Quit saving it “for after.”

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I’m back! I took a mini-break from blogging while attending my brother’s wedding in Ohio last weekend. It was a wonderful trip, full of family, tons of food and lots of love. Plus, I got to wear a hot MBMJ dress (from the Saks outlet, of course) and get my makeup airbrushed. So it was fun!

Today, I’d like to share some thoughts about stuff. Using stuff, specifically. I’ll start with a few quotes.

“Do it now, do it now, do it now.” — Lululemon manifesto

“Spend out,” which translates to “quit saving things, even when it makes no sense.” — Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project

“I’m saving this ‘for after.’” — my dad

Which of these doesn’t belong?

I grew up with a strong parental influence to keep nice things nice, and not use them without a damn good reason. I never figured out what the “after” my dad always referenced was, or when it would come. I just knew that he had a closet full of new shirts and drawers stuffed with pristine socks that were being preserved for some unknown point in time.

As my living space got smaller (hello, one-bedroom apartment), I was forced to take a hard look at my stuff and keep only what I used. This meant no more “reserved” underwear, unworn T-shirts or still-packaged tights. I started making use of everything I owned.

With one exception. For years, I’ve had a wine bottle rack that holds three bottles. I never rotated them, because I never drank them (and we know I’m a wine drinker). I’ve saved and displayed the same three bottles of wine since 2007. What fabulous vintage could I possibly want to save for five-plus years, you ask? They’re definite not fancy, but I hung onto each one because it had memories attached.

 

The first was a bottle of rosé, carefully carried across the Atlantic after my study-abroad adventures in Spain. I drank so much wine — and had so much fun doing it — that I wanted a tangible reminder in the form of a slender, light pink bottle with “Rioja” stamped on it. The second was a bottle of Sawtooth riesling I bought on a family trip to Idaho (home of the Sawtooth mountains). Once again, I enjoyed myself so much that I picked up a souvenir bottle. I was also smitten with the label, which featured an LL Bean-looking fly fisherman. The final bottle simply said “Bitch;” I don’t know anything else about it, but my college roommate gifted it to me senior year, and I’ve held onto it ever since. My wine rack has served as a physical scrapbook of g

 

ood times gone by, before Boston, black work pants and bills.

But today, I decided it would be the day I finally busted into my stash. I would enjoy these bottles that I had carried with me, during moves, tears and fights. I chilled the rosé all afternoon and gleefully popped the cork around 7 for an after-dinner drink. As the too-dark liquid filled my glass, I knew I had waited too long. A sniff and a sip confirmed my suspicions: it had gone bad. I twisted the corkscrew i

nto the riesling, hoping for but not really expecting a different outcome. I didn’t get it. Also bad. I haven’t opened the Bitch yet, but I think I know what I’ll find when I do.

The moral of the story? Don’t wait to use things you love. Live in the moment and enjoy every minute of it, but avoid “saving” it for another time. It might not come, or when it does, it might be too late.

(End note: I realize this is concept might sound a little dramatic when applied to two bottles of wine. But it seems like a cosmic coincidence that this idea I had been reading about came to life so clearly for me, so I felt compelled to share. So now go take the tags off your “nice” bra.)

Clean beauty: skincare update.

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It’s been almost a month since I quit my chemical-laden skincare products and started using apple cider vinegar, rosewater and olive oil to clean, treat and moisturize my skin. I was hesitant to make the switch — my skin is fair, acne-prone and generally fussy — so I held off on tossing my old products. I liked the idea of having them around as “insurance” for when this silly experiment ultimately failed.

But guess what? I haven’t used them — not once. I’m beyond impressed with my new skincare regimen, and my skin hasn’t looked this good in years. It’s moisturized — no more scary dry patches, which I struggled with for months while using benzoyl peroxide. It’s clear — I’ve had a few tiny breakouts, but they’ve been more than manageable and healed quickly. And most importantly (to me) — it feels good. It’s as if my skin is saying “finally, you’e working with me here,” instead of forcing it to do what I want. Related benefits of this regimen: it’s easy to follow, inexpensive (especially compared to the raved-about-but-super-steep Tata Harper line, which I was considering trying a few months ago) and doesn’t stink (although I don’t mind the smell of apple cider vinegar, and it dissipates quickly).

I’m hesitant to fiddle with something that’s working so well, but my only concern is that this regimen doesn’t include a daily sunscreen. I haven’t been a religious user of daily SPF before, but as I’m approaching 30 (yikes!), I’m staring to get why it’s important. So I’m waiting for the arrival of a new moisturizer: Organic Pomegranate SPF 20 moisturizer from 100% Pure. I’m guessing it’s popular — it’s been backordered for a couple of weeks now — because it’s effective yet free of toxins, parabens and fragrances. I can’t wait to try it!

So if you’re hesitant to ditch your conventional products like I was, I’d encourage you to try it, at least for a few weeks. Give your skin some time to detox from the chemicals and fragrances, and you might be pleasantly surprised to find you’re better off without them!

Clean home: DIY disinfecting spray.

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For years, I’ve reached for the Lysol wipes any time I’m faced with an icky mess. I use them to wipe up raw chicken drips on the counter, clean up after Zo’s “digestive issues” and to keep germs at bay in my work space. I’ll admit I’ve been known to pick up the big family-size pack from Costco. Yeah.

I’ve also known for years that Lysol wipes are wasteful — they’re not biodegradable — and full of chemicals. The ingredients aren’t listed on the product website (red flag!), but some quick Googling revealed that they contain chemical compounds with chlorine in the structure. I’m no scientist, but that scares me a little.

Since my new DIY, chemical-free skincare routine has been a pleasant surprise (no breakouts, hydrated skin, low-cost and easy), I decided to try whipping up a Lysol wipe substitute. Tea tree and lavender essential oils both have antibacterial properties, so I combined them in a cute metal bottle to create a desktop-worthy disinfecting spray to keep at work.

The recipe:

  • 20 drops tea tree essential oil
  • 10 drops lavender essential oil
  • 10 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 4 ounces water (fill a small spray bottle to the top)

Combine ingredients in spray bottle; shake to mix. To disinfect, spray on surfaces and do not wipe off. Use caution with essential oils if you have pets; they can be toxic if ingested. 

The result: a fresh-smelling, nontoxic spray I spritz on my keyboard, mouse and phone before leaving for the day, so I start each day with a clean work space. I suspect I’ll also use a pump or two when I need a little pick-me-up — it smells light, clean and happy. Why didn’t I do this sooner?

Sunday morning with Elena Brower.

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This morning, I was lucky enough to attend a workshop lead by Elena Brower, whom I only-half-jokingly refer to as one of my yoga idols (along with Seane Corn and Kathryn Budig). I’ve been wanting to practice with Elena in person after taking a number of her classes on YogaGlo, so when I saw she was scheduled to lead two workshops at my local studio, I eagerly signed up. I adore her calm energy, quiet confidence and nuanced teaching style. She’s also helped me understand the value in treating yourself with the same kindness you extend to others — a challenge for many of us who hold ourselves to impossibly high standards.

She brought all of this and more to today’s workshop, titled “Freedom in Your Body.” I figured I already have a sense of what would be covered in her second workshop, “The Art of Attention,” so I selected this one, not really knowing what to expect.

Elena arrived early, stacking up notebooks and arranging her beverages (a tea thermos and water bottle). Like many other teachers I admire, she has a calm but tangible presence that can be felt as soon as she enters a space. As she settled in, she warmly greeted students and chatted with acquaintances until class began. Because I’m a yogi who also notices things like this, Elena wore gray and black flower-printed leggings (they were much cuter than they sound) and a boxy black top. Her hair was pulled into a simple bun, and her skin glowed. She looked every bit the New York yoga instructor.

I was expecting to immediately press up into down dog, but she announced that we’d all be introducing ourselves before we began. I wondered how this was going to work — there were probably 75 people in the room — but I quickly realized Elena intended to greet every person there individually, even if it took 15 minutes. She walked among the mats, smiling and making eye contact with each us, one by one.

Unexpected? Yes. Intelligent, for both personal and practical reasons? Absolutely. I know Elena is an enthusiastic believer in the Handel Method, a life coaching philosophy (I was fortunate enough to work with a coach for a couple of months; more on that in a separate post) that emphasizes truth and personal accountability, so to me, it made sense that she would want to take a moment to connect with each person in the room. Practically, I’ve seen quite a few students line up post-class to say hello to teachers they admire (see: Seane Corn at Kripalu), so greeting each person briefly makes everyone feel as if they’ve had their own little “part” of the teacher. I don’t know for a fact that either of these reasons are what actually motivate Elena to open class this way, but I don’t think they’re far off, either.

After introductions, we began with a short meditation and breath work, during which Elena outlined the theme for the session: that directing our attention to the whole of our body, rather than letting it “pool” in places of tension, opens us to an entirely new world of possibilities. As we moved through sun salutations, she encouraged us to notice where our attention tends to go (to the wrists in plank, the hamstrings in down dog, etc.) and reminded us to redistribute it throughout the entire body. So rather than fixating on the lower back in upward-facing dog, we were encouraged to “free” our attention throughout our entire body.

I loved this concept — it helped me move beyond some of my typical tension points and appreciate the bigger picture, both mentally and physically. I found new strength in revolved triangle (not a favorite pose by any means) and increased range of motion in wheel. Similar to my ashtanga experience a couple of weeks ago, Elena’s reminders to broaden yet focus the attention brought a sense of purpose and clarity to my practice.

The sequence was basic, but the instruction was highly nuanced, and combined with the broader theme of attention expansion, it was a physically and mentally challenging 90 minutes. We ended with inversions (bridge or wheel) and some hamstring stretching before a blissfully long savasana. Class went quick — the whole thing felt like 45 minutes — which is a sign of an enjoyable one to me!

Afterward, Elena answered questions and offered samples of her fragrance, Give, a lovely blend of essential oils that was also available for sale at the studio (and online). Needless to say, the line formed quickly — yogis love an all-natural perfume! She patiently dotted wrists with a perfume roller, drawing a heart and saying thank-you to each of us. I’ve been enjoying it all day — it’s sweet, spicy and exotic. I’ll be saving my pennies for my own bottle! Please pardon the creepy camera-phone photo.

Combined with a post-class decaf soy latte, it was a wonderful Sunday morning. Namaste, Elena!

The golden rule of juicing.

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So far, I’m three for three on my five-day juice challenge. I’m glad I’ve been able to stick with it (even for three days). In the past, I’ve tried juicing in the morning but quit because it was too time-consuming. I think I’ve finally perfected my recipe — and method — so I can whip up a tasty and nutritious juice in five minutes flat.

My secret is the golden rule of juicing: Prep in advance. Nothing’s going to derail my good intentions faster than having to put kale in the salad spinner at 7 a.m. But spending 30 minutes cleaning, washing and chopping everything over the weekend means juicing Monday through Friday is simple.

While I was roasting broccoli and breading chicken on Sunday, I also assembled my juice bags for the week. Each one includes one juice’s worth of ready-to-go ingredients that I simply throw in the juicer every morning. It’s made staying on track this week a no-brainer.

Included in each bag: two green apples, a bunch of dinosaur kale, one or two carrots (note to self: buy more carrots next week) and half a lemon. Loosely based on Giada’s juice recipe from this month’s Women’s Health. The only reason I picked it up was because Kathryn Budig is featured in Giada’s story, but I’ve actually really enjoyed.

A whirl through my awesome juicer, and a few minutes later I’m sipping this:

My current recipe makes about a cup of tart green juice. Next time, I’ll up the carrots and the kale, but it’s a delicious way to start the day. Just make sure you wash everything in advance!

Scenes from a weekend.

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Happy Earth Day! Hopefully you were able to spend some time outside, recycle something or otherwise show Mother Nature some love today :)

While it was a great weekend, I’m finding myself regressing to my old habits. I’m spending more time on chores and errands than I was a couple of months ago during my 168 Hours phase, when my Saturdays and Sundays were filled with fun and relaxation. Next week, I’m going to focus on getting chores to do themselves the way I used to.

My other challenge on weekends is the lack of structure, i.e., figuring out what I actually WANT to do. Saturday morning, the answer was “go to the farmer’s market.” So I packed up my reusable bags and found myself at a fabulous (indoor) market 30 minutes later:

I strolled, sipped coffee and chatted with vendors. It was lovely! I had major outdoor space envy — I’d love to plant a garden full of these guys (kale seedlings!):

I picked up some veggies, including a gorgeous portobello I have big plans for this week, eggs, grass-fed ground beef and a mint plant for my desk. All fresh and local!

After my shopping trip, I unrolled my mat for some at-home yoga. I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for (notice a trend here?), but after I thought about it, “Ashtanga” popped in my head. I’ve never done Ashtanga yoga before but have been hearing a lot about it lately, so I decided to give it a try. Thought by many to be the foundation of today’s Western vinyasa style, Ashtanga is a vigorous, flowing style that follows a prescribed series of asanas (postures) divided into series. It emphasizes breath, bandhas (locks) and drishti (gaze) to focus attention and energy throughout the practice. I just wanted to see what the fuss was about.

Of course, I turned to YogaGlo for a 90-minute basic ashtanga class. I’ll share additional thoughts in a separate post, but it was challenging — in a good way. I don’t love the prescribed order of the postures, but the emphasis on paying attention helped me maintain focus. I can also see this style helping me cultivate the strength for more advanced jump-throughs and pickups — bandhas play a big role in both.

Later (after a much-needed lunch and shower), we took Zooey to the beach to run off some puppy energy. She had a great time, and we enjoyed the sun and sand.

With most of Saturday spent having fun, Sunday was time for chores. I started the day at Body Pump, which was sweaty and tough. Afterward, I ran errands and stocked up on food. I’m challenging myself to juice for five days in a row (starting Monday), so I washed and prepped the ingredients for an a.m. green juice:

Kale, green apple, carrot and lemon — yum!

Then I made dinner — a CS request: chicken parmesan. Not exactly health food, but next to a big side of broccoli (and make with real food) it was OK with me.

I love that we’ve been having Sunday dinner as a (very small) family. It’s a perfect time to relax and connect before a busy week ahead.

Enjoy the last few hours of your weekend!

How to do a killer lifting workout in 30 minutes or less.

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Disclaimer: I’m not a personal trainer, fitness coach or weight lifting expert. These suggestions are based purely on personal experience and should not be taken as training advice. 

For the last few months, I’ve been hitting the gym twice a week: once on Saturday for Body Pump, and once on Wednesday for another lifting session. My Wednesday workouts happen in the morning — the alarm goes off at 5:25 and I’m in the squat rack 20 minutes later — so time is of the essence. I’m lucky to live really close to my gym (see below), so travel time isn’t an issue, but I have learned a few things about how to get an effective weight-lifting session done efficiently.

The view from the bench press at my gym. I told you I lived close.

A few years ago, I was an enthusiastic weight-lifter, and New Rules of Lifting for Women was my Bible. For a beginner looking to build serious strength, it was a great resource. It outlines technique, suggests meals and outlines a workout schedule designed to gradually increase muscle mass. The problem was the amount of time each workout required — 45 minutes of solid lifting, plus a warm-up and cardio on alternate days — at minimum. This meant that although they were extreme, these workouts also ate up an incredible amount of time — 60 to 90 minutes per session in general. So I had it in my head for years that an effective weight-training session required a serious chunk of time.

Since then, I’ve reframed my expectations and figured out how to fit in a tough but efficient weights workout into 30 minutes or less. Here’s how I do it:

  • Avoid crowds like the plague. This is critical to making sure you can do what you need to do quickly. The main reason I’m at the gym at 6 o’clock in the morning is because IT. IS. NOT. BUSY. At all. Plenty of equipment, no waiting and I’ve generally found fellow gym-goers are more focused and less annoying than at other times of day (meatheads cruising for girls after work, anyone?). Nothing makes me want to say “forget it” faster than having to wait for the squat rack. So I specifically schedule workouts when that is least likely to happen.
  • Make a plan. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but have an idea of what you’d like to accomplish before you get there. I usually think about the areas I’d like to target on my walk over — which takes all of 90 seconds — just to give you a sense of how not-complicated this is. This will not only gives you purpose; it will also help prevent aimless wandering (an obvious time-waster).
  • Do supersets. This is a fancy weight-lifting term that means “do two different exercises back-to-back without stopping.” Although you can do supersets that work the same muscle group, I like pairs that work different parts of the body because it’s more efficient than recovery time between sets spent doing nothing. So rather than staring into space between sets of push-ups, I’ll do a set of squats while my arms recover, then tackle another set of push-ups (and repeat for a total of three sets for each exercise).
  • Work multiple muscle groups. This means doing compound exercises, which engage large and small muscles simultaneously. Good examples are squats, deadlifts, push-ups, bench press, overhead press and rows. Pick these instead of isolation exercises, which target a specific muscle group alone (think tricep extensions, calf raises and bicep curls), and you’ll finish faster and improve your fitness more quickly because you’re strengthening your whole body, not random pieces.
  • Keep it simple. Forget the elaborate pre-workout protein shake, iPod loaded with music and weight-lifting gloves. Have a simple snack, grab a (reusable!) water bottle and go. They play music at the gym, calluses are cool and you’ll only be there for 30 minutes, remember?
My favorite pre-workout snack: date slathered with almond butter.

So what does all this look like in action? Check out this post for a recap of my typical workout. I’ll post others to show how I vary workouts from week to week.

Happy lifting!

Weekend recap: Body Pump, beers and brunch.

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I had today off work — it’s Patriot’s Day and Marathon Monday here in Boston — so I enjoyed a three-day weekend. It was a perfect mix of productivity and relaxing.

Side note: I’m still trying to find a good balance between “informative” posts and sharing stuff from my daily life, so bear with me during another photo-heavy wrap-up — more substantive stuff to come soon!

Anyway! Saturday started with Body Pump:

I hadn’t been since before our trip, so it was definitely tough. Side note: Is Push It (not the Salt-n-Pepa version!) the best chest track ever?

Afterward, I refuled with a giant breakfast scramble including leftover ham, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and gruyere.

While I munched, I caught up on Downton Abbey. The hype about this show is totally worth it! The plot, the characters, the costumes…superb. Definitely meets my standards for upgraded entertainment.

This breakfast was fabulous — it kept me full through a full afternoon of grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning (not pictured for obvious reasons). Saturday night was spent relaxing on the couch with Zo, which is pretty much our favorite activity.

Sunday started early with a 60-minute vinyasa class from the amazing Kathryn Budig. I loved her core message for the class, which focused on cultivating the belief that we are all open, strong and flexible (in the mind, if not also in the body). I usually get a few giggles out of her classes, and this one was no exception. I had to laugh when I face-planted during an attempt at ashtavakrasana. No shame.

We had big plans for the afternoon: a trip to Fenway Park! CS was gifted four fabulous seats by a coworker, so we invited a family friend and his son to join us. With temperatures in the mid-70s, I decided to bust out the shorts. Unfortunately, my pale, scaly legs were not in shorts-shape. Enter homemade scrub (one part cane sugar, one part olive oil) and all-natural moisturizer (coconut oil):

Be aware that your dog may be unable to stop licking you post-shower after using this combo.

On our way down to Fenway, we walked by the marathon finish line — the excitement was already building!

And then we were face to face with The Monstah.

I’m not a huge baseball fan but usually end up going to a game or two a year, mostly for the atmosphere. The stadium, the history, Sox fans’ enthusiastic-bordering-on-crazy love for their team, the food…there’s nothing like it.

Speaking of the food, this is probably why I felt like crap for the rest of the night. But if you ask me, a baseball game on a beautiful spring afternoon is the perfect excuse to eat hot dogs and drink beer.

Our seats were ridiculously close — six rows back from the Sox dugout. Most people would be excited about this, but I was terrified of being hit by a foul ball. I grew up playing softball and watching my brother play baseball, so I know the wrath an errant ball can inflict. All I could think of was the movie Fever Pitch, when a foul hits Drew Barrymore’s character in the head (at Fenway, of course).

It turns out my fears were well-founded! One swing and a short scuffle later, the youngest member of our group ended up with Dustin Pedroia’s foul.

Three beers and six runs later, the Sox won and we schlepped back home. The beer caught up with me (not my signature drink by any means), so I called it an early night.

As if Sunday’s indulgences weren’t enough, this morning I whipped up a traditional Marathon Monday brunch, which must be enjoyed after the elite men start the race. On the menu: coconut French toast (challah bread combined with coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla and egg), sausage and fruit. A morning cocktail is also a must. Why pay $50 for this on a fancy Back Bay patio when you can make it at home?

I spent the rest of today hiking with Zo (it was HOT), switching out my clothes (no need for long wool sweaters anymore), getting a pedicure and cooking. Another week already underway!

On tap for this week: posts on essentials for a quick gym workout, my new spring wardrobe and an update on my chemical-free skincare routine!

A walk in the park.

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It was a heck of a week. In spite of craziness at work, I’m proud to report that I stuck to my workout schedule and ate (mostly) real, healthy food, avoiding my tendency to let exercising and eating slide when I get busy. I did not, however, blog. Sleep took precedence!

Regardless, come Friday afternoon, I was ready for some relaxation. I finished a few emails from home, shut down my computer and immediately grabbed Zo’s leash, eager to enjoy the sunshine. I also might have strapped on my — wait for it — fanny pack.

Side note about the fanny pack: Say what you want (I myself have made fun of many a fanny pack), but this thing is so practical. I don’t use it often — only when walking the dog and not wearing a coat or something else with pockets — but it’s really handy. Friday, I packed up my camera, phone and keys — none of which really fit in the pocket of Luluemon leggings.

Zo and I enjoyed our usual Friday walk at a park nearby. It was glorious outside — sunny, warm and GREEN! Spring has definitely sprung.

Even the notorious Mystic River was sparkling in the sun. Can you spot the dog in this photo?

We walked at a leisurly pace for about an hour. Clearly, this dog is happiest when she’s outside.

After our walk, we headed back home for an evening of pizza, relaxing and catching up on Up All Night (CS is totally Will Arnett, aka Christina Applegate’s husband).

More weekend adventures to come — including a Red Sox game tomorrow!