Bahama Mama

Hot Damn I leave tomorrow for the Bahamas! Booking a trip last minute was great because it came so fast.

This week has been crazy and I still need to pack. We celebrated my brother's 30th birthday at the Precinct last night, which isn't helping my bikini body, and I've been running around finalizing things at work and life.

Since I'm heading to the Bahamas I thought I'd post this crazy shark video I got from a friend Kat's blog. Nassau, Bahama is known for shark wall, which is a divers heaven if you aren't scared. I'm a certified diver but Jim isn't, so I imagine we will only be doing some snorkeling. Anyways, click on the picture or this link and you can zoom in and see the sharks waiting to eat people. I'm not sure how nobody got attacked this day!

Baring It All

As part of my 2010 is all about me, I have completed the Widdle My Middle Challenge. I must admit, that it took reading the challenge to get me interested in my abs but now I'm hooked! The main idea is to do a 30 day sit up challenge following her program - which basically boils down to 10 minutes of abs 5 days a week.

Now, I must also admit that this correlated with the start of the two hundred sit up challenge I am doing at work. So, we are currently in week 5 of this challenge and in addition to doing the 10 minutes a day I am also doing this challenge (which right now means an additional 200+ crunches 3x per week).

Back to the challenge. It was not easy to commit to. The first week was relatively easy but then I found myself getting bored with the routine and feeling that it all focused on my upper abs. With that being said, I basically just followed the rule of 10 minutes/day 5 x week. I added in some different exercises to replace some of her exercises I got bored with or felt I had poor form (for example, I am awful putting a balance ball on my feet and rolling it towards my chest - just a fail all around).

I added in more lower abdominal work as this is a problem area for me - things like reverse crunches, leg lifts and bicycle kicks. I would also do oblique twist, full sit up roll downs, oblique dips and oblique side lifts with dumbbells. I also did back lifts every session to make sure that I was also working my lower back muscles (completing the plank exercises was also helpful).Basically, what I am saying is that I did my own version of the challenge and it worked just fine.

Now for the results - I must admit that I usually don't focus much on my abs beyond my once a week ab class so this was a big change for me. I don't like to diet, love cardio but have a love hate relationship with weights and abs. After completing this challenge I will definitely stick to working my abs cause the results were worth it. I probably won't be as extreme, but enough to keep what I worked for. I believe that abs are a gift from your genes, we all can't have Jillian Michaels abs and as long as I feel great I am happy. So, with that being said here are the results:

• I lost 1 inch off my waist (smallest part of your midriff)


• I lost 1 inch off my hips (different for everyone, but where your hips are)


• I lost 1/2 inch off largest part of waist (basically around your belly button)

Onto the hard part - THE PICTURES! It was also part of the challenge to take a picture of yourself before and after. You are not allowed to flex or suck in so that your stomach is at rest in the pictures...cause when you measure you don't suck in! The before pictures make me sick! I also think I made a mistake not doing both in a bikini....I realized I should have done that about halfway through. Anyways, here we go as promised, but I am not happy about doing this.

And...just for giggles, I tested a sucking in pose on the side shot to see what Bradly Cooper will view if he walked past me on the beach - cause everyone sucks in on the beach unless you are a few deep!

I don't know, maybe you can't see the changes or not but I can and I notice them. Not only does my core feel stronger, but I see the indent in my waist more clearly. The before photos just look jiggly, loose and gross. It's weird, before I never felt my waist was super fat or as gross as this, but maybe it's the lack of a tan and the angles/clothing I don't know. But I definitely see a difference and you all better appreciate I posted the photos - cause that wasn't easy:)

Now, the exciting news! My reward, well gift, was a fabulous weekend getaway with my lovely boyfriend to the Bahamas. Cincinnati has just been pummeled by snow, leaving people like me without 4 wheel drive stuck in our homes and all around just frustrated. We just needed some time away and alone time so we booked a last minute trip to the Bahamas just yesterday! I can't wait, 8 Days and counting!

Ballpark Concessions

So I'm dreaming of the Reds Opening Day and warm afternoons with cold beer, bad food and a great game of baseball in front of me - can you blame me, it's the dead of winter here in Cincinnati. One of my favorite things about going to ball games is the food, nothing taste better than a ball park weenie smothered in mustard and ketchup and so delicately wrapped in the aluminum foil. Of course there are also things like soft serve ice cream, cotton candy, corndogs, popcorn and any other type of concession type food to tempt you.

Well, thanks to my friend Rob I learned last year a stadium in Michigan introduced a heart attack on a plate, the Fifth Third Burger , to their menu. This year they are allowing fans to vote on the next unhealthy item to be added to the menu. All of them sound absolutely disgusting, but the sad part is I could see myself at a game and ordering one of these ridiculous items just because I have to - and then I would end up loving it and having night sweats thinking about the next time I get to indulge in it. I've pulled the items from the West Michigan White Caps website below so you can get a feeling what I'm talking about.

1. Chicken and Waffles - Why did the chicken cross the road? To lie down on a bed of waffles, get smothered in gravy and get eaten by you, of course!
   
2. Chili Mac Tacos - Think comfort food that took a trip to Mexico. Creamy mac and cheese is smothered in chili then loaded into a hard taco shell to create a taste experience that won't soon be forgotten.
   
3. Chocolate Covered Bacon - This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home and this little piggy dunked itself in chocolate to become a delicious treat for Whitecaps fans!


4. Corn Dog o' Plenty - If the Idaho Christmas Tree isn't enough corndog for you then try the Corn Dog o' Plenty. A full half-pound, footlong frank that is battered and deep fried to make one gigantic corn dog.


5. Cudighi Yooper Sandwich - If you don't know what this one is then you haven't been to the Upper Peninsula. Cudighi is a spicy sausage found throughout the U.P. and we might bring it down to West Michigan. A sausage patty, smothered in cheese, pizza sauce, peppers and onions could grace the concession stands of Fifth Third Ballpark.


6. Declaration of Indigestion - When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to disband from the tyranny of healthy eating, they should consume the Declaration of Indigestion. You see, all sandwiches are not created equal as this half-pound, footlong hot dog is covered in a philly cheese steak (steak, cheese, peppers and onions) and served on a gigantic sub roll. It is certainly your unalienable right to consume one of these in the pursuit of happiness.
   
7. Idaho Christmas Tree - Why waste your time eating all of your favorite items separately? This is a batter-dipped hot dog rolled in french fries and deep fried to create the perfect limbed link on stick.
   
8. Poutin - A real treat from North of the border. The French Canadians have done it again, and this time with gravy. Fries, fried cheese curds and gravy make up this delectable side dish. Tres bien!
   
9. The Pink Panther - Not sure if this guy is named after the famous detective or the insulation, but either way it's delicious. Take a hot dog bun, slather it in icing and fill it with pink cotton candy. Maybe drizzle some root beer syrup over the top for good measure. It's the dessert dog you'll have to try this summer!


10. Twinkie Cheese Dog - This dog can survive any disaster and it might cause a few of its own. Simple - a hot dog laid in a Twinkie covered in cheese. Yum.

Ok, did those just make your heart stop reading them? All of them sound just disgusting to me, especially anything that is covered in gravy - NO THANK YOU! The Pink Panther is just disturbing and made my teeth feel like they might fall out from all the sugar. I mean straight Root Beer Syrup, there is a reason it's mixed with carbonated water people!

Now, if I had to choose one item to add to the menu I would pick the Corn Dog O Plenty! I love corndogs, even the cute mini ones that bars now serve. Nothing is gross about this concoction except, it's basically a footlong corndog instead of a footlong cheese coney. However, according to the poll the Declaration of Independence is winning with my Corn Dog receiving a mere 1% of votes.

You can vote here and also be glad that you don't live near West Michigan and will continue to only see normal items on your concession menu that don't require a jump start to your heart after eating them.

Without the Bengals in the Superbowl and really not having a team I was rooting for I was in it for the commercials. I must admit that I am excited the Saints won, I think a new team deserves it and happy to see someone take down the Colts.

I wasn't super impressed with the commercials this year, and as a matter of fact I remember that about last year too. Doritos & Bud Light had almost every other commercial with a few randoms thrown in there - including the Census commercial - really people?

I absolutely hated the Tim Tebow commercial, not the time or place, I couldn't stand the Big Daddy commercials and a few others are not event worth mentioning. I did chuckle at the Denny's commercials, liked the Beaver playing the violin but if I had to pick my favorite I'm going to say way to go Google.

Not only did this ad speak to woman it was clear, simple and concise. In case you missed it check it out below.

What Would You Say?

I haven’t mention Paul recently, but he gave me this great idea for a blog the other day. We were working out in the back room at work and the conversation about Navy Seals came up. Basically, we were talking about how tough they are and the training they have to go through. The term “SEAL” comes from their mission to be able to operate anywhere in the world: Sea, Air, and Land –I mean that just shows they are trained and able to conquer anything!

One caveat, you must be a male to be a Navy Seal. At first I was curious why can’t a female be a Navy Seal so I did a lot of research and the best answer I came up with can be found here – but the gist is men are stronger, personal hygiene reasons and physical capabilities. Even though I’m all about equality it makes sense to me and probably is accurate. Other thing, you have to be ready to get your butt kicked for months on end. Click here to learn more about it but if carrying logs, 4 hours of sleep in 5 days, working out in freezing water temperatures and basically self torture are things you are into then this it the job for you!

So why is all this talk of Navy Seals leading into the point of my blog – well Navy Seals have a lot of motto's, such as "The only easy day was yesterday!" After talking about all the stuff they do and how everything is so extreme, it was brought up that they do everything hotter and wetter. Of course we got a good laugh out of this one and a good “that’s what she said”. And the next thing you know we were talking about how that should be a bumper sticker on my car, “I do everything hotter and wetter”.

Car bumper stickers, whatever happened to those? Personally, I’m not a big fan of promoting things on my car but sometimes it is acceptable. For example, having a college sticker when you are in college on your car. Things I don’t find acceptable: political or religious view bumper stickers, bumper stickers letting me know you child is a straight A student or stickers telling me your opinion on war. Apparently others don’t like political stickers either, it can get you kicked out of events!

However, if I were forced to select a bumper sticker it would be a reflection of our conversation around Navy Seals – I do everything hotter and wetter. Imagine the conversation people would have about that when they pulled up behind me. Then when they drive by and glance at the crazy person with this sticker they come to find a normal looking girl probably wearing workout clothes and a sweaty headband.

Just for kicks, the picture below is a bumper sticker I found online. It is true and cracks me up, anyone I know with a truck and I’m moving I’m gonna hit you up! What would your bumper sticker say?