Swim with Flipper

Well you really can't swim with Flipper because in his own special way he is swimming with the fishes. For those of you who don't know who Flipper was, he was the divo of dolphins back in the 60's. He had his own prime time TV show that was shot on location all over Miami. It centered around Flipper and his adventures with two young boys. The episodes I remember were thought provoking and extremely well written; Flipper saves a drowning girl, Flipper learns to speak, Flipper goes to the fish prom, Flipper goes to camp at the Fowley Rocks lighthouse.

Matter of fact that is a picture of Fowley Rocks lighthouse which sits about five miles east off Key Biscayne.The lighthouse has rocked thru all the hurricanes since the 1800's. Even Hurricane Andrew couldn't budge her with winds gusting up to 170mph. It is perfect spot for snorkeling with a depth of around 10-20 feet. If you time it just right it can be your own personal aquarium with no one around but you and all the sealife. The sealife runs the gamut from snapper, angel fish, sergeant majors, basslets, groupers, wrasses then throw in some barracudas, an occasional shark and some huge Florida lobsters. And without fail on the way out to Fowley we always see dolphins swimming in huge pods. It makes for one memorable day!!

A day of swimming and snorkeling can be incredibly fun but if you aren't in shape you can find yourself with leg cramps. Oh and that snorkel can feel like a straw if you're aerobically challenged (a nice way of saying you're not in shape). Nothing is more humbling then swimming against a very strong current and going no where. So before you go bouncing off that dive platform make sure you're in shape. Start simple with fitness walking in your target heart range or if you have access to a pool then jump in and do some laps or water aerobics. Wear your fins in the pool so your legs learn the correct kicking motion while you build up endurance. You can find more of my fitness tips at Self-size.com which is a great nutritional and dieting website.

Also being on the boat for the day doesn't mean you leave your nutritional common sense back on the dock. Make sure you have enough drinks and I don't necessarily mean the Buds or Coronas, pack water and Gatorade. You will be surprised how quickly you get dehydrated swimming in the saltwater and baking in the sun. Leave the cookies and chips and have fresh fruit instead and fruit is certainly more refreshing on a hot day. You can learn more about proper nutrition by visiting Self-size.com and really see how easy it is to get on track to a new you and new lifestyle. Most importantly, just think how you will look in your new snorkeling fins.

Ciao,
Angela

p.s. Don't forget to pack the sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and polarized sunglasses for your day out in the sun!!!

Renaissance Rendezvous

So what Italian city is known for its monuments to the Renaissance, has the Ponte Vecchio bridge (that's it above), was once ruled by the Medici family and is birthplace to Dante and Michelangelo's David? Still need another hint? How about the home to the designer Salvatore Ferragamo? If you still don't know then there is no hope for you.

Just north of Rome is her little sister, Florence, smaller in size but not in artistic or cultural monuments. It is a beautiful city that is steeped in the Renaissance. Paintings and sculptures are eye candy throughout this medieval city on the Arno River. Throw in the magnificent churches such as Santa Maria del Fiore, Santa Croce and the Santa Maria Novella which each are home to fabulous frescoes, ornate chapels and the Bapistry with its famous bronze doors.

And when you get done with all that then there is more!! The Galleria dell' Accademia which is home to one of the Renaissance's most magnificent works; Michelangelo's David. It is a huge nude marble statue of the hero from the Bible that killed the giant Goliath. David recently underwent a major cleaning and he is whiter and brighter than ever before. You can see the veins rope down his hands, the bulging biceps and the ripped abs. It's the type of body that I think most people would be very happy to have. I know if David had followed a weight loss program back in the Renaissance it would have been with Self-Size. Or maybe he would have followed my fitness tips.

In addition to David, there is the Uffizi which is one of Italy's leading art museums or in my opinion (and I am unanimous in that) of the world. Plus across the historic Arno River is the Pitti Palace and the beautiful Boboli Gardens. Then there is the shopping. Everything from the fabulous Florentine leather to the big bling, bling on the Ponte Vecchio to the fun touristy straw market.

I had a memorable time in Florence. If you haven't been, then you must go and experience this enchanting city of Tuscany. If you've been, then relish the time you spent back in the Renaissance.

Stay tuned for more travel stories and fitness tips. Summer is fast approaching so that means getting your body in beach, boating shape.

Ciao,
Angela

Coming Soon: My new line of greeting cards

Medals All Around

Yes, I am finally back to my blog. I received many emails asking me about the marathon and the trip to Rome. Things were a little hectic in Rome and the internet wasn't as prevalent as it was with our previous trip to India. Anyway I am back on track but not necessarily the marathon track. At least not for now even though New York or the London marathon might be calling me in the future.

So what about Rome? Well I think those the smiling faces tell it all. Forget about the rest of the body. Notice the finish line and the Coliseum behind us and those great Rome marathon medals hanging around our necks. Yes, my sister Carolina and I are very happy girls in the picture. Carolina finished 1 and a half hours ahead of her projected time coming in at 6:45 and I finished at 5:17. Our friend Rosemary wasn't far behind finishing at 6:57.

It was a great day for the marathon with fabulously blue skies with the starting temps in the high 40's and the finish in the high 60's. That's where the fabulous stuff ends, kinda, sort of, maybe. The course does pass some of the most magnificent monuments in Rome let alone the world but someone forget the part about the cobblestones. Those cobblestones aren't at the end of the marathon they are bascially throughout the whole course. And if you aren't in the main pack of the marathoners such as we weren't then don't plan on any water, sponges or support near the end of the marathon. I certainly felt for people who finished after us because the course was already being dismantled even though the race officials promised the finish line would remain open for eight hours.

Besides all that it was a magnificent experience for all of us. We all felt great after the race even though I experienced the typical electrolyte meltdown following the race. It is a feeling of nausea, lightheadedness and just down right fatigue. How did I handle that? Like anyone in Rome would, with a nice, toasted panini filled with provolone and parma ham. My sister on the other hand had a HUGE gelato but after 26.2 miles you can eat whatever you want.

Now that we are all done with the marathon training, I will be posting more frequently than once a week especially living in South Florida it just feels fitness 24 hours a day. So besides sharing our trip to Rome and our day trip to beautiful Florence I will be posting the fun side of fitness and whatever else moves me. And don't forget to visit my fitness tips.

Also I would like to thank our sponsor, Self-size for all the great marathon attire. I swear it really made us faster and people loved the bracelets and shirts. For those of you who are new to my blog, Self-size is a great website offering nutritional counseling and weight loss programs. Check it out!

If anyone wants a Rome marathon bracelet please let me know and we will put one in the mail to you. You can visit my previous blogs to see a photo of the bracelet.

Ciao,
Angie of Trevi (Yes, I did throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain)