Fashion Friday in a suitcase! A symphony in turquoise.

Good morning, all!  Kicked ass (or was it had my ass kicked) by Slimmons last night, after which I was crazy-hungry.  I realized that I forgot to log my calories after lunch - if I had, I would have seen that I was seriously low for what I usually eat.   So I was famished on the way home and ended up eating almost all of my remaining calories for dinner.  And... this is not a good idea.  My body doesn't like that kind of bulk eating anymore.  (I could've eaten something small but terribly calorie-dense, but most of those things aren't nutritious. Instead I ate a lot of nutritive food - but too much food is too much food, regardless.)  Ah, well.  We live and learn.

It's Friday, and I don't actually have an outfit for you today.  Well, not one I wore this week.  While sorting through our honeymoon photos for Adventure Wednesday, I was reminded that packing for Italy was a real challenge.

• I could only take one luggage - a smallish, light carry-on that I was going to roll around through airports, train stations, subways, cities... because we weren't renting a car, we were only taking mass transit.
• Due to the wide variety of activities we'd planned, I had to be prepared for vastly different clothing needs.  Dusty ruins-trekking, swanky museum-going, romantic boat rides, gelato-eating... a lot of gelato-eating.
• We were going to several churches, cathedrals, chapels... all places that require knees and shoulders to be covered.
• It was going to be freakin' hot.  I mean, heat-wave-kills-the-elderly hot. And I mean that literally.
• It was Europe.  Land of the chic and well-dressed.  And I wanted to not look like a typical tourist, I wanted to blend in as best as I could.  (I don't know how well I accomplished it in Italy, but it worked when we went to Paris; the people we met assumed we were British, Australian or Canadian.)
• It was my honeymoon.  And I wanted to look cute.

And at this point, I hadn't yet discovered the wonders of online plus-size vendors. Or perhaps they weren't around as much four years ago.  So, clad in solely Lane Bryant and Torrid togs, I managed to pack a small amount of clothing and get several outfits out of it.

So I thought I'd put together a packing guide for our imaginary trip abroad next week.  Let's run away together!

Heidi's packing basics for European travel:

• Select two or three neutral colors, and one or two accent colors.  Then everything can mix-and-match.  For my honeymoon, the color palate was black, white, gold/tan, and red.
• Three "under" shirts - light tops or blouses that would work under another top or cardigan
• Two "over" shirts - cardigan, light longer-sleeve blouse, or jacket
• Two pants - capris and short gauchos work well for comfort and movement.
• One skirt - preferably with bike shorts for underneath
• One dress - for occasions
• One scarf or wrap - the only accessory needed (and good for churches, etc - for covering shoulders.) Other plusses - European in style, and can also be used as a belt.
• A hat. I lied. One other accessory, for sun protection. 

So for our imaginary departure tomorrow, I've put together a series of choices in each category (currently available for purchase), and then made my personal selection, and paired up 12 different outfits from three tops, three bottoms and a dress.  On with the fashion parade!

Oh, and one more thing... I'd like to dedicate this to my ladies Kenlie and Rochelle, whose mutual love of turquoise inspired my travel color palate of black/white/gray/turquoise/yellow.

DRESSES.  Left to right, top to bottom:
Flowered peasant by Blue Plate
Aqua sundress by Mlle. Gabrielle
Yellow flower sundress by Alight
Black tank dress by Sealed With A Kiss
Mutlicolor sundress by Mlle. Gabrielle
Polka-dot sundress by Mlle. Gabrielle
Turquoise sundress by Lane Bryant

OVER-TOPS.
White cardigan by Fashion Bug
Teal cardigan by Lane Bryant
Gray cowl-neck by Derek Hart
Crinkle tunic by Fashion Bug
Mottled cardigan by Torrid
Short-sleeve peasant top by Catherines
Long-sleeve peasant top by Lane Bryant
Gray bandanna henley by Sealed With A Kiss

UNDER-TOPS
Aqua cowl tank by Fashion Bug
Aqua peasant top by Unique
White surplice top by Unique
Teal ruffle tank by Lane Bryant
Turquoise stripe tee by Avenue
Polka-dot blouse by Unique
Flower tunic tank by Lane Bryant

PANTS.
Black capris by Fashion Bug
Bike shorts by Junonia
Black gauchos by Essentials By Maggie
Gray bermudas by Avenue
Khaki capris by Jessica London
Navy capris by Woman Within

SKIRTS.
Full gray skirt by Avenue
Black jersey skirt by Fashion Bug
White eyelet skirt by Sealed With A Kiss
Black essential skirt by Sealed With A Kiss
Black flared skirt by Fashion Bug
Black crinkle maxi by Lane Bryant

SCARVES. Worth the investment.
Dip dye cashmere turquoise scarf by Nordstrom
Yellow and blue scarf by Diane Von Furstenberg
Cream and teal scarf by Juicy Couture
Yellow and white scarf by Mark Jacobs
Geometric teal scarf by Hallogen
Yellow polka-dot scarf by Hallogen
Teal silk scarf by Lulla Collection
Yellow fringe scarf by Juicy Couture
Pale aqua stripe scarf by Make + Model

  
Here is the final wardrobe I selected...

Everything mix-and-matchable.

  
And... now for the outfits!

Technically, I'd probably add a light jacket to this batch, too, and maybe a yellow camisole tank.  That would allow for a couple extra outfit variations (and would prevent freezing on our unplanned late-night water taxi.)

So... where are we going?  And what are you packing!?

A Beginner's Guide to a Healthy Kitchen, plus an unexpected guest

It is a gorgeous day in Los Angeles, but I find myself with about as much energy as a stuffed Garfield hanging on a 1980s minivan window.  Which is to say, none.

I haven't talked much about it here, but I've been suffering some lady-parts trouble for the last few months.  Consecutively.  If you follow my meaning.  So I'm back to the same level of anemia I had in December.  At that point, I could hardly lift my arms for exhaustion.  I'm certainly better off than I was then, thanks to all of the exercise and healthy food... but I am really, REALLY looking forward to fixing all of this.  (I just made a circling-my-abdomen gesture that, in hindsight, I'm pretty sure Liz Lemon would also make in this situation.)  Here's hoping that my doctor appointment this afternoon will help!

In the meanwhile, I'm going to give you a shorter update today, with the fourth part of my week-long series...

...to a healthy kitchen!

Yesterday's guide to healthy food includes only a part of what you can do to help improve the way you eat.  There's a lot you can do to make your kitchen a haven for you and your body.  (And also your spirit, but the more I am actually using my body, the more I see how closely the two can be connected.

When you're starting down the path to a healthier life, there's one thing you should do first.  (Well, other than talk to your doctor.)  Step into your kitchen, and...

Clean it out.

I don't mean with a mop and a broom, although the nicer you make your kitchen, the nicer it is to be there. 

I mean get rid of the stuff.  Get rid of the stuff that haunts you in the wee hours of the morning.  Get rid of the stuff that is there for your No Good, Very Bad Days.  Get rid of the stuff that you stuff your face with when you're bored.  Unless you're working very hard on your moderation (which is important, but can be easier to do after you get used to your new healthy choices), there's a good chance that if it's in there, you'll eat it. So whatever you put in your kitchen should be something that you consciously, mindfully want to put in your mouth.  That brings us to...

Stock it up.

When the last carton of Chunky Monkey (or the last block of Velveeta) is gone from your fridge, you need to put good things in it so that they're ready for you to eat as soon as you need them.  

I'd say there's probably a pretty good chance you're not eating enough vegetables.  Find a place that sells what you like,  and get munching.  Raw veggies are great for snacking on.  I especially love them with a little hummus, honey mustard, or - you guessed it - greek yogurt (with a little herbs or seasonings mixed in.)

It helps to have readily-available protein, too.  I love chicken tenders - I grill a batch early in the week and enjoy them in salads and sandwich wraps.  I don't go a day without enjoying single-serving cheeses.  At any given time, I have string cheese, or Trader Joe's Brie Bites or Goat Cheese Medallions in the fridge.  The latter come in one-ounce packages (with six or so in a bag) - and the pre-defined single-serving really helps me avoid the Just Another Tiny Slice phenomenon (you know the one... you're slicing cheese, and you eat a little, and then you eat a little more, and then before you know it, half of the package is gone.)

Most of all, stock it up with healthy things that are things you like.  If you buy healthy food but you hate what you're buying, you'll have a harder time eating it.  You may even be tempted to go out for something different than what's in your fridge.  This used to happen to us all the time, but now our well-stocked fridge keeps us right on track.

Measure it out & pack it in.

There are a few supplies that I find helpful in the quest to balance our meals.  Some of these things also prevent the items in our stuffed-to-the-gills fridge from becoming green, fuzzy, and nameable. (Thank you, Dawn Summers.)

a - We pack up our chopped raw veggies, our roasted red peppers, and our grilled chicken in resusable storage containers like these ones by Glasslock.  One great thing about the Glasslock products is that neither their glass, their plastic, nor their lids contain BPA.  Women in particular should avoid BPA, for hormonal purposes.  You can read more about that in this Glamour article, which was written by an acquaintance from college.  (Thanks, Aimee, for the link!)

b - And before you can store 'em, you'll need to chop 'em on a sturdy cutting board, like these pretty green numbers by ArchiTEC.  Make sure you wash your cutting boards carefully, and avoid cutting raw meat on boards you use for other food (this is where multiple shades or sizes can come in handy.)

c - We are very careful to measure our portions, and one of our best tools for this is the liquid measuring cup by Pyrex.  Won't break, but is super-strong.  We've had ours for a very, very long time.

d - For veggies that are quick to spoil, like berries, we use these Debbie Meyer GreenBags, and they're terrific.  In our fridge, strawberries in their original container last about five days before they start to get a little wilty, and a full week before they're fuzzy.  With GreenBags, we've seen them last up to 10 days without wilt or fuzz (but mostly, our new menu planning means we eat them within seven days, so we don't see as much fridge slime as we used to.)

e - Meat and produce comes in a variety of sizes, so the best way to know exactly what you're eating is to use a food scale like this one by Newline.  It can also really help with baking, because flour settles, so a cup can differ in mass considerably.

f - For sauces & fats, a little bit can go a long way (and a long way towards throwing off your calories for the day.)  We own a couple of different sets of measuring spoons - like this set by OXO - so that we always have the right ones handy, even if we're behind on the dishes.

We try to stay up on the dishes pretty regularly, now, though.  We cook so often that if we don't have all of our pots, pans, dishes & utensils available, we have to wash them by hand as we cook.  Plus, it means we're ready for unexpected company... like this lizard who came to visit this week.

He first appeared on the outside of our screen door Monday. 
We opened the glass to get a better look at him, and when our very curious
kitten Greta lifted her paw slowly to him, he jumped straight into the air,
freaking all four of us (cat, lizard, Tom, me) out.

We thought he was gone for good, but on Tuesday, he was back nestled by our succulent planter.

He kept curling back out of the sun, and in the process, posed for a portrait.

In trying to figure out what kind of lizard he was, we stumbled upon the Lost Lizards of Los Angeles project, through the Natural History Museum of LA.  Fascinating!  They're tracking what lizards live in what areas of the city.  Our Mr. Lizard turns out to be a Southern Alligator Lizard, which are apparently very common in SoCal.

Eventually it got too sunny for him and he crawled underneath the planter.  We're not sure if he's still there (he seems to have eaten all of the slugs that drifted toward our succulents after recent rainfall, so he probably has no reason to be.)  But we'll be on the lookout for our reptilian roommate!  I hope he's taking good care of himself.  And I hope you are, too!

A Beginner's Guide to Exercise, plus weigh-in Tuesday

Hello and a warm welcome to new guests and old friends!  Just one quick Weigh-In Tuesday update, and then I'll jump right in to part two of my new series.

Today I'm down another pound!  That brings my total to 42 pounds since January.  Do I wish it were more?  Sure, but I have enough friends on a plateau to know that a pound lost is a lot to be proud of.

And now, for...

...exercise!

I may have made a lot of changes this year, but there's something about me that just hasn't changed.  I hate to exercise.

Yes, that's the truth.  I HATE EXERCISE.  I don't like the smell of the gym, I don't like the fees, I don't like the smugness of extremely fit people, I don't like waiting for a machine or a lane, and I really, really don't like to sweat.

But I have to tell you something else that's true.  I love the way I feel after exercise.  It is possibly the most important thing I can do for my body. It helps me control my weight, but beyond that, it does so much more.

Why should you exercise?

• Are you anxious or blue?  Exercise is proven to reduce stress, and, thanks to the endorphins that are released during physical activity, can improve your mood. 

• Worried about your health?  Increasing your activity level helps combat chronic disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and all kinds of other issues.

• When you get out of bed in the morning, do you feel like a mastadon stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits?  Working out ups your energy level.

• Not thinking straight?  Feed your brain! The increased blood flow from exercise is proven to improve cognitive function.

• Missing that spark?  Not only can exercise increase libido, it can affect your agility, flexibility, and stamina.  

• Having trouble carrying your grocery bags?  It's amazing how much exercise can build strength.  I used to have difficulty lugging heavy, wet laundry up the stairs.  Now I'm surprised every time I pick up a new load... it isn't a challenge anymore.

You've probably already heard about much of this.  If you're not working out - unless you have a physical ailment preventing you - the real challenge of working out is probably how hard it is to get started, not to mention how hard it can be to keep it up.  Now, I can't drag you out the door and lug you to your gym (though your accountability buddy might have to sometimes.)  But I can give you several different tips and ideas for integrating activity into your life.  And I'll start with the biggest, most important tip I can share.

Make it fun.

The only way I can get myself - and keep myself - exercising is to do whatever I can to trick myself into thinking that I'm having a ball.

I'm lucky in that I live in Los Angeles, home of the world's foremost fun-maker of exercise: my (formerly imaginary and now very real) friend, Richard Simmons.




There he is, dressed as a fluffy yellow chick for his day-before-Easter "Hopping at the Disco" class.  And there I am, in my green tank top, behind his shoulder on the right.  I dare you not to smile at how cute this is.

And here we are again, on this week's episode of Khloe & Lamar.  My apologies for bringing the Kardashians into all of this, but it's kind of amusing to be in the background of a show on E! - since the only E! show we ever watch is The Soup, known for ragging on its own network.

I go to classes at Richard's gym, Slimmons, three times a week.  For 90 minutes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I get to punch, kick, and scream... and get screamed at by a national icon.  (Screamed at with love, that is.)  If you're anywhere near Los Angeles, why aren't you working out here?  It's $12 per class (with some package deals that can discount the price), and every penny is worth it.  And, like I was saying yesterday, YOU are worth it.

Seriously. Grab a water bottle, a towel, some crazy gold lame leggings, and your sense of humor.  And come out and join us.  It's so entertaining that you forget you're working out, plus it will make you fierce, fit, fabulous.  And the crew of regulars are, bar none, the kindest and most supportive exercise pals you'll ever meet.  The positive attitude filters down from the top, and no one leaves a class without smiling... even if, as Richard threatens, you are so sore that you have to drive home with your lips.

(For full disclosure, you should know that I am a scholarship recipient to Slimmons, but they have in no way paid me to endorse the gym.  I just really love it.)

Richard's an expert at making a workout fun, so here are some tricks I've learned from him that you can use even if you're nowhere near Los Angeles.

• Work out with friends.  A room full of friends is great, but even just one helps ease the anxiety of crossing that gym threshold (or that door threshold!)  You'll have someone to check in with, someone to challenge you, someone to complain to when you don't feel like your arms can lift so much as a cereal bowl.  And someone to be accountable to - if you cancel an exercise date with yourself, it's just you in a little bubble.  If you cancel an exercise date with a friend, you'll let them down just as much as you're letting yourself down. 

• Shake it up.  You can't do just one kind of exercise and call it a day.  It gets boring, plus your body gets too used to it.  Do some aerobic exercise, but then move on to weights.  If you want to stay at home, free weights are a terrific way to gradually strengthen your arms and core.  Use the resistance of your own body to make it stronger - try crunches, push-ups, and bicycle kicks to challenge yourself in a new way.  Believe me, your body WILL respond to the challenges.

• Be patient with yourself.  It may be hard to do something at first.  I only made it through 20 minutes of my first Slimmons class before my heart was pounding, and I started to feel hot and nauseous.  The Slimmons team ushered me to a chair, where other chair-bound exercisers taught me how to do the workout seated.  Over the course of a month, I worked out standing as long as I could, and then I pushed myself while sitting.  And soon I was standing for full classes.  If you're just starting out, you have a long way to go.  It's not a race, so remember that and keep a close eye on how your heart and body responds.

• Turn up the tunes.  Nothing will get your legs moving quite like an awesome playlist.  Richard does a different theme class every Saturday, during which he plays a carefully-selected collection of music from a particular era, artist, or topic.  I've discovered that the oldies classes get my feet moving best, but others love the days with all new music.  Try on a bunch of different songs for size, and see what works for you.

• When all else fails, laugh. At those theme classes, Richard dresses up in a costume that reflects his music choices.  For the "sexy" Saturday, he was dressed as a sex kitten (cat ears and all.)  For "rock" Saturday, he was in full KISS makeup and gear.  He's forever trying to make us all laugh, and when I don't think I can lift my knees or do another crunch, he makes some joke that has me in stitches, and forgetting how little I want to be doing these damn push-ups.

I try to shake it up between Slimmons classes, too.  I have been trying all different kinds of exercise, discovering the things I like best.  It's not hard to do a little research on classes, gyms, and other kinds of fitness.  I encourage you to vary your routine, so that you're always growing and never getting bored.

For instance... consider swimming!  Outside of Slimmons, it's my very favorite form of exercise.  Because of the water resistance, you can actually burn more calories while doing laps than almost any other form of exercise.  (Even running!)  Plus it's low-impact, so your joints will thank you for it.

Don't know where your nearest pool is?  Check out Swimmers Guide, a database of pools all over the world, including public parks and gyms.  This is an especially valuable tool for vacationers.

Swimming can be a little bit of a production, so I've created a shopping guide of my favorite products that help me "just keep swimming, just keep swimming."  All links are to Amazon listings; none of these companies have paid me to promote, they're my personal recommendations.

A - Staying underwater for prolonged periods of time can lead to a condition called Swimmer's Ear, an infection which, trust me, you do not want (and I did not enjoy.)  I prevent this when doing laps by wearing earplugs.  This pair from Speedo works quite well, and withstands the horrors of chlorine and ear wax.

B - Growing up, I always thought that swim caps prevented hair from getting wet, but in fact, they are there to protect the water from your hair (and your hair from your goggles.)  Before getting a cap, I frequently had strand breakage right along my goggle line, so now I always wear one of these stretchy lycra Speedo swim caps.

C- Gym showers - even in our uber-clean Hollywood YMCA - are not my favorite, but they're a necessary evil.  To prevent any hitchhiking fungus, I recommend purchasing a gym-only pair of flip-flops to keep in your gym bag.  My favorite pair is by Havianias: comfortable, washable, and they've lasted me for five years with heavy use!

D - Since I posted about it a few weeks ago, I've been swimming with the Speedo snorkel and I LOVE it! If you have any trouble breathing, or wish to focus on your stroke instead of breaking for breath, I highly recommend trying it out.

 E - It's important to track your fitness so you understand how much energy you've spent, and so that you can gauge how much stronger you're becoming.  While in the pool, I use a lap-counting ring, by SportCount, to count my laps. It is really easy to use, and works well underwater. Adjustable, too.

F - The swim aftermath products are as important as the during-swim ones.  Chlorine can build up quickly in hair.  It's important to cleanse it thoroughly with a chlorine-neutralizing shampoo, so you can avoid brittle (and green!) strands.  I've been using Barracuda's Aquia Swim Shampoo-Conditioner to help rid me of chlorine - so far, so good.  (UltraSwim works too.)

G - Finally, a even a little swimming without proper moisturizing will likely turn you into an alligator.   Origins' grapefruit Gloomaway lotion is what I use to rehydrate my skin.  I rarely ever get dry skin unless chlorine is involved, and this always does the trick.  It's very creamy, and the fresh citrus scent helps combat the eau de pool that is otherwise my new signature fragrance.

I hope that this guide will help move you towards movin' it.  You owe it to yourself... to the little you who couldn't wait to be a grown-up.  To the elderly you, who needs you to get strong now, and stay strong for the future.  And you can do it.

That's it for today, but be sure to come back tomorrow for some fun with food.  Your mom may have told you not to play with it... but it turns out that's the best way to have a healthy relationship with it!

Until then, keep taking care of you and have an excellent day.