For The Sake of Cake

My interest in physical fitness only started about two and a half years ago.

In October of 2010, I was 10 months out from my wedding and I had just moved back home to save some extra money. A bit of extra money each month meant that I could join a local gym, something I had wanted to do but couldn’t squeeze into my budget when I lived on my own.

Immediately after joining the gym, I tried out BodyPump for the first time. This was the class I had heard the most about (mostly from other blogs). I remember my arms shaking as I drove home from my first class, and I could barely muster up the strength to wash my hair afterwards.

For a while, most of my gym visits centered around BodyPump. I’d hop on some of the cardio machines from time to time, but with work, wedding planning, and grad school, it was hard to make it to the gym more than three times each week. I always made sure that at least two of those visits coincided with BodyPump.

Since then, I’ve started branching out a bit and now I regularly participate in a variety of group exercise classes at my gym. In fact, I almost exclusively take classes at my gym, rarely using the cardio/strength equipment.

If you’re looking to get started with group exercise—or try something new—here are a few of my favorites:

1) BodyPump

Pump is a strength class, but also incorporates cardio in a few tracks. Each class begins with a warm-up, and then follows with tracks dedicated to certain muscle groups. The class always follows the same order: warm-up, squats, chest, back, triceps, biceps, lunges/legs, shoulders, abs, cool down. I love schedules and consistency, so I appreciate the fact that I always know what’s coming. Every few months, Les Mills launches a new release. Each release still follows the same order, but different songs/new moves are added. My muscles are always sore after a new release!

2) CX Worx

CX is also a Les Mills class. It focuses on core strength and incorporates sit-ups, planks, and various exercises with resistance bands. This class is tough, and I usually have to modify some of the moves! Since I’ve been taking the class regularly, I’ve definitely noticed my core strength building. One of the things I like most about this class is that it’s only 30 minutes—perfect for when I only have time for something quick.

3) BodyStep

I’ve got to put a disclaimer on this one… I’ve only recently started taking BodyStep (maybe a total of 6 times so far?) and I’ve only done the express class offered by my gym (30 minutes versus a full hour). This class is like step aerobics on steroids. I always feel like I’m getting as much of a mental workout as I am a physical one—I really need to think about the moves and what I’m doing. I definitely look like a giant goober during this class—picture arms flailing, steps being missed, a general look of bewilderment and confusion—but I really have fun! Plus, it leaves me huffing and puffing (cardio!) and my legs feeling like jelly (strength!).

4) Spin

Spin was the second class I tried after I started taking Pump (however, it was months later). Spin can be a little intimidating—you have to set up the bike and if you’ve never taken a class before, it’s hard to know what to expect—so it might be a good idea to go with a friend (that’s what I did!). The only downside to spin (for me, anyway) is if an instructor doesn’t vary the workout enough. There are some spin teachers who seem to use the same playlists over and over (hearing the beginning of Sandstorm makes me want to unclip and run for the hills), or they inundate a class strictly with sprints; that gets boring. If you don’t love spin class the first time you try it, I’d suggest giving it another go, perhaps with a different instructor. It can make a huge difference!

Which do you prefer—group exercise or working out on your own?

If you’re a fan of group exercise, what’s your favorite class? There are two other classes that I regularly attend at the gym—bosu and Total Fit. Both are circuit-style classes.

Any questions about any of the class mentioned above? Not that I’m an expert, but I do take them pretty often!

Confession time…

Ever since Christmas, I’ve come a bit unhinged.

I’m sure most of you can agree that it’s difficult to stay on track – eating healthfully and working out regularly – during the holidays. Heck, it’s hard to do those things during the ordinary day-to-day.

After Christmas and New Year’s, I knew I needed to make a conscious effort to watch what I was eating and perhaps shed a few of those annoying pounds I put on after taking one too many cookies from the Christmas platter.

I was introduced to the Lose It! website and app, and have found it helpful in keeping track of what I’m eating, and how much energy I’m expending during my workouts.

First and foremost, I want to stress that Lose It! isn’t just an app. As I stated above, it’s a website, too. I find it convenient – and sometimes easier – to input my daily eats when I’m at the computer as opposed to always having to do so on my phone.

There are many other great advantages to Lose It! Some of my favorites…

• Bar code scanner – While the food database on Lose It! is plentiful, there is also the option to scan a product’s bar code and obtain the nutritional stats that way. (You can also manually enter information about a product/food).
• Set and track goals – When first registering for Lose It! the user inputs his/her goals – how much weight they want to lose and in what period of time they hope to do so. Lose It! then helps the user visualize their goals and timeline for weight loss. You can weigh in as frequently as you’d like, and Lose It! shows your progress in chart form.

Home screen of the app, before entering in any data for the day

• Connect with friends – This website and app allows users to connect with and help motivate their friends as well as create groups for even more motivation!
• A plentiful exercise database – Lose It! isn’t just about food… you can enter in your physical activity for the day and Lose It! will “credit” you those calories burned. There are tons of exercises to chose from – seriously, anything you can think of!

• Reward badges – Users are awarded badges for various accomplishments, both big and small. It may seem sort of silly, but I really like stuff like this! Who doesn’t like getting a gold star for a job well done? It’s all about celebrating small victories, and the badges help users to do just that!

The Lose It! website and app (available for iPhone and Android) are free to use, but there’s also a paid, “premium” version. So, what’s the difference? Premium features are as follows:

• Users have the ability to set more goals.
• You are able to link your Lose It! account to other devices, such as the Nike+ Running app and the Fitbit Ultra activity tracker.
• Users are able to create challenges and invite other users to help with motivation.

The premium service is $39.99/year or just over $3/month… well worth it, especially if you’re looking to up the motivational factor.

Overall, I was impressed with the service that Lose It! provides. The database is ample, it’s very user friendly, and the added extras – like reward badges and bar code scanner – improve the service overall.

Have you ever used Lose It? Do you count calories or keep a food journal? I wasn’t doing this to obsess over calories, but I do find that keeping a food journal makes me much more mindful of what I’m eating!

I was provided with a free premium membership in partnership with Fitfluential, LLC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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You didn’t think I’d forget to announce the NuNaturals giveaway winners, did you?

The four winners are…

#1 – Danielle

#2 – Allie

#3 – Cassie

#4 – Stephanie

Congrats ladies! Please email me (4thesakeofcake@gmail.com) with your mailing info, and I’ll pass it along to NuNaturals!

Thanks to everyone for entering! If you didn’t win, don’t worry – you can enter the discount code “BLG0613” on any NuNaturals order and receive 15% off!

Hi again! If you missed Part 1 of my recap, you can find it here.

I’ve still got lots of information to share with you, but I’ll try and condense it (I could ramble on and on about everything I learned!).

After we learned about dairy cows, we moved onto veal.

I’m probably in the minority – and maybe even subjecting myself to some criticism – when I say that I like veal. Do I like thinking about eating baby animals? Um, nope. But I do like the taste.

The man who spoke to our group explained that his farm utilizes a loose housing style that is naturally ventilated. While veal calves aren’t supposed to be moving around to the same extent as beef or milk cows, their living conditions might not be as harsh as some people imagine. They are able to get up and move around a little bit, but they are confined to a small area to limit the growth of their connective tissue. The speaker also mentioned that veal is a lean meat that’s high in protein.

Our next stop was with the chickens where I learned that the nutrition of the eggs we eat is determined by the type of feed given to chickens. For example, if chickens are feed fish meal, this will result in eggs rich in Omega-3s.

Chickens lay an egg once every 26 hours

At the poultry station, our group got to see baby chicks and ducks.

I have a few other notes from this stop on our tour, but unfortunately I can’t make much sense of them… you’ll have to forgive me.

On our second to last stop, we were able to find out more about pork.

The woman who spoke to our group – and was obviously very passionate about her business – said a big issue facing pork producers is that certain activists do not want the pigs to be crated. Connie – the farmer – explained to us that crating is essential because female pigs (sows) can become aggressive and hurt another sow’s piglets. She also pointed out that crating allows for a controlled environment and helps to keep costs down.

The piglets we saw were born on Christmas day!

Last but not least, we took a walk through the last piece of the exhibit which had various pieces of farm equipment set up.

What stood out the most to me was the cost of these products – one piece of equipment can easily cost farmers over $300,000! One bag of feed can be close to $300. Farming isn’t cheap, friends!

Before our group parted ways for the evening, we were treated to dinner in the VIP section of the PennAg booth. I selected the veal sliders (try not to judge!) and was sure to sample one of the famous farm show milkshakes. (It lived up to the hype!)

I can’t thank PennAg enough for inviting our group to tour their display. It was educational, eye-opening, and fun! If you’re a PA-local and plan to visit the farm show, be sure to stop by and see what PennAg has to offer.

Photo “borrowed” from Lauren

Am I the only person who eats veal? (Can you tell I have a bit of a guilty conscience about this?!)

Pennsyltucky – Pittsburg, Philadelphia, and Kentucky in between.

Have you guys heard that saying before? Well, it’s kind of true… there’s lots of farmland in my home state of PA. While I’m not a stone’s throw away from any farms, it would only take me a quick drive to find myself surrounded by corn fields or cattle.

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of attending my first Pennsylvania Farm Show thanks to PennAg Industries. Although I was born and raised in PA, this was my first time attending the show!

I – along with a group of other PA bloggers – were able to tour the PennAg display. First stop… cattle.

One of the things that the Beef Ambassadors focused on was nutrition. I know a lot of people tend to shy away from red meat. I used to, too, but it was more because I didn’t love the taste. (I’m happy to say that’s not the case anymore!)

The Ambassadors shared with us that beef is a super-food that contains zinc, iron, protein, and it can help to build muscle. They also referenced the BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) Study which showed a correlation between beef and a successful heart-healthy diet (the key is eating the right portion).

They also shared with us that there are 29 lean cuts of beef – I had no idea! The key words to look for when you’re shopping for lean red meats are round and loin.

Next, we paid a visit to the dairy cows.

Baby Holstein

The woman we spoke with – Raechel – was excited to speak with our group as she’s a blogger herself! (You can read her story at Go Beyond the Barn.)

I’ve always been a big milk drinker! (I actually prefer skim, although I know many people find it to be watery.) Raechel reminded us that cow’s milk contains nine essential vitamins and minerals and it’s recommended that a person gets three servings per day. Milk is (obviously) a great way to get these nutrients, but she also pointed out that Greek yogurt – which so many people are loving these days, including me! – is another fantastic source.

We met with quite a few other people, but I decided to share the rest of the information in another post… stay tuned!

If you’re a local reader, have you ever been to the Farm Show? If you’re reading from another part of the country (or world!) does your area have an event like this?

Did you learn anything new? I felt like I got so much information in just a little over an hour; I was eating it up!

Sunday evening again… sigh.

On the bright side of things, I’ve got a great product review to share with you all tonight!

A few weeks ago, I was sent a variety of FRS products to sample and review.

What makes FRS different from other similar products on the market? It features quercetin. Okay, well what’s quercetin?! Here’s a quick explanation:

• It’s an antioxidant that’s found in many foods (blueberries, red apples, and grapes).
• It provides sustained energy, helps to increase endurance, and supports a healthy immune system.

FRS products use QU995 – the purest quercetin there is!

I was especially excited to try these products since I’m always look for ways to boost my energy.

Energy Products – available in bottles, cans, shots, soft chews, hard chews, concentrates, and powders

I was sent the bottles, soft chews, and hard chews to try. The drink was tasty, but I think I preferred the two different types of chews!

Pomegranate blueberry soft chews, taken pre-workout

Orange hard chews, taken pre-run

I was pleasantly surprised to find that both of these products gave me the advertised burst of energy. I don’t usually feel affected by products that claim to increase energy, but I tried both types of chews when I was feeling particularly lethargic, and I definitely noticed a difference.

Protein Products – available in bottles

I tried one of the protein bottles on a half-day at work. I wouldn’t be eating lunch at my usual time, and I need something to help tide me over. The blueberry acai shake didn’t disappoint – it helped power me through a morning of work and tasted great (just be sure to shake well!).

I’ve been saving the orange cream flavor because I think that sounds yummy and I have a tendency to try and hold on to a good thing for as long as possible. I know I can’t be the only person who does this! I’m probably going to cave and have it after BodyPump on Tuesday to refuel.

Weight Management Products – available in bottles and soft chews

The FRS weight management products contain slendesta, “an all-natural, vegetable protein that signals fullness to the brain.”

Although I’m not necessarily trying to lose weight, I was definitely feeling as though I needed some help getting things under control last week with all my holiday indulgences. I tried the strawberry melon drink (pictured at the opening of this post) with my lunch, and loved the taste! I also noticed that it helped me to feel less snacky throughout the day.

And last but not least…

Immunity Products – available in bottles

(image source)

This is the only product that I wasn’t sent a sample of, but I’m thinking I might need to order some – have you heard how awful the flu is supposed to be this year?! These drinks promote immunity and the flavors sound amazing.

As for where you can find these products, you can search for local stores that carry FRS here, or order online here (free shipping on orders over $50!).

Have you tried FRS before? Thoughts? Which product would you most like to try? I’m thinking I’m going to have to replenish my stash of soft chews… stat!

Disclaimer: I was provided with free products in exchange for my review through my partnership with Fitfluential, LLC. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy New Year everyone!

How did you spend your NYE? Chris and I went out to dinner with my mom (my dad had to work!) and then we went over to his parents’ house to bring in 2013. I was so tired, so we ended up heading home around 12:30AM and went straight to bed.

I woke up this morning to the sound of my alarm; it was time to get out and run the four miles I had planned. To my surprise, Chris asked if he could tag along.

First run with my new Garmin!

So let’s recap… it takes me about a month+ to be able to run four (slow) miles and Chris just wakes up one day and says, “I think I’ll run four miles today.” Seems fair! It was fun to have the company!

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I always try to make a few resolutions at the start of a new year. I know some people find resolutions to be silly – and maybe sort of pointless? – but I always appreciate a “fresh start.”

While these aren’t my only goals for the new year, I did want to share the fitness and health goals I hope to achieve in 2013.

#1 – Finish the Disney Princess Half Marathon.

(image source)

This will get crossed off my list early on in 2013. The farthest I’ve run so far is about 6.5 miles. I really need to focus and work hard to be prepared for February 24th!

#2 – Take my vitamins regularly.

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I wrote a post about taking vitamins back in July, but have since become remiss at actually taking them. I want to make a conscious effort to take my probiotic, B12 vitamin, and Viactiv chew daily; I just need to force myself to make a habit of it!

#3 – Cut back on sugar.

(image source)

I’m sure it’s obvious from the name of my blog, but I love sweets! Perhaps I’m being more mindful of my sugar intake because I’ve been eating way more sweets than usual – thank you Christmas cookies – but this is something I need to work on. Just to be clear – sugar and desserts are not being eliminated from my life (I definitely plan on having dessert today!). I just want to lessen the amount I’m eating overall; this should be pretty doable.

I’ll try and remember to check in with these goals throughout the year!

Did you make any fitness and health goals/resolutions for 2013?

Hello everyone! Merry Christmas Eve! Are you all prepared? I just finished wrapping presents this morning, so it was a race to the finish for me!

I’ve got lots to catch you all up on from this weekend, so let’s get to it!

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Friday

I was able to leave work around 11:00AM on Friday… woohoo! It’s a good thing, too, because I had quite a few errands to run + Christmas shopping to finish up.

I decided I wanted to go to an evening spin class, but first needed a little energy since it had been a looong morning/afternoon.

FRS Healthy Energy Soft Chews

An hour later, my workout for the day was complete.

I had a quick Hallmark + Target run to make (I’ve been to Target more times over the past few days than I care to admit) before crashing at home.

Saturday

I first woke up around 6:30AM (Chris was up and getting ready for work) but ended up falling back asleep for a few hours. I had originally planned on running on Saturday, but it was so windy that it just wasn’t happening.

Instead, I headed to the gym and completed 2 miles on the treadmill + a 30 minute elliptical workout.

I’m loving my Polar FT40 heart rate monitor – a full review of this product is coming soon!

I had to make yet another stop at Target – yes, less than 14 hours later – so I picked up some Starbucks for a late breakfast.

Skinny vanilla latte + perfect oatmeal

The rest of Saturday was spent wrapping presents and texting Chris exciting news about new Chobani flavors!

We’re both Chobani freaks and Chris loves pears, so I knew he’d be excited about that flavor.

Sunday

For no real reason, I was in a particularly funky mood yesterday. I went to church, then decided I better get out and run my scheduled 7 miles since the weather for the rest of the week looks pretty questionable.

Let’s just say, I wasn’t smiling at the end of things…

First, I felt like I was fighting the wind my entire run. Then, my Nike+ app crapped out on me for a good 10 minutes, so I’m not really sure how far I ran. I’m thinking I ended up doing just over 6 before quitting and walking the rest of the way home! I can’t wait until Santa (hopefully) brings me a Garmin!

The one good thing about yesterday’s run? I finally tried out some mid-run fuel. I went with a vanilla bean GU and while the consistency was sort of weird and unexpected, it didn’t seem to upset my stomach at all so I was happy about that.

Sunday evening was spent wrapping more presents and baking Courtney’s Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies for my family’s cookie exchange tonight.

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I kicked off my Christmas Eve bright and early this morning with a 6:00AM spin class. I knew I had a bunch of stuff I wanted to take care of today, so I figured why not get up early and get moving?!

This earns me at least 3 Christmas cookies, right?

I finally finished wrapping the last of my presents; all that was left was a few things for Chris…

Now,  I’m just relaxing and taking care of a few last minute things before getting ready for tonight’s festivities.

For fun, I’ll leave you with this silly picture of Stewie I took yesterday:

Why he is only laying on the edge of his bed is beyond me!

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Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Food & Wine Magazine giveaway is #7, Katie!

Congrats Katie! Please email me (4thesakeofcake@gmail.com) with your mailing address and I’ll pass your information along and get your subscription up and running!

Enjoy your holiday, everyone!

Hey everyone; happy Wednesday! This week is going slowly for me. Sadly, I think that might be the case until Christmas break!

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It’s be quite a while since I wrote my last half marathon training update, so let’s see what I’ve been up to!

The Plan

I have to admit, I’m not following the plan as closely as I was before. I’m trying to complete two short-ish runs during the week, and gradually increase my mileage on the weekends. I guess that’s pretty similar to the plan provided by Disney; I’m just not being as rigid with it.

Aches and Pains

I’m actually feeling pretty good! I attribute this – in large part – to the fact that I got new sneakers. I’ve been trying to make it a point to stretch thoroughly after each run, which I think is really helping too.

Success and Struggle

To be honest, I haven’t had anything too fantastic or horrible happen at this point in my training!

Cross Training

I’ve been attending BodyPump, CX Works, and other group exercise classes pretty regularly (I just did a circuit-style class this evening). Cross training is very important to me; I know I’d become bored quickly if I didn’t “mix it up” with my workouts.

Items on my “To Buy” List

Nothing right now! I recently got new sneakers and a SPIBelt though.

What I’m Listing to on my Runs

Here’s a snapshot of (part of!) my most recent playlist:

Yes, Taking Back Sunday – it’s 2004 again!

Days Until Half Marathon

78 – yikes, it’ll be here before I know it!

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In other news, I must get my eating habits under control! Seriously friends, I feel like I’ve become completely unhinged for some reason. I don’t know if it’s the whole “holiday season” mindset, or the fact that there seems to be more treats around than usual, but I have definitely been overeating and having more than my fair share of treats.

I’m being honest and sharing the facts with you all… something has got to give. I’m thinking of starting a food journal – temporarily – just to give myself some accountability. I also texted Chris tonight and told him I am NOT having any chocolate tomorrow. Once I have one Hershey kiss Reese’s bell Andes piece, all bets are off. I need to get in control!

Okay, rant over.

Runners – At what point in your training did you start experimenting with fuel? (gels, bars, chews, etc.) My mileage is (slowly) increasing and I’m wondering when I should start thinking about this.

Have you ever kept a food journal?

Hello, friends! How was your weekend? I usually do a weekend re-cap post on Sunday or Monday, but I’m going to push that back to tomorrow.

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I mentioned last week that I signed up to participate in the Elf for Health (#elf4health) challenge, hosted by Lindsay and Elle. I did so-so during week 1… some of the challenges were easier than others, and of course, as the week picked up certain things fell to the wayside.

I’m back on track for week 2, though! Today’s challenge was to track your fiber intake for the day.

I’m not really one for “tracking,” my food — not religiously, anyway – but I thought this could be interesting and provide some helpful insight into how I’m doing with my diet.

Admittedly, I don’t really think about how much fiber I’m consuming. I just try to eat good foods that help keep me full and figure that’s “enough.”

Why is it important to pay attention to fiber, anyway?

There are many advantages to insuring that you get an adequate amount of fiber in your diet each day.

Fiber…

• helps to maintain a healthy weight
• lowers your risk of heart disease and diabetes
• lowers cholesterol
• helps control blood sugar levels

The Elf for Health challenge suggests aiming for 14 grams per 1,000 calories. I did a little research on my own, and the Mayo Clinic website said 25 grams per day for women 50 and younger (51+ = 21 grams, males 50 and younger = 38 grams, males 51+ = 30 grams).

So, how’d I do?

I recorded my fiber in-take for both breakfast and lunch. (I got a 6” turkey on wheat from Subway for dinner, so I figured that adds at least two additional grams.)

Breakfast – Overnight oats

• 1/2 c. oats – 4 grams
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter – 1 gram
• 2 heaping tbsp. pumpkin puree – about 3 grams

Total for breakfast = 8 grams

Lunch – Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat with honey wheat pretzels

• Bread – 2 grams
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter – 1 gram
• Serving of pretzels – 1 gram

Total for lunch = 4 grams

Assuming I got an additional 2-3 grams (or more than that?) in my sandwich from Subway, I came out to about 15-16 grams for today. (FYI – I didn’t count foods I ate that had no fiber; trust me, I ate way more than this today.)

For some reason, I just assumed I was doing okay with fiber consumption, but this challenge brought my attention to the fact that I should really work on getting more!

Here are some links I found that give some ways to incorporate more fiber into your diet:

• Top 10 Sources of Fiber (WebMD)
• High Fiber Foods: 7 Surprising Sources (Huffington Post)
• 6 Surprising Sources of Fiber (FitDay)

Definitely something to be more aware of!

How much fiber do you think are in these babies?

Because God knows I’ve had my fair share!

Do you think you get enough fiber each day?

This past Monday, I attended a nutrition seminar offered at my gym and the topic was “survival tips” for the holiday season. While I don’t necessarily feel like I need “survival” tips – I don’t like the idea of trying to avoid certain things or diet during the yummiest time of the year – it doesn’t hurt to have a few healthy reminders. Here are a some of my favorites!

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Portion Control

Know what a serving size is and try to stick with it. The plate method (using a small plate instead of a large one) is a good way to keep portions in check.

Appetite Control

Have a healthy snack before going out to a holiday event and don’t “save up” calories throughout the day; don’t skip meals. An ideal snack has protein and healthy carbs.

Hydrate

Drink water throughout the day (I always need to work on this!). If you decide to drink at holiday events, stick with wine and beers, as opposed to mixed drinks.

Move It

Aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, even if it’s just a quick walk outside. I try to plan out my workouts at the start of the week to minimize excuses.

Stay Positive

Even if you overeat at one meal, don’t become discouraged. Start fresh at the next meal and try to make better choices.

I also received a recipe for flavorful bulgur salad, which I’m looking forward to trying out – and sharing – soon!

How do you stay healthy during the holidays?