used to be a finance guy but eventually founded the Manhattan Trainers and completed over 500 hours of full contact Israeli close quarters combat training to become a  a certified Israeli Krav Maga Instructor. He's one of only a handful of Americans to do this. K, he seems legit, right? :)

E and I were joined by one other girl and we started class. James starts his classes by warming up- rotating your ankles around in circles one way then reversing, squatting and rotating your knees together in a circle, doing the same for your wrists, stretching out your arms, etc. He also has you touch your toes then immediately put your hands straight up in the air 15 times in a row. This makes me a bit dizzy (maybe I'm doing it wrong...?) but I do it b/c James insists.

He then lectured us. It wasn't annoying or anything. He wanted to let us know that self-defense always starts out before an attack occurs with awareness. Be aware of your surroundings, the time of day (or night), the people, potential situations that could occur, etc. If you see something that looks off, get out of there even if it means doing an about-face and running. "Flight" is always a better option that "fight". But, sometimes, "fight" is necessary and that's where his lessons come in.

The next thing we learned about is where the title of this post comes in: Groin, Throat, Eyes. These are the areas you always go for. Luckily for those of us who would likely be smaller than a potential attacker, it doesn't take much strength to one of these spots to take someone out (if only for a few seconds... but long enough to flee). In fact, Krav Maga is always focused on these points, whether it is striking the attacker's or protecting your own.

Moi striking James. He's in the middle of bringing his arms around to (try to) attack me.  Psh- Good luck!

That's all I'll write about for now since I still have classes to take and I don't want to give up all the things I've learned right now but what do you think so far? Would you ever take a class like this? 

And one more thing. (Did I remind you of Steve Jobs when I said that?!) I have definitely already become "that girl" in class that has all the questions. I swear I try not to be annoying but my mind really starts racing when I think of all of the different scenarios that could arise and I want to make sure I'm prepared. It's probably annoying (and definitely a bit paranoid) but I think I am going to start emailing James after class with all of my questions- Do you have any about Krav Maga or self defense that you'd like for me to ask him? 

E performing one of the simple but effective moves James taught- I'll share more about it next time!

I highly recommend his class so be sure to check out James' website: http://jamesshermankravmaga.com/

Too Busy To Work Out? Quick Ways to Get in Some Exercise Without Missing A Beat!

           
        So you're too busy to exercise, eh? It's OK, it happens to the best of us. With the holidays around the corner (and the chaos that often accompanies them), I can only assume that there will be days between now and January 1st where hitting the gym or taking a class might be asking too much of my schedule so here is a list of some great ways that will add up and help burn a few extra calories when the going gets tough!

1. Take the stairs instead of elevators and escalators. And as an aside here, don't you DARE just stand on the moving walkways they have in places like airports... If you're going to take them at all, for goodness sake, at LEAST keep walking!

2. Speaking of airports, if you're at a larger one that has a tram to take you from one terminal to the next and it's not an obscene distance, walk it instead. It'll take you maybe five minutes and there are often cool art exhibits to look at as you walk. I happen to know Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia has cool exhibits between some of their terminals.

3. Don't circle the parking lot a dozen times looking for a closer parking space... You'll probably save time just parking a farther distance away and walking it... and you'll get in a little cardio.

4. If you live in a city with public transportation, consider NOT taking the train, cab, or bus to a destination that it isn't totally necessary for. A little walking isn't going to hurt ya! (If, however, it's disgustingly cold or wet, I whole-heartedly support taking transportation that will get you there faster! )

5. Cut out the time it takes to get to and from the gym by scheduling an appointment with a virtual trainer or working out on your own at home!

6. If you NEED some gym time (trust me, I understand this!) but can't commit to your usual length of time, just cut all of your exercise times and reps in half. Something is better than nothing, right?

7. Combine tasks with exercise. Instead of just taking the dog for a walk because it needs to go to the bathroom or raking the leaves because the yard needs it desperately, do this with enthusiasm and work up a sweat! Run with the dog and throw on some weighted clothing to rake!

8. When you're doing any activity that requires you to be there mostly for supervision (like... cooking) and have a little down time, do squats or lunges for just a few minutes instead of sitting down or standing there. 

9. I hate to remind you but the extraordinarily long lines at stores and malls are about to start... While you wait (and try not to eavesdrop on the inane conversations going on around you), do calf raises or using your purse (we all know they're heavy!) to do biceps curls. This isn't as crazy-looking to do in a crowd as you might think and besides, what else have you got to do while you stand there?

10. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be all or nothing! If you do none of the above, at least eat healthfully and drink lots of water to keep your body happy. :)

I just came up with these ideas of the top of my head but I'm sure there are many more! What are your suggestions?