Confession

It's snowing here in Philadelphia, and I'd like to tell you that I'm huddled inside, working away at my thesis or some such thing.  But instead, I'm doing what I do every Tuesday night: baking cookies while watching The Biggest Loser. 

And randomly picking up weights during the parts where the trainers yell at the contestants, and doing some strength training because the trainers are scary.

Yep, while the cookies are baking.  Let's just say I'm a bit of a contradiction.

Mimu does it with me, too.  Well, except for the weights part.

On New Year's Resolutions

In my previous post, I talked about my goals for 2011.  It's going to be a big year - full of changes, mostly exciting ones - and I really want to set myself up for as happy a year as possible.  And because of this, I wanted to make my "resolutions" as simple as possible.

Now, you may think that sounds silly - shouldn't I want to make as many goals as possible so that I can achieve a lot this year?  But really, it's the opposite.  There is nothing wrong with New Year's resolutions - they are a good way to take stock of where you are at regular intervals, and think about where you'd like to be and how to get there.  But so many people fail at resolutions each year (think about all the gym memberships wasted by February!) because they set too many goals, don't think about a plan of action, and basically get overwhelmed and give up.  It's the same reason crash diets don't work in the long run - trying to overhaul your life overnight is not sustainable.

(source)

I don't need crazy resolutions to make this year an exciting one - a year full of job and life changes, friends' weddings, families moving together, etc. should be very exciting all by itself.  The reason I set some goals for 2011 is to be able to make the most of this year.  In most of the stages of my life thus far, I've breezed past the things I should be enjoying - this time I want to slow down and cherish the exciting new things coming my way.  That's why most of my resolutions focus on enjoying things (like the move or defending my thesis), putting my energy into what I'm doing (like a new postdoc this summer and the beginning of Brendan's and my life as a live-in couple), and remaining calm when things don't go exactly as planned.

On that front, I have been doing really well with the remaining-calm thing so far!  I had a few incidents that required my extreme patience, and even required my mantras, but I stuck with this whole calm outlook and have felt much better for it.  I also want to recommit myself to doing yoga at least once a week - since I can go for free at Lululemon and have four more classes left on my pass for a hot yoga place, that should be simple enough, and it definitely helps me stay calm and introspective.

The only two goals I made this year that aren't just a savor-the-moment sort of thing are to get financially stable and to lose a bit of weight.  I can't work on the financial thing very much just yet, but I'm trying to be mindful of my spending so that I can save a bit more than I currently do.  But where I think I'm going to make some strides this spring is my fitness.

I have a few new fitness toys in my arsenal this year that I'm really excited about!  In addition to the TRX that I'm hoping to try out in the spring (I know there's a bit of a backup, but I think it should still be before my move!), I have some new shoes and a new piece of equipment:

Vibram Five Fingers KSO
Of course, by now everyone has a pair of these, so I'm just jumping on the bandwagon - but it's a good bandwagon to be on!  I got these from Brendan's parents, and I absolutely love them.  They are a bit weird at first, and they're going to take some breaking in, but I really enjoy running in them.  I wore them on a warm-up run/walk on the treadmill so far, and they felt light, streamlined, and comfortable.  I wouldn't recommend anyone wearing them for >1 mile of running or walking at first - I did a very slow run/walk for a mile, and my shins hurt for a few days.  I will be wearing these more and more as the snow/dirt combination that's on Philly's roads clears up.  Having new shoes and a new thing to learn about running should keep things exciting this year!

(source)

Schwinn Magnetic Bike Trainer

So, a few years ago I bought a bike.  I had grand visions of biking outside, and getting in better shape from biking as well as running.  Unfortunately, the bike I bought was from Target, and it's just too heavy to be fast.  Without being able to improve on it, biking along the river trail and trying to avoid hundreds of pedestrians and runners is just torturous.  I'm pretty sure that it won't get any better when I move, either, because of the hills around Brendan's house - he and I may go on a leisurely ride every once in a while, but I probably won't be training for the Tour de France any time soon.

Enter the magnetic bike trainer.  This little thing holds the bike upright with the back tire on rollers, so that my bike can basically serve as a stationary bike.  That means that I can catch up on my shows while I'm working out - which certainly means that on days I don't feel like going down to the gym, I have no excuse to get in a few minutes of exercise!  I ordered one of these yesterday using trade-in credit from books at Amazon, along with an Amazon gift card and a check from Christmas.  I went with the Schwinn over the Bell because it's foldable and has three resistance settings.  Now, even though I got free Prime shipping (thank you for loving students, Amazon!), I still need to wait until the end of the month to use it, because I already brought the bike up to Brendan's and need to get it back.  Only a few more weeks, though - I can't wait!!


I think this year is going to be great, and even though I'm totally swamped with work right now, I'm really looking forward to the exciting changes ahead.  Hopefully my resolutions for 2011 will help me stay balanced and enjoy all the good things the year has to offer.  And hopefully with the help of my new fitness toys, I will end the year a bit lighter than I began it!

Coming soon: The last New Year's post, I promise - my food goals for the year!

Goodbye 2010.....Welcome, 2011!

It seems like time has been flying lately - 2010 is already about to come to a close!  In the spirit of New Year's, I've been spending this evening looking back on the year and looking forward to 2011.

I can't say that 2010 has been the best year.  Lab work has been frustrating at best, and finishing up my thesis has taken longer than I hoped.  Nothing super exciting has happened, really - but nothing really bad either.  It's kind of like when professional sports teams have "rebuilding" years - I'm just putting together the pieces for my next steps.  But there have been some exciting things:

January
- Brendan and I went to Disney World for our first real vacation

(photo courtesy of Disney but purchased by me)

- I decided to sign up for my first half marathon, and started training

Spring
- I published a review article, which will be most of the intro to my thesis
- I visited Colorado with my parents for vacation
- I trained for my first half marathon, and ran the 10-mile Broad Street Run in preparation

Summer
- I ran my first half marathon, the 13.1 Marathon Boston, in June (in 3:02)

 - At the same time, I went on postdoc interviews at Harvard and Brown
- I spent a full 8 days at Brendan's house, which was different than our usual weekends together!
- After the first half, I signed up for two more to complete the year

Fall
- I visited home with Brendan in August, where we got to visit the State Fair, Duluth, and the MN Renaissance Fair
- I was asked to be a bridesmaid for my friend Ashley's wedding - a first for me!
- I finished my second half marathon, the ING Philly Distance Run (in 3:15)
- I visited a friend in Germany for a week - my first time in Europe and something I'd always wanted to do
- I accepted a postdoc position at Harvard (!)

November-December
- I finished my third half marathon, the Philly Half Marathon, with a PR (in 2:58)
- The day after the half,  I had a thesis committee meeting and got permission to defend my thesis this spring
- I visited home a few times and spent some quality time with my parents and Brendan before buckling down these next few months

There has been a lot of excitement, but the real changes are to come!  If things go well, 2011 should bring a Ph.D., a new postdoc position, a big move to Boston, moving in with Brendan, and lots of other changes.  Lots of major life changes this year!

I have a few goals for 2011 that I hope to achieve:

2011 New Years Resolutions & Goals

Fitness/Health Goals:
- Run more.  I am already committed to running the Broad Street Run, even if I have to pay for a hotel for that in May.  I would like to run a few more half marathons, and get stronger and faster as I keep training.  I have new Vibram Five Finger shoes (more on that later), and I'd like to improve my leg and foot strength by training in those sometimes.  My ultimate goal is to run a marathon in a few years if I can keep improving, so this year should put me on that path.
- Get more toned.  I want to work on more strength training and feel stronger! This means using weights more often, working on lunges and ab work, and doing the Exhale Core Fusion and 30 Day Shred DVDs occasionally.  I am going to make a schedule for each month, taking account my work and life schedule as well, so that I incorporate as much strength training as reasonably possible.
- Lose a bit of weight.  I don't have a specific number in mind, but I would like to fit into ALL of my clothes.  I'm not sure which is tightest, but I have a pair of too-tight jeans and a few pairs of capri pants that I would like to fit into.  This is my pre-preparation for all the wedding stuff coming up (two weddings and counting to go to in 2011!), and ultimately for my wedding in a few years.


Career Goals:
- Finish my Ph.D. strong.  Whatever that ends up meaning with the research I can finish, I want to be proud of the work I've done as a Ph.D. candidate.
- Enjoy my actual thesis defense.  I tend to stress about these things, and I want to have fun and celebrate finishing, not panic about it.  Of course, this means getting down to work on everything now so that I don't feel rushed at the end!
- Get a strong start to my postdoc.  I want to tackle a new project with a clear head, tons of motivation, and all the energy I can muster.  I also would like to apply for and receive funding (i.e. a grant) in the next year, but if I try hard on applications and can't get funding yet, that's ok too.

Life Goals:
- Become financially stable.  As a college student and then a graduate student, my credit card balances have almost always been going in the wrong direction.  Starting when I move in with Brendan and start my postdoc, I would like to allocate $500 or more per month toward savings (for emergency funds) or paying off credit cards.  I currently pay $200 or so towards credit cards and savings, so this is a huge improvement!  It won't fix everything all at once, but it should slowly improve my credit (and my ability to pay for house-, wedding-, and kid-related things in the future).
- Take at least one vacation (or mini-vacation).  Of course this is at odds with the last goal, but I need to learn to relax, and this year I'll really need that.  In addition to our yearly trip to Maine, I would like to take another trip out of state.  It may be easiest to do that in May, when I'm in between jobs, but we'll have to see when everything works out!
- Enjoy all the life changes that come this year, and take them in stride.  This means trying not to worry so much.  I will only get to move in with my boyfriend for the first time once, and only get to start my first postdoc once, too.  They are major milestones, so I want to cherish them, not have them as a source of stress.
- Work on not stressing and panicking when things don't go right immediately.  I don't deal well with setbacks, or with conflict.  I am used to being a "good girl," and when things go wrong or I get in an argument, I seriously start to panic (I've even started hyperventilating before!).  This has to change in the upcoming year for many reasons.  Part of being an adult means taking criticism well, and finding solutions to problems.  For the health of myself, my career, and my future family, I need to take this seriously.  I'm starting out by repeating a mantra, "let it go" or "I'm ok," every time I feel the need to obsess over a problem or conflict - hopefully this will help me learn better coping skills!
- Savor the first 7 months of living together with Brendan.  I want to enjoy every minute of us finally getting to have a life together - the good and the bad - because we'll never get the same kind of "start" again and it should be full of excitement.  I want to make sure we get through any difficulties we face smoothly, and keep our home and our new identity as a "family" (not just people who date) full of love and kindness.

So there you have it - not too complicated, but I think they are good goals for 2011.  And now it's time to watch the ball drop, have a drink, and kiss my sweetie over Skype for the new year (for the last time before we are together!).

Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas!!

I'll be back with more scheduled programming in a bit - but for now it's time to enjoy time with family - and lots of Christmas treats :)

Three Things

1. I'm at a conference this week, so I've been very, very busy.  Trying to go to a conference in your home town is tough - normal life goes on at the same time, so chores and whatnot still need to be done.  And there are Christmas presents to buy and make too!  It's total craziness here right now.

2. I'm from Minnesota, so it was weird to see the Metrodome collapsing under the weight of snow.  I'm glad it is going to be fixable, and that they rescheduled the game so no one got hurt.  I'm a bit bummed about the rescheduling, though, since I may not get to see the game tomorrow night.

3. I'm making yet another batch of Christmas Cookie Dough Balls, this time for the doormen at my building.  I may or may not have eaten the entire first batch myself.  Mama Pea is brilliant, I tell you.

It's sandwich time

With all of the craziness around my committee meeting and trying to get my lab work finished in time to write a paper, I haven't had much time to make anything creative for dinner lately.  I've been sticking to roasting vegetables (since I have a lot around the house from the CSA), and I've also been relying on an old standby: the sandwich.

And this is where Nature's Pride comes in: as a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, they sent me two loaves of bread to try at the end of October, and I promptly froze them, since I was leaving for Germany at the time.  I've been taking pieces out here and there to try, and I think I can finally give a complete review.

I received the OvenClassics Oatmeal and 100% Whole Wheat loaves.  The information I got with them told me they were nutritious, but had "a smooth texture that's perfect for the entire family."  The nutritional stats:

I'm not a huge fan of the long ingredient list, and I wish that there were more vitamins, but I do like that I at least understand most of the ingredients, and the calorie count is low.

I started out with what is usually my favorite bread snack: bread with peanut butter and milk.  Simple, but yummy.

Eh......it was ok, but just ok.  I was super excited about it because I usually make my PB bread with oatmeal bread, but I was definitely missing what I like about "healthy" breads: texture.  The "smooth texture" they talked about was very, very smooth - more like Wonder bread than whole-grain bread.  With just the peanut butter and nothing else, it was a bit bland.  But I persevered, and tried again!

Grilled cheese, made on my electric sandwich maker - it seals the sandwich and makes those little lines on top.  This was much, MUCH more yummy.  Having the contrasting texture made the bread much more interesting.  The star of the sandwich was still the cheese (beer cheddar which my parents ordered for me from Humbird), but isn't that usually the case with cheese?


Other sandwich recipes I've tried lately?  Turkey, brie, and cranberry (after Thanksgiving!) and the good old PB&J.  Both were good on the Nature's Pride bread, so I would definitely recommend it for sandwiches.

The bread is advertised as being a family-friendly way to get some nutrients into your bread.  While I'm not blown away by the nutritional stats, I have no doubt that this bread is family-friendly.  My boyfriend grew up on Wonder bread and doesn't like the grainy texture of whole wheat - I didn't get to have him try it, but I'm sure this would be a great way to make his sandwich a bit healthier!

So there you have it - sandwiches galore.  I will probably be having even more of them this week, although I just finished up a batch of potato leek soup as well.  It's going to be a busy week, with a conference, a few important experiments, and a trip to New York.  Enjoy the holiday season - I'll be back closer to Christmas!

New fitness challenge!

I promise I have another product review coming up, but I felt compelled to post.....

I have mentioned this a few times before while I was training, but I'm taking the winter off from long-distance running.  I'm going to be doing speedwork and short (up to 3 mile) runs to keep myself in good running shape, but I just can't bring myself to run 10 miles in the cold.  I will be picking it up again in the spring, probably going for a 5K PR early in the year and then doing Broad Street one last time in Philly.  But for now, I'm focusing on strength and yoga, which brings me to...

The Core Fusion Fitness Challenge!!

This one is funny, because it is born out of complete and utter laziness.  I was sitting on the couch this evening, dreading going down to the gym, and looking for something fun to do.  I remembered Rachel mentioning Exhale Spa's Core Fusion a few times, and I happen to have a friend who works at Exhale who swears by the classes as well.  I remembered that Rachel said there was a way to do the real classes online on Yoga Vibes (as opposed to their DVDs, which are in 10-minute segments).  I decided I'd go for it today, and bought the 14-day pass for their class (using the 20% off coupon code from Rachel's post, of course).  And....






 It was HARD.  Super, super hard.  I only made it 12 minutes into the 1 hour video, and I thought I might die.  Holy mountain climbers!  I had to skip ahead to another part of the video to even finish up a respectable 20 minutes.  And I'm pretty sure I'll be sore tomorrow.

And thus, another fitness challenge was born.  I obviously need to work on my strength training, and this is the perfect opportunity.  Here's the plan:

- Three times a week: Core Fusion Cardio (as much as possible)
- 1-2 times a week: Run - speedwork and/or "long" (up to 3 mile) run
- Once a week: other strength workout or yoga

This will continue until at LEAST the end of December, when I hope to be able to finish the entire 1-hour video.  I would like to keep going through the end of January to see better results, but we'll have to see how busy everything gets!

So.....let the challenge begin!!

P.S. Love, love, LOVE the Glee Christmas episode!!