My 2011 Calendar (...and trip pics!)

The day we left for Mexico, we took some time to exchange Christmas presents with my parents. I was able to use one such present at the gym yesterday:

Hooray for Vibram FiveFingers, Bikila style! (Say it: VEE-brum.) I've seen them on so many people, have had them recommended to me by a fellow trainer, read about them all over the blogosphere—and now, I own them! (Thanks again, Mom and Dad!) I wore them during my Circuit Sculpt class and I have to say: I am a fan. LOVE THEM! And I'm so looking forward to running with them. I took a 10-minute twirl around the track after my class and it went well. Word on the street is that it takes some time to get used to them as your main running shoes because they completely change your style of running. No more heel striking like in standard shoes. It's all about the forefoot. I did end up feeling some tightness in my Achilles tendon yesterday, which I can probably thank the Vibrams for. Oh, and—they held up pretty well during my class. In fact, I felt myself working slightly harder during lunges because I didn't have the stability I am so used to having in my typical running shoes. These have a lot less support, but that's the point. And so, I'll let you know how I progress.

Speaking of progression, I cracked open one of my new 2011 page-a-day calendars. See pic at right, and I apologize for the b-word, but it's an awesome calendar full of good info and witty writing. Which I obviously love. For example, on January 7: "You don't need a degree in biology to get skinny. You don't need to spend all day at the gym to get skinny. You just need to smarten up and use your head." True that, right? I'm very much looking forward to seeing what else this thing has to say, and I'm sure I'll share if I find it particularly worthy. (I'll share on Facebook, too so make sure you "like" me if you haven't already!)

And now, I give you a brief collage of trip pics. I couldn't possibly put all of them in one post, so you'll probably see more in another post at some point. Why not, right?

Yes, it's a salad. But it's also quite possibly the healthiest (and most delicious looking) thing I've ever gotten to eat at an airport. Atlanta, you rock! And of course, the obligatory plane pic.

Our condo was less than a mile from the cruise ship docks, so every night we got to see all the ships leave. And every morning, we'd wake up to their replacements. If you've never been remotely close to a cruise ship, you have no idea how big these suckers are. I also woke up to a bowl of granola. We hit up the Mega (Mexico's version of Target) to stock the 'fridge, and I was super excited to find the delicious treat pictured above. Shoulda brought some home, darn it.

In between watching all the ships come and go, we'd spend our time at the pool. No beach access, but that wasn't an issue—especially when you're used to freezing cold snow. (If you're wondering, that's my sister and her future husband.) At night we'd find a local restaurant to enjoy. Now, you must understand that I'm not a big drinker, but I couldn't pass up a cold cocktail. (Or a plate full of guacamole.) In this case, my cocktail was a margarita. A fresh banana margarita. And it was oh, so good.

I don't typically endorse drinking on Daily Dose, or in front of my clients, but I figured that I was somewhere that "nobody knows me," and I was on vacation. So there! And besides, I woke up and went for a run along the boardwalk with my mom. So I burned off some of those calories right quick.

If you've ever been to Cozumel, you know that it's a relatively small island that can be seen in a single day. We traveled the coast in a big giant Suburban, stopping here and there to take in the sights and some food. Some of the best food we ate, we ended up finding at little po-dunk spots. In the picture above, we were at Rasta Bar. And yes, the menu is a big block of wood. Loved my shrimp quesadillas. And the view on shore across the street.

Just in case you're bored, I'll stop right there.

Question: Do you have Vibram FiveFingers? If so, how was your transition from regular to barefoot-style running? Any tips? And now I'm wondering if any of my readers have been to Cozumel. Favorite spot on the island?

REMINDER! Don't forget to enter my YouBars giveaway! You just might win a free box of customized goodies. (Contest ends at midnight EST on Friday, January 14, 2011).