The Real Food Diet Cookbook

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I never win contests. Well, maybe not never, but rarely. Which is why I did backflips of joy (Hey, you weren't there. It could have happened) when I found out I'd won The Real Food Diet Cookbook just for entering a comment on a blog post from my new favorite food blogger, Heather Eats Almond Butter. 

I am a huge fan of cookbook porn. I love leafing through cookbooks, ear-marking pages for recipes I want to try, debating whether I have the skill level to carry off a soufflé (no, I don't) and reading a dessert recipe so I can call out to Blair that No wonder Americans are fat can you believe this recipe calls for 2 sticks butter and more than a cup of sugar?! 

I hope the addiction to recipe books is leading me somewhere. When I first decided to be a writer, I did little more than read books on HOW to be a writer for close to two years before I figured out that more active participation was required. Maybe one day I'll actually become the cook I am in my mind when I sigh over glossy pages of perfectly presented food. 

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Bikram Yoga Review

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Made it out alive. That's the key point to remember in all of this. I'm alive.

Attended my first Bikram hot yoga class last night. Right before class, I was talking to BFF Trisha who asked if I was going to the class alone or with someone. 

"My friend Amy is going with me," I said.

"What's she like?" 

"Tall, blonde, pretty, about 24 years old." 

"Really? Maybe she's super flexible too so you both will have so much in common!" 

You can see why we're friends. =)

So. Class. Not so bad. Really. I'd expected my breath to be taken away by the heat, like when you enter a sauna and can feel the embers scorching the back of your throat. Walking into the bikram room was nothing like that. Warm, yes. But sitting still on our mats before class, it was almost comfortable. 

Of course, that didn't last long

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First Bikram Yoga Class Tomorrow

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Having discovered a previously unsuspected addiction to purchasing deals through Groupon, I am now the proud owner of thirty days worth of unlimited bikram yoga classes. I start tomorrow. 

Bikram yoga is more commonly known as "hot yoga." The class ia an hour and a half and the room is heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Seriously.

A few people have told me how much they love bikram and how it's great for releasing all the toxins in the body. Of course, a few other people chimed in, namely:

  •  Christie, who told me she threw up after her one and only attempt at the class
  • Ben, who felt fine during class but ended up with nausea and diarrhea later that night
  • And Christopher, who today informed me the room smells like a foot locker and his friend got ringworm from one of the mats. 

 I've drank 78 oz of water today and will do the same tomorrow before class.

Stay tuned. The next post promises to be doozie. 

Great Race, But I Still Hate 5K's

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Today I ran a 5K as part of the Human Race. 

The optimist sees... I set a PR! New time of 22:03. 

The pessimist sees... I walked for about 5 seconds coming up the last hill. If I hadn't, I would have bagged my first ever 21-something 5k time.

 

The optimist thinks... 5k's are a great way to build speed and spend time with friends. 

The pessimist thinks... 5k's *%@#ing HURT.

 

The optimist says... The only way to improve at 5k's is to run more of them!

The pessimist says... Wake me up for the next marathon...

 

So am I an optimist or pessimist? I'll quote the little girl I spoke with in Starbucks this last Halloween. She was dressed as a witch and I asked her if she was a good witch, or a bad witch. She cocked her head, thought about it, then answered, "I'm a little bit of both." 

Cheers,

Dena