So I'm on a plane at 30,000 feet, contemplating how my favorite skinny jeans don't fit anymore.  Now, don't get me wrong, I know I'm not overweight. But it's so upsetting when your clothes from a year ago are just beyond your waist's reach.

My gain has certainly not been for lack of exercise. Last weekend I completed my first century. A century is just a fancy name for a 100-mile race, and I had a great time! The first 50 miles were some of the best miles I have ever had on my bike - my legs were strong, I had plenty of energy, and it was an absolutely beautiful morning! Miles 60-75 were a different story. I, uh, had a little incident involving yelling at my team mate and scaring some horses in the pasture. But hey, I rallied and finished strong! And the best part? I won this cool cycling gym bag in the raffle! It even has special pockets for your water bottle, shoes, and helmet. What a great day!

So I've been cycling on the weekends and hitting the hotel gym during the week. I haven't been a slouch either. I do sprint intervals and a lot of weight-lifting. Even my "recovery" workouts are challenging. I admit that I've slacked on my back/abs workouts, but only because everything else has been upped.

So what is it? Hmmm. Could it be the airport food? The all-too-easy access to cookies and pudding at the hospital cafeteria? Or maybe the total lack of edible healthy options on the road? God help me, I can't stand any more salad bar. What does that leave me? Dubious crusted fish or dry, flavorless chicken breast. Oh, joy! Surprise surprise: I end up eating crappy food, and no amount of exercise can truly undo it.

So in the spirit of lists, here are a few targets I can use to get back on track:

• No more cookies. I know, it's very sad. Cookies are my life blood. My comfort blanket. My fountain of youth (and fatness, as it were). But the hospital only has these mondo-sized cookies. And while having one mid-day normal-size cookie isn't going to destroy my waistline, those godzilla cookies will.
• Cook dinner. I am now staying at an extended stay hotel during the week, which means I have a kitchen at my disposal. Mostly I haven't used it. It's not as convenient as it sounds - every week I have to buy new spices, new olive oil, salad dressing, etc etc. But if I can make at least a few healthy, easy-to-prepare meals in my room, I can cut a lot of calories. I'll have to make meal-planning a part of my Sunday night packing ritual.
• Work out. When I work out, I work out hard. But sometimes it's a struggle to make myself get there. I travel, I work, I save healthcare, and sometimes, I just want to go back to the hotel and go to bed. So the problem is not my workout, but in my motivation. I'll need a workout schedule. So add that to the packing ritual.
• Go to bed earlier. I'm just so dang tired all the time. I need to rip myself away from Pinterest at 10:30pm and just go to bed. It'll help me make better food decisions and exercise the next day.

My Bike!

Meet Sparky, my 2011 Felt Z6 with his new Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelset. Sparky and I first met back at the end of May. I probably should have introduced him before now, but we've been so busy getting to know one another. Better late than never!

Sparky is a good-looking fellow with his snazzy paint job. And just look at those orange tires! His carbon frame makes him pretty light, and replacing his wheels shaved off another whole pound. Although he's no ultra-fast race bike, we hold our own on the road (well, we try). This bike will definitely be all I'll need for a good, long while!

Gluten-free Power Food

Those who know me have noticed that I've gotten kinda into cycling (more on that another time). One thing I've noticed is that heavy, gluten-based energy bars don't always go over well. Sometimes I'll be ready for a caloric boost, but that tasty Cliff bar will sit in my stomach like a brick. And then I'll bonk anyway. That's a bad feeling.

So I decided to have a gluten-free ride. I made these really tasty rice cakes from The Feed Zone. They were a big hit with my fellow cyclists! They're tasty, the rice gives you a quick shot of carbs, and all the protein sticks with you for a long time. Don't be confused by the weird ingredients - in this case, too much of a good things really is wonderful!

CASHEW AND BACON RICE CAKES - I found Calrose rice at Walmart, of all places. However, you can substitute any medium-grain or sushi rice. A rice cooker will work best, but I just made it in a saucepan since I don't have one of those (yet). Wrap these little suckers in foil (like a present) and stuff them in your jersey pocket for a mid-ride snack. I haven't tried freezing them yet, but I think they'd thaw ok.

- 2 C uncooked Calrose rice or medium-grain "sticky" rice

- 3 C water

- 8 oz. bacon

- 3 eggs

- 1/2 cashews, raw or roasted (avoid heavily salted)

- 1/4 C nut butter

- 1/2 C raisins 

1. Cook the rice and water.

2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until moderately crisp. Remove from pan and pat with paper towels. Crumble the bacon.

3. Gently wipe the suate pan to remove any burned bits, but leave enough goodness for the eggs. Softly scramble the eggs in the bacon fat.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, bacon, scrambled eggs, cashews, nut butter, and raisins. Mix well. Press into an 8" or 9" square brownie pan to about 1 1/2" thickness.

5. Let cool thoroughly in fridge. Cut into 12-15 bars. Wrap in foil.

On a side note, I had a blast making these. Cooking, drinking cider, and watching the opening ceremonies...now that's a good night.

Two-a-Days Done

Whew! What a week! Wednesday and Thursday were pretty sore days, but I seem to be bouncing back faster.  Here's a summary of what I've done this week:

Monday:
✓ 5:30pm - Kickboxing class
✓ 6:30pm - Indoor Cycling class

Tuesday:
✓ 12:00pm - Gravity strength training class
✓ 10:00pm - Yoga video

Wednesday:
✓ 2:00pm - 15 min stairmaster, legs & back strength training
✓ 6:00pm - Back to Abs class

Thursday:
✓ 12:00pm - 30 min stairmaster, arms & shoulders strength training
    Jog(weather permitting) or Cardio X video

Friday:
✓ 12:00pm - Kickboxing class



Yeah, yeah, so I didn't complete my cardio session on Thursday. I ate dinner and spent the night at my Mom's house, since I'm leaving for 4 weeks for Chicago and New Haven. I think that's a legit excuse.

Adventures in Brisket

I was recently inspired  to give brisket a try (see Katie's brisket recipe on Trail Mix). I've always wanted to  attempt it, but red meat isn't my specialty. For one, if you mess up a steak, it's an expensive screw-up. And secondly, people feel so dang strongly about their read meat. Luckily, brisket is both inexpensive and can only be made edible one way - by long, slow cooking. You pretty much can't fail if you give it its due process. However, it's traditionally done best in a smoker or BBQ. I have neither. America's Test Kitchen to the rescue! They recently published a slow cooker brisket recipe in their "Cook's County - Best Country Recipes" issue. FTW!

I called up Ben and Stephanie and told them to show up at 6:30pm. I got up at 6:30am to get the brisket going.  I honestly couldn't improve upon Katie's idea to eat them in tacos, so I mixed up a batch of my favorite Salsa Cruda, shredded some cheese and lettuce (and some fingers, unfortunately), and made some homemade tortillas. Yes, home made. And yes, Ben drank his margarita out of a pretty glass with an umbrella, because he's man enough to pull it off!

BBQ BEEF BRISKET - Setting the brisket on an overturned loaf pan or ramekins prevents it from braising in its own juices, so you get a BBQ texture rather than a pot roast. You'll also find that the juices get sucked up into the interior of the loaf pan, so don't be mystified if there are no juices collecting in the bottom of the slow cooker. That's a good thing! Try not to let the brisket touch the sides of the slow cooker insert too much. Those areas will char a little bit from the contact. I little bit was nice, but too much will make it tough and yucky. One more thing on buying brisket - you can buy a whole brisket, but it'll be kinda huge. A whole brisket can be cut down into the point cut, which tends to be a little fattier and tastier, and the flat cut, which is leaner. I bought a 3lb point cut, and then coerced the butcher to cut off 1lb from a flat cut. *flutter eyelashes*

For spice rub and brisket:

- 1/2 C dark brown sugar

- 2 Tb minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (see photo)

- 1 Tb cumin

- 1 Tb paprika

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 tsp pepper

- 1 (4-5 lb) brisket roast, fat trimmed to 1/4" thick, surface scored lightly

For sauce:

- vegetable oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 Tb tomato paste

- 1 Tb chili powder

- 1 Tb minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/2 C water

- 1/4 C ketchup

- 1 Tb cider vinegar

- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke

- salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine spice rub spices in a small bowl, and massage it into the brisket. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. I cheated and did 30 min.

2. Heat oil in a skillet. Cook onion until softened, ~5 min. Mix in tomato paste and cook until starting to brown, ~1 min. Stir in chili powder, the 1Tb chipotle chiles, and garlic, and cook until fragrant, ~30 sec.

3. Mound onion mixture in your slow cooker so that you can cover it with your loaf pan or ramekins. Then place your ramekins/loaf pan over the mound(s). I used 3 ramekins, so I made three little mounds and placed the ramekins upside-down over them. Place brisket on top of ramekins/loaf pan, fatty side up. Add water to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours.

4. Transfer brisket to a baking dish, cover with foil or lid, and let rest for 30 min.

5. Meanwhile, remove ramekins/loaf pan from slow cooker (juice will fall out, so be careful!). Pour juices into a bowl or very large measuring cup. Let sit and skim off fat. You need 2 C of defatted juice, so supplement with water if you're short. 

6. Slice brisket against the grain. Pour 1 C of juices over the top.

7. Whisk ketchup, vinegar, and liquid smoke into remaining 1 C of juices. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with brisket. 

FLOUR TORTILLAS - Homemade tortillas are so easy, and definitely worth the little bit of extra work! You can also make the dough ahead of time, then roll them out and cook to order. To save time, cook one tortilla as you roll out another.

- 2 3/4 C all-purpose flour

- 1 1/2 tsp salt

- 6 Tb vegetable shortening, cut into pieces

- 3/4 C + 2 Tb warm water, at ~110 degrees F

- vegetable oil

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until combined. Knead briefly on a flat surface to form a smooth, cohesive ball. 

2. Roll into 2 1/2 Tb balls, about 1 1/2 to 2" in diameter. Makes about 12-16 dough balls. Transfer dough balls to a plate, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 30 min to 3 days.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls out very thinly to 6-8" rounds. They should almost be translucent.

4. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet until just smoking. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel so the skillet has a thin, even coat. I keep an oily paper towel next to the skillet, so I can re-wipe the skillet frequently.

5. Lay 1 dough round in skillet. Cook until surface begins to bubble, ~1-2 min. Flip and cook until browned and puffy, ~1-2 min.

6. Transfer to a plate or baking dish. Cover with kitchen towel or foil to keep warm.

GTS

Two-a-days seemed like such a good idea, but my legs say otherwise. Today I went to Judy's "Gravity Interval" class. This class uses the Gravity Training System, or GTS, which is basically a sliding bench on an inclined platform with various attachments. To work your legs, you can lay back on the bench and do squats up the incline. You can also do these crazy lunge exercises, but those just stress me out. You can work your abs, obliques chest, back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders by attaching pulleys or adjusting some bars, and you literally pull the platform (with you on it) up the incline. It's a fantastic full-body toning session, especially if you set the incline higher to challenge yourself.

Judy upped the ante by having us hop off our machines for cardio intervals. For example, we'd do 30 seconds of jumping jacks and 30 seconds of burpees, followed by 20 seconds of each, and then 10. Then...back to the GTS.
Needless to say, it was a tough workout. However, it was a nice change of pace from the normal weights routine! If your gym offers a GTS class, I recommend you give it a try!




Here's how the week has gone so far:
Monday:
✓ 5:30pm - Kickboxing class
✓ 6:30pm - Indoor Cycling class

Tuesday:
✓ 12:00pm - Gravity strength training class
✓ 10:00pm - Yoga video

Two-a-Days

I have the week off from work, so why not make a week of two-a-days out of it? It'd be nice to blast off a pound or two before I traipse off to Chicago. Here's my schedule:

Monday:
5:30pm - Kickboxing class
6:30pm - Indoor Cycling class

Tuesday:
12:00pm - Gravity strength training class
evening - Yoga video

Wednesday: 
morning - 15 min stairmaster, legs & back strength training
evening - 15 min stairmaster, Back to Abs class

Thursday:
morning - 15 min stairmaster, arms & shoulder strength training
evening - Jog(weather permitting) or Cardio X video

Friday:
12:00pm - Kickboxing class

Sat:
morning - 30 min stairmaster, Abs circuit training
evening - Christina's wedding!

Sunday:
4:00pm - Teach Indoor Cycling

In other news, my cycling book arrived in the mail! I have a lot of learning to do, including how to buy the right bike, courtesy and safety in traffic, changing a tire and other endless repair tasks...oh dear, mustn't get intimidated. I'm woefully ignorant, but we all have to start somewhere, huh?
It did have a moment of revelation today. After class, I approached my friend and co-instructor, Julia. I wanted to know the type of pedal that the spin bikes use, so I can get the same pedals on my bike. To explain, there are different types of cleats for cycling shoes, and you have to use the corresponding pedal for your cleat. Your cleat "clips in" to the pedal. Being "clipped in" to your pedal drastically increases your power. Rather than just stomping down on the front stroke, clipping in allows you to push down, pull back, pull up, and push forward with your pedal stroke. Way more efficient.
Now, I really should know the type of cleat I have on my shoes, but have long since forgotten. And Julia is an experienced spin instructor, yoga instructor, and cyclist. But hey, she didn't know either. We both looked at each other a little sheepishly, and she recommended I just take my shoes to the bike shop and get what they tell me to get. The truth is that we can't know everything, and even if we could, we'd probably forget some details.

80 Degrees and Running

Today was glorious, wasn't it? It started out a little dreary, but then the clouds broke apart and the temperature shot up by mid-afternoon. I might have spent 9 hours at a copy machine (only one...more...day), but I raced home and put on my tennis shoes.
Sadly, I don't run much these days. I have to be careful of high-impact activities with my back, and my hamstrings are no good for long distances. I hate this, because I absolutely love the rhythm and joy of running. I make the most out of the miles I get.

I always start out with at least a mile of brisk walking to fully warm up, and then I'll briefly stretch if I still feel stiff. I always slowly jog the second mile. I'm talking a 9-11 minute mile, people. If I take care of my legs on those first two miles, they'll usually give me an extra mile in the end. From there, I run how I feel like running. And of course, if I feel any discomfort in my legs (aches are fine, pains are not), then I stop immediately. It's easy to ignore discomfort when you've got them endorphins pumping through you, but you'll hate yourself the next day. I do, anyway.

This is my year

I'm tearing myself away from Pinterest to give some much needed attention to my blog. Argh, Pinterest, you've destroyed my 9-10pm reading hour!

We're now well established in 2012, but it takes me a little time to work up my resolutions. Furthermore, this is really the first time I've had the schedule, budget, and desire to set exciting goals. When one is in grad school, one does tend to be utterly focused on getting the heck out of grad school. That and sleeping.
So. 2012. Here are some things I want to accomplish this year.

1. DO A PULL-UP. I've been working on the assisted pull-up machine for a little while, and I love it. I also regularly hit the free weights to work on my arms and shoulders. Boy howdy, I have to work really hard for upper body strength. It simply does not come naturally. Leg strength? No problem, broseph. But the biceps, deltoids, pecs, traps and lats...ugh, it's a battle. If I crank out one good, clean, unassisted pull-up in 2012, I'll be pleased as punch. My general plan is to work on the assisted pull-up machine at least twice a week and just keep increasing the difficulty. I'll continue my regular free-weights workout, but incorporate more push-ups.

2. BUY A ROAD BIKE. I've been teaching spin for a few years now, and have been going to spin class since sometime in the middle of college. I even have a pair of amazing Sidi cycling shoes (graduation gift from Dad, I think in the hopes of me getting out on the road). It's really silly that I don't cycle for real. But hey, bikes are expensive and cars are scary.  But hey, now I have a job and why am I afraid of cars when I ride 1200-lb unpredictable animals over obstacles? I've bought a book and called my Dad (he worked for corporate REI and cycled for most of his life), and decided I want a good quality, entry-level road bike. This is a big purchase for me, so I'm going to take my time going about it. I want to hit the roads (or maybe the Silver Comet to start) by late spring.

3. JOIN A CYCLING GROUP. While I love my friends, I'm always looking to make new ones. I just remember my Dad going out with his boys for long rides, and how much fun he had with them on the road. I know this will take me some time - finding the right group, the right level, and just getting the general feel of riding in a pack (horseback riding in a pack often goes terribly awry). I'm shooting for early fall on this one.

Life Changing Applesauce

No, seriously. It's really life changing. You'll reevaluate your entire existence and discover your inner chi and save the rain forest. Your tummy will thank you. Plus it's pretty darn healthy, with only 2 Tb of brown sugar and all those anti-oxidant rich cranberries. It's tart and the texture (if you don't overcook it) is lightyears better than anything you can buy in a jar. Sorry, Motts.
The recipe says you can freeze it, but I haven't tried it out yet. I have a jar in the freezer right now, so I'll update you on how it thaws.
*update - it thaws beautifully! You'd never know it was frozen.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE APPLESAUCE - I used a mix of McIntosh and Gala Apples. The McIntoshes provided sweetness while the Galas seemed to hold their shape to lend texture. I got this recipe from the latest issue of Everyday Food by Martha Stewart.
- 4 lb apples (try 1.5 lb McIntosh, 2.5 lb Gala)
- 1/2 C water
- 1 C fresh-squeezed (~3 oranges) or quality high-pulp orange juice
- 1 C fresh or frozen whole cranberries
- 2 Tb dark brown sugar

1. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.
2. In a large pot, bring all ingredients to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until apples are soft and falling apart, 20-30 min.
3. Mash with a potato masher to your desired consistency.
4. Let cool. Transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Still hanging in there

Good news, folks. I am still very much on the South Beach Bandwagon, despite being terribly sick today. No worries, I'm good now. But I've learned my lesson about eating too much dairy and caffeine.

Now time for confessions: I did break down and eat a few Pepperidge Farm milan cookies (that was my whole lunch), but if you know what I've been through today, you'd understand. They were the only things I felt my stomach could handle. Cookies are my chicken soup.

I have 1 day left, and then I'm going to jump off this moving South Beach train for a few days. Let's hope I don't land too hard. Ill be in Chicago on Friday, and I'm not going to try getting a head of lettuce and some low-carb salad dressing through airport security. I don't want to be mistaken for a Hidden Valley Ranch Al Qaeda.

I'm a Terrible Daughter.

I love my mom very much, but today I just couldn't help myself. It all started when I called her from my office phone for the first time. Oddly, she didn't recognize my voice from that phone. Psh! As if I'm not going to take advantage of that? So I waited a few hours and called again...

*ring ring*

Mom: Hello?

Me: Hello, is Mrs. [Mom's last name, pronounced totally incorrectly] available?

Mom (a little annoyed): This is she. May I ask who is calling?

Me: Hi Mrs. [Name still pronounced wrong]. My name is Laura, I'm calling from Atlanta Refrigeration and Cooling Services. I'm calling with regard to a problem that seems to be occurring in your neighborhood. Do you have time to answer a few questions?

Mom: Yes, well, as long as you don't mind if I'm working. I have spreadsheets to work on, and if somebody calls, I'll have to go.

Me: Absolutely, m'am.

Mom: We might get cut off.

Me: Yes, and thank you for your time.

Mom: What's the problem? Your name is Laura?

Me: Yes, as I said, my name is Laura and I'm calling from Atlanta Refrigeration and Cooling Services. Your builder has contacted us to investigate a recurring problem in your neighborhood. Some of your neighbors have experienced a problem with the power supply to their kitchen appliances. Have you had any problem with power to your kitchen appliances?

Mom: Yes, Laura, actually I have. The microwave has been cutting out. It started recently.

Me: Hm, the microwave? I'm afraid that's new. I'm going to make a note of it here. Thank you.

Mom: Yes, sometimes it's fine, and then it shuts off for no reason.

Me: Ok, have you had any trouble with the stovetop?

Mom: No.

Me: Ok, thank you. How about your refrigerator? Has it been running OK?

Mom: Yes, I think so. I haven't noticed a problem with it.

Me: Hmmmmmm, well, then you should probably go catch it.

Mom: ........

Mom: ........

Mom: WHO IS THIS?!

Mom later expressed that she wasn't sure what to be more embarrassed about: that she fell for that refrigerator bit, or that she couldn't recognize her own daughter's voice. In her defense, I was using my best telemarketer voice and we use phones that don't pick up any background noise (so we probably really do sound different). She also told me that the microwave really isn't working right. I recommended that she call Atlanta Refrigeration and Cooling Services about it.

I love my poor mother. She puts up with me.

South Beach, Day 2

So far, so good. I even had the will power to cut up some forgotten and overly ripe strawberries, stuff them into a ziplock bag and hurriedly shove them into the freezer without eating a single one. I'm proud. And one day, when I take out those strawberries to make a delicious, sugary daquiri, I will know the fortitude from whence they sprang.

Anyway, after work I got through the p90x Cardio X DVD. Between my poor fitness level and the lack of carbs, it was a little tiring. Have to start somewhere, yeah?

I then made a tasty salmon dinner. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, I get a little snobby about salmon. Those Atlantic fishies simply do not measure up to the Alaskan real deal. Furthermore, my Dad is a black belt grill master - he would buy a whole side fillet with skin on, spread this thick and tasty mystery paste on it, and then oh-so-carefully cook it to perfection on the grill. Heaven.

Well, I can't do all that. But I can make this very fast and easy steamed salmon with dill sauce. Plus it's low-carb. You can even get Alaskan sockeye in the grocery store right now, so don't be a cheapwad - get the real deal.

PERFECT STEAMED SALMON - You can half this recipe if you can't eat 2 pounds of fish.

- 2 lb fresh salmon

- 1-3 TB fresh lemon juice

- 1/3 C water

- salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and adjust rack to center. Line a baking sheet with a large piece of foil, and turn the edges up. Very lightly coat with cooking spray.

2. Place fish skin-side down on foil. Squeeze lemon juice over salmon, then lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour water around fish.

3. Fold aluminum over fish, and firmly crimp shut so the fish will steam cook.

4. Cook 12-15 min or until fish flakes with a fork in the center of the fillet. Or, allow about 12 min per 1" thickness of fish. Be careful when opening the foil - hot steam! Serve with ~2 Tb dill sauce.

DILL SAUCE - I subbed Kroger brand sugar-free relish (OMG, I love you Kroger!) for the dill relish. This might also make a tasty salad dressing if you like dill, but I've yet to try it.

- 1/4 C fat free Miracle Whip

- 1/4 C light mayonnaise

- 1/3 C skim milk

- 2 tsp dried dill or dill seasoning mix (I use Pampered Chef brand)

- 2 tsp dill relish

Post-Holiday Relief

Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays. But boy howdy, they get me every year. 10 pounds? Maybe? It's hard to say, since I've been putting it on since August. And while I normally scoff at the post-Christmas crash dieters (lazy binging bums!), I too have reached that point. Actually, I am so utterly sick of rich holiday fare that I REALLY want to diet.

So.

South Beach Diet.

Me and my blog have been through this before, so check out the August 2011 archive for the basics. For 12-14 days (however long I can last), I'll be depriving myself of carbs and sugars, which sound terrible right now anyway.

That said, I traipsed off to the grocery store today to stock up on vegetables, lean meats, and light dairy. I even made a batch of all the fixings for taco salad (with seasoned ground turkey and homemade dressing), so I'll be all set to start tomorrow.

Updates tomorrow!