We love Jillian Michaels!

It is currently 1 a.m. and I am watching good boy Mark Darcy kiss panty-clad Bridget Jones as snow falls around them in a flurry of magic. I'm quite smitten with this movie scene, and I don't care who knows it. Singleton Shawna someday wants a young British chap to kiss her in the snow, too, so please send all your good thoughts out into the universe so that it will happen. Thank you very much.

My post (this very late evening, early morning) is about someone that both Leslie and I are pretty much obsessed with: the glorious Jillian Michaels. I only started watching The Biggest Loser this season, but I was immediately captured by Jillian's unique personality of badass with a heart. She pushes and screams, but then there are those tissue moments where she has an emotional breakthrough with a contestant that I find so inspiring. She seriously wants to create positive change in the world, and I admire that.

And Hallelujah, it's also inspiring to know that someone as awesome as Jillian hates exercise! But she pushes through and does it anyway, because it's imperative to creating a healthy body.



For the last week or so I have been listening to Jillian's weekly podcast during my commute to and from work each day, and may I say it's a total motivation booster. During her radio program you get to witness a hilarious side of her that's not really shown on The Biggest Loser. Jillian's a hoot as she provides listeners with fitness advice, and I love it. Go listen right now! I'm going to be so sad when I'm finally caught up with all of the episodes and actually have to wait one week between listening.



Leslie also ordered Jillian's 30 Day Shred, and we are going to start following it next week. I actually cheated and gave the workout a preview today so that maybe I will be able to not drop dead next week. Jillian would be disappointed in me, because I actually did "phone in" my workout as she would say and paused and took breaks at several points. I'll get better, I promise! I find crunches and squats difficult for me to do properly, and I get very frustrated with myself and end up plopping on the floor waiting for the next part of the video. Does anyone have any tips for these exercises or the workout in general? Oh, and I am so out of shape that I actually injured my knee (albeit slightly) and had to apply Ben Gay and ice as per Leslie's instructions. I was limping earlier. Are you sad for me?

In other news, I made lentil soup and homemade pizza last week. I am an ordinary whiz in the kitchen apparently (but mostly due to the magical powers of the crock pot)! Also, I realized that transforming a pumpkin into actual food is quite time-consuming, but well worth the effort put into making pumpkin butter. I found the recipe in my second favorite magazine (right after mental_floss) ReadyMade. The butter is quite delicious on whole wheat English muffins, but not quite diet friendly. Enjoy it anyway and the potent orange infusion. Ha, who seriously writes that?

Here's the recipe, copied from the mental_floss article.

Pumpkin Butter

Try this as a topping for muffins, pancakes, or toast.
Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup pumpkin puree, at room temperature (see recipe)
4 tbsps creamed honey
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Zest of one orange
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

MAKE IT

1. Make sure the pumpkin and the butter are at room temperature so they blend smoothly. In a medium bowl stir together pumpkin puree, honey, ginger, and zest until will combined and smooth.

2. In a separate bowl, cream the butter with a rubber spatula until very smooth.

3. Gently fold the pumpkin mixture into the butter one tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated. Refrigerate if not using immediately.