Embracing fitness for the new year...

A shadow selfie during one of my urbanhikes
around Socal.

... I know, not a very novel concept around this time of year, when gyms are filled to brim, workout classes are booked to the max, and people are generally scrutinizing every calorie they consumed & burned.

But for the Type B me, I'd much rather take a relaxed approach to fitness & healthfulness. And thus, some of the "goals" for the year include:

• Finding more activities I enjoy and just do them.
• Naturally incorporate more activity throughout the day (taking the stairs, parking further from destination).
• Focus on how I feel after the workout.
• Progress on my exercise performance without over straining.

And for something more concrete, putting in the recommended 150+ minutes of activity a week & hitting my 11,000 daily steps at least 3 days a week.

All of these were notions that were reinforced in a resolution-themed tweetchat I participated in last week under my @foodie_fitness alter-ego*. The two biggest takeaways, doing anything is better than nothing at all . . . and unless you're really enjoying the workout itself—as opposed to its effects—it's all too easy to throw in the towel.

With this in mind, I plan on going on a little "fitness dating" (a term I'm borrowing from Jeanette DePatie a.k.a. The Fat Chick, who co-hosted the tweetchat) this & next month, just so I can have a few more fun workouts to add to my usual mix of tennis, hiking, rollerblading, cardio-dancing & kickboxing, yoga and good ole fashioned jogging.

Here's to a healthy & fit 2014!

*Disclosure: City of Hope, the other co-host of the tweetchat, is where I punch my 9 to 5. But thoughts, opinions expressed on the @foodie_fitness twitter handle are my own.

Recipe: Miso-Pesto Vegetable Soup

Admittedly, calling this a recipe is bit of a misnomer. Rather than set-in-stone rules, this is more like a loose set of guidelines, which generally describes my cooking philosophy too. But with cooler weather coming, I figured it's good time to share this "recipe" for miso-pesto vegetable soup. It's hearty, healthy and can be made in a hurry—from fridge & pantry to the table in under 15 minutes. 

I also love that this feels more substantial than the typical pureed vegetable soups; even after a blitz in the blender, it still has rough, nubbly bits to give it some texture, so I don't feel like I'm on a liquid diet.

Even better yet, it utilizes ingredients that I pretty much have on standby all the time: vegetables, miso paste, pesto sauce and some seasonings. And in the latest rendition of this soup, I found it works wonderfully with a bag of frozen vegetables too (yes, that middle American mix of peas, corns, carrots, lima and green beans,) since it still gets a flavor boost from the deeply savory miso and vibrant pesto.

While this vegan soup satisfying enough as is, if I'm feeling extra indulgent I'd throw in a splash of cream and top it with some cheese too.

Healthy Snacking: Krave's Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky

I've never been much of a jerky lover as a kid—having been fed those over-dried leathery strips that smell funny and tastes even weirder—and it's recently that I discovered actually like them. Well, at least the actually tasty ones like the ones made by Krave.

I first came by Krave about a year ago when Woot! offered a deal on their sampler pack, and I was curious about their unique flavors (way different than the usual varieties of "original", smoked, spicy, barbecue, and teriyaki.) While I enjoyed all of them, the basil citrus turkey jerky became my favorite upon, a surprise even to me since I expected that to be extra-dry and gummy as hell, except that it's anything but.

This was like tasting jerky in technicolor, with a fiesta of flavors from the tang of the lemon, the fruity sweetness of apples and honey and the intoxicating bouquet of basil. And it has a nice chewiness without going to leather-tough territory.

On top of being delicious, this is a snack I can nosh on with very little guilt. Each 1 oz. serving has only 80 calories. Even if I chomp down on the whole bag (and I have been tempted to on several occasions,) it'll only clock in at 260 calories—which isn't bad at all. And with each serving packing in 9g of protein (it is mostly turkey breast, afterall) it's great before or after a strength workout to help those muscles repair, or as a filling snack to bring along.

As for me, I can't wait to stock up on a few more bags for hikes, trips... or a party; maybe I'll even be bold enough to do one of their suggested drink pairings too!

Keeping Fitness Fun...

I've never been one of those exercise-obsessed folks, but I'm aware - as someone who eats & drinks enthusiastically - an active lifestyle should probably be a priority to keep the scales in balance (metaphorically & literally.)

For me, the best way to do that is to keep that lifestyle fun, so I don't start dreading the routines and consequently, make excuses to avoid it altogether. And given the pleasantness of this summer, here are a few things I've been doing regularly to keep fit & have fun doing it.

Urbanhiking - which also makes for a great opportunity to check out the various scenes of the city that's too often ignored when we just whiz by on wheels.

Not-so-urban (purists will call this "real") hiking - for those times when I just want to escape from the city and get an extra challenge from rocky trails & hilly inclines.

Rollerblading - my more convenient alternative to biking, since I don't have to dismantle/reassemble anything or have to install a rack on my car.

Playing dance performance games (Dance Dance Revolution/Pump It Up/In The Groove) - still the first cardio exercise that I ever truly loved. I only this doesn't do me any wonders on a real dance floor but at least I have a better sense of rhythm & beat.

Tennis - another early exercise love from my grade school days, though I guess I should invest in a new grip.

While these are my favorites, there are still routines I do because of their proven effectiveness (running for calorie burn, weightlifting for strength, pilates/yoga for flexibility, etc.) But it's always reassuring to know that I still have a mix of enjoyable exercises to swap in when I feel like having more fun instead (while still helping me keep fit.)