2013: There will be Blood…and Running…and Blogging

December 31, 2012 by 2 Comments


I stole this from Pinterest, who stole it from another site, maybe this one.

Out with the old and in with the NEW YEAR!

Twenty-twelve was a landmark year for me, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. I’m looking forward to a slightly more relaxed 2013. I mean, I’m 30 now! My 20s (and well, my teens, childhood, and most of my babyhood—I was a very ambitious toddler) were spent being far too serious, working very hard, and plotting my world domination. I’m planning on letting loose a bit in 2013; dominating the world seems like an awful lot of responsibility these days. I think I’ll just focus on managing this one little life of mine.

  • Run a half-marathon (The Nike Women’s Half-Marathon on April 28, 2013 in Washington D.C., to be precise) and meet my Team-in-Training fundraising requirement. If you’re reading this and you know me in real life you may as well donate now because I’m going to be hounding your buttocks for the next four months. Link to my fundraising site: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nikewhlf13/kimberlyraemiller
  • Donate blood every two months. When my mother was in the hospital a few years ago she received close to 30-pints of donated blood, over the course of multiple surgeries (the human body averages about ten pints, which means she received three bodies full of new blood). There is always a blood shortage in New York (and just about every other place on the planet), and I am oh-so-grateful to the O+s out there for taking a few minutes out of their lives to donate their blood. Since then I’ve made a practice of carrying my blood donor card with me wherever I go and when I see those blood donation busses around town, hopping in for a little drainage. In 2013, I’m going to stop leaving my donations to chance and start making reservations with the New York Blood Center to actually go in and donate regularly.
  • Get my personal training certification. This was on my 2012 resolutions list too, but I got super busy fulfilling my other resolution to write a book ;) This year will forever be known as the year of the dumbbell.
  • Revamp The Kim Challenge. I wasn’t a particularly dedicated blogger this year. Most days ended with me closing the computer and backing away from it very, very slowly as to not get sucked back in. Writing all day every day was a bit exhausting (so was spending all day eating my way through bouts of procrastination), but now that that’s over I’m planning on spiffying up this here little corner of the Internet of mine. I’ve got some interviews lined up, reviews of exercise DVDs, recipes, videos, and more giveaways planned…and some other things you’ll have to keep reading to find out about. Muahahahahahah (insert strumming fingers here).

As always, I plan on exercising regularly, eating well (but not all the time, because life is meant to be enjoyed)—but those aren’t New Year’s resolutions, those just a part of life. If I just happen to look super awesome in a bikini come summer, so be it.

Happy New Year! What are you resolving for 2013?

Kim

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Queen of the Hill

December 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

That is a Captain America insignia on my head. I’m a super hero (or it was a gift from my comic book loving boyfriend)

I’ve been receiving worried emails from my mother all week. They go something like this: “Don’t do anything dastardly!” or “If you do, do the bunny hill” or “Are all of your limbs intact?”

This is because the woman that made me is fully aware of the degree of my klutziness. The Fella doesn’t quite understand, and thinks he can convince me to actually get on skis. But, I know what he doesn’t, I’m a walking disaster. Instead, I opted for an afternoon of tubing. The instructions for tubing go a little like this: Sit in a tube, slide down a hill.

That’s about as much coordination I can muster, so it seemed like a good plan.

See how injury free I look!

Even The Fella had fun.

There were cocoa breaks too!
My BFF is an avid skier, unfortunately she broke her foot a few days before the trip. We figured some hot chocolatey deliciousness would dull the pain of unrequited snow.

The day wasn’t all snow and games. I started to feel like my insistence on having a healthy/budget-friendly vacation may be cramping everyone else’s style, so I loosened the reins a bit with a trip to the candy outlet!

For someone that makes their living as a personal trainer, The Fella sure loves his candy.

POUNDS OF CANDY!!!! We bought it all. Remember when I used to eat healthy?

There’s nothing like a candy store to regress you right back to your childhood…

Look, there’s a dinosaur with my name!

Despite the candy and cocoa we did try to keep the rest of the day’s meals moderately nutritionally sound:

Breakfast


Repeat breakfast: Kashi with strawberries and almond milk
Coffee with almond milk and stevia

Lunch


Back at the timeshare I whipped up some lentil soup and roasted acorn squash

Dinner

We went to a local Chinese restaurant for dinner.
This is about as healthy as I could muster

Tonight we’re going to a party at a hotel somewhere. That’s all I know. I’m hoping I still fit in the dress I brought.

What are your New Year’s Eve plans?

 

Kim

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Good Riddance Day

December 30, 2011 by 2 Comments

We have made fire!

Then we put all of our bad memories of 2011 in it.

You know how everything has a day? Stuff like:  National Popcorn Day, Wear Your Undies on Your Head Day, Drink a Margarita in the Bathtub Day. Well, Wednesday was Good Riddance Day. We were a day late in celebrating, but when my friend announced that such a day existed I insisted we take part.

I doled out paper and pens and we wrote down all of our worst memories of 2011 then ceremoniously threw them in the fire.

Hokey, yes. Did it make me feel better? Totally.

There some things in life that don’t really have closure, this felt like a nice way of saying good-bye.  And by “nice” I mean burning them until they’re nothing but ash and soot.

2011 has been a very dichotomous year for me. On one hand many great things have happened: My parents moved to a new home, I met The Fella, my best friends got married. On another, it’s been the hardest year I’ve ever had financially, I lost my job at the beginning of the year (something that in itself is a good thing) and have since tried to survive as a freelancer.  Unfortunately that has brought with it thousands of dollars of debt and some personal and emotional low points.

I’m really grateful about what 2011 has brought my way, but I’m not too sorry to see it go. What I’m most excited about is incorporating the blessings it created into my life in 2012.

What are you grateful to be saying “Good riddance” to?

 

Breakfast


Kashi with strawberries and almond milk
Coffee aka the love of my life

Lunch


We shall call this the week of the burrito
Today we let the pros make them for us. Vegetarian burrito and chips.

Dinner


The Fella made dinner tonight. Tomato soup with rice and crackers.
Okay, he’s requested that I clarify this statement: He microwaved (Spicy) V8, put rice in it and labeled it soup.

Exercise: I wouldn’t call puttering around the pool exercise, but it’s the closest I came to it today.

Kim

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Escape to the Snow

December 28, 2011 by 1 Comment

Hey Everyone!

Long time no see. How was/were your holiday(s)?

Now that the bulk of the holidays are over I can focus on my second most beloved holiday (you know, the one that’s not my birthday): New Years!

I love New Years because it’s the ultimate fresh start. I have big plans for 2012 (more on that in a few days), but before I put those plans into action I think it’s time for a much deserved vacation!

I’m leaving tomorrow for a ski vacation with two of my most favoritist people; my BFF and The Fella. It all started a few months ago when my bestie sent an email announcing that she had custody of her family’s time share in the Pocono Mountains, and wanted to know who was in for a snowy New Year’s Eve.

Now, I’ve never skied before, and that’s for very good reason. As a general rule I’m a total klutz. I’m lucky I can walk upright with minimal bodily harm on a regular basis. So, the idea of me on elongated, and slightly slippery, shoes travelling down a mountain side seems like tempting fate a bit too much for my accident-prone self. Having said that, I like cocoa! I will go and make cocoa while other people ski. I will read books, watch movies, and catch up on my lounging skills and maybe take advantage of the resort’s indoor pool and hot tub.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had an official vacation. I’m really psyched to do nothing at all. Well, almost nothing. I’ll still have my computer and still be doing a wee bit of work every day, but for the most part I’m getting my lazy pants on and lounging it up.

All-in-all my only goal is to get through the rest of 2011 sans broken bones. What are you planning for New Year’s Eve?

 

Breakfast


Egg white omelet with salsa, lite cheese, and avocado
Strawberries

Lunch


Steamed vegetables and tofu, there’s also some brown rice under all that

Pre/Post Workout


I ate half a protein bar after my strength training session, then another mini Cliff bar and half a tube of liquid protein after cardio

Dinner


Salad with grilled chicken, avocado, tomato and lite ranch dressing

Exercise: 10-minute stairmill, 60-minutes strength training, 45-minutes elliptical

Kim

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June Resolutions

June 1, 2011 by 4 Comments

Oh, wait, it’s June.

Really?

Like June, June?  Like halfway through the year June?

Whoa.

So much of my life has changed since the beginning of the year I felt like it was really important to look back on my New Years resolutions and re-assess.

Back in January I had resolved to:

  1. Quit the Gym.
  2. Ban the Bookstore.
  3. Cut back on Convenience Foods.
  4. Prioritize my Personal Life.

These were the right resolutions for me at the end of 2010.  I was miserable at work and that that feeling seeped into every aspect of my life and all I wanted was to find peace in some aspect of my life: in my budget, in my diet, in my home life.

Once I got laid off the way I saw my life did a complete 180.  I think it’s time to come up with new resolutions for my new life.  While my personal life once felt like it needed spiffying up, right now I feel like it’s okay for me to be a little selfish and focus the majority of my energy on my career and my personal goals.

  1. Split-day workouts.   Working from home is amazing, it’s everything I want it to be, but I definitely feel like the lethargy it lends to is effecting my general energy levels.  I’m not suggesting I do hardcore workouts twice a day on weekdays, but I need to establish a routine of getting away from my keyboard and moving a few times a day.  My weekends tend to be less structured in terms of exercise and more about wandering about and enjoying New York, during my work-days I want to aim on breaking up my workout into multiple parts of the day in order to get me up and moving at regular intervals.
  2. Eat small frequent meals.  If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you’ll have noticed by now that my snacks are few and far between.  I like three square meals a day, but again, I’m really trying to up my energy levels now that my work schedule has changed, and I’m hoping the 5-6 small meals a day will help me keep my blood sugar in check.  Since this is a fairly unnatural style of eating for me, I’m actually going to put together a meal plan for the first couple of weeks, complete with calendar reminders.
  3. Keep alcohol to once a week.  Because I review the New York City bar scene on a regular basis, I can’t exactly cut drinking out all together, but I don’t like how often I find myself sipping a cocktail or a glass of wine these days.  If I can keep alcohol consumption to once a week I think it will help my body work more efficiently.
  4. Book report.  At the end of May I sent over my chapter outline to my literary agent.  Her review was good, but she did give me some critiques to work with.  I promised to expand my research and narrative aspects in places and send it back to her with some sample chapters.  My goal for June is to finish two sample chapters and revise my outline.
  5. Get Group.  Now that my spin certification is renewed, I have some other fitness related career goals to sort out.  I want to put some thought (and scheduling) into getting a general group certification and renewing my CPR certification.  In the meantime I want to hit up more group fitness classes (that aren’t spin or yoga) to get solid grip on what’s popular right now, and what I enjoy doing.
  6. Sunny D.  Now that the weather is hot and sweaty (my favorite kind of weather) I want to make sure that I spend more time in the great out doors.  Of my ten workouts a week, I’m aiming to make at least four of them outdoors.  This could mean running in the park, or a long stroll.  Whatever it is, I’m hoping the suns magical rays will help to energize me.

As far as resolutions go, this month is pretty ambitious for me, but no one ever said it was easy being awesome :)

How are you doing on your New Years resolutions?  Are you changing things up now that we’re mid-way through the year?  What are you resolving for June?

Kim

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You Say You Want a Resolution…

January 1, 2011 by 4 Comments

See what I did there, with the title, it’s like that song by the Beatles.  Right, I hate the Beatles (yes, I’m the one), hmm…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I take my New Year’s resolutions very seriously, and this year I thought long and hard about the resounding feeling I wanted to bring with me into 2011.

Usually I take this opportunity to prepare for achievement, I’m kind of a sucker for accomplishment, but this year I’m focusing my efforts on enjoyment.  I am dubbing 2011 The Year of Living Simply, and my resolutions are meant to reflect that.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about personal improvement, but I think I have finally learned the lesson that some of the best things in life are the things you don’t need to work for.  Instead, just the opposite, sometimes it’s just as important to put off for tomorrow what can be done today.

Now, with out further adieu, The Kim Challenge  2011 Resolutions:

  1. Quit the Gym. Yes, you read that correctly.  Do you want a paper bag to breathe into?  Let me clarify, I am not giving up exercise.  I love exercise and it is a very important part of my life.  But, since I started running outside and taking yoga classes at a studio I have learned that some of the best workouts are the ones you can’t find in the confines of a YMCA.  This year will be an experiment of sorts—I’m not sure I’m ready to give up the gym for the rest of my life, but a year of runs in the park, downward dogging at the studio, and taking full advantage of the hundreds of DVDs in my possession may be refreshing.  Added bonus: Almost $800 a year in my pocket.
  2. Ban the Bookstore. This year I purged my home of hundreds of books.  I love books.  I read at least a book a week, but I hate clutter.  Not only is this a waste of space, it’s also a waste of trees and money.  I recently learned the wonders of the New York Public Library, and let me tell you I AM IN LOVE!  This system is made of magic.  If you want a book all you have to do is order it online and it will be delivered to your closest branch.  Books for free, what will they think of next?
  3. Cut back on Convenience Foods. I noticed this year that there are lots of foods that I buy that are super easy to make.  Crackers. Yogurt.  Apple sauce.  Veggie burgers.  The possibilities know no bounds. I even have a pet resolution to make my own soft pretzels in 2011.  I don’t like the idea of eating processed foods, and even when most of the options I buy in these forms are organic, they’re still often times processed-organic.  I’m taking back my pantry!
  4. Prioritize my Personal Life. This is probably the most important of my resolutions for 2011.  It means work less, more sleep, and a focus on creating a more fulfilling life, not just career.  So, in 2011, I’m cutting out the gigs that don’t fulfill me and instead filling that void with hobbies, friends, family, vacations, and building up a steady stream of fulfilling freelance work.  I have worked very hard at building up my professional life, now I want to put some of that same elbow grease toward building my life-life.

And as a special twist resolution, this year I want to return to my roots in webshows.  I think this gets filed under “hobbies.”  This time I’ll be without the full production crew and magical editors at my disposal during The Daily Special/Pretty Imperfect, now it’s  just me and a camera and some scattershot attempts at editing.  This one may take a bit of time to negotiate, but keep your eyes out for The Kim Challenge show.

I’m pretty psyched for all things 2011.  What are you resolving for this year?

Kim

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Goodbye to 2010

December 30, 2010 by 6 Comments

The time has come.  This is my last blog of 2010.

I’m not too sad to see 2010 go because I LOVE NEW YEARS.  I mean that in the plural sense of the word ‘years.’  What is great about each new year is that it is new, and we haven’t screwed it up yet!

Err, I didn’t want that to sound jaded.  Did that sound jaded?  What I mean by that is: Remember at the beginning of each school year, inevitably the teacher would say something like, ‘As of today you all have 100/4.0/A+ for this class, and all you have to do is keep it.’  I loved that.

Wait, did I ever mention that I was an uber geek and that grades were super important to me?  You’re shocked, I can tell.

I loved the philosophy that we start out perfect.  Sure, there will be nicks and cuts along the way, but there is always an opportunity for this year to be the year that is better than any other year before it…and no matter how great this year is, next year can be even better.

Yes, I really am this corny.

So yeah, 2011 best year ever, but to be fair I think it is important to reflect back and say goodbye to 2010.  Dear 2010, as years go you were a big one in my life and I will never forget you.

TKC Top 10: The 2010 Highlight Reel

  1. Abigail.  Hands down this little munchkin is my favorite new friend. She is the daughter of a dear friend, and most definitely the coolest baby I’ve ever met; if you don’t know her I feel sorry for you. I love every stage of her so far, and I can’t wait to get to know her as she grows up.  If she’s anything like her mama, she’s going to be an amazing woman.
  2. Colin Hearts Kay.  2010 brought the big screen premiere of Colin Hearts Kay, and the big screen premiere of Kimberly Rae Miller!  The film has done exceptionally well in the film festival circuit, and pretty soon you Europeans may be able to see it in a theater near you.  [Hmm, I’m not sure if that’s allowed to be public; this may be edited later if I get yelled at.]
  3. Creative Girl.  I’m in a book!  That officially makes me an expert, right?  I was so honored to be included as a “Creative Girl in Action.” Perhaps 2011 will mean I finally finish the book proposals I’m working on.  You know, now that the ball is rolling and everything.
  4. The love of my life.  Men are cool, but Kitchen Aid mixers are forever.
  5. Operation Yogi.  This year instilled in me a true understanding of why yoga is kind of a big deal.  I interviewed Elena Brower early in the year, and she mentioned that many people hate yoga until they find the right teacher.  She was right, I was not a fan of yoga until I found my teacher, ironically someone who teaches at Elena’s studio.
  6. Staycation!  I am slowly learning the art of relaxation, and this year in honor of this newly acquired skill, and because I’m saving for a super-big vacation in 2011 (I’m afraid to jinx it, so I’m not  telling just yet), I took a summer vacation in my home city.  I live in the bestest city there is but oft spend so much time running around that I can’t fully enjoy it.  This year I took a week off to play tourist to my own life.  This included mid-day karaoke, sangria at lunch, mid-day manicures, a day of museum wandering, and leisurely writing dates at my favorite café.  It was simple and it was heaven.
  7. The year of the runner!  In May of this year I embarked on my first running class and it changed my whole perspective on fitness.  My years of plodding away on a treadmill have never left me any sort of understanding of that infamous ‘runner’s high,’ but a few months, and what feels like a bajillion miles, into my class I got it.  I understood what people meant by a warm up run of 3-miles, before that was my whole run!  I may not be a great runner, but I am a runner.  I’m pretty proud of that title.
  8. Homemade Hot & Sour Soup.  I can’t help it; I love it and would probably eat it for every meal if I could get away with it.
  9. The professional organizer!  God bless Groupon.  Early in the year I purchased a Groupon with a professional organizer.  I needed some serious closet de-cluttering.  Best $55 I’ve ever spent!  I am proud to say my closet is still in pristine condition.
  10. Fresh Start for my Family.  2009 was such a hard year for my family, but in 2010 my mom has gotten so much stronger.  So much more her.  Early in the year I remember speaking with a friend who had also had a health crisis with her mother, and she said, “I couldn’t wait for the day I could take her for granted again.”  I swore up and down that I would never take a single moment for granted with my mother again, that I would never get exasperated at her, or wait to return her call.  My friend was right, not being overcome with worry is such an amazing feeling, that I didn’t even know existed before. I do sometimes take her for granted again, and that’s probably healthy.  To top things off, my parents just bought a new home.  When I left for college in 2000 my parents downsized from a house to an apartment.  That’s cool, but it’s never felt like home, I’m glad to see them starting over fresh, they deserve so much happiness.  Of course, they’re not actually moving in until next month, but the ball started rolling in 2010–so it counts.

Thank you 2010 for a great year!

What were your favorite parts of 2010, what won’t you miss seeing go?

Breakfast

(Homemade) Yogurt, honey, banana, walnuts

Lunch

White bean soup, apple

Snack

Rice cake?
I don’t know where the urge to buy rice cakes came from, but they’re not as awful as I remember

Dinner

Baked “fried” eggplant, brown rice pasta and pasta sauce

Kim

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#1 Most Favoritist Thing About this Time of Year

December 16, 2010 by 5 Comments

Last night I did something I wait all year to do.  A simple activity that always fills me with a sense of joy, and it only happens once a year.

I bought my new Filofax planner inserts!  Tada!

Hey, wait, stop laughing.  It’s not funny.  I love my planner!

Like anyone, I have my fair share of personality quirks, and one of my favorite Kimisms is that I have an unwavering belief in the power of a fresh start.  Not only that, I believe we can have as many fresh starts as we want…all we have to do is want.

Nothing is more symbolic of that to me than my calendar.  I have a calendar in my bedroom, which is basically just a reminder not to forget the important things.  I have a calendar in my home office/fitness room that I track my fitness goals on, and my most beloved of all: I have a Filofax that I carry with me everywhere.

This little leather badboy has been with me since what feels like the beginning of time.  I have actual love for it.  Okay, so I form emotional attachments to inanimate objects, thereisnothigwrongwiththat. I don’t know how I would get through the day without it.  My whole life is in it, and yet come the end of the year I can’t wait to get rid of those marked up pages and fill it with the sheer hope that comes in those clean blank ones.

Every refill is the opportunity to do things better.  I have big plans for 2011, and yet I have no plans for 2011.  That’s the beauty of it.  There’s so much to plan!

I was so excited to get my hands on all the new inserts, that as soon as I left the stationary store I went to Starbucks for a cup of tea for the sole purpose of having a place to sit and arrange my planner!

Now you know:  I’m a dork.

Breakfast

Egg sandwich: The ultimate comfort food
egg, lite cheddar, vegan sausage, roll

Lunch

My office doesn’t have a holiday party, but some of the directors pulled together and bought the department lunch today.  It was very nice.

Salad with ranch dressing

Pizza

Dinner

After a pretty nutrient free day I figured I needed to veg up for dinner

Plus, I’m a little obsessed with roasted chick peas

Yum!
Roasted veggies and chickpeas over brown rice (and a little hot sauce for good measure)

Kim

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February Resolutions: Body Love

February 1, 2010 by 3 Comments

My Fitness Plan for the week

January is over and done with and I can already tell that 2010 is going to be a better year than 2009 was.  I’m really making headway with my New Year’s Resolutions; which I of course will keep on keepin’ on with all year, but got an enthusiastic start with last month.  So far I:

  • Redesigned The Kim Challenge
  • Raised money for City Harvest, and am now fundraising for the Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation.
  • Planned a vacation (okay, I didn’t plan the vacay, but I’m going on it and that’s all that counts).
  • I haven’t been counting calories, and am trying to get more intuitive with my eating.
  • I could probably throw a few more pictures of me on the blog, but I’ve got a year to perfect this resolution.

The one I’m still having the most trouble with is work/life management.

So, what’s on the docket for February?

I’m glad you asked.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, this month is all about showing my body some love. [Read more...]

Kim

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War Zone Correspondent

January 5, 2010 by 2 Comments

WARNING: People at the gym may be crabbier than they appear.

If New Year’s is a fresh start and a time to make the most of our lives, one more time, then the gym is not the place you want to go to feel positive about yourself this week.  That place is CRAZY.

Usually I avoid the gym for the first few weeks of the year and sub in exercise videos and yoga classes, but tonight I decided I’d try my hand at competitive gym going.  I have never seen that many people at my gym.  There were no lockers left in the locker room, people were bringing there stuff with them to the exercise floor.  Evil eyes were rampant, and people were arguing over the 30 minute max on cardio machines.

I played it safe and went to a spin class. Classes are capped and you have to get there early enough to get a ticket to be ensured a bike, as long as I got a ticket I knew I’d be safe.  Still, the dirty looks and bike hogging were ridiculous.

The way people were acting you’d think that the gym was their most favorite place on earth…and they were giving out free cars.

I think the people there need to rethink their resolutions; if they’re that disgruntled at the gym then maybe it’s not the right type of exercise for them.  As for me, I had a great night.  If I could, I would take spin class everyday after work.  I find spinning to be the most cleansing of all the exercises I do; nothing clears my mind quite like a dark room with loud music and rhythmic peddling.

Always in an effort to conserve time, I headed home and immediately roasted an acorn squash for dinner, while that was baking I popped in a yoga DVD for a little bonus cleansing.

All in all, I’m feeling pretty darn cleansy.

Still, the gym has some nasty ju-ju going on…

Breakfast

Whole grain English muffin with cottage cheese and tomato
Cherries

Snack

Coffee w/sugar (real sugar, gasp!) and milk
Cherry Pie Larabar

Lunch

Sunday’s leftovers, Baked Salmon and semi-fried rice

Carrots and hummus

Snack

Clementine
I started to notice a theme among my food choices for the day.

Dinner

Baked acorn squash stuffed with couscous, spinach and goat cheese.

Kim

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