If this is your first visit here, please go to my blog's new home, here. You will find more updated posts and if you are lucky, I might just be running a giveaway :-)
If you have been here before, welcome back! I have moved to self-hosted Wordpress, so now you can find me by just typing www.theunlikelyhousewife.com in your browser. I hope to see you there!
XO, Elisa
P.S. This blog's comment are now closed. One more reason to visit me on WP ;-)
Back in January I attended the opening of the new Pure Yoga club in New York, hosted by SELF magazine. I was very impressed with the club: fantastic instructors, great premises and really friendly and helpful staff. The only thing that stopped me from joining immediately was the fact that I woulnd't be able to attend more than one class a week (in the weekend) because of travel time and babysitting – if I didn't have a young child I would have been happy to go into the city several times a week to take their classes, they are just that good.
If you live in NYC or surrounding area and you enjoy doing yoga, this is one club you absolutely must visit and try out. And here's the perfect chance: a Master Class with Rodney Yee!!
What: Hips to Heart Master Class with Colleen Saidman Yee and Rodney Yee
When: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Where: Pure Yoga, 203 E 86th St., @ 3rd Avenue
Call Pure Yoga at 212.360.1888 to reserve your spot.
The other day I was with a friend, discussing exercise and such, and she said: "This is the worst time of the year for regular gym-goers. The first few weeks of the new year the gym is full of people who have included 'exercise' or 'weight loss' as part of their New Year's resolutions, and the gym is overcrowded, full of people who don't really want to be there, and let me tell you, they are not good company". Heh. That sounds like a familiar scene. Statistics tell us that over 50% of the people who started going to the gym as part of their vow to get healthier, slimmer, more active in the New Year will drop out within the first 3 months, and likely not return at all before the year is over.
Is that a surprise? Hardly. And not because exercise is a generally disliked activity - it's because when you say "exercise" most people envision sweating for hours running on a treadmill, or frantically pedaling in spinning class. Personally, I have to admit that neither of those things sound tempting to me, either. I don't really like running or pedaling without ever getting anywhere (although some would beg to differ, since regular spinning got them to a smaller size).
The truth is that in order to be healthier, more active, you don't necessarily need to have a gym membership. You can workout outside. Your can get some equipment or videos and workout at home. I personally have a nice collection of videos, and while most gym bunnies snob exercise videos as dorky and "so 80s", anyone who has tried some of the new videos knows that there are some really good workouts out there on DVD. BeachBody, would appear as the obvious choice, because their 30-minute infomercials make them sound very appealing.
To be honest, I have tried 4 different programs they carry and I didn't like any of them. I found Power 90 incredibly boring, while some others, like Yoga Booty Ballet, Hip Hop Abs and Turbo Jam were way too cheesy for me. Not to mention that Turbo Jam didn't feel safe for the knees and Hip Hop Abs was, as my friend Sam would put it,"a load of wank". I ended up giving them away or trading them on SwapaDVD.com which, frankly, is just a brilliant idea. It's great to have a place where you can trade your DVDs if you don't like them, because you never feel like you wasted money, as long as you get to try something else. By the way, if you decide to check out SwapADVD (a free service), my nickname is HipMom - feel free to add me to your buddy list if.
An even better option, if you don't really know what you ware looking for, is to rent workout DVDs and try them at home for a few days. Netflix has some workout DVDs. Another option is Mypypeline.com, where you can download videos to keep or "rent" them for 24 hours and stream directly from your pc. The cool thing is that they also have programs for lots of different goals and levels, from beginner to advanced, from getting fit to play golf to postpartum fitness.
In the past year, a new trend has developed: people using Wii Fit to become more active. To be completely honest, I don't think you can have a well-rounded fitness routine by using only the Wii Fit, however it does offer lots of good points: 1. for starters, it's infinitely better than doing no exercise at all. At least you are standing and moving around. 2. if you are a busy parent you may find it easier to fit in a few challenges on the Wii Fit with your kids, than getting through a 30-minute workout uninterrupted (yes, that is from personal experience). 3. if you are just starting out, playing is a way for you to gradually get into exercising, improve your balance, your strength, your cardio capacity, without it feeling like too much work.
The market for Wii Fit-related products has grown by leaps and bounds in the past year, and now there are lots of games and activities to choose from. Even Gillian from The Biggest Loser made a Wii Fit workout!
Everyone wants to get in on the action! The popular videogame chain GameStop has actually come up with a month-long a campaign called “Sharpen the Mind, Shape the Body” that includes a special incentive to discover active gaming. This isn't limited to Wii-Fit, it also includes Dance Dance Revolution and other active games, as well as games that do more in terms of "sharpening the mind" like Brain Age or Crosswords DS. You can stop by a local store and try out games that match your interests and skill level, and if you spend $35 or more on designated products will receive a free 12-month trial subscription to Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Redbook, Good Housekeeping or Esquire. This is your chance to see if this is something you might enjoy, because you can try different things for free!
Like many, I really didn't see the big deal about Wii until my husband got one last Christmas. And now I see why it isn't like the other game consoles, a passive thing. Same with Wii Fit: I wasn't even sure I wanted it, but my husband got it and now I have to admit I'm glad he did. My favorite part about using Wii Fit is reason number 4: after a while using the Wii Fit, you will likely realize that you don't actually dread exercise as much as you though, and you might feel more comfortable branching out into other activities, be it pilates, kickboxing, dancing, or jumping on the elliptical trainer that has been sitting in the home office pretty much unused (*ahem* no reference to anyone specific, I swear).
And then you'll be on your way to a healthier, slimmer you. It may be trite, but little changes add up.
Among the commenters to last week's post, Sue rightfully said: "been dieting since I was 16. Just have to shut my damn mouth" which, really, is such good advice. If only I could master moderation! Alas, that's never been my strong trait. Can one learn moderation?
Despite the Extreme Makeover and Biggest Loser, which seem to have a lot of a appeal (based on the crowd - and volunteers! - they gather), there's also a new trend in weight loss and health, and moderation seems to be the key word. Two big proponents of this trend are Devin Alexander and Ellie Krieger.
Devin Alexander is actually the mind behind the Biggest Loser meals and cooking tips. She is the author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook, which I bought and wasn't too impressed with, mostly because of the format. I like cookbooks that look like cookbooks (not showcases), with recipes and photos of the finished dish, because I find them most inspiring and enjoyable - which is why I immediately loved her new cookbook, The Most Decadent Diet, and I plan on using it to avoid holiday weight gain this year.
My family will be flying in from Italy a few days before Christmas and stay until New Year's. They are, as all Italians, most spoiled when it comes to food; and even when they need to shed a few pounds they have absolutely zero tolerance for anything that vaguely resembles "diet food". So I plan on using this book to trick them into eating diet-friendly food ;-) *cue evil laugh here*
Do you know who Ellie Krieger is? I had actually never heard of her until a couple of months ago, when she appeared in SELF (I think that was the mag), but I have since googled her and found out that she is a Food Network celebrity chef, with quite a following! She has written two books (including a cookbook)and now also has an online program, where you can sign up for healthy eating/healthy cooking lessons and coaching.
I've never done this - I've been tempted, but the various "E-Diet"-type websites and so on don't seem to focus on how healthy and wholesome the food you consume is - but if I was to sign up, this would probably be it. Because if you want to be healthy and keep in shape, in the real world you will need to be able to juggle and balance indulgences with a healthier day-to-day lifestyle. And that's the goal, isn't it? Because personally, I have lost weight before... it just didn't stay off. Real life gets on the way. So despite last week's diet-focused post, I'm thinking that dieting isn't really the way to go, when it comes to long-term weight loss.
The problem I have when faced with this decision is that the little devil on my shoulder whispers in my ear "yeah, sure, you can learn to do things the healthy way and that will last, but you will lose weight much faster if you diet! And that's what you want, isn't it? FAST weight loss. You know I'm right". And damn it if I don't fall for it every time.
Just kidding :-) This is actually more fun... and more useful.
I hesitate to discuss my weight issues on my blog, but hey, it is MY blog, so heck, I should be able to share stuff. Without oversharing ;-)
My weight has been an issue ever since my first pregnancy. And the yo-yo dieting that followed (once Sarah had been weaned) didn't help things, I'm sure. I did manage to get almost to my goal weight several years ago by following The Fat Flush Plan (cheesy title, but good program), but a family crisis kind of threw me, and as usual when there are changes in my life, I throw my routines and my needs out the window and just put everyone else first (mommy complex). The same thing happened when we moved here: Stella was just a baby, Sarah was having a hard time at the new school, my husband was working long hours at his new job... Just recently I started feeling like everyone else was sorted out and comfortable, and it was time to take care of ME (finally!)
Which brings me to: I really need to start exercising and maybe plan my eating better (I don't really want to say "go on a diet"), and I realize the Holidays are upon us, but hey, no time like the present, right?
So I joined the Sisterhood. Because really, a support network goes a long way when you are embarking upon something new, especially something you are dreading a bit. And let's face it, doing stuff together just makes it more fun!
Tomorrow officially marks the last 100 days of 2008. Do you know what that means? That procrastinators, organizing freaks and and generally crazed moms with didn't-get-a-single-thing-done syndrome like myself will have a second chance to get some of those New Year's Resolutions done. Afterall, "the last 100 days of the year" does sound like one of those things that call for a new beginning of sorts, doesn't it? Like a brand new journal, or a wake-up call from the bathroom scale. Bittersweet, I know.
So this calls for goals. And a list. A list of goals. Is there anything more exciting? ("yes, plenty" is probably your response - however please consider that I am a SAHM with too little social interaction and an annoying penchant for lists).
So, let's proceed. This is what I want to accomplish in the next 100 days, before the year is over: 1. I want to Spring Clean my house and rejoyce in it's clutter-free beauty (oh, I am about to break into song), and then possibly keep it reasonably clean and tidy. Will that get me kicked out of The Undomestic Goddess? Will I have to change my blog title? Hah! Come on. Even in the improbable scenario where I actually manage to become more proficient at housework, I doubt that I could ever come close to feeling comfortable sharing my home accomplishments with Martha Stewart.
2. I want to make exercise a daily habit again. Does that qualify as a SMART goal you think? Or should I say whether I'll be doing the TransFirmation series or yoga any given day?
3. I want to potty train Stella. No additional details required, I believe. Just wish me good luck.
4. I want to get my NY driver's license. (I can hear gasps and giggles.) Finally, right?
And how am I going to do the above, you ask? Well, getting off the pc would probably be a good start. Ha! fat chance. In fact, perhaps I should add "getting over my pc addiction" to the list. Who am I kidding? That's going to take WAY longer than 100 days.
What would you like to accomplish before the year is over? Feel free to share in the comment section - and if you want to keep inspired (and maybe get someone else inspired!) feel free to grab this button.
Belated Happy Mother's Day to everyone! (well, just moms really)
The challenge of this past weekend: organizing a made-from-scratch brunch packed with healthy foods while being away most of Saturday.
I LOVE brunches. They are easy, because you have a bunch of food and everyone just picks what they like and eats as much or as little as they want. There is a lot less fussing about: no getting up to serve seconds or get the next course, no risk of serving something your guests don't like after slaving over the stove for hours... in other words, much more relaxed.
The trick is doing your homework. In the week before a brunch I like to browse through some of my cookbooks to find the right recipes. I pick several ones based on season, guests, etc and then I start narrowing them down, because I tend to make way too much food. (Please, I'm Italian, of course I make too much food - not having enough food is an Italian hostess' nightmare!)
I have a list of basics I usually like to serve for brunch, varying some of the recipes - however that list had to be modified to fit the allergen-free bill. I also wanted things I could make either the day before or the morning of the brunch so I could sit and eat with everyone else, so I decided to serve: - fresh fruit - coffee, teas, juice, water, white wine - jams, buttery spread - spelt muffins, spelt bread (my friend brought home-made cinnamon buns) - organic cold cuts, smoked salmon - creamy scrambled eggs with chives - Waldorf salad - my vegan quiche (you can find the recipe here) - for dessert: agave-sweetened vegan cupcakes (I can hear you say yuck all the way here, you miscreants.... but these are so good and rich I promise you'll eat your hat as well as my cupcakes if you ever taste them!)
Next: make a shopping list based on the dishes I wanted to serve and shop for the ingredients (ok, dh shopped).
Little twist: I wasn't going to be home on Saturday for most of the day... On Saturday I went to the SELF Workout In The Park event (the one in New York). I had been looking forward to the event and purchased my ticket back in March so I didn't want to give it up for brunch prep. I looked at the recipes and decided what I should do on Saturday night and what on Sunday night.
I got home on Saturday around 5.30, greeted my family, thanked my lovely husband for holding the fort on his own so I could have some "me time", took a shower and got started. This is the Saturday night list: - bake cupcakes - bake muffins - let cool, make dinner - ice cupcakes - cook chicken (for salad) - steam broccoli and cook potatoed (for quiche)
And this is what was left to do on Sunday: - prepare salad dressing, slice fruits & veg (for Waldorf Salad) - sautee veggies, mash potatoes, assemble quiche (you can find the recipe here) - slice the fruit, assemble fruit platter - brew coffee, boil water for tea (I like to fill a thermos pitcher for brunches) - prepare deli meat platter - make eggs - prepare the table
Of course I had to also fit in taking a shower and getting ready and also some last-minute cleaning (it is me, afterall).
Anyway, the brunch was lovely, we had fun, we chilled, everybody enjoyed the food and we were also lucky with the weather, so the kids could play outside afterwards. Then we went back in and had coffee and dessert.
Back in January I attended the opening of the new Pure Yoga club in New York, hosted by SELF magazine. I was very impressed with the club: fantastic instructors, great premises and really friendly and helpful staff.
Stella. No additional details required, I believe. Just wish me good luck. 
