Tag Archives: books

Review: Carrots ‘n’ Cake: The Book

photo-30.JPG

I’m at Newark Airport right now, I think?

Yesterday, my mom and I drove up to Rhode Island. We had to leave this morning, unexpectedly, and drive back to NYC. We got in around 12, and I took a quick shower and gobbled down a sandwich before I hopped in a cab to Newark.

DSCF7558.JPG

I’m flying up to Boston now, and I’ll be flying to Baltimore tomorrow for Fitbloggin’. I’m finally back on schedule right now. NYC > Boston > Baltimore was always on the schedule; NYC > RI > NYC was not. C’est la vie.

Carrots ‘n’ Cake Review:


Screen shot 2011-05-19 at 2.11.36 PM.png

A few months ago, Tina‘s publisher sent a few copies of her book to Woman’s Day, and I managed to nab a copy.

I read about half of it, but decided to wait until everyone else had received theirs to finish it. (I also don’t usually look at menus before I go out to eat because I don’t want to be sitting around tapping my thumbs while everyone else is looking. Maybe I’m just weird.)

But a few weeks ago, when everyone else got their copies of Carrots ‘n’ Cake, I finished my copy, too.

What makes Tina so likable as a person and a blogger–her straightforward, relatable way of talking–also made her book a really easy read. I felt like I was talking to her in a bar about her healthy ways.

She walks you through myriad situations where it’s easy to fall off the healthy bandwagon–happy hour, going on vacation–and tells you her strategies for enjoying yourself without going overboard. But she’s struggled with the occasional binges herself, so she also talks about how to recognize what’s causing a binge and move on from it. She weaves lots of personal anecdotes in with her tips.

If you’ve read her blog for more than a second, you know she definitely has a sweet tooth, and so the book is worth it alone for the easy baking recipes. Her pomegranate apple crisp and pumpkin muffins look pretty amazing. She also throws plenty of workouts in–both strength and cardio.

Over the past few months, Tina has turned from one of my favorite bloggers to one of my favorite bloggers and one of my favorite people. I’ve had the chance to spend a good amount of time with her in NYC and at various events with other bloggers, and she is even more fun in person than she comes across on her blog. I’m so proud of her for her book, and I’m really excited to go support her at her book signing!

It’s a Good Friday

I haven’t been posting my dinners because I’ve had the same dinner for four nights straight:

DSC_0388.JPG

The garlic whole-wheat pasta with broccoli rabe and turkey sausage. And cheese. (I’ve given up most dairy, but I just can’t quit cheese.)

I managed to do some form of exercise before work every day this week!

Monday: Physique + 3-mile run

Tuesday: yoga

Wednesday: Physique + 3-mile rurn

Thursday: spin

This morning, I was even up before my alarm. I can seriously count on one hand the number of times in my six-year post-college career that’s happened on a workday. I did some Zen in Your Den on OnDemand this morning before work and 10 minutes of yoga poses on my own after.

DSC_0390.JPG

And a sunflower butter sandwich. Obviously.

So part of the reason I’m trying to beef up my strength training is to get stronger and faster. But also? I just want to look good in a bikini. Like Tina. She (and quite a few other people) do BodyPump, which I am so curious about.

Picture 100.png

It looks like they have a few of them in NYC, some at Gold’s Gyms and 24-Hour Fitness. Has anyone ever tried it in NYC? Do you just get a guest pass to one of those gyms?

A few random things:

What are you excited about today!?