Hiking all stars!

So, 2015 is stacked up to be a great year.  With the annual pass to all the California State Parks Ian got me for my birthday, we're on a mission.  Not only on a mission to get the $195 worth of parking, but on a mission to see and experience new and interesting things in nature via the CSP's!  This weekend was the start of what I imagine is a whole bunch of nature hikes and new steps we'll be getting in during the new year!

Torrey Pines State National Reserve (http://www.torreypine.org/):

What a beaut!  Lots of little inter-winding trails which lead you everywhere, down to the ocean and large cliffs.  There are some stairs, some hidden tree tunnels and lots of ways to go from trail to trail, which is unique as this isn't always the case with state park trails.  The views of the ocean were expansive and vast.  They seemed to go on for days.  I could have just sat and watched the ocean forever. Definitely will be returning to Torrey Pines again this up coming year.

Palomar Mountain State Park (http://www.palomarsp.org/):

So after a day at Torrey Pines, needless to say - we were ready for a cocktail...and another, and another.  Downtown San Diego is just too fun! So little sleep and a bit of a headache made me just want to eat a big brunch and go shopping but my counterpart was my main motivation (awesome!) to get some more steps in at another state park.  Since we were down in San Diego, we decided to check out Palomar Mountain.  SUPER AWESOME and super cold!  haha  We went all the way to the top via the paved road and parked in the state parking lot (bam, another $15 credited to our 'bank' and deducted from our pass money), and set foot on the trail.  I had two jackets on but when I embarked on the Boucher Lookout trail (which was inclined pretty nicely) I got down to a tank top - even though it was 44 degrees.  The views were expansive, the highest I've been in Southern California.  The sun was gleaming on the ocean far in the distance, it was dubbed "God's Golden Shores" in our mind and made us realize that this indeed was heaven on earth.  We saw deer and birds and descended down the mountain via the Nate Harrison Road (which only EXTREME utility vehicles can go down - as they put it).  Good thing we had the Tacoma!  It was one of the more amazing things I've done in a long time.  Sun was setting at the perfect moment, hangover gone as I had hiked it out on the trail and the second state park had wow'd us beyond expectation.  Bring on 2015!

TOTAL $ TOWARD OUR YEARLY PASS = $28!  WOO HOO!

Count your (training) BLESSINGS!

This is truly my favorite time of year!  It is meant to reflect upon our blessings and the love we have around us that makes us who we are.  I feel that this week, and with all that is going on around us, it is time to truly count our blessings; and this year (with the things I've managed to over-come and accomplish) there is no better time than now! 

1)  Above all, I am thankful for my health.  It has been an UP and DOOOOWN experience but one of learning balance and control.  I'm thankful that I'm headed into year THREE of consistent movin' and shakin' and it doesn't seem like it's stopping any time soon.  I'm grateful I've never wanted to give up entirely - even with the going has gotten really, really tough.  What a great feeling...

This year alone I have been able to:

• Run three 1/2 marathons (OC half, US half in SF and Temecula Wine Country half)
• Joined a new gym - continuously working to keep things interesting, and focusing a LOT on nutrition (as hard as that is for me, I am GOING to conquer this)
• Completed 70 FULL PSYCLE classes and did their monthly check-in challenge for my free hoodie as well as the FP Race for the Cure event (dude...the people at that studio are what keeps me going!  Thankful for all of you...)
• Took 195 PURE BARRE CLASSES (including one in Chicago and one in Phoenix --- this stat just makes me giddy)
• Did a "Gladiator 10K" and ran through mud (YUCK!  Not sure about doing this again....)
• Ran the Rocky Steps in Philly (Boom!  So awesome)
• Completed and entire month of WHOLE 30 (probably the hardest thing I did all year but my roommate Diane definitely saw some changes...right Diane? hah)
• Joined an inter-mural soccer league (and while I wasn't that good...I tried hard every game)
• Completed a 5K fun run with my sisters while my sister was 8 months pregnant (go Dana!)
• Hiked Camel Back Mountain solo (one of the coolest hikes I've ever done and a very necessary experience for me)

Some images below!

  

 

  

2)  I am also thankful for the health of my family and friends.  This year my family learned of my mom being diagnosed with breast cancer.  It was shock to us all.  Luckily, her diagnosis was deemed stage 0 and after a biopsy, followed by a very intrusive surgery and 5 weeks of radiation (which she is starting after the Thanksgiving holiday) she should be cleared.  It's moments like these that make me reflect on how lucky I am to have a strong independent mother who fights day in and day out (through MANY ailments) to make sure she's there for me and to be present for the things I have yet to accomplish in life.

In addition, I am thankful for the health of my family.  I'm thankful for the health of my newest member of my family - my niece Vivian.  She is beautiful and was made with a lot of In-vitro love and determination...she's such a blessing and I can tell she makes my sister very happy.

3)  I am thankful for my tan.  Yea, I said it - but I hate being white and pasty and my dad blessed me with olive skin tone...for this, I am grateful.  HAH!  This I guess goes along with me being thankful I live in California.  I am always cold and I feel like I would be cold ALL the time anywhere else.  I really got to experience a true "California summer" this year and while I used to want to run away to other places - I can, for one of the first times, say I'm really happy to be where I am.

4) I am truly thankful to those that were there for me in a trying time in my life.  Getting over things isn't easy, nor fun, but I had a couple key people that were just there for me this year.  You know who you are, you all rule (all for different reasons) and you're all super important to me and were very instrumental in who I am today. 

5)  I am thankful for new relationships I've gained this year, and old ones that were no good that I've lost.  It's amazing how quickly someone become such an important part of your life.  In addition, I'm thankful this someone is ACTIVE!  Thank. GOD!  :)  I feel very lucky to be where I am now and I couldn't imagine it any other way.

6) I'm thankful for COCONUT.  I love it in all forms: fresh, juice, oil, spray...if it wasn't for coconut my cooking year may have been a bit different.  Sure there is always EVOO, but dude - I'm koo koo for COCONUT!  I am also thankful for my cooking/kitchen!  I LOVE trying new things and having EXTRA motivation in the kitchen.  No half-assing and (even if it is a total fail) just attempting new recipes!  Lastly, and piggy backing on my love for coconut - I'm also thankful I kicked my trail mix addiction.  This was a little worrisome for a moment but it's been a month and a half and I'd like to report, I'm trail mix free! ;)

6)  Lastly, I'm thankful for this blog - and anyone reading it.  I am unsure of who reads this, and gains any motivation from it whatsoever but I just received my 10,000th unique view recently, which is something I wouldn't have dreamed of in January 2013.  It might be a drop in the bucket for some blogs but it's a big accomplishment for someone who was tired all the time, weighed over a buck 80 and just wanting a change.

While the posts have been less frequent in the past couple months - it ALWAYS keeps me looking for new, interesting and different sources of content.  "Jenistrayning" is a fun outlet and a great place to store thoughts.  I've actually reflected back my words and photos in my times of needing an extra push.  I hope you enjoy as much as I do and overall get some motivation to get outside and move and shake.  New Years resolution: more posts!  more recipes!  more photos! ... oh...and I also want to grow my own tomatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Hug some family members tomorrow...and eat pie! :)

Holidays are a' comin!

I was just speaking to a good friend of mine that I haven't talked to in a while about how holidays are just tough to stay on track!  You're lucky if you get out of them without adding 10 lbs, rather...maintenance is key during this time.

I listed the next several events my boyfriend and I have in order to her (and these are just the musts for us to attend):

- Thanksgiving (2 families 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM)
- My birthday - which hello, you gotta enjoy!
- My work Christmas shin-dig (open bar, passed apps and a two course dinner entree and dessert course)
- Ugly sweater Christmas party
- Las Vegas for a convention (2 days...luckily no longer but UMPH)
- Christmas Carol play (tradition that has been 25 years running - I host the party / get-together every year)
- Ian's work Christmas party (Big Canyon Golf Course, ohhh la la)
- Christmas morning (I think I'm going to make some very cool breakfast item)
- Christmas dinner ...this time, ONE family since mine doesn't do much
- New Years Eve
- New Years Day......

So how does one minimize caloric intake when having to attend all of these events?  My thought process is this, IF it's a day where there isn't an event, I need to be 100% clean eating and having REALLY good days that day.  IF we have an event or something planned, I can be a little bit more lacks on intake, due to being SUPER excellent the other days?

Sounds like a plan to me!  Now let's just execute it!

Also - WATER WATER WATER!  I've been upping my intake of this and I feel super hydrated!  Hopefully this works in my favor over the course of the next several events!

A week off the wagon...

Soooo I'm on the heels (as blistered as they are from SCUBA DIVING) of bouncing back from an epic and amazing 8 day trip to the Yucatan, Mexico.  As wonderful as vacation can be it can also serve as a serious KILLER to any eating / exercise routine.  A weeklong eating binge (which generally happens on vacation) can result in 5-7 lbs of weight gain.  You can easily take in 4,000+ calories in a day (I mean... YOLO right?) which translates to 5 LBS after 7 days of this type of consumption.

So...how do you BOUNCE BACK?

It has been recommended to me to take a gradual approach.  Research shows the most effective 'bounce back' means:

- Avoiding desserts that are rich in sugar and fat for 7-10 days to help curb the craving for sweets
- halve your portions for the week following vacation
- Try to schedule a day of intense calorie burning physical activity.  One uphill hike can burn an extra couple thousand calories and jump start the vacation weight loss
- DON'T get down on yourself (leading to another eating binge)...take the bull by the horns and get back into routine!
- Don't go too extreme.  Just return to normal eating habits.  Restricting your food intake too drastically can send your body into shock and have a reverse reaction.


In this most recent 'bounce back' this week, I had a couple memorable moments.  I felt like COMPLETE SHIT on Monday and Pure Barre was SO hard.  My legs were shaking like crazy and my friend Karen was realizing that I NEVER shake this much in my Pure Barre class.  The following day I had greatly improved.  Karen looked at me and said "you look better!" to which I replied - "I feel 1,000 times better!".  What she said put a smile on my face.  She stated:  "THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN SHAPE!"  This made me realize that it's not the end of the world and vacation was EXACTLY what I needed, but now it's time to get back to routine.  Sometimes you think you've lost it all, but in reality - there is such a thing as 'muscle memory' after all. 

Another realization I had was when a fellow cyclist in my Full Psycle class saw how much I was dragging in my class on Wednesday.  I told him I might as well have been sweating out tequila and apologized if he was getting a contact high.  "I'm trying to get back to normal" I stated...to which he replied, "well you have your whole life".  So there you have it, there is no quick fix, it's about hard work - and dedication.  Goals, goals and more goals - but dammit....Mexico was amazing and I don't regret a single tortilla chip (or huge plate of Justin's amazing chicken mole...)

Some photos of eating, drinking, consuming and enjoying.....

Til the next time Cozumel.... #vivamontanos!