thenextmile

It’s estimated that the average adult gains anywhere from 2 to 7 pounds between Halloween and the New Year. And while you may drop some of the weight after the holidays are over, the pounds that stick around will add up year after year. That extra piece of your child’s Halloween candy, to Aunt Linda’s famous pecan torte are once a year treats you might feel you need to enjoy. And that’s fine, since there are some simple strategies that can help you enjoy all the holiday treats this season while keeping your waistline in check. Moderation is key, and with it you’ll be able to indulge without the guilt.

First, create a plan before the holidays. Have an idea how you’re going to incorporate a workout routine into your busy schedule. Studies show even a 30 minute walk three times a week can help ward off weight gain. And the more you move the better, you’ll burn more calories and have more room for that piece of pie. Don’t put your fitness goals off until the first of the year, finish the year strong and you’ll be able to start the year off without pounds to lose.

Second, be prepared for treats. If you work in an office, you’ll often find that the holidays often come with treats from coworkers and clients. Be prepared ahead of time and bring your own healthy meals and snacks so you won’t be tempted to overindulge on office goodies during that afternoon snack attack.

When you know you have a party or event to attend, eat something first. That’s right, eat something before you go. A piece of fruit, yogurt, or a slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter will cut the hunger pains so you won’t feel that you need to overindulge in everything. Enjoy a few treats, but don’t go overboard. When people deprive themselves all day to “save up calories” they get themselves in trouble because they find themselves so hungry it’s difficult not to overeat.

At holiday dinners, go easy on the dressings, gravy and high calorie condiments and enjoy seconds on vegetable and lean meats.

On days when you’re feeling tired or sluggish but still feel you need to get a workout in, commit to just 10 minutes of exercise. 10 minutes can get your heart rate up, and a little can go a long way. 10 minutes may also help pull you out of a slump and you may find yourself going for longer. To sneak in even more exercise, park far away from your destination and walk.

Seek out healthy options first. When you’re at a party, load up on healthy selections such as veggies, fruit, lean meats and dairy. You’ll not only get more nutrients, but you’ll also load up on fewer calories and be able to enjoy that dessert guilt free.

Watch the alcohol. The average alcohol drink can contain anywhere from 15-300 calories. Enjoy a glass of wine or a beer, then switch to water or diet soda. This can help cut hundreds of calories a day.

With a little planning you can enjoy the holidays, not gain weight, and stay in shape. It just takes a little bit of preparation.

It’s hot out.  I really should have taken tonight’s dinner to the grill, but I cooked it on the grill pan inside and now I’m regretting it.  It’s way too hot in here now.

Anyway, tonight was mushroom sandwiches and Artichoke-Tarragon Dip.

As for the Dip:

2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried

Preheat oven to 350°F Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Transfer mixture to 3-cup ovenproof soufflé dish or small casserole. Bake dip until heated through, about 30 minutes.

I also added a chopped garlic clove to the dip before I put it in the oven.  This is the first artichoke type dip that actually tastes like artichokes, not just cheese and garlic.  I served the dip with tortilla chips, but crackers or pita bread would work great too.

As for the sandwiches, I’ve made these a few times before.  They’re easy, quick, healthy, and are one of our favorites.  The goat cheese really makes the difference, and grilling the bread helps keep the sandwich together.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
4 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls
1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.2. Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and portobello mushrooms; toss gently to coat. Remove vegetables from vinegar mixture, and discard vinegar mixture.

3. Place bell peppers and mushrooms on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut bell peppers into thin strips. Combine bell peppers, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.

4. Cut rolls in half horizontally; spread cheese evenly over cut sides of rolls. Arrange 1 mushroom cap on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with about 1/3 cup bell pepper mixture and top half of roll.

5. Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

TRAINING

As for triathlon training, I was up at 5:15 this morning and went down to the Little Traverse Wheelway where I rode 16 miles.  I told myself I’d do 12 hard miles, and then just enjoy the last 4 miles.  Here’s the thing, while I hated the 12 miles, I enjoyed the last 4.  Turns out, I really don’t enjoy competitive riding, but I could see myself doing a day-trip on the bike.  So I’ve decided I’m not going to do the triathlon this year.  Frankly, I haven’t enjoyed the training all that much.  I don’t mind the swimming, and I love the running, but I dread the biking and I figure my life is too short to be doing things I really don’t care much for.  So instead, I’m going to run a 5k here in town the same day as the triathlon in hopes of placing in the top 3 in my age group.  I just realized this morning how much I’d rather be out running that early in the morning as opposed to biking.  Each time I passed a runner, I wished I was running.  And by not having to worry about all three sports, I can focus on being a better runner which is what I enjoy the most.  So starting next week, it’s back to 25+ miles a week, including a long 10+ mile run at least one day a week.

Despite the fact I didn’t enjoy the bike racing aspect this morning, I did enjoy the scenery:

I’m lucky to live in such a beautiful spot.

This recipe has been a favorite of ours for over a year now.  Make sure you have napkins ready, and don’t forget  the crusty bread to dip in the juices! For the two of us, I use just a pound of shrimp, but generally keep the marinade amounts the same.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 pounds unpeeled large shrimp
2 lemons, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
4 teaspoons butter, divided

Preparation

Combine first 11 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Fold 4 (16 x 12-inch) sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil in half crosswise. Open foil. Remove shrimp mixture from bowl; reserve marinade. Place about 2 1/4 cups shrimp mixture on half of each foil sheet. Drizzle remaining marinade evenly over shrimp. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon butter. Fold foil over shrimp; tightly seal edges.

Place packets on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Place on plates. Unfold packets carefully; peel shrimp, and serve immediately.

For desert, ice cream!!

No workout today.  The pool was full of children, that’s a big no way in my book.  Tomorrow I’ll  be up at 5:30 to do a 20 mile bike ride along The Little Traverse Wheelway , followed by a 3 mile run.  Then I’m sure a nap is in store for later in the day.

I’m still not sure about this triathlon training bit.  I’m finding that I’d much rather run than anything.  Swimming is alright and biking, well, I keep putting that off.  Although tomorrow I think I might get up early, take my bike down south of town and ride a stretch of the Little Traverse Wheelway that runs 26 miles from Harbor Springs to Charlevoix.  What’s nice is that it’s paved and runs along the lakeshore, so I don’t have to deal with traffic.  I’m hoping to do about 20 miles.  I’m sure my butt will be sore.  I’m hoping it will be a nice morning so I can take some pictures while I’m out.

Today was a 25 minute swim followed by a 3 mile run.  I’m starting to remember why I really don’t like afternoon running - it’s hot, miserable, and sunscreen gets in my eyes.

For dinner, finally, Sushi!  We had some California rolls, salmon, tuna, and eel.  Not the best I’ve ever had, but it’s hit the spot considering it was from the grocery store.

Many days, after a long day at work, well, actually, most days, the last thing I want to do when I get home is cook dinner.  Often times in the summer we do salad suppers, which requires little or no cooking, and fresh ingredients that can just be tossed together.  Tonight was one of those nights.

We had some cornbread leftover for the weekend, so I decided that I needed to come up with some unique way to  incorporate cornbread into salads.  After some thought, I figured I could cube it up, mix it with some chopped green onions, tomatoes, black beans, a little Munster cheese, and make a quick dressing.  This is what it looked like on my cutting board:

I made the dressing with some lime juice, a little olive oil, cilantro, honey, salt, cumin and one chipolte pepper with another tablespoon of adobe sauce.

Then I mixed it all up.

And now it’s all gone.    Easy, good, and pretty healthy.

As for the triathlon training, don’t even ask me how my quads are feeling today.  I rode just over 9 miles on the bike this morning, mostly up hill.  By the end, I actually had to get off my bike at the last hill and walk.  After the bike, I ran a mile and walked another mile.  Now I understand why they call the bike-run combo a brick, my legs sure as hell felt like bricks.  I have a lot of work to do on the bike before I feel comfortable.  The fact the roads by my house are super hilly doesn’t help my confidence factor all that much at this moment.

I regret not taking lots of photos yesterday of our BBQ rib dinner. Along with ribs we had mustard coleslaw, grilled redskins, cornbread, homemade salsa and for dessert, that upside down cake I posted (which was a hit by the way). Ribs anyone?

Today was b-u-s-y! After getting a late start and running a ton of errands, Colin and I stopped for lunch at Julienne Tomatoes. I had a cup of French Onion soup and a Caesar Salad while Colin had a chicken salad sandwich. One great things about Julienne Tomatoes is that they try to use local food as much as possible - breads, dairy, and produce when they can.

This afternoon I did a quick 30 minute swim in the pool. While I doubt swimming will ever be my favorite activity, I really do enjoy it. Then when I got home, I went for a 3 mile run. It felt great, even after the early morning 10 mile run I did yesterday. Tomorrow I’ll get up early, ride 8-10 miles on the bike then go for a 3 mile run. I’ve never experienced the bike-then run combo before, so hopefully I’ll be able to stay on my feet.

Tonight, dinner was an experiment. I’m not a huge asparagus eater, but we had quite a bit in the freezer to use up. So I cooked up some whole wheat pasta, and 3 slices of bacon, and mixed it together with the asparagus, some green onions, cherry tomatoes, and Gorgonzola cheese. Plus, it was pretty and tasty!

Ok, so that bike ride yesterday was rough.  Not rough on a level that it was hard, but rough on a level that today my  butt hurts in places I haven’t hurt in years.  My triathlon shorts I wore yesterday are supposed to have padding.  Heh, padding, yeah right.

After 10 hours of sleep last night, I woke up and went for a 4 mile run with a 1 mile walk at the end.  I’m actually quite surprised  that my quads aren’t sore today.  I guess I’ll chalk that up as a good thing.  My pace wasn’t as fast as usual during this 4 mile route, maybe 10 seconds per mile slower, but I can deal with that.  It was also windy.  I thought the wind was coming out of the east, so it would be in my face for only the first mile and a quarter or so.  Nope, the wind seemed to come at me no matter what direction I was running.  Very funny mother nature.

Breakfast was the same thing as yesterday, do you really need a picture?

I just finished lunch, pretty much a repeat of dinner last night, except instead of garlic bread I had some tortialla chips and guacamole, and some cottage cheese.

I think my snack today will be a couple apricots, maybe some yogurt.  And for dinner?  Who knows.  I’m working late, and it will be a busy night at work so I might just have to have *gasp* a Lean Cuisine and some carrots.

We go through produce in this house like nobody’s business.  I went grocery shopping on Monday, and just now had to go back to get some other stuff to tide us through till the next big grocery trip.  Believe it or not, this picture is the produce I brought home on Monday, all of which is pretty much gone or will be gone by tomorrow night.

Two people ate all that in less than 3 days.  Crazy huh?  I really need to plant a garden.

It’s vacation season, and for many, it’s payoff for all those hard months spent in the gym and eating right.  But vacation can also be a gateway to falling off the fitness wagon.  But it doesn’t have to be that way, there are some simple things you can do to not only have a great time on vacation, but not fall totally off course with your health and fitness regimen.

First of all, you have to understand that even if you take a total break on vacation from working out and eating right; you’re not going to lose all the muscle and cardiovascular fitness which you have gained.  You may gain a couple pounds, but chances are, you’ll loose them once you get back home and get back to your regular routine.

When it comes to eating, Shannon Simmons who is a certified personal trainer believes that you can easily enjoy your vacation without indulging in every meal.  For instance, if you enjoy a healthy breakfast and lunch, go ahead and order the nachos at dinner.  Just make sure your portions are sensible and you’re not eating so much that you make yourself sick.  Some great options for breakfast would be fruit and whole grain cereal or toast with peanut butter and some yogurt.  All these options are available at most hotels that serve a continental breakfast.  Just be sure to get a good dose of fiber and protein in the morning and it will keep you going until lunch without the bloated stomach feeling.

For lunch, load up on vegetables and lean protein.  Try a salad with grilled chicken or a vegetable burrito with beans.  You’ll stay satisfied until dinner, and by eating sensibly during the day, you won’t be over your calorie limit before you even reach the dinner table.  You’ll be able to enjoy dinner, and even have dessert without the guilt!

When it comes to exercise, don’t feel that you need to hit the hotel’s fitness center every day.  If you can, great, but look elsewhere to get your heart rate up.  Try hiking at a nearby park, or take a trip down the river in a canoe.  Enjoy a snorkeling adventure at the beach.  Any physical activity is healthy, even if you’re not sweating it out on the treadmill.  Plus, it’s good to change things up every now and then.   If you’re looking to do some strength and resistance training on vacation, look no further than your hotel room.  About.com offers some simple exercises that you can do in your pajamas.  And if you’re able to pack a resistance band in your suitcase, you’ll have even more options when it comes to strength exercises.

Just because you’re going on vacation, that doesn’t mean you have to blow your fitness routine to the wayside.  Vacation is about relaxing and taking some time off.  You might not lose weight on vacation, but you’re not going to lose your fitness level either.