Strange Brew

It’s Alive!  A  sour concoction with live cultures floating on top sounds like something you’d throw away if you found it in your cupboard or refrigerator.  The tart, fermented tea called Kombucha is both ancient tonic and the latest health craze.  Kombucha is made from black, white or green tea. sugar , bacteria and yeast.( SCOBY, Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.) Oddly the tea has just enough carbination to be a bubbly beverage.    I have  been drinking Kombucha for about a year and find it amazing.  I feel relaxed and energized.  I have found it great for digestion and supportive to my gluten free diet.   Most of my friends find it to be a bit sour.  I continue to promote and be a part of the growing fan base. 

Intriguing Tonic - Fermented Tea called Kombucha

2010 Muddy Buddy Race

On June 6, 2010 my longtime childhood friend and I competed together in the Columbia Muddy Buddy Ride & Run at Joseph D. Grant Park near Mount Hamilton in San Jose.  It was 100% Pure Fun!  A great way to exercise, have a good time and get down and dirty!  Our 2 person team was sponsored by www.joy4sports.com

Team Smarty Pants

 

and our signature name, Team Smarty Pants, active wear for women.

Ideal for running, biking, hiking and walking

We both embraced the obstacles by walking across a balance beam, scaling a 20 ft. inflatable wall, sliding down the other side, crawling under cargo netting and navigating a 7 ft. wall.  The best part was yet to come as we approached

the 50 ft. mud pit!  We were advised from other contestants to stay off your knees as much as possible, so a belly dive seemed appropriate.  To our surprise, we came in 1st place in our age division and received cool medals. 

Muddy Buddy race medal

Unfortunately our personal muddy  buddy photos of the day were lost in the camera.  We have great memories stored as fun, friendship and comaraderie will be remembered.  I highly encourage families of all ages to particpate in the fitness yet frivilous event.

Amgen Tour 2009, the thrill of the climb

The Amgen tour is the largest cycling event in America that comes to California each year.  Last years race was held in February and  remembered for the foul wet weather.  It didn’t stop me, my friends and the thousands of spectators who came out to watch the world’s top cycling professionals ride a beautiful and demanding course in California.  My friend and I caught all the action,excitement and fun on Pine Flat Road on the famous Bonny Doon Climb. We were  up close and personal with the riders and cheered them on as they made the grueling climb to the top of the hill. The pictures tell our story of an eventful day and fond memories of last years Amgen Tour 2009, Stage 2 in Santa Cruz, CA.  We look forward to this years Amgen, especially Stage 3 held again this year in  Santa Cruz. See stage details and updated information http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/                                                                                   

        

       

          

   Our souvenirs of the day, found alongside of the road after the riders had gone

Gluten Free Beer, it works for me

St. Patricks day is a well known holiday for beer drinkers around the world. For those of us who choose to be or strive to be Gluten Free, beer is something you should NOT give up, so go ahead , enjoy a Gluten Free Beer.
Not sure what Gluten Free beers are good? A few of my favorite beers that I enjoy regularly are Redbridge, New Grist and Bards. Redbrige is produced by Budweiser. It has a light, clear amber color with a smooth texture. It is made from sorghum and sold at many grocery food chains. If you don’t see it on the shelf, always ask if they carry it. In most cases they have it in the back room.
I recently discovered, New Grist beer. I found it at New Leaf market and can be found in, “stores carrying organic products” It is clear gold in color with a different flavor that I didn’t especailly like at first but it grew on me. New Grist beer is brewed in Wisconsin and contains sorghum, hops with a unique gluten free yeast. Bards beer is another favorite that I’ve discovered. It’s a malt beer thats slightly bitter in taste and contains no wheat, oats, rye or barley. It’s great cold in a frosty glass or try it on ice. It works for me. Whatever beer you choose to drink today or on a sunny afternoon, have no fear because you’ve switched to Gluten Free, their are more choices than you realize, What’s your favorite Gluten Free Beer?

Race with Grace, Particpate for the Fun of It

My friend Theresa particpated in The Great Ski Race from Tahoe to Truckee this past weekend. The cool thing is, she has always wanted to do this race but year after year, life’s demands have always gotten in her way. This year was no different and she was in no shape to trek 30K in the snow to reach the finish line. Fortunately, in 2010, her attutude had changed and she realized, “It’s about the Event, not the race”! She strongly believes in goal setting and achieving personal best but when life gets in the way of training, why not partipate for the Fun of It. Theresa admits it was one of the hardest things she’s ever done and a tremndous physical challenge. Cross country skiing uses darn near every muscle in your body. It is a sport that ranks among the full body forms of exercise. She had support from her friend Sara who encouraged her to keep moving and take a break when necessary. From the looks of the photos, a few good laughs were shared among friends while they trekked on the snowy course. It’s a proven fact, that laughter before any competitive sports activity will increase the relaxation levels and hence performance.
Way to go T! you are an inspiration to all of us for keeping it real. It was clear to me that Theresa felt the endorphins of a champion and overall raced with grace to cross the finish line, She partipated for the Fun of It, not for the best time. Her words of wisdom are for everyone,
"Grab Life and Live In the Moment!, you can't always be prepared"

Living Gluten Free – Attitude is Everything

Like anything new, it takes time to adjust to a Gluten Free diet. It’s best to stay focused on all the foods you can eat instead of the ones you shouldn’t have. Fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes are naturally Gluten Free and good source of protein and fiber. Many gluten free substitutes are now available at grocery stores or online websites: http://www.glutenfreemall.com or http://www.glutenfree.com Try gluten free waffles or cereal for breakfast, a sandwich on gluten free bread for lunch or rice, corn or quinoa pasta for dinner. Quickly you will find that choosing to live gluten free can be very satisfying.
What are your tips, tricks and favorite foods to support a gluten free diet?

Fit Fitness in

Being healthy doesn’t have to be time conusming or complicated. It only takes a few minutes to personalize a quick routine for yourself to get the workout you want. For indoor workouts, their are numerous work-out classes on all the cable networks. Dance, Yoga, aerobics. Check out the listings and make a date with your flat screen to find activities you love indoors. Finding like minded women in your neighborhood is refreshing for the mind as it is for the body. Form you own group of local walkers in your area. if you enjoy the gym, many offer weight training, strength training and swimming. Many gyms offer pool only memberships so its easy to take advantage of getting in the pool. Regardless of what activities you enjoy, finding time to Fit in Fitness is the key to a healthy active lifestyle.

Awesome Adventures of Kelly’s Smarty Pants

I can’t believe the month of January has come and gone. As I glanced at the month in review, I got excited to see my Smarty Pants underwear joined me in my awesome adventure activities.

They are truly a unique active underwear and did exactly what they promised to do.
They kept me warm in cold weather. They offered enough protection to wear by themselves, they were ideal worn at Bikram Yoga and Zumba classes
They didn’t ride up during my exercise and kept me cool and dry. The comfort and move-ability is what I enjoyed most.
The non-exsistent VPL (visable panty line) was certainly pleasing to the eye and my ego. They are truly the best active underwear I have ever had. I look forward to the many awesome adventures of my Smarty Pants in 2010.
January Activites included:
New Years eve day, skiing friends, Dodge Ridge, CA
WorldWide Workout Event in San Jose
Clothes Swap offered by Karen Kefauver
Hike with Friends in Henry Cowell Redwoods
Bikram Yoga at Village Yoga Studio
Zumba class at Toadal Fitness
Smarty Pants sold at Jazzercise
Jazz with Chris in Felton and Santa Cruz locations
Energetix Fitness Classes with Kathy Craft
1st 2 mile run of the year
Day hike with Hubby at Fall Creek,Henry Cowell Park
To purchase your Smarty Pants for 2010 activites, go to http://www.joy4sports.com/
What adventures have your Smarty Pants been on this month?

Day Hiking – Good for the Soul

During the Holiday months and now the new year, I find myself going for short and long hikes with family, friends and neighbors. I’m lucky to live close to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and have found various different hikes to expore. I love the outdoors and the Peace of the Wiliderness. The redwoods, manzinita scrubs and incredible mushroom activity are abundent. I enourage you to call a friend or family member and discover a place to walk or hike in your area. Hiking is a great activity to keep you moving in 2010. Share with me your day hiking adventures.

Destination Spot

I have many locations I call my favorite place or destination spot. I often gravitate to these special places to find peace, comfort and mental strength. I attended Energetix Fitness classes on monday and the class stopped at what I call, the Thankful Tree on West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, CA. I often visit this spot on my own, I recently visited there with my husband after a long stroll along the cliffs and stopped to reflect and set goals for 2010. I can remember taking my kids to this destination spot when they were young. They played on the tree and I was Thankful to have healthy active children.
Where’s your favorite destination spot?