Jenna, Author at Just J.Faye

a hotel workout, featuring the jump rope

May 1, 2014 by Jenna

Look what I found at the Holiday Inn in New Jersey:

A jump rope! Amazing, right?! So fun.

Jump ropes bring me right back to elementary school where my friends and I would jump rope to the teddy bear song during recess. Sometimes we would attempt to double-dutch. It wasn’t pretty, but it was still pretty awesome. My proudest jump rope moment occurred during my most dreaded day of the year: track and field day.

As a chubby, uncoordinated kid who was neither athletic nor competitive it was the worst. I loathed track and field day, an annual event where all the area parochial schools would gather to compete in running, jumping, and throwing events. I signed up for the fewest and easiest events possible. I couldn’t long jump, high jump, sprint, or shut put. I’d probably kill myself trying to do hurdles. But, jump rope?! Heck yeah. It was my saving grace. One year (fourth grade, perhaps?) I won third place in jump rope. THIRD PLACE. I was overjoyed!! New best day of my life! Who cares that it was a white ribbon and probably only 4 or 5 other people competed. I won a ribbon at track and field day. And that is all that matters.

Therefore, jump rope will always and forever hold a special place in my heart.

Looking back I find it hilarious that I despised track and field day so much. Now-a-days I would love to get an afternoon off from work to exercise and run around with my friends in the sun. Let’s bring these competitions to corporate America!

Man oh man, I have come a long way.

Now back to present day, where I have been in Vineland, NJ all week for work. When I am travelling for work and eating out for all my meals – side note: I had the best Philly cheese steak yesterday – a good workout is an absolute must, so hotel gyms are very important to me. Hotel breakfasts are also very important to me, but that is an entirely different blog post.

Hotel gyms can be pretty hit and miss.Sometimes they are phenomenal (the Hampton Inn in Buffalo, NY) and sometimes they are terrible (the Drury Inn in Nashville, TN). I can at least count on having a low quality treadmill and some free weights in a small, sweaty room. That is ok. I can work with that… temporarily.

The Holiday Inn in Vineland falls on the mid-to-lower end of the spectrum; however it has a jump rope – a rare hotel gym amenity – so it gets bonus points. This gym is providing me with the essentials I need to get a good workout, helping me to burn off those delicious doughnuts the Logistics Manager brought in for the team today.

I actually did have a great workout so I thought I would share it with you. Here it is:

A pictorial reference of the strength training circuit:

The great thing about this workout is that it can be modified to do without any weights or equipment. If a jump rope is not available to you, you can easily substitute that part of the workout with a combination of jumping jacks and star jumps. This can also be done pretty much anywhere:

Your gym – the fully loaded version or the dumpy hotel version
Your living room – assuming you don’t have people living below you, which is the reason I do not own a jump rope at this time
Your hotel room – if you don’t feel like venturing to the hotel gym to get sweaty with all the middle-aged business men
Outside – to enjoy a workout and some fresh spring air

I added in 15 minutes of interval running on the treadmill (2.5 minutes at 7.0 mph, ten rounds of 30 seconds at 9.0 mph + 30 seconds at 5.0 mph, 2.5 minutes at 7.0 mph) between the warm up and the circuit. Like I mentioned, I ate a delicious cheese steak and doughnut so the intervals were pretty necessary. Even without the additional running it was a great cardio workout. The combination of the exercises, minimal rest between moves, and the jump rope kept my heart rate up between zones 2 and 3 the entire time.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions about the workout. If you do it, let me know how it goes!

PS – HAPPY MAY DAY!

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because i love crumbling under peer pressure…

April 29, 2014 by Jenna

On Sunday I had written a lovely blog post about cake. A very delicious cake filled with all of my favorite things. I wrote about its magical healing powers and also about the magical healing powers of running in the rain.

However, you will never read this post. Why, you ask? Great question, I say.

I had to go to the airport and board a plane before I was able to post it to the Internet. I thought I had sent it to myself in an attachment, but I didn’t – whooooops. The post is still in my computer in Minneapolis, MN while I am in my hotel in Vineland, NJ.

NEVER FEAR. I shall share the recipe for the magically delicious cake very soon. You have my permission to start getting excited about it now.

As you may have figured out I love cake. I love sweets. I love sugar. Luckily I love vegetables and I love exercise too. I love being inspired by my friends. I love when they peer pressure me into things. I also love using the word love liberally.

Let me clarify my peer pressure statement.

I don’t mean they peer pressure into bad things, like let’s-go-steal-things peer pressure. I don’t hang out with that sort of crowd. It’s more like let’s-have-a-Sunday-funday peer pressure. Or let’s-buy-plane-tickets-to-Atlanta peer pressure. Or, most recently, let’s-sign-up-for-a-marathon peer pressure.

I crumble under peer pressure ev.er.y.time.

In a good way.

These crumblings have often led to long-lasting memories and life-changing moments. They have caused me to grow, learn from my mistakes, and challenge myself: all good things.

Last night I crumbled again. After some persistence from my favorite running partners I signed up for my third marathon.

Yikes bikes. Am I ready to start training again? Maybe. Can I do it? Of course I can.

Bring it on.

Last June I ran Grandma’s Marathon. It was a lot of work, but one of the best experiences. Seriously, THE BEST. This was because of the people in my run club who encouraged, pushed, inspired, and ran with me. Because of them I was able to set a new PR and shave 40 minutes off of my first marathon time. Because of them (and their wonderful peer pressure) I want to do it again.

And by “it” I mean “run another marathon”. I won’t be shaving another 40 minutes off of my time – I’ll be happy with 4 minutes… or even 4 seconds, really.

So I did it. I registered for another marathon. Because I love crumbling under peer pressure. I love training with wonderful people. I love long Saturday morning runs where we talk about food, boys, hopes, and dreams. I love challenging myself. I love endorphins. I love running. And did I mention I love using the word love liberally?

So I will be running the Philadelphia Marathon on November 23, 2014. I won’t be marathon training just yet, but I will be running. Because I can and because I love it.

I apparently also love beginning sentences with the word I. That’s the worst, sorry (for the most part).

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chocolate chip oatmeal crunchies

April 25, 2014 by Jenna

Sometimes I just need to bake cookies.

And by need I of course mean want. There are about 5,093,782 other things that I need to do right now. Ok, maybe more like 5, but 5 is still a lot. It’s actually a whole hand’s worth of things! However, the only thing I actually want to do is to bake cookies. And then to eat them save them for other people.

So that’s precisely what I am doing right now, as I type, because multitasking is one of my strong points.

It has been quite the whirlwind of a week. As I mentioned in my last post, I spent last Thursday-Tuesday with friends in Boston. It was spectacular in every way. We celebrated my birthday, visited Sam Adams, explored the city, drank good beer, cooked Easter brunch, watched Disney movies, and participated in the Boston Marathon as spectators. There may have also been a game of Disney Trivial Pursuit followed by a dance party to Edward Sharpe’s Home with pineapple guitars and cat wand batons. I have the most amazing friends.

Here is a pictorial summary of food, drink, and fun sites from the weekend: Also, before moving on I must say that watching the Boston Marathon was truly inspiring. I yelled. I cheered. I shed a tear (or two). There were a handful of people from my run club, Calhoun Beach Run Club, and all of them did absolutely amazing. I was so proud to see them run by and screamed my lungs out for them. Unfortunately, with the already ridiculously loud and fantastic crowd I don’t think any of them actually heard me. But seriously, it was a truly wonderful and humbling thing to observe. It made me want to sign up for another marathon and train with my friends. Philadelphia in November, perhaps? We shall see…

From Boston I headed straight over to Buffalo, NY for work. It wasn’t too busy and it wasn’t un-fun. It was actually quite productive and successful; however, it just wasn’t home.

BUT now, as of a few hours ago, I am home. In my kitchen. Where I belong. Baking cookies.

Thursday nights are really good nights for baking. I don’t know why, but I feel like I tend to bake a lot on Thursday nights. Maybe because it’s just so close to Friday that it practically feels like the weekend, meaning I can stay up late and bake cookies. Or maybe it’s because I feel like I deserve a baked good (and perhaps a glass of wine) after almost successfully surviving another week. Or maybe because I want to bring my co-workers a Friday treat. Or maybe because it is just a random coincidence with no actual meaning behind it.

All of the above could be true. All of the above could be false. On this specific Thursday night I decided that I just needed to bake cookies.

The butter, sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips were calling my name: “Jenna, you have been gone for so long! Use us! Stir us up in a bowl and put us in the nice, hot oven so that we can turn into beautiful, delicious cookies!” Ok, ingredients. I hear you. I will grant this wish of yours.

Side note: I am not crazy, I promise.

Except that I am crazy… in love with these cookies. I didn’t stop with just chocolate chips. Oh no, not tonight. I also threw in some oats, corn flakes, and nuts. They are the perfect balance between crispy and chewy with the little hints of chocolate in each bite.

This recipe is a tried and true one that my mother has used for years. They are always present at our somewhat special-ish occasions: high school graduations, summer gatherings, road trips, etc. I once asked for a recipe and she sent me a pictures of it jotted down on the front and back of an old index card. This fact makes me love them even more. I did add a little bit more detail to the recipe, just for you.

chocolate chip oatmeal crunchies

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

These cookies have the perfect mix of crispy and chewy texture with hints of chocolate in every bite.

Author: Jenna

Serves: 5 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups corn flakes
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare cookie sheets.
Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
Add in the flour mixture. Beat thoroughly.
Stir in the corn flakes, oats, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Use a cookie scoop to place dough on cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

So the next time you have the sudden urge or need to bake, make these. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. As you can see in the picture of my mom’s recipe card, they are “yummy :)”

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celebrate today

April 19, 2014 by Jenna

Hey everybody. Guess what time it is?!

Just kidding. No dancing on tables for me. I tried that once and I danced right off the table. Ohhhh the lessons you learn in college.

I will indulge in champagne, but it will be while sitting at a table with a splash of orange juice in it accompanied by a plethora of delicious brunch dishes and a couple of good friends.

But no matter how you choose to drink champagne or the activities for which you use a table, let us all celebrate today.

Why? Because we can and life is fantastic.

Yesterday was my birthday and I got to spend it in Boston with some friends. We have known each other since Kindergarten, which is amazing and I love them. During the rest of the weekend we are going to explore Boston, cook tasty food for a cozy Easter brunch, laugh, and watch the Boston Marathon. I.am.so.excited. For everything.

Excited for everything today, tomorrow, and all the days after that.

Thank you to everyone who reached out with birthday wishes yesterday. And to everyone that has been sending over positive thoughts about this blog. I love you all. A lot a lot a lot. Thanks.

Now let’s all go celebrate…

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Lemon Rosemary Crock-Pot Chicken with Broccoli and Zucchini

April 17, 2014 by Jenna

I’m all about lemons right now. I mean, look at this:

Gorgeous. Just gorgeous. So bright and happy and cheerful. Like happiness in a bowl.

Just don’t look out the window. There is snow. Just kidding… kind of. But really, just don’t look out your window right now. Trust me on this.

Instead look at this:

Rosemary.

I am going to combine the lemons and rosemary with some chicken breast and garlic in a crockpot to make some delicious, juicy, flavorful chicken. Doesn’t that sound nice? I think so.

Crock-pots make cooking so easy. I want to high-five whoever invented them.

To make this even better than it already is I am also going to throw in some broccoli and zucchini too – delicious and nutritious.

I served this chilled over a plate of greens (spinach & kale) with a little drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. I think it would also taste great served hot with brown rice, quinoa, or the grain of your choice.

Even though winter is lingering in the shadows and throwing snow in our faces (figuratively) we can still smile and enjoy some spring flavors. So close your eyes and smell (and taste!) the lemons.

Lemon Rosemary Crock-Pot Chicken with Broccoli and Zucchini

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

6 hours

Total time

6 hours 10 mins

Simple, juicy shredded chicken made in the crock-pot with lemon and rosemary and accompanied by broccoli and zucchini.

Author: Jenna

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast
1 lemon, sliced
3 sprigs rosemary
2 cloves garlic, diced
¾ cup chicken broth
¼ cup lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
2 cups broccoli, chopped
2 cups zucchini, sliced

Instructions

Place the chicken breast on the bottom of a crock-pot. Top with lemon slices and rosemary sprigs.
Stir the garlic, chicken broth, and lemon juice together and pour over the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.
After the chicken has cooked discard the lemon slices and rosemary springs. Place the chicken breast into a separate bowl and shred with two forks.
Return the shredded chicken to the crock-pot. Add the broccoli and zucchini and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes or under tender.
Transport the chicken and vegetables to another bowl with a slotted spoon to drain the excess liquid. Then serve as you desire.

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a workout for you

April 15, 2014 by Jenna

Sometimes it’s hard to work out on Mondays, especially when the weather drops from 70 degrees to 30 degrees in a matters of days… or hours. Apparently I already wiped the terribly cold outside winter runs from my memory. Three weeks ago running in 30 degrees weather would have been a delight. A beautiful treat from the multiple runs in below zero temps. However, now that I’ve tasted running in 60-70 degrees I cannot go back. The thought of running in 30 degrees sends chills straight to my bones… and anger straight to my brain. Because seriously, why is it cold again?!

Enough hating on Mother Nature. I’m sure she means well. But even if she doesn’t, Karma is a be-yatch. So I’ll be nice and we’ll all live happily ever after.

Now back to my initial thought: sometimes exercise is hard on Mondays and I skipped out on run club because it was “cold”.

When I have these thoughts I have to remind myself of how good working out makes me feel and that even a quick 20 minutes of exercise is better than 0 minutes of exercise.

One day a few years ago I was talking to a friend at work about how I wasn’t in the mood for going to the gym. She said, “Jenna, just go. You’re going to feel better afterwards.” So I went and I did feel great afterwards. She was right.

Now on days like today I have flashbacks of her saying, “just go”. Then I do go. And then my endorphins kick in. And then all of a sudden 60 minutes have flown by and I am just getting to my cool down. And then I feel wonderful. (Thanks, Sarah for being the voice in my head.)

As a side note in my defense, that specific situation was when I was working third shift. I was leaving work at 8:00am after walking around the land of Toaster Strudels since 10:00pm the previous evening. Soooo… there’s that. But again, she was right.

Rest days are important, but you don’t need 7 rest days a week. Constant excuses just turn into bad habits.

I just went off into another tangent/side story, but I feel that it was important for you to hear read, so I’m not going to erase it.

To sum it up (again): I didn’t feel like working out. It was cold. I heard my friend’s voice in my head. I went to workout. I got really sweaty. It was great. I felt fantastic.

Here is what I did in case you would like to replicate it at some point:

A pictorial reference:

Some notes about the work out:

Warm-up – Please do not ever skip your warm up! Even if you are short on time, warming up your muscles helps your body work more efficiently so that you can burn more fat than sugar. For my warm up I typically start walking on the treadmill at 3.5 mph and then increase it .5 mph every minute until I reach 8 minutes.
Treadmill workout – I find treadmill running to be more of a mental than physical challenge, so I tend to use it as an opportunity to work on my speed. This is workout is meant to be challenging, but it goes fast (literally). Choose the paces that work best for you. I used the following settings at a 1.0 incline:
- Jog: 6.0 mph
- Run: 7.0 mph
- Sprint: 9.0 mph
- Walk: 3.5 mph
Strength training circuit – Perform each exercise back-to-back with minimal rest (30 seconds) in between. Use the weights that work best for you, even if that means just body weight.
Cool down – Please also do no ever skip your cool down. Take an extra few minutes to jog/walk on the treadmill. Follow with static stretching and foam rolling.

Welp. That’s it. I hope you workout and get sweaty and feel great. When you are in need of motivation just remember my friend saying, “Just go. You’re going to feel better afterwards.” Of course, you probably have never heard her say it, so maybe I’ll see if I can get a sound bite.

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