Food, Fitness, Fashion

Since we started The NYE Challenge, I have not touched any sweets. I thought I’d be freaking out by now. The last time I gave up candy, the first two weeks were the worst. In exchange, I’ve had these three foods every day:

Much healthier options. By the way, that Oikos key lime Greek yogurt is fantastic. If I put it in a pie crust, you’d be just as satisfied as eating key lime pie.

PS: The current score is Boding: 0,  Kaye: 2, Christina: 1, Carter: 2.

In addition to running and strength training, I’ve been planking like a crazy woman.

Forearm planks. (2 min each, 8-10x a day)

Side planks.

Kissing planks.

Flying planks. Just kidding, I look like an idiot.

While I’ve not been baking, I’ve been shopping. Great for my stomach, horrible for my budget. In hopes that at least one will fit me, I bought four potential NYE dresses today.

What’s your favorite replacement for sweets?

Do you like doing planks? Anything’s better than burpees, I suppose.

Which NYE dress do you like the most?

What I’m Loving Wednesday 12.5.12

1. Danielle and I eat lunch together every Monday. For the past month, we’ve gone to Mi Xao each week, at least once. This week, we went back for our favorite items on the menu. Mine is the Tom Yum Kung, extra spicy.

See the coconut shrimp? The owner was being nice and brought us some samples. Naturally, I threw one back and then bam! It hit me. They were fried and I just got a damn strike for The NYE Challenge.

Boding said it counts. I say it doesn’t because it wasn’t a conscious decision. Ugh!! I immediately confessed when I got home, so he then asked Kaye how she was doing.

Pizza. Really, Kaye?!? That evening, Carter admitted to eating chips and I had to explain to Boding that chips are fried. Hahahah. WE SUCK!

2. To me, this is heaven.

(The cookbook section of The Coastal Cupboard)

3. Rachel found a tutorial on how to make monogram Iphone wallpapers here. Pretty, pretty.

4. I finally got my hair colored last Friday. It’s my natural color in the back, with gold lowlights…

…then gold & blonde in the front.

Don’t ask me how I am standing in that picture, or how the tree didn’t get knocked over. Christmas miracles!

5. Low-key arm parties. This is one of my bracelets from Peppermint Lollipops.

6. On Saturday, I went to a food truck rodeo at Whole Foods. Of course I had Roti Rolls.

Here’s the Funky Farmer: curried local butternut squash, carrots, red potatoes, and totsoi, pickled local beets, and an egg.

The Roti Roll kids are opening a restaurant downtown called The Green Door. It’ll focus on local goodies and have a similar concept to Roti Rolls. We’re going to the Friends & Family Dinner on Thursday and I’m so excited! I will tell you all about it. : )

The NYE Challenge. It's on.

So I’m sitting on the couch with Boding last night (shocker), and he’s reading The Abs Diet. He mentions something about reducing his saturated fat intake, and my ditzy behind asks,  “Wait, so no butter?”

“Uh, yeah, Christina. No butter.”

About 400 things I ate this weekend contained butter. You heard me. Since Friday I’ve consumed three kinds of bread, three different cookies, a croissant, and birthday cake. I realize this does not add up to 400; I tend to exaggerate.

Then Boding mentions how hot he’s going to look for New Years Eve. Excuse me, what? I want to look hot for New Years Eve too!

And then we created the challenge.

We are allowed to break the rules, but for each one, we receive a strike. We’ll have a winner and a prize (to be determined). Later that night we recruited two more kids.

The Competitors

Boding  -  “Boding runs the gym and is the king of all men. He can also be found in the wild running shirtless downtown. Despite his Adonis-like looks and physique, he is a tech geek.” (he wrote that! hahahah!) He loves the carbs.

Kaye – This New Yorker brings her city smarts and style to the challenge. She lives her life unfiltered, especially with food and words. She attends the occasional fitness class at Equinox, but gets the majority of her exercise done being sassy with men. Kaye really likes a big beer.

Christina – Currently training for a half marathon, this girl still plays at the gym when she has time. She enjoys burning calories downtown – running around The Battery or tearing up the dance floor. She has little to no self control around sweets of any kind.

Carter – This good looking individual is an active crossfitter, shameless dancer, and thinks he can beat Boding at ping pong. He claims to eat “very few carbs other than vegetables.” When not running through Christina’s mind, he may be found sprinting over the bridge and back. And here he is eating a lot of carbs.

Who do you think will win?

It’s March and We’re Saving Money!

So the other day at work, my friend Dane and I were talking about how easily we’re both convinced to go out to lunch or buy overpriced food from our cafeteria. After a few minutes of complaining how much money we probably spend, we decided to turn a negative into a positive with a competition. By Wednesday morning, we recruited Rachel and Hannah, two of our coworkers.

The Rules:

1. We cannot eat out (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) more than 13 times during the month of March. We decided on the number 13 so we could splurge 3x per week, and there are 4 1/2 weeks in March.  (31 days / 7 days in a week x 3 = 13.2 –> 13) 
2. If anyone goes out to eat more than 13 times, they automatically lose.
3. The next part of the competition is keeping track of how much we spend. At the end of the month, whoever spends the least amount of money WINS!
4. The winner gets to choose the prize they receive from the loser, but it has to benefit the other two people as well. For example, if Rachel wins and Dane loses, Rachel wants Dane to bring in a cake for us. If I win and Hannah loses, I’ll probably ask her to bring us some cookies!

After we all agreed to the competition, I went home and pulled up my bank account online. I reviewed the past 4 months and calculated how much I spent on food  (grocery shopping, restaurants, and bars). To be honest, I was disturbed. I knew it seemed like too much, so I looked up the Official USDA Food Plans. This table shows the average cost of food for individuals and families based on a thrifty plan, a low-cost plan, a moderate-cost plan, and a liberal plan. Seeing as my monthly average exceeded the liberal plan, I was even more disturbed.

THIS IS NOT OKAY!!

My weak spot for spending? You guessed it. Chick-fil-A. In November, my worst month, I spent over $90 at the joint. NINETY DOLLARS ON FAST FOOD IN A MONTH.

To put it in a different perspective, a typical visit would cost around $10 for a salad and diet lemonade. Guess how much I spent on the Spicy Chickpea and Lentil Stew on Monday? Less than $10 and I got 4 meals out of it. See what I mean? Grocery shopping = winning.

Starting today, the 1st of March, the four of us are dedicated to eating out less, which will save money, and probably save us a ton of calories! If I get too competitive and start looking a little frail, don’t worry, I’ll plump back up next month.

If you want to join in on our challenge, let me know! Keep track of how much you spend at restaurants & bars (not grocery shopping) and send me your totals at the end of the month.

Another great part of this competition is deciding what to do with the money we’ve saved! Donate to charity? Throw some in savings? Splurge on a plane ticket?

What would YOU buy with the money you’ve saved by not eating out as much?

From Baby Back Ribs to Baby Muscles

There was a time in my life where I thought it was so great to be skinny. Not average, not muscular, not healthy, not fit -- just skinny. After a significant weight loss over about a year and a half, I was just happy with being skinny. From 2004-2005 I lost 45 pounds. Yes, the little nugget you see pictured to your left used to be bigger. Over the course of that year, I lost 30% of my weight. It was a slow process with a lot of factors. 

As a senior in high school, my best friend Nancy and I thought it was funny that we shared the same size clothes and even weighed the same. What wasn't funny is that she was 5'9 and I was 5'2. I never thought I was overweight. I didn't think anything of my clothing size increasing every year because, hey, it always had growing up...except I wasn't growing any taller. 

My freshman and sophomore years of college were very difficult. There were a lot of changes that I didn't adapt well to: moving into the dorms, being surrounded by unhealthy eating, and parents going through a divorce. I was put on an anti-depressant, eating fast-food regularly, started a birth control that made me blow up, and walking a block to class was my form of exercise. My parents drove me to crazytown and I started having panic attacks. Then the unintended weight loss began. 

In the Spring of 2004, I read that caffeine can increase anxiety, so in an attempt to minimize it, I gave up soda and coffee completely. And I wasn't drinking skinny lattes or diet cokes - more like full-sugar cokes and frappuccinos on the regular. This was an immediate 10 pound weight loss. 

In the same year, I took myself off anti-depressants. It was my mom's idea that I needed them and since I was all about rebelling against her in college, I said screw it. I also made the switch from the depo-provera shot to BC pills. There went another 10-15 pounds.

The last unintentional part of the weight loss journey was moving out of the dorms. I'm not even kidding when I say that my first bf (Hi Chris!) and I ate out almost every day that we were together. Big decisions for us meant Chinese food or Burger King. I was a pretty gross eater too - I ate just as much as he did and even dipped my french fries in mayo...When I moved out of the dorms I started cooking for myself and I rarely went out to eat. Bam went another 10 pounds.

I was excited about the weight loss, and started exercising to lose another 10 pounds...but not to get fit - to get skinnier. I was working out a lot and gave up a lot of foods: soda, coffee, juice, pork, red meat, fried food. Those foods became fear foods, and anything labeled fat-free, low-calorie, low-carb or lower-sugar was safe to me. For a short while I became slightly obsessive about what I ate to the point where I was no longer enjoying myself. I never got to a point where I was dangerously skinny, but looking back I realize that I was too thin (for me) and too deprived. That to me meant unhappy and unhealthy.

My previous post on finding a balance was such a huge step for me in that I sometimes still have a hard time eating those "fear foods" and being okay with it. Judging from the responses I received on that post, I felt it was safe to discuss my past and show that I'm not just some skinny girl who's able to chow down burgers whenever I want. I have now learned to eat what I want because I do it in moderation with exercise.

And now I'm all about the baby muscles. To me, skinny no longer represents happy or healthy. Regular exercise, being comfortable with what you eat, and maintaining that balance = happy and healthy. I started training with Julius this year and have learned to love the muscles. I was so petrified that I'd "bulk up" before but I realized it's not going to happen. Just the other day, Katie started her muscle movement. She has written two posts featuring several bloggers (including me!) who are proud of their new muscles. Katie has had quite the journey herself and I am so proud of how far she's come. I think it's so important that we focus on being healthy and happy and encourage each other to embrace those baby muscles and continue our exercising! 

Muscles are the best. They make you better-defined, fierce, and you don't have to ask boys for help with opening pickle jars. Everyone should get some! Plus, muscles usually require exercising in the man-zone of the gym....yes, please. 

So, what stage in healthy living are you in? Have you lost some weight or gained some muscle? Found a new exercise you love or completed your first race? My current goal is to be able to do a pull-up. One pull-up. I can't do it without jumping and I want to be able to just do it. Julius told me that the average woman can't do one, but I'm on a mission now!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!


***My weight loss is not typical was due to several factors. Please do not use the amounts lost per each factor as a guide to your own weight loss. Remember that every body is unique and bodies react differently to each of the factors that contributed to my weight loss. :)

Welcome Back, Alcohol...and Chinese Food!

Earlier this month, B and I decided to have a no-drinking competition until August. For 3 weeks there would be no drinking at all -- not even on Fridays or Saturdays.  Guess who won?


BOTH OF US!


It's true -- neither of us consumed any alcohol. Brandon was challenged with his little sister's 21st birthday and his cousin's birthday. He was offered shots left and right but turned down anything but water. I was challenged being on vacation with everyone else drinking around me. I turned down wine with dinner and Boston-brewed beer. I was certain that Brandon would crack and I would win just out of stubbornness, but it looks like we're both strong-willed. During the challenge, we made some observations.

Christina:

• I still remembered how to flirt. 
• There were still injuries - bruised hand from volleyball and bruised knee from walking into my bed.
• I weighed 109.6 lbs the first day of the challenge. I weighed 107.4 on the last day of the challenge. Not a big enough difference to be worth giving up alcohol. 
• I really enjoy wine with certain foods. There were a couple times at dinner (with seafood in particular) that I would have liked a glass of wine. 
• I say "Ugh, I need wine." way more than I actually need it. I could have just screamed really loudly instead.
• I only noticed having more energy on the weekends, when I would typically drink more. Other than that, I didn't feel any different.
• Conclusion: I'll keep drinking!

Brandon:

• I felt like I took away from other people's fun to a degree. I still had fun, but I didn't party as hard. I was well-behaved the whole time and didn't make an ass of myself.
• Without a doubt, I saved money. In 3 weeks I saved about $300.
• I worked out more and I had a clearer view on life. I read my bible more. It was nice to see other people wasted and think, "Oh, is that how you are?"
• Conclusion: I'm very glad I did it. It kind of made me want to grow up a little bit more. I'm not in college and don't want to party my balls off anymore. I'm still young and have time to, but it was really nice to wake up every morning for 3 weeks not having a hangover. I never had a wasted day that I sat around hungover. I was always ready to do something and that was nice. 

Our original plan was for the loser to take the winner out for an Italian dinner, but because we both won, we planned something totally different. We decided to try Red Orchids, a Chinese restaurant in West Ashley. I was told by several people that they offer fresh, high-quality meals at reasonable prices. The restaurant is located in a plaza with Big Lots and Burlington Coat Factory. Don't let this discourage you.


The inside of the restaurant is open with lots of red paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The owner and hostess were both very friendly. Upon seating we were immediately greeted by our server, Will. He was extremely helpful when we asked for recommendations. He was very happy to answer all of our questions and did a wonderful job explaining the different dishes, wines, and beers.

After seeing steamed buns on Jessica's blog, I knew I had to try them. I was so excited to see them on the menu.

The buns were exactly as I expected - very soft, chewy, and doughy. The pork filling had a sweet sauce that did not overpower the sticky bun. It was really fun to try something new.


Brandon chose pan-fried dumplings as our second appetizer.

We had the option of ordering steamed or pan-fried dumplings. Will told us that pan-fried only meant fried on one side for a little bit of extra crunch, so we couldn't resist. It was perfect. The sauce that accompanied the dumplings was slightly salty and sweet. They were filled with pork and vegetables. 

For entrees, we chose a fish and a chicken dish. Brandon was eager to try one of the house specials: "a pair of 18-22oz of crispy snapper fillet, gently glazed with Chinese sherry, cayenne, and marmalade sauce." Brandon said this dish was very fresh and flaky, however being deep fried with the skin on, every third bite was fishy. I thought the sauce was thick and flavorful and ended up drizzling it on my rice.

We also shared the Hunan Chicken: "sliced chicken stir-fried with mushrooms, peppers, bamboo shoots, and snow peas in Hunan sauce.' This dish wasn't bad, but was lacking complexity. We both agreed that we both enjoy foods with several dimensions. If you're looking for a mild chicken dish, this is for you. The Hunan chicken would be great for those less adventurous or those who can't handle much spiciness. 

Both entrees were served with our choice of white rice, fried rice, or brown rice (for $1 extra). We chose one side of brown rice and one side of fried rice. The fried rice was tasty! Overall, the menu had a lot to choose from. Being that both B and I are not fans of fried food, I think we chose items that weren't pleasing to our palettes. We both agreed that we'd go back to try different entrees. I'd love to try the lemon shrimp, honey-glazed walnut shrimp, or the garlic chicken.  


At dinner, we each had a Japanese beer: Asahi for Brandon, and Sapporo for me. Both were delicious. Brandon's Asahi was a bit sweeter. I figured I would be toasty-faced after this large beer, but somehow I wasn't! I did feel a bit dizzy after half a glass though. When we got home, we popped open a bottle of my favorite white wine: Elk Cove Pinot Gris. Here I am with my wine baby:

And just because I can, I had some red too!!!

Off I go to finish getting my wine on!!!


Thank you all for your encouraging words during this competition! A couple times when I really wanted to drink, I thought about your comments and knew I'd be able to make it. XO!!!

First Friday without Alcohol Starts NOW

HAPPY FRIDAY!! 

The lack of alcohol in my life has me pondering too many things...

Things I wonder:

How does one get a mosquito bite on their badunkadunk? I haven't been wandering in the woods nude, so how is this even possible? 

Why am I hungry at 11:30 pm every night lately?

Who has a recipe for spicy chicken pasta? 

Why are men so fun to look at? Especially this manboy:

Who of you bloggers live in Massachusetts? I'll be there from July 20-27.

What are these frogs doing and why is this considered a lawn decoration?

How many tattoos does Lil Wayne have?

Observations I've made:

Fage 2% Cherry is the most delicious Greek yogurt ever.

Flax seed does wonderful things for your digestive system. My favorite Spanish coworker called it flex seed. :)

The day I arrive to Massachusetts, the weather looks like this:

The top 5 keyword searches people used to get to my blog on Google are:

This one makes me frown:

This one makes me smile:

 Crystal Light Natural Raspberry Peach packets have 3 grams of fiber in them!

This is my favorite Post Secret:

Feel free to respond to any of my questions if you have the answer! Have any questions for me?

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! 

I will be having fun SOBER!

Abstinence from Alcohol until August

Hi. I like alliteration. I also like love alcohol, but it's time to give my body a break. On Sunday, Brandon informed me that he was giving up alcohol. I thought to myself two things: 1)This manboy is insane, and 2)Yeah, right. But he was serious. He wanted to find out what alcohol really meant to him.

• Will it affect how much fun he has?
• Will he save money?
• Will he feel better overall?

I then thought about how giving up alcohol would affect me.

• Will I forget how to flirt?
• Will I lose weight?
• Will I have less injuries?

We started thinking about why we drink and how it affects us. We both agreed that we're more relaxed, seem to have more fun, have more confidence, and all our friends do it. We are both fully capable of having one or two glasses and actually enjoying what we're drinking so we know it's not an addiction or anything. But does drinking benefit us?

The answers to our questions should be answered by the end of the month. As Saturday was the last day we both consumed alcohol, Sunday, July 11th marked Day 1. We plan on continuing this challenge until the end of the month: a full 3 weeks without the booze. The good Lord knows that I like a challenge, so we decided to make it a competition between each other. What's the prize? The loser has to take the winner (me) out to dinner at an Italian restaurant where we will probably consume a bottle of wine. We both agreed that we'd be honest about whether or not we had drank and if we were about to give up on the challenge, we would let the other person know in advance.

Until August, there will be no more Coor's Light...

No more wine tastings...

No more nasty shots...

No mimosas with brunch... :(

Just a whole lot of this...

Challenges I've faced so far:

Monday evening when we decided to eat pizza I said, "Ooooh, only if we can have wine, too!" NO MA'AM. EAT THE PIZZA ALONE.

Monday at Whole Foods: My favorite wine was on sale from $21.99 to $14.99. I bought it anyway. NO MA'AM. SAVE IT FOR AUGUST.

Tuesday at Kelly's discussing tonight's family dinner plans: "Ahh let's just have a glass of wine before to relax."  NO MA'AM. CHILL OUT.

Do you drink? How often? Do you drink for specific reasons other than liking the taste? Have you ever given it up? If so, what changes did you notice? I'm prepared to win this challenge, but wish me luck anyway!