Fit and Splendor

Taking Some Time

Allison — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:30:04 +0000

It could be the chilly weather, or the end of year hustle and bustle, or months of juggling too much stuff, but I have decided that I need to stop and do a little bit of the below…

End of Week

Allison — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:30:14 +0000

All week I have been feeling way, way under the weather: there has been little working out, way too much dirtying of plates (re: eating), and more napping and robe-wearing than I care to admit. I know we all have bummy days – in my case, three long ones – but I’m determined to get back into the swing of things starting today. I have already make a detailed to-do list, and read my journal in high school for some laughs and motivation. See you back here Monday!

* And proof that leaves do change colors out here.

Gym Vs. Diet

Allison — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:30:49 +0000

I stumbled upon this and from my experience…I couldn’t agree more.

Bags of Secret

Allison — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:30:29 +0000

I have been casually looking for a new laptop case and found some available on Victoria’s Secret, and quickly realized they had more bag options for a hike or the gym.

Cheese Danish

Allison — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:30:10 +0000

Danish + cheese have probably never been in the same sentence with “low calories,” unless there were words like “heck” and “no” in there as well. Attempting to make a tasty guilt-free cheese Danish is like trying to incorporate bacon fat into a skinny diet. So I’m not even going to pretend that these semi-homemade buttery treats are healthy for you, but they are an easy and satisfying Sunday splurge.

This past Sunday I had some friends over. They insisted they would have already eaten before arriving, but it was at that in-between time when pastries would be perfect in case hunger strikes, or if they just felt like something delicious. There were still tubes of reduced fat crescent rolls sitting in the fridge, never used from Thanksgiving, along with some fat-free cream cheese and sugar-free strawberry preserves. I worked off of this embarrassingly simple recipe. To portion control, I measured out half tablespoons of cream cheese per Danish and sprinkled sugar on top. These were truly fantastic, and for 200 calories…that is like celery compared to the ones at a popular coffeehouse chain.

Unique Shopping

Allison — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:30:01 +0000

I have been in need for a bit of creative inspiration. This weekend I attended UNIQUE LA, a show that features local designers that make things from t-shirts to jewelry and tampon case holders. It is like….real-life Etsy. The show was a bit overwhelming, but I left with a couple of Christmas presents and a list of DIY project ideas (“This is cute…wait, it is $75?! I can so make this on my own.”). After yesterday’s trip, I have completely rearranged my bedroom furniture and realized how necessary it is to never throw out an ugly sweater, as it can be transformed into a pair of lederhosen.

End Of Week

Allison — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:30:11 +0000

The Santa Ana winds have hit Los Angeles in a pretty horrible way! The area where I live was not as badly affected as others (I still have electricity)…there was a fallen stop sign and the streets are spotted with fronds. I attempted to go for a jog this morning, but after continuously getting dust in my eye and seeing the swaying trees, I opted for an indoor workout instead. This week I have been determined to get back on track. Admittedly, I had a pretty indulgent November full of “thankful” meals and snacks, and now that the leftovers are gone…it is time. Here are a couple of things from this week helping me out with the process:

…After the turkey and before the winds, an incline hike with a beautiful city view…

…High flavors and low calories. Browning celery, carrots and onions as the start of healthy dishes like this one…

…Outdoor ice skating by the beach…

See you back here Monday!

Twenty-Twenty-Twenty

Allison — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:30:11 +0000

I’m always trying to keep my spin classes interesting with different routines. This week, we have been doing the “20-20-20” routine, which involves 20 minutes of endurance training, followed by 20 minutes of resistance (hill work), and finishing the hour class with 20 minutes of speed and intervals. To make it way more fun I devoted each 20 minutes to a specific decade of music. There is nothing like starting off the class with 80s music to get the heart rate going and the legs moving. Here are a couple of songs that my class loved pedaling to:

image via vogue

Movie Watching

Allison — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:30:21 +0000

My movie going record is pretty embarrassing. Each year I see maybe a handful of movies in the theaters, and a majority of that occurs in the month of December given the influx of tantalizing Oscar contenders that tend to fulfill my love for movies based on true stories. With $7 tickets in hand (thank you Costco), I have been making a mental list of what I want to watch, in addition to the snacks I will pack. Through the years I have trained myself not to cave into the horribly fatty and expensive temptations that typically go hand-in-hand with these large dark rooms. Here are some of the things I have packed in my bag to help prevent me from gaining an extra 2lbs before the previews are even over.

Sweet! This has enough chocolate flavor that a little bit does the trick.
Salty. I have popped fat-free popcorn from home and brought it with me to the theater. Because it gets cold, it is not ideal…but it does stop me from getting in line at the concession stand. Pop chips or baked lays are too loud and distracting. Another very good choice is portion controlled almonds.
Cozy. Staying warm and comfortable is so important when it comes to the optimal moving-watching experience. Since I can’t bring my throw blanket, this is the next best thing.

Food Control

Allison — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:49:56 +0000

I think my diet will look something like this for the next couple of weeks. I blame this on myself for being less than aware of my food consumption.