How many Random Acts of Fitness & Spice have you committed so far this week? 

So far, I’ve added 1 minute of cardio to my workouts on Monday and Tuesday and did some reverse lunges with a knee raise while I watched the weigh-in on The Biggest Loser last night.

Now I really must go do one more set of push-ups, but before I do, I’m going to drop Tanya a note to let her know she’s the winner of 3 Safe Side Towels!

You know you’ve had a good workout when…

• Your legs are wobbly when you are walking out of the gym
• Your calves hurt when you push down the gas pedal
• Your arms ache when you lift your tooth brush
• Your abs hurt when you laugh out loud

Have you had one of those workouts when your body hurts and the pain is worse two days after your workout? I’m going through one of those “hurts so good” kind of phases right now. Everything aches…my hamstrings, my lats, my biceps, my shoulders…especially my shoulders! Did I mention my shoulders?

So, besides complaining non-stop about it, I’ll be breaking out my…

Fitness & Spice Recovery Kit

Inside the kit is:

• Epsom Salt for soaking my sore bones in a hot bath…it’s inexpensive and magical for reducing inflammation
• Advil Liqui-Gels and Tylenol PM (but not taken at the same time, just to be clear!)
• Foam roller for massaging the problem areas (and right now, just about everything is a problem area)
• Ice pack (see Frosty in this picture? That’s a wash cloth puppet I picked up at Bath & Body Works last year. It stays in my freezer with a baggie full of ice all year long)

How do you know when you’ve had a good workout and what do you do about it?

I’ll just sit down on the red chair with Frosty while you tell me all about it…

We’ve all heard of Random Acts of Kindness, right? If we all do one thing nice for someone else everyday it could make a world of difference.

Well, what if we applied that same philosophy to bettering our own health and wellness? What if we did one little thing everyday to improve our bodies? I think it could make a world of difference. I suggest we start a movement and start committing…

Random Acts of Fitness & Spice: Let’s Sweat the Small Stuff!

Random Acts of Fitness & Spice (RAFS) will be a random, ongoing series on Fitness & Spice, because sometimes sweating the small stuff isn’t such a bad thing. I’ll be asking my friends and experts like personal trainers and dietitians to make small suggestions for all of us to try in terms of fitness, nutrition and other spicy stuff, in addition to our regular healthy-living activities.

Some of these RAFS might be things we already do, so we’ll just consider those things reminders, and others might challenge us just a little.

Let’s get started with the first of many RAFS (and laughs!)

Because little things add up to make a world of difference, every time we workout over the next few weeks lets add on ONE small thing. That one thing could be:

• Adding one more minute to a cardio session
• Adding one more rep to a set of exercises
• Adding one more set to a group of exercises
• Adding one more minute of stretching after a workout

I think I have an extra one minute (or less) a day to spare, do you? Let’s see if we can incorporate the first RAFS into our workouts for the rest of the year…just think of the possibilities…that could add up to an extra 30 minutes of cardio or 30 extra reps if we got started right away.

With all of this “sweating the small stuff” we’re going to be doing, we might need a set of new gym towels, right? Just to be on the safe side, we’ll be giving away a set of 3 Safe Side Towels to one random Fitness & Spice reader. To enter the drawing, just tell us one Random Act of Fitness & Spice you are going to try to commit during your workouts this week in the comments section below. The contest will end on Tuesday, December 1 and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Now I really must go, I have 31 minutes of intervals to randomly commit!

I’m going to start a group called the Stay At Home Shoppers (SAHS). The benefits to the members of this club include: No crowds, no traffic, no lines, and you can shop in your pajamas.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some of the things I’ll be giving (and hopefully getting, hint, hint) for holiday gifts. We’ll start our first secret SAHS shopping spree with a few things you can find online and will want to order soon so they arrive just in the St. Nick of time. And, now Fitness & Spicers, I give you the first five gifts on…

THE FIT LIST

fitbook: This is the best little fitness journal on the market. I know, I have one that is packed full of my workouts, my nutrition, and my goals. And, for those of you that are wondering, I NEED ANOTHER ONE.

You might buy fitbooks for: Your clients, your personal trainer, your fit friends and your not-so-fit friends, your teacher, your coach, yourself.

Support this small business by shopping fitbook before November 30th and save $1 per fitbook and an additional $1 will be donated to the Estado 29 orphanage to feed the children this holiday season. To take advantage of this offer, go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout.

fitbook junior: Junior is a journal especially fit for, well, Junior. It is a fun way to teach children the importance of balancing healthy food, fitness, and fun into their everyday lives so they create lifelong habits and grow into future Fitness & Spice readers.

You might buy fitbook junior for every kid on your list including: your kids, your kids-kids, your neighbors kids, your carpool kids.

Go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout for that very special offer I just mentioned.

Mix My Granola: Personalize your own blend of granola and give it a name of its own. I made a batch of Fitness & Spice granola a few months ago and my mom made something clever like Joanna Made Me Do It. Nevertheless, it really is fun to order and even better to eat receive!

You might buy Mix My Granola for: Your neighbor, your Uncle Frank, health nuts, the person on your list that has everything, or anyone who wears Birkenstocks (kidding!)

Customize your granola, pick from Mix My Granola blends, or pick up a gift card at Mix My Granola.

Gift Card Kits: Get creative with your gift card-giving by including a few little extras in the package like this golf course example. Another idea? You could pair my, I mean, a fitbook with a Starbucks gift card or a massage gift card…take your pick!

You might buy Gift Card Kits for: Your brother,  your Dad,  your teenagers, your girlfriends, your boyfriends, your hair stylist, your teachers, or your favorite blogger.

The Quarry Oaks golf course gift card kit just happens to be available at my brother’s course in Nebraska, so if you know someone in the area, you are in luck! Just shop for the gift card package pictured here at www.quarryoaks.com.

Lucy Activewear: Lucy has a great line of sportswear and accessories for women. Find great gifts and stocking stuffers in one spot.

You might buy Lucy Activewear for: Your sister, your mom, your friends, your trainer, your gym instructor, or me.

Shop www.lucy.com for gifts and gift cards galore!

That wraps up the first 5 items on the Fitness & Spice approved Fit List.

Now, I’m off to round up some more Stay At Home Shopping ideas because I have to admit…it’s beginning to look a lot like fitness!

Remember when the Griswold’s went on their first family vacation to Walley World and when they got there, they heard this:

Remember how disappointed the Griswold’s were after driving all that way only to find the amusement park was closed? That’s how I feel when the gym is closed for holidays like, I don’t know…THANKSGIVING!

Here are a few things you might do to fit in a workout on Thanksgiving if:

• Your gym is closed, too
• There’s no gym at Cousin Eddie’s
• You’re trapped in a hotel with a gym smaller than your broom closet
• You want to overdose on carbs
• You want to fit in your clothes the next day

From what I understand there are all sorts of Turkey Trots going on all over the globe so if you are someone that believes “fun” and “run” belong in the same sentence, you might join the other turkeys for a wobble. If you missed the registration deadline, simply draw a starting line on your driveway with sidewalk chalk and run around your neighborhood for awhile and you’ll know you’re done when you cross back over that line when you return home. The best part about that is it’s free!

Last month, when the Mair’s went on their annual California Vacation my friend Sheila asked me for ideas for hotel room workouts. Here’s what I suggested (just be sure to check with your doctor and your roommate before starting any workout program…who knows, they just might want to join you):

Full Body Workout
5 sets of 10 reps

1A Prisoner squats (hands laced behind your head)
1B Push ups (Options: traditional push ups on the floor or feet on the bed hands on the floor)
1C Step ups onto a sturdy chair or coffee table (10 reps on each side)
1D Single arm rows (grab a small suitcase and load it with items like a phone book or a Bible for added weight. A purse or a briefcase works well, too)
1E Mountain climbers (10 reps each side)

Lower Body Workout
4 sets of 12 reps

1A Squats holding a light suitcase or phone book (like you’d hold a plate to your chest)
1B Reverse lunges (with Valslides)

2A Bulgarian split squats (back leg on the coffee table, front leg on the floor)
2B Towel hops (fold towel in half jump over the towel and repeat without stopping for 30-45 seconds)

3A Glute bridges (lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor push your glutes off the floor, squeeze, repeat. You can also do these with your feet on the coffee table)
3B Single leg deadlifts (using body-weight only or grab a suitcase for more weight)

4 Jumping jacks for 30 seconds

Upper Body Workout
4 sets of 12 reps

1A Push ups (see variations above)
1B Dips with hands on the coffee table and feet on the floor (you can also put your feet on the sofa)

2A Single arm rows (see weight options above or use a Valband)
2B Overhead press (grab a suitcase and lift overhead)

3A Overhead tricep presses (with a suitcase or phone book)
3B Single arm shoulder presses with a purse or briefcase

Full Body Workout
50-100 reps of 6 exercises (rest for 10 seconds when your form breaks)

1A Push ups
1B Squats (add resistance using a Valband)
1C Bent over rows
1D Single arm shoulder presses
1E Reverse lunges
1F Glute Bridges

Other Cardio Moves
Air jump rope
Butt kicks
High knees
Burpees
Jumping jacks
Run stairwells

The same types of workouts can be applied if you’re doing a workout at home or at your Cousin Eddie’s. Load plastic or canvas bags of potatoes or apples (before they are baked or mashed) and use them as weights if you don’t have access to gym equipment. I’d skip putting your feet on the coffee table because in my experience, not all hostesses appreciate that very much.

Now, I really must go tell MizFit she was the winner of the Valkit for Travel and to see when the Griswold’s and the gym go on their Christmas Vacation!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I wanted share with you just one of the many things I am grateful for this year. I am thankful for losing my job.

Several months ago I was part of a corporate layoff. It happens. And, as my Dad and I discussed on the phone as I drove out of my office parking lot in shock, it’s like going through a divorce. It has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. And, I am grateful.

I’ve spent the last few months doing a lot of soul searching. I started this blog and have been blessed with building new relationships while sharing and learning more about my passion for healthy-living. I’ve taken a photography course, a nutrition course, and participated in countless social media seminars. And, in the process I’ve found what I believe is my calling.

You might think a calling is kind of a concept reserved for nuns and priests and other members of the clergy, but I don’t. I believe my calling is to help people live healthier lives. I would love to find a career that combines my expertise in marketing with my passion for healthy-living, but if I can’t, I’ll still find a way to share a little bit of what I know about fitness and nutrition with others in my spare time.

While I continue to look for my new position, I’m going to see how I can help fitlosophy, the company behind my favorite fitness journal, fitbook. This is a small, up-and-coming company, and I’m pretty energized about finding creative ways to see that something I love so much gets in the hands of more people.

A while ago, I wrote all about my fitbook where I keep my goals, my workouts, and my nutrition on track. Since then, fitlosophy launched the fitbook junior. Junior, as I like to call him or her, is a 12-week interactive fitness and food journal for kids that teaches the importance of goal-setting, engaging in daily physical activities and making nutritious food choices, while balancing their tasks at school and home. Did I mention it has stickers? Adorable!

If you have been reading Fitness & Spice for awhile, you know I have a soft spot for companies that give back. This company is no exception. When the founder of fitlosophy, Angela Manzanares, recently visited an orphanage in Mexico she was astounded by the lack of nutritious meals for the children and decided to take action. So, until November 30th if you purchase a fitbook or a fitbook junior, save $1 per fitbook and an additional $1 will be donated to the Estado 29 orphanage to feed the children this holiday season. To take advantage of this offer, go to www.getfitbook.com and use promo code givethanks at checkout.

And, speaking of giving thanks, I think I’ll be doing more of that from now on. I’m giving thanks for the things in my life and the things that aren’t…I’ve learned a lot from both.

Now I really must go to the park, I think I hear Junior calling!

I bought The Valkit for Travel well over a year ago when I was on the road quite a bit for business. My Valslides and Valband have been to a number of cities including Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Denver, San Diego, Orlando, Knoxville, Hagerstown, New Port, and they’ve even been on a cruise (or two).

And, to my delight they work quite well in my home gym, in front of my television set, and even in my bathroom. Yes, that’s right, even the bathroom, a girl can get in a few sets of lunges in while drying her hair you know.

What is a Valslide? The Valslide is the creation of celebrity trainer, Valerie Waters, she trains people like Jennifer Garner and I (well, she’s not technically my trainer and I’m not technically a celebrity, but I do train with her equipment).  The Valslide is a piece of specially formulated plastic and non skid foam that with your muscle tension slides in a controlled manner to activate the muscle. Valslides can be used on your hands or your feet depending on the exercise. And, boy are these suckers effective!

Here, take a look at this video to show you what I mean:

Sometimes I use Valslides using my body-weight and sometimes I’ll add dumbbells. If I happen to be in a hotel room, I’ll grab some luggage for makeshift weights.

The Valkit for Travel also comes with a mini resistance band, called the Valband, that can be used for all sorts of moves like squats, one-arm rows, and my favorite…around the knees when doing clams. Valerie includes a great little workbook to show you other ways to use this equipment and she has videos on her Web site and on Youtube, as well.

Who can benefit from a Valslide and a Valband?

• People who belong to a gym and people who don’t
• People who travel on business and people who mind their own business
• People who go on vacation and people who need a vacation
• People who are new to exercise and people who are experienced exercisers
• People like the readers of Fitness & Spice

In fact, one lucky reader is going to WIN a Valkit for Travel. Just enter the drawing by telling us one exercise you can’t wait to try using the Valslide or Valband AND one place you’d use them. Enter by 11:59 P.M. on Tuesday, November 24th and the winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Now I really must go, I have to go hit the red carpet, er, I mean the red chair.

…Whoopie Pies that is!

I’m pretty sure it was our family friend Mrs. Covais who introduced me to my first Whoopie Pie when I was a little Fitness & Spice girl. Ahhhh…the sweet, sweet memories when I didn’t have a care in the world!

Now that I’m a few years older I care a little bit more about what I put into my body. When Michelle and Katy sent an email challenging me and a whole host of other writers to go vegan for a day, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to see how the vegan’s make Whoopie…pies.

A few months ago I bought a cookbook called BabyCakes by Erin McKenna. Erin is the chef and owner of vegan, gluten-free, and mostly sugar-free bakeries in New York City and West Hollywood. All sorts of cool people recommend BabyCakes like Mary-Louise Parker, Pamela Anderson, and I.

I pooled together two BabyCakes recipes and made…

Vegan Whoopie

(BabyCakes calls this recipe Cookie Sandwiches by the way)

Ingredients for the chocolate chip cookies

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 6 Tablespoons homemade applesauce or store-bought unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice
• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 1/4 cup flax meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill, NuVal score – 100)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat the oven the 325 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed through the dough.

Using a melon baller, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk (I used Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Milk, NuVal score – 90)
• 3/4 cup dry soy milk powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour (I forgot to buy coconut flour so I skipped it)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups coconut oil
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (Confession? I didn’t use this either)

In a blender or mixer, combine the soy milk, soy powder, coconut flour, agave nectar, and vanilla. Blend the ingredients for about 2 minutes until well combined. With the machine running, slowly add the oil and lemon juice, alternating between the 2 until both are fully mixed. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before frosting.

Once your cookies have cooled completely, frost and sandwich your cookies together. Roll the sides with extra chocolate chips.

It’s safe to say this a very grown up version of the traditional Whoopie Pie. You won’t find any Crisco, animal products, or fluff in this recipe, just good wholesome ingredients. And, while these cookies are very good and very vegan, they are not low in calories so please eat these little bundles of joy in moderation.

While I admit, I do have the cutest little BabyCakes, the vegan lifestyle isn’t exactly for me, I don’t think Little Miss Muffet would want me to live without my Curds and Whey.

When I first started lifting weights I hired a personal trainer at my gym so I could learn my way around the free weight room and learn proper form. After about a year, I decided to begin working with an online personal trainer and I’ve been training this way ever since.

Online personal training works well for me. I can workout around my schedule and I can ask endless questions through email and refer back to them as necessary. The coaches I work with design my training, nutrition, and supplemental programs based on my goals and change things up every 4-6 weeks.

Right now I’m enrolled in an online group training program through Precision Nutrition. Sadly, my 6 month training session with Precision Nutrition is coming to an end. For the next few weeks, the coaches have given my group the assignment to create our own workouts so we can apply some of what we’ve learned throughout the course.

Let’s just say, I thrive on structure in the gym so I met this challenge with a bit of hesitation. I was telling MizFit about my workout and she encouraged me to write all about it today. Let’s just say, day 1 turned out to be quite a good experience.

I sat down with my fitbook and planned a full body workout using some of my favorite lifts that haven’t been in my program in awhile, some old moves, and some new moves I’ve learned through Precision Nutrition. I ended up picking 7 exercises, for 5 sets, for 9 to 11 reps…sounds a little odd doesn’t it? Here’s what I came up with…

• Warm up: Dynamic stretching plus 5 minutes on revolving stairs
• 1A Reverse lunges – 5 sets of 5 reps each side
• 1B Lumberjack squats w/ calf raise – 5 sets of 5 reps
• 1C Push ups (feet elevated on a bench) – 5 sets of 9
• 1E 1 minute on revolving stairs – 5 sets at level 9
• 2A Decline alternating chest press – 5 sets of 5 reps each side
• 2B Decline crunches – 5 sets of 11 reps
• 2C Single leg deadlifts – 5 sets of 5 reps each side
• 2D Single arm rows (on one leg) – 5 sets of 5 reps each side
• 2E 1 minute on revolving stairs – 5 sets at level 11
• Post-workout 5 minutes bike sprints

Overall this was a great learning experience and actually kind of fun. I was glad I went into the gym with a plan so I stayed focused and made the most of my time. I also liked sprinkling in bursts of cardio throughout my session so my heart rate stayed elevated throughout the entire workout.

Was it a perfect workout? No, there was a guy doing bicep curls in the squat rack(!) so I had to improvise on my reverse lunges. But that’s a whole other story!

I have to admit it was a little odd being my own personal trainer, but I’ll get even better at designing my workout tomorrow.

I have never once taken a bite of cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving. While I love cranberries topped on salads, the thought of eating a mouthful of a jiggly ruby red jelly has never once appealed to me. But then I was reading an article Donna wrote about the benefits of cranberries and I decided to take a closer look.

I also flipped through Dr. Jonny Bowden’s book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth and discovered cranberries are on his list weighing in at 44 calories per cup, and they are also high in fiber, and low in sugar. According to the American Chemical Society, cranberries have some of the most potent antioxidants of any common fruits studied. “They also possess anticancer properties, inhibit the growth of common foodborne pathogens, and contain antibacterial properties,” according to Bowden.

I was sold on the research so I bought a bag of fresh cranberries and went to town. I adapted a recipe printed right on the bag of my Ocean Spray Fresh Premium Cranberries and came up with…

A Splendid Bowl of Cranberry Sauce

• 1 cup Splenda for Baking
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups cranberries
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Bring water and Splenda to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour sauce into a bowl, cool, and then refrigerate.

I’m not going to lie, this stuff is fabulous. The combination of sweet and tart are nicely balanced in this simple recipe. And, it only gets better…

The entire time I was making this recipe, I was thinking about the Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt I had in the fridge. The good people of Stonyfield Farms make this Greek yogurt and suggested I give it a try. While I think it is quite perfect on its own, I couldn’t wait to try plain Oikos Greek yogurt with a spoonful of the cranberry concoction I just created. Let’s just say, I am going to add this combination to my list of things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving.

Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt comes in vanilla, honey, blueberry, strawberry, plain, and if you make A Splendid Bowl of Cranberry Sauce, it also comes in cranberry. ;-)

Want to give Oikos a try? One lucky Fitness & Spice reader is going to WIN 5 containers of Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt. To enter the drawing, tell us one thing you NEVER eat on Thanksgiving in the comments below. The contest will close Monday, November 16th at 11:59 P.M. and the winner will be announced on Tuesday.

Now I really must go see if I can fit a side of pumpkin pie inside that tub of Greek yogurt!