DAY 302 OF 365: HAPPY HALLOWEEN

So it was back to the grind for me as I started the day with a session with JC. I have to tell you, it took every bit of energy that I had to pull myself out of my warm bed and make the trek to the gym this morning. It wasn't just because it was nice and warm in my comfortable bed, but it was also because I knew what was in store for me at the gym. A week off from working out with JC meant that he was not going to go easy on me and he was going to hit me with everything that he had. Boy was I right. After our normal warm up, he put me through a circuit that worked every muscle in my body instead of concentrating on a certain muscle. JC felt that by doing this, we were giving the muscles a chance to re coup in between circuits, while at the same time giving the body a total workout. And you know what, he was right. I left the gym feeling energized and worked out and sore. Basically, a great feeling.
Now it was time to head into the office for a long day of casting. We were having a Halloween party at the office, and honestly, I was Debbie Downer. I brought a costume but ended up not putting it on. This is one of my favorite holidays and this year I just didn't have it in me to dress up. It was hard enough just making it through the day dealing with what I had to do. I know, where is my spirit? It is probably the same place as my life, non existent. But I had packed a healthy lunch and snack, and knowing that it would be a long day at the office, I even made sure to pack a nice dinner. Sad right, but at least I was prepared. But you know what? There is now a light at the end of the tunnel, and I am not talking about the challenge. I will keep you posted on that progress, but for now just know that I have a plan. Oh, and I have posted a juice recipe that I tried that I really liked. Try it out and see what you think.

Blue Moon
2 Cups of Blueberries
6 Small Peaches, pits removed
3/4 Inch Piece of Ginger
Pinch of Ground Cinnamon

Juice the blueberries, peaches, and ginger in your juicer. Add the pinch of cinnamon and stir and pour over ice. Makes 2 small glasses.

It is the perfect thirst quencher and the cinnamon gives it a great kick. Blueberries are a great antioxidant so I say anything that involves blueberries is amazing! Give it a try and let me know what you think. For now I am going to work on my charity benefit and then it is off to bed for me. Another day at the office tomorrow and I am sure that it will be just as hectic as it was today. So I leave you with this little diddy. Change is inevitable. It is the only way that we grow and evolve as individuals. Embrace it, follow it, and live it. Because after it is all said and done, we are only as good as the life we lived. Till tomorrow.

DAY 301 OF 365: A WHITE HALLOWEEN

So this weekend was anything but normal. For starters, it snowed. Not just flurries, but actual snow fall that accumulated to about 4 inches. It was cold and wet and did not feel like Halloween. But, it was fun and it reminded me that the holidays are just around the corner. It's my favorite time of year. Time to be with friends and family and not to be burnt out from working crazy long hours. So my goal this Holiday season is not only to remain healthy in my lifestyle, but also to remain healthy in my social life. That means actually having a life and spending quality time with friends and family. We take for granted how important a healthy social life is to one's health. Without social interaction outside of the office, I have started becoming situationally depressed, not wanting to leave the house because I am tired and drained from the office. Because of this I have missed out on so much fun with friends, and family and doing so, made me more depressed. So it will be my job to dig myself out of this depression and regain control of my life. I have realized that things need to change in order to regain my life, and I finally have the courage to make the change.
So before signing off I leave you with two of my new favorite juices.

Spring Clean
2 Large Cucumbers
6 Carrots
1 Large Green Apple, stalk removed
2 Celery Stalks, including leaves
1 Large Beet, scrubbed

Juice the cucumbers, carrots, apple, celery, and beet in a juicer. Stir to combine and serve over ice. Makes four small glasses.


Minted Apple Orchard
6 Apples, stalks removed
3 Pears, stalks removed
1 Cup of Mint Leaves

Juice the Apples, Pears, and mint leaves. Stir to combine and drink immediately. Makes 2 large glasses.

Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do. I am going to try and post a recipe or two with every blog. Now keep in mind that I am working crazy hours again so I will do my best to post recipes. Now it is time to crawl into bed and call it a night. Meeting JC in the morning. Should be an intense workout since I had to cancel my last two sessions due to work. Wish me luck! Till tomorrow.

DAY 299 & 300 OF 365: TAKING A BLOGGING BREAK.

So I am taking a blogging break this weekend. I will be back on Sunday to fill you in. I just wanted some time to relax. Thanks for understanding.

DAY 298 OF 365: MY BODY IS NOT HAPPY

This week has been one hectic and crazy ride full of ups and downs and my body is very aware. I was forced to cancel my sessions with JC on Wednesday and Friday because of work and my body was not pleased. As much as it may pain me sometimes to get out of bed and head to the gym, my body has gotten used to it and made it a routine. It was used to getting home cooked meals, green juice and fresh smoothies and now it gets take out and late meals thrown together. So now instead of being a happy and healthy body, it is a very disgruntled body that is not too happy with me. I promised that I was not going to let my work affect this challenge, but every day is becoming harder and harder to keep that promise.
This weekend marks my last weekend off until Thanksgiving. That means I will be 24 hours, 7 days a week. Not looking forward to that, especially since I am going to be maintaining this healthy lifestyle. Well, I am not going to focus on that. Instead, I am going to relax and enjoy this weekend. I will need to rest up for the work that is ahead of me. Now it's time to curl into bed and count sheep. I have to be up at 6am to head to a production meeting for Broken City, the new feature film that I am working on and then from there I am heading over to Law and Order: SVU for a concept meeting. Looks like another busy day. Till then.

DAY 297 OF 365: RUNNING AROUND TOWN

So I wish that I could say that I was running a marathon or running along the waterfront, but it was more like I was racing from meeting to meeting trying to get done all that I needed to during this hectic day. I was out of the house by 6:30 this morning so that I could make it on time for my production meeting for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. That meant that I was not able to meet with JC this morning. It was frustrating because I don't want to feel like I hit a road block in my healthier lifestyle. From that meeting I raced back to the office to get some work done before heading out to a meeting for the film that I am prepping and then back to the office to cast for Law and Order: SVU. Before I knew it, it was 10pm and I was finally ready to call it a night and head home. It is days like these that remind me why I started this challenge. I need all the energy that I can muster up just to make it through the day and the healthier me now has more energy.  Well, I am off to bed. Another early morning at the office. Till tomorrow.

DAY 296 OF 365: THIS JOB IS THROWING A WRENCH IN MY CHALLENGE

OK, So  my work load is increasing and I am once again living at the office. I had to cancel my session with JC for tomorrow morning because Law and Order: Special Victims Unit moved my production meeting from this evening to tomorrow morning and I was forced to cancel my session Friday morning due to a production meeting for the new film I am working on. Mix in the fact the my hours are getting longer and longer, and well that is a recipe for a disaster. I am trying my hardest to stay focused on the goal at hand, but I am worried that this job will be destroying all the hard work that I have been putting into my body. I am starting to feel that being an extras casting director is a 24 hour job that I am ready to check out of. I know that may sound awful, but after 10 years, the healthier fitter me is starting to realize the life that I have been missing. I can tell you this much, working out has given me more energy to do things that I didn't realize that I wanted to do. Oh, did I mention that starting next weekend that I am working 7 days a week again until Thanksgiving? Yeah, not looking forward to that. So what I need to do is get my mojo back. I can't let this job create a road block in my challenge. Instead, I need to plow through that road block right to the finish line. Speaking of that finish line, this challenge might need an extension. I feel like there was a factor beyond my control (this job) that has been messing with my results. Is that allowed? I think it should be! So with that, I need to go back to work. Surprise Surprise, I am still at the office. Almost 10pm and I am sure that I will be here for another hour. Till tomorrow.

DAY 295 OF 365: MY LEGS ARE SORE

So I have mentioned how my legs are always sore after my workouts and for some reason don't seem to be adapting well. No matter how much JC works with me and my sore legs, they just don't seem to be getting better. We even took a break from working legs to see if they just needed to rest. They are getting stronger, but the soreness after the workouts does not seem to be going away. Anyone have any advice for what I could do for this situation?
Well, I am going to call it a night early. This past weekend was a hectic and crazy weekend and I didn't get that much sleep. After this mornings intense workout, my body wants a good night sleep. So till tomorrow.

DAY 294 OF 365: FUN IN THE KITCHEN

So today I was up and out of the house by 6:30am to judge a beauty pageant in New Jersey that was filmed for season 4 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Definitely a fun and interesting day but needless to say I was tired and missing my nice warm bed. So when I got home today, I changed into my PJ's, and went to work in the kitchen to prepare a nice home cooked meal that I could enjoy while watching some TV. I made some quinoa that I cooked with chicken stock instead of water and I sauteed some asparagus in balsamic vinegar with toasted pine nuts. For the main dish I baked seasoned chicken with BBQ sauce. I have to say that I love cooking with seasonings. What could have been just normal BBQ chicken, was elevated to something else when I added seasoning to the chicken.
Now I am full and relaxed on the couch catching up on some Sunday TV watching. Tomorrow starts another day and another work week. If only every day could be as peaceful as I feel right now. But I know that soon my alarm will be going and then it will be off to the gym to meet JC. So for now, I am going to relish in this peaceful moment. Till tomorrow.

DAY 293 OF 365: SCARY NIGHT

So I was awoken this morning at 2am to the screams of a woman outside my window. She was screaming fire, fire and at first I thought I was dreaming. I quickly got up and opened the curtains to four buildings on fire. I could actually feel the heat of the fire from my apartment. It was the scariest thing to be that close to those flames and see black smoke and know that the lives of so many people were about to change. Peoples homes and belongings were destroyed and with in moments the flames had engulfed these buildings. Minutes later, four fire trucks, EMT and police had responded and it took them till about 5am to get everything under control and to put out the flames. I hardly got any sleep just thinking about what was happening outside my windows. I ended up sleeping in later than expected since I was up most of the night. I eventually got up and made some coffee and googled the fire to see if anyone was hurt. Luckily, it seemed as if everyone made it out unscathed. Their homes and belongings were not that lucky.
The rest of the day I spent cleaning and bill paying and basically just lounging before heading into the office for work. Now I am home and showered and ready to call it a night. I have to be out the door tomorrow morning at 6am as I am judging a beauty pageant tomorrow. I have to be there at 8am and it is being filmed for Season four of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. That's right ladies and gentleman, yours truly will be mixing it up with Teresa herself. So you will have to tune in next season to see all the fun I am about to have. So, I am off to get some sleep. I better make sure I stock up on my pageant crack! For any fans of Toddlers and Tiaras, you will get the reference. Till tomorrow.

DAY 292 OF 365: LONG DAY

So I have decided to make this a short entry in the blog. I am exhausted from an intense workout with JC this morning and a long and hectic day at the office. The only thing that I am thinking of right now is curling into my nice warm and comfy bed and drifting off into dream land. Tomorrow will be my first real day off in awhile and I can't wait to enjoy it. Night all. Till tomorrow.

DAY 291 OF 365: SPRINTING TO THE WEEKEND!

OK guys so the weekend is almost here and I am hoping that all of these late nights at the office will mean that I can actually have the weekend off and enjoy it instead of spending it in the office. Fingers crossed! Looking forward to meeting with JC in the morning as I am more motivated than ever to tone this body up. I am realizing that the year is fast approaching an end and that means photo time. Hear is hoping that I look as good or dare i say better than Trevor Donovan in the photo. Alright, enough chatting. I need to get back to work. My goal is to leave the office before 11:30pm tonight. Chat later and I promise to post some yummy recipes this weekend. Till tomorrow.

DAY 290 OF 365: I NEED TO EAT MORE PROTEIN

OK, So today's workout with JC was intense as always except this time he pushed me to beat my personal bests. Like he has said numerous times, we can't move forward unless with hit failure. That is the only way that we are going to train the body to push itself further. I am happy to report that after this session with JC I am still breathing. He kicked my ass and by the end I was wobbling and sore and even my fingers hurt, but I have to admit, my upper body is starting to show some good results. I have realized though that with all this weight training, my body needs more protein to replenish the muscle that I am tearing in order to rebuild it. I am thinking of adding more grilled chicken to my diet and even hard boiled eggs. Any thoughts?
On the work front I am still working crazy hours and getting home late. Last night I literally passed out in my clothes when I got home. Hopefully in a few weeks I can get back to a normal schedule seeing as this challenge is fast approaching its end date. Getting a little scared that I won't be in the shape that I want to be for that photo, but I guess I can always sprint to the finish line. Well, back to work for me. It is 10:30pm and I am still casting away at the office. Till tomorrow.

DAY 289 OF 365: ANOTHER LATE NIGHT AT THE OFFICE

OK, so this is getting repetitive. I am once again working late, missing my juicing and healthy meals that I could be cooking in my nice kitchen. Instead, I am sitting at my desk, casting extras and drinking coffee to stay away. At least I am eating healthy. My buddy Helene has begun making these healthy snack bars and she brings them to work with her. I might have to steal some recipes from her, or better yet, slip her some cash and buy some pre-made from her! Well, I wish that I could tell you something interesting, but kind of boring on my end. OK, so enough chatting, I need to go back to casting. Till tomorrow!

DAY 288 OF 365: HECTIC DAY AT THE OFFICE

So I started the morning with a session with JC, concentrating on chest, biceps and arms. We worked the legs a bit since I seem to need the most strength training in them. I guess I have some weak chicken legs. But don't you worry, I am working on plumping them up, it is just taking a little longer than expected. I was impressed with myself with the free weights and especially with how much I have progressed with bench pressing. A far cry from the out of shape guy that started this challenge back in January. The rest of the day was spent in meetings for the better part of the morning and afternoon. I wish that I could say that I had a healthy lunch and some nice refreshing snacks, but instead my lunch consisted of a cup of coffee and a banana. I was so busy that I actually forgot to eat lunch. I know, that is a big no no. I made sure to have a nice hearty salad with some good vegetables and protein for dinner, and have been drinking plenty of water. I may be working myself into the grave, but by god I will look damn good in that grave! Well, it is back to work for me. No rest for the weary. Till tomorrow.

DAY 287 OF 365: THANK GOD FOR GREEN JUICE AND A HOME COOKED MEAL

So I spent another gorgeous day stuck in the office when I should have been out enjoying this beautiful day.  But the best part of the day was coming home and juicing some healthy greens and cooking a nice home cooked meal. I love when the house has that home cooked meal smell. There is nothing better. Well maybe a house smelling of baked pears. I decided to treat myself to a dessert of baked pears with a drizzle of agave. Yummy in my tummy and easy to prepare. All I did was take a Bartlett pear and peal it, then cut it in half and core it. I placed the pear in a baking dish and pre-heated the oven to 350 degrees. I drizzled the pear with some agave and baked it for 20 to 25 minutes, or until nice and tender. That was the perfect ending to a hectic day at the office. Now it is time for me to retire to the bedroom and count some sheep. I am meeting with JC in the morning and then I have back to back meetings for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. I am already dreading the work week. Well, sweet dreams everyone! Till tomorrow.

DAY 286 OF 365: JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE

So I wish that I could say that I spent the day enjoying this beautiful weather, but instead I spent it in an office casting extras. I did however enjoy my lovely stroll from my house to the PATH train. That was very nice and about the only fresh air that I got today. Now that I am back home, I have opened all the windows, took a nice hot shower, made a nice healthy meal of baked chicken and roasted vegetables and now I am about to relax with a good movie. Tomorrow will be another day at the office in preparation for a busy week. It looks as if things will be hectic and busy for me up until Thanksgiving.
I am looking forward to at least sleeping in a bit tomorrow morning. Anything past 7am is a treat for me. There might even be a cup of coffee and a nice breakfast in my future before heading into the office. For now I will enjoy the cool breeze coming in through the windows and the comfort of my comfy chair and blanket. Tomorrow is another day. Till then.

DAY 285 OF 365: SHORT, SWEET AND TO THE POINT

So I had a long day at the office, and to make matters worse I will be back at the office tomorrow and Sunday. I was able to get in a great work out with JC this morning before work but all I want to do right now is curl up into bed, close my eyes and fall asleep. I wish I could make this more interesting but my body just needs sleep. Till tomorrow.

DAY 284 OF 365: RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!

OK, so I don't know about you, but whenever it rains all I want to do is stay in bed. I had no motivation to get out of bed this morning, especially since I knew that I had to be on set early to check in my background. So I was lazy and hit the snooze button instead of getting up and doing my abs workout. So I feel that today was my free day. I didn't even have my shot of green juice! I know, total failure, but hey, we all have these kinds of days. At least I know that I will have an intense work out with JC in the morning. Lets just hope that the weather is a little nicer.
On the bright side, I have really noticed a change in the definition of my shoulders, arms and biceps. Hello muscles. Who knew I had this much potential? Now I just need to work on this damn mid section of mine. I keep hoping that one day I will wake up and magically this tight, firm chest will be there, but I know that is just wishful thinking. Ok, well enough blogging for now. I need to get back to work. Another late night at the office working on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and prepping this new movie that I am working on. Should be fun. Till tomorrow.

DAY 283 OF 365: TIP OF THE WEEK - STRETCH!

So this might seem obvious, but you really should stretch before and after a workout. Believe me, it is not pretty if you don't. You would think that most people would know this, but I have seen quite a few people start their workouts without even warming up. The best part about a personal trainer is that before and after each session they stretch you out. Before I started this challenge I would just start working out and then afterwards would just head home on my merry way. Well, after a few hours, my joints would ache and my muscles would feel tight, and even turning my head would hurt. So this guy learned his lesson and now warm ups and stretching are part of my daily workout. So with that I bid you farewell. Early morning tomorrow on the set of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit to check in the background and then back to the office to cast some Russians. Never a dull day. Till tomorrow.

DAY 282 OF 365: ANOTHER GORGEOUS DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

I could get used to this nice weather, but I know better. There is the impending rain and cooler weather headed my way, so I tried to soak up as much of the sun as possible. Well as much sun as I could soak up sitting in an office. I hope that you all try and start your day with a green shot. Whether it is kale, cucumber, parsley or any combination of greens, get that much needed boost to get you through the day. I try and start every day with a glass of green juice and I have to say, I am a different person.
Tomorrow morning I have another session with JC and then back to back meetings for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Busy times are back my friends so it is up to me to stay focused and on track with this challenge. There will be no repeats of the last time that I got swamped at the office. This time I am prepared to balance the stress of the job and the healthy lifestyle I have become accustomed to. And speaking of stress, I had an awful breakout on my face and neck. Anyone have any healthy tips for treating breakouts? I would love suggestions. I know part of it is in part to working out and all the sweat build up, but stress is not helping. Ok, well I am off to bed. Busy day ahead of me. Till tomorrow.

DAY 281 OF 365: BRINGING OUT THE SHORTS

Another gorgeous day and a high of 85 meant that I was bringing out the shorts again; even if it was just for one more day. I woke up this morning, enjoyed some egg whites and a smoothie and then headed to meet JC at the gym. We worked on chest, abs, and shoulders/arms today. We used a lot of free weights today to increase strength and gain control. I have noticed that sometimes my control with the weights is not that great, so JC has been working with me to fix that. JC even listened to my nagging that my core is not as tight as I would like and has increased my abs workouts. It may kill me, but come December 31st, I want to have abs and a tight mid section.
On another note, I have started to freeze grapes and eat them as a dessert. I love grapes to begin with, but who would have thought frozen grapes would taste even better. Almost like a grape sorbet. Well, off to bed for me. Healthy dreams everyone. Till tomorrow.

DAY 280 OF 365: THE END OF A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND

It takes so long for the weekend to arrive and as soon as it arrives it leaves just as fast. Now it may only be 10pm on Sunday night but I don't want to close by eyes for the fear that when I open them Monday morning will be here screaming in my face. Some may have off tomorrow for Columbus Day, but I still have to go into the office and prepare for the tandem episodes of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and I have a feature film coming into the city for 2 weeks in November that I need to start prep for. No rest for the weary. I hope that you were all able to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather. I fear that it might be the last of its kind since we are going into fall.
It was so nice this morning to wake up with a nice breeze coming in through the windows. I brewed a pot of coffee, made some breakfast and enjoyed it on my buildings terrace. I felt so grown up. It was peaceful and calming and just what I needed to start the day. Most of the day was spent enjoying this gorgeous weather that before I knew it, it was 5pm and I still needed to go grocery shopping. So I went out and stocked my fridge up with food for the week, made myself a nice dinner and sat down to enjoy Sunday night TV. The perfect ending to a great weekend. Tomorrow starts a busy day and I am meeting up with JC in the morning before work. Well, time to relax a bit more before heading to bed. Till tomorrow.

DAY 279 OF 365: I LOVE THE SMELL OF ROSEMARY

Since beginning this challenge, I have started to cook with herbs that I have never used before. One such herb is rosemary. It's aromatic smell and woody aroma elevate the taste of anything that it touches. Even your hands. So today I decided that I would make myself a home cooked meal and use rosemary. But first I wanted to enjoy this beautiful day. I opened up all the windows in the house and headed out for a nice walk. I love the fall. It's not too hot and yet it is not too cold. When I got home I wanted to make a nice dessert so I decided some lemon cucumber sorbet would be perfect. It is a refreshing dessert that I love after a nice healthy dinner. For those of you that missed the recipe the last time that I posted it, here it is again.


Lemon Cucumber Sorbet
2 cups water
2 cups agave nectar
The zest of one lemon
2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cucumber juiced


Combine water, agave and lemon zest and bring to a slow heat as you would to make simple syrup. Once the liquids have combined, leave to cool. Do not bring to a boil. Agave nectar can be found in any Whole Foods or quality food store. Refrigerate in a glass container.
Juice the lemons and cucumber and combine with the cooled Agave simple syrup
Place in your Cuisinart ice cream make and then place in freezer containers until ready to serve


For dinner I sauteed up some brussels sprouts and broccoli with some balsamic vinegar. I also made some BBQ chicken and placed 4 sprigs of rosemary in the baking dish with the chicken and covered it with tin foil. This way the aromatic smell of the rosemary would cook in with the chicken and give it a woody flavor. The house smelled of rosemary while the dish baked in the oven. It truly smelled like fall in my house. Now it is time to clean up the kitchen and retire to the couch for a good ole movie and some much needed relaxing. Till tomorrow. 

DAY 278 OF 365: TGIF

Another crazy and hectic work week behind me and I live to see another day. I thought Friday would never get here. As I type this blog my entire body is sore from my workout with JC. We worked legs, back and shoulders today and ended the session with some abs. I can see a huge difference in my strength, especially with the free weights. Now don't get me wrong, I am no body builder, but I now have control over the weights instead of looking like gumby while I lift weights. I have also been juicing a lot more now that I am back to a semi normal schedule. Tomorrow I think I will try out some different juice recipes and make some fresh lemon cucumber sorbet. There might even be a trip to the gym tomorrow depending on how I feel. I don't want to over do it since I am still sore and I have not been feeling that great, but I also want to get some cardio and abs work in. Well, I am off to go shower and watch a movie. Till tomorrow.

DAY 277 OF 365: TIP OF THE WEEK

Make time to live life. No matter how much we work out, eat healthy, and juice, if we aren't enjoying life, what's the point? At the end of the day, we only have one life. Live it, enjoy it and respect it. Because you can't exchange it for another one when you realize that it is past the expiration date.

DAY 276 OF 365: FEELING BETTER AND KICKED SOME ASS AT THE GYM

So I am still not feeling 100 percent better, but I did kick some ass at the gym this morning. I have to say that the common cold is not fun, and that mucus feeling in your throat, well, it is pretty disgusting. I did not let that stop me though from working out and pushing myself this morning. We focused on chest and legs today, while still getting in some abs. I pushed myself to failure, something that JC says needs to happen in order to increase body mass and strength. I think I not only surprised JC but I kind of surprised myself. It was as if realizing this challenge was fast approaching completion kick started my adrenaline. I found myself pulling from my core and surpassing even the strength that I thought I had. After the workout I had this feeling of amazement at what I had accomplished today and I felt proud. Now, if only I walked proud and not like a penguin. My legs were so sore that it even hurt to walk down the stairs to the PATH train.
Most of my day was spent in meetings today and when I got home, all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and relax with some TV. It was the perfect ending to a busy day. Tomorrow will be a little more stressful with all the prep that I need to do for Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. I think I will need to start the day off with some fresh jucied greens to get me through the day. For now I am going to curl into bed and count sheep. Till tomorrow.

DAY 275 OF 365: GETTING A COLD

OK, so it has finally happened. I have gotten sick, or better yet, the common cold. I woke up this morning feeling congested and sick with a sore throat. I am hoping that it will be the 24 hour bug and that tomorrow I will wake up feeling fine, ready to work out with JC. Hopefully, all that green juice that I have been drinking will help my body fight this cold. Well, I am going to take some cold medicine and call it a night. Fingers crossed I feel better in the morning. Till tomorrow.

DAY 274 OF 365: THE POWER OF A GOOD SHOT

OK, so I am not talking about your typical shot. I am talking about a green shot. This morning before heading to the gym to meet JC, I juiced a handful of spinach and kale and had myself a green shot. Now, it was intense and but in a good way. It was in it's concentrated form and not watered down, and it gave me the nutrients that I needed to complete my full circuit workout with JC. He felt that we needed a full body workout, not leaving any muscle untouched. By the end I was waddling out of the gym. But I have to say, that little shot of green juice was a great start to the morning. The rest of the day was spent at the office working on Law and Order: SVU and casting some lovely extras. Now that Gods Behaving Badly has wrapped, I am not as crazed and stressed out. But don't you worry, Law and Order: SVU is keeping me on my toes.
On another note, Fall is officially here. I could not believe how cold it got. I actually was able to open all the windows in my condo and feel the cool breeze. I don't know about you, but I love curling up in my blankets with the TV on while I feel the cool breeze in my room. Helps me sleep a lot more soundly. The more soundly that I sleep, the better chance that my body has to recharge for the the next day. Well, I am off to bed. Sweet dreams!

DAY 273 OF 365: ANOTHER WEEKEND BITES THE DUST

So another weekend has come to an end and that means Monday is just around the corner. But don't fear, I am prepared. The fridge is stocked, I am well rested, and ready to kick some ass at the gym Monday morning. I don't know about you, but I am loving the cooler weather. I can now sleep with the windows open and have the cool breeze and the sounds of nature ease me to sleep. Not to mention, I don't overheat as much at the gym now with the cool weather.
On the body front, I am still experiencing some soreness on my left side and every once and awhile I have this ache in my shoulder. I guess it is the price I pay to work out and stay in shape. Hopefully my body will get used to it and adapt and this pain will start to subside. Even as I type this I have this little ache in my shoulder. Kind of annoying. But, this evening I am going to relax with a glass of wine and some good television. Tomorrow starts another work week so for just a moment I want to escape to Wisteria Lane and pretend that a glass of wine, some good gossip, and dark secret is the only thing that I need to worry about. Till tomorrow.

DAY 272 OF 365: WATERMELON

I am a huge fan of watermelon. Whether you eat it, juice it or cook with it, watermelon is just so delicious. My favorite thing to do is juice watermelon with some fresh lime and mint, and on a hot day it is quite refreshing. Recently I was searching for a recipe for watermelon sorbet using agave nectar, and I tried many different recipes before finding this recipe on www.inmamaskitchen.com. It is light and refreshing and very tasty. Give it a try and let me know what you think.


Watermelon Sorbet (Made with Agave Nectar)


This has "an icier texture than some of the other sorbet recipes because it's made from fruit that has a naturally high water content. It's most appealing and quite refreshing on a hot summer day." Ania Catalano. This is a vegan and gluten-free recipe.
Half of a small seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into pieces
1/2 cup light agave nectar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Pinch of sea salt

Method

Place the watermelon pieces in a food processor and blend until liquefied, about 1 to 2 minutes. Measure out 3 cups of the watermelon puree into a large bowl. Add the agave nectar, lime juice, and salt and combine well. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight until ready to freeze. Pour into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions for freezing. Freeze 20 minutes. Transfer to a plastic storage container and place in a regular home freezer to firm up. Remove the sorbet from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to allow time to soften up.

Makes 1 quart.


Till tomorrow.