Prepping for Snowboard Season - The Get Fit & Stay Fit Guide

Bear Mountain 11/30 Instagram post
Gretchen Blieler and friends snow
boarding at "Bare Mountain"

Pre-season Exercise:

All southern California resorts have had their opening day this last month in November, but not all the mountains have prime snow boarding conditions. Bear Mountain in particular has been called by its Facebook and Instagram followers "Bare Mountain" due to the limited amount of open runs and dirt that is surrounding the only runs that are properly groomed for the beginning of the season. Unfortunately the snow season is off to a slow start at the mountain I chose to buy my season pass at this year (Bear Mountain, see photo on right) in contrast to Mammoth Mountain which has gotten DUMPED ON with 12.1" of Fresh Snow in the past 24 hours and 34.6" of fresh snow in the past 72 hours and a base of 50-70 in. of packed powder! Mammoth has officially gotten 113 inches of snow so far this season in comparison to Bear Mountain which is currently only reporting 8-16 inches of hard packed snow.

I'm not going to drive 2.5 hours up to Bear Mountain for a crowded, slushy and less than ideal so cal snow day when I know how wicked mammoth is at the moment in comparison. Only 2 out of 9 chairs @ Bear are currently operating. So for now, I am praying for a cold front and a huge snow for Bear Mountain while I am continuing my preseason excercise routine that I have decided to share with you :)

What have I done to stay fit over summer and train to keep in shape for the winter season? Well in between seasons and trips to the mountain my regimen consists of a combination of keeping active throughout the year with cardio, muscle strengthening, exercises that increase flexibility (think hot yoga and pilates) and, of course, eating right. 

Cardio

Although you can find me in the gym year round I prefer to workout outdoors such as hiking with friends and going for jogs and walks with my pitbull on the local pathways in town. Using the stair master  elliptical and treadmill in the gym is definitely great on days that are too hot, cold or when weather is less than perfect. But on a beautiful, sunny Socal day you can find me hiking on the trails in the mountains by my home. 

Hiking is a fantastic way to get out in nature, enjoy the fresh air and get a great leg work out.  The uphill kicks your butt, calves, and quads; while the downhill hones your shins, feet, and knees. Because the terrain is varied your legs are always correcting, always moving in new ways, always challenging themselves and strengthen more effectively than any gym cardio machines. I try to do 30 min to an hour of cardio about 4 times a week.

When hiking, I opt for the longer trails that run 5+ miles. Most often I go to Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon which is only a few miles from my home in Valencia. I also enjoy going up to Runyon Canyon in LA or Vasquez Rocks Canyon in Agua Dulce when I feel like straying out of the valley for a hike. As with hiking anywhere in Socal, beware of wildlife! Rattlesnakes are bound to be out on hot, sunny days and at most of these places you are bound to run into other wild animals. Don't go on hikes alone and don't aggrivate or entice the wild animals, I have never had a problem with them on hikes, just let them be and carry on!



Towsley Canyon Hiking Trail



Step training

Outdoor stair workouts are phenomenal for a quick cardio blast that you'll feel all day. This exercise targets leg strengthening but also does a nice job tackling your core section as well. I try to set realistic goals and increase them over time. Starting with 10 flights and increasing over time to 15, 20, 25, and then 30 is a great way to increase stamina and train your way to excellence. By adding squats, crunches, sit ups, push ups dips, body builders, jumping jacks and lunges in between flights you can tackle more areas of the body and increase the effectiveness of your workout.


 

Some Tips for Step Training: Always stretch before and after to avoid injuring yourself. Try walking the steps for a flight once so that you can get adjusted to the height and spacing of each step. Don't forget to drink water and stay hydrated. Don't push yourself too hard, its about progress not perfection, start small and increase number of flights gradually.





Pico Canyon Park Stairs



My favorite place to hit the stairs is at the local community college in Valencia, College of the Canyons. The stadium has LOTS of stairs, and on weekends if your lucky, you will catch the fire department and police academy trainees getting their morning workout on the staircases too ;) Sometimes the stadium is locked early in the AM, if I dont feel like trespassing to get to the stairs, I go to the Stevenson Ranch stairs. Pico Canyon Park has a nice big stair case of a little over 150 steps, the stairs are usually pretty crowded in the early morning hours.

 

Core exercises

Over the summer I attempted the p90x and Insanity excercise videos. Although I did notice a difference I couldn't quite get motivated to put in a tape daily, work out in my hot, unairconditioned home that I lived in with 4 roommates and keep myself accountable for the full recommended amount of time to do the work out routines. Although I did keep the ab workout routine from p90x as my clutch "go to" ab workout. I found these instructions @ http://www.ehow.com

These are seriously intense and you will feel it the next day! Start out with 15 of each of these excercises every other day and move up gradually to 20 and 25 of each.
DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF TOO FAST AND DO NOT DO THESE DAILY!

Instruction
 

1
First Exercise of the routine: In & Outs (25 repetitions)
In & Outs is a Core Workout. This means the exercise strengthens more than just your abs. Your hands are placed near your buttocks to support your weight. Your legs are placed together as you bring your knees to your chest as close as can go. You will feel it in your thighs as well. I felt my muscles tingle on my lower back as well. Moderate speed. Should take you about 25 seconds.

2

Second Exercise: Bicycles (forward motion)
Bicycles involves rotation of your legs like the motion of a bicycle. You will really feel a burn in your thighs from this exercise. Variation of the exercise is raising your arms, which adds balance to the routine. 25 repetitions.
Third Exercise: Reverse Bicycles (reverse motion)
Reverse Bicycles is the same motion as in Step 2, however in the opposite motion (rotating backwards). By now if this is your first time doing this workout, your legs will feel like mush. 25 repetitions.

4

Fourth Exercise: Crunchy Frog
Crunchy Frog is a combination exercise where your arms are spanned open like the Butterfly Swimming Stroke to cup your knees which you will be bringing in towards your chest. This is a Core workout as well. Remember to stretch your arms straight as you extend outward from your stroke. 25 repetitions. If you need to take a break, this step would be a good time. It's ok if this is as far as you go the first time. For those who can continue, proceed to step 5.

5

Fifth Exercise: Cross-Leg/Wide Leg Sit-ups.
Sit down Indian-style or Easier Variation. Extend Legs from position into a Y-Shape.

Tense your abs as you raise your arm to the ceiling. Keep your head and neck up towards the ceiling and not towards your legs. This protects you from straining your neck. When you are up, extend your fingertips to your toes (or the floor). Return back to your original position. That is one repetition. 25 Repetitions. This will take a while, so now is a good time to take a few water breaks in between.

6

Sixth Exercise: Fifer Scissors.
Extend one leg as straight as possible slightly above the floor, and the other leg straight up to point to the ceiling. With each second bring legs down so that each one will take the position of the other leg. So there will always be one leg that is straight to the ceiling, one leg straight, parallel to the floor. Do this exercise according to Tony Horton's cue (youtube link at the bottom to the exercise). It is roughly 25 repetitions.

7

Seventh Exercise: Hip Rock and Raise.
Have your feet together by the bottoms of your feet like clamping your palms together. Raise legs up, knees to chest. The key is where you point both your feet to the ceiling to get that extra umph to your abs.

8

Eighth Exercise: Pulse UPS
Both Legs are Straight to the Ceiling. Raise as if you're trying to land your heels on the ceiling. Try not to rock too much. You may want to cushion your lower back with a pillow because the return to the floor after each rep can be hard (personal experience)

9

Ninth Exercise: V-Up/Roll-Up
Lie straight on the floor. Raise your torso up to do a toe touch, and as you slowly lower yourself down bring your lower legs up slowly, keeping them straight. When the torso has returned to original position, with feet in air, bring your arms up in a more difficult toe touch (because toes are in air, not on the floor). Return to prone position. That is one repetition. (Look at the video for more guidance).

10

Tenth/Eleventh Exercises: Oblique V-Ups
Lie on one side, hand behind head. Weight should be placed on your hip and butt. The other hand in front of your body for balance. Bring up your body in a way where your elbow of the hand behind your head reaches your knee as its being raised. That is one repetition. 25 repetitions of those. Repeat on the other side (to keep your abs looking evenly worked out).

11

Twelfth Exercise: Leg Climbs
Raise your legs up like you did in Hip Rock n Raise. Bring one leg down so the heel is as close to your butt as possible. Do Hand grabs up your leg to your toe, tap foot, and come back down. By this time your muscles should be at their limit. (Honestly I skip this step plenty of times because I don't feel too much from it/too tired.)

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Last Step: Mason Twist

Clasp hands into a fist in the middle of your body. Bring your legs up above the ground. Begin with the clasped fist reaching one side of the floor, tap it, and bring fist over to other side of body and tap the floor, return to your original position. That is one repetition. Do 30 repetitions. To follow Tony you will have to do a bonus 10 reps (If you still have it in you). Done!

Holiday DIY guide 2 - Holiday gifts, drink recipes and yummy baked goods!

Cork Horse Ornaments

As a kid my favorite ornament to hang every year was the cork horse ornaments my parents got from a friend of theirs. I have found directions online and since made some for gifts by following these simple and fun directions. (I got these directions from mahalo.com and added some of my preferences) Remember don't hang the ornament too low on the Christmas tree if you have dogs or cats. I remember one Christmas, my puppy must have smelled the remains of the wine on the cork and ended up pulling our 8 foot Christmas tree down. There were pine needles everywhere!

In order to make a cork horse ornament, you will need to have the following supplies handy. If you don't have these items readily available, you can hit up your local crafts store, or simply borrow from a crafty friend or relative.
What you'll need:

1. 7 wine corks (try to use only corks that are 100% cork, a lot of wine makers are making the switch to more Eco friendly plastic substitutes and are not as easy to cut and don't look as nice on the finished ornament)
2. Gold or red string to hang ornament
3. Red yarn to make the mane and tail
4. Small piece of red plaid material
5. 2 small black poms-poms or I prefer "craft googly eyes"
6. Razor blade or sharp knife
7. Glue gun

The colors for the yarn, the pom-poms and the material are all completely up to you. The colors mentioned above are only suggestions, and ones that have traditionally worked well in this craft project.

1. Plug in the glue gun to allow it to heat up.
2. Designate one cork to be the body.
3. Take another cork and cut one of the ends off so that instead of having a straight edge, the edge is diagonal.
4. Spread hot glue on this diagonal edge. Press one of the straight edges of the body cork against the glue-covered diagonal and allow it to dry.
5. Now spread glue on the other, uncut, edge.
6. Take another cork and hold horizontally.
7. Press one end down onto the glue covered cork.
8. You have now formed the neck, head and body.
9. Take your remaining four corks and cut the ends diagonally in the same way you did the neck cork.
10. One at a time, spread hot glue on the cut ends, then press onto the body cork.
11. Attach two at the front and two at the back, with one of each pair on either side of the cork. This forms the horse's legs.
12. To create the horse's tail, take several short pieces of red yarn. Knot them together at the top.
13. Spread some glue on the end of the body cork and press the yarn into the glue.
14. Now take the string you selected to use to hang the ornament, loop it and tie it into a knot.
15. Glue the thread, knotted end down, to the body cork, just behind where the head cork connects to the body cork.
16. To make the cork horse's mane, take your yarn and wrap it around four of your fingers approximately 15 times.
17. Take the yarn off your fingers and tie it in half.
18. Glue the mane to the back of the head cork. Once the glue dries, spread the yarn out so that the it looks more like a horse's mane.
19. Cut a small rectangle from the fabric you chose earlier. Make the width slightly less than the width between the cork horse's legs. Cut triangles into each end.
20. Glue the fabric onto the body cork to form a saddle.
21. As the final step, glue the pom-poms onto the head cork as eyes.
22. Hang on your tree or attach it to the bow on a gift.

Lip Gloss

What you'll need:

Vaseline

Powdered eye shadow or blush

Small empty container

Small mixing utensil

1. Fill your container with Vaseline (petroleum jelly).

2. Sprinkle your favourite eyeshadow or blush on top. I use bare minerals eyeshadow: daydream or demure, but any color you want will work.

3. Mix it all together well. Clean up the edges.
4. Place in one of the containers
5. Apply!

Hot Buttered Rum Batter Try and say that 10 times fast! (and then try saying it 10 times fast again after you've had a few!)

This was a hit last year at my Ugly sweater party!  But I made enough for 100 servings and was serving it all the way until March when my roommate decided it was time to toss the remains. It will stay good for a long time in the freezer and is an easy quick hot toddy mix that is super rich! I have cut the recipe that I found at allrecipes.com down to 50 servings so that it is a little more realistic, the recipe is easy to double if you are interested in entertaining a huge party and want left overs for the rest of the winter season ENJOY!

What you'll need:

1/2 pound butter

1/2 pound brown sugar

1/2 pound confectioners' sugar

2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

A large Tupperware container to store in the freezer

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Blend in brown sugar and confectioners' sugar. Remove from heat, and whisk in the ice cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture into a plastic container, seal, and freeze.


2. In a coffee mug, measure 1 tablespoon Hot Buttered Rum Batter and 1 fluid ounce of rum, then fill cup with boiling water. Stir, and sprinkle top of drink with nutmeg.
   
   I like to add a cinnamon stick to the coffee mug for decor and flavor. These are super rich, so pace yourself on them! Sure to warm you up on a cold winter night and excite all your holiday guests! Also try adding a candy cane to mug if you'd like to make it a more festive holiday drink.

Homemade Holiday Liqueurs

In my last DIY guide I explained how to make raspberry infused liquor. I thought to myself, why stop there? So I searched through the web to find a detailed description of how to make liqueurs. The best, most detailed step by step process on "how to" was from allrecipes.com Enjoy!

Most homemade liqueurs start with vodka. This spirit is an ideal base for liqueurs because it's colorless and flavorless, making it the perfect blank canvas.

Try creating some of the most popular liqueur flavors, like coffee, amaretto, and Irish cream--they all rely on vodka for their kick.

Or, you may prefer to infuse the subtle essences of herbs, spices or fruit. Don't be afraid to experiment with rum, tequila, gin, brandy, and whiskey infusions as well.

Whichever alcohol you decide to use as your base, choose a decent-quality brand. There's no need to break the bank for the premium varieties, but avoid the cheapest ones if you want to enjoy your liqueurs straight.

Pick a FlavorThere are two ways to add flavor to liquor:

1. Mix flavored extracts right into liquor.

2. Choose the flavoring ingredients in their raw form and allow them to steep in the alcohol for days or weeks.

Using extracts is the fastest way to make a batch of liqueur, and there are a few cases (e.g. with almond extract), where this is the best way to achieve the flavor you're after. More often than not, though, you will get the best results when you slowly infuse the liquor with fresh ingredients. For example, lemon cordial made with fresh lemon zest will taste much better than something made with lemon extract. Using fresh ingredients also allows you to introduce more variety; you won't be able to find as wide a variety of extracts and essences as you will of fruits and herbs and spices.

Infusing liquor is not an exact science, but more a matter of taste. Infuse each flavor to suit your own preferences and if it ends up tasting too strong, you can always dilute it with additional liquor.

Here are some flavoring ideas:

Fruit: Orange zest, lemon zest, kumquats, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, tart apples, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, dried apricots, or dried sour cherries. Whole fruit should be sliced and/or mashed to allow the juices to escape and let the liquor come in contact with as much surface area as possible. Leave the skin on for maximum flavor.

Herbs and spices: Vanilla beans, coriander seeds, peppercorns, hot chiles, lemongrass, cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, whole coffee beans, dill, thyme, basil, tarragon, rosemary, or even garlic. Be sparing with the cloves and nutmeg: too much of these ingredients can produce a numbing effect in your mouth!

Try combining a couple of different flavors in the same batch: how about apple-cinnamon, chile-lemongrass, lemon-tarragon, orange-cranberry, or raspberry-vanilla? Just don't try to pack too many different things into one bottle, or you won't be able to distinguish the flavors.

Give it a RestOnce you've chosen your alcohol and your flavorings, simply combine them.

• Put flavorings right into the liquor, or any glass or earthenware jar/bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
• Keep the container in a dark place and leave it at room temperature. If you don't have a dark cupboard in your house, put the bottles in a paper grocery bag and stir or rotate them a couple of times a day.
• Depending on how potent your flavorings are, you'll need to let them steep for anywhere from a day to a few weeks. Most fruit needs a full two to four weeks for all the flavor to be transferred to the alcohol, whereas chiles, garlic, and most fresh spices only need a couple of days.

Smell and taste the infusions to decide when each is ready.

Strain Your ResourcesIf you've used mashed fruit, your infusion is now going to have bits of sediment in the bottom. To get rid of it, simply line a strainer with a coffee filter and slowly pour the liquor through. Don't try to save the fruit that's been soaking in the booze--it won't have any flavor left in it.

Add a Little SweetnessWhen sweetening your liqueurs, don't add sugar directly to the alcohol--it will take too long to dissolve and you won't be able to tell right away how sweet it is. Instead, make a simple syrup of two parts sugar to one part water. Combine them in a saucepan and simmer them on the stove until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the syrup cool to room temperature and then sweeten the infusion to taste. Once a liqueur has been sweetened, most of them taste better after they've had a chance to "age" for a month or so. Aging allows the flavors to mellow and blend.

Bottle it UpScour local import stores, thrift stores or your own cupboards to find interesting glass bottles (if they don't have tops, you can buy corks at craft stores or wine making supply shops). Have fun creating your own custom labels and "garnish" each finished bottle by dropping in a small quantity of the original ingredients (a few berries, a twist of citrus zest, an herb sprig, etcetera).

ServingMost homemade infusions are wonderful when served unadorned, straight out of the freezer. They are also beautiful when mixed into a fresh cup coffee or drizzled over a scoop of good vanilla ice cream,

Any homemade liqueur can be substituted in a traditional cocktail with wonderful results. Make amazing martinis with your infused vodkas, or have fun inventing your own brand new signature drinks!

Candy Cane Cocoa (Serves 5 cups)

5 cups milk

5 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1-1/4 cups whipped cream

5 small peppermint candy canes

3-3/4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped 
or if you prefer  **1 (12 ounce) package white chocolate chips**

1. In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.
2. Add alcohol if you prefer and enjoy! :)

DIY Holiday Gift Ideas - Get Crafty!

Although I love spending money on family and friends around the holidays, a DIY gift says that you put actual LOVE and TIME into the gifting process. Which is way more valuable than any store bought gift.

So this year I have decided to only give homemade gifts and not only save some of that money that seems to be burning a hole in my pocket for my snowboard trips this season, but also put some TLC into the gift giving experience. 'Cuz isn't putting some thought and love into gift giving really what the holiday is all about?

Here are some of the easy DIY gift ideas that I will be creating this year.... 

Body Scrubs

Holiday Sugar Scrub

What you'll need:

1 cup – demerara, turbinado, or organic granulated sugar (unbleached)

1 cup – light olive oil or grape seed oil

4-5 drops vitamin E oil or  sweet almond oil

5 or 6 drops – of peppermint or hazelnut essential oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

I like to use a blend of both turbinado and organic raw sugar.

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Using a spatula, transfer mix into the container and secure lid. Contents will settle, mix before using. Try to mix it up with any of your favorite essential oils. Some of my favorites are: jojoba, sandalwood, cedarwood, lavendar, jasmine, rosewood, rosemary, chamomile and hazelnut.

• Sugar acts as an exfoliant.
• Sweet almond oil softens the skin and adds moisture.
• DO NOT use cinnamon, as it can burn and exacerbate skin. 
• You'll want the oil to cover just above the sugar mixture. Portion size will depend on jar size.

Strawberry Exfoliating Facial Scrub

The strawberry exfoliating scrub smells sweet and exfoliates dry, flaky skin. Strawberries are also rich in salicylic acid and will help prevent breakouts.

What you'll need:

4 pureed strawberries

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP vegetable oil

4 TBSP of sugar

Mix all the ingredients. Put it in a unique jar - try a craft store and tie with a festive bow. Attach recipe and add a personalized touch!

Bath salts (not the drug that makes people turn into cannibals)

What lady doesn't love taking a nice relaxing bath!? These bath salts are so easy to make, make great gifts for any one and they are festive too!

• Salt of your choosing, but a good choice can be a mixture of sea and epsom salt. An alternative salt combination that is a good choice is half turbinado sugar and half fine raw sugar.

Essential oils of your choosing some relaxing choices are Chamomile, Sandalwood and Lavender. For an energizing holiday scent try Peppermint.

A mixing bowl and large fork, spoon or whisk

shop at craft and thrift stores for unique jars and personalize with your own handmade tag.

• For a perfect stocking stuffer size, use gift basket strength saran wrap and a cute ribbon to conceal your bath salt creation.

Though optional, an all-natural dye to create a colorful bath

This recipe is SO easy:

• Begin by mixing salts together in a bowl
• Add a drop or two of your essential oils and mix it up getting rid of any clumps
• Add natural food grade dye, mixing it in and adding until you get your desired hue (don't use too much dye unless you want to stain someones bathtub, a tiny bit goes a long way!)
• Funnel salts into the jars and seal them, adding personalized labels listing ingredients!

And VOILA! Super easy!

Green Tea Toner

Green tea and witch hazel will tone the skin while grapefruit acid helps to boost collagen production.

What you'll need:

1. 2 green tea bags steeped in 1 cup water and cooled.

2. 1/4 cup witch hazel

3. Juice of 1/2 of a red grapefruit

Steep the tea bags in the water and let cool. Remove the teabags. Add the witch hazel and the grapefruit juice to the tea water. Transfer the liquid to a spritz bottle and personalize the bottle!

Raspberry Infused Vodka

What you'll need:

3 cups vodka - 750 ml bottle of vodka
18 ounces raspberries, crushed

Directions:
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vodka with the raspberries. Close the jar tightly and let stand at room temperature for 2 weeks. Strain the vodka through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Strain the vodka a second time through a coffee filter into a clean jar and refrigerate for up to 3 months.