Yes, it’s an actual holiday and dates back hundreds of years.  Those crazy Europeans.  In Ireland they use to have pancake races where women would race flipping pancakes.  Back then it was called Shrove Tuesday.

OK let’s get down to what it really means PANCAKES!!! Who doesn’t love pancakes! You can go to IHOP (7am-10am) and get free pancakes with a suggested donation of any size to Children’s Miracle Network. So head on down to IHOP for some pancakes and to donate to a good cause.

Can’t make it to IHOP and want to make it your own. Try Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (4-ounces) ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Butter for the griddle

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients with a fork until blended, do not overmix.
2. Heat griddle over medium-high heat. Lightly grease griddle with butter. As soon as the butter is melted, pour pancake batter onto griddle. Cook until batter begins to bubble or pancakes are golden. Flip and finish the other side. Serve pancakes warm with pure maple syrup

Makes 10 to 12 pancakes.
Recipe by Gail Greco
Recipe provided courtesy of the American Dairy Association.

Fat Tuesday is the celebration that occurs 40 days before Easter.  During this time Christians give up something they enjoy until Easter.  So on Fat Tuesday they indulgence or over indulgence on things they

enjoys before they give them up for lent.  So before you panic and think this  this this blog is religious.  There are 2 things I celebrate at this time of year.

1. I look at this as a 2nd new year’s now’s the time that we can reflect our new year’s resolutions, and I ask myself, how are you doing against them.
2. Then I ask myself if you have to give up something you enjoyed for 40 days what would it be? Would it be your afternoon Rice Krispy treat, or trip to Starbucks? Or would there be something that I can add?

If you hadn’t started on your resolution what can you start now?

Okay maybe you aren’t up for an Oscar or maybe you may never be, but we all have our events that we need to be Oscar ready for.  When I’m getting ready for a fitness show I rely heavily on itrain to give me the extra boost and motivation and I need to get them through a workout. My favorite one is itread #13 — sprinting is awesome and a bootie kicker.

I hear this a lot from my clients as well as experience it myself.  I get up 5 days a week at 5:30am, if someone would have told me that I would do this 5 years ago, I would have told them they were on drugs.  Now in 2009 this is my life.  So that I am able to get up and not be a walking zombie. I have a bedtime, yes a bedtime! I know you haven’t had one since you were like 10.  So every night I got to bed at 9pm and lights out at 10pm.

Are you a walking zombie, are you constantly exhausted? Did you know that skimping on sleep is not healthy.  Too many sleepless nights can lead to both mental and physical exhaustion. When you don’t get enough sleep you:

• have slower reactions which could lead to accidents,
• be irritable
• not be able to perform your work tasks with the same speed and clarity

Here are some tips to help you get the rest you need and deserve.

1. Keep a regular sleep cycle — wake and go to bed at the same time, including weekends.
2. Create a good environment — Temperature, Light, Sleeping Surface, and Other Factors
3. Exercise — helps you manage your stress
4. Decrease your caffeine intake — determine what time you need to cut it out so that you can sleep
5. Keep the bedroom for sleep and sex — Move the electronics out of the bedroom, this will help you tune out the world and get your much needed sleep
6. Unplug — when you come home declare it a cell phone free zone and turn it off!!
7. Stop smoking and reduce your alcohol intake — alcohol make sleepy but its not a good night sleep and nicotine in cigarettes may act as a stimulate
8. Clear your mind — I know easier said then done, so I recommend you put a pen and paper next to your bed, so that if you are unable to turn off your mind, you can write it done and think about it in the morning.
9. Avoid eating before bed — not it’s not about your waistline. Eating before bed may leave you feeling uncomfortable, spicy food may give your heartburn and drinking too much liquid prior to bed may cause you to make a few trips to the bathroom.
10. Avoid naps — I know naps feel good, but they disrupt your nighttime sleeping pattern.

“A woman too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his/her tools.” – A Spanish Proverb

I hear it all the time from my client S.  Every workout she has some new health issue, when I ask her what is she doing about it she says I’m too busy.  Seriously, you are too busy to take care of your own health. If you don’t have your health you have nothing. To help her bring this to her attention, I mention that if she had a headache, she would take an aspirin and if she had a stuffy nose she would take a decongestant.  Now. Why when you have elevated blood pressure and your doctor tells you are at an increased risk for heart disease, why wouldn’t do whatever you go could to decrease your blood pressure and increase the longevity of your life not only for yourself, but your family. Honestly, if you don’t care of yourself how are you going to take care of others.

Now ask yourself, what things are you currently doing that you could find 1 hour to devote to your health and fitness?  Could you get up 1 hour earlier, sneak out of the office at lunch, maybe givewatching Lost or 24 and take that time to workout?

Talk to me give me some of your suggestions.

I’ve had the same valentine for 15 years and when I am asked what we are doing for valentine’s day, I say I don’t believe in it.  Now don’t paint me as the Valentine’s Grinch, but I don’t think Hallmark or anyone else should dictate when you tell someone you love them an appreciate them.

I flash back repeatedly to when my husband, who doesn’t believe in nicknames called me sweetheart! OMG, did I feel like I’m on cloud 9! Did I need a diamond encrusted heart from Kay Jeweler’s to feel that he truly cared about me! No, and when I do look back I still feel bubbly and trust me bubbly is not something I feel.

So ladies, don’t get hung up on valentine’s day.  It’s more important for them to show you signs of love thorough out the year.

Talk me, am I being the anti-romantic?

Are you one of the millions of women out there looking to reduce the junk in your trunk get yourself a little junk in the trunk or just work on what you got?  Well Tuesday is going to be our day, to work on it.  We will do cardio drills and toning exercises to help accent your asset. The exercise I’d like to introduce to you is the hamstring curl using the TRX suspension training system.  It’s amazing and portable. You will really love it.  I use piece each and every day. To find out more information about this product. Click here.

Below is a one leg squat using the TRX.

Courtesy of Fitness Anywhere

…focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.

– Greg Anderson

You know what I’m taking about, you wake and decision you are going to do something and then get overwhelm with how are you going to do it or are you going to be able to reach your goal.  STOP IT!!! Take your time and enjoy the journey, life is going to pass you by faster than you can imagine so take your time and savor your journey remember and journal every step of the way.  WHY, because you when you reach your destination wouldn’t be fun to look back at all the you experience along the way.

Tell me your experiences have you done this.

Hey it happens, last Saturday I woke up with WORST stiff neck in my life, Monday I had a scratchy throat and by Wednesday I felt like death warmed over.  There was no working out this week, I was bearly getting out of bed.  I offically gave myself a break and said that if I didn’t focus on getting well my cold would linger or develop into something worse.  Here we are Sunday again, and I’m feeling better just a little congestion. So I will slowly wade into the water next week.  With the wacky temp’s that we have going on in Boston we are all going to get sick, so don’t sweat it. Give yourself the time you need to heal.  Plus no one wants your cooties.

Until yesterday, I thought they were a some type of cross bred mutant genetic thing.  But no…. It’s a way for carrot farmers to reduce waste.

Copyright Kai Hendry

Yep those little baby carrots start off as big carrots, but because they aren’t “pretty” enough for consumption, they are pared down to be baby carrots.

So thank you Mike Yurosek, for inventing this delicious snack. They make a delicious soup, plus no peeling.  Stay tuned for the recipe.