At first I thought I had food poisoning, but I had eaten light all day before and at dinner, we all shared pizza and pasta at Dolce Vita.  So that wasn’t it.

By 4am, I didn’t care what it was, I just wanted the vomiting to stop.  I had nothing left in my tummy!

I suffered through the morning trying to eat a cracker and Tums. At 2pm I could barely walk because I was so dehydrated, so I drug myself out of bed, into Mom’s car, and we were off to the doctor.

At this point, we figured I could either have the flu or the stomach bug.  The doctor confirmed it wasn’t the onset of the flu because I didn’t have a temperature or respiratory issues.  Yet, the vomiting ensued, and we determined it was a nasty little stomach bug that just had to “work it’s way through.”

WHAT?  FOR HOW LONG???

The perscriptions (for nausea and stomach cramping) were only a band aid to help me through the next 34 hours of hell.  And I’m not exaggerating, it’s excruciating.  I could barely keep down water and crackers, but my body was telling me, “I’m starving” on top of everything else.

Friends said, “it’s going around,” and, “oh, my husband had that last week, he toughed it out with Gatorade.” Ugh.

Here’s the odd thing about this little bug.  It seems to only like processed food, which I rarely eat.  I survived the two and a half days on Gatorade, Vitamin Water, Kashi crackers, a Nu Go bar, and water.  I tried a banana, but after that came back up I went back to the crackers.

Yesterday I woke up not feeling 100%, but well enough to get my butt in the car to drive up to Austin to catch the end of SXSW.  I arrived in time for dinner and wouldn’t you know the only thing I could stomach was mashed potatoes and here I am this morning still feeling woozy.

You’re probably wondering, “why is she telling me all of this!”  Well, I think you should know it’s “going around” and should you get it, here’s my advice:

• Go to the doctor asap and save yourself that initial morning of pain.
• Stock up on crackers, Vitamin Water or Gatorade, NOT SODA (which will make you burp, which leads to….)
• You won’t make it to the bathroom every time so get a trash can for your bed side.
• Rent movies.  You’ll be restless and need a distraction that doesn’t require focus.
• Cut out at least 3 days to recover IN BED.

I’m going to rally this afternoon to see a few panels at the conference.

This exercise can be a little scary at first when you are passing the bar over your face.  So start with light bar, get the flow down, and then add some weight.

Starting Position: the band should be on the arch of the foot.

If you are new to exercise you can do all of these movements without a band.  If you need some resistance, start with the band around the instep/arch of the foot with the band running along each side of the working leg.

Drive straight out through the heel sqeezing the glute.

Exercise 1: Hip Extension

Drive directly out through the heel squeezing your glute and hamstring.  Be careful to keep your core engaged without arching your back and your hips parallel.

Lift the straight leg up to hip height and then straight back down to the ground.

Exercise 2:  Straight Leg Lift

Keep your core engaged and lift your straight leg directly up and down using your glute.  Keep your hips parallel and back flat.

Exercise 3:  Outer Glute Squeeze

Starting with the leg at hip height, squeeze the side of the glute to pull the leg directly out to the side.  Be careful not to rotate the hips open, keep them parallel to ground with the core engaged.

With a straight leg at hip height, sqeeze the leg directly out to the side. Hips should stay parallel/"flat".

These movements link together- try 10 of each without resting.

Notice that the stationary leg is working almost as hard as the moving leg! Now when you move on to other exercises (like squats), you’ll find the basic movement more challenging.  In fact, I bet you’re sore the next day just by making this little addition to the beginning of your workout.

If you have any questions about this post or anything else, don’t hesitate to email me at Kelley@morethanmary.com

I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy the outdoors. On my last trip to Santa Barbara in January, a friend took me paragliding.  I was scared, but after being tasered, I thought, this should be a piece of cake.

We used this company, but I’m sure a quick google search will direct you to several companies wherever your travels take you.

Update:

FlyAboveAll, the Santa Barbara based company we used in the video, charges $200/day per person.  If you mention MTM, the owner (Chad) will give you a 15% discount.

(Full Disclosure: No media discount was given in exchange for the video.)

Well, you’re a local, or maybe you frequently vacation to the same spot, and have a wealth of knowledge that will make our trip so much more enjoyable.  So I would love for you to send in your tour guide and share your favorite spots with us!

Once you start writing you won’t know how to fit everything in, so use this outline to make your list.

Here’s what we want to know:

How many days do we need to fully enjoy this place?

Where Should We Stay:

• If We’re Going All Out
• If We’re On A Budget

Your Favorite Restaurants (breakfast/lunch/dinner):

• Fine Dining
• Trendy
• Cheap and healthy

Daytime Activities:

• Shopping
• Outdoors
• Culture
• Something Unique

Nightlife:

• Lounges or clubs
• Culture (theater? live music?)

Anything else fun?

Send me your MTM Tour Guide at Mary@MoreThanMary.com.

We thank you in advance!

(Thanks to Reader Tracy for a great idea.)

“I killed this duck, he’s mine.  But if you want to toss him across the room we might be able to work something out.”

Many hot-spots opened in 2009, but the two that stuck out in my mind from reading the reviews were Maialino from Danny Meyer (of Union Square Cafe and Eleven Madison Park) and Colicchio and Sons from Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio (of the the Craft restaurants).  Coincidentally, they have a history as partners and won much acclaim for Gramercy Tavern, their collaboration which opened in 1994. Unfortunately neither of their new venues lived up to their past, in my opinion.

Details to get out of the way:  On both occasions, we had to pull strings to get reservations, and I dined with foodies who were in agreement with my findings.

Maialino

Apparently restaurateur Danny Meyer inherited the nickname “Maialino” while he was eating his way through Rome one suckling little pig (the English translation of Maialino) at a time.

Located in the Gramercy Park Hotel, Maialino is a bright, breath of fresh air on the side of the dark and cavernous hotel lobby. After you pass the lovely authentic bar (that apparently serves some serious coffee in the morning), the space looks like a country kitchen lined with wood and accented with blue checked table cloths. I’d be happy to eat breakfast or lunch in this “traditional Roman trattoria,” but the decor didn’t seem sophisticated enough for the evening fare.

As I had read, the wine list was unique and even featured lovely vintages by the glass.  Regarding the food, Sarah (my beautiful and beyond talented dinner date) said, “Although not my favorite rustic Italian offering in the city (which is Babbo), the menu holds its own and presents many solid dishes.”  The key is to know which ones those are.  The fried artichoke appetizer is a must and should be followed by one of their home-made pastas.  A little piggy would be obvious the choice for an entree, but we chose the swordfish which was uninspired and bland.

After fully digesting my thoughts, I would say, that for those of us who follow the buzz of NYC’s latest to asses its greatness, Maialino is a well-rounded experience.  However, it wouldn’t make my list of recommendations for Italian in New York.

Next Thursday I’ll be posting my experience with Tom and Colicchio And Sons.

(Maialino photo via)

“Women who consumed between 1.5 and 3 drinks daily had a 27 percent and 61 percent lower risk of becoming overweight or obese, respectively, than women who didn’t drink at all, according to the study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.”

– Anne Hardig, “Study: Women Who Drink Are Less Likely To Gain” from Health.com via CNN

Interesting, but unfortunately not a statistic that should inspire us to increase our alcohol consumption.

“I think [the study] suggests that there’s no need to quit or avoid alcohol if it’s something you enjoy.”

–Scott Kahan, M.D.,the co-director of the George Washington University Weight Management Program

Another doctor stated this theory, that I have often suspected (and hoped) is true:

“Many other studies that are not nearly as well done or as large as this suggest that calories from alcohol are metabolized differently. The alcohol calories probably don’t count as much as calories from a Hershey’s bar.”

–”R. Curtis Ellison, M.D., the director of the Institute on Lifestyle and Health at the Boston University School of Medicine, says this study is the strongest evidence to date that calories from food and booze are not created equal.”

All quotes are from Anne Hardig’s article in which she offers several studies for you to consider and that I found to be quite interesting.

(Photo via)

Did I just give you a craving for french fries? I know looking at that picture gives me a taste for salty, carby goodness.

The power of suggestion is so strong when it comes to food. Advertisers know this. They aren’t afraid to let you know they know it. Remember that commercial for Dairy Queen where kids replay a drool-worthy DQ commercial in front of their dad to try to induce a craving so he’ll take them to get some?

I did it again, didn’t I? Now you want a Blizzard (or maybe I just want a Blizzard! But  sadly, no DQ for me).

So, what is a craving? And how does it differ from real hunger?

Cravings are a natural part of the human condition. We’re actually hard-wired to appreciate and pursue natural rewards, like food and sex, because of their critical survival value. But in a world of over-accessibility, the objects of our craving can become all too abundant. Moreover, just a small sample of the drug/food/rewarding activity can lead to more (what experts call the “salty peanut effect”).

Deciding whether a craving is worth indulging is a really tricky process. I’m going to offer some suggestions, but I have to point out once again that everyone is different, so get to know yourself before you implement any kind of craving-control strategy.

• Know that cravings are instinctual and facts of life. No matter how many cookies you avoid, you may never be able to stop your cravings for one when you pass a Mrs. Fields. Having a craving doesn’t mean you’re unmotivated or doomed to failure. They’re extremely natural and we all have them.
• Learn about your triggers. For me, having something in my line of sight is a recipe for failure. I don’t keep candy on my desk for that reason. Even watching the Food Network can trigger strong cravings even when I know I’m not actually hungry. For some, stress, lack of sleep, emotional duress, or just boredom can be triggers. Know yours!
• Realize that you can have the food you’re craving anytime. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to eat it. You can eat it in 10 minutes. Or an hour. Or tomorrow. Many cravings are short-lived and if you ride them out, you’ll find they go away pretty quickly. If you can, physically remove yourself from the situation or try making a contract with yourself that you won’t act on the craving in a given amount of time.
• Understand that some cravings are actual hunger! If you’re craving something unusual or random, it might be because your body is trying to tell you it’s lacking an essential nutrient. Learn your body’s signals for hunger, like a rumbling stomach, irritability, headache, dizziness, etc. A good benchmark for my actual hunger is if protein and veggies sound good. If all I want is cake, it’s probably psychological hunger or a craving. I’ve also heard experts talk about the “apple test”: If an apple sounds appealing, you’re likely actually hungry. This doesn’t work for me as well because I often crave sweets/sweet foods when I’m not actually hungry. Of course, learning how to practice intuitive eating is also extremely helpful.
• If your craving persists, eat exactly what you want and don’t look back! One cookie, piece of cake, or order of fries will NOT make or break you or your eating plan. If that craving doesn’t go away, indulge it in a way that will satisfy it. Some people can eat a healthier substitute and be satisfied, but most of us probably need the real thing. Start with just a couple bites, since that often is enough to quench the thirst for whatever you’re lusting after. Above all, know this: There’s nothing inherently bad about indulging a craving (especially after following the steps above), so don’t let yourself succumb to feelings of guilt!

The best way to start your day is with a glass of room-temperature water followed by a green juice.

But, so what?!

I’ve blogged a lot about coffee lately because it’s made a resurgence in my life, and I’m loving every minute of it.  Why, you ask?  Well, I’m finally realizing why people say Starbucks doesn’t serve coffee beyond just the complaint about burned beans.

I’m far from being proficient in the banter, but I’m enjoying the education.  Much like my experience with food and wine, I perceived the people involved to be snobby about their passions, when in fact the opposite is true.  Baristas and coffee connoisseurs want to spread the good word about the french press, steamed milk, and different roasts.  There is more to each cup than the pretty design atop your latte.

The Times published an article yesterday entitled “New York is Finally Taking Its Coffee Seriously” that states, “the difference between a cup of coffee from these new style coffee bars and what was available before is striking.”  As the piece continues, it outlines different tendencies of each spot that awakens your senses just as fresh beans would.  I encourage you to click through to read the article in its entirety, and seek out one or more of the top coffee “places” in New York.

Now, for those of us who don’t live in New York, where are your favorite coffee shoppes and what is their specialty?  Your turn to spread the good word and share in the comments below. If you have a tip for making coffee at home, we’d love to hear that too!