B is for….

Brrrrrr.

And Bootcamp.

And blueberries.

Brrrr
According to the radio report I listened to in my car with the heater blasting and the seat warmer on, it was 33 degrees F this morning. Icy toes, icy nose.

Bootcamp
Not sure if we’re the toughest, the most stubborn, or both, but it was just Maggie, Crystal, and I at Bootcamp this morning. We went to the running track at Austin High School to shake up the routine a bit. I never knew this little training treasure was righthere. Pullup bars. Parallel bars. Walking logs. And the best part — boxes to help beginning kippers like me actually get up on the bars.

Our workout
Warmup

• high knees + fast feet + jacks
• lap around the track
• 3X squats, pushups, rotations
• knees, kicks, skip, etc. + run ladder

3 rounds, 30 sec. each station

• pullups
• dips on the parallel bars
• sprawls
• overhead squats 2/ PVC pipe

2 rounds

• 5 med ball throws up the field
• sprint back from final throw
• walking lunges up the field
• sprint back w/ ball

40 med ball situps

The good: It feels really great to be moving around again. The fresh, cold air was bracing, and the sunrise over downtown was gorgeous streaks of orange, pink, and gold.

The bad: My Frankenneck is still puffy, and the muscles of my throat are sore. But the doctor said it looks “great,” so I’m just going to keep on going. Extra-strength Tylenol and patience are the key.

Blueberries
I mourned when fresh blueberries disappeared from HEB, but now I think I like the frozen even more. I keep a giant bag in the freezer, and every morning, I do this:

1. Measure 1/2 cup of frozen berries into a glass bowl
2. Microwave for 25 seconds to render them frosty but not fully defrosted
3. Top with 1/4 cup Fiber One for a big fiber boost (7g fiber in 1/4 cup)
4. Add 1 cup 1% milk
5. Let it sit for a minute or so
6. Eat enthusiastically

The frozen blueberries make ice crystals in the milk, and against the tangy berries, the milk tastes creamy and rich. The Fiber One adds a nice, lightly-sweet crunch — and if you have 9 almonds and 2 oz. of protein on the side, you’ve got a perfect Zone breakfast.

When I’m craving something sweet — like that damn Dreyer’s Slow-Churned Light ice cream — I repeat the process above, minus the Fiber One, and have only 1 oz. of protein on the side for a 2 block snack. It’s like a frozen treat, only with kickass nutrition and cancer-fighting properties.

Which brings me to this: Blueberries are a super food!

• deliver powerful antioxidants
• improve night vision
• protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
• improve both learning capacity and motor skills
• block metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer