Blueprint Cleanse: Day 1, Foundation

I learned of Blueprint Cleanse through the recommendation of Fathalie, one of my best friends, who has done two cleanses with her boyfriend (he has done many). I usually eat fairly healthy, but I just wanted to give my body a little break from all the food and drink I consume on a daily basis. I don't think a cleanse should be a time to lose weight, but more of a time to rest your immune system and clear out the toxins. There are three choices of cleanses , so I picked the middle cleanse as my first time, since I wasn't really eating badly to begin with. As an addition to the cleanse, many people do colonics, but I don't think I'm ready for that. :) BPC says that the possible benefits of the cleanse are the following:

- Boosted immune system - Alleviates allergies - Improved thyroid dysfunction - Rests the digestive organs - Physical rejuvenation - Normalized weight - Normalized blood pressure - Reverses signs of aging - Elevates mood and sex drive - Alleviates symptoms of PMS - Promotes clear skin - Increases energy - Increases fertility - Combats viruses - Aids Fibromyalgia issues - Saves money you would have otherwise spent on “that new antibiotic"

MENU

1. Green Juice 2. Pineapple, Apple, Mint (my favorite!) 3. Green Juice 4. Spicy lemonade 5. Green Juice 6. Cashew Nut Milk

Each juice is numbered in the order that you should consume them to digest the veggies/fruits properly. The idea is to drink one juice every two hours and leave about an hour in between juices, during which time you can drink herbal or green tea. Today I felt pretty good other than feeling cold and a little fatigued. I still had some energy and was able to accomplish tasks at work and my mind was clear. I went to they gym this morning, but for tomorrow and Saturday, I plan to take it easy and rest my muscles.

Wish me luck and please don't talk about food...especially cheese!

Printing House Fitness + Squash Club

The Printing House Fitness + Squash Club, a former printing factory, is located on the corner of Hudson and Leroy in the West Village. Known mostly to those who live in the neighborhood, Printing House is a hidden gem. At $88 a month plus a $50 initiation fee, this gym is a steal. After my long addiction to Equinox, I decided to switch gyms and I’m truly happy with my decision. I still believe Equinox is the best, but I enjoy the many features offered at Printing House.

Located on the 1st, 9th and 10th floors of the building, this boutique gym’s top floors feature floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Hudson River, the Village and beyond—it's amazing...and it isn't crowded. Most machines have TVs, but forget having a TV; you can just look out the windows! Boasting all the usual suspects in terms of equipment, I was drawn to this gym for the rooftop pool, the views and the rooftop workout classes. Because there are two very separate floors, Printing House almost feels like two gyms; the bottom floor is where you find the squash courts, cycling studio, Pilates machines, free weights and regular class studio. One oddity is that the treadmills and a couple elliptical machines are pretty close to the reception desk and I don’t think there are any upstairs (correct me if I’m wrong!). I have yet to try the squash courts, but it looks like a great workout and top notch courts.

The pool is my favorite part; not only is it quiet, but you have an extensive view of the city from your lounge chair. They actually have a set time for children to swim, so after noon on the weekend, it's just the adults. The only hassle is securing yourself one of the 20 lounge chairs—you have to get there early or be prepared with your hawk eye for those leaving the pool area. You learn quickly. And for all of you BlackBerry and iPhone addicts, you aren't allowed to talk—I was actually told to get off my phone, but texting is allowed...secretly. The pool is small, although, if you like to swim laps, a current can be switched on, which makes for quite the interesting swim. The one drawback about the pool is that it's only accessible during the summer, but I don't know of any other gyms in NYC with rooftop pools, unless you have a membership to SoHo House. (I will touch on this pool in the future.)

The locker rooms on both the 1st and 9th floors are pretty normal, with nothing spectacular to report. They do have two large Jacuzzis to relax in after you workout, but I have yet to try these out—they seemed a bit scary, but I probably will check out the steam room and sauna. There are blow dryers, lotion, shampoo, conditioner and body wash, but nothing compared to Equinox—I mostly miss the Que Tips.

On the way out of the gym, there is an actual button on the 9th floor that can be pressed to call the elevator before you are standing in front of it. This may be due to the slow elevators, but it's a pretty neat little feature. Being the sucker that I am for open-air workouts, I can't wait for the rooftop classes to begin so I can get my yoga on while taking in an amazing view of NYC. Other classes I want to try are BodyPump and Fluidity, a class that combines movements from ballet, yoga and Pilates. If you want a pass, just ask!

Ludlow Fitness

Right off Delancey Street at Ludlow lies Ludlow Fitness. Just up one flight of stairs opens up to a room just around 1500 square feet with an area for cardio, free weights, weight machines and a small stretching/fitness room -- they offer body sculpting, Pilates, yoga and spinning. The gym has a very clean and open feel, you are offered free towels and the floor-to-ceiling windows are pretty nice...even though you're overlooking the oh-so-busy Delancey Street.

I went with my former roomie who isn't such a workout person and she actually brought me through a really cool routine which was created just for her through her friend's website. We did stretching and a bunch of other weight lifting exercises, but my favorite was the Bosu Lateral Hop (my favorite) side squats. I started out on one side of the bosu with the closest leg on top of the round ball part, then jumped over the ball, squating on each side, but moving quickly. My quads were so sore...and still are 2 days later. At the end of our workout, we lay on top of the Bosu, angle your arms in a V in front of you with thumbs facing the ceiling, your legs in a V behind you and gently lift your arms and legs up at the same time -- I was surprised at how good this was for my core -- making sure to balance your abs on the ball.

This gym is small, but has really everything one might need, other than a whole slew of classes, which is why I would never join, but it's a nice gym overall. There is a small locker room with 2 showers and a few lockers. On the counter are some toiletries, which include shampoo, conditioner, body wash and tampons (I thought this was odd) -- maybe razors would have been a better and more useful choice?

If you want to try out Ludlow for 6 months, you will only pay $299 and for a year it's just $449 - no initiation fee. Or if you want to try it out for a day, you just walk in and work out...or, that is what I did. :)

New Jersey's Mountain Creek Resort

Up until February 2008, I had no idea that I could drive just an hour and a half from NYC to go snowboarding in Vernon, New Jersey at Mountain Creek Resort. I grew up boarding on the west coast in Lake Tahoe where I was spoiled with fresh powder, long trails and relatively mild weather. The East Coast snow is a whole 'nother ball game; these runs are icy, narrow and short…and a bit colder than Nor Cal.

As an avid snowboarder these conditions aren't ideal, but because the drive is so short, this mountain is great for unplanned day trips when a fresh layer of snow has come down the day before. You should only go to Mountain Creek the day after it snows in the City to ensure that you won't be boarding on ice. The snow is typically good until about 2pm, but then the ice starts to emerge from under the fresh powder. I have been two times thus far, and just used ZipCar for about a hundred bucks and when split among four people, is a pretty cheap trip.

An all-day lift ticket will cost you $62 on the weekends, but when I went pre-season this year, I paid $49 because only two lifts were open. See you on the slopes!

Wake-Up Call: The Green Smoothie

This high in fiber and vitamin-filled smoothie will start your day right! With only 10 minutes to prepare, this yummy (surprisingly sweet) and nutritious drink should be consumed immediately to capture all the essential veggies and fruits...and to avoid the congealed glob that happens after 30 minutes.

The recipe for this smoothie originated from my friend, Alexi, but I ended up doctoring the recipe just a little bit and haven't actually tried the original. Enjoy and make your own adjustments as needed!

Ingredients 1 C  - soy milk 1 banana 1  1/2 cup  - green kale (coarsely chopped) 1/4 C  chopped celery 1/4 C - English cucumber (with skin) 1/4 C - goji berries 2-4 - frozen strawberries 1/2 T - ginger root the juice of half a lemon drizzle of agave (to taste) 1/2 t - cayenne (optional)

Directions Fill blender with soy milk and banana in two pieces to the liquid. Add the kale (push it down to preserve space), celery, cucumber, goji berries, strawberries, ginger root, lemon and top it off with a drizzle of agave. If you are a little frightened of the cayenne, try it without to start and add gradually—I like the added kick to my drink.

A little on the nutritional value... Soy milk: manganese, magnesium & selenium Banana: fiber, potassium, B6 & C Kale: calcium, fiber, iron, A, B6 & C Cucumber: calcium, fiber, iron, A, B6 & C Celery: A, C & B6, calcium Goji berries: A, C, fiber & iron Strawberries: fiber, iron, manganese, potassium & C Ginger: magnesium, potassium & C Agave: natural sweetener Cayenne: A, B6 and C

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center

Located on 24th between 7th and 8th, Sivananda is one of the better yoga studios in NYC. As someone who is from Santa Cruz, California, this studio reminds of home. If you aren't familiar with Santa Cruz, I suppose this reference will remain a mystery. I have tried many types of yoga; from Vinyasa (and other variations) at the gym to Bikram at a studio to a yoga on a rooftop in India. Sivananda is where you will find the most well-trained and committed instructors, in my opinion, and in an environment that makes you feel relaxed and at peace. I'm raving about the quality of this studio, however, I'm really not a big yoga person, so me talking about Sivananda says a lot. The yoga here is slow moving and more laid-back than I'd like in a workout; nonetheless, I like coming every few months to balance out my system and meditate (or something).

I took the open yoga session, which goes for an hour and a half and includes Pranayama (breathing exercises), a regular series of Asanas including sun salutations, and relaxation. You can choose from beginner, gentle, advanced, prenatal, Satsang (group meditation) and open classes. Because the poses are slow-paced, this class gives you a chance to work on balance and technique.

This is not only a yoga studio, there are cooking workshops and other courses, and they have a wide selection of yoga supplies including books, mats, etc. If you're lucky to come to one of the open houses, you will be able to stay for one of the most delicious vegetarian meals of your life. If you are a member, you may get free meals (?), but I highly recommend that you check this place out at least once.

Classes are priced from $8 (gentle) to $12 or you can buy an unlimited month class pass for $125. With the prices for working out around the city, Sivananda is very reasonable and, when I go once every three months, I don't mind the $12 entrance fee.