So I was excited when Adam from Turn Up My Workout contacted me and asked if I’d like to try out his service. Um, YES.

Turn Up My Workout is simple. You subscribe to the service and then you can select what type of music you like: Hip Hop, Country, Pop or a mix. Then you select your intensity level from Low, Medium or High. And then you get a list of workout songs that will motivate you and that you’ll enjoy! Easy as that.

Adam started this service after losing a lot of weight (over 100 pounds!). What was his most constant motivator to exercise? Amazing workout music. The music pushed and inspired Adam and he hopes a great playlist will do the same for you. As a former DJ and music director, and self proclaimed “freak when it comes to discovering new music,” it makes sense to trust Adam with your workout songs!

For my playlist from Turn Up My Workout, I selected pop music at a high intensity.

I got an email with a list of music. I had a few of the songs already, and some of them I already knew I didn’t like, and I downloaded the rest from iTunes. The list had so many songs that it’s OK if you don’t want to get them all. There is enough on there to pick and choose. The songs are divided into categories; Warm Up, Workout and Turn it Up (for an extra boost.)

I used the playlist thrice. I didn’t finish it during the first run, so the second run was like a whole new playlist. And the third time was just fun. My verdict? I loved it. First of all, it was so refreshing to hear a different set of songs. Second, the songs were fun and fast, just like I wanted! I felt like dancing during my run, and it was great to get to know new music. I’ll be able to listen over and over until I know all the words and can have even more fun with it (the way I am with my current playlists). And then, if I get bored it, I can just get my next month’s playlist from Turn Up My Workout.

Even better, I can pick my favorite songs and incorporate them into new playlists with my old favorites that I’ve been using forever, to make the ULTIMATE PLAYLIST. Turn Up My Workout is really a fantastic way to find new workout music that you might not otherwise find on your own. Some of the songs I’d heard before and really liked, but could never download them because I didn’t know their names. This is a great service for situations like those, too.

I’m not going to show you my playlist because, well, that would defeat the purpose of you trying it out for yourself! But I will say this: thanks to Turn Up My Workout, I found my new favorite running song. Favorite to the point that during my long run on Sunday, I had it on my playlist three different times!

What song, you wonder?

“Whatever You Like” by T.I.

OMG I LOVE THIS SONG. Okay, so something you all need to know about me. I like to listen to really explicit, vulgar songs when I am running. I like to learn all the words to said dirty songs and sing them in my head (or even out loud if no one is around). Vulgar lyrics make me happy.

So when I was looking through Adam’s list on iTunes, I was really happy to see that “EXPLICIT” box next to some of the songs. I had never heard Whatever You Like before (I told you I don’t know new music!) and I can’t get over how in love I am. It really pumps me up to go on a run – especially now knowing I’ve got it 3 times on my playlist. I am even more excited for my half marathon now that I have this song because I plan to include it at least 3 or 4 times throughout the race. What a GREAT song.

That said – does anyone have any suggestions for me for really vulgar, dirty, explicit running music?

It *DOES* need to have a good beat, it can’t just be shouting gross words. This is part of the reason I love Girl Talk by the way – download Girl Talk if you haven’t yet. So please tell me your vulgar workout music — I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Anyway, back to the review. So a subscription costs $7.97 a month and the first month is free. Very worth it for those of you like me who are stupid when it comes to new music. Some questions you might have for me:

Would you subscribe to Turn Up My Workout?

Yes.

Are you going to subscribe to Turn Up My Workout?

No.

Why not? You just said you would, so why aren’t you?

My health insurance premium was  just raised to $700 a month. I have placed myself on a $447 billion spending freeze.

But if you have  the extra $7.97 a month (as I did prior to my massive premium hike) then I’d say it is definitely a great deal. Also. You might be like me and take your favorite song on the playlist and type it in to iTunes or Grooveshark and find out there are OTHER VERSIONS of it.

Um ok so first of all, please listen to the Weird Al version of Whatever You Like. I don’t usually like him much but this version is HILARIOUS. Really, really hilarious. Every line makes me smile or laugh out loud. And then listen to the “Raw session” by Rome. AWESOME for those of you like me who listen to music such as the Counting Crows. A really cool version. Love them both. Still laughing at Weird Al. And still LOVING the original. You can listen to them all for free on Grooveshark or buy them on iTunes.

Adam and I had a lot of fun this afternoon on the Twitters with our new discoveries.

*Baby I can give you everything you please, even share my government cheese and you can have as much as you like.*

OK so get to it, kids. Check out Turn Up My Workout and comment with your suggestions for vulgar, explicit workout music!

I will be running the NYC Half Marathon on my birthday, March 21. This is my first half marathon and I am running it for Think Pink Rocks, a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness about early detection of and genetic testing for breast cancer and to provide funding for screening, treatment and research. My mom, a breast cancer survivor, was diagnosed at age 37. This is a charity that is extremely important to me and I am honored to run my first half to raise money for them.

My donation page is here:

http://www.active.com/donate/thinkpinkrocks/dysterious

To reach my fundraising commitment of $1,000, I am holding an auction on this blog on Thursday, Jan 21 — exactly 2 months from the race! I’d love you all to help me out and bid on something you might really want.

AUCTION RULES

1) The auction starts Jan 21 at 10 am. I will post the list of items and their bid start price. All items start at $20 and will be divided into the following categories: Professional Services/Goods, Homemade, and Baked Goods

2) Each item will have a title and corresponding number. You will email me using either this form or my email address dysterious at gmail dot com with the item NAME and NUMBER in the subject line. I will not accept bids left in the comment section.

3) The auction starts at 10 am EST and will end at 10 pm EST, Thursday, Jan 21.

4) I will post a list of each item and update the top bids throughout the day

5) I will send a confirmation email to the winners. Each winner has 24 hours to donate their winning amount to my donation page. If I do not receive their donation, I will contact the second highest bidder as the winner.

6) Serious bidders only, please! Please read item descriptions carefully as there are NO REFUNDS!

I am really impressed with the generosity of people and companies who stepped forward to donate their time and products. I am so excited by how amazing these items are and I really hope you are too!

AUCTION ITEMS

Professional Goods/Services

(1) Aurorae Yoga Set

Includes:

• Brand new pink “Hope” yoga mat, which was created with the intention of supporting women who have or have had breast cancer
• Rosin bag (for slip free yoga practice)
• Yoga towel

I have an Aurorae mat in lilac and I am in love with it! I even get compliments from my yoga teachers. And when you put your hands and feet on the mat and then move them, you can see the imprints. An amazing mat! I also have the rosin bag and it keeps my hands from slipping.

*Note – the Hope mat debuts in February and will be shipped to the high bidder as soon as it becomes available.

(2) Pastry Girl Cakes – 2 dozen cupcakes, flavor of your choice

2 high bidders will each receive 2 dozen cupcakes of their choice

*Note – Cupcakes are available for NYC area bidders only. If you live outside NYC and would like to bid on Pastry Girl Cakes products, you will receive 2 dozen COOKIES.

Pastry Girl Cakes is a custom cake studio serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. We provide delicious and beautiful cakes, cupcakes and cookies for your most special events. We specialize in wedding cakes, birthday cakes, shower cakes and cakes for corporate events.

Pictured – Coconut cupcakes

Find a list of available flavors here: http://www.pastrygirlcakes.com/flavors2.htm

Find pictures of more cupcakes here: http://pastrygirlcakes.com/cupcakes_coconut.htm

(3) Exhale Spa 10-Class Pack of Core and Yoga Classes ($350 value)

Core (CORE FUSION!)

Build a strong core… Develop washboard abs… Improve your posture… Deepen your practice… Focus your mind.

Experience a transformational Core Fusion® toning class, based on Lotte Berk Method fundamentals, Pilates, and 50 years of combined fitness expertise, to achieve a strong, athletic, flexible, and youthful body. Improve your performance in sports with the total body workout, Core Fusion® Sport. Or strengthen your overall wellbeing within a combination of yoga asanas, Qi Gong, core strengthening, and stretching with a Core Fusion® Yoga class. All classes include a cardio element and are fueled by upbeat and inspirational music rhythms.

Yoga

A union of mind and body… linking breath with movement… a meditation in motion… the flow of energy.

Our yoga classes are ritual journeys that respond to the changing needs of urban life by infusing the highest quality of teaching with a revolutionary approach to yoga. For this amazing transformational practice we have created an equally amazing space.

Exhale as you discover your sacred space for this ancient healing practice.

Namaste.

(4) Professional Cooking Lesson for high bidder + 1 guest

New York City area only

Mercedes Vargas is a chef who currently works at the Ritz-Carlton. Formerly pastry chef at Gemma, Pair of 8’s and La Bottega. She also works with private clients on different functions as well as with Great Performances caterers. Her menus mostly consist of fresh, seasonal and local foods.

The cooking class for two people would be approximately 2 hours. The menu will be determined by Mercedes and the client, it would be three courses, all appetizers or dessert, depending on what the client would like to learn. The certificate will cover her fee of $300 for the class. All other expenses are covered by the client.

(5) Personal Training Session with Celebrity Trainer Brynn Jinnett

New York City area only

(6) The Blog Fairy Custom Blog Header

A custom blog header designed by The Blog Fairy, who has designed many blogs including Dori’s Shiny Blog, Missy Maintains, Just Flourishing and more! Visit http://theblogfairy.com to view samples of her work.

(7) Yoga OR Dance Lesson with Emily Oldak (Modern dancer, certified yoga instructor, former Cirque du Soleil star)

High bidder + up to two guests can select a private one hour yoga session or dance class

New York City area only

Emily Oldak was born and raised in NYC. She began dancing when she was 4 years old and became more serious when she attended “The Fame” School where she discovered her love for modern and contemporary dance. Following high school Emily graduated with a BFA from the Juilliard School in 2005. While at Juilliard she danced works by contemporary choreographers such as Aszure Barton, Paul Taylor, Ohad Naharin, Dwight Rhoden, and Robert Battle. Directly after school, she joined Cirque du Soleil for their new Creation of “Love” which was in collaboration with the music of The Beatles. While at Cirque, she learned others street forms of dance as well as aerial acrobatics. In her free time in Vegas she studied to become Yoga certified. After 3 years at Cirque she decided to return to her home to pursue a freelance dance career. She currently works with the Chase Brock Experience and Aszure Barton and Artists. Emily is represented by Mcdonald Selznick Associates. You can catch her in her latest commercial gig with MSA as a body double for Shakira in her newest music video “Did it Again”.

(8) MyPublisher - 20-page Classic Hardcover Photo Book with Book Cover

A customizable 20 page MyPublisher photo book with a personalized photo Book cover

http://mypublisher.com/products/classic

(9) Personal Training Session OR Health Counseling Session with Catherine Hesse (Core Fusion teacher & certified Holistic Health Counselor)

Personal training for New York City area only. Health counseling session can be held in person or via phone depending on location.

Catherine is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition with Columbia University and is trained in all the different dietary theories, eastern and western nutrition, modern health issues, personal growth and development, and health counseling. She is a Core Fusion Yoga Teacher Trainer, and a senior teacher of Core Fusion®, and Core Fusion Yoga, at Exhale Mind-Body Spa, in New York City. She specializes in body image, emotional eating, general wellness and healing through self love. Catherine is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

(10) Tees For Change - Chase Dreams bamboo short sleeve t-shirt

*Two t-shirts are up for auction. I will accept two winning bids.

Made from 70% sustainable bamboo and 30% organic cotton, this tee is luxuriously soft and silky and has an amazing fit.pumpkin tee, yellow text on the front

• pre-shrunk and runs a bit smaller
• fair-trade and sweatshop-free, imported
• available in sizes S (0-2), M (4-6), L (8-10) and XL (10-12)

http://www.teesforchange.com/chase-dreams-bamboo-short-sleeve-tshirt-p-102.html

(11) Six month subscription to TurnUpMyWorkout.com

TurnUpMyWorkout lets you choose your favorite kind of music, pick the intensity level you workout at and each month you will receive a list of motivating workout songs! I’ve tried this service myself and absolutely loved it — it gave me a new list of awesome songs that pushed me through my first half marathon training run! (Will be posting a review soon)

For more information, visit the website at http://turnupmyworkout.com

**Please note the music downloads are not included

(12) Bumble and bumble Hair Care Gift Pack from Missy at Missy Maintains ($200 value)

Pack includes:

• 1 bottle Spray de Mode Hairspray
• 1 bottle Classic Hair Spray
• 1 bottle Bb Gel
• 1 bottle Gellac
• 5 oz. Holding Spray
• 5 oz. Styling Creme
• 5 oz Medium to Thick Curl Creme
• 5 oz Medium to thick Curl Conscious Shampoo
• 5 oz Medium to Thick Curl Conscious Conditioner

(13) Sign Language Lessons with Jenny from ColorHungry –Boston area only

Includes 2 one-hour sessions

Born the child of profoundly deaf parents, Jenny could sign the alphabet by 1 and a half. She went on to learn American Sign Language and as a hard of hearing individual herself, often serves as an interpreter at her workplace for deaf students visiting campus. She has over 20 years of experience.

(14) P&G Prestige Fragrances Sampler Pack from Ashley at Healthy Happier Bear

Includes:

• Flora by Gucci 2.5 oz
• Escada Marine Groove 50mL
• Lacoste Challenge 75mL

Value $192

(15) Health and Fitness Book Prize Pack from Melissa at FitnessNYC

Includes:

- 12 Steps to Raw Foods

- The Secrets of Skinny Chicks

- Extreme Fat Smash Diet

- Runner’s World: The Runner’s Diet

- Fast Track: Training and Nutrition Secrets from America’s Top Female Runner

- The 90 Second Fitness Solution

- 8 Minutes in the Morning to Lean Hips and Thin Thighs

(16) Gold’s Gym – Bailey’s Crossroads (Falls Church), VA – Washington, D.C. Area & surrounding area bidders only

Four items are up for auction. Limit one per customer.

- Three Month Membership to Gold’s Gym + 1 personal trainer session

- One Month Membership to Gold’s Gym + 1 personal trainer session

- One Month Membership to Gold’s Gym + 1 personal trainer session

- One Month Membership to Gold’s Gym + 1 personal trainer session

Please specify if you are bidding on the one month or three month membership when bidding.

(17) PriorFatGirl e-Cookbook

A collection of healthy recipes from the friends of PriorFatGirl! Over 50 recipes + tips from personal trainer MizFit

Homemade Goods

(18) Colorful Bulky Afghan

A gorgeous, high quality handmade multicolored afghan. Looks stunning displayed on a couch and will keep you warm and cozy!

(19) Handmade “Passage to India” Bracelet by Jenny from ColorHungry

(20) Handmade Earrings by Katherine from Low Fat Kat

(21) Handmade Necklace by Katherine from Low Fat Kat

(22) Food Blog Charms by Mara from I Made Dinner

Four items for auction: 2 computer charms and 2 peanut butter jar charms. Please specify which charm you are bidding on when you send your email.

Charms are handcrafted out of lead-free pewter. They come on either a vegan-friendly nylon cord or cell phone charm.

Baked Goods

(23) Seattle Cookie Bars by Mallory from Bacon Wrapped Life

Up for auction: two dozen cookies – one dozen Cherry Almond and one dozen Hazlenut

A Northwest twist on the classic Magic Cookie Bar.

The flavors are inspired by Theo’s Chocolate, a local Seattle love that makes organic, fair trade chocolate that is unbelievable.

The Theo Classic Combination bar, Dark Chocolate with Cherries and Almonds is in the first cookie, along with lots of chopped almonds, dried cherries and shredded coconut. The sour bite of the cherries and the smooth, bitter dark chocolate from Theo cut through the sweetness of the cookie for a really addicting treat.

The 3400 Phinney Chocolate bar, Hazelnut Crunch Milk Chocolate is in the second cookie, along with a ton of chopped hazelnuts and of course shredded coconut. Wonderfully sweet, nutty and delicious. Plus, a couple Theo bars thrown in for good measure, so non-Seattle folks can appreciate the inspiration for the cookies.

(24) Choice of Whole Cake by Maggie from Say Yes to Salad

2 high bidders will receive one of the cakes listed:

• Hot Milk Sponge Cake with a brown sugar and coconut topping. Goes well with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
• Pumpkin Fruit Cake made with homemade pumpkin puree. A seasonal favorite.

Please specify which cake you are bidding on in the subject line.

(25) Peanut Butter Butterscotch Brownies by Jenny from ColorHungry

Jenny discovered these puppies one night when she was too upset to sleep and started baking. Imagine her surprise when these turned out to be some of the tastiest brownies she’s ever eaten. And don’t take her word for it- others have agreed!

Remember — these items will all be up for auction starting at 10 am EST on Thursday, January 21. I will post the item list on that day along with the top bid for each item. I will update this list throughout the day.

http://www.active.com/donate/thinkpinkrocks/dysterious

Good luck!

After my post, I set out to do some further research. And my research was fruitful!

I am really, really good at the internet. As I said in my last post, my company didn’t offer a real discount. At least, not one that employees could actually find on the intranet. But with my talents, I found another company’s website for employee offers, typed in my own work email address, and before I knew it I was on a webpage for employees of MY company — with an amazing discount right there! All I had to do was sign up and it was mine! Why is this information nowhere on our intranet?

There was one catch, though. In order to take advantage of this offer, I had to commit for a year. I started weighing my options once again, trying hard to rationalize a 1 year commitment. But it kept coming back to one problem — I don’t expect to be employed past April, and there is no way I can pay for a gym membership without having a job!

I rationalized and rationalized. I emailed lots of friends. I had multiple phone conversations with the boy. I tried talking myself into just going for it. I still was not ready to commit. And then I got a phone call.

The membership director I spoke to on Saturday called to check in on my decision to join and to see if I was able to find I discount. “I have a website open in front of me right now with this discount,” I told her. “But it requires a one year commitment and I just don’t think I can do it.”

She started thinking, suggesting all the ways I might be able to use another discount. “Does anyone in your apartment belong to NYSC?” Nope. “Did you used to be a member?” Nope. “Were you a member at another gym recently?” Yes! “Do you still have your barcode from that gym?” Yes! “That’s it. We have a discount for you.”

And that is how I got a pretty good price on a month to month, commitment-free NYSC membership! In order to pay for this, I will be cutting down on one medical treatment a month. If I find that I am suffering too much, I can just cancel my membership (with 30 days notice).  I am so glad I didn’t sign up on Saturday. I KNEW there had to be a better offer and I got one!

I went to the gym after work to sign the papers and get my membership card and I was all set!

That is, until this morning when I woke up to an email from the PR Director at NYSC who read my blog entry about my dilemma with a very generous offer. How cool is that. I love when companies step up. I can’t reveal yet what the offer was since I am waiting to hear back from her on my follow up email, but I am hoping to be able to save a little bit more money . . . it might be too late though.

Either way, now I have a gym membership! I can use my “home” location at any time and all other locations (such as the one across the street from my job) during off peak hours and weekends. Not a bad deal! And there is another location pretty close to me that has some good classes on the weekend’s, so I am sure I will be heading over there a couple times. And working out during the day by my job. I have to start leaving gym clothes at work again. And I can spin again! Once I get the hooks back in my shoes, that is.

Another thing that is annoying about the building gym that I forgot to mention yesterday: I only have access to it when the boy is home because I need his key to get in. That is why I bought the rebounder, which I still plan to use, but now I have this my new gym as an option as well. Perfect.

After all the excitement of joining the gym, it was time to meet some friends for dinner at a restaurant I was very excited for. The plan was for Missy, Melissa, Gena and I to eat at Peacefood Cafe on the Upper West Side. I read about it in a Vital Juice newsletter and given its convenient location to my apartment, knew I needed to try it out. The menu sounded divine!

I got there early and sat on a bench in front of the restaurant. Nearly every person who walked by made some comment about the restaurant’s name. Think “Oh, Peacefood. Just what I need. More peace in my food!” in British accent. I guess not everyone is ready for the Peacefood!

Unfortunately, Melissa had to back out since she was given some urgent work to do, so it was just three of us. The restaurant itself was adorable. We each ordered tea that came in large mugs that I loved. I got peppermint and it was delicious. I had obsessed over studied the menu during the day and wasn’t able to decide between these two choices:

Roasted Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha) mashed and seasoned with a little sea salt, ground black pepper and extra virgin olive oil, topped with caramelized onions, ground walnuts, vegan goat cheese and seasonal greens

or the

Mushroom Duxelle with roasted sweet peppers, onions & zucchini

As much as I wanted to finally try kabocha after reading so many blog raves, I was really craving pizza so that is what I went with. Luckily, Missy ordered the kabocha sandwich and Gena ordered a side of kabocha, so I could have the best of both worlds.

I made the right choice. Seriously, that might have been the best pizza I have ever had. It tasted amazing, and the peppers and zucchini really added something special to it. Everything was cooked to perfection:

AMAZING. Devour is too dainty a word to describe what I did to that.

Gena got an amazing salad topped with some delicious looking avocado. I took one look at her giant salad and felt a pang of envy. When I see a salad like that, it makes me miss salads so much and depresses me that I can’t eat them (my stomach will not allow it). While I couldn’t taste her salad, I could, however, taste her roasted kabocha!

Cut off a piece, put in mouth. Chew, chew. Chomp. Swallow.

The verdict? Ehh.

Maybe it was so built up to me from other blogs? Maybe it wasn’t a particularly sweet kabocha? I don’t know. What I do know is that I would take a sweet potato over that kabocha any day. It just didn’t taste that sweet to me. I will need to try again, but that is my first impression. So I am not in any big rush.

This is Gena’s big salad with the kabocha in the background.

Then I tasted Missy’s kabocha sandwich. I don’t have a picture here yet, but when she posts it I will be sure to steal it. The star of her sandwich was without a doubt the caramelized onions. They were so sweet and flavorful! Delicious!

Aside from the food, our meal was great because we had so much to talk about. This was my first meet up with Gena in such a small setting; while we have emailed countless times, we’ve only seen in each other in large groups, so I am thrilled to have gotten the chance to sit down and eat a meal with her. And Missy is one of my closest friends (for those of you who don’t know, we met in Israel 2 and a half years ago), so there was great company!

As I looked around the restaurant, I was especially happy to see that it was pretty filled up. It is so great to see a vegan, healthy restaurant doing such good business.

Of course, we will have to do it again with Melissa — who, I might add, is running in the NYC Marathon on Sunday! Good luck to Melissa, I know she will do great! Melissa is my running idol since she went from not being a runner to running (like me) to running marathons (not like me. yet?). And she introduced me to Girl Talk.

After we paid the check (imagine 3 girls; 2 english majors and 1 blonde trying to do the math) we walked to the counter and spoke to the restaurant owner. This man was so nice! I asked them if they deliver and they said they do! The boy and I are BIG into food delivery. As I mentioned, SeamlessWeb is my best friend. But there aren’t many places on there that are affordable and healthy. The healthier options are a bit pricey. And I am always wary of what goes into making my food these days. So I was so happy to learn that Peacefood Cafe delivers. I plan to start ordering and trying everything on the menu! And I emailed SeamlessWeb to suggest they add Peacefood Cafe to their service.

Before leaving, we approached the pastry display. The desserts all looked so good! I bought a mini brownie (keep in mind, everything is vegan) to take home. When I got home I tore into it! Sorry, no picture. But know that it was so so so so good! I have been craving a brownie for about a week now, and this one really hit the spot. Perfect small treat for my sweet tooth!

If you’re in NYC, I definitely recommend stopping at Peacefood Cafe. They also had a lot of smoothies that I am dying to try, like the Chocolate Mint – Cocoa, Avocado, Mint, Agave. Yum. Wow. I want that right now.

And of course I want to try lots more menu items. I expect this restaurant to become a staple for me.

I’m going to the Seattles tomorrow morning very early, so I probably won’t be back on the blog until the middle of next week. Maybe a little surprise before then. Maybe not. I might be spending too much time smushing this little girl:

Aside from being an easy, inexpensive, fun eksusis that you can do at home while watching TV, rebounding touts numerous health benefits. After Maggie got hers off Craigslist, I was motivtaed to do the same thing. Mine even came with 2 DVDs, but until I figure out how to set up the DVD player, I will be rebounding to all my TV shows  this season: House, Nip/Tuck, The Office, Community, 30 Rock, Parks & Recreation, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Desperate Housewives, Modern Family, Law and Order: SVU. Click here to read about the benefits of rebounding!

Missy, Megan and Melissa all selected me as a winner of the Over The Top Award.

In order to accept this award, I need to answer the following questions with just one word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? table
2. Your hair? blown
3. Your mother? pretty
4. Your father? curly
5. Your favorite food? breakfast
6. Your dream last night? ring
7. Your favorite drink? almond
8. Your dream/goal? writer
9. What room are you in? living
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? jobless
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? there
13. Where were you last night? wedding
14. Something you aren’t? Asian
15. Muffins?  banana
16. Wish list item? chair
17. Where did you grow up? Queens
18. Last thing you did? type
19. What are you wearing? turtles
20. Your TV? floor
21. Your pets? Santana?
22. Your friends? ugly
23. Your life? ridiculous
24. Your mood? sleepy
25. Missing someone? Henries
26. Vehicle? Manhattan
27. Something you’re not wearing? underwear
28. Your favorite store? health
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? tomorrow
32. Your best friend? Rae
33. One place that I go over and over? bathroom
34. One person who emails me regularly? Jen
35. Favorite place to eat? IHOP

I pass this award on to the following bloggers:

Jen from PriorFatGirl
Janna from Just Flourishing
Santana from The Santana Chronicles

You ladies are all OVER THE TOP.

I was also awarded another award from Melissa with a different set of requirements. I will do that one another time!

And now, an XKCD.com webcomic:

Here is a treat for all you pancake searchers:

Mmmmmmm.

So today was my second and FINAL day of jury duty. I have to say, I absolutely loved it.

Things I loved about jury duty:

• Not getting my name called for Day #1’s case
• Getting dismissed at noon on Day #1 and having the rest of the gorgeous summery day free to nap
• Not having to arrive until 10:00 am on Day #2
• Being able to get up at a normal time to run outside instead of insanely early dark time
• Not getting my name called for Day #2’s case (33 names were called!)
• Having more time to read The Omnivore’s Dilemma
• Getting dismissed at 11:45 am on Say #2 and having the rest of the gorgeous summery day free to stop at Bloomingdale’s and get 40 Carrots frozen yogurt for the first and last time this summer (used to have it all the time last year), buy new shoes at a sale price, pick up my mail and some fall clothing, and pick up my Continental Airlines 5th Avenue Mile bib and chip
• Knowing I can’t be called for jury duty again in NY state for another 6 years (As my friend Melanie pointed out, I’ll be in my 30s – eek!)
• Drinking wine at 4:30 pm on a Thursday
• Having more time to blog and rest
• Getting 2 free days off work!

What can I say? I am proud to have completed my civic responsibility and served in the American justice system!

I am getting more and more nervous and excited about my upcoming Humor Writing class. Every now and then I feel a pang that I’m not taking the Memoir Writing class, because most of the stories I have to tell aren’t the funny kind, but then I think about how funny it will be to spend my Wednesdays in an environment of funny and to learn from Sara Barron, author of The Porn (you need to read her book to understand) and challenge myself. They also recommend devoting about 5 hours a week to the assignments which will take away from blogging time — but hopefully I can share my work as blog entries and kill two birds with one stone. I just hope I can think of funny things. And I can always take the 1 day intensive Memoir Class or take the 10 week next semester. Class starts Wednesday!

I am excited (but sad about not being able to go see Regina Spektor on Oct 14 at Radio City — please let me know if you can buy my tickets from me). I have been struggling lately because I know I need to make some major life changes but being that I don’t know exactly what I want — just that I want something different than what I am doing now — I think Humor Writing class is a great place to start. It is new. It is funny. It is sure to be the most fun way to spend 3 hours a week for 10 weeks. And some people tell me my blog is funny, although I don’t see it myself. So I’d like to cultivate that a little more!

Speaking of funny, I found my funny book! I mentioned in a previous post that I used to carry around a little notebook with an Oscar Wilde quote on the front. I tried to write down all the funny things people around me said. It didn’t last long, but maybe I will start it up again. I also thought of some very funny ideas while running this morning! However, I have no recollection at all as to what they were. Boo!

By the way, another great run this morning. 2.2 miles, very slow pace (just where my body should be right now) and I am excited to push myself on Saturday’s 1 mile race. The reason running used to be hard for me (other than the fact that I am new to it) is that I was always pushing myself to go faster than my body wants. Now I push myself to go slow and I have been enjoying myself much more. For Saturday’s race, I set a VERY ambitious goal for myself — 8:50 min — but who knows, maybe I’ll reach it. On my own runs I’ve been trying to slow to around 11 min/miles so that I can feel good for an extended period of time. But for a 1 miler? Who cares how I feel‽ I am giving it all I have. And yes, I just used an interrobang.

So back to my funny book. On the front there is an Oscar Wilde quote that I love:

Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.

Love it. Except for the fact that I can’t remember most things, which is why I got it in the first place. My biggest regret in my life thus far is that I didn’t keep a journal, especially when I was working on a teen tour. When I have kids I am going to strongly encourage them to keep a journal. Memories are so important.

Here’s one example from the book. I used to work in the English Department at Baruch College while I was pursuing my masters degree there in Corporate Communication. I had a little crush on one of the professors, and this was our encounter one day (FYI his codename was Sasha)

Sasha: Where are the cookies?
Me: I ate them.
Sasha: ALL of them?!

And yes, I had eaten all of them. I will never forget the look of shock on Sasha’s face — although I would have forgotten if I didn’t write this down. It was embarrassing yet funny. And it portrays my love of cookies.

There is more in here (not much more) that is pretty funny, although most of them are “you had to be there” types. What I never wrote down but reallyyyyy wish I had was all the encounters and stories I have about someone very stupid who I know well. I was trying to search old google chat conversations with people to see if I vented on there about this person, but so far I have not found success. Damn AIM and other programs that do not forever save my conversations in easily searchable format for eternity! It is google chat ONLY from now on.

I also brought back a book I had sitting in my apartment called Comedy Writing Secrets and one called Jewish Humor: What the Best Jewish Jokes Say About the Jews, along with two David Sedaris books I have not yet read (but I LOVED the ones I did read). For research. And my friend Phoebe lent me her copy of Waiter Rant: Thanks for the tip – Confessions of a Cynical Waiter (based on this website).

So much to read and no time to read it! If only I had more jury duty . . .

Sometimes she lies on her side. No matter what, it is adorable. I really want my own puppy so I don’t have to miss my brother’s from across the country. I think it is wrong that I miss Santana this much. If I had my own puppy I could just love it in real life. Anyway…

Funny Spam Comment
I have excellent spam filters on this blog, and sometimes I read through my spam folder for fun. Here is one funny spam comment I received yesterday:

You know so many interesting infomation. You might be very wise. I like such people. Don’t top writing.

I have to say… I agree. I kinda wanted to unspam this so the comment could live on my site for eternity. But then I thought about being responsible for people clicking on that link and getting infected with computer-eating viruses and I decided not to. Although I do think it is important for everyone to know that I have many interesting infomation! So many! Infomation, for those of you who are not familiar, is the fomation of info. It is true that I might be wise. I might not be, though. I like such people too — you know, the ones who have so many interesting information and might be wise. Those are the best kinds of people. I won’t top writing, but if I did, what could I top it with? Playing an instrument, maybe? I always did want to learn how to play the piano… For now, though, my writing will not be topped!

Spin Update
Yesterday morning, upon my physical therapist’s insistence, I took a spin class. PT told me she doesn’t know what to do with me until I test it out and see how I do. I had been seeing her for over a month now and have shown considerable improvement. (Read her letter to my doctor here). So yesterday was the day.

I went to spin with Missy and her sister at New York Sports Club at 7:00 AM. I selected a bike in the front of the room so I could watch my knee in the mirror. Missy and her sister remained in the back. I really enjoyed explaining to her sister that I had to be in the front because I have valgus. I said that! As if she would even know what that was. I felt really cool and medical and smart and sporty saying, “I need to be in the front to watch my knees because I have valgus.” I USED VALGUS IN A SENTENCE!!!

 Class started and I immediately pushed my left knee outwards. It felt like a lot of work but the mirror showed me it looked forwards. It just FEELS outwards to me because that is not the natural way my bone structure lies. A couple of times, I let my knee go normally to see the difference. It was bent SO FAR inwards — no wonder I had problems. Imagine spinning like that multiple times a week for months!

My right knee was facing forwards just fine. I actually remember noticing this one during my spin days. I remember seeing my leg twisting in and looking around to everyone else’s facing forward. I thought there must be something wrong with the way my spin shoe was set up, that it was locking in to the pedal at an incorrect angle. Now I realize that the problem is me!

I used to spin 3 to 5 times a week. It had gotten to the point where while it was a great, drenching workout, it just wasn’t that hard. Well, after not spinning for about 2 months I was shocked by just how DIFFCULT spinning was for me! Within the first 10 minutes my heart rate had jumped to 195. My entire chest was red from exertion and I felt my lungs laboring. The class itself wasn’t any harder — in fact, it was most certainly easier — than the classes I took at my gym. My heart rate stayed in the 190s and 180s the entire class. My max HR was 197, average 181. I burned 470 calories. I was simply out of spin shape!

I didn’t even realize that spinning so much lessened the challenge of the workout. I made a decision that when (if?) I go back to spinning I will only do it once a week so I can get a real challenge and attain the most benefits.

Anyway, back to my knee. While in the sitting position, I was able to keep it stabile and facing forward. Standing in second position wasn’t so simple. I found that even with my greatest effort, my knee still seemed a bit wobbly. It was much better than when I used to let it bend inwards, but it wasn’t as straightforward as I would have liked. Third position was a bit easier since I was supporting my upper body more. Toward the end of the class I found that holding my upper thigh out and tightening the muscles there helped my knee stay in a constant stabile position.

When class ended, I was thrilled to have finally spun again — and thrilled that I felt NO knee pain during the entire class. I did feel shoulder pain, but that is for anothet entry. I was excited to tell my PT, and while I decided that I will not rejoin my gym (too expensive) I would begin taking a spin class every now and then at friends’ gyms.

And then the knee pain started.

A few hours after getting to work, I was sitting down chatting with a coworker when I felt an intense pain in my knee; in the same spot that always bothered me during spin. I figured it was nothing, a fluke and dismissed it. But then I had to get up and walk. And I couldn’t move my knee. I couldn’t straighten it. I couldn’t bend it. My knee was caught in the exact position it was in when I was sitting. I assume the “catching” occurred at the time I felt the sharp pain.

I got up and hobbled my way back to my desk. After a few minutes my knee was no longer caught — but now the pain was constant. After about 20 minutes the pain seemed to have dissipated. I was on the phone with the boy and he thought the knee catching might indicate a more serious problem. He asked me to bend and straighten my knee. I did this and it HURT. At one point it also caught again. I stopped doing this.

Throughout the rest of the day, the knee pain was there. It wasn’t constant, but it was often. It hurt most when I walked. I didn’t feel it while sitting. Later in the evening, the boy and I were walking to the Boat Basin for dinner (YUM) and my knee was killing me.

I think that I was not ready to spin. Which also means I am not ready to run. PT had told me that if I can walk without pain (which I can), then I can run without pain. But maybe I need more time to recover, more strengthening, more stretching. I have an appointment with her tonight and I look forward to hearing what she says. I also have an appointment with my orthopedist on Thursday, so I will see what he says as well.

I was doing my absolute best during spin. I didn’t take my eyes off my knee once during the entire 45 minutes. If I still feel pain, then perhaps my problems are bigger than we realized. I guess we will see… in the meantime, I can still do Core Fusion and honestly? I am liking it much better than spin now anyway.

Drivers License Photo
And lastly…. yesterday I wrote about why I love my drivers license picture. Here is a refresher in case you didn’t read it yesterday:

I never changed my license address when I moved to Manhattan. Three and a half years ago. But I have a good reason!

I, uh… love my drivers license picture. And I was worried that if I changed the address they would make me change the picture, as I somehow entered a loophole in the picture changing timeline. I didn’t want them to realize that I haven’t taken a new picture since I was 16. I am 26 now. But I love that picture! If it were up to me, I’d have this license picture forever.

Like I said, I was 16. I was slightly ghetto-fab, being from Queens and all, so I had the two front pieces of hair framing my face while the rest of my hair was half-up. (Remember half-up!) I had also applied generous amounts of fake tan the night before — in preparation for this photographic opportunity. I was also rocking perfectly applied eyeliner. Because of (despite?) all this, my picture turned out beautiful! I loved it, I love when I have to show it to people, I love the compliments I get for it!

And here you have it… my drivers license! (My middle name is Heather, I don’t know how it got on there!) Also, note how I dotted the i in Dori with a star. And I am actually 5′5, NOT 5′4. My mom is 5′4 so I always assumed I was the same height as her, so that is what I wrote. I used to also assume I had the same shoe size as my mom and spent a few years buying size 7 when in fact I am a 6 or 6.5. Oops.

They deliver to the following cities:

• New York City
• NY Metro Area (Rye Brook, NY & Purchase, NY & Greenwich, CT & Stamford, CT)
• Jersey City
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• Philadelphia
• Washington DC (DC & Northern VA)
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• San Francisco (Downtown – Embarcadero area & Menlo Park & Palo Alto)
• Los Angeles (Downtown & Century City)
• London

Live in one of these cities? Never tried SeamlessWeb? The generous people at SeamlessWeb are offering my readers a discount! You can get 20% off your first order! Go to the site, place your order and be sure to enter this discount code at checkout: m42fjsdof91b. This offer expires on June 26, 2009!

Firefly Lane Book Review
When I was nearing the end of Firefly Lane yesterday, I started to cry. On the subway. Later in the evening, I was walking on the treadmill. I was reading the last 30 pages or so. Again, I started crying. On the treadmill. With the boy and his trainer working out right near me.

I didn’t want them to notice and stop their session to see if I was okay! Luckily, they didn’t see my tears. I finished the book and as I tried to fall asleep I couldn’t stop thinking about it. That is my clearest indicator on whether a book is a favorite — if it sticks with me. If it leaves me thinking about the characters, the scenes well after I finish. If it makes me think about the path the book took, the paths it didn’t take. If it makes me go back and reread scenes throughout to read them in a new light now that I know the ending. This book did all of those things.

I devoured Firefly Lane. I picked it up as soon as I finished I Know This Much Is True and read every moment I possibly could. Of course, things  got in the way, such as eating and going outside. But I did the best I could. I even opted for longer, local subway rides that would allow me more time to read.

Firefly Lane follows the stories of two women, Kate and Tully, through their friendship that spans over 30 years. They became friends at a time in their lives where they both desperately needed one. Their personalities are drastically different but they go through everything together — the good, the bad, the everything. As the decades change, the clothes , hairstyles and music change as well. The descriptions of the clothing and hairstyles throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s were funny. Especially the 80s.  Music plays a big part as well. The friends have their songs together, and you can even view their playlist of songs mentioned in the book here. You can even download it on iTunes… which I’m kinda considering doing! Each section of the book is marked by both the decade and a song.

There is an overarching theme of jealousy, and I actually felt the jealousy at the pit of my own stomach during certain scenes. There is a lot more I want to say, but I don’t want to give anything away. I also have some serious venting to do about one of the main characters! Parts of this book made me very angry – just as I felt jealousy, I also felt heated at one of the character’s actions. Kristin Hannah has the ability to make you feel the characters’ emotions as if you were there. I particularly identified with one of the two main characters — as it is clear throughout the book that the author identified with her as well.

If you have read Firefly Lane and want to discuss it with me, please leave a comment or contact me!

I usually scour Amazon reviews both before and while reading a book, but this time I didn’t. I didn’t want anything given away! I knew going into this book that it would be a tearjerker, since my mom read it before me. I didn’t want to know a thing more. I am so glad I didn’t. Now that I looked at the reviews, I know I made the right choice. If you decide to order this book on Amazon, try not to scroll down to the reviews. Read it for yourself, take from it what you need. I am so happy that is what I did.

The end of the book kept me enthralled while walking 56 minutes on the treadmill. I didn’t feel bored once. And now I find myself on the author’s website and blog reading as much information as I can about the book! I need all the background information I can get, that is how into this I am. In case you didn’t gauge it yourself, I recommend Firefly Lane.  

Currently reading: Revolutionary Road. I didn’t see the movie although I am sure I will want to once I finish the book. I always do!

Physical Therapy
If my knee gets better, I want to try a spin class here. The bikes MOVE from side to side! This helps you work harder because you have to engage your core and work your arms. Have you ever heard of such a thing?! Now I know where my instructor got the idea for the turns we did in class a few months ago — she works there!

As for my knee, PT is going well. Since I stopped spinning and running, my knee hasn’t been hurting nearly as much. I am trying to get my glutes stronger which will help my alignment and take the pressure off my knees. The PT actually gave me an exercise band (pictured here) to tie around my thighs to do the exact same butt exercises I did at the Nalini Method — the ones I loved with the round band around our thighs!

On Thursday I am bringing my spin shoes in to PT so she can get a sense of how my legs are aligned on the bike. Based on what she has seen, she is fairly certain my legs bent inwards when I am on the bike, which caused a lot of my knee pain. Next Tuesday, I am bringing in my running shoes so she can see my alignment when I  run — which I know for a fact is kooky since the boy has told me so!

PT also would like me, sometime over the next few weeks, to take a spin class so we can see if I still feel pain and get a sense of my progress. I am very happy with this physical therapist. I don’t dread going there like I did at my other places and I actually feel like she knows what she is talking about and knows what I need to do to get better.

My shoulder is another story… I have a  feeling that once my knee PT is complete, I will have to begin with my shoulder again. We will see…

Want to win a 3 day Blueprint Cleanse from FitnessNYC? I do.

“What about Seamless Web?” I asked him. He had no idea what I was talking about.

I had him open his computer to a website I was quite familiar with – SeamlessWeb.com. “This site lets you order from any restaurant nearby. You don’t have to talk to anyone! You just select what you want and they bring it here!” I boasted.

The boy was resistant. He didn’t like the idea. He was used to calling in his order to the one place he knew and getting the same meal night after night. He was wary of this whole “internet” thing I spoke of.

“Okay… but how do I know the place we choose will even deliver here?” he asked.

“That’s the beauty!” I replied. “Seamless Web ONLY shows you the restaurants that deliver to your area!”

“How can I be sure the order will be right?” he wanted to know. “How can you ever be?” I shot back.

He still was not convinced. The internet is for news. That is its purpose and that is the only purpose it has. But I pushed it. Promised him he would love it. It’s easy. You don’t have to actually talk to a single person. I’d been ordering from Seamless Web practically since its inception. I remember when it was new and I received a card on the street from someone promoting it. I thought the idea was fantastic and I was hooked!

So I brought up a restaurant we wanted to order from and I showed him how to make his selections. He was not pleased with the fact that he had to enter his credit card number, but both myself and the Seamless Web privacy agreement assured him his numbers would be safe there. You have the option of saving your number on the site, which I love because it makes the ordering process even quicker.

We placed our order. Our food arrived.

The boy could not believe it. “We just check off what we want and then they show up to the door!” he exclaimed. He couldn’t believe how easy it was. And how much variety.

It took a few more times of ordering for the boy to become a full Seamless Web convert. Now he brags to anyone who will listen about how great this site is. He also claims that he discovered it and told ME about it. Uhhh…

Here’s how it works: you select the restaurant and place your order, and a fax gets sent to the restaurant with your info. If the restaurant has a question they have your phone number on the fax and will call you. Otherwise, they show up with your food — already paid for! And now Seamless Web is offering a pick up option in NYC. Exciting!

The site also allows you to rate and review your order, review your past orders and even save some as a favorite to make for quick and easy future ordering! Aside from the login page, the website itself is user friendly and easy to navigate. I’ve never been a fan of the homepage as the log in link for returning customers is tiny and you are often enticed to try to log in from the Corporate Accounts section just because the user name and password fields are prominent on that side. They really should do something equally as prominent for us returning customers!

SeamlessWeb was pretty cutting edge when they started a few years ago. Just as their idea was cutting edge, so was their business model. In addition to being on Facebook, Twitter, etc long before other companies were doing this, they also have a fantastic food blog! Check out their blog here: http://blog.seamlessweb.com/. The pictures look amazing and there are some great reviews and restaurant options! Their marketing strategy of giving the restaurants Seamless Web branded plastic bags was brilliant as well. Walk down the street in NYC and I guarantee you will see at least one of these bags.

Seamless Web started out just in New York City, but now they serve 14 cities — including London.  I recommend clicking through the site and if they are in your city, try them out.

As for the boy, he is a true convert. He often muses that he doesn’t know how he ever ate dinner without it. What did he do before he knew about SeamlessWeb? Luckily, the boy met me. Now he will never pick up a phone and speak to a live human being again!

So cute I can’t take it. I miss that young boy and the baby puppy.

FullBar

A few months ago, I had saw commercials for FullBar and was intrigued. A bar that fills you up so you don’t go crazy eating everything in sight at mealtime?! Sign me up! Well, not exactly. What stopped me from considering buying them, after reading the information online, was the fact that one bar has about 150 calories. I figured that for those calories, it would be more practical for me to just eat a filling meal. Of course, I am probably not their target audience, since the commercials tried to appeal to people who might even be considering bariatric surgery or looking to lose some serious weight.

Here is some information about Dr. Snyder, one of the leading weight-loss surgeons in the country. He has performed more than 1500 primary bariatric surgeries:
After years of working with people who are seriously overweight at his nationally recognized Bariatric Center of Excellence, Dr. Snyder wanted to do more for the majority of people with weight issues who are not candidates for surgery or who would never consider surgery. He also wanted to be able to help people who had been disappointed by their previous weight-loss efforts. That’s when the idea of FullBar was born. Dr. Snyder wanted to help people feel that same level of fullness in a non-surgical way. It seems simple. And it is.

But then I got an email from the generous people at FullBar. They offered to send me some samples to try out! I have no problem eating anything if it is free. I was very excited when the boxes arrived and saw that the flavors of the bars were Cranberry Almond and Peanut Butter Crunch. They also sent me AquaFull powder in Berry Bliss and Zesty Lemon Tea. These powders only contain 15 calories!

So here’s how it works. You either eat a bar and drink 8 oz of water, or pour an AquaFull packet into 19 oz of water and drink it 30 minutes before a meal. When you eat your meal, you will get full more quickly than usual.

From the website:

The Real Secret to Losing Weight… Eat Until You’re Full!
It’s true. This is what makes weight-loss surgery so effective. You eat until you’re full, but because of the surgery it takes a lot less food to make you feel full. With FullBar, you can achieve the same results without the surgery!

Created by Dr. Michael A. Snyder, a leading weight-loss surgeon, FullBar is all natural and delicious. Simply eat FullBar with an 8-ounce glass of water 30 minutes before your 2 biggest meals of the day. For added fullness and flavor, drink Aquafull with your FullBar. By meal time, you’ll eat less and your hunger will be completely satisfied.

And when you eat less, you lose weight.

Simply put, FullBar and Aquafull will help you feel full! No special diet. No calorie counting.

Now, there are no special secret ingredients here. The product is more of a crutch for people who might not be familiar with — or might have a hard time practicing — basic methods in how to keep full. Many of us know that if you eat something high in fiber, it will likely keep you full longer. If you drink water throughout the day, that will keep your belly full as well. And lastly, you need to give your body time to recognize it is full, which is why eating slowly and waiting after you eat to determine if you are still hungry is important.

FullBar takes these concepts and conveniently packages them into one product. You eat the high fiber bar with a tall glass of water, or you drink the high fiber water drink. You wait 30 minutes to let your body realize that there is food in your belly and it doesn’t need much more. Of course you won’t be ravenous during your meal.

I should have checked the ingredients before accepting the offer of the FullBars, because when they arrived, I noticed they each packed a whopping 5g of fiber. The AquaFull packets have 4g. That is wonderful for most people. But with my tummy problems, it would really hurt me. I spend all day trying to eat the lowest fiber foods I can find so that I can hopefully feel okay.

What I would love to do is give you guys a real review of FullBar. I would love to tell you what my meal experience was like 30 minutes after eating one of these. Unfortunately, I can’t do that, since I can’t eat 5g of fiber at once. What I CAN  do is tell you what I  thought about the taste of these products.

I am able to take a little taste. I did this a few times for each bar, and just now for the AquaFull packets.

Here are my taste only, NOT effectiveness review of FullBar products:

FullBar

Cranberry Almond – At first taste, I was reminded of the cereal Smacks with cinnamon. At second taste I got a cranberry flavor. I really enjoyed it! In fact, I was tempted to break it into pieces and put it into a bowl of milk! It tasted like a yummy, delicious cereal. Flavor recommended. Product effectiveness not known.

Peanut Butter Crunch - I love peanut butter, as a general rule. I love peanut butter candy such as PB Twix and anything Reese’s. Recently, I fell in love with the Banana flavor of the kids Larabar, JamFrakas. When I tried the Peanut Butter flavor of that bar, I was very disappointed. So I wasn’t sure what the FullBar would be like. I took a taste yesterday and a taste today. I’ve gotta say, I am not digging it. I bite into it and taste peanut butter, but that taste is quickly overempowered by something else. Something like stale butterscoth. I would not want to eat an entire bar of this. Flavor not recommended.  Product effectiveness not known.

AquaFull

Zesty Lemon Tea - I admit I went into this flavor with a bias. I hate lemon. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. The drink tasted like tea with just a hint of lemon. Flavor  recommended.  Product effectiveness not known.

Berry Bliss- Blech. Sorry. But that is the best word. I had expected to like this one. When I smelled it, it reminded me of Triaminic from my childhood. But I was still optimistic. Then I tasted it. Sorry, not good. Strong, phony tasting flavor. Flavor not recommended.  Product effectiveness not known.

My suggestion:
If you’re curious about FullBar products and whether they work, my advice would be to pick up a Cranberry Almond bar. It was, no question, the best tasting of the products. If you want a lower calorie option, try out the Zesty Lemon Tea AquaFull. And let me know what YOU think of the product’s effectiveness — now I am curious!

Note: I just read further into their website and Cranberry Almond, the flavor I loved, is not listed on there!The FullBar flavors on the site are Cocoa Chip, Caramel Apple Crisp, Peanut Butter Crunch and Berry Bliss. I wonder what happened to it! The only AquaFull flavor on the site is Zesty Lemon Tea. I’m not sure if the other flavors just aren’t currently on the site or if they are no longer. Interesting! I bet Caramel Apple Crisp would be good.

Kinespirit

On Monday, Missy and I attended a Gyrokinesis class at Kinespirit.

“Kinespirit is a unique group of wellness studios committed to guiding you to personal fitness goals through the practice of Gyrotonic exercise and Pilates.”

I’d done pilates many times, but was not at all sure what to expect with Gyrotonic exercise. Here is some information:

Gyrotonic trainingis three-dimensional exercise taught on unique weight and pulley based equipment (pictured at right). Founded by Juliu Horvath, in the principles of yoga, dance, tai chi, and swimming, Gyrotonic training is a series of circular and fluid exercises that works the entire body through muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular stimulation.

   – Promotes strong, lean muscles
   – Increases flexibility, coordination, and balance
   – Enhances joint mobility and articulation
   – Frees the body of pain and restrictions
   – Increases circulation of blood, lymphatic fluids, and energy
   – Strengthens the nervous system
   – Compliments/supplements physical therapy and other rehabilitative body work
   – Helps prevents osteoporosis
   – Helps to slow the aging process through mental and physical stimulation and regeneration

I would have loved to try a class using the equipment (think: torture chamber) but the schedule worked out better for me to try a class called Cardio Gyrokinesis. Click hereto read all about this particular class. The class employes the same principles as Gyrotonics, but without the machines.

When I walked into the studio, I saw all the Gyrotonic machines on my right, with people getting personal lessons. On my left were the pilates reformers, which I have used before. On the far left was a small, open area. This is where the Cardio Gyrokinesis class takes place.

The class began with us sitting on individual benches. The class consisted of the instuctor, Missy, one other person and myself. At first I thought the other person was also an instructor because she knew everything and knew the instructor, but it turned out she was just a student who has taken it before! We practiced rounding our backs and then did movements where we moved our arms in certain flowing positions, in a constant stream of movement. There were 4 or 5 different arm motions we learned, and each has a name.

From the site,

Bench Work
In the seated position, the class moves through a series of fluid movements that mobilize the spine. These movements include arching, curling, bending, twisting and spiraling. The same patterns are expanded upon as the class leaves the benches and proceeds to floor work.

That explained it better than I did. When we finished with bench work we folded our benches up and learned standing movements. We employed the same arm techniques from the bench, and practiced them standing in a circle while doing lunges and squats. Eventually we learned the leg component as well, and we did fluid movements using our arms and legs. We learned a transition move so that we could go from one movement to the next without stopping. The instructor seemed very impressed with how quickly we caught on, but I didn’t think it was exactly complicated. But maybe I’m just quicker to pick things up than I realize!

Some of the arm movements had swimming names, which made sense since that is what it felt and looked like! Swimming in air.

Once we finished this section, we got mats that have 4 sides to them and did floor work. From the site:

Floor Work
Encompassing a variety of positions including kneeling, seated, and standing, the floor work releases and strengthens the entire body. Focus is on a variety of joint and muscle groups including hips, knees, hamstrings and abdominals. Corresponding breathing patterns stimulate the nervous system, open energy pathways and oxygenate the blood.

We did leg movements that all started out with us putting one leg up and bent in front of us while balancing on the mat on our arms. Then we moved that leg back into an arching movement, and back forward again. The intructor would announce when it was time to switch legs, and we would do it in one swift movement to keep the continuous motion going. We turned over and did ab work in the infamous C position. It burned.

After that we stood up and this was the only part in the class that seemed at all “cardio.” We did nonstop lunges and leg lifts, over and over, each leg, no stopping. My heart rate went way up. I felt my heart pounding!

I was hoping that movements like this would go on longer, but once that ended class was finished! We did some relaxing standing with our eyes closed, and when we opened them (after being advised to blink repeatedly and notice how it’s easier to see out of the corner of one eye than the other — true!) class was finished.

Pros: The hour went quickly. Nonstop movement makes for good exercise. Nothing was particularly hard (although maybe it becomes harder once you are more advanced). Nothing hurt.

Cons: I didn’t feel like I was being challenged enough. While it was nonstop movement, my heart rate didn’t go up until the last set of movements.

The site boasts the following as the benefits of this class:

   – Promotes spine and joint articulation and mobilization
   – Increases muscular contraction, extension, flexibility, and coordination
   – Increases circulation of blood, lymphatic fluids, and energy
   – Improves elimination and absorption
   – Compliments traditional cardiovascular activity and cross-training
   – Provides a mobile workout that can be easily performed while at home, office, or traveling
   – Increases body awareness

I can definitely see how this is the case. I’d like to spend my workout time challenging myself a bit more, though. I am very curious about the gyrotonic tower now! Maybe I will head back over there at some point to try that out.

All in all, a wonderful experience! I am so happy I tried this class and live in a city where opportunities like this are abundant. Thanks again to Melissa for giving us the passes! I also need to thank Melissa for introducing me to Girl Talk. The boy and I love listening to it and it really is perfect workout music. And while we’re talking about Melissa, tonight she is joining Missy and I at the Nalini Method! I had told her how much I loved it last week and begged her to try it out with me today, since I would love to hear what she thought of it after attending Physique 57 and Core Fusion extensively. Read my Nalini Method review here. Your first two classes are for the price of one, so it’s a good deal.

I am currently icing my shoulder in preparation for tonight’s class using one of these:

Speaking of good deals…. I am still considering joining  Core Fusion for a month (haven’t had time to get there yet) but first I wanted to try an Open level class and make sure I like it. But today Rue La La, an online boutique that usually sells designer items at a discount had an Exhale sale and they offered 10 Core Fusion classes at a discounted rate — just $15 a class! Normally a class is $35. So I purchased it, figuring that I can use it to attend class whenever I feel like it at a lower price once my month there is up and I am back at my own gym! If you want an invitation to be a part of Rue La La’s incredible sales, let me know and I will be happy to send you an invite. I have purchased a number of items from this site — I promise it is worthwhile!

Update: The boy just forwarded me an email someone sent him saying that I might be interested in the Core Fusion sale at Rue La La, not knowing I already purchased it myself. I am always on top of things.  :-)

HAPPY HENRY DAY!!! Henry Day wishes to all.

I’ll give it another week and then I’ll probably delete my account there. I do extensive analytic tracking and I don’t get any traffic from Foodbuzz. Mallories had noted the same thing as well, and she is a Featured Publisher! Which goes to show that there really is no reason to bother unless you are one of the chosen ones to receive products to taste and events to attend. As this blog is not considered worthy, there is no point so deal with all the spam emails they send me. I call it spam as there is no way to fully opt out.

It is a little sad, actually. I see this food networking site — a terrific concept — that has so much potential, but they won’t be able to go far because they practice a flawed logic. They lack the ability to execute their Featured Publisher program to get the most amount of traffic, the highest visibility, the best word-of-mouth. I have worked in internet marketing for over 3 years now and I think Foodbuzz could really benefit by hiring a consultant to help them turn around their site usability and marketing strategy.

Anyway, enough about that. I know I have been acting like a baby with this Foodbuzz situation, but I just have always had this weird thing when it comes to feeling left out. Reading my friends recaps of the event made me sad. Being left out just gets to me like nothing else ever can.  Ask my good friend Marc. He’ll tell you.

Anyway, since this blog has nothing to do with food, I think I will take this time to provide some product reviews of… well… food stuff. Weird.

PETA’s Vegan College Cookbook

PETA’s Vegan College Cookbook: 250 Easy, Cheap, and Delicious Recipes to Keep You Vegan at School came out on Tuesday, May 12. I had the opportunity to receive it a few weeks ago and was very excited when it arrived! The book is written by PETA with Starza Kolman and Marta Holmberg, and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Now, I am in no way a Vegan. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t be since my GI condition doesn’t allow me to eat fruits, veggies or grains. I am reviewing this book as a regular girl who likes to be healthy, loves delicious food, doesn’t like to cook and is lazy. Luckily for me, this is the perfect book for someone with these qualities!

The book is split into two sections: What You Need to Know and Recipes You’ll Love.

The first section is divied into chapters: In the Beginning, There Was the Microwave, Cliff Notes for Cooking, Vegans — What Can You Eat?, Stock your Kitchen and Vegan Alternatives to Meaty, Eggyand Milky Stuff. These chapters are filled with basic information, such stocking up on items; some are common sense (utensils); others are important for the recipes later in the book (olive oil and balsamic vinegar). There is a chapter of vegan alternatives to common foods, such as cheese, meat and milk. I am personally not a fan of vegan cheese and meats, but I happen to love Unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk.

That section is short and sweet and leads perfectly into the good stuff – RECIPES! Each recipe comes with a short blurb about it. These blurbs are often humorous and/or informative. The names of the recipes are fun and college-y.

Part 2 is divided into chapters: Breakfast, Sandwiches, Salads, Soups and Stews, Sauces and Dressings, Dinner, Drinks, Dips, Snacks and Desserts. Interspersed throughout the chapters are special Spotlight chapters. Spotlight on: Peanut Butter (YES!), Potatoes, Ramen. I laughed when I saw ramen since it is such a college staple! I had never even heard of Cup of Noodles until I got to college.

Now, let’s get to the (vegan) meat here. Throughout the book you’ll find little Did You Know boxes. I was not thrilled to read this line on the first page of part 2: “Did you know? Eggs are horrible for your health,” and went on to explain why.

Horrible? Really? That is quite the loaded statement there. Now, I would have no problem if their claim was a little less…. final. How about “We have reason to believe eggs might not be very healthy.” That would get their point across in a more intelligent manner. One that won’t alienate people (me) and one that people who don’t accept everything they read might appreciate.

I do a lot of research and based on scientific evidence and years of reading about this, I am confident that eggs are beneficial to your health. Feel free to research on your own.

I think this book should be a wonderful resource for vegans and non-vegans alike, but I do not feel it should be used to spew one-sided definitive arguments.  Yes, it is PETA. I understand that, but I think they would gain more credibility by providing a strong argument rather than a conclusive incorrect statement. While some eggs may pose issues, I only buy omega-3, organic eggs. I believe that I am buying the best eggs that will not cause salmonella (as the book claims is possible) and will keep me healthy.

That said, the recipes in here sound great.. The combinations of the foods (or substitutes if you don’t want to do it vegan) are what make these good recipes. And some are need no substitution. Every recipe in here sounds like something I’d like. There are wonderful sandwiches, breakfasts, dinners and salads in this book. I plan to try many of the recipes myself since they are all SO EASY. This is truly my kind of cookbook. A cook-less book.

I was thrilled when I saw there was a spotlight on Peanut Butter. Perfect college staple as it is packed with protein, is extremely versatile and needs no refrigeration. I don’t remember ever eating peanut butter during college.  This chapter is by far my favorite, as it incorporates so many ways to use peanut butter. Have you ever heard of a Wicked Good Wafflewich? (Vegan) toaster waffles, (vegan) chocolate chips, peanut butter and maple syrup. YUM. I want to make myself a version of this ASAP! There is a wrap that includes crunchy peanut butter, banana, apple and raisins. So simple. Yet sweet and crunchy and healthy. Something I easily could have made myself in college, but never did. Never even THOUGHT to. Or how about the Thai Takeout (Hold The Takeout) meal. You combine rice, peanut butter and soy sauce. So easy. And yummy! There is even a recipe called Ants on a Blog: A quick and healthy snack for all you die-hard bloggers too busy typing away to make a meal. Love the name!

My only concern with this chapter is the increasing number of kids with peanut allergies. What is with that! As the kids with this allergy get older and go to college, chapters like this might not be so popular. But for now, it’s great! And um, Peanut Butter Cup Pie. I’m there.

I mentioned earlier the Did You Know blurb about eggs. These blurbs are found throughout the book and are generally helpful. However, I came across another that I just can’t agree with. Did You Know: “Meat, dairy products and eggs…are laden with saturated fat and cholesterol, which make us fat and lethargic in the short term and lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks in the long term.”

Come on. This just made me angry, as it places an unfair blame on all meat, dairy and eggs. That is simply not true. Lean meats will not make you fat. They will not clog your arteries. The key is to stick with meats such as white meat chicken and turkey. Even lean beef is not bad for you as long as you don’t eat it every day. Same goes for lean pork such as canadian bacon. Dairy? Again, if you eat a lot of full fat ANYTHING, it won’t be great for you. Luckily, dairy offers low fat and fat free options. I eat greek yogurt every single day. I also eat full fat cheese sometimes. I eat chocolate every day. Am I fat? No. I don’t eat massive portions, I stick to low fat or fat free options when available and I eat lean meats. And then we are back to the eggs. An egg contains much more good fat than saturated fat. No comparison. And we NEED those good fats — hey, this book promoted avocado consumption, doesn’t it? Good fat. I eat eggs for dinner a few times a week. Often with cheese! And guess what, sometimes there is turkey bacon in that meal too. That is a triple whammy, is it not? Meat, eggs AND dairy in one meal. I must be the fattest person ever. But I am not. And guess what? My bad cholesterol is way down and my good cholesterol is way up! HealthDiaries.com notes, “According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.”

I am open to interpreation on all sides. But I am not a fan of the one sided “this is absolute truth and there is no disputing it” claims.  Eating healthy is about making the right choices for you, your body and your beliefs. But spewing one-sided inaccurate information will only put incorrect ideas in peoples’ heads — and they will be more likely to make incorrect choices about food going forward. Perhaps someone reads this and finds himself at a barbecue where the food options are as follows: grilled chicken skewers, hamburger, fried zucchini. This person might choose the fried food zucchini thinking it is less likely to clog their arteries and make them fat than the grilled chicken.

I’m not saying this will happen; I am just saying that this is my issue with their claim. It is important to teach people overall health. Outlandish — and vague — claims like this are not informative. But that is just my opinion. And the boy, who is a cardiologist, agrees. There you have it.

Moving forward.

The Spotlight on Ramen offers some new ways to dress up the college staple. I particularly loved the dips section — I think it will inspire me to make some dips!  I also enjoyed the soup section, as my experience with soup thus far has been out of a can. I want to make the Haas Party Avocado Soup and PJ Pumpkin Soup. Maybe I would like soup more! The snacks section is full of healthy, delicious snacks that I wish I knew about when I was in school. Then maybe I wouldn’t have gained 20 lbs! I wasn’t excited about the Spotlight on Potatoes since I don’t care for potatoes unless they are in their French form, but I was ecsatic to come across Pretty Much the Best Burrito, made with sweet potatoes and  guacamole! In the Desserts section, you can make the cakes in the microwave. I am so lazy, I hate dishes — I would LOVE  to make a sweet treat in the micro!

So my overall review?

The good: Easy recipes, healthy, perfect for college students, excellent for anyone in a time crunch or lazy, lots of variety and clever recipe ideas. Even the recipes that seem like a given (PB & raisins on Celery for example) are not something all college students would necessarily consider (I certainly didn’t!), so it serves as a nice reminder. I enjoyed the lighthearted, fun writing and the unique recipe names that are specifically tailored for college students.

The bad: Some “facts” that can easily be disputed, tips on being healthy that are not necessarily correct. Take it with a grain of salt.

I recommend this book. It would make a perfect gift for a student going away to school! Order the book on Amazon. Watch Starza and Marta’s promotional video here. See some sample recipes here.

I took this quiz to see what I should eat and it told me:

You Should Eat Sloppy Joels!
Today you’re feeling chill, relaxed, and a little … well … sloppy. With your no-frills kind of attitude, we’re confident that you are gonna love some Sloppy Joels.

Physical Therapy

Quick recap of my first PT session for pes anserine bursitis. I have been to PT 4 times in the past, and none were anything like this. I chose Physio Sports because of its proximity to the boy’s apartment. I did not know what to expect. I was pleased to walk in and see a clean, sleek interior. In my experience, doctors and PTs in shabby, run down offices tend to offer negative experiences. I can think of a few examples of this, so I often feel relief when the office seems new.

My therapist came out to greet me after I signed in and we went into a private room. Another plus, as only 1 of the previous 4 had private rooms. The others were out in the open. She asked me a lot of questions, more than I expected, about everything I do and have done that uses my knees. Also questions seemingly unrelated to my knees in any way, shape or form. We went over how my pain started and what activities I was doing. I told her about my right upper thigh pain and shoulder injury. She asked me if I ever sprained an ankle; in fact, I did! My left one, as a matter of fact. Same leg as the bad knee. She also asked me if I wear flip flops. Uh oh. Turns out flip flops are a major offender in knee injuries! She said I should stop. Ummmm. Is having a working knee really worth losing the joy of the flip flop? The verdict is still out on that one.

It turns out that she used to belong to my gym, has attended the Transfigure class and even went to Core Fusion for a year and a half!

I will call her PT going forward. PT, after talking extensively to me, had me change into shorts and then do some runway walking. I walked normally down a corridor. Then I walked back taking giant steps. Then I walked on my tippy toes. Then I walked on my heels. Then I did lunge walks. Then I did more regular steps. More giant steps. More lunge steps.

What did PT learn from this? Well, I hyperextend my left leg. All the time. That is the knee with problems. But even more interesting is the fact that my right side is completely out of whack! PT told me my right leg was all over the place, especially during the heel walks and the lunge walks. She told me to look down at my legs. I did. My right leg and knee were bent inwards. My alignment on my right side is totally off. I stand, walk, RUN like this ALL the time. Not good!

Back in the room, I had to lie on the table in all different positions. Face down (with a hole like a massage place!), face up, on my sides. PT did a lot of  testing of my muscles;  seeing how tight they are; how far they bend; how strong they are. I was surprised to learn that my left leg, the one with the knee injury, is actually much stronger than my right. I had to stand up and do more little movements (ie, lifting my leg like i was marching) while she examined me more. She looked at my back, at my hips. My legs, my knees, my tush, my feet.

My foot was a problem. I can’t remember exactly what PT said and did, but it involved moving my foot and not being able to move it in a certai ndirection very far. She said this is not normal; I should be able to move this way. Because of this, the burden went to my knee while I ran. The burden had to go somewhere and the foot wasn’t doing its job correctly, so my knee had to make up for it. The result? Bursitis. She said we will work on my feet thoroughly during my therapy.

My calves are extremely tight; so are my hamstrings, quads, pelvis, hips. She said it is crucial I stretch my calves every day, and gave me an easy stretch that I can do anywhere. PT recently came back from a conference where they stressed how important BUTT exercises are in improving the knees in physical therapy. She told me to do the exact butt exercises as Core Fusion! PT said that the most important things I do at home right now are calf stretching and butt work. Holding on to the chair and lifting my leg and doing little butt raises. How great — I will get a nice tushie in this process.

PT asked me about how I sit at work. She asked if I cross my legs and if I lean to one side. I had no idea! She thinks that if I was crossing my ankle over my right, it could be contributing to the pain. Well guess what, friends? Now that I was paying attention, I “caught” myself sitting in this position MANY times today: left thigh over right, left ankle wrapped behind right leg. In other words, I sit like a pretzel. I twist my legs all around each other as far as they can go. Of course that would be bad for my knee! I never noticed this about myself. I will tell her when I go back for my first real session tonight.

This was, without a doubt, the best physical therapy experience I have ever had. PT was so knowledgeable, so friendly and nice, so interested in really helping me, so thorough. She explained everything to me in such minute detail I will never remember it, but explained which way my legs move, why certain positions or movements I do cause a reaction in other muscles. She explained how I run and why I experienced the pain I did. She explained how the tightness of all my muscles contributed. She went into detail over how everything works — or doesn’t work – together to ultimately cause the mess that is my left knee. There is a lot more she said that I can’t remember, but PT is confident we can fix all my problems with correct therapy — and for the first time in my life, I actually don’t feel that physical therapy will be a waste of my time.  They should all be so knowledgeable.

Doormat News

I ordered this mat for my mommy from Coco Mats ‘N More:

Pretties!

Side note: Bethenny revealed last night that she had the girls lifted. Just as I originally suspected!

Coming this week: Fullbar review, Kinespirit class review, Nalini Method part 2