Sex in the gym

I have a secret. I have four workout buddies that have done the impossible...they've made me actually enjoy my cardio workouts! They make me forget that I'm stuck on a machine between two sweaty guys, they make it ok to be in a stuffy gym instead of enjoying a nice, icy mocha frappuccino, they make it fun to be doing something I normally hate doing for 35-40 minutes. And I owe it all to my husband.

He loaded a few seasons worth of Sex and the City on my iPod and I've swapped my workout music for workout videos. A cleverly placed towel and water bottle shield my iPod from my nosy neighbors when...ahem, some of the steamier scenes are on. I swear, it makes my cardio sessions fly by in no time.

Thanks ladies!

GYM is not a 4-letter word

It was a dark and stormy night. I looked at the building before me with trepidation and fear beacause I knew what was waiting for me on the other side of the door. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and gently pushed the door open. I grudgingly accepted my fate as I took my first steps back into THE GYM.

Perhaps my return to THE GYM wasn't that dramatic, but it was pretty close. Trepidation, fear, resistance...true, true, true. There was a point in my life when lunchtime workouts, daily walks, and 20-mile bike rides were commonplace. I like to refer to this as the "wonder years" because I look back on those times and wonder where I got the energy to do all of that. Fast forward seven years and there are days when my only cardio exercise involves rolling across the studio on my desk chair when I need to reach my printer. Sad, but true.

So I've finally made the decision to take care of my body inside and out which means plenty of sleep, a healthier diet, and daily exercise at THE GYM. It will be a dramatic lifestyle change but the fact that my husband will be changing right alongside me should make it a little easier. I hope.

Superfood to the rescue

Occasionally I'll meet up with clients at the Mocha Java Cafe at Ward Center. Although it can be a bit busy (and c-o-l-d!) at times, there always seems to be an open table where I can set up shop for an hour. This past weekend, I met with several clients on Saturday and Sunday, which meant I had two opportunities to order one of my favorite breakfast meals - the açaí bowl.

While my fiance loves his buckwheat pancakes and egg-white omelets, I normally prefer chocolate chip pancakes and Portugese sausage, eggs, and rice. But there's something about a refreshing bowl of açaí topped with sliced bananas and granola that's so satisfying in the morning! The açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry also happens to be one of nature's SUPERFOODS. The pulp from this berry, harvested from palm trees in the Brazilian rainforests, is packed with amino acids, essential fatty acids (the good ones), and antioxidants...think "fountain of youth" wrapped in a cute little purple berry. Red wine's got nothing on the açaí berry when it comes to antioxidants, although I'm not sure how your guests would feel if you served them a glass of açaí instead of their favorite Pinot Noir!