Training Wheels?

Well, round two of 6FIT has come to an end and it was another great run. I lost another pound and another couple of inches, but most importantly, I feel great!

First and foremost, I need to give a shout out to my cheering section.

I really have the most amazing husband. This man is behind me every step of the way, even when it means I'm squeezing exercise classes into our already insane schedule or getting the whole family up for an early morning walk on the weekends (extra points for exercising with "friends" on the weekends!). Every single day he asks what he can do to support me. How can he help me meet my goal? How can "we" get more points today? What's that other woman doing out in California and how can we smoke her this week? (Hi Kim!)

And my munchkins, William and Julia have been a total riot, living the 6FIT life right along with me. Telling the world about "hunt, gather, grow" week. Riding their bikes to the library instead of taking the car so Mom can jog along. "What's our food of the week, Mom?" "How many points do we get if we go for a walk?" "Do you get extra points if I sit on you while you do yoga?" "Are we beating that lady yet?"  Clearly the competitive spirit is present in our house.

As a former "loner" who has always wanted to do things on my own, this has been a very eye-opening experience. I know how to eat well. I know how to exercise. Why is this so darn difficult to do on my own?
The answer is, I still don't know. However, I'm a firm believer in doing what works, and being part of a supportive and health-minded community is definitely working.

After my first round of 6FIT, I was really on-track for about two weeks, and then I just started floundering around. I felt like I had lost all of my structure; no charts to fill in, no points to tally, no challenges to meet, etc.
This time around, I'm all over it! I've got my "app" to track my food and exercise (and connect with friends who are doing the same thing), I'm staying in touch with many other 6FITters and I'm scheduling exercise in advance for each week so I know I'll be taken care of even in the busiest of times. And let's face it-when is it NOT the busiest of times?
I'm considering this my "training wheels." Like when you first learn to ride a two-wheeler but you have to focus all of your energy on not falling off, you hardly notice the world around you. If you put the training wheels back on, you can enjoy the ride and still keep moving forward. That's me-moving forward!

I've also joined the virtual world and I'm hooked. I take real-time classes right in my living room via Skype after the kids go to bed or before they get up or sometimes they even join me. I can't believe I waited so long to try this out. 

People keep asking me what my favorite exercise class is and every time I think I have an answer, I try another class and can't make up my mind again.
Here's my rundown:

• For Cardio I love Zumba. Who wouldn't? You keep moving, have fun and "Shake it" when Maeve yells "Shake it!" I dance like crazy and, as long as I avoid the mirrors, I feel like I could be on MTV. Oops-really dating myself there, aren't I? Does MTV still exist?
• I'm also a big fan on Dinna's CardioKickFIT class. I love kickboxing and holy cow does Dinna make a girl work. Lots of intervals, lots of sets, big smiles and an all-around challenging class that wipes me out every time. I wish this was on the schedule more-it's in a tough time slot but totally worth it!
• I haven't tried BalletFIT Cardio yet but it looks like another fun and challenging class. I'm working up to this one.

And then there are the toning classes:

• Pilates with Resistance Tubing was my first favorite. Thank you Gina! I'm finally beginning to understand that you can stretch and be gentle on your body while also getting a great all-over toning workout. Who knew? It's the kind of class that flies by, leaves you relaxed and feeling settled in your body and, the next day, has your muscles reminding you that they did some serious work. 
• Then I tried BalletFIT and really enjoyed that one too. Barre work, center work, core work, hand weights, some cardio, stretching-this class has everything. Reminds me of my childhood dreams of tutus and toe shoes-embracing my inner-ballerina here!
• Then one morning I tried an early morning Mat Pilates class with Ali because I just couldn't fit anything else in that day. I haven't missed this class since. Talk about greeting the day. 45 minutes of all-over good feelings and more sweat than one would think in a class with no cardio.
• And not to leave out the west coast motivation-Kristin's Long and Lean class was my first experience with yoga. All these years I wondered how anyone could consider yoga a workout. My kids go through the poses in their sleep. I take it all back and apologize to all of you yogis and yoginis. Yoga is tough and I am a convert. I absolutely love this class! And I'm not as coordinated as I thought-enough said.
• And then Miss Lauren introduced me to BalletFIT Tone and Stretch one Saturday morning and it's now a regular part of my week. David and I have made this a weekly date and it's just the perfect way to start a weekend.  The studio is so beautiful and quiet in the morning and Lauren leads the class through some stretching, some basic barre work and lots of core and toning work. It's a slow paced class that's gentle on the body and always leaves me standing up a bit straighter and taller.
• And then there are Arms and Abs, and Legs Bums & Tums: These are a little harder to fit into my schedule but I squeeze them in whenever I can. Sometimes a break from cardio and a real focus on specific "problem areas" (I hate that phrase!) just feels so good. Small weights and lots of reps are starting to make a difference for me. I'm starting to see long lean muscles popping up everywhere. What a difference from the muscles I developed at the gym! I'm pretty sure those one-pound Pilates balls are programmed to get progressively heavier as the workout goes on...

What am I missing? Music Video Dance is still intimidating me but maybe I'll get over it. Alyssa is such a great teacher and they all look like they're having a total party. There are still a few other classes left for me to try and I think a new class was just added to the schedule.

What do all of you do to keep your health a top priority? How do you fit in regular exercise without letting other things fall off your plate?

Enjoy this gorgeous weather and keep moving!
~Mari-Chris

Inertia-Isaac Newton was on to something.

An object in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an outside force. An object at rest stays at rest until acted upon by an outside force.
We all know this right?
I haven't really thought about inertia since high school, until this week. This week I realized that inertia actually controls my life. It's why when I'm "on," I'm really on, and when I'm "off," I'm totally off. Have you ever been on a roll getting lots of stuff done and then sat down for a minute to eat lunch or sort the mail and completely lost your momentum? How many times have you thought "I never should have sat down!"  Some days I am on fire and get so much accomplished. Other days I can't seem to get myself in gear at all.
So what's going on here? What are the "outside forces" at work that kill my energy and keep me from being the upbeat, active person I really want to be all the time?
And just as importantly, what outside forces can I use to get myself going when I'm mentally or physically "at rest?" Obviously, exhaustion and the need for reasonable amounts of sleep are factors here, but they are definitely not the whole story.

Here's what I've come up with so far for what I'll call negative outside forces:

• avoidance-when I really don't feel like doing the task at hand for whatever reason
• desire for down time- any parents relate to this one?
• actual physical fatigue
• mental fatigue
• lack of a goal to work toward
• looking at the big picture and feeling overwhelmed
• need for a chance to just blow off steam
• Facebook, Pinterest, email, etc

And on the positive side:

• momentum
• feelings of accomplishment
• encouragement from others
• focusing on only the task at hand and not looking at the whole to-do list
• taking the first step-the next one is always easier
• getting closer to a goal
• having the end in sight
• endorphins!

So my challenge this week is to figure out a way to enjoy my times at rest without letting them take over indefinitely and, as much as possible, to stay in motion.

So far I'm doing really well, but I'd love to hear how others deal with their "lazy side" and keep from becoming a total couch potato. 

What do you do in the moment to snap out of a slump and get back in the game?

Oh, and one more thing: NEVER end your workout lying face-down on the floor! Our 14-minute workout this week ended with a series of "supermans" and, after the minute was up this morning, I promptly fell asleep right there on the floor. Oops!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

~M-C

Eat More Kale

You've all seen the t-shirts and the bumper stickers, right? So what's all the hype about kale?
This slogan originally began as a t-shirt to promote local business, however, aside form the controversy that surrounds it (http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9REGSB00.htm), you really SHOULD eat more kale-it's one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet.
I'm not going to list all the great vitamins and minerals in kale, but trust me when I tell you that it's a powerhouse.

Here's a recipe I'll be making many times this week:

Crispy Kale Chips  
Ingredients

• 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food.

Some people say these take the place of potato chips for them, I won't go that far, but they are definitely yummy! 

I'm told if you use less oil, you can crush these up into a powder and mix them into popcorn with a bit of parmesan cheese. I might have to try that too.

I also use kale almost every time I make soup. Wash it, take out the stems (I saute them in olive oil and eat them separately) and throw them in whatever soup you are making. Just make sure you let them simmer until they are tender or they can be a bit bitter.

How are you making kale this week?

In health and haste,

~Mari-Chris

6FIT Week 5-The 24-Hour Workout!

JUST KIDDING! But I got you to read on, didn't I?

I'm kidding about week 5, but not kidding about the 24-hour workout. The concept isn't mine, but I love it. The idea is to behave as if you're working out all of the time and it can really change everything from what you eat to how you carry yourself and even how you dress.

For example, you'd never eat a big fried meal before a workout, would you? No-you'd eat a healthy meal with lots of veggies and you'd never stuff yourself.
When you work out, you focus on your form, so why not stand up straight, hold in your middle and keep your chin up all day?
And if you're not going anywhere special, wear your cute kicks so you'll be ready if the opportunity arises for some active fun!

I'll admit, I can't remember to do it all the time, but when I do, I feel really great. I find myself doing calf-raises while I wait for my coffee to heat in the microwave, or putting away the laundry 1 pile at a time (bedrooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors!) rather than stuffing as much as I can into 1 basket so I only have to climb the stairs once. Just standing up straight and holding in my stomach takes a lot of work, so I know I must be strengthening something, right? And when I feel strong, I'm much less likely to hit the baking cabinet and grab a handful of chocolate chips on my way by. Don't laugh-it's the only junk-food I have left in the house!

Give it a try. See if you can work "exercise" into the things you already do everyday. It won't replace a good workout but it will definitely help you make better choices and you'll feel great!


So how's everyone doing with Go Vegetarian week? Are you missing meat? Have you found that you aren't missing it much?

This is not a tough one for me because we don't eat much meat around here, but I'm hearing that lot's of people are struggling with this one. I used to cook some type of meat for my family at least 4 or 5 nights a week. Originally, we cut back in order to scale down our food budget. Then, the more I read, the more I became committed to buying only meat from animals that were raised humanely and fed well. Since that kind of meat is so expensive, we consider it a treat these days. We're not fanatics-I still eat whatever is served if I'm not at home, but I want to feel good about what I spend our money on when I have the choice.

Here's a really easy vegetarian recipe, especially for people who don't like tofu. I was never a tofu fan but I've found I love it when it's cooked right. Just try it-you might change your mind. Serve it with brown rice or quinoa and a steamed vegetable (green beans anyone?) for a complete meal.


 Seriously Delicious Baked Tofu:
1lb tofu sliced into 1/2in rectangles
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine (mirin)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced fresh garlic

Preheat oven to 350.
Place tofu in a single layer on a lightly oiled casserole dish.
Whisk all other ingredients together and pour over tofu.
Bake until tofu is lightly browned and sauce has thickened.  (About an hour but watch it closely because it can be different depending on the variety of tofu.)

Okay, my 1/2 hour break is over (thank you Grandma and Grandad!) and the children are about to descend so it's back to school vacation week madness.

Enjoy the weather and don't forget to try something new today!

~Mari-Chris

I told you so!

Wow-lots of views for my last post. I guess folks were more nervous about hunt, gather, grow week than I thought! How's everyone doing so far? Not as bad as you thought it was going to be?

Two different people have remarked to me this week that they can't believe their energy level given that they're "only" eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains and unprocessed foods. It's eye-opening, isn't it? Gives you a whole new perspective on what your body really wants you to put into it.

It turns out, you can get all of the nutrition and energy your body needs by eating the hunt, gather, grow way. Not only that, but your body will become much more efficient. If your body is not wasting time and energy trying to digest foods it wasn't meant to process, it will have more time and energy to do everything else.

And who thinks they're missing out on carbs?
 Guess what-the foods that you are eating are actually full of carbohydrates. The only difference is that they are complex carbs, as opposed to the simple carbs found in breads, crackers, cereals, etc.

Simple carbs are metabolized pretty quickly, giving you a short burst of energy (and spike in blood sugar) and then that familiar drop (plummeting blood sugar), which makes you crave more carbs and the cycle continues.
Complex carbs are metabolized much more slowly so your blood sugar never spikes and you feel a much more constant, stable energy level and generally feel satisfied longer than you would with simple carbs.

Blah, blah, blah, so the point is THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOR YOUR BODY!!!

Two weeks in and you already have the first Two pieces of the 6FIT puzzle:

1. Stay hydrated-it makes you feel good and makes your body work well.
2. Eat "real" food-it makes you feel good and makes your body work well

Are you sensing a theme here?

And how are you doing with broccoli and melon, our foods of the week? I have to admit that I've just been steaming lots of broccoli and haven't gotten very creative. I might give this a try before the week is out:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/broccoli-sun-dried-tomatoes-50400000112125/

It's broccoli with sun-dried tomatoes and pine-nuts and it looks so pretty.

As for melon, it makes me feel like summer is here-hooray!

So you've gotten on a roll and you're feeling good and then what? A holiday weekend sneaks up on you. Whether you're celebrating Easter or Passover or just a plain old weekend, you have to have a plan because flying by the seat of your pants is just not going to work (and you're going to need larger pants!).

We'll be having brunch with my family and dinner with my husband's family and they're both potluck so I'm bringing 6FIT-style foods to both meals. That way I'll be sure to have options that I'll feel good about.

I also plan on enjoying a mimosa at brunch, a glass of red wine with dinner and definitely dessert! 

The thing is, I've already made these decisions so not only will I feel no guilt but knowing that I'm going to treat myself will keep me focused on the veggie/hummus platter that I'm bringing rather than the gorgeous cheese plate that will be calling my name SO loudly.

And lest you think that points are ever far from my mind, broccoli will be on the menu all weekend and I'm getting plenty of exercise points this week so I won't even miss the few points I lose. 

What's you plan? Think about it now while you still have time to make good choices.

Are you eating out? Can you pull up the restaurant menu online and decide what you'll eat ahead of time?

Can you bring a dish that you'll feel good about eating?

Can you decide now which indulgences you're going to enjoy so that you have something to look forward to?

Worst case scenario? You have the option of taking an immunity day, but if you plan ahead, you might surprise yourself. 

Whatever you choose to do, decide now and share it with your team so you'll feel accountable and less likely to fall off the wagon in the moment.

Okay, we're waiting...

Have a great weekend!

~Mari-Chris

Live Like a Caveperson?

Okay, be honest. who's feeling a little intimidated by next week's "Hunt, Gather, Grow" challenge? If you're not "in the know," we 6FITters are going to be going back to our roots next week. If we can't hunt, gather or grow it, we can't eat it. We get one immunity item for the week so it's not like we have to give up our morning coffee or anything. Now before you get all worried, think about this challenge a little. I'll bet if you made two lists, the list of things you CAN eat would be far longer than the list of things you CAN'T eat.

What's out?

(Does this really look appetizing to you?)

• cheese, yogurt, ice cream
• bread, crackers, tortillas, etc.
• refined sugars and artificial sweeteners
• alcohol
• anything refined or processed
• most breakfast cereals
• coffee

What's in?

(How gorgeous is this?)

• Any type of fruit or vegetable you can imagine (this is a HUGE category!)
• Rice (preferably brown), quinoa and any other grain you can gather (another HUGE category)
• Pure maple syrup, honey, raw sugar and other natural, unprocessed sweeteners
• Water (LOTS of water!), 100% fruit or vegetable juices, tea
• Milk is allowed
• Olive oil, coconut oil and even butter
• Spices
• Natural peanut butter
• Oatmeal (not the instant kind, silly)
• Eggs
• Beef, chicken, pork, fish, shellfish (not breaded or fried)
• Nuts
• Beans
• Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc)
• Natural salad dressings

~and those are just the things that come to mind immediately.

So now that you've calmed down a bit, what are you going to eat? You are not doomed to a week of salad, though that wouldn't be entirely awful in my opinion. It's only a week after all-just seven days out of your whole lifetime. Our ancestors lived like this every single day. Don't try to tell me that your great, great, great grandparents were more creative than you are. You can do this! By the end of the week, you may even find you like it. Your body certainly will.

Let's start with breakfast. You can't have toast or most cereals so you have to think out of the box here. I'm going with coffee as my immunity item but if you're a tea drinker, you're already ahead of the game. Swap the sugar for some honey or maple syrup and you're good to go. 

Now how about making a big batch of oatmeal at the beginning of the week. Each day you just toss in some goodies (fruit-sweetened cranberries, banana slices, raisins, berries, diced apples, nuts, seeds) and you're good to go. 

Or how about a couple of eggs. Scrambled, hard-boiled, omelette-style with lots of veggies?

And don't forget that you're not restricted to what most people consider breakfast foods. I've found that starting my day with a bowl of chopped veggies, olive oil and a little salt (I usually add a chopped string cheese but this week I'll probably go with sunflower seeds) gives me a nice steady flow of energy until lunchtime. Or leftover dinner is my second favorite. Soup or sauteed vegetables over rice or quinoa? It might take a few days to break the carb-craving morning habit. I still crave something bread-like with my morning coffee once in a while but for the most part, it's a fleeting feeling.

Lunch can be even easier. The obvious option is salad with all-natural dressing. You might want to add some grilled chicken or fish or some nuts or seeds to boost the protein and keep you satisfied through the afternoon. Or what about an apple or banana with natural peanut butter. Or sauteed veggies over a whole grain? You're getting the idea now, right.

So now it's dinner time and you're really freaking out? Still? Grilled, roasted or baked veggies, baked potato, brown rice, grilled or baked meat or fish, homemade soup, salad, homemade quiches or frittatas? There are so many "clean-eating" options out there. If you need ideas, there are some great blogs, pinterest sites and recipe sites out there.

Check out Engine2Diet or The Gracious Pantry. Also, WholeFoods is running a 28day "health starts here" challenge (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere/28daychallenge.php) where you can find tons of recipes and some great suggestions for making it happen when you're crunched for time. (Like "batch cooking day so you have ready-made meal parts that you can throw together in different combinations all week) Those are just a few that come to mind.

Look at your team's chart for the week. See what other people are eating and you'll not only get ideas but also support and motivation.

Make sure you ask for help if you're feeling stuck. Sometimes it's hard to see beyond what you're used to. By the end of the week, I'll bet you find one or two things you don't want to live without and many more that you had no problem giving up. And you'll definitely see changes in your energy level and mental clarity.

Most importantly, don't forget that you have the option of eating "forbidden" foods if you're willing to lose a few points. Even just knowing that you have that option is sometimes enough to get you through a rough patch. You're not trapped or deprived, so don't let yourself feel restricted. You might find that you care more about your point-count than your desire for an ice cream sundae. Oh wait, that's me =)

So, now that you have a place to start, who has some other ideas for embracing our inner cave-people? 

Have a great week!

~M-C

And Away We Go!

Happy Tuesday! Although our early spring weather is on temporary hiatus here in Boston, I still feel energized by the sun, the blossoming trees, the birdsong and the prospect of warm days just around the corner. I can't wait to pack away the winter things and head outside. I've started preparing the garden plot that will soon be filled with beautiful vegetable seedlings and the kids are so excited about growing food! Even our bunny has more spring in his step this week-maybe someone told him about the vegetable garden?

Last night we kicked off the spring session of 6FIT at DanceFIT Studio and it's going to be an amazing 6 weeks. The energy in the studio felt so positive I couldn't help but to smile and I felt like all of my negative energy was sweating right out of me. Once again I've got a very motivated team. Our lives are all very different but I'm really looking forward to seeing how this healthy lifestyle fits in to so many different scenarios and hearing how different people make it work.

This first week is the "Water Cleanse" challenge. Don't worry! This is not a week with no food! 6FIT is about learning to live in a more healthy way and starving your body for a week would definitely not qualify. What we eat is up to us. We are allowed one small cup of coffee before noon each day but, other than that, we can only drink plain water.
I think (correct me if I'm wrong, Gina and Maeve) the purpose of this challenge is first, to make sure we are all well-hydrated and second, to wake our bodies up to the changes to come in the next 6 weeks. We always hear some version of the "drink 8 glasses of water a day" rule but I personally have always been terrible about drinking water. It's not that I used to drink soda or juice instead. I just never seemed to drink much of anything.
For those of you that always drink lots of water, this week might not be a big change for you. For everyone else, you are going to be amazed at how different you feel at the end of the week. If you feel sluggish or have a bit of a nagging headache, you are not alone. For many of us, that one cup of coffee in each morning represents a fraction of the caffeine we are used to consuming and we'll have a bit of withdrawal to deal with. Also, flooding your body with lots of water is a great way to flush toxins from your system but in the process there will be lots of toxins floating around on their way out. Rest assured you will feel much better in a couple of days and please don't give up. The best thing to do is be kind to yourself,  drink even more water and keep your body moving. You'll get over the hump and feel much better by the time we head into week 2.

Foods of the week this week are swiss chard and bananas. Who has a great recipe to share? I usually just saute chard in olive oil and eat it over brown rice or quinoa with a bit of salt but I'm sure there are much more interesting ways to eat it. As for bananas, aside from being great just as they are, if you slice them and let them cook in with your morning oatmeal they add a nice texture and enough sweetness that you might not need to add anything else.

Wow-that was a long post considering I had no idea what I was going to write about today. Stay tuned for some different posts in the days to come. Eating well on a budget maybe? Or great books to check out if you're trying to live a healthier lifestyle? Suggestions welcome!

And did I mention, I like who I'm becoming!

Here's to 6FIT =)
~Mari-Chris