Perspective... and an overdue recipe.

So this morning was another Big Bear to Little Bear morning.  Up at 5:00 (5:12 really) and to the gym by 5:30 (5:32 really).  And although I freely admit that I am not a real morning person (sorry team!), I was feeling pretty good.  I just got back from a quick weekend in Vermont where I got to hang out with my brother and a few great, old friends... played three long rounds of disc golf, had a healthy dinner in Burlington, and only had three beers the entire weekend.  Why is this such a feat...??  Well, this was my "bachelor's party."  Pretty wild and crazy... I know.  But hey, I'm 42, remember...?  I digress.  So this morning I am feeling that what could have been a disastrous bender was actually a healthy, tame, and pretty danged wonderful weekend.

Is this what it's like to get old...?

So the gym was a solid mix of cardio and weights this morning and I felt good, healthy, like I was really starting to be fit and in control.   After cleaning up I head out for work, making the usual stop for coffee at The Store.  Walking in, I noticed a bicycle in the foyer.  It was bright red with these mean looking aerobars sticking off the front handle-bars... some carbon-frame triathlete bike designed by NASA.  Clearly the most intimidating 3 pounds of technology I've ever seen.

It was easy to figure out who it belonged to given that my choices were the store owner, Roberta, myself, or this 6'3" guy dressed in Pearl Izumi and wearing a bike helmet.  Quite the Colombo, I know.  At most he had two, maybe three percent body fat.  He looked like some former Marine, or a Navy Seal, or an Airborne Ranger or some other guy that could kill a man by simply squinting hard.  He and Roberta were chatting away about when he was a student at UMaine some 15 plus years ago... how he likes to keep coming back up here for training and such...  His next triathlon was the end of August in North Carolina.  I had the distinct feeling that he was cycling all the way down to it this afternoon.  Feeling the urge to contribute to the conversation, I confidently announce "I know this may be difficult to believe, but I am actually NOT a triathlete," ...but I was at the gym this morning I think to myself.  We all laughed, and he paid for his coffee and cookie and headed out for another 300 or so miles.

I turned back to the coffee air-pots, filled my cup, and took a long look at the muffins in the glass case. I pulled out my notebook and scribbled down a note to myself.  "Clean up bike... AND RIDE IT!!!"

We'll see where that leads me.... but in the meantime, and while we are speaking of muffins.... here is a LONG overdue recipe for bran muffins (from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook by Diana Shaw).  And get this... 168 calories per muffin!!


Pre-heat oven to 500-degrees


1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 & 1/2 cup wheat bran
2 large egg whites
1 cup non-fat yogurt (plain) or buttermilk
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses

Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl (a whisk works well with the bran) and your wet ingredients (thoroughly beat them)  in a separate bowl.  Add dry to wet and mix just to moisten.  Fill greased 6-cup muffin tin (Use an organic baking spray like Spectrum). IMPORTANT reduce heat to 400-degrees before putting them in the oven.  Test with a toothpick after 30 minutes or so... and let the pans cool for about ten minutes before popping the muffins out.  Then let them cool completely.

NOTE - These muffins are pretty indestructible.  I have baked them where the oven shut off shortly through and they still finished baking.  I have baked them and forgotten to turn the temp down.  They were burnt on the edges after 13 minutes but baked thoroughly and still pretty tasty.  Wouldn't necessarily call them fool proof, but they're pretty close.  Enjoy!!

Morning rituals.... and flamingos.

Another early morning gym day under the belt, so to speak.  These mornings are becoming some of my favorite mornings of all time.  This shocks me too.  When I get to the gym at 5:30, honestly I am not awake.  Not by a long shot.  Of course when I drag myself IN the front door, I usually meet my neighbor coming OUT of the gym.  He's way too chipper.  Part of his charm.  I'm a little cranky.  Part of my charm.  But after an hour of training, sweating, and general bigbeartolittlebear-ing it... I'm awake... and feel great... and, dare I say it, I'm chipper.

But my favorite part of the morning is next to come.  I go home.  It's 6:30.  I pull into the driveway and just look at the house.  Our house.  Our home.  Beautiful fiance (now on her incredibly well earned summer break from teaching) is most likely still asleep.  So is Wonder Dog (whose entire life is a break).  It's a cool morning compared to the heat-wave of earlier this week.  My little ritual commences.   I walk around the house, inspecting the gardens.  Now that sounds impressive, "The Gardens", however it only consists of a couple small raised beds on the side of the house and a few containers out back.  First I water the beds.  Zucchini is starting to form it's first fruit of the year.  Lots of promising tomatoes, although I added a couple Cherokee Purple plants late. I think they'll be just fine.  Of course the hose leaks and I end up spraying myself about as much as the plants, but after the gym it's nice.  Kale is almost there and our two rows of lettuce is once again in need of a "harvest." Salad for dinner.  It's quiet except for a few birds and the BAT bus rumbling down College Ave.

Around back I use the watering can that used to belong to my mom.  There are a few planters and a couple whiskey barrels with mostly tomatoes, basil, and cilantro doing quite well. However, I am rather proud of my green beans that are climbing three long poles/saplings that fashion a rough 9-foot high tripod. No beans yet, but no giant scrambling down them either. All is good.

And I talk to the plants as I water them... a little pep talk of sorts.  Pretty sure it doesn't do much for the plants, but it makes me feel better.  I talk to the pink flamingos too, which Cami rolled her eyes at and reluctantly gave me permission to put them out.... in the back yard.... close to the house.... out of public sight.  They're a wonderful bit of whimsy in a world that is too damn full of itself.  Haven't named them yet and I am open to suggestions.  Checking my watch, it's after 7:00. I need to hustle inside and get ready for the day.... which seems strange given my day is already well under way.

The shirts are right..... life really is good.

...and we're back!!

Okay, so every now and then we need a nudge to get back on track.  So it was with my fitness and diet stuff.... and so it is with this blog.  As far as the blog goes, the nudge came from the petite but mighty Ang of Astoria.  Who is this Ang...?? She is one of Cami's best friends of all time and I would take a bullet for her.  Seriously.  Granted I hope I never need to, for the sake of both of us.  But I would.  And we will be seeing the petite but mighty Ang and her fab hubby unit at our wedding which is precisely one month away from tomorrow.  On that note, allow me to say.... holy crap.  (It's going to be AMAZING)

But on to the fitness nudge.  Now this is not a new battle for me... nor is it for about 72% of the American public... and I know what I need to do.... as does about 71% of the American public.... but alas, here we are, so many of us.... needing a nudge.  My nudge came from an old friend who is with me in that 72%.  He nudged me into re-joining the "Big Bear to Little Bear Challenge" at the U Maine Rec Center.  It's exactly what it sounds like... a quasi "Biggest Loser" except we don't live there and we only get to meet with our team trainer twice a week... and he's not a raging psycho-bitch.  So every Monday and Wednesday, a small but dedicated group of BB2LBers wake early and head to the gym by 5:30.  There are four of us on our team and we all have different fitness goals... it's a personal journey after all... but we are a team.  We look out for each other.  It's what teams do.  We face challenge after challenge and we cheer each other on through push-ups and mile sprints and steam engines and weigh-ins.  And it works.  And sometimes we end up helping each other out in other ways.  My team-mate... the nudger... called me tonight.

"I'm on Hogan Road... talk me past McDonald's" said the semi-panicked voice. "I'm going to my class and need to eat something.... what should I do??" 

I had been there before... driving past the same McDonald's... the same creepy voice beckoning me to come in to check out the new dollar menu.  I hate that voice.

"Go to Hannafords... the deli... aske for 3 ounces of sliced turkey and get some flax seed pitas... make a sandwich...  less than 150 calories and you are GOLDEN!!"

Crisis averted.  I imagine it like an air-strike being called in over some axis of nutritional evil.  Operation Hamburglar Shut-down.

And so it goes... it 's almost 10:30 and I will be in the gym in seven hours.  With the team.  Good week or bad week, we'll all be there for each other.  Ready with a nudge.

And when weddings come around, perhaps say in August, our friends will be there.  Actually they always are.  Especially when we need a nudge.

Thanks Ang...!