Italy - the land of la dolce vita, crazy people and good food

(The original post is on my other blog (with lots of pics for those who are interested), but here I wanted to sum it all up a little bit.)

Meta didn't prepare me for the south of Italy. Not at all. I can't say I am out of shape, but walking 2000 steps down to the beach is simply NOT easy!

But to start from the very beginning... A week ago we (me and my sweetheart) travelled from Prague to the south of Italy. As it is quite a ride, we had to do it in two days. First day we made it to Verona, and second day we reached our final destination for a couple of days – Positano and the little village we were actually staying in – Nocelle.

Arriving to Nocelle meant sea, sun, beach, wine and lots and lots and lots (I mean LOTS) of great Italian food. (Beware danger: lots of pictures of food are to follow!!!)

Ah. I LOVE Italian food. I love food in general, but the freshness and simplicity of the Italian cuisine simply makes me a mad woman – what IS a diet when there is Italian food??!! I do like sea food, I am not a fan of it though, but it is famous in that area, so I ate that as well: all different prawns, mussels, octopus, cray-fish… Some of the best I have ever had!

Mussels and tomato pasta... Yes, I know pasta. But hey - you can't be in Italy
and NOT have pasta... It is just home-made and so good!

Octopus salad - with some tomatoes, black olives and... potatoes... I know,
potatoes - not so healthy, but hey - it was absolutely delicious!!!! 

Seafood salad - lots of different seafood creatures mixed in one salad with
several leaves of  salad, some carrots and tomatoes.

Spaghetti Mediterreano - absolute delight, I could not resist. Spaghetti
with some cherry tomatoes, basil and  anchovies - fresh and yummy!

And the tomatoes and mozzarella!!!! Oh. My. God! Mozzarella is really nice in the area around Napoli (all those who think mozzarella is tasteless, would change their opinions when you try THIS mozzarella!!!), and boy I took advantage of that! I ate tomatoes every day.

Caprese in two variations. But Italians LOVE their big tomatoes. And mozzarella! Yum!

I ate pasta (yes, I know – grains, but hey – being in Italy and NOT having pasta is definitely a sin!) and pizza (not trying the real Italian pizza is also a sin), and all the grilled veggies, and fruit – oh yum!

Caprese ravioli: with mozzarella and tomatoes.

Grilled eggplant with some basil and parmeggiano.

Honestly don't remember the type of fish, but it was backed with mozzarella
and tomatoes - exquisite! 

Steak with arugula (which we simply call rucola) and parmeggiano. 

Pineapples are everywhere pineapples... But this was SO sweet :)

The real Italian lasagna! Doesn't look particularly impressive,
but it was SOOO good!

Coming from the European north makes me realise how much I am missing out on: the wonderful taste! We have good driving, rules, organisation and general respect of all people, but the southerners have boundless hospitality and friendliness, great food and wine, lots of chaos and general ability to relax and let go: the Italian “dolce vita”! I can’t say I would love to live the dolce vita, but being in it for a couple days is definitely enriching and useful. And I know it was not the healthiest experience, but it was all sooo good.

Now. As we lived on the top of the hill, we had to get all the way down from Nocelle to the seaside. And the first day we decided to go all the way down by walking the old steps: around 2000 steps all in total to the beach… And that is where I say that TAM did not prepare me for this! After an hour walking down the stairs till we finally reached Arienzo beach, the next morning I woke up with such a strong pain in my calves that I was not sure I would be able to walk at all. But I managed. :) It’s a great new exercise right?! Add on top of that swimming – a LOT – because it was really hot, and I am not a type of person to stay still in water. I like to swim, to explore. So when we went for a little boat trip, yes I did spend a great time frying my belly in the sun (I have extremely white skin, it is not bad for me to get some tan – on condition that I have 20-30 sun block minimum!), but I also spent a great deal of time jumping off the boat and swimming around – simply enjoying the luke-warm water or exploring the little caves along the coast. Wonderful day as well.

This is still some 1900 steps away from our destination (yes, down there)
and we are still cheerful and full of energy... :)

This is where we had to finally get... A long way...

Reached the beach, and I needed some rest.

Along the beautiful Amalfi coast

Positano and me

While being in the area we also went to visit Pompeii - the ancient town discovered under the lava. It was impressive but hot. The place is breathtaking, but honestly, advice to everyone: do NOT visit it in the summer. Spring or autumn would be the best! Really!

The beautiful Pompeii... 

If you like to learn about history and experience it. Absolutely great!

And this is how dead you can be if you go there in the summer... So, don't. :) I felt like being for 4 hours in a desert. Shade is rare, water is scarce, 40 degrees heat, stone and burning sun - all this is NOT a good mix!

All in all, stay in Italy was wonderful – full of sun, food and healthy activities.

I did manage to fit in only two workouts – but hey with all the stairs, walking and swimming in the heat, I think it was almost OK exercise. Mind that with all the food indulgence (I really had a feast of Italian food!!!), I didn’t really gain weight. So it should have been OK. And after all it was a rest, a holiday, so I took it easy. And what a great way to get some energy: eat, have an active life, sleep. :)

Now the workouts are back, I am working in Switzerland. All is good and a little stressful. :) It’s serious PhD time after all now!

Stay tuned!

PS. Bikini photo session is coming up - I was particularly looking forward to showing off in my new bikini... :))) 

Rest day...

Rest days are marvelous... and ah - so restless too. I have to say I wake up every day with the though of exercise. No, I am not waking up hating it and not looking forward to it. Neither do I jump out of bed to get into the exercise because I am so excited. Nonetheless, I do wake up and one of the thoughts on my mind is about the workout. Neither good, nor bad. And I think it is indeed a great development - it is as if my body doesn't see a day without it. So, I actually have to remind myself the evening before and the morning I get up that "Hey, calm down, you are not working out today". And it is strange not to. I try to enjoy the break - so that I actually rest. I take a slow breakfast, I laze in the bathroom or put make-up twice longer... I have time to open the book (Kindle actually) and read with my breakfast and juice... I have time to take it easy and slow down in the morning. But I feel strange. As if something is missing.

I start work, and my brain is not as concentrated and I keep returning to the pleasure of stretching my muscles, and doing this exercise and that... I keep interrupting myself with searching the web for nice fitness and sports videos, health tips and other fitness-related things. I keep falling asleep too. So I get a coffee, and try to muddle through some more work. Then I go to a driving class, and by the time I am back, my eyes hurt, my back aches and I just need some stretches and activity. I do a little bit of back and legs stretches, and stop myself from working out. 

It is so strange how this works, isn't it? How the psychology of us humans works?! On the days when I have the workouts, I still have to talk myself into them - rather my laziness. I have to force myself start it early enough so that I can fit it in. On the opposite, on rest days I am restless and can barely stop myself from exercising... Funny beings humans :)

Day 51 of Metamorphosis

First and foremost, I am extremely and utterly happy that level 5 is over. Uff. It’s not like it was bad, no. But as I mentioned in my previous post – I got so so so bored of it! I did it something like 15 times (as I did restart it at some point), and by the end was managing the same amount of reps as Tracy – with the exception of plunks. If in the beginning I though “WHOAAAA!!! That’s FAST!” – especially on arms section with weights. By the end I was simply “Yawn… Boring”. Well, not really :) But you get the point. :)

But boy was I happy to have done so much and so long level 5, because level 6… Well, it’s level 6 you know… No, it is not hard and extremely difficult. No no no. I could actually do most of the exercises with the same speed as Tracy does – I was simply following her – again except for the plunks and one more naughty exercise. But it was weird. Really. That was what I was thinking throughout doing it. What weird arms movements – really. Unusual, new, not done by me yet – ever. And the lying abs?! Where did all the moves come from?! Good heavens! The leg sections were somehow strange as well. And I think it was not extremely horrible for me because of level 5 – if you do it well and thorough, it would help you in level 6.

But overall this level really surprised me – I have to be honest here. The movements were not difficult, but my muscles I think were shocked – as much as I was. Now, however, after 8 days of workouts in a row I am taking a rest day (I did 8 to compensate for the days I missed before). Tomorrow I am just gonna wake up, take a shower and go to the office. That would feel so strange – without the workout!!! But I think I deserved my rest day, and if you did your workouts 5-6 times, you did too! Keep it up!!

3rd Palladium Voyage

I know I disappeared. It was a crazy crazy crazy time… As I wrote in my previous post, I had a salsa festival over the weekend of 12-15^th April, hence I had no time. After that a nightmare of a week at work started, and then this weekend I was in… Monte Carlo! In other words – Monaco...

But I should tell the tale in order, so salsa first. The festival was called 3^rd Palladium Voyage, took place in Bremen, Germany. It took place over the span of 4 days with the first party starting on Thursday the 12^th of April, and the closing party – on Sunday the 15^th of April. Several international salsa and Latin dancers performed during the parties on Friday and Saturday, and everyone had a chance to dance with some of the world’s leading dancers – such an experience! Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 till 17:00 were filled with workshops on technique, styling, different styles of salsa, Bachata, Pachanga, Cha cha cha… On Friday I had a formal event at the University, and ate something there (my guess is that I might be highly lactose intolerant, and I ate some cream) and my stomach started to kill me nearly. I had horribly painful bloating with nausea, and of course could not go to salsa that evening. But Saturday I started on full speed. I took all the possible workshops, and ended up dancing 6-7 hours each day on Saturday and Sunday (including workshops and the parties). By the party on Sunday, everybody was squeezed out and exhausted, but all together it was a great great great fun! Some pics below!

Rest day and the power of indulging

Today was my rest day. Not very resting though I have to tell you. I woke up at 6am because some builders were making noise outside my window... At 6am!!! I am still sleeping at that time, and they are already "noising" around!!! And I have to tell you, I went to bed only at 2... So, not much sleep.

At 9 I had to be at the university at the structural equation modelling (SEM) course - which to be honest was interesting and exciting, so I was not - thankfully - falling asleep. After that - as a normal PhD student - I got so excited, I went back home and started using SEM for my own data... By the evening I was exhausted from work, and sleepy. 

I did let myself indulge in a little bit of dinner: carrot-parsnip puree, quinoa (yes, I found it thanks to one of my readers Nina - Thank you so much!), several olives, a slice of cheese, pureed tomatoes with garlic and some weird bio-diet-ham (of only 8 cal a slice... weird! but I simply had to try it). All that with a little glass of wine, some candle light and instrumental piano music of genious Ludovico Einaudi... Perfect evening, just wish my sweetheart was here in person and not just on Skype... :)

Dinner, Week 7 with some extravagances... :)

I LOVE candles... Long time ago I used to find them a waste of time and space... Now I love the little flames...

Day 31 of Metamorphosis

(Ah, this is approximately how I was urgently
 trying to finish my presentation...)

I know, I disappeared. I know. And I am sorry. I had a crazy time. Well basically, not too crazy considering I am a PhD student - and that in itself is crazy, but I had a little bit of a bad time even for a PhD student. Today I had a presentation - an important presentation at the Uni. And I was not ready even a week ago - meaning I had absolutely nothing to present. So it took me almost day and night to prepare. For that reason I disappeared, for that reason I had some problems with level 3 (about that in the next post), and for that reason I took an extra rest day - yesterday - after the end of level 3 (even though my official rest day was Saturday...) But, nevertheless, I did get back on track today - after the presentation right away.

Soooo...  I did start level 4. I still myself can't believe I am actually saying (writing) this. How can it be even possible??!! I actually made it through to level 4 already! And the journey felt like a couple days so far, but was difficult as if it was a year. It had ups and downs... But boy it was good!

Level 4 will definitely kick your ass. There is SO much about balance. Some of the MS exercises are so hard - primarily in terms of balance. While in level 3 my butt really hurt by the end of MS, now I feel like a have wobbly legs and arms. I mean seriously - I fell several times! For real! Good that I have a soft mat, but it was not fun. I was already starting to think "Yey, I kick ass!" after level 3, when here we come - I actually fell like three times in a particular balancing exercise...

I am on week hmmm on week 6 of diet (Body Reset, I call it "protein boost") - it took me some time to remember, which week it is. While my set goal of following the diet for 30 days came and went, I am still sticking to it. I just decided, I won't feel bad about myself if I am not always consitstent with sticking to it, but I will try as much as I can. So I still have my chicken and salad in the evenings, I still have two eggs in the morning and some fruit and protein bar during the day. It works out well, and mostly I don't feel hungry. But if I have a dinner with friends or sweetheart, I won't overthink it - I will just try to stick to healthy options.

I have some nice results from level 3 - despite all the bumps on the way, or may be due to them, who knows - I even have pics taken, measurements calculated, all ready... Just have to write it up and post all of that juicy content tomorrow, so stay tuned! ;)

Day 24 of Metamorphosis

Today I was travelling back from Prague to Bremen, what a nightmare. :) I start losing faith in the Deutsche Bahn (German Railroads). The train was 50 minutes late (check out the reason: kids were playing on the tracks, and they needed to “clear” the tracks…), and then as it was late, it simply stopped in Hannover and instead of going then directly to Bremen, it just didn’t move. So everyone had to get off and take another train… I was at least an hour late. And it is not that I really had somewhere to go this Sunday evening (salsa was cancelled), but rather going through all the trouble is a little annoying. And it gets me tired, so I by the end of the trip I had no clue, how I was going to work out today. Besides, I only had breakfast (eggs and an apple), lunch (protein bar) and some snack with me (celery sticks), and by 6pm I was already starving.

Anyhow, enough of whining, I guess. Better tell a little about my little ups and downs. First and foremost, I did get home and did not starve. I did have my chicken breast with salad, and I did find strength for the workout (now just need to find strength to get my legs moving towards the bedroom...) 

Today however I wanted to sum up some of the events of the past couple days, I have to be honest with you and myself – I have not been able to stick with the diet very well in the past several days. Though I did try my best. I was visiting my boyfriend in Prague, and even though we tried to eat healthy together, temptations are really bad. So, I sometimes had a little soup for lunch instead of the protein bar, I went out for dinners. But to be fair, I always chose a protein option (chicken, fish or beef) with fresh salad or veggies, so no pasta, pizza, and excessive sauce and oil. And I guess it is good enough. I still kept my workouts during the visit, and I did have the fruits and eggs in the morning. You can do only as much as you can! :)

Besides all that the workouts are still rocking, I love to dance with Katy Perry, and level 3 MS is so much fun for some reason! I love it! Yesterday was my rest day and well instead of really having a rest, we went cycling – as the weather hit nearly 20 degrees and all people in Prague seemed to go outside for the day – it was crowded, we had some cycling-roller-blading-walking jams in the park, but it was still beautiful. In the end we did almost 30 km cycle, and after that came back home exhausted and both needed rejuvenating baths… So much for the rest day! :) But hey – I rested from the usual workouts, but kept active lifestyle, what can be better!?

After the baths we went to a wonderful dinner in the very centre of Prague – on a terrace – overlooking the old square and providing wonderful views of the city.

Then Brazilian jazz concert – which was absolutely lovely, and the Brazilian-International team of musicians were absolutely amazing. So, the rest day was wonderful and I could barely wake up in the morning for my train back to Bremen. Buuu, long way and I didn’t want to leave!

Week 5 starts tomorrow, l3d4 is also planned for tomorrow. As I have been away, I am not prepared for the diet, so I guess will have to go shopping early in the morning.

Have a great day and evening everyone!

Day 18 of Metamorphosis

Ah, Sunday... I do find it hard to work out on Sundays. It is somehow a thought deep routed in the psyche that it is a REST day... Most of my life I have spent Sundays lazing around and not bothering much. Sometimes I did some home chores, like laundry and cleaning up, but normally I read, watched movies, surfed Internet aimlessly for hours... And now I have a workout to do AND a salsa training to go to. So, for me it is extremely hard to do either - not cos it is hard, but because my laziness tells me it wants to lie on the sofa and do nothing all day.

What do people do for lack of motivation? Honestly, I went to TAM community and read people's comments. Then looked through my blog - many many many times - saw my results from level 1, thought about the "social responsibility" I have to all of you guys, sighed and did my transform. I did not do DC, as I had two hours of salsa, so I think that is enough of dance for a Sunday, but I did get my butt off the comfy computer chair to do the MS. Level 2 is still hard for me. Now I am sitting and still feeling my abs - they do hurt and ache.

Hmmm well, as this is apparently the post of revelations, I have to be honest (to myself as well) and admit, I did not follow the diet very well for two days. On Friday I had a friend over and we went for a Mexican dinner (a nice restaurant, in Europe Mexican are almost never fast food...) - can't say it was the healthiest thing ever, but what can I do. On Saturday we went yet again to a Mexican restaurant - that was a coincidence! - as my friends from salsa were meeting there, and I simply ordered cilli con carne. Well, I know it is not the same one we have in our TA menu, but at least some sort of substitute. But to be fair - I did not eat much before that during the day, just had fruit and veg - both days. Overall, it is not so bad, and what can you do when you have social life, right? :) I am trying to keep the balance in all ways - and it means you have to keep with your normal social life too. Today I am back to the diet and eating well :) Now I am sitting with a cup of steaming herb tea and my veggie snack, and am procrastinating a little before going to bed very soon. Some results of my procrastination (and this is what gives me lots of motivation too) below.

Tomorrow is going to be a beautiful new day! :)

Days 11-12 and rest day

I started level 2. Overall impression of level 2: it is tough, but doable. For me actually it became more interesting and challenging. In level 2 the exercises become more difficult, and one has to really keep attention up: to note all the angles and turns of wrists, feet, etc. Here angles become even more important. So beware!

In day 11 I had to separate the DC and MS - as I didn't have enough time in the morning (overslept) and it felt like I was much stronger when I was doing MS. I am not sure if it is about the change, or because I was not already exhausted by DC, but it went almost easy. Then I had my rest day, and on day 12 - 4th of March, I went to the consulate to vote and had salsa, so I only did MS in the evening. Will get back to DC tomorrow - for sure!

Diet... Well, what can I say - I was off it for 1.5 days almost. Though I still tried to keep up the more or less healthy food. But yesterday was my birthday, so my sweetheart arranged a couple niceties for me - so sweet! He whisked me off to a hotel with spa, got me a cake with candles (I really begged to get something really really really tiny - I am still on diet!! :D), a wonderful present, romance, champagne, amazing dinner, and then salsa dancing. We got a little too much of drink - oops, but it was a wonderful day. And I had some nice and not too unhealthy food...

Breakfast (birthday cake and champagne):

Lunch (small chicken soup and a salad, ate 2 pieces of bread :(...):

Dinner (rumpsteak with rucola and tomatoes, tomato salad):

(I know, I know, it's a steak, but at least I ordered it without any sauce (and it is protein after all!), and also had only fresh veggies with it, rather than any bad roasted potatoes and other unhealthy fatty things.)

So, the diet was not too bad, but well not precisely what was prescribed... But overall, I had a great weekend, and I loved it and felt great! :) Back to the diet - week 3 starting tomorrow!