it's time to call it quits

no, no no, i'm not quitting my intermittent blogging. don't you worry your pretty little face over that. i will continue to randomly update you on my quest to be a better betsy for a while to come.

what i AM quitting is my monthly membership at the gym. in fact, i already did. today. not that they made it easy.

now, i'm sure you're all thinking, "wait, i thought half of the point of this was for her to get fit and rock at life." which is fairly accurate. it's also accurate to say that the other half of the blog is dedicated to photos of buddy. 

hello, handsome

back to the larger issue at hand: quitting the gym, yet still being focused on a healthier life. it's actually not going to be that big of a change for me.

i've been consistently working out for the past few months - spare my birthweek - but i've probably only stepped foot in my gym about twice. i've noticed that i really enjoy classes that aren't offered at my gym and have started going to them at least once a week. on top of that, the weather is finally changing around, allowing me to spend time outdoors to make the most of it, including in active ways.

dancing is a workout too, guys.

yes, specialty classes are expensive. but the workouts are better than any class i've ever been to at my "regular gym." so my theory was, i'm already paying for these extra classes, might as well take the money i'm spending on a membership i rarely use and put it towards those classes. plus, i get about a million daily deals emails, and there's usually some sort of package of workout classes available at a discount, so i can expand my horizons while getting an awesome workout.

the biggest takeaway i have from this hellacious winter (and spring, given that it SNOWED last night) is that i truly enjoy being outdoors when i can. not only do i live within walking distance to central park - the premier outdoor workout landscape - but i also live along a beautiful outdoor walking/running/fitness path that i have not taken nearly enough advantage of over the past few years.

taken on a commute home on a spring day. hashtag gorgeous

i own simple things like a yoga mat, hand weights, a jump rope and a resistance band, so i could take the things i've learned in these crazy classes and do them outside. and get my vitamin d requirement, which is especially important since i found out i'm severely deficient in it. (too much sunscreen and zero red meat will do that to a girl).

so bring on the bad tan lines and the neon workout clothes to blend in at these special gyms. needless to say, it's not me, large gym system in nyc, it's you. and we're never, ever, ever, getting back together.*

*well, maybe we will when it gets cold again. taylor's always wrong about everything.

FASHION-ably late. naturally.

i'm going to start this post with a true story:

as i mentioned recently, i found a new hot yoga studio that i'm head over heels in love with. unfortunately, it's on the other side of the island from where i live. and though it's technically spring, the weather is still, well...

this means that i need to change clothes before commuting home, since i don't want to die of "frozation" (a word i made up a long time ago). so i brought a pair of old yoga pants that i've painstakingly worn into the ground and changed into them after class and went on my way. and then this happened:

apparently it's a free show.

so needless to say, i've been in the need to update my workout gear for a while. lucky for me, i LOVE to shop. more than most things in life, actually.

preach. 

i never really saw the importance of spending a lot of money on workout gear because you're just sweating in it. also, who do i need to really impress at the gym? no one. however, now that i started upgrading, i can't believe it's taken me this long. specifically because of the sweat wicking material: LIFE CHANGING.

i'm sure i've mentioned this before but i'm what you call a sweaty beast. and do you know what comes with sweat? stench. so i need anything that's not going to sit on me and make me smellier than the homeless man who tried to talk to me on the subway yesterday morning.

my newest fitness go-to spot? athleta. or what i like to call, the less-expensive version of lulu with slightly lower prices and slightly less see-through pants. they also carry sizes that fit more than just those who look like they work out all the time (i.e. real people). added bonus: they're owned by gap, which means they take my gap card (sorry mom) and they often have sales. here's a quick overview of what i'm currently rocking a few times a week.

the cairo bare to run knicker are my new go-to pants for any cardio class: i have 4 pairs. they don't ride up. the crotch doesn't sag. and you can't see my underwear through them. win-win. 

patterns! on the lower half! madness!

the glory bra: not sure i ever mentioned this, but given that i'm a tall woman with a large frame and you've seen photos of me, it shouldn't surprise you that my "girls" need a lot of support when it comes to working out. got to keep them pointing up as long as i can, right? anyway, this sports bra has extra built in support to i won't pop myself in the eye when i'm doing jumping jacks. or "running." or doing anything really. 

obvi i have it in this color. i'm a lady. 

the spring tote: so i've been needing a new gym bag for a while because i carry my life with me every day. also, i have giant feet, so my sneakers rarely fit in a tote that also allows room for all my other gear. luckily, my birthday was a few weeks ago, so with a gift card in hand, i could finally splurge on the bag i've had my eye on for a while. 

look at all that room. and it's purple on the inside. it holds EVERYTHING i need for a trip to any class, plus has plenty of room for my lunch every morning. 

as for tops, i used to settle for my usual gator t-shirt and call it a day. but again. the sweat would sit on me and i would feel disgusted. so i started upgrading, but refuse to spend as much money on tops as i would on any other part of the workout process. enter: gapfit. 

as an avid gap shopper, i know that everything they have in stock will ultimately go on sale soon. and it will be dirt cheap. so whenever i stop in the store, i walk over to the sale section and see what they have. i've picked up a handful of tanks, long-sleeved and short-sleeved tops for no more than $10 a piece every time. done and done. 

i fully support you guys sporting my style at the gym because i will say, when you're excited to put on a cute outfit, it makes it more fun to go anywhere, even the gym. i mean, isn't that how our parents got us to get excited that summer was ending and to go back to school? no, just me? okay, cool.

p.s. i also own this tank top and rock it every time i can. because why the fuck not?

#likeaboss 

cooking with b: quinoa detox salad recipe

as i mentioned in my last post, i've decided that occasionally i'm going to share some of the creations and recipes that i make with you, in case you want to try them. because in all honesty, i am a pretty good cook.

one of my biggest efforts to keep my "healthy-ish" lifestyle going is finding new things to take for lunch each week. going out is too expensive and too easy to add a side of french fries to. so i try to bring at least 4 days a week to save money and calories. but since i normally take the same thing every day for a week to cut down time and money, it can get monotonous. so i'm always on the hunt for something new to spice up my routine.

this past weekend, i went to brunch at le pain quotidien, which is french for something i never remember, with my friend nicole. we split the "organic quinoa detox salad," and it was awesome. i mean, just look at how pretty it is: 

so colorful! so pretty! so obviously not my photo 

normally, i'm in agreement with my girl honey b on all things salad:

preach. 

but this one was surprisingly filling, fresh and tasty. and as i was enjoying it, i was thinking that i could easily recreate this myself to take to work for lunch this week. so i did, but with my own enhanced twist.

i'm not a photographer. and i use tupperware. oh you fancy, huh?

so before we get into the "how to make phase" please note that i do not know how to write recipes correctly, and normally i just throw things together. the directions will be stream of consciousness because that's all i really know how.

quinoa detox salad: adapted from le pain quotidien (i'm trying to give credit so i don't get sued)

makes 1 large salad

in a big bowl, start with 2 big handfuls of spinach and baby kale each.

add a handful of grape tomatoes - about 7 or so.

take a medium carrot and either shred it with a box grater or peel into ribbons with your vegetable peeler, which is what i did. add that to the bowl.

thinly slice about a quarter of a cucumber, or as much as you like for crunch.

add a big handful of chopped red cabbage (i normally buy pre-chopped because i'm lazy, but a small head of cabbage is so cheap so you might as well chop it yourself.)

now here is where things get complicated: quinoa and tofu.

quinoa: cook according to package directions, but add in a heaping tablespoon of tumeric to the water before you turn the water on and give it a swirl. once it's cooked, stir in a big handful of chopped parsley.

tofu: drain as usual then cube. season with your favorite spices - i go with garlic, salt and pepper. add to a heated non-stick pan that has a slight coating of pam, just in case. cook over medium heat until warmed through and slightly brown all sides. it doesn't matter if it gets crumbly, it's all going to be okay.

add a 1/3rd cup of the cooked quinoa and 1/3rd cup of the tofu to your salad.

then, add 2 tablespoons of some kind of hummus to the plate. since the original salad had sliced avocado on it, i've been using hope spicy avocado hummus, and it's been a good kick for the taste.

top with some kind of tahini-based dressing and the juice of a lemon half. toss to coat and then chow down.

according to my calorie tracking app, it's around 430 calories, 13g of fat, 14g of fiber and 23g of protein. not too shabby for a full meal. plus i'm sure it's got like a ton of other important nutrients and other good stuff in it.

so just eat the salad and let me know what you think. it may sound daunting, but it's really not. but i bet if you served it at an impromptu brunch, people would be impressed. 

MARCH-ing on

march is my favorite month of the year. because it has a few of my favorite things:

1. my #birthweek: yes, i'm a brat who not only celebrates for a week, but also created a custom hashtag that i use for any and all events associated with it. i'm sure this is one of the reasons my friends secretly dislike me.

   

   my excitement over cake last year. cake is ALWAYS exciting. photo cred: my dear platt
2. st. patrick's day: the kickoff point for said #birthweek, i always enjoy any reason to celebrate my theoretical irish heritage. particularly if it includes drinking mass quantities of good beer. and occasionally doing three  a car bomb. i know it's amateur hour, but i can't help myself. 

   

   basically. 

3. SPRING! while my girl elsa and i agree on many things, 

   

   obviously. elsa's no fool.

   there is one thing that i simply cannot get through my head.

   

   LIES.

   the cold actually has been bothering me. a lot. for months. with nary an end in sight. but now that it's march, spring is theoretically here. (though it did flurry on my commute this morning). but i went out this past weekend in a dress and NO TIGHTS. and it was sheer pleasure. thanks for that march. 
4. cataversary: a year ago, i adopted my furball buddy and life has been great ever since. 

   

   i mean, look at that face. d

5. march madness: weirdly enough, i wasn't super into college basketball always, despite my love of any and all things gators. but i've realized how exciting and fun it is, regardless of how good your team is. luckily, my team's been pretty good lately. especially this year. i can't wait to watch them dance their way to success. 

   

   please note the arms on young (#4). they are literally what my dreams are made of. 

so basically, march is the best month. and i'm actually really excited for the 2014 edition, because i've spent the past two months focusing on what i want, and not going to lie, it's fucking great. i've found a new hot yoga studio that i'm obsessed with. i've created a few new recipes that are delish and healthy - which i'm going to share in a blog post in the near future - that aren't impossible to make in my miniscule kitchen. i've said no to things that i didn't want to do and felt zero residual guilt. and i have an appointment in a week to officially add the color pink to my hair, something i've been toying with for months on months on months. 

i feel like i'm heading into my last year of my twenties with a "woo!" instead of an "eek!" which is what i've been anticipating. the idea of aging is never an appealing one, but i'm choosing to embrace it instead of running from it this year. and maybe it'll truly become the #yearofbetsy that i've been working for. 

penny hartz: my spirit animal

but then again, come see me when the big 3-0 is looming. i'll probably be slightly less cool about it. 

everything hurts and i'm dying

well, not quite. but there is a smidgen of truth to what my girl leslie knope has to say.

i've spent the past two weeks getting back into a healthy state of mind. since i am a firm believer in "baby steps," the first week was all about getting used to cooking and eating healthy food again. which was surprisingly painless - until i wanted to eat ALL OF THE FRENCH FRIES. but i didn't. though i do believe in one cheat meal/day per week because otherwise you will want something so much that you binge like crazy and feel more bloated than this blowfish:

surprised little sucker, isn't he?

so after i eased into that, it was time to go back to the dreaded gym and spend some time with my best frienemy, the treadmill.

personally, my biggest issue with the gym is actually getting there. once i'm in the building, i can usually find the strength to pound out a 45 minute to an hour workout, whether it be a zumba class (my fave) or on the treadmill (not my fave). i've been making it stick and holding myself to the commitment, even when all i wanted to do was to go home and sleep.

the results have been good so far, minus the fact that my body is not quite used to the pattern yet. and by that, i obviously mean that muscles i forgot i had hurt and i struggle to stay awake past 9pm. in fact, last night, i fell asleep on the couch at 8pm for the second week in a row. i also happened to have a glass of wine in my hand. and the noise it made when it fell is what woke me up (note: no wine glasses were harmed in the writing of this post nor in the sleeping on the couch.) 

i'm happy that i've made it through two weeks on my 52 week plan to a better betsy, but it has not come easy. and it will continue to not be easy. and it will probably make my muscles hurt even more. but at least i know now that i have some.

the weight of the matter

let me just say this to start: i never have been, and never will be "skinny."

okay, that feels good to get off my chest. though. if you know me, you probably already knew that fun fact.

anyway, the reason that i bring that up is because i did something controversial - for some - yesterday. i bought a new scale. and then this happened:

just got a paper cut opening the box of my new scale. I knew these motherfuckers were dangerous.
— Betsy Connors (@yournewbff) January 6, 2014

why is this controversial, do you ask? well, because a lot of people think that weight isn't what matters most. how you feel/look in your clothes/whatever your personal guidepost is what is important.  and to a degree, i agree. (ooh, rhyming!) however, i've learned that for me to be successful, i need to be accountable. and the best way to make sure i do it? by weighing in.

i have struggled with my weight my entire life. hell, i came out of the womb a hefty 10.1 lbs (sorry mom). i have been on and off diets for as long as i can remember. while always active - kickball in grade school, volleyball in high school, general life now - i still managed to always be a couple sizes bigger than the rest of the girls in the class. and for the most part, it didn't bother me much. but there were days where i wanted to shop at 5/7/9, and i have never in my life have i been a single digit size. nor will i ever be again. it's not in hand i was dealt. i get boobs and but for days instead, so i think it's an even trade.

i've done a couple of significant weight losses in my life: once in high school and once after college. the one in high school was mostly because i wanted to play collegiate volleyball and i needed to drop some weight to look more desirable to schools. it was the skinniest i have ever been in my "adult" life. realistically, it is not feasible for me to get down to that size again.

the one after college was different. after discovering the deliciousness in beer and all night pizza delivery in college, i put on all the weight i lost in high school - plus another truckload or so. i was living at home in south florida, working at a job i liked, but didn't love, in a city i didn't care for with only a couple of friends to hang out with. i threw myself into healthy eating and obsessive working out - and it worked. i dropped an olsen twin over the course of the year. and i looked great. but i wasn't happy.

shortly after, i realized my life goal of moving to nyc and life got better. i got a job in marketing at a magazine, i made amazing friends and have a city as my playground. there's always something to do here: a new bar, a new restaurant, a new show. i wanted to take everything in and i didn't want to miss out. and when you start making plans with people you care about, it becomes extremely easy to forget about going to the gym. when you're drinking until 3 in the morning, there's the requisite pizza before bed and greasy brunch in the morning. so in the 4 years i've been here, i've put back on a good chunk of what i discarded before i got here. and i'm finally ready to take it off - for good.

i was thinking back to those two key times and realized what was the factor in making it happen: weekly weigh-ins. every week at the same time (first thing in the morning right after you pee), in basically the same clothes (stark naked, obvi) on the same day, I would step on the scale, and write my number down in a book. and that book was the FUCKING LAW! sometimes i would even step on the scale daily, just to keep myself in check. it didn't count unless it was the official day, but it would remind me that every decision counts.

i've cried on a scale too many times to count, but i know that for me to make sure this sticks, it's what i have to do. i'm not a masochist or anything, but sometimes you have to hurt before you feel good. (wait, isn't that the masochist motto? oops.)  

since i'm a lady, i won't be weighing and telling, since that IS masochistic. instead i will be stepping onto the scale and into my new regimen. but first, i need to put neosporin on my paper cut.

another year, another set of most likely impossible goals.

while i wish i could say that i'm not one of those nerd-bombers who takes the beginning of each year as the chance to make a resolution or two, despite the fact that 90% of the country don't manage to keep to these said goals. (note: i definitely made up that stat, but i bet it's true). but unfortunately, i do think that the new year is a chance for a new beginning. and every year, i think that i'll have different results. yet, normally, when people ask me how my resolution is going, i respond similar to mr. campbell.

looking back, my goals for the past few years have been basically the same thing: lose weight, be more adventurous, blah blah blah. and i haven't managed to do anything about it over the fast few years. this year has been kind of meh. it's not that i'm unhappy with my life, i have a lot of great things going for me, like amazing friends, a supportive family, a city i'm obsessed with and a super awesome cat.

i mean seriously, i have some great stuff going for me.

but i just feel like i could be happier and better at my life, you know? and since there is basically no one stopping me but me, i decided (again) that it's time to get back in order.

however, when i was thinking of how to "resolve" for this year, i realized how everyone fails. by setting one goal that is too hard to attain. so i've decided to take a different approach this year and hope that i get different results.

there are three basic dreams that i - and most people - want in life: health, wealth & happiness. now, if i set out to attain all three at once, i would fail faster than i chip my manicure (fast). so instead, i have decided that each month i'm going to work on small goals that can help me get to the macro (impressive word, i know) goal. but what's important is that i make sure i do it for the right reasons.

heisenberg knows what's up.

here's a little breakdown of what i'm looking for from each of the pillars:

health: i mean, this wouldn't be a betsy resolution if i didn't say that i wanted to lose some weight this year. because i do. but more importantly, i want to focus on living a healthy life, which includes eating better and getting some exercise - of course - but it also means that i want to put my health first. if you don't feel good, you're not happy. this past year i've struggled with a lingering allergy situation, some kind of asthma flare up and a lot more aches and pains than i think are normal for a 28-year old woman.  not to get all hippy dippy, but i do believe that some of these issues might be able to be cleared up with a regular routine as opposed to the chaos i have been living lately.

but that doesn't mean that i'm not going to use my healthcare that i pay my hard earned money for to check out the stuff that hangs out longer that than it should.

wealth: i wish i could just resolve for wealth and all of the sudden be blessed with an unlimited bank account. but that's not how it works. and while i am SUPER good at spending money, i'm terrible at saving it. which my parents love to point out. so this year, my goal is to learn to save and actually do it. create a budget and stick to it. put money in a savings account and not touch it. you know, basic life skills that i should have by now. so basically, i'm just going to become a normal, functioning adult who spends less than she makes in a month. groundbreaking, i know.

happiness: this one isn't as easy to pin down into a specific thing or goal to it. because one thing doesn't make you happy. it's a bunch of things all working together in harmony. or some bullshit like that. and while i do agree that attitude is a big part of happiness, it's also about finding things that bring you joy, even if it's just a simple cat image on the internet.

it's a kitten eating pancakes!

i'm heading into my last full year of my twenties and i don't want to have any regrets about things i wanted to do that i missed out on because i was scared or nervous of the repercussions. so i'm going to find things that bring me happiness and take advantage of them. whether it be springing for the (cheap) 10 minute massage at the nail salon, getting pink hair or even seeing a movie by myself because i can't possibly wait for another minute, i'm going to just do it and love every second of it.

and theoretically, the reason i'm telling all of you fictional readers this is that i'm going to come back at the end of each month and let you know what i did to work towards these goals, if i'm succeeding, failing or if i just straight up forgot about it. apparently accountability is what makes things real.

for january, my main goal is to cook more and eat out less, because it helps me get to ALL THREE GOALS. i know, crazy, right? but if i cook more, i save money from eating out. and if i make it, then i know what's going into it, and i can make sure i choose healthier options. and i actually love to cook, so it makes me happy to be in the kitchen.

since i'm sure your minds are completely blown right now, i'ma drop the mic and pick up a ladle to get myself a serving of the delicious chicken tortilla soup i made in my slow cooker yesterday while you crazies nursed your hangovers.

yep, 2014 is basically already my bitch.