One step closer to a roller derby!

When was the last time you roller skated? Like, actually put on a set of roller skates and cruised around an oval rink while lame DJs jammed out and disco lights were the decor of choice?



Moments after this was taken, it became
obvious that looking over my shoulder
while simply gliding forward was too
dangerous, as I almost face-planted.



I haven't been roller skating since my friend Laura's birthday/Hallowen party when I was in the 6th grade (I went as Medusa). That's over 11 years ago. That is, of course, until a group of us decided to venture out to a skating rink about a fortnight back. Surprisingly, I found it very difficult! I would have thought that it would be easy, considering how little falling I did as a barbie-skate-clad little girl, but that was not the case. Part of the issue was that I've spent much more time ice skating over the past few years (I use the phrase "much more time" very loosely... as I've probably averaged one trip ice skating per year). The blade configuration of ice skates (as well as roller blades), makes turning and balancing much easier. With roller skates, complete with the square wheel configuration and stopper in front, you have to figure out all over again how to turn effectively. Kirsten, who has always been the best ice skater of the bunch (again, I use "best" loosely, but she is the only one who doesn't look stupid trying to skate backwards), even fell over trying to employ the same cross-over turning tactics that she uses on the ice.




Regardless, it was a really fun outing, even if we did spend the entire evening getting shown up by 10 year olds and were all kind of sweaty and gross by the end of it. The next morning, my legs were even kind of sore from trying to turn and stabilize themselves all night. It's always really fun when we're able to get the whole gang together to do something active! I mean, they even had all the old school games, which, as you can see on the left, Kirsten and Kim were really excited about (although we never did the skating limbo that seemed to be at every rink back n the day).


Best of all, if we can get good at regular roller skating, a whole new arena of sports is open to us: trick skating, roller disco, roller derby, etc. The list goes on and on (or maybe that was the extent of it)!



Peter and Kirsten were so cute skating together!
A few of us tried similar methods of joint skating in an attempt
stumble less, but apparently, if both parties are unsteady on
skates, this really isn't helpful...


Seriously, when was the last time you roller skated? Do you prefer roller skates or roller blades? Do you remember that episode of That 70s Show where Eric was a trick skater?

Stand Up Paddle Boarding!

Looking for some summer fun? Trying to find the perfect way to beat the heat? Well why not try stand-up paddle boarding! The perfect water sport that combines the looking-awesome of surfing with the ease of standing!


But I know what you're thinking, "Jenny, the only body of water in my area is absolutely disgusting! Only someone hoping to develop super-human powers would dare submerge themselves in that waste filled sludge-pit we call a lake." I used to feel that way too. Still do, in fact, because the nearest lake to me is pretty unsavory. Fortunately, stand-up paddle boarding is so easy that there is minimal threat of coming in contact with the water (assuming, of course, that you are both careful in your movement and have the foresight to not venture out with an obnoxious acquaintance). The board is so large and buoyant that as long as your feet are firmly planted and you avoid any sudden movements, it's fairly easy to stay balanced (the only issues I had were at the very onset as I was acclimating to my sea-legs and whenever I would get startled by a fish, wasp, or beer can). Furthermore, it looks pretty difficult, so all of the kayaking passersby are duly impressed with your wave riding prowess!

When Jason and I went paddle boarding this past weekend, we spent about an hour on fairly calm water, which was a good way to get used to the movements of the board and work on our technique (involving basic standing and paddling). We never actually ventured out into the lake, but kept to a nearby connected passageway (which probably only compounded the whole this-water-is-disgusting issue). While I may have been too afraid of waves/fish/boats to brave the slightly rougher water of the actual lake on my first outing (with full intention of conquering it at a later date), I know that there are quite a few paddlers that are brave enough to surf the ocean. In fact, I think Hawaii (and probably other places as well, maybe) has annual events where people traverse fairly large distances on paddle boards (yeah, I'm pretty thorough and detailed with my research...). Recently, Justin DeBree of Florida set the world record for longest stand up paddle board journey with his trip from Key Biscayne to St. Mary's Georgia (a total of 420 miles), as well as the world record for most miles paddled in one day (49 miles)!

As I do not have a waterproof camera, and anticipated much more falling-into-the-water,
I had to steal these pictures from the internet.

I was actually thinking of how pleasant of an afternoon stand up paddle boarding could make, given the right circumstances. Just imagine it: grab a group of friends and pack a picnic. You could easily enclose your foods in a water proof bag or backpack (for safe keeping in the event that you and your belongings topple into the water). You could all paddle for a bit until you find a good stopping place, then either park your boards or just sit on them and float on the water. You could have your nice picnic, chill out for a bit, then paddle back. If you get too hot (because seriously, I may have not fallen in the water this past weekend, but I was still soaking wet from sweat), you can always jump off the board, take a dip, then remount and keep going. Of course, this scenario is only desirable if you've found a body of water that you can see more than an inch into... but I think it would definitely be worth the search. Or hey, you can always still risk it and hope for radioactive powers.

Have you ever been stand up paddle boarding? Are you terrified of what unnatural things might be in your local lake? What about the natural mysteries of lakes, such as that of Loch Ness?

Aerial Silks

Let's face it, exercising can be really boring if we let it. I remember a four month stretch where I was doing the same 30 minute Jillian Michaels workout DVD (her 30 Day Shred) roughly 5 times a week. After a couple weeks, once I figured out how to do all of the moves, it tended to get a bit tedious (albeit still extremely difficult). It got even worse once I was able to talk along with her word for word throughout the video (granted, a bit more breathlessly than she does), much like I do with my friend Kim's answering machine. On top of that, after I would finish the DVD, I would go for a run on a treadmill in my apartment's fitness center while watching a Free-on-Demand episode of Psych. I was almost always the only person in there, on the same treadmill, and it was usually at night. Even worse, when there was someone in there, it was never someone interesting or distractingly handsome, but rather someone that wanted to watch news or some other program that was equally boring.

Needless to say, I had some difficulty maintaining my enthusiasm working out due to how uninteresting and monotonous my routine had become. Then I started branching out.

I decided that rather than work out one day, I would take a bike ride over to the mall for dinner. Now, considering where I lived at the time (at an intersection of 2 major highways and nestled in some valleys and hills), it ended up not being the most successful outing, but it sure was interesting! Shortly after that, a few friends and I make the trek out to Fredericksburg to hike up Enchanted Rock. I genuinely enjoyed  that. I got to climb up big rocks and jump over small creeks. The view was spectacular and the company even better.

This is when I realized just how much fun fitness could be! It doesn't have to be personal trainers and DVDs! It doesn't even have to be regimented! It just has to be active! Shortly after our hike up Enchanted Rock, I moved back to my hometown, and my friends and I have been trying new activities to keep us moving ever since.

First, I started rock-climbing, thanks to Hannah and Kirsten. After that, Maddy taught us all how to slack-line. We've gone ice skating, swimming, biking, and swing dancing. Most recently, though, Hannah and I have started taking some particularly interesting classes that we heard about on Groupon: aerial silks.

Aerial silks is a type of performance art where you perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a suspended fabric. Basically, it is what all of those circus performers are doing when they're hanging in the air on a giant ribbon. Think, Cirque du Soleil.

Here I am doing a variation of the "tear drop."

Of course, I've only had two classes and have very little upper body strength, so I can't do anything near as cool as Cirque du Soleil. In fact, I can barely get off the ground. Hannah, on the other hand, is showing everyone up with her awesome upper body strength and natural flexibility (granted, she has about 8 classes on me... but I'm pretty sure she showed everyone up her first class as well).

Isn't she such a natural?

Each week, they teach us the basics of climbing the silk and have us do some exercises to strengthen our core. Then, the fun parts start when they teach us some poses.

Soon, they'll be adding more aerial classes, such as something involving a hoop and an aerial yoga class! 


What activities do you participate in to stay fit? Have you ever tried aerial silks? Ever had a particular desire to join up with circus folk?

Strawberry-Orange Muffins

I think we can all agree that breakfast is the greatest meal, bar none! I mean, it is the most important meal of the day. Making breakfast is actually one of my favorite parts of the weekend (this extra-long weekend, I plan on making these crazy egg cup things I saw in Shape Magazine). Unfortunately, I can never make breakfast during the work week, because I do not have any motivation to get up any earlier than absolutely necessary (which probably has nothing to do with the fact that I regularly stay up past 2am).

Up until a few days ago (when I realized how awful it would be if I lost my fitness competition - I mean really, who writes a seven-book autobiography in stream-of-consciousness?) I had been resorting to McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with Egg for my morning sustenance. Occasionally, if I were feeling particularly healthy (or running particularly late), I would just grab a yogurt cup and eat it at my desk. Neither of these options have been entirely satisfying.

In an attempt to arm myself with some grab-and-go breakfast options that are delicious, nutritious, and convenient, I decided to make some muffins last night (starting at 11pm, thus ensuring another late night) from a recipe I found on EatingWell.com.

Strawberry-Orange Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons - almonds (I actually used chopped pecans)
• 2 tablespoons & 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons & 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided (I used a splenda blend)
• 3 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided equally
• 2 tablespoons & 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, Fahrenheit. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Process almonds, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely ground (I actually just stirred them, because I don't have a food processor). Transfer to a small bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and stir to combine.
3. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
4. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest, and 1/4 cup oil in a medium bowl with buttermilk, orange juice, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add strawberries; stir just to combine.
6. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the almond (or pecan) topping, gently pressing into the batter.
7. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes more before serving.

I realize that my track-record with baking does not look so great, but you can see for yourself how delicious these muffins look!

But what is better than muffins? MUFFIN TOPS! Seinfeld's Elaine was right when she opened up "Just Tops," everyone loves muffin tops! Unfortunately, she didn't have a muffin top pan, designed specifically to make the perfect muffin tops. I, on the other hand, do (thanks Grandma!), and tend to use it whenever possible (so, three times over the past year).



Yes, this is the same serving dish...


What is your favorite breakfast of choice? Do you like muffin tops, or the entire muffin? Does anyone else plan on spending the entire 4th of July weekend making various breakfast dishes?

... anything but that!

So do you know what's really easy to do? Heat up a frozen pizza, turn on the N64, and lounge about as you tear up the track on Mario Kart.

Do you know what is slightly more difficult? Going running then preparing a healthy dinner.
Can anyone guess which option I've been partaking in more recently? One hint: it involves Princess Peach kicking some butt.

Normally, this wouldn't be that big of an issue, because I don't eat pizza every night, and I tend to incorporate some physical activity into my life (rock-climbing, etc.). Right now, however, I need to step up my game.

Last Wednesday marked the start of a fitness competition among a few of my friends. The contest will last 90 days, and the winner will be chosen by determining who among us loses the highest percentage of weight over the next roughly three months. Since its onset, I've attended an out-of-town wedding followed by an out-of-town baptism, my car has broken down, devastating me to the point of pity eating, and well, I've been extremely lazy. As a result, I can almost guarantee that I am in rock-bottom, belly-dragging, dead last place right now.

Were it just my pride that were at stake, that might be okay. I may be extremely competitive and hate losing, but I know that it wouldn't be the end of the world (although it would probably be close). Even if there were a big prize for the winner that I really wanted, being in last place wouldn't be so bad. I mean, I'd be no worse off than before.

But no. We decided to structure our competition to punish the losers rather than reward the winner. If I lose, I don't just miss out on bragging rights or some awesome trophy/prize; instead, we've decided to punish the losers through torture and embarrassment. One girl will be forced to read the entire Twilight Saga and discuss its merits on facebook (and only the merits... nothing negative) if she loses. Another will be have to do the same but with a handful of Nicholas Spark's novels of our choosing.

My punishment is a little different. It's still a book, but I don't mind reading silly love stories, and I'm not all that embarrassed by them either. While I may not particularly be a fan, reading Nicholas Sparks wouldn't be torture for me, and I've already voluntarily read the Twilight books. Instead, as we determined last night, if I lose, I will have to endure reading this:

Also known as "Remembrance of Things Past," In Search of Lost Time is the 7-part semi-autobiographical "fiction" of Marcel Proust which is written in a stream-of-consciousness style.

Never before have I dreaded reading a book (or apparently 7) so much.

Needless to say, in an attempt to avoid this horrible fate, I have been eating pretty healthy today, and I've already made plans to both rock climb and run this evening.
This may be just the motivation I needed.



Do most fitness competitions involve reading? Would the threat of having to tell people on facebook that you like the Twilight Saga be enough to motivate you into action? Does seeing all those ripped werewolves in the Twilight movies get you motivated to stay fit? Because they're pretty cut.

The Beauty of Fitness Magazines



This was the issue I purchased that fateful
day in September, on my way to Paris.



I may or may not have mentioned before my love affair with fitness magazines. After reluctantly picking up an issue of Shape during an inordinately lengthy layover at the Chicago airport, I got so motivated and optimistic about living healthy that I signed up for a subscription as soon as I got home.

Impatient for the next issue, and afraid that there would be an unfortunate lag between when I placed my order and when they would actually start shipping magazines to me, I bought the next month's issue off the rack at HEB (now I have two copies of the October issue featuring LeAnn Rimes). Hoping to fill the near-month-long void between issues, I also signed up for Self magazine. Some months, if I had gleaned everything I could from Shape and Self too quickly, I would head to Half Priced Books to see what second-hand fitness magazines they had available (the answer: very few - but if you're looking for bridal or cooking magazines, you're set).

During this time, my obsession was probably becoming unhealthy. I would spend hours staring at those glossy pages, devouring every issue, making sure I didn't miss a single article, caption, or advertisement. I always had one magazine in my workout bag, one in my purse, and a pile next to the couch. Don't get me wrong, I never actually retained anything from them (I have tried maybe 2 of the workouts over the past year and only attempted one of the recipes, which as you may recall here, did not go well), but I loved them all the same. I especially liked the success stories. Even better than the success stories? The monthly updates from regular people who were in the process of getting healthy. They didn't have glamorous tales of how they lost 200 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches or anything. They were people just like me who were getting fit little by little. They were people I could empathize with and learn from (in fact, they probably still are). Sometimes, their updates would really move me.

Lately, I've calmed down a bit, and stopped reading these magazines so intensely (to be honest, I haven't even opened my new Shape, yet). Most of that has to do with the fact that I moved back to my hometown and have kept pretty busy ever since. Regardless, I still get very excited when an issue arrives in the mail.



Which brings me to my actual point (What? You thought my endless rambling up there was actually the point of the story? Rookie mistake...). I am so happy with this month's Self magazine. Why? So many reasons...

First, it features Zooey Deschanel, whom I absolutely love. She's so cute and quirky, and always wearing adorable sundresses! Also, I found out that she's going to star in a new tv show, the New Girl, and has a blog, Zooey's Miscellany.

Second, it features Zooey Deschanel hula hooping (or, mentioning hula hooping, really... rather briefly). I just bought a hula hoop (it lights up and makes noise), so it's perfect! She mentions in one of the captions that sometimes she spends hours hula hooping, much like myself (I may have spent the better part of a Lingo marathon on the Game Show Network hula hooping while I shouted answers at the screen).

The best part about hula hooping is that it is most successful
when wearing an adorable sundress like Zooey Deschanel's 
(as long as there are no large bows in back or anything).

So what I can gather is that you
stand on a board in water and paddle.
Sounds simple enough, right?

Third, only a few pages after the Zooey Deschanel feature (starting to wonder how many times I'm going to work her name into one post? spoiler alert: it's 4), there was an article on Stand Up Paddle Boarding. I know what you're thinking, "Jenny, you're terrified of water, and boards, and paddles, and standing up in general," but to that I say "accurate observation, ma'am/sir." Regardless, I just purchased a Groupon a few weeks ago for Stand Up Paddle Boarding at a nearby lake! They say it's a mixture of canoeing and surfing, but is way easier than surfing (phew! I was awful at surfing). Until this article, though, all I had ever heard about stand up paddle boarding was what the Groupon description said (which was nothing... but the accompanying picture made it look fun).


Finally, included in the issue are a lot of workouts geared towards getting slimmer/more toned/stronger arms. Of course, all magazines are featuring arm workouts right now so that people can get cute, sun-dress-appropriate arms for the summer. I, however, am excited because it might help me finally beat Teddy Westside at arm wrestling (that's right, it's going to happen).


Basically, fitness magazines are awesome; end of story.


Do you subscribe to any fitness magazines? Do you know how I could turn off the sound on my hula hoop but still have it light up (I already tried putting duct tape over the speaker)? Do you prefer old school Lingo with Chuck Woolery as host or the new revamped Lingo with Bill Engvall?

Breaking in my brand spankin' new kitchen.

Moving always seems to throw a hitch in my healthy eating.

Moving from San Antonio caused problems, simply because it threw off my healthy eating momentum. Moving into my new apartment caused bigger problems, as I could no longer rely on my parents making dinner. Because I was in the middle of a million things (such as unpacking, party planning, and making up excuses for why I'm not eating healthy), I took to take out rather than grocery shopping. In fact, my apartment has seen more McDonald's in the past two-and-a-half weeks than my house did in the four months I was there (say what you will, but I always have and always will love those chicken mcnuggets).

Yesterday, I finally made the trip to the store to stock up on some healthy staples. Afterwards, I prepared the first meal in my new apartment [assuming you don't count the roughly 10 frozen pizzas my oven has prepared (which weren't just for me, I promise), the 4 scrambled eggs I made over the weekend, and the meat pasta that someone else cooked last Thursday]. Take a look!


This may be the simplest meal ever, but it's always a crowd pleaser (which isn't that big of an accomplishment, considering that I live by myself and am therefore the entirety of the crowd).


Oh, it looks so delicious that you want to make it yourself? Well here's how!

Baked Chicken:

Ingredients:
Thinly Sliced Chicken Breast
Lawry's Season Salt

What to do:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees, Fahrenheit.
2) Cut chicken into manageable chunks.
3) Place on cookie sheet or some other cooking pan lined with foil.
4) Sprinkle with Lawry's Season Salt
5) Bake chicken until it is cooked through (roughly 12-15 minutes)


Apple Salad:

Ingredients:
Yogurt of choice (I use Yoplait Fat Free Strawberry Banana, but my mom uses just plain yogurt)
Honey
Cinnamon
Apple
Grapes
Strawberries (optional)

What to do:
1) Combine a dollop of yogurt with some honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Mix to taste, then set aside.
2) Chop apple into manageable chunks and place in bowl.
3) Add handful of grapes to apple chunks.
4) Cut up a couple large strawberries and add to apple/grape mixture (optional).
5) Add a spoonful or two of yogurt mixture to fruit bowl. Stir.

(Sorry I don't have more exact measurements or anything; I've just always tended to mix it all together and see what happens.)


Caesar Salad:

Ingredients:
Fresh Express Caesar Mix Salad

What to do:
1) Empty contents into bowl.
2) Toss.


This meal was kind of my go-to in college, and may have actually been the only dinner-esque meal I prepared while in school (I made plenty of breakfasts and baked goods, but not so many dinners). Even so, it remains one of my favorite meals. I actually prefer this extremely simple chicken and bag salad to most comparable meals that I would get at restaurants. Also, because cooking for one seems wasteful in the amount of effort exerted versus the payoff, I tend to just cook the entire pack of chicken and save the rest for leftovers. Surprisingly, these left over chicken chunks are even good cold! Basically, what I'm trying to say is that my dinner last night was awesome, and simple as it may be, you should try it.

Do you have any super simple go-to recipes that are surprisingly amazing? Is it possible to find big frozen bags of raw shrimp with the tail off? Do you like that rather than grown up glasses, I'm drinking out of my novelty Halloween cup?