NoSauce

B’s entire fam loves coffee cake, but it is very important it has the proper cake to crumb ratio. This cake was absolutely perfect! So proud!

I used this recipe

I can’t believe I had a 4 day weekend and it went by so fast! I need 1 more day!

Friday - relaxed, worked out, and saw Hangover II. I thought it was hilarious, and totally liked it just as much as the first.

Saturday - B and I did all sorts of home improvements. We went up to Homegoods - it just opened on 99th. We actually didn’t find anything there, but ran around to a million other stores and got everything we needed before we headed out to Hoboken to TM and DL’s BBQ. So fun to see a bunch of old friends, it had been too long!

Photo of my drawing now in frames in the bathroom

Photo of TM and DL’s BBQ

Sunday - B played golf and I relaxed in the morning. Then I made the most kick ass coffee cake in the world. Photos to come shortly.

Monday - had brunch and hung out on my roof trying to catch rays and avoid the sun at the same time. It was 90 degrees and I couldn’t decided if I wanted to be in or out of it.

Overall an amazing weekend! Hope you all had a good one!

fabulously-freckled:

I am sad about this. I can’t say that I am surprised with everything that has gone on. I just want this shit storm over. Those players should be ashamed of what they did and JT should have reported them from the get go. He always stressed not just coaching football players, but influencing young men. I just wish he reported them. :(

I am going to miss the sweater vests they are legendary along with the block O black hat and glasses that woody wore. 

I still have my buckeye pride.

Friday I had a great workout - and since it is memorial day have taken off the rest of the weekend (although guilt is creeping up swiftly, so I might try and go for a run tonight once it is not 99 effing degrees!)

So I ran 4.27 miles as a warm up for my weights. I always like to get my cardio burn in first. I have a lot of friends that like to do it after because they want to expend their full energy with weights. I like it first because everything gets warm and loose and that will help with injuries. Plus after I am doing weights, I might get so tired I would skip it. This way it is done.

Anyway, when I lived in San Francisco I invented what I call the Iron Cross - which is the BEST arm workout ever if I do say so myself.

Using weights slightly heavier than you normally would (so if you normally use 7.5 lb arm weights bump up to 10, if you 10 lbs, go up to 12lbs etc) and do the following:

• Holding both weights down at your sides, bring the right weight to your hip, leaving the left at your side. Then lean to the left. Feel it in your obliques. I think this helps with the muffin top areas - side and back. Repeat on the other side - 25x a side. (I know 25 sounds like a lot but you can do it no problem)
• Shoulder press - 12 reps. Make sure you are keeping your arms at 90 when you are bringing them down and go nice and slow.
• Lateral Raises - 12 reps each arms, 24 reps at a time total - hold the weights down in front of your thighs. Then one at a time bring your left arm up even with your shoulder and parallel to the ground. Then slowly lower and do the right. 
• Next I am not sure what it is called but 12 reps - hold the weights in front of your thighs almost touching, then slowly while bending your elbows bring the weights up - so you are forming a straight bar line across your chest. Bent elbow in the way you would salute someone except at your chest and both arms at the same time holding the weight. Lower and raise slowly. 12 reps.
• Next go 1 weight up - so I was using 12 so I jumped to 15lbs. Holding the weight with both hands behind your head raise up for tri’s. Make sure that your arms are glued to your ears, and you are only hinging from the elbow to get the max benefit here. I do 15-18 reps depending on the burn.
• Grab the original weights and then do curls - 15 on each arms lowering super slowly.

Repeat for 3 sets. This has been my go to weights arm workout for a long time - and I swear it works. You can always vary the weights and the reps. - it his basically everything but chest and back, and you will for sure feel it the next day. Let me know if you try it!

Happy Memorial Day!!!!

Yesterday I took the hardest gym class I have ever taken - it was a 45 minute plyo class. I took this last week - and thought it was great, but apparently the teacher was a sub where this week was the real deal.

So MFT (for those new to this blog My Favorite Trainer who helped me shed a ton of inches before my wedding almost two years ago - so I still train with him for fear of gaining it back!) and the lady that teaches this class are frienemies. Apparently she knew I was on team MFT.

When doing planks, she is pushing on my back. When doing lunges she is yelling at me to engage my abs, when doing mountain climbers she is yelling at me I’m not fast enough, when doing pushups I am not going all the way down, etc.

I can honestly say out of every gym class I have ever taken at any gym not just in New York but anywhere, this was hands down and away the hardest. We did over 10 minutes of lunges alone! It wasn’t challenging moved, just basic plyo stuff, but sooooo much that you can just feel your muscles blowing out.

MFT is on vacay with his main squeeze for the next two weeks - so no Thursday Paralysis today. I am totally taking today off to rest my super sore muscles, and will put in some gym time over the long weekend to make up for it.

I might have to make that my regular Wednesday class - it was so hard I feel like it is taking it to the next level.

I hope MFT doesn’t get mad!

Last night I had my 2nd pre-season run practice in Central Park. It was so hot and humid! I don’t know if I am looking forward to training in the New York City summer!

Anyway - it was easier than 2 weeks ago - less lunges and squats. More about injury prevention. Specific exercises to help prevent shin splints, IT band issues and so on.

The most interesting thing though was I learned I have no idea how to pace myself outside of a treadmill. For example - in a marathon you are supposed to start out a little slow and increase your speed as the mileage increases. I don’t know what a 9 minute mile feels like outside of the gym - I always run way too fast! I am looking forward to learning all these things when the season starts in June. 1 more pre-season practice next week - then the real deal!

If you are interested in donating to my race as I am raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society please click here. I am only half-way to my goal, so I need all the help I can get! My marathon page gives easy direction on how to donate, along with all the reasons I am trying to raise money for research on this awful disease. Thanks!

hershapeinthedoorway asked: HONEST question… how have you coped with being away from our beloved home state for so long??? Knowing I’m here for at least 2 more years… maybe much longer, is really difficult!

Hi lady - I love that we are California buddies! When B an I had been dating like 3 months or something he brought it up and was like my job is here, my family is here (meaning in New York) would you be able to stay here? Because of his job, he can’t move, he needs to be here. Where I work in fashion and can work from anywhere pretty much. So I said I could stay on the following conditions:

• I get to fly home as much as I want, whenever I want.
• We can retire in CA because I don’t want to be 80 years old and trying to navigate the crazy streets with snow and ice

He thought it over and agreed! So now basically I am counting the days till we retire! It’s tough - I have a love/hate with New York, but I have come to terms and have accepted it. Even though it’s hard sometimes, basically CA is only 1 6 hour flight away, so if you look at it that way, it’s not that bad! I won’t lie though, I miss California and my friends and family out there every day. I am literally counting the days until we retire. I feel you though sister! Stay strong!

Ask me anything by clicking here!