Gawd, Twitter is going SO MAINSTREAM now, it’s EVERYWHERE (hello Oprah!). So when you, too, join Twitter and go through the secondary stage of utter infatuation (after the “Hello? I don’t know why I’m doing this. Is anyone out there?” stage), you will appreciate these two instructional videos. This is who you will be in two months. Trust me. In fact, write me back and tell me how much sleep you’ve lost.

Worry not…it will pass. At least for a little while, until you discover Blip.fm and other instant gratification ego-love-fests. Until then, ENJOY! As long as Twitter isn’t…y’know…DOWN!

And here’s part TWO:

TWEEEEEEEEEET!

Oh, also? FOLLOW ME!

This continues to make me giggle whenever I see it, so I thought I’d share. Heeeeeeeeeee!

Here’s my Spinning schedule for February. If you’re in the Boston area, come join us! It’s a party on wheels! WOOOOT!!

Wed, Feb 04, 6:30 PM @ BSC Natick Thu, Feb 05, 9:00 AM @ BSC Wellesley Fri, Feb 06, 12:00 PM @ BSC Newton Sun, Feb 08, 9:30 AM @ Gold’s Gym, Needham Wed, Feb 11, 6:30 PM @ BSC Natick Thu, Feb 12, 9:00 AM @ BSC Wellesley Fri, Feb 13, 12:00 PM @ BSC Newton Wed, Feb 18, 6:30 PM @ BSC Natick Thu, Feb 19, 9:00 AM @ BSC Wellesley Fri, Feb 20, 12:00 PM @ BSC Newton Sun, Feb 22, 9:30 AM @ Gold’s Gym, Needham Wed, Feb 25, 6:30 PM @ BSC Natick Thu, Feb 26, 9:00 AM @ BSC Wellesley Fri, Feb 27, 12:00 PM @ BSC Newton

It’s that time of year again: time drink lots of beer, eat copious amounts of wings, cheez, and JUNK FOOD, and watch football dudes in really, really tight pants kick some serious football butt! I don’t actually watch the game much, but that’s only because I’m always the one throwing the Super Bowl party!

But ever since I’ve “downsized” I’ve learned a thing or two about “right-sizing” my Super Bowl goodies. I’ll always provide the hard stuff for the unwashed masses, but there are plenty of yummy options for those seeking lighter fare, or for the hostess who’s trying to sneak in something healthy and stealthy ala Jessica Seinfeld and the woman who’s suing her. In fact, I always make it a game of my own to see what healthy alternatives I can get away with!

So without further ado, here are some of my favorite Super-Healthy, Super-Stealthy, Super Bowl Sneaky Snacks!

Size Matters: Before we get into the meat of matters, let’s start with this: SIZE MATTERS! There is a fascinating study on the perception of satiety versus the perception of portion size (cited below if you’re interested). I won’t bore you with it, but the upshot is that if you serve stuff on smaller plates and bowls, people will eat less of it and feel just as satisfied. I use this concept every single day on MYSELF and it never fails to work. Check out the study and give it a try. What have you got to lose? Oh yeah: WEIGHT! YESSS!

In that spirit, let’s get on with the good stuff:

Fortify Your Defenses: One top tip of party-going and party-giving is to always give yourself a good, healthy head-start before the festivities begin. So don’t skip a meal to “save up for later.” Grab a bowl of delicious and filling oatmeal for breakfast, and have a high-fiber, rib-sticking, light and healthy lunch. This way you’ll start your night out just right and won’t be famished when temptation comes through the door!  Remember: you’ll be much more likely to bypass the bad stuff if you start with a full tummy and a clear head!

Sultry Snack mix (in small bowls, natch): You can make up a perfectly lovely, quick and healthy snack mix with healthy, whole-grain, low-salt cereals (I like whole-grain Cheerios, and believe it or not, Chex Mix tastes great withOUT the butter, salt, and nuts). I especially love different kinds of Kashi. They make some great sweet stuff, too. Kashi GoLean Crunch is a favorite afternoon snack of mine, and these are all perfect for those (small) snack bowls around the TV room…and much healthier and more satisfying than those greasy, salty peanuts or way-too-tempting M&M’s!

When choosing your cereals, just be sure to check the sodium, sugar, and fat in the nutrition info, and take a look at the fiber and protein content, too. Some stuff that claims to be healthy really is NOT if you’re surfing the couch instead of running for a touchdown (hello, trail mix?).

Take the Whiz out of Cheez: Get some low-fat cheeses and put them out as if they were the real deal: on a ravishing wooden cutting board with some beautiful red and green grapes, paired with a choice of whole-wheat crackers, baked pita pieces, and whole-wheat bread chunks. Heck, go wild with some low-sodium, low-fat Triscuits and some soft, delicious light Boursin…just be sure to hide the boxes! Throw in a small bowl of red-pepper hummus and WOO HOO! Make it look ab fab, and VOILA! It will be!

Chic Chili: Sneak in the healthy! Start with lean ground chicken or turkey, add in lots of fiber- and iron-rich black beans and chick peas, spicy jalapenos, and other healthy veggies for texture. There are TONS (heh) of healthy chili recipes online…just google ‘em and see! Use fat-free Fage Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (don’t tell them…they’ll NEVER KNOW!), and use baked, salt-free tortilla or pita chips instead of corn bread or fat-filled fried tortilla chips. And don’t forget about portion size! Set out small bowls and smallish spoons so everyone will feel satisfied with less, even if they’re not quite sure why…

Posh Pizza: Low fat cheeses, whole-wheat crust, red and yellow bell peppers, fresh basil, diced tomatoes, and low-salt tomato sauce…what’s not to love? With all that gorgeous color who needs the greasy pepperoni? You can even make mini-versions on whole-wheat English muffins. Just be sure to watch the portion size, and you can have your pie and eat it, too!

Water Into Wine: Don’t fool yourself: you’re not actually expending more calories by continuously getting up to fill that wine glass. Trust me, the right choice is to mix some ice into your Chardonnay. Not only does the wine stay deliciously colder, but the glass will stay fuller as the ice melts…AND you’ll be more clear-headed when faced with the dessert table (see below). If red wine is more to your taste, go ahead and have a glass or two. It’s hearty and heart-healthy. Moderation is, as always, the key to success.

Marvelous Mixers: If wine’s not your cup of tea (whut?) and lite beer just doesn’t do it for you, mix your hard-stuff with some healthy stuff! Try a Cape Codder made with vodka and Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice. Or use Diet tonic or Diet Ginger Ale as a mixer. Make your lemon-drop martinis with Crystal Light lemonade and a few squeezes of fresh lemon…you won’t even miss the sugar on the rim.

But Beware: Alcohol calories add up fast, and those fake sweeteners aren’t really your true friends. Plus the fuzz in your brain makes it harder to stick to your game-plan! I always keep plenty of chilled bottled water available and I am always amazed at how quickly it goes!

Surprising Sushi: Sure, not everyone’s into it, but you wouldn’t believe how fast the sushi gets yomped at my Super Bowl parties! Perfect, bite-sized, all kinds of healthy. Even better: Sushi made with brown rice!

Battle Royale: The Dessert Table! This is always the biggest challenge of the night for me. I LOVE chocolate, passionately and unconditionally. So I always do myself a favor on Super Bowl Sunday night when I KNOW temptation’s coming: I buy a small bar of the very best, most expensive, darkest, most gourmet chocolate I can possibly find (Whole Foods, here I come!) and I split it with a special friend.

I limit my intake, plan for it all night, and make a special ritual of it. It’s my reward for not overindulging over the rest of the evening…the little picture I bring to mind when I find myself starting to drool at the meatball sub station. And OH YES, it is soooooo goooood.

Knowing I have this to look forward to is my special secret weapon, and with this, I can blitz through all the rest. So figure out what YOUR secret weapon will be…pizza? A pina colada?…and promise yourself this one little indulgence, this one extra-special treat. Knowing you’ll get this special reward will get you through the night like a breeze…and you’ll wake up on Monday with no regrets!

But if that doesn’t work? Picture yourself having to wear those tight little football pants. OH. MY. GAWD! Bikini season really is right around the corner! Believe it!

I hope you enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday! And, oh yeah, GO, um…who’s playing again? ;D

Got any tips for getting through your Super Bowl party? Please share! We’ll include your best ideas in future blog posts…and thanks!

It’s that time of the year again: the ever-optimistic New Year’s Resolution time. While I don’t advocate resolutions, many people believe the New Year is the perfect time to get started, get fit, get back on the horse.

Many of us start out strong with our workout routines, but it doesn’t take long for our day-to-day lives to intrude. Meetings go late so we miss our kick-boxing class. The kids have parent-teacher night and there’s no way we can get to yoga. We catch a cold, we slip on our diet, we lose an eyelash or break a nail…the excuses start to build up and before you know it, *POOF*, our resolutions go up in flames.

If you are making a fitness resolution this year, here are some tips to help you bag those excuses and stick to the plan. You’re strong, you’re determined, YOU CAN DO THIS! Here’s how:

Commit to 30 days
Don’t look at this change as a lifetime change, stretching out in a long slog in front of you. Start small! Commit, and I mean REALLY commit, to 30 days of your new routine. And don’t get crazy! Make doable changes: commit to going to the gym 1/2 hour, 3 days a week. Commit to cutting down on some of the fat in your diet. Commit to eating more fruits and vegetables, more chicken and fish, and cutting down on sugar. Commit to cutting back on that diet soda. And commit to doing these things for 30 days, and ONLY 30 days. And for 30 days, don’t let ANYTHING get in your way.

Find your “Why?”
What are the reasons you want to achieve your fitness goal? To look better? To feel more energetic? To get more healthy? To get more dates? To prove to yourself or someone else that oh yes, you CAN!? Dig deep and figure out the reasons why you’re doing this. Write your reasons down and stick the list in your wallet or purse. Then, when you’re faced with temptation, whip out your list and ask yourself: would you rather eat that jelly donut, or would you rather achieve this goal? Are your reasons strong enough to overcome that craving for Dorito chips or ice cream? At least for 30 days? If you want to achieve this goal, you absolutely can achieve this goal, unequivocally, no question. But you have to want it. So figure out why you want it, and figure out *if* you want it…then you’ll figure out how to get there.

Strategize Your Way to Fitness
Make a list of possible obstacles you’ll face for getting your workout in or sticking to your diet, and devise strategies in advance to get around them. For example, if you know you have a crunch time coming at work, schedule early morning workouts. If you know you’ll be working late nights and you’re not a morning person, go for a run at lunchtime. If there’s just no way to get to the gym on one of your planned days, do a mini-workout at home with some dumbbells and a stability ball while you’re watching TV, then make up for a lost workout the following morning or on a weekend day. If you know you start getting the munchies at a certain time of day and the snack machine is going to be calling your name, bring your own healthy snacks with you from home. Having a healthy snack or two at hand wherever you go will keep temptation at bay.

Be creative with your contingency planning and have an arsenal of alternatives at your disposal, in advance. Get determined. Get down and dirty. Focus and keep your eyes on the prize. After all, it’s only 30 days.

Workout time is *your* time. Working out and being fit relieves stress and sharpens your mind, giving you an extra edge at the office, at home, at everything you do. It’s crucial that you *make time* in your busy schedule for your workouts during those 30 days. Don’t pencil it in: plan it, book it, strategize it, and DO IT!

If you miss a planned workout or temporarily fall off the diet wagon, DON’T GIVE UP! And don’t wait for the next day to start again…start over NOW! Being fit doesn’t mean spending hours and hours at a time at the gym and giving up fun food forever. It just takes a *consistent* effort over time. Get back on schedule and back on track RIGHT AWAY. And remember: it’s only 30 days. 30 DAYS! You can do anything for 30 days! Yes you can!

Consult a professional
If you find yourself simply unable to get your motivation on, consider purchasing a personal training package.

Your trainer will work with you to devise a program that is the most time-efficient, effective, and safe way to reach your goals.

Your trainer will motivate you, hold you accountable, and help you recognize and celebrate your successes.

Hiring a professional is simply another strategy to achieving your goal. It’s well worth the price and can give you that extra push to get you started and get you through.

30 Days
Remember: it’s just 30 days. 30 DAYS! You can do ANYTHING for 30 days.

So GET ON IT! Plan it, book it, strategize it, DO IT! You’ll feel so much better for it. And check back in with me after 30 days or anytime in between to let me know how you’re doing. I’ll post another article soon about the day AFTER your 30 days are done. But for now, get on out there and GO!

Got any tips for sticking to your exercise routine? Leave us a comment or email us! We’d love to hear what you’ve got, and we’re all about sharing! Namasté.

This article can also be found as a guest post on the Jim-Fit blog.

Bro-in-law forgot to mention (until this morning) that we are to bring potatoes and squash to tonight’s Christmas dinner. Hmmm. We searched high and low and finally found a Russian market that is open on Christmas day. It’s a Christmas MIRACLE!

Here’s wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and a few Christmas miracles of your own!

According to the “Blog Type Analyzer“, my blog personality type is “ESFP – The Performers.” I would agree, except I’m too exhausted and have to go rest my head on some soft, brightly colored, sweet smelling pillows. Unless I’m your manager, in which case I’ll hit you in the head with said pillows if you don’t let me have my fun!  What’s your blog personality type?

ESFP – The Performers
The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead – they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation – qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.”

[via metafilter]

Well, the final tally is about 13″ of snow. It made it up to the bottom of the stone wall…woo hoo! Then last night the temperature rose just enough to melt a bit of the snow and then plunged below zero again so now everything has a nice, slippery crust of solid ice. I *LOVE* winter! Argh! Here’s the final view, and a couple of shots of the boys plowing the driveway.

I did go out and take pictures around town yesteday, but I’m already bored with how WHITE everything is. We need some color around here, STAT!

What’s the weather where you are? And if it’s over 70, can I come visit?

Ayup. Still snowing. *Sigh!* So this morning I thought I would venture out a little bit and give you a slightly broader view. I also threw in a couple of pics from other seasons to show the contrast.

If I get ambitious I may go out and take some pics around the ‘hood later. But for now I hope you enjoy these frosty pics!