Book Review: The Unlikely Pilgrimmage Of Harold Fry By Rachel Joyce

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Coco

I first heard about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry on The Diane Rehm Show, when Diane was interviewing the author, Rachel Joyce.

It sounded like an interesting premise–a retired man goes out to get the mail, and keeps walking. He doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, but rather decides to go visit an old friend who is dying of cancer, figuring that if he can walk across England to reach her, she can fight the cancer. Thus, his “unlikely pilgrimage” was born.

I did not really enjoy reading this book. At times, it seemed as plodding and endless as Harold’s journey. I know Harold is an older man, but how can it take anyone all day to walk less than 5 miles? I kept reading in the hope that an intriguing reason behind Harold’s mission would be revealed, or at least that something more exciting would happen than Harold getting another blister, but I mostly was disappointed. Yes, we get a better understanding of Harold  and his motivation as the book progresses, but it is never very satisfying.

This book got mixed reviews on Good Reads, so you may enjoy it more than I did!

What are you reading?

Posted in Book Reviews, Life | Tagged | 2 Comments

Unapologetically Myself At The Hotel Gym

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Coco

The last weekend of October brought my fourth and last business trip of the month–a conference in Chicago.

After my long week (running the Army Ten Miler, traveling to NYC to speak at a conference on Monday, speaking at conferences in D.C. on Wednesday and Friday), by the time I got to Chicago on Friday evening I was tired. I enjoyed the dinner and reception at the hotel, but skipped the late-night “networking” opportunities being held at various bars around the city.

That meant I was rested and ready for an early workout on Saturday morning.

I was planning on going for a run with my friend, but she had gone out Friday night, and sent me a text message at 2:30 am admitting that she would not be joining me for a run at 6:00. I wasn’t sure that I had brought enough layers to enjoy a run by the lake anyway, so I wasn’t too disappointed to be heading to the hotel gym instead.

I hopped on one of the fancy Lifefitness treadmills, did a long warmup, and then ran for 45 minutes–about half the time at 6.3 mph and half the time at 6.5 mph.

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After a bit of stretching and some Starbucks, I was ready to face the day of meetings.

On Saturday night, everyone was tired , so once again I got a decent night’s sleep and was ready for a morning workout on Sunday.

I warmed up for 15 minutes on the elliptical.

Then I did my full weights routine.

Love the selection of free weights!

I also powered through my plank routine.

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Yes, I wore my new MizFitOnLine skort both days–I promise you that I washed it in the hotel room sink after my sweaty treadmill run! 

I have come to like running skirts, and I really like this one, although it might not be the best for running. It is comfortable and I think it has a flattering fit and style. I was unsure about what size to buy and got a medium even though I usually wear a small because I wanted to be sure that I could wear it. The fit is comfortable on my waist, but the shorts are not snug so they did ride up a bit when I was running. (The fabric is light, though, so even then they were not uncomfortable.)  I generally plan to wear the skort when I am doing other workouts–the elliptical, weights, etc.–and the fit is perfect for that.

When I first wrote about the MizFitOnLine skort I told you that Carla is going to donate all of her profits–$5 per skirt–to a charity that is near and dear to her heart: mayan families. Since then, the manufacturer has agreed to match her donations. So, if you need new workout skort, or are considering trying one for the first time, there are lots of good reasons to buy this one. 🙂

Do you sacrifice late night socializing for early morning workouts?

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(Foam) Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’ (Foam Roller App Review)

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Coco

This post is sponsored by Fitfluential LLC. I was provided a free download of the Foam Roller App in order to review the product. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I’ve had a foam roller for years–ever since my first ITB flare-up.

I even got a mini one that I can fit in my duffel bag–it’s also perfect for Fit Stanley!

I’ve used my foam roller at home, with my chiropractor, and with my physical therapist, so I have a pretty good idea of its versatility. Still, I was interested in the new Foam Roller App, and excited when I had an opportunity to provide a Foam Roller App review as I was preparing for The Army Ten Miler.

The app is very easy to use. From the main screen, you choose the area that you want to work on:

(There’s a “menu” for frontal body parts too.)

The next screen has information on the target region, a summary of different foam roller exercises, and links to short video clips demonstrating each one.

I hadn’t thought to orient the foam roller this way when targeting my piriformis.

Even this app warns that rolling your ITB can be painful!

The app costs $2.99 in the iTunes store (I was provided with a free download in order to review the app). At first I wondered why anyone would want to pay for access to video clips that probably can be found for free on YouTube, but then I appreciated the convenience of having over 100 demonstration videos literallyin the palm of my hand as I am using my foam roller. I’ve enjoyed trying different exercises and using the foam roller on different regions–like my shins. Another benefit of the app is that it is motivating me to use my foam roller more frequently and more effectively.

Have you used a foam roller?

Do you have any exercise apps?

Posted in Fitness, Product Reviews | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Pumpkin Jack

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Coco

Jack-O-Lantern Lore

Do you know why we carve pumpkins and call them Jack O’Lanterns?

Apparently, the tradition stems from Irish folklore, and the story of Stingy Jack.

Stingy Jack was a mean drunkard who liked to play tricks on everyone, including the Devil. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree, and then placed crosses around its trunk to trap the Devil up in the tree. The Devil struck a deal with Jack–if he would remove the crosses, the Devil would not take his soul when he died. This sounded like a good deal to Jack, so he removed the crosses and let the Devil go.

When Jack died, he stood before Saint Peter at the pearly gates of Heaven, but was refused entry. Saint Peter told him that he had been too mean and would not be permitted in heaven.

So Jack went down to Hell and met the Devil. But the Devil kept his promise and would not let Jack into Hell. Having been refused entry into Heaven and Hell, Jack was going to have to spend eternity wandering in the darkness.

Jack asked the Devil for help getting out of hell, and the Devil gave him a burning ember to light the way. Jack hollowed out a turnip he had in his pocket, and put the ember in that.
From that day forward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth and became known as “Jack O’Lantern.”

On all Hallow’s eve, the Irish made their own “lanterns” and put them by their front doors to keep evil spirits–and Stingy Jack–away. Originally, they used hollowed out turnips and other vegetables common in Ireland, but when they emigrated to America, pumpkins became the “lantern” of choice because they are bigger and easier to carve. Have you heard the story of Stingy Jack?

Do you carve pumpkins for Halloween?

Posted in Life | Tagged | 4 Comments

Favorite Fitbloggin’ Food Finds

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Coco

I loved trying new workouts at Fitbloggin’ but I also enjoyed being able to try new food products.

My favorite “new” find is Soyjoy–especially the new cranberry flavor.

The ingredient list is short, but sugar is listed first (12 g) and maltodextrin is listed as a “natural source of fiber,” so some people may not be impressed. I like that it has 140 calories (so many bars are closer to 200 calories or more), 4 g protein, and 2 g fiber (from that maltodextrin, I guess).  Most of all, I like how it tastes–sort of like a soft (stale?) biscotti.

I also really like the ZonePerfect® Perfectly Simple™ bars.

(Yes, I happened to get the cranberry flavor of this one too!)

As the label says, it has 10 ingredients and 10 g protein:

Soy Protein Isolate, Apple Juice Concentrate, Sweetened Dried Cranberries (Sugar, Dried Cranberries, Sunflower Oil), Date Paste, Roasted Almonds (Almonds, High Oleic Sunflower Oil), Dried Pomegranate Seeds, and Cinnamon Powder.

This is a higher calorie bar (170 calories), and has 2 g fiber and 19 g sugar, although here the sugar is coming from the apple juice concentrate and dried fruit. It is very satisfying, with large chunks of fruit and nuts held together by the date paste.

Attune Foods® even gave us boxes of cereal to try.

It’s a “flake” style cereal, but it has a nice crunch and a hint of a nutty flavor. The ingredient list is pretty short:

Organic Whole Buckwheat Groats, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Maple Syrup, Sea Salt.

But, with 220 calories (and 5 g fiber, 5 g sugar, and 5 g protein) in a 1 cup serving, this is not a cereal that I am likely to keep in the house. I just like cereal too much and tend to want to eat 2 bowls at a time!

What new foods have you tried lately?

Posted in Food, Product Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments