Hot & Heavy

I just wanted to send some kudos to Virgie Tovar, the editor of the upcoming book Hot & Heavy: Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love, and Fashion. It comes out late October, so reserve your copy today!

To celebrate the release of this amazing and much-needed book, Virgie is introducing 50 Days of Fat Ferociousness. For fifty days, Virgie will be introducing you to fifty fierce women who unapologetically love their bodies. I was so honored to be part of this list of fifty amazing women. I was Day 48:

Thank you SO MUCH Virgie, and all the people who "liked" and left comments on Facebook on my day. It is truly an honor:)

Celebrating EVERY body,
the fierce fathlete

phoenix life

Technically, the phoenix is a mythical bird that symbolizes rebirth and renewal. After some thought, I realized that after finishing the Ph.D., it was only appropriate that lady fate would lead me to Phoenix, Arizona. That's right. I'm currently residing in Phoenix and am lecturing at Arizona State University in the Asian Pacific American Studies Program. Though it's not a tenure-track job, it's an excellent opportunity and I am so lucky to be here. Granted, being away from the people I love has its rough moments. But like the mythical phoenix, my time here is part of my rebirth and renewal. It's a stepping stone to where I need to be. With that, I need to indulge in the process.

A lot has changed in my life. With that, the trajectory of this blog will again, shift. I haven't sorted out the nuts and bolts of it all. For now, the posts fill focus less on health and working out. Instead, you'll see more about me and what's going on in my life. Not that I'm completely brushing off sharing my health adventures with you - I'm just not doing a lot in that area lately. Since we're on that subject, I'll give you the quick and dirty about that part of my life.

Over a year ago, I officially left One World and CrossFit because I re-located from Union City to South San Francisco. From there, I joined Club Genentech and took classes and worked out on my own. It was a good move for me because I was getting frustrated with CrossFit and I thought it was time for me to bow out gracefully. Now that I'm in Phoenix, I decided that I really don't want to deal with the whole gym scene at all. Therefore, I treated myself to P90X (yes, much to the dismay of many CrossFitters... and you wonder why I left). I do that and other at-home exercise routines. You may not realize this, but my first foray in exercise happened at home, using some Kathy Smith exercise tape (the one where you use resistance bands). I used to wait til everyone was asleep and I'd sneak downstairs and exercise by myself. I guess you can say that I'm going back to that. It's not CrossFit (in both positive and negative ways), but I'm actually enjoying it! I'm waiting for this blazing hot weather to cool off so that I can go running again. Rumor has it that by late October, I can develop a running routine that can carry me through the spring time. Wa-hoo!

I know it's been a while. I promise I'll post regularly from here on out. For now, I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive and well. This blog will live on, its soul is just being re-vamped.

Celebrating EVERYbody,
the fierce fathlete

for the love of vogs!

Me celebrating my new shoes in the photo booth!

It's been months since my last post. Apologies. I'm still trying to figure out what I want this blog to be. I no longer CrossFit and am a member at the local gym. In truth, I love it. It's what I need now and it has definitely been good for my sanity and well being. I don't hate me as much as I was during the tail end of my CrossFit days. Don't get me wrong, I still think CrossFit is an excellent workout system. For now, it's just not for me. I'm okay with that. But this post has nothing to do with exercise or health. Rather, it has EVERYTHING to do with my love of Fluevogs. To catch you up, I professed my love for the Canadian shoe brand here. Note: It's my belief that fantastic things come from Canada. It must be the universal healthcare! Moving on...

Yesterday was International Fluevog Day. On May 15th, the gods and goddesses of Fluevog plan a day of festivities at their respective stores (photo booths, cupcakes, balloons, cutesie little giveaways, etc.). All day long, there is a plethora of specials going on, including the only day you'll ever get you favorite, classic shoes at a 15% discount. (I know it doesn't sound like a lot. However, it's either that, buy used on ebay, or pay full price.) Certain online orders receive free shipping, etc. 

I've been feeling really down lately for various reasons (that I don't really care to share right now). When  International Fluevog Day rolled around, I debated not going. I figured it was no loss, as I had never visited the store during International Fluevog Day anyway. However, yesterday was different. I needed to get out and visiting Le Dealers at the Kingdom of Haight always puts a smile on my face. Also, since it was a weekday, I figured I could time my visit just right so that I could avoid the crowds. Sporting my brown with purple Viardot, I made my way to the World of Fluevog, Kingdom of Haight, to visit Le Dealers on their very special day.

An old photo of Le Dealers and the Fluevog
IV. Shirl, Dorothy, Jim, Gladys, me, and
Denny at the Haight Street store.

In the interest of making a not too long, but fabulous story short, I happened to be in the middle of my transaction when Mr. John Fluevog himself FaceTimed the store. Per the IFD festivities, if you're the person making a transaction when The Master of Vogs calls in, you get to talk to him! And I did just that. I'm sure I sounded like a blundering idiot. During our conversation, The Master of Vogs gave me the greatest news a Vog lover could hear. My purchase was going to be FREE, courtesy of him. Yup. That's right. I walked away yesterday with not one, but TWO pairs of deliciously gorgeous shoes (check out my photo booth photo above). Currently, I am the proud owner of two new Minis, the Elif and the Qtee. I couldn't be happier. (me doing the happy dance)

As I mentioned to my dear friend Ayu, winning the shoes was simply perfect. I didn't wish for more than I was given. I was happy and grateful. Even better, my dear friends and Le Dealers were just as elated as I was. I needed to feel this way. As I write this, my new Qtees are at my feet. Many thanks to The Master of Vogs for such a phenomenal company. Of course, many thanks to Le Dealers (Jim, Denny, Allan, Monica, and the lovely gentleman who helped me with my photo booth shots Ed) for making my day. I will love these shoes for life:)

SCREAM!

A lot has been on my mind lately. As an academic, I don't have the luxury of letting news just pass me by. Lately, the news has been sitting, festering, building up anger, frustration, and tears inside me. While I'm not sure what counts as news to you, my mind has been overwhelmed by the Trayvon Martin and Shaima Alawadi cases. A lot can be said about these two tragic and unnecessary losses. For now, my thoughts focus on their grieving families....

To make matters worse, I'm reminded of the stupidity of this generation's youth while reading this bit about The Hunger Games movie. Dear Stupid People: Your beloved characters are black in the book. They are black in the film. Deal with it! 

However, this is a health/exercise blog and most people don't want to be bored with my political/racial rants....

With that, I'll share what health related things have been on my mind. Here is a preview:

Paleo Women are Phat by Ancestrialize Me! (Um, I'm not sure if "phat" with a "PH" is appropriate here. But that's just me.)

Mom Puts 7-Year-Old on a Diet by Katie Baker (Proof that some people shouldn't have kids.)

I Love My Body by Melissa Joulwan (And I *heart* Melissa Joulwan!)

I'm Calling for a New Paradigm by Go Kaleo (Props to this article. However, I believe I did the same thing here. Apparently, when a fat, brown, kick-ass woman makes a declaration, no one listens. Boo! Still, I do like the Go Kaleo article and I'm looking forward to her future posts!!)

The Difference Between Eating Paleo and "Being" Paleo by Highbrow Paleo (YES! Someone finally had to say it!)

The "Fuck It" Diet by Margaret Cho (Another reason why I love Miss Margaret.)

Like you, I'm sick of the current attack on women's bodies. Unfortunately, I don't have the energy or focus to elaborate because right now, I'm just so f--king ANGRY! For now, all I have is this tune by Janet and Michael that's been blasting in my car lately. Enjoy!

current addictions

This was originally posted here. For those of you who don't know, my dear friend Fritzie and I have a co-authored blog called Academic Kitchen. Stop by and check us out sometime:)

For this post, I want to share a few things that I'm totally addicted to. First off, I'm currently addicted to listening to the Paleo Summit, that's going on from now til March 4th. It's a series of radio interviews with varios experts in Paleo lifestyles. Each day, there is a different set of audio interviews that are posted. These interviews are available for only twenty-four hours. When the summit is done, the interviews and transcripts will be available for sale. I'm loving the plethora of information because the organizer has set up a diverse set of speakers, some who contradict each other. If you have the time, check it out!

As I probably mentioned before (maybe not), I'm currently addicted to Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. Admittedly, I own quite a few paleo cookbooks, but this is the one that I use ALL THE TIME.

There are several reasons why I love Well Fed so much. First, there's a ton of variety. I'm never bored with the recipes she has because with most recipes, she lists ways to vary the it so that you can potentially make two to four different dishes using the same components. Second, it's a true paleo cookbook. While I'm not super strict, I like that Joulwan sticks to strict paleo because it shows that paleo cooking can be strict, yet delicious. Third, she introduces some simple, but effective cooking techniques such as brining chicken to make sure it stays moist and emphasizing that chili needs to simmer for two hours to ensure deliciousness. Take it from me, she's TOTALLY RIGHT! Third, her recipes are really easy. Fourth, she has a section where she shows how you can cook/prep for the week, making paleo eating very do-able. (Yes. Treating cooking like a CrossFit WOD definitely helps with making home-cooked meals manageable and efficient!) Fifth, she has a cooking style that I can relate to. I'm someone who isn't really good at following strict recipes. This is because I don't usually trust recipes. I take for granted that most cooks won't share their secrets. Therefore, cooking is about 10% recipe and 90% instinct and soul. Luckily, Joulwan's directions are great! But they also give you room to experiment. She provides the base ideas and you, the budding paleo cook can run wild. Pretty awesome!

Finally, the reason why I'm addicted to Well Fed is because it introduced me to my next addiction: Penzeys Spices! OMG!OMG!OMG!HOLYJEEBUS!OMG! For those of you who don't know, Penzeys is a store (and website) that sells spices. That's it. Just spices. Thing is, it sells deliciously fresh and totally inspiring spices! Luckily, there's a Penzeys in Menlo Park. At my last visit, I picked up a few things. Aren't these things just beautiful?

I have to say that shopping at Penzeys has totally inspired my inner chef. First off, it prompted me to re-organize my spice cabinet. Check it out, y'all! Isn't she gorgeous? FYI - I get my spices in various places. As long as there is a Penzeys nearby, I'll always go there first. However, I also shop for spices at Trader Joe's and Cost Plus World Market. Though I have some stuff from Costco, I'm going to stop that because there's no reason for me to have two pounds of cinnamon. Really. There isn't.

I must admit that with my spice rack all revamped, I've been really inspired in the kitchen. Here are a few results of this weekend's cooking adventures. After a conversation with the Manpanion about my eating goals, I told him that I respect his love for carbs and such. Just because I'm trying to be better at a paleo/primal diet doesn't mean he has to suffer. However, I do want to know that I'm feeding him well. (Yes. I pack him lunch everyday. I'm awesome like that.) I explained that he would see a few changes in his meals. Primarily, I'm cutting out bread, noodles, and pasta. Instead, I'm packing him potatoes (the colored ones, not the Idaho ones), yams, squash, and other friendly starches. He trusts my cooking senses, but will miss the rice. I cooked these seasoned red potatoes to pair with the pot of chili I made.

I swear this next dish tastes better than the photo looks. I wanted to make a creamy Italian-inspired dish. I make a mean alfredo, but I wanted to create something that had those sensibilities, but was (mostly) dairy free. Using coconut milk and two different cheese-flavored spices (they have minimal amounts of cheese, so this dish isn't 100% paleo), I created this creamy chicken and vegetable dish. It turned out fantastic! Unfortunately, I don't have an exact recipe. Let me think about this and I'll post the "recipe" of this dish soon.

And there you have it. A few of my current addictions...

Live deliciously!

-joanne

project: non-slip headbands

Per Gladys's request, here's a photo of me
sporting one of her awesome headbands!

Last November, my gals Lori, Lyn and I ran the Mermaid 10K. After the race, Lori and I purchased the Mermaid Series Sweaty Band, a headband that is partially lined with velvet to stay in place during rigorous workouts. I've read about them for a while and when I saw that they were selling at the race, I figured I'd treat myself to one as a victory gift.

Believe the hype. They are a GREAT product! They're cute and available in every design and color known to human kind. More importantly, they definitely stay in place during high intensity workouts. So what's the catch?

Unfortunately, I have a HUGE head (to house my insanely large, magnificent brain). While I love the headband I bought, it does slip and is a bit tight (even after it's been stretched out). Though they're worth the money, I still think $15-$18 is a bit steep for ribbon, velvet, and elastic. With that, I did a search for DIY Sweaty Bands and found this site. I then emailed my dear friend Gladys, who has been taking up sewing and asked her if she would be able to sew these bands for me. When she agreed, I started inspecting my band, trying to figure out what measurements and materials I needed. (Standard Sweaty Bands come in about 20" and I need something that's about 21" or so.) I then looked online for some ribbon and velvet and found the EXACT same ribbon as what's sold through Sweaty Bands! In case you want to make your own headbands, I suggest buying ribbon here and here.

Anyway... as stolen from Gladys's post, here is the finished product! I just received the bands today and I'm wearing one right now as we speak. They fit perfectly and I can't wait for the elastic to settle in. Also, I suggest you visit Gladys's post to get a solid sense of how to make the headbands yourself.

BUT WAIT! For those of you who aren't the crafty types but don't want to pay the high price for Sweaty Bands, then please check out BIC Bands and Chick Bands. If you email the makers directly, they can custom size your bands for you (wa-hoo!). BIC Bands are based in LA and her products run about $10 or so. The great thing is, a portion of the sales go to a different charity every month. Yea! Chick Bands, which operates out of Maryland and available through etsy, runs a little cheaper at about $8 or so. Shipping is inexpensive on both sites.

Happy shopping!

aaaaand she's back!

This was taken during my last race of 2011.
I ran the Mermain 10K in SF with Lori and
Lyn. It wasn't my best race, but as always, I'm
glad I did it. I'm still trying to figure out my
running schedule for 2012. I'll let you know
details as soon as I decide!

Hello all!

I know. It's been a LONG time! Yes. I've missed you too. A lot has happened since my last entry. The long and short of it is this:

1) I moved to South San Francisco.
2) I no longer CrossFit, which means...
3) I'm now at your standard globo gym. fathlete confession: It's not as bad as you think. At the end of the day, exercise is exercise. While I miss CrossFit, there are certainly things about it that I can do without. I'm enjoying the break. When the day comes that I go back to CrossFit, I know the road won't be easy. Right now, I need the break. I need to re-set and re-evaluate.
4) I'm still working on moving forward and moving on. It's a scary road. But I'm ready roll. Full throttle. BRING IT!

When I clicked on the "new post" button, I meant to explain the changes in my life and why CrossFit and I are on a "break." However, I just don't feel like getting into the details right now. Instead, I think I'm just going to keep it simple. This is still a blog where I record my random musings about health and all that good stuff. I promise I'll try to keep things interesting. For now, I just want to say hello and I've missed you.

By the way, a dear friend of mine and I started a new blog called Academic Kitchen. It's a food blog! I use it to connect stories about food and memory. It's where Fritzie and I share various food adventures including what we're eating, what we're cooking, and who we're doing this with. I'll share more about why we started this new blog in another entry. For now, feel free to visit, comment, and simply enjoy the place "where nerds cook up a storm."

Today's Small Victories
You're reading it. Yay.

Today's Workout
I took a break this morning. I woke up at 5:30am, dressed up and was headed out the door. But something just didn't feel right. My body didn't feel right. I headed back to the apartment and my stomach started to ache really bad. This, to me, was a sign that I needed to stay in. I shall hit the globo gym tomorrow morning. Yay.