I Heart Induction Cooking Event

Last night I headed downtown after work for a date with Electrolux at Desiron, a gorgeous furniture gallery in SoHo.

003While I normally tend to be more conservative in my interior design tastes, I was immediately taken aback by the gorgeous pieces when I walked through the doors. The colors, textures, and finishes were like a warm breath of fresh air as I found refuge from the cold winter air. I secretly wanted to spend the next hour upstairs, exploring the furniture, but I quickly headed downstairs for an hour of cooking fun with Johnny Iuzzini  and Anne Burrell instead.

004The event, which kicked off Electrolux and Frigidaire’s “I Heart Induction” campaign, was themed around Valentine’s Day and highlighted the many benefits of induction cooking from both a chef and a pastry chef’s point of view. Induction heating, which has been around for years, is still a mystery to many. Induction cooking uses induction heating to directly heat the pot instead of a heat transfer from gas or electric burners. In order for induction cooking to work, the pot used must be made of magnetic material so that the heat may transfer. Therefore, cast iron pans work wonderfully but aluminum can’t work. Simply said, it’s the magnetic reaction which creates the heat.

Benefits

  • Sleek like electric but cooks like gas
  • Can touch it without risk of getting burned.
  • 70% more energy efficient than gas and 20% more energy efficient than electric
  • Responsive and even cooking
  • Can boil water in 90 seconds

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While their cooking styles and personalities were very different, both showed a passion for food and induction cooking that was contagious. 006

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The duo whipped up a delicious Valentine’s Day meal including a fennel and grapefruit salad, spaghetti Bolognese, and a poached pear dessert.  While they each prepared the dish, they highlighted some of the many benefits of using induction cooking over the traditional gas or electric stove, common in most homes.

 008012  022The best part about induction cooking is that it doesn’t have to cost thousands. Frigidaire makes a portable induction burner which is perfect as a more affordable option. My father actually gave Bo and I one last year and we love it for quick and precise heat. It’s only $199.00 and can be easily stored in even the smallest of kitchens!

Question: What’s your favorite type of heat? Gas, electric, or induction?

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Marathons+Moderation Guest Post #31: Training for a Marathon During Winter

This week’s Marathon+Moderation guest post comes from Tina! A year ago, long before Cross Fit came into her life, Tina was pounding the asphalt or treadmill daily, training for her first marathon. Instead of signing up for my own Spring marathon to learn how to battle the cold weather during long runs, I figured we could all learn from Tina’s experience. I hope you all enjoy and please, keep the Marathon+Moderation guest post requests coming!

I used to dread running outside in the cold weather, but when I trained for my first marathon in November, December, and January in Boston, I had no other choice. Once I learned how to deal with the cold and dress properly for the conditions, I’ve actually started to enjoy winter running! Here’s how I get myself out the door and running when the cold temperatures arrive!

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Dress In Layers

When getting dressed for a winter run, I like to keep the “25 Degree Rule” in mind. Because your body heats up as you run, take the outside temperature, add 25 degrees to it, and dress for that temperature. So, for instance, if it’s 40 degrees outside, dress for 65 degree weather. It might seems chilly at the start of your run, but you’ll definitely warm up!

For winter running, I generally start with a thin layer of ‘wicking’ clothing (usually a short sleeve shirt) and then add a breathable jacket or long-sleeve shirt that protects me against the cold and wind, but still releases heat so I don’t overheat. I avoid wearing clothing made out of cotton because it holds in moisture, which leaves me wet and freezing.

 

Dressing in layers is important because it allows me to remove pieces of clothing as my body begins to heat up, so I make sure they are easy to take off. I like jackets and shirts with long sleeves, which make them quick and easy to tie around my waist during a run. I also wear a jacket or vest with pockets, so I can store my gloves and hat if they start to make me too warm.

Here’s a helpful guide from Runnersworld.com for dressing for cold weather running. Runner’s World also has this great tool to help you determine what to wear for just about any outdoor run. If you haven’t run in the winter before, you can always go out for a quick test run around the block and add or take away layers if needed.

Cover My Hands and Head

My hands get cold quickly, so I always wear gloves once the temperature outside gets below 40 degrees or so. Similarly, when the temperature drops below 30 degrees F, I wear a hat on my runs, which prevents heat loss through my head.

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Heat Up My Clothes

On really cold days, I throw my outer layer and gloves in the dryer for a few minutes before going outside. The warmth only lasts for a few minutes, but it’s enough to get me out the door.

Wear Throwaway Gear

For cold weather races, I wear ‘throwaway’ gear. I’m usually freezing standing around prior to the start, so I wear an old long sleeve shirt (or sweatshirt) over my race attire. Once I start running and get warm, I take off my throwaway shirt and toss it on the side of the course. A lot of races plan ahead for runners leaving their layers behind and donate the extra clothing to charity.

Just Do It

Instead of obsessing about how much I don’t like the cold weather, I focus my attention on how great I will feel once I’ve accomplished my run. I also remind myself that it usually only takes me five minutes or less to warm up and forget about the cold.

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Seven Tips to Make Working Out Easier

Life isn’t easy and neither is finding balance in life. For example, the weight loss adage goes something like this:

  • 80% diet
  • 20% working out

Well, unfortunately for me, I haven’t quite mastered that whole 80% portion. I’m a born and bred Southern girl with a strong sweet tooth and a love for Diet Coke. I’m human and no matter how hard I try, my diet hasn’t totally cleaned itself up over the past few years. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve vastly improved but I’m no where near perfect. But, that other 20%, working out, is a whole different story.

I have somewhat of an extreme personality; I either commit to something all the way or I don’t commit at all. Therefore, when I joined Weight Watchers in 2005 and they told me I needed to start working out in order to overcome my week 3 plateau, I joined a gym and started waking up five mornings a week before my 9am classes senior year in order to break a sweat. This is when my relationship with running started.

Over the past five years a lot has changed in my life:

  • Graduated from University of Georgia
  • Moved from Athens, Georgia to Philadelphia
  • Started a new job
  • Survived a long distance relationship for 2 years
  • Got engaged
  • Moved to New York City
  • Started a new job with same company
  • Moved in with my fiancé
  • Started a blog
  • Married above fiancé
  • Trained for and ran two marathons
  • During all that change, one thing has stayed constant and that is the 20%- working out. Therefore, for this week’s installment of Tuesday Tips, I figured I’d share a few tips and tricks with you all since I receive a comment or email each week regarding “how I do it” while balancing career, marriage, friends, and the blog. Realize that the below list includes things that may seem like common sense to some but others it may create an “aha” moment or spark an idea. I hope these help you commit to your workout plan so you can look back a year from now and feel like you’ve made headway on the 20%.

1. Find a friend: It is much easier to commit to a workout if you know there will be someone waiting for you. This can help fight the snooze buttons on the alarm, the post work slump, or the winter blues. Whether it’s running, walking, Zumba, or even a trapeze class, I guarantee you it will be more fun with someone else.  I know that at least one morning a week I need someone to drag me off the treadmill and onto the sidewalks. Luckily, Jocelyn lives in my neighborhood and was just that person last week, even when it was cold and rainy! Working out with a friend provides a low cost to free alternative to cocktail hours and dinner dates while allowing you to catch up at the same time you break a sweat. Who doesn’t love efficiency? 004 2. Join a club or a group: What if you’re the first of your friends to commit to working out and therefore have a difficult time finding a friend to break a sweat with on a weekly basis? Lucky for you, there are a plethora of free or low cost groups you can join. For example, in almost every town there is a running club associated with one of the local running stores. Most times these clubs cater to power walkers through elite runners. When I was running in Philadelphia, I joined a Main Line running club out of Bryn Mawr Running Store which I found by searching “Philadelphia running clubs” on Google. In addition, if you have a Lululemon in your city, they definitely feature multiple free group workouts each week ranging from yoga to running. Just use their store finder tool to find your local store’s website or Facebook page. Another resource is local health bloggers. If you’re new to blog reading or writing, use Google and try a few different search terms. This sounds crazy but it’s worked for me before. When I moved to NYC I knew very few people outside my fiancé and his co-workers. Therefore, I started looking up NYC health blogs on Google and came across Melissa. We ended up meeting when I emailed her about NYC races and gyms. Joining a club or group helps keep you accountable, can push you to do things you didn’t think possible, and can be a great way to meet new people.

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3. Always be prepared: In case you didn’t know, I grew up in a scouting family. Therefore, the motto “always be prepared” has been engrained in my head from an early age. While this can apply to many things, for me it is a perfect motto for keeping up with workouts. I don’t have a figure 8 ball which I can consult or trust on a regular basis. My work schedule changes by the day, and sometimes even by the hour. But, I always keep a gym bag under my desk filled with the essentials: old gym shoes, shorts, top, sports bra, rubber band, headband, and water bottle. This allows me to join friends at the gym on a whims notice or leave the office for a quick stress relief when I know it’s going to be a long evening. In addition, this always alleviates the “i forgot my clothes at home” excuse which used to plague me quite often.

4. Make hitting the snooze button harder: If you’re anything like me and Bo, your natural inclination when your alarm goes off, especially during the cold and dark winter months, is to hit the snooze button. No one wants to leave the comfort of a warm bed. But, if the only chance you have to workout is before the craziness of the day begins, then you have to do everything you can to ensure you don’t hit that snooze button. Over the years, Bo and I have learned that we have to make it harder because we both love using the snooze button. If you put your alarm, whether it’s a cell phone or actual alarm clock, somewhere in your room which requires that you get out of bed to turn it off, you’ll be far less likely to hit snooze. Also, we find that annoying alarms work best. This means the louder and more disruptive the better. There are no harps or favorite songs going off at 5:15 in our household. Instead, both of our cell phone alarms are set to the tug boat setting and one goes off at 5:15 and the other goes off at 5:20.

5. Track It: Just like tracking food helps with managing your diet, I find that tracking my workouts helps keep me motivated. There are a number of wonderful tools out there, ranging from spiral notebooks to computer programs but at the end of the day, Daily Mile is my favorite tool right now. The important thing to understand about this website is that it’s not just for runners. As you can see from the below screen shot, they make it easy to enter everything from yards swam to miles ran or cycled. In addition, they have numerous other actives in the more section. At the end of each week, they send you an email with how the week compares to your average and even give you an inspirational phrase for the week: groovy progress, rockstar, etc. During marathon training, many of us looked forward to this weekly email which not only showed our progress from a mileage and pace standpoint, but also gave us that “pat on the back” that you need when the going gets tough.

image 6. Do what you love when you love it: If you follow me on Daily Mile, Twitter, or just on this blog you know that I am a morning workout person by nature. It’s far easier for me to make it to the gym before work than after work as I often have the 7pm slump when all I want to do is go home and curl up on the couch. I have to use groups and friends to motivate me for evening run clubs or yoga classes. Therefore, I use the mornings as my “core” workout time. I plan in my head that I will workout Monday through Thursday from 5:30-6:30 each morning. Anything in addition to that is just an “extra” workout. That way if I have to cancel on an evening workout due to work or hit the slump, I know that I already logged a workout for that day. It’s also important to break a sweat in the way that makes you the happiest. I’ve tried to commit to spinning and Bikram yoga twice before, once in Philadelphia and once in New York. At the end of the day I don’t love those workouts as much as I enjoy running, weight training, or power yoga. I’d find myself skipping workouts or not pushing myself while I was on the bike or mat. I finally realized that it was because I had no passion for these workouts. If you focus on doing the workout you love during the time period of day that you love, you’ll be more successful.

7. Tell Others: Do you find it hard to workout while you’re traveling for business? What about working out before work or after work? Try sharing your plan with someone who your with and see if that doesn’t change things. I started telling my co-workers, casually during dinner conversations, that I was working out the next morning in the hotel gym and this immediately made waking up during business travel earlier. Often times, they’ll join me because they’re inspired by my strong ethic. I’ve done the same thing with Friday long runs. It’s tough to log 11 miles before work in a foreign city, but if your team members know you’re doing this you’ll not only get tons of cheers when you see them but you’ll also feel accountable. When I was on a girls weekend beach trip, I knew that running 20 miles would be tough between our late night chats, alcohol, and vacation mode. Therefore, I told my girlfriends in advance that I’d be doing my 20 miler while we were at the beach. They were supportive and even ran a few miles with me while also motivating me to keep my plan in place, especially when tempted with the idea of hanging out on the beach instead or sleeping in.

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I’m sure I’ve inadvertently left something off this list, so I’ll keep it updated under the soon to be updated Exercise page on my blog. Until then, if you have any questions, feel free to email me as always.

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