What I'm F'd Up About: FitVine Wines

I LIKE WINE.

I don't like wine, that's a lie.

I LOVE WINE.

It's delicious, it makes me look like a grownup, and it's healthy.

Right?

We've all heard the benefits of a glass of vino, and I'm happy to report a new wine company that has harnessed the goodness of the grape one step further: FitVine Wines.

I asked (begged) FitVine for a sample of their health wine so I could report on it for you, my loyal readers who I know enjoy a tasty glass (bottle) of wine on a regular basis.

According to co-founder of FitVine Wines Mark R. Warren, "We biohacked our wine to have higher antioxidants, no residual sugar yielding less carbohydrates and calories, and about half the sulfites. We've accomplished these things a few ways, sourcing grapes from higher elevations, taking our time in our extended fermentation process and being sure to balance out the pH levels of the wine to present a high quality, clean tasting wine for athletes and the health conscious. We did it without lowering the alcohol content as well."

It's true, the wine I sampled was at 13.5% alcohol content. This isn't  a Skinny Girl wine, people. It's real!!!

But how does it taste, Alison?

FitVine Wine sent me a bottle of red and a bottle of white, as if I was Billy Joel. The two varietals they currently offer are Cabernet and Chardonnay. 

Since I was a waitress for 13 years, I will use my wine adjectives here.  The Cabernet is warm and fruit forward, jammy, and smooth. There was a slightly bitter aftertaste, but nothing too lingering. I feel it would pair well with foods that aren't too strongly spiced. Or alone in a glass in front of the TV.  The Chardonnay was clean and fresh, no oakiness (maybe aged in steel instead of wood?) with a slight sweet note. It had some notes of tropical fruits and no lingering finish.  It could be an appertif or after dinner wine as well.

Bottom line, I would totally buy and drink this.

The label didn't list the calorie content, but a typical glass of red is 100 calories for a 4 oz pour and a typical glass of white is 120 calories for a 4 oz pour. Or, to think in more realistic terms, a typical bottle is 780 calories. So if FitVine Wine is less than that, that would be awesomesauce.

Alison, how can we start drinking like Iron Man athletes and Cross Fit Champions?

Per Mark, "Currently we are selling direct to consumer via our website offering free shipping on all case orders, 12 bottles. We will begin entering stores later this year in certain regions and expanding on that throughout 2016."

To enjoy and learn more about this fit vino, please check out www.fitvinewines.com. And save me a glass!!!

What I am F'd Up about today!: I hope you're sitting down for this!

If you can sit down, that is. The subject of this post? SEATS. Seats on airplanes, theatres, restaurants.

Lately there has been a lot of hullabaloo about overweight people on airplanes feeling discriminated against because they are forced to buy more than one seat, or in Kevin Smith's case, actually kicked off the flight because of being too heavy. It isn't just the embarrassment of not fitting in the seat or not getting the seat belt to fit around you. The cost of flying, just like health care, is going up because heavier customers mean more fuel. Larger seats mean less customers can pay to fly. Heavier cargo is a flight risk, and I am speculating here, but do you think the reason we have to pay to check our luggage now is because the airlines are trying to recoup some of the lost income they could be making? Or that if we are forced to pay more people will bring less things meaning the weight distribution will just even out?

The seat issue also extends to theatres. Now, granted, most theatres here in New York haven't been updated since the twenties, and we were a much smaller nation back then. City Center is getting a face lift, complete with new larger seats to accommodate the girth of their clientele. The new seats take up more room, so ticket sales will probably go up to cover the lost revenue.

I work in a place where larger folks are not as easy to accommodate. The booths are not very large, and the restaurant is narrow. I always feel bad for larger clients because they are knocked into because their chairs poke out into the walkways. Thinner customers also get banged from time to time, but being bigger has it's disadvantages here.

My first restaurant gig was when I was 18 at Red Lobster. We had one gentleman that would eat there several times a week who was really large. The restaurant had one chair in the place with no arms so that he could sit down without the arms cutting into him. Did he order the steamed salmon and the garden salad, hold the bread basket? Nope. The Admiral's Feast, at 1,060 calories and 52 grams of fat.

I sound like I am hating. I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BIG BIGGER. I was a size 18, I was berated by my family about the things I ate, I felt depressed and angry at my size. I worked really hard to get where I am now and to be able to feel okay about myself. And there are days when I don't.

What is frustrating is that the warning signs are EVERYWHERE, and yet we choose to feel persecuted, not inspired. Everyone is picking up the tab for the unhealthy lifestyles of so many. The epidemic grows and when will we take responsibility? Do we have to impose taxes on junk food to keep us from buying it? Staple our stomachs, wire our jaws shut, take horrible medications that cause so many side effects?

WHEN DOES IT END?

It's not about aesthetics. It's about life quality AND quantity. It's about our children making smart choices so they have every advantage in school. It's about us being good neighbors and friends and making each other wake up and take care of each other.

It's not the seat's fault. It's not the airline's fault. It's not the theatre's fault, or the restaurant's fault (okay, maybe the last one- I am watching you, TGIFriday's). It is your fault. And we got to change. How will you be the one to start?

What I am "F'd Up!" about today! DO YOU WANT US SKINNY OR NOT?

I have to vent.

When writing and researching the Skinny Fat post, I discovered this article on the NBC website: "Lost Pounds Lead to Burst Fantasy". In short, the article puts a negative slant on losing weight, that somehow lost weigh equals happiness and many who have lost the weight realize that they are now a smaller person with the same issues.

What chaps my hide is the fact that the author of the piece makes the aesthetic part of losing weight the seeming goal of weight loss. The emphasis on health and well being is really diminished. And the main "character" of the piece is someone who used bariatric surgery to get results instead of trying to lose weight on her own. She is now writing a book about still being a fat person in a skinny person's body. She sounds miserable.

WHAT IS THE DEAL HERE? I don't understand the media, I really don't. On one hand they are shoving health and wellness down our throats and the other hand they don't want us to be healthy. They want the company to come with that misery. They want a plus size woman to advertise for bras and panties and the controversy that comes with not airing the ad. They want "TV's toughest trainer" Jillian Michaels to be rock hard and then crucify her when she says she would rather adopt than put her body through a pregnancy.

How is the average person supposed to respond? In a world so full of contradictions, the one thing we shouldn't be conflicted on is a universal message of health. That eating right and taking care of our bodies through exercise is GOOD. That starving ourselves and master cleanses to fit into a dress is BAD. Health isn't the enemy here.

I am not the thinnest person, nor the fattest person. But I have been large and I have been smaller. It took me years to work on the mental health aspect of health, that my brain had to realize that taking care of myself was a lifelong project and not "I will be happy when I weigh this much". Not every day is a good day. But every day is another opportunity to work on myself and be a better me. My wish is for authors to remember that the pen is mightier than the sword and to be more mindful when writing articles like the one I mentioned. We don't need anymore help to say no. We need all the help in the world to keep saying YES.

What I am "F'd Up!" about today! Squeeze Stronger with Tracy Effinger DVD

As my screaming glutes, legs, and arms will attest, Squeeze Stronger is an amazing fitness DVD that provides RESULTS. I own Tracy Effinger's original Squeeze which is a tough workout that has been in my DVD rotation for a couple of years, so I was ready to AMP IT UP with Squeeze Stronger. I didn't know what I was getting myself into!

I completed the 80 minute full workout, which seamlessly blends upper and lower body together with a killer ab routine. Upper body focuses on light weight/multi rep training that concentrates on the biceps, triceps, shoulders, and chest. If your shoulders aren't shaking and quaking by the end of this, then you are a super hero. I started with 3 pound dumbbells and had to drop to 1 pound and then my own resistance by the end! Tracy recommends as much as 8 pounds to work with. Yikes. Lower body has a pilates/ballet focus: plies, squats, tiny pulses that make your legs sing! You will be begging for mercy by the end of the ab section, which has a pilates flavor to it. I think time starting going backwards, I swear.

Tracy is the best part of the DVD. She is strong, smart, and sassy with a body that you hope can be attainable through this workout! I also love the music. It isn't your typical sounds- it is really cool, almost Zen like. I felt like I was in a real on-on-one session throughout the entire workout. I knew it was a keeper when I stood up after the final stretch and my legs felt like jelly. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Length: 80 minutes, with 2 shorter options of just Upper Body and Waist and just Lower Body and Waist. There are also shorter premixed workouts so you can mix and match.

Equipment: mat, 15-1 pound dumbbells, workout dowel or broomstick, ball or pillow, chair

What I'm "F'D Up" about Today!: Why Do We Do These Studies?

We live in a world of excuses. Honestly, if there is a reason not to do something I won't if I can attach a reasonable excuse to it. "I don't feel like working out today. . .because I have laryngitis." Last time I checked, unless I'm doing intenSati, there isn't a need to use my voice while I'm working out. I'm just being lazy.

I saw this study about fruits and veggies on The Huffington Post. Eating fruits and veggies don't have that big an affect on reducing cancer risks. But if you scroll down to the bottom of the article, it DOES say that fruits and veggies are helpful with stroke and heart disease. Well, those are kind of important to fight against too, right? But the way that the article is worded it seems to give credence that is is okay to not eat your veggies because they don't make that big of a difference to your health.

Why do we print reports like these? I know studies are important. Sure. They tell us what to do and what not to do. . .and then what to do and then what not to do. If I had to count the number of times I've read not to drink coffee and then it's okay to drink coffee I would NEED some coffee to stop the headache! Fruits and veggies are important. We need them. I would hate to think that some poor person reads this study and then decides to screw it and just get the fries.

Do these studies and the way they are worded do more harm than good? Are they really informative or are they adding to the collective consciousness that already doesn't like being told what do to and just gives fuel to the fire? Bob Harper mentioned this Time Magazine article at his yoga class I attended: "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin." The author talks about how working out doesn't really help you lose weight because it makes you hungry and leads you to eat more. As you read you discover that it's WHAT you are eating and drinking after you work out that make the difference. If you choose a scone from Starbucks over an apple with peanut butter and a bottle of Gatorade over a bottle of water, the calorie expenditure from the exercise is negated by the heavy calorie content of the snack.

It took me a long time to realize that if I work out hard I shouldn't "reward" myself with something unhealthy to eat because I "earned" it. The working out is the reward, the gift of health! I am 5'4", I weight 158 pounds, I have a 30 inch waist and DDD boobs. I'm small, muscular, and curvy. I'm never going to be a size 4 (I'm a size 8). But I KNOW that working out and eating right works. I used to weigh over 200 pounds. I was a size 18! A study or an article that tells people it's okay not to take care of yourself because it's not going to make a difference really is just wrong. And it's not helpful to our country that really needs the not so gentle shove in the healthy direction.

What I'm "F'd Up!" about Today!: Freedom to be Fat?

I was walking the kid this morning and saw this article in the daily Metro New York: "Hands off my Big Mac, NYC". NYC council woman Christine Quinn is proposing a ban on fast food restaurants being built in areas where obesity is on the rise. No coincidence, these areas are also really poor parts of town. The article states that these fast food restaurants provide important jobs for these neighborhoods because many people don't have a proper education to get higher paying jobs.

There are so many things wrong with this situation!
1.) Fast food is a daily part of lower income families diets because of price.
2.) People in lower income neighborhoods aren't being educated to get out of the neighborhood and get better paying jobs.
3.) The city shouldn't have to ban restaurants to help people lose weight and get healthy.

I feel the first line of defense is the fast food chains themselves offering this type of fare. FOR EXAMPLE, have you heard about this new sandwich that KFC is launching? Take a look at this beauty, the new Double Down sandwich which is described like this on the website:

"The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real and it's coming April 12th! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!"

REALLY? THIS HAS TO BE A JOKE. But no, it's no joke. It says it's real so it must be. Apparently KFC hasn't gotten the fast food kills people memo. And if you are that stupid to eat this, well. . .wow. You probably aren't reading my blog. :)

If fast food restaurants weren't trying so hard to develop heart clogging menu items, people could keep their jobs. If we could educate our communities on the benefits of healthy eating, we could be the first line of defense in obesity. Convenience really is the enemy here. And education is the solution.

We can keep adding beverage taxes and trying to ban fast food, but the truth is we live in a country where you have the freedom to be fat and make stupid choices (I used to own a crimper and I used it with careless abandon). I don't feel it's right for people to lose jobs because we want them to be healthy. There has to be other measures in place!

And remember, the more you tell people NO, the more they want it. Telling people they can't eat fast food will make them walk a little further to the next burger joint. But, hey. At least they'll be walking. Right?

What I am "F'd Up!" about today! Hibba NYC

I recently got to write a beauty review for www.spa-nyc.com for a threading salon called Hibba NYC. I wanted to share my lovely sculpted brows with you!

I have never tried threading, and I am happy to report that it is really nicer than the hot wax and pulling. But if wax is your thing, Hibba (the namesake and owner) is happy to comply. There are all sorts of hair removal options on the menu.

Hibba NYC is located on the corner of West Broadway and Prince street in an bright, breezy corner studio. Hibba is a relaxed hostess who welcomes you with a smile and genuine warmth. The prices are really reasonable too! And what foxy lady doesn't want to save a little green?

Check it out, chicas!

What I am "F'd Up!" about today! Back Issues and Candelight Yoga

Thanks for all the well-wishes! I love my blog family!

Okay- back issues. I am semi happy to report that I can very slowly touch my toes and pick things up off the ground again. PROGRESS. I also didn't take any ibuprofen today, and have just been relying on my heat pad and yoga. Glorious yoga, fixer and healer!

While at my job on Thursday evening, the first thing a customer did was elbow me in the small of the back. I likened it to getting a scratch on a new car- you're so careful and cautious and sometimes stuff happens. And then you deal with it from there. I knew that I couldn't exist in a plastic bubble and call sick into work and wallow in my own misery. Wallowing would probably pull something anyway.

On Thursday I attempted X Stretch from the P90X series, and it was a little too vigorous for my state. The minute we went into Sun Salutations and I had to swan dive I thought my pelvis was sutured to my spine. So, I dug through the Foster Fitness "archives" (my big storage trunk chocked full of my fitness DVDs) and found a little gem that has saved my life: Crunch Candlelight Yoga featuring Sara Ivanhoe. I did it yesterday and today and I know it is the reason why I can now flex from the trunk!

Sara Ivanhoe has a relaxed, patient voice and is a good cuer. The yoga moves are very basic- cat/cow pose, downward dog, child's pose, tree pose. No super twisty bendy moves- the entire purpose of the DVD is to get you to relax. It would be great to do before bed, or even first thing in the morning if you need something to relax you into your day. It is also only 43 minutes in length, which is great if you don't have a ton of time to commit to a practice.

When I did it Friday, I could barely tilt forward and it hurt to sit in cross-legged position. Today there was mild discomfort, but I could handle it and I could tilt forward. And like I said, no pills! I don't like taking pills. I plan on doing it everyday until I feel back up and ready to tackle that last week of Insanity. MY PLAN is to be doing it this week. Let's hope the back cooperates.

What I am "F'd Up!" abut today! Funny or Die Video: Jersey Shore

I'm all about the Dove empowerment campaign. But this is hilarious.

Alyssa Milano's Evolution: Jersey Shore from Alyssa Milano

What I am "F'd Up!" about today! Core and Powerstrike at Equinox Gym

I am a group fitness junkie. I LOVE to go to class. Although the bulk of my workouts take place in the four walls of my apartment, it is nice to get out in the world and see what everyone else is up to. Luckily through the magic of Twitter, I hooked up with my pal Cherie Lily and scored a guest pass to a Core class and Powerstrike class last Tuesday at the very slick Equinox gym on 92nd Street.

I was giddy and a little nervous when I walked into the gym. Equinox was abuzz with a member party, and all the machines were pumping with the after work crowds. Cherie was at the front desk when I walked in and welcomed me with a huge hug, which instantly put me at ease.

Don't be fooled, folks. Cherie is nice but she is an ass kicker!

The class took place in one of the gym's studios on the second floor. I love the facilities here- everything is super clean and in great shape. I couldn't help but notice a lot of the members looked the same. I grabbed a mat and a medicine ball and waited for the class to fill up with members.

While I waited, Cherie put on some great dance music- I found out later that this was her own "house blend". She likes to use her own remixes and says, "This is one of the things makes me unique as a group fitness instructor - I make my own dance music! When I'm making music, I think about what would be the most exciting music to workout to, that will get people motivated, excited, pumped up to push it outside their comfort zone."

Once class began, I was so thankful that I had been doing the Shred! All the ab and plank work I had been quietly cursing under my exhales and inhales came into play for 30 minutes during the Core class. Bicycle crunches, side planks, regular planks, twists with the medicine ball: You name it, I crunched it. My sides were sore for two days after class!

After Core, people hurried off to Zumba or other classes, but I stayed on for POWERSTRIKE. I love kickboxing. In fact, I own more kickboxing workout DVDs than any other workouts. So needless to say, I was totally thrilled to attend.

Powerstrike was created by Ilaria Montagnani, a real life Wonder Woman. Seriously, she looks like she drives an invisible jet and she could kill you with her bare hands. Here is some more information from http://www.powerstrike.com/ - "The Powerstrike programs reflect the ideology of founder and president, Ilaria Montagnani, who believes the body's potential is an unrealized resource. She has created workouts designed to push everyday warriors past their comfort zone, tapping into their own strength and ability to face the daily challenges of their lives." I know! Right?

I felt like a warrior, fo' sho'. With a pumping beat to guide me I punched, jabbed, hooked, crossed, chambered, and round housed for an hour straight. Cherie got in there and did it with us, and kept us all smiling through the sweat. It was exhilarating to get out all that pent up aggression and burn all those calories! According to http://www.livestrong.com/, kickboxing can burn around 696 calories an hour.

Core and Powerstrike classes are offered at Equinox: Check out http://www.equinoxgym.com/ for class schedules. To learn more about my new hero Cherie Lily and all of her goodness, check out http://www.cherielily.com/.