If you came across the article on what the Olympic swimmer, Ryan Lochte, has been eating in China, you may finally be telling yourself that ordering one of the value meals will not harm your body. Yes, I agree that if you eat a Big-Mac once every month, your health will not be greatly jeopardized. (I still refuse to put the grease and low quality burger into my body.) But before you march into the “golden arches”, or any other fast food joint, you may want to compare the amount of calories that you burn everyday to how much calories that Ryan Lochte could burn in a practice (hint: Ryan burns about the same amount of calories that I burn from a week of exercising in just a single practice).

Word of advice: use the same amount of money that you could spend on a value meal on better beef and make yourself a healthier burger on your beloved grill.

I bought some fabulous maple syrup from Vermont. I couldn’t wait to drizzle the syrup all over homemade pancakes. I came across the ricotta cheese pancake recipe a while ago and I finally made the pancakes this morning to pair with Vermont maple syrup.

Maple syrup stand in Burlington, VT, farmers market. I bought Grade A medium amber dark maple syrup.

The making of ricotta cheese pancakes.

4 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the other…and the result. I drizzled the pancakes with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and put a thin slice of butter on the top for the extra creamy and buttery taste.

A closer look at what’s inside the pancakes…well…nothing to really look at but to enjoy their fluffy and soft texture.

I usually run about 5 to 6 miles around my neighborhood. Since I didn’t have to rush and get ready for class this morning, I increased my running distance.

Distance: 8.8 miles

Time: 1:10:27

Great thing about having a big workout in the morning? A big breakfast after…

From the left: Andy, Kelvin, Peter, Melanie, me, and Sei-Wook

I had a wonderful time exploring Vermont with my friends last weekend; I tasted great local foods and hiked a steep mountain. Thanks to Peter and Melanie for being generous and let us stay in their rented house.

Besides cheddar cheese, Vermont is also known for its seasonal scenery. I look forward to visit Vermont in a different season, especially in the autumn, where I can see the leaves change color and eat a warm bowl of Vermont clam chowder.

A vacation is never complete without a great dining experience.

Inside the Dakin Farm store, we tried different jams (e.g. strawberry with rhubarb, seedless blueberry, orange marmalade with jalapeño peppers, etc.) with crackers.

We also sampled cheddar cheese with different flavors (e.g. bacon, onions, salami, original, etc)

Peter and I trying the apple honey spread.

Dinner time…after a challenging climb to the top of Mt. Philo. I could eat the whole menu!

The brick oven, where the famous American Flatbread is baked.

And I deserved this (Wolaver’s Indian Pale Ale) after conquering Mt. Philo.

The first pie: homemade red wine and garlic sausage pizza.

Pie number two: Golden Russet Farm baby beets and Blue Ledge Farm chevre pizza.

The third pie: New Vermont Sausage (naturally raised pork and nitrate-free sausage meat)

These three pies hit the spot!

We had crepe for breakfast the next morning. I ordered one from the special brunch menu: Vermont blue cheese with cured ham.

After my savory crepe, I wanted something sweet. I shared a fig tart with my friends at the farmers market. The tart was made with local dairy products, very creamy and buttery.

I sure gained some weight after a weekend in Vermont. But by keeping my lifestyle active while on vacation and back at home, I was not afraid to taste (and drink) some of the best local foods.

I went on a three-day vacation to Vermont last week. Vermont was beautiful; lakes and mountains were omnipresent. My friends and I stayed active by fishing, rowing, hiking, and walking…a lot. Here’s a look of our active lifestyle in Vermont.

The lake, view from our backyard.

The backyard and the oar we used for rowing.

My friend, Peter, kept the boat going.

We attempted to fish in the middle of the lake, but we came up empty.

Peter caught a frog with a plastic bag. I was preparing the fishing rod in the back. I can swim, bike, and run. But I am clumsy when it comes to fishing.

Kelvin, the only fishing expert among us, tried to catch a fat rainbow trout for dinner. However, luck was not on his side either. All of us came home with empty baskets, better luck next time.

Rowing with Andy the next day. I gave up on fishing…I just wasn’t patient enough!

Mt. Philo, I will conquer you! 2 miles round trip…easy? Not at all. The mountain was steep and slippery; we were greatly challenged.

Going up!

Here we are…on the top of Mt. Philo!

The six of us. (From the left: Melanie, Peter, me, Andy, Kelvin, and Sei-Wook)

Going down the mountain.

On the way to dinner, we stopped by the famous store that sells all kinds of Vermont cheddar (with bacon, onions, salami, etc, inside the cheese), jams, honey, chutney, cured meats, and mustard.

The waterfall right outside of our chosen dinner spot.

Our dinner spot…the American Flatbread, where you find the best American pizza (see Vermont dining entry)!

Vermont’s greenmarket.

The “cukes”! Local cukes always taste sweeter and crunchier!

The beach. Water in Vermont…is rather calm compared to the Jersey shore wave.

Last swim before leaving Vermont. I put on the full gear and did some open-water swim training.

Stay tuned for Guinea Pig Goes to Vermont: Dining.

The Sweaty Guinea Pig will be taking two-day break from updating his website; he will be studying for a final exam.

After getting back from a 3-day vacation in Vermont (Vermont entries will be updated in the next week), I find myself to be extraordinarily calm inside. I woke up this morning with a purpose: becoming a better runner, using my time more efficiently, and contributing my fitness knowledge to help my father recover from a minor back injury that happened last week. (Ok…I do have more than one purpose essentially.)

First,

A peace run…

Distance: 7.4 miles

Time: 56:45

While trying to gain some muscle mass back, I lift moderate amount of weight and do multi-planar movements to stay athletic in the off-season.

Set 1:

• Bench press: 12, 10, 8, 6 repetitions, 135 lbs.
• Bend over flies: 4 x 15, 15 lbs. dumbbells
• Front lunge: 4 x 10, 15 lbs. dumbbells

Set2:

• Clean-n-jerk: 4 x 15, 65 lbs.
• Front raises (all the way): 4 x 15, 12 lbs. dumbbells
• Side lunges: 4 x 10, 12 lbs. dumbbells

Set 3:

• Barbell shot-put press: 4 x 15, 50 lbs.
• Stability 1-arm bend-over rows: 4 x 10, 20 lbs. dumbbell
• Leg lifts: 4 x 30

Set 4:

• Stability ball swimmer: 3 x 15, 2.5 lbs. plate each arm
• Abs: v-ups, leg lifts, bicycles

With fuel cost rises everyday, regular supermarkets have shifted their focus to selling local farm products in the stores. Many supermarkets have also allowed local farmers set up stands outside the store to promote eating locally.

Have you seen any local produce in the supermarket nearby lately?