Plank Success Story

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If you read this post, you know that the plank is a challenge for me; a pain in my back very literally. I have spent a lot of time avoiding this core-strengthening exercise due to fear and frustration. I am happy to announce that I can now hold a plank for almost 2 minutes. (1 minute, 45 seconds, give or take a second.)

Suddenly, I decided to face my plank fears and just keep on trying. What had I to lose? At times if an exercise is difficult, and I am feeling pending doom, I simply don’t do it. I am always telling the children at school to keep at a task, even if it is difficult, to persevere and never give up on your goals and all that encouraging stuff. Well, I finally started to take my own advice. I did a lot of planks at home, as well as in the gym.  I often asked Andy to time my plank hold, because I found if I looked down at my phone’s stop watch and only saw like the 20 second mark, I would become discouraged because I already felt like quitting. If I became fatigued after 40 seconds, I would just stop and rest, and try again another day. Gradually my plank hold increased. If I felt my back starting to droop mid-plank, or my arms begin to tremble, I would tighten my abdominal, breath deeply and try not to think of the time.

Six months ago in my rock hard abs class, the instructor set a goal for participants to hold a 3 minute plank. I thought, yeah right, I’ll never be able to do that. I can barely even hold one minute. Now, I am beginning to see this goal become a reality. I have officially moved up in the plank rank and this is an exercise that I no longer fear, but look forward to doing to test my limits. So if there is an exercise you just loathe, and avoid out of sheer fear, be not afraid my pretty’s. Keep trying and you will improve.

A plank at dawn.

(it is always advisable to inquire with a certified fitness trainer if uncertain about form and safety.)

How to Eat, Drink and be Merry…Without Being a Smug Drip.

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Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, drink and be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:15. King James Bible.

So I have come to the realization that it is difficult to be a clean eater in a “dirty” world.  Okay, that may sound a bit harsh. By dirty, I don’t mean soiled, unclean or tainted. I mean filled with cocktails and culinary delights.  The majority of people are not supportive when you are trying your very best to eat carrot sticks instead of red velvet cake. Not very supportive when you are trying to sip Perrier with lemon instead of a White Sangria. Don’t get me wrong, most folks are not doing this to sabotage you, or with mal intent.  They want you to eat, drink and be merry. After all, isn’t that what life is about? Food, glorious food. Oh, and cocktails. We cannot forget cocktails. The only people who can get a “mocktail” pass are the preggos. How dullsville would it be if Carrie Bradshaw and the girls drank protein shakes instead of Cosmopolitans on SATC?  How many songs celebrate drinking and partying. Rum and Redbull? Raise your Glass? and my personal favourite, “Red, Red Wine.”  LIfe is a party, and if you don’t get onboard the party train, you are seen as a drip, dullsville, or a wall-flower. The ultimate clue that you are as exciting as watching paint dry is this phrase, “Oh c’mon, you’re no fun!”

Take for example three weekends ago. I was at a friends “opening” of her patio. She’s crazy like that. Don’t even let me get started on Tania. You would think she’s a proprietor of a pub or something. Anyways, the weather was fabulous and I don’t know about you Americans, but your neighbours to the north find nothing more delightful than saying adios winter with a couple-a-cocktails. So the breakdown of that “patio” opening was a long the lines of this:

Friend’s boyfriend Jay at the BBQ (to Andy and me) : What are you guy’s drinking?

Me: I’ll just have water for now, Jay. Thanks.

Jay: Water? WTF? This ain’t no Christian convention! Have a beer. Miche, we got that Chardonnay you love. Tania has the white chillin’ as we speak.

(I really like Jay, but why do folks always have to bring up Christianity when you don’t want to drink?)

Me: No thanks, Jay. I have to get up early for a five K. Water is fine, really.

Jay: Andy, my man. What about you?  

Andy: I’m good. Maybe a beer later.

Jay: Forget later! I’ll get you a Corona right now, man.  It’s summer bro!  

(what did I tell you about Canadians and summer drinking?)

Andy relented and had that Corona with lime right away because Jay continued to insist.  I stuck to my resolve. Later though, I ended up having two glasses of Shiraz.  Nowadays, I stop after two glasses.  As long as I am not drinking excessively and dancing on the table with a lampshade on my head, I think that Jesus will be okay with that. Being sensible and responsible is the key.

So here lies my dilemma. I am going to Cancun in July. My home away from home. Yeah, I’m a Mexican in my head. I love, love Tequila, but I don’t want to touch the stuff. To a Mexican, refusing that celebratory raise of the Tequila shot glass, especially when said Mexican exclaims, “Salud,” is an insult.  You are supposed to down that baby, suck the lemon and chew that worm.  (I never did chew the worm.)  To top it off, Andy used to work at Senor Frogs as the bass player in the house band. This place is party central. They ain’t joking with that slogan: fun, food, fiesta. All his old managers loved him and the feeling was mutual. They will practically fill tequila with an IV drip and make us drink. Oh boy,  I am in trouble…

Any advise would be much appreciated. Ironically enough, “salud” translates as “to your health.” Help readers! I feel like a teenager under peer pressure. Is there such a thing as grown folks peer pressure? Your Trex needs a little help here….

Pass the Salt

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90px-Salt_shaker.agrI found myself channel hopping to wind down for sleep after a busy Monday evening.  I happened upon a show called Marketplace. Marketplace is an investigative consumer documentary that affects the lives of average Canadians from coast to coast. This episode was all about the good and bad of sodium. A doctor who was interviewed by the Marketplace host was asked about how much sodium the average person should consume each day. The doctor said that sodium is an element that the body needs to maintain hydration and PH balance, muscle contractions and nerve control, however Canadians seem to be consuming more than the body needs. 1,500 milligrams is a healthy amount of daily intake of sodium for an adult, 2,300 milligrams should be the daily limit. Over this limit can be the cause of heart disease. Surprisingly enough, only 8% comes from a salt shaker being added to a meal. Over 77% of our sodium intake comes from processed and packaged foods. On the show, an adult swim team of healthy men and women were tested for levels of sodium without their knowledge. They were told the test was for cholesterol levels to avoid anyone altering their diet for the test.  Most people on the swim team considered themselves to be health-conscious eaters. The results were alarming. 3300 milligrams was the overall average of the 4 men and 4 women. A vegetarian on the team had the highest level of sodium at 3787 milligrams in his daily intake. Canned vegetables, sauces and dips had a very high sodium content. The Marketplace host went into the grocery story to check labels, along with the doctor. They stopped at the broth selection. One box was marked “organic” while another box was just regular broth. The “organic” broth that had less sodium marked on the box, actually had higher sodium content than the regular brand. The majority of Canadians focus on words such as “no trans fat” “low in cholesterol” and “no sugar added.” However, we are not aware that too much sodium could be killing us, especially for those individuals who are predisposed to heart disease and high blood pressure. The host of the show even went as far as to go parliament to interview government heads and ask if sodium levels could not be regulated in our easy and convenient pre-packaged meals. This seems highly unlikely at the moment, so what can we do to ensure that we are not getting too much sodium in our diets?

  • Always read labels and do not be fooled by packaging that state, “less sodium” “low in trans fat” and so forth.
  • Do not always assume that organic, low fat or all natural equates healthier packaging.
  • If using canned beans or veggies, like the vegetarian above, rinse them off thoroughly when removing from the can before using in recipes.
  • Dips, sauces and salad dressing are often the culprits, so be extra mindful when adding such things to cooking and salads.
  • Prepare your meals at home, using fresh ingredients that do not come from a package.

I think I will use the salt shaker myself, and will avoid those packaged meals all together. At least I can monitor and measure the hand which shakes it. Throw that extra bit over your shoulder for good luck and for good health.

Source: www.cbc.ca/marketplace/

Trex to Tigress Tidbits

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Welcome to Trex to Tigress Tidbits. The post about nothing (kind of like Seinfeld.) What a chilly weekend in the city of Toronto. Rainy, dreary, cold. Quite the contrast from the warm spring temperatures we had been experiencing last week. It was definitely hibernating weather, but I chose not to stay under the covers with Wuthering Heights. (although very tempting.)

Saturday’s Workout:

Chest and triceps blaster workout
25 minutes on the step climber

Saturday evening I got the pleasure of seeing Andy and other talented musicians play some beautiful steel pan music at the Gospel Praise on Steel Show. Thanks to the Pan Arts Association of Toronto for putting on such an entertaining show. Praising God through music. Amen!

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Andy in dark blue shirt. Doing his thang!

Sunday’s Workout:

Gentle Yoga with Desta
Deep stretching and Tai Chi

Sunday evening, I took this lovely lady out for dinner. AKA, Mom. She has been there for me in times both good and bad, has always worked hard for her family and has a heart of gold. Magnificent Mom!

Me and Mummy. Sharing a laugh as per usual.

Me and Mummy. Sharing a laugh as per usual.

The restaurant was giving out cupcakes for Mother's Day. My indulgences for the weekend cake, and of course vino tinto.

The restaurant was giving out cupcakes for Mother’s Day. My indulgences for the weekend, frosted chocolate cupcake and of course vino tinto.

After dinner I went to see my crazy, cool niece Kenya. Kenya is the philanthropist of our family who just returned from a mission in Ghana where she helped to repair and build schools in various villages, as well as visiting the students and learning about their hardships. So proud of her!

That crazy kid, Kenya.

That crazy Kenya. You’re gonna conquer the world one day, kiddo.

And now? Time to hibernate with Wuthering Heights. Brrrrrrr! It is so very cold out there.

IMG_0657How was your Mother’s Day weekend?

An Oldie But a Goodie.

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I have tried many exercise videos and TV shows dating back to the eighties. I remember putting on my off the shoulder “Choose Life” flourescent t-shirt, my shorts and leg-warmers and doing the 20 minute workout. Oh yes, I was stylin.’ At least for the time. I was only ten years old, but I was faithful to this workout that came on every evening on City TV. The 20-minute workout became a household name, and the simplistic starch white back drop and provocative girls in form-fitting body suits, with big hair and seductive glances that looked in the camera swept the nation.

Remember Bess and the gals? And gimme one, two, three, four more…

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By the time the nineties came around, I still enjoyed exercising, although it was primarily cardio in the form of DVD’s. I had yet not realized the benefits of weight training. Denise Austin, Jane Fonda, Cathy Smith, Billy Blanks and other fitness icons were regular visitors in my basement VHS/DVD. The_____ (insert buns, abs, arms here) of Steel series was also on the agenda on a regular basis.

One video I bought at Sears in the discount DVD bin, was Cathy Smith’s Kickboxing Workout, with Keith Cooke. Keith Cooke is a martial artist that has 5 U.S championships under his belt. I can honestly say this was the best $7.99 I have ever spent. Together, the two fitness professionals collaborate to design a complete cardio workout that is safe, effective and easy to follow. Kathy and Keith take viewers through a safety and instructional tutorial before beginning the workout on proper jabs, kicks and stance. Amongst all the current cardio apps out there, and the fact that this DVD  is about 15 years old, it is not at all dated and I still use it to this very day to work up a good sweat. In addition to a 45 minute cardio kickbox workout that will get you seeing results in about one month, it has a great deep stretching and Tai Chi relaxation portion after the high impact boxing workout. I often use the deep stretching portion after a run to give my body a thorough stretch. The Tai Chi is slow and controlled, and perfect for those who are new to fitness or cannot do a high impact workout. I love the Tai Chi portion first thing in the morning. It gives me an invigorating and refreshing start to the day. So, if you are ever shopping at Wal-Mart and happen upon this DVD in the discount bin…

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Check it out. It is an all around great workout that challenges all fitness levels. (and ladies Keith Cooke is easy on the eyes if you like that fit, martial artist type. Just sayin’)

* I do not suggest starting any exercise program without consulting with your doctor or certified fitness professional first. This DVD may not be suitable for those who are new to exercise or those with injuries and other medical conditions. Safety and ability must always be considered first.*

(20 minute Workout photo courtesy of Google.)

Delicious Sole Fish Cakes

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Last week I bought some sole fillets and wanted to try something out of the box from my same old. Usually I season with sea salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice and dill seasoning and bake. This time I made sole fish cakes and I am happy to report they were delicious (stop laughing Francine and/or Wendy. My culinary skills have improved immensely and now go way beyond egg boiling.) Here is the recipe, for those of you who trust me, are looking for a nice, light dinner that is high in protein.

Ingredients:

3 fresh sole fillets
2 garlic cloves
Dashes of sea salt
Dashes of pepper
Fresh lemon juice
2 spring onions
Breadcrumbs
1 egg

Cooking Instructions:

Steam fillets for approximately 1 minute. (this makes them easier to shred.)
Using a fork, shred fillets into pieces.
Squeeze juice of half lemon generously on shredded fish.
Season shredded fish with a dash or few dashes of sea salt and pepper to taste.
Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves.
Add 2 finely chopped spring onions.
Mix all ingredients well.
(put fish back in fridge and let marinate for at least one hour or more. I am big on letting the seasonings really marinate and sink in.)
Take fish out of fridge when ready to cook. Add one egg and bread crumbs and mix in well with shredded fish, until consistency allows you to form patties.
Coat skillet with oil (I use a mixture of canola and olive oil) and heat on
medium-high.
Once oil is hot, add your formed sole patties to skillet. Cook until both sides are golden brown, approximately 5-7 per side, give or take a minute.

Place cooked sole patties on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb oil.

Serve with your favorite side. I had a spinach salad and baked sweet potato with my fish cakes.

So why not be a “sole” man or woman tonight?

After steaming and shredding fish, mix in seasonings.

After steaming and shredding fish, mix in seasonings.

Cook in skillet until both sides are golden brown.

Cook in skillet until both sides are golden brown.

Let cakes sit on paper towel. Blot both sides if necessary. Slightly darker than "golden brown" but still tasted great nonetheless.

Let cakes sit on paper towel. Blot both sides if necessary. Slightly darker than “golden brown” but still tasted great nonetheless.