Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Picture:  Cute chips & guac serving idea seen at one of the Halloween parties this weekend!

I just got in from a half day at work, a dentist appointment, and a couple of errands.  My town already has trick or treaters everywhere!  I don’t remember ever going out at 4 to trick or treat when I was younger.  But maybe since the kiddos are all getting their candy from the local businesses in the town center, that’s why they are going early?

On my way out of the post office, I overheard a couple of siblings chatting about the Starbursts they just got:

Girl:  These are the healthiest candy for you.
Boy:  How come?
Girl:  Because they have fruit in them!
Boy:  And you still like them?

I thought that was funny.

To read about some of the health(ier) candy options out there, check out this article in Women’s Health.  Reviews some of the better chocolate bars to choose.

Anyone doing anything for Halloween tonight?  I think I’m a bit Halloween-ed out after the weekend.  My night is going to consist of spin class, maybe making a new mix for this week’s classes, writing a few blog posts ahead of time (I have a very busy week/weekend ahead of me), and probably watching last night’s episode of Homeland.  Anyone else been watching this new series?  It’s about an American prisoner of war that has been kept alive for eight years overseas and just returns home – the unknown is whether he has turned for the other side and is part of a possible terrorist attack.  I get scared and cover my eyes throughout the whole thing, but it’s really good.  Maybe that counts as Halloween-ish since I think it’s so scary?

Fitness Tip of the Day:  Plan your week’s workout ahead of time.  I find that if I schedule them into my calendar, I’m a lot more likely to stick with what I have in mind at the beginning of the week.  Use your Monday mornings to map out a plan!

I’ll go first.

• Monday:  Spin Class + Ab Workout
• Tuesday:  Elliptical Workout + Teach Circuit Training
• Wednesday:  Spin Class + Ab Workout
• Thursday:  Teach Circuit Training in AM, BalletFIT in the PM
• Friday:  Possible AM Workout TBD, depending on how much I accomplish this week and how my legs feel after Thursday’s double session.
• Saturday:  Off 
• Sunday:  Off

Your turn!

Question(s) of the Day:

• What are your Halloween plans tonight?
  
• What’s your favorite Halloween candy?
  
• What are your fitness plans for the week?

How Do You Spell Mutton Chops?

Yes, I just asked that out loud.

And so became my Sunday post title.

Halloween Festivities

I love Halloween for the fun costumes, everything pumpkin, and the candy.

Tim loves Halloween because he thinks it’s okay to flaunt a mustache and mutton chops for the entire weekend.

**Cringe**

The other day I posted my costumes of years past and left you guys hanging about this year’s costumes. For Friday night, we went with a group theme and teamed up with Trina and Geoff to be the characters from Clue.

Kernel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Miss Scarlett, and Professor Plum.

With the lead pipe, the revolver, the candlestick, and the wrench. In the living room.

I thought it would be a cute idea, and I do think it was, but people had a hard time telling what we were unless we were all standing together. Tim’s party guests kept thinking he was Willy Wonka, Geoff was the Jumanji man, and that Trina and I were flappers along with Miss Slesh. So that was kind of a fail. Oh well!

For Saturday night, we threw together some sweet 80’s fitness gear for Geoff’s celebration.

Appropriate, right?

I meant an appropriate theme for me, not Tim’s shorts.

Maybe I’ll wear this for class this Tuesday.  I mean, don’t I look pretty sweet in a leotard?

Coolidge Corner Clubhouse

Today my parents were in the area so Tim & I met them for lunch at Coolidge Corner Clubhouse. Have any of you ever been there? For those Boston sports fans, it’s a must. Pretty much everything on the menu is named after something sports related or a sports player/figure. A couple of examples:

• The Tonya Harding: This is Tonya’s favorite “club” sandwich from the Olympic trials in Detroit. We grill a chicken breast and make it into a triple-decker with 3 pieces of white toast, bacon, lettuce and tomato. (This one always makes me laugh)
• The Michael Phelps: Eat enough of these and you could win 8 gold medals! A flame broiled turkey burger topped with ripe avocado, melted Swiss cheese, and a side of Dijon mustard.
• The Dustin Pedroia: A base hit every time. A sliced grilled teriyaki chicken breast served over a bowl of mixed greens with assorted vegetables and cheeses.

And so on.

Pros:  The food is really, really good.  They have received a bunch of awards – check them out here. I also think it’s a neat place to go with all the sports paraphernalia, old pictures, and tv’s everywhere. They also have 36 beers on tap (score), brunch open until 3pm on weekends, and the best little breadsticks at the table to munch on before your meal comes out.

Cons:  The restaurant is a bit crowded, and the prices are a little up there, but the food is so good that it’s worth it every once in a while. Plus, the portions are huge so it’s not that bad of a deal. The prices also include a full list of side options.

Today I went with the Portabella Roll Up: Grilled marinated portabella mushrooms, lettuce, diced tomato, feta cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette all rolled into a tomato basil tortilla.

For my side, I got a garden salad and picked off the croutons since I already let myself have a couple of those breadsticks.

Good lunch!

–Let’s chat–
Anyone else date anyone that insists on having a mustache/mutton chops on Halloween? What’s your favorite place to grab a sandwich for lunch?

Hope you all had a great Halloween weekend!

Shannon’s Apple Cider Cupcakes

Another promised recipe!

Have I ever mentioned that my friend Shannon is the best baker, cook, seamstress, and craft maker I know?  Well, she is.  It’s awesome being friends with Shanny Pants!  If this recipe doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.

For the cupcakes:

Ingredients

• Spice Cake Mix
• Apple Cider

Directions

1. Follow the recipe on the box to bake the cupcakes, substituting apple cider for water.

For the frosting:

Ingredients

• 1 block of cream cheese
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1-1.5 boxes confectionery sugar
• A couple of tablespoons of apple cider
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Directions

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together.
2. Add in apple cider.
3. Slowly add in powdered sugar until desired consistency.
4. Blend in cinnamon and nutmeg until satisfied with the taste.

WARNING:  Hard to eat only one.  I bet you wanna lick that frosting right off your computer screen, don’t ya?  Go ahead.  It’s okay – everyone needs a little apple cider cupcake in their life.

To make up for it, just go do this workout.  I did it yesterday and it’s a good one!  I was looking for some different moves to switch up my usual regimen, and Fitnessista’s Schweaty October Workout did just the trick.  I love finding new routines on other blogs!  I did modify it a little bit, replacing any of the upper body work with abs instead, since my shoulder impingement (yes more to come on this new development later) is not cooperating.

I decided to take this outside for a reservoir workout, but it can be done indoors as well.  Just realize that if you do some of these moves outside, you might get some weird looks, but who cares?

• Warmup:  5 minute brisk walk or jog
• 25 slow squats
• 25 fast squats
• 1 minute walking lunges
• 30 seconds lunges right
• 30 seconds lunges left
• Tabata Intervals (20 seconds sprint, 10 seconds jog for 8 times, total 4 minutes)
• 1 minute oblique twists
• 30 seconds elbow to knee pull ins
• 30 seconds elbow to knee pull ins other side
• 1 minute plank
• Repeat Tabata Intervals (20 seconds sprint, 10 seconds jog for 8 times, total 4 minutes)
• 25 slow calf raises
• 25 fast calf raises
• Repeat oblique twists, elbow to knee pull ins, and plank
• Last Tabata (20 seconds high knees fast, 10 seconds high knees slow)
• Cooldown / Stretch

Have a great Saturday, everyone!  Hopefully us Bostonians don’t get too much snow.
(Really, weather?  Snow in October?!)

Off to a family event and then Halloween #2.  Pictures coming soon!

Question of the Day:  What’s your favorite workout / type of exercise to do outside?