Out of the Gutter and Back to Drinking.

Posted on May 18, 2012 by

Happy Friday!!

There are so many races and events this weekend, I’ll be attending/spectating at two. I am preparing my signs to cheer on the Brooklyn Half-Marathon runners! So far, these are the signs I am doing..

Run Faster, The Zombies Are Catching UP!!!

13.1 is your lucky number!

Go Ahead, Take a Break! Just not right now.

Things we need more of:

               Running

               Cowbell

I hope they appreciate it, by the end of this endeavor, I will be covered in glitter from head to toe, and not even the edible, fun kind. Is it even possible to work with glitter and not, in the end, look like the sad castaway of “Pricilla, Queen of the Desert”? I think not. Just give me some sequins, and I’m good to go.

Friday should be celebrated. With alcohol. If you’re racing in the morning, I suggest celebrating tomorrow night, instead. Hard liquor the night before a race is about as smart as sneaking up on a man who is both a cop and umpteenth level si-fu-kung fu-jedi knight, or whatever–not that I’m saying I know from experience, but I know from experience. You will end up pinned. In and of itself not always a bad thing, but….

Out of the gutter and back to the cocktail. It’s nearly summer, let’s drink like it. That means pretty drinks made with pink things and lemonade. This drink has both. This Hibiscus cooler is a pink hibiscus lemonade, spiked with vodka and st germain, making it oh so dangerous and delicious.

Hibiscus Cooler

 

Hibiscus Cooler

by Cat Tan

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: beverage

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup hibiscus flowers, dried
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz St Germain liqueur
  • 3 oz lemonade
  • 2 oz club soda
  • lemon slice for garnish

Instructions

in a saucepan bring the water and hibiscus flowers to boil until the water turns dark red, if it reduces a lot, add a bit more water

strain

add sugar to hibiscus tea and stir until it dissolves, place back on burner and reduce by 1/3

set aside to cool

in a shaker, shake st germain, vodka, and lemonade with ice

in a rocks glass add 3 tbsp hibiscus syrup

pour lemonade cocktail over syrup and top with soda and lemon slice

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Insert Cup Here.

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

A new study was released yesterday. (I saw it on the news, I think it was paid for by folger’s, Dunkin, and the ‘Bux.) It is my new favorite study. Coffee drinkers live longer. I don’t know if you know this, but I drink so much, I think I may be immortal. My parents drink as much as I do, so there’s also a fairly good chance I’ll never run out of annoying crap to write about. As long as they’re around, I’ll never be devoid of inspiration. (I can actually hear my mother groan right now…from Georgia….immortality AND telepathy!!) I really hope my parents can’t read my thoughts, that would be…awkward.

Thoreau once famously penned:

I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, To put to rout all that was not life; and not when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived.”

We are simple, short lived creatures. No matter the beverage we imbibe, in spite of all of our fiercest protestations, we will all meet our end. We have but only how we choose to live.

Eight years ago, I chose not to be fat anymore. I chose not to look at myself in the mirror and hate (a strong word, but fitting to my emotion) what I saw reflected. I chose to live my life in my best self.

5-6 years ago I decided that waiting to have kids, leaving to chance I would never be a mother, due to my inadequate lady organs, was a chance I was not willing to take.

4 years ago I chose to color my hair red. That was a mistake. Moving on…

Actually, if I’m going to start listing mistakes, I probably should’ve started drinking coffee before I had kids.

This is where you think I am going to get very profound, and find my inner Miz, who can wax poetic in the most beautiful of ways, on how to live your best life. Instead, I am going to take a left-turn, as I so often do…

This year I am choosing to life life both selflessly and selfishly. I have been so richly blessed, by my friends, family, readers, etc. I have also been dealt several blows to my self-esteem, stemming from the remnants of the life I gave up 8 years ago.

Because of how richly blessed I’ve been, I want to give back more than I am right now, so i am dedicating more of my life to service and volunteering.

I have decided to volunteer my time with a local group that leads physical excursions for obese and depressed teens. I’m fairly sure I have a pretty good handle on what they’re feeling. Granted, I did not have facebook to deal with in High School, but going to a school where the graduating class held all of 20 people, we really didn’t need it.

As for that left turn? That’s about living selfishly. Moms frequently forget to think about little things for themselves, and especially forget about the big things, and there’s been something I’ve been forgetting about, ON PURPOSE, for a really long time.

This year, I choose what I want my boobs to look like.

You read that right, my boobs. tatas. lady lumps.

After you lose 175 lbs and nurse 2 babies for over a year a piece, they are boobs in name only. I want them to also look like boobs. I want to wear a dress sans bra. I want to accidentally catch my reflection in the bathroom mirror and double-take my reflection.

I have no idea what size to get.

How do you CHOOSE that?? I know the surgeon is going to give me bra inserts to determine what size I like, but I am one of the most indecisive people on the planet. (really, you should see my college transcripts) Do I scan faces around me for reaction when I wear them? Ask random strangers? Put it on youtube? Go to a bar and see how often I get hit on? Ok, that last idea might lead to me looking a bit slutty.

Do I conduct an informal poll? Formal? Do I call Quinnipiac? I have no idea. I’m secretly hoping I’ll be struck with some sort of mammary revelation, and the stars will align with my lady headlights, and everything will come into focus.

Until then? I’ll make a salad.

If you’ve never had a grilled watermelon salad, you’re missing out. It changes the texture just enough to make it really interesting. I know it can be hard to think of something so sweet in a savory preparation, but trust me, it’s divine. The secret is the marination. Watermelons are GREAT at absorbing acids, and man is it good.

Grilled Watermelon, Mint, Basil, and Goat Cheese Salad

 

 

Grilled Watermelon Salad

by Cat Tan

Keywords: grill appetizer salad

Ingredients

  • 6 slices watermelon
  • 2-4 oz goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
  • 1/2-3/4 cup orange pineapple juice
  • salt and pepper
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped basil
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint

Instructions

combine watermelon, vinegar, juice, salt and pepper in a bowl, marinate for 2 hours

preheat grill to medium-high

grease grill

grill the watermelon 3 minutes a side

drizzle the watermelon with olive oil

sprinkle with basil, mint, and goat cheese

eat

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Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged | 11 Comments

The Smell of a Man in the Thunderdome.

Posted on May 16, 2012 by

So…. this What I Ate Wednesday is going to have super lame food, other than breakfast. Here’s the thing, yesterday, I got a confirmation invite to an event I had not yet been confirmed to attend. Fine, cool, whatevs. I can do things on the fly, I’m a NYer. It was cocktail attire. That meant makeup, blow out the fro, and put on a dress. After a morning of playing with the kids and practicing knife skills for an upcoming audition, it was a bit like plucking a chicken coated in vaseline; I just couldn’t get a grip. (that little turn-of-phrase brought to you by my West Virginia MawMaw)

This led me to do the only thing that would make sense. Fall asleep while writing a recipe while the kids napped, waking up to see the clock read “3:30PM”, freaking out and having NO idea what day it was, and making my kids a goat cheese pasta dinner so fast it would make your head spin. During all of this I also had to get ready to go to the event, which happened to be the Bob Harper *yes, THAT Bob Harper,* book launch.

Yes, I’ve been known to rant about “The Biggest Loser” my fair share of times, mostly because of the fact that they’ve proven time and time again that the longest lasting weight loss takes the longest time. There are exceptions to this rule, obvie (hello, me!) but in general, 1-2 lbs a week is more likely to stay off than 100lbs in 4 months.

The funny thing is, his book says as much. In “The Skinny Rules”, which I intend to read, cover-to-cover, he stresses the need for balance, and acceptance that weight loss takes time. Well, Hell, as long as he understands that not all of us are willing to stand in all of our obese glory in spandex and sports bras, on a scale that looks like it belongs in the “Thunderdome”, or the fat version of “The Arena”, I will give the book a chance. Just call me (former) Fatniss.

And the man could not have been nicer to team FitFluential. (wanna be a part of the awesomest team ever? you don’t have to be a blogger, you know!) Several of us were there, and he graciously took pictures with all of us, as well as with our group. Not going to lie, he smelled good. Odd thing to say, but he did! I am soooo olfactory driven-my doctor speculates it’s because I’m profoundly deaf, so my olfactory and vision senses are better. I therefore judge people heavily on how they smell. I think it’s because I’m part panther or truffle pig or something else awesome. I’m weird, get over it. He also had his launch at an apothecary, so that didn’t hurt.

Team FitFluential

The beautiful Theodora and Bob.

Bob being positively charmed/charming with the Angry Trainer.

Yes, Ashley is just that sexy. I wanted to steal her earrings but couldn’t get her drunk enough.

Bob, me, and Amber!

Bob was photobombing Theodora. I hear he does that a lot.

Got all of that? Yes? Good. Onto the odd group of foods I shoved in my face yesterday. Also? Add half a cantaloupe and an energy bar from Whole Foods to this mess. Also? that cocktail you see me NURSING at the launch. Vodka soda with a splash of cranberry and a lime. It was 40% Svedka.

recipe later in the post, but it was a savory goat cheese and corn waffle. yup.

extra thin crust, low fat fresh mozz, and more veggies than what most people put in their salad. I peeled off the pepperoni-I don’t like it.

a REALLY disappointing veggie burger on whole wheat bun. lame.

So let’s see that waffle again, shall we?

crispy, light corn waffles with dots of salty goat cheese, topped with a yolky egg. Could.you.just.die?

Thses waffles would be good with some rhubarb butter, or a poached/fried egg, or perhaps just syrup, but why not go crazy?? You’re going to love these. I promise.

Goat Cheese Corn Waffles

by Cat Tan

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: appetizer bread breakfast

Ingredients (2 waffles)

  • 3/4 cup extra fine cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup egg white
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil-melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
  • pinch of salt
  • tsp or 2 of honey

Instructions

pour all ingredients, save for cheese, into a blender-this makes it pourable.

pour onto greased waffle iron, sprinkle half the cheese on top of the batter, close and cook

serve with a sunny side up egg or fruit preserves, or both!!

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Are you a “Biggest Loser” fan?

Team Bob or Team Jillian? (the new ones don’t count, because I haven’t seen them or smelled them (jk). BTW, I’ve also met Jillian and I am approximately 3 times her size.)

-behold, the rare double parenthetical phrase, so I probs should’ve used brackets, but I hate brackets

Posted in blogging, Books, Current Affairs, entertaining, fashion, fitness, healthy eating, Recipes, review | Tagged | 18 Comments

Scrunchie Sporting Songstress

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

When most people hear that I’ve maintained a 175lb weight loss for 7 years, they usually have a string of questions (along with sidelong glances and sometimes outright staring.) I try to mix up my answers, mostly to avoid boring myself to death, but really, the answers aren’t that difficult. They take the determination of a drunken jenga champion, but they aren’t difficult to understand.

Here are some of my most asked questions and answers.

1. How’d you do it?

I had gastric bypass. It really was only a catalyst, just like they tell you when you go in for the surgery. The first 100 lbs fell away like scrunchies fell out of fashion, but the last 75lbs+ was where seriously conscious diet and exercise came in to play. I couldn’t simply rely on my surgically forced eating disorder (if you want to claim it’s more than that, you’re right. But really, it forces you to starve yourself.)

I had SERIOUS complications that I live with to this day. I developed a form of colitis, suffer from blockages due to a kinked intestine that makes my stomach sometimes feel like an overstretched balloon, causing such an immense amount of pain that all I want to do is sleep. I can’t process vitamin b-12 or iron the way I should, so I have to inject myself with b-12 and take enough iron to make horseshoes, just so that my blood holds enough oxygen for me to stand upright. Fortunately, after 7 years of practice, unless you’re married to me, you probably won’t be able to perceive if I am having a bad day…other than the baggy shirt.

2. What do you eat?

The generic answer is “everything”…in moderation.

The honest answer is that I have to be very careful. (Most times. If I am with family on vacay-hide the sweets, I’ll go all 1990′s Robert Downey Jr on those cookies)

I tend to automate. I make sure I eat many and varied fruits and veggies, but breakfast is almost always some form of porridge, lunch is either egg whites and veg or peanut butter on whole wheat with veggies, and dinner is the only meal I really mix up much. I plan my snacks and drinks. This is why my WIAW is so boring..good thing Jenn still likes me-or I may be banned for boredom. Alcohol is a weekend, (if that) beverage. I avoid soda for the most part, definitely never drinking regular soda, and I make sure I get PLENTY of fiber and hydration.

Mostly? I eat plants, and drink water with bubbles or unsweet tea and coffee (tiny bit of milk-NO sugar).

3. How do you deal with the skin situation?

Other than crying, which I find unhelpful at best, I wear a lot of super-strength spanx. The spanx, because I wore the wrong kind to crossfit, actually slowed my run down significantly because I wore the shiny kind that pants just run away from. That is what my high priced education bought me, the inability to see the need for matte spanx at a fitness event. I sprinted holding up my waistband. Not cute. Good thing most of the FitFluential girls know about my weight loss, or it would have looked super weird-o. Ok, so it still looked super weird-o, but at least I had a valid excuse.

Tuesday is my first appointment at the plastic surgeon’s office. When I first got the surgery, the common practice was to not get the skin removed until you were done having kids, and although that’s no longer the advice, I am DONE birthing humans anyway. I’m ready to rip it off with my teeth if I have to. (not unlike Edward eating the baby OUT of Bella-only way more impressive because I don’t have fangs, and the position is going to be really awkward.) The excess skin causes me nothing but problems; both logistical and health related.

4. How often do you exercise?

This is the part that makes most people who just starting their journey to cringe. I move my body 7 days a week, but I WORK-OUT six days a week. You read that right, I work out six.days.a.week. I make time for it. I’ll do TABATAS, at home HIIT training, body weight workouts, etc. Generally, I go to the gym, but that’s as much about quiet from kids for an hour as it is about working out. 4 out of those 6 days involve SOME kind of weight bearing activity, and at least 30 minutes of cardio per day.

5. What is your best advice for someone just starting their journey?

It’s not all or nothing. You’re going to have setbacks, you’re going to hit plateaus. You’re going to go to a bachelorette party and eat enough guacamole and drink enough margaritas that you start calling yourself Esmerelda, and ask random bar patrons if they can take you to the Emerald City. If you’re in a group of other actors (who else would you be with?) You may or may not commandeer a piano with a friend, and give the bar a rousing version of “Paradise By The Dashboard Light.”

Maybe your party experience will be different, but I doubt by very much. The point is, nothing is permanent short of death, and if you are as heavy as I was? That is much more of likelihood than not. Baby steps. Just keep moving forward, and the only looking backward I want you to do is looking back in a mirror to admire your new ass.

Speaking of planning snacks, I made protein granola bars. They’re yummy.

pardon the crap pictures, the sun decided to hide, so I had to get creative.

Chocolate Granola Protein Bars

by Cat Tan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: side snack breakfast appetizer

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup prepared PB2
  • 2 cups oats
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup protein powder, chocolate (I used optimum hydro whey)
  • 1/2 cup egg whites
  • pinch of salt
  • chopped pecans

Instructions

preheat oven to 375F

stir together all ingredients until well combined

pour into greased 9″ square pan

bake for approximately 20 minutes

cut immediately

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What is your best advice for sustaining your weight?

What is your workout today?

Favorite current work-out song?

Posted in fitness, healthy eating, Uncategorized | Tagged | 30 Comments

Basically Olympians.

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

Oh my goodness, last week was a whirlwind. I know I spoke a tiny bit about it on my VLOG, but Friday was #RBKFitBlog at the Reebok HQ in Canton, Mass. It was incredible!

Let me preface this by saying that a lot of the  PR pitches that bloggers receive are generic, cold, and generally unwanted. In fact, The Bloggess gets so many, she has a picture of Wil Wheaton collating papers that she sends in reply to these generic pitches. This was NOT the case with Reebok. In fact, it was quite the opposite. This was the first blogger event with a single company specific focus, where they actually took the time to hear what each of us had to say. They also tailored the day/bloggers to match their company’s focus to the blogs that really fit this area. I felt so lucky to be considered!!!

Reebok has partnered with CrossFit in a long term relationship (like living together, only more beefcake) and have designed an entire line of clothing and shoes to go with it!! Their goal is to be THE quintessential fitness brand. Not just running or cross-training or soccer, but FITNESS. It was evident in everything they spoke about and showed us. Their entire company, employees and all, have undergone a renaissance, focusing on what makes people fit and strong. It was actually inspirational, and I don’t say that often.

We started the day with a CrossFit workout, and SkinnyRunner and I kicked butt. Finishing all our kettlebell (not to be confused with cowbell, which we still need more of) pull ups, and sprints in just under 14 minutes, making us olympic champions or something. (If olympic champions are more encouraged to write snarky blogs, run, and apply mascara; than train like it’s their job, which it probably is.) The whole thing was over super fast, and that was sad because our fearless coaches and CrossFit games competitors Austin and Caleb, were goal enough to get us running back to the CrossFit “box”.

Caleb. He may or may not be on the cover of romance novels. I’m just assuming.

This is Austin, he moved at an inopportune time for picture taking.

our “badass” post-CrossFit picture. BTW, Nicole was doing this 17 weeks preggers. She’s a rockstar.

I swear, I felt buffer after one workout. Don’t tell me it isn’t possible, my mom said I can do anything I set my mind to. Next up? flying. Got my cape AND my flying shoes. The Reebok shoes we were wearing, the RealFlex transitions, were surprisingly springy! My feet didn’t hurt all day, and that’s saying something, considering we also took a Cardio Dance class, taught by Ilyse Baker , who was really encouraging, despite my obvious lack of pop and lock skills. I’m about as hip hop as Betty White, even though I do have some pretty hardcore rap on my ipod. (along with the show tunes, so there goes my street cred.)

Yeah, we got schweddy.

Me and Julie, with Caitlin as an unassuming photobomb.

Me and SkinnyRunner, Anneas the photobomb this time.

Post dance with the gorgeous Sarah and Courtney.

I learned a LOT about Reebok and their focus, the way they design shoes (a MOTHER TRUCKING NASA ROCKET SCIENTIST-WHAT?!?!?) The way they make the mold, the way they test them (it’s way more rigorous than the LSAT), I learned about new product coming to market that made my mouth water with cuteness, and how excited they are about their brand.

The biggest thing I took away however, was how much they care about their consumer. The day we were there, they were designing a custom shoe for a man, who at 7’8″ tall cannot find shoes or hope to look for them. They were doing this for free. They were so generous with their time, and it really felt as though they wanted everyone to be heard. That says a lot. They even took time to give us time to post…I know this seems like a no-brainer for a blog event, but it’s rare. Trust me.

Bex and Maria-VLOGGING

Also? The gear is just really great. I’ve been wearing it for 2 weeks now. (I wash it, don’t freak) and it is some of the most comfortable workout gear I own. The capris are so breathable, I didn’t once do the “pull and flick” to cool my legs. Don’t pretend you’ve never done it, I’ll know you’re lying, your pants will be on fire, which would be a shame if they were the same capris I was wearing.

I’ll be running in their running shorts later, I’ll post my review super soon.

As amazing as last week was, it was good to cook/bake something yesterday. I was in withdrawl. My hands were itching to roll in flour. My skin needs it like a chinchilla needs dust. Yesterday morning, I broke my baking fast and made something so seasonal and delicious, I about keeled over. I made strawberry scones with rhubarb butter. Oh yes, you read that right.

Strawberry Scones with Rhubarb Butter

by Cat Tan

Keywords: snack side dessert bars spring summer

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • one stick butter
  • 1 cup strawberries, chopped
  • 1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
  • 1 egg

for rhubarb butter

  • 2 cups rhubarb chopped
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick of butter, softened

Instructions

preheat oven to 375F

in a food processor process butter and flour together until pea sized crumbles form

add in other ingredients, save for the strawberries,

turn into a bowl

fold in berries

roll into rectangle or circle, 2″ thick

cut into triangles

place on cookie sheet 2″ apart

bake 15-18 minutes or until just browning

for the rhubarb butter

chop the rhubarb and add it to a pan with the sugar, cook on medium until it resembles red applesauce

let cool

stir into butter until it’s a dark pink,

save the rest

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Favorite pair of work-out capris?

Do you like scones? rhubarb?

Posted in blogging, fitness, healthy eating, Recipes, review, running | Tagged , | 11 Comments