Everyone has an off season, not just dancers, performers, and athletes. During this season, which I find myself currently in, one has to be incredibly self-motivated and self-disciplined in order to stay in shape.
I won't lie, this is REALLY HARD.
I do my hour a day in the morning so that regardless of what happens during the day I at least know I had an hour of cardio. But If I'm going to be open and honest, which I strive to be with you, my readers, I'll have to admit I haven't stretched in days, I haven't been to dance class in a week, and I barely had enough energy to finish my hour. And I feel lousy about it.
Its not that I don't have a thousand excuses, good ones, like school, work, and planning a wedding! But that doesn't change the fact that my first priority is as a dancer. I should be stretching every day, going to classes as often as I can, and hitting the Gym for more that an hour so I can get back to weight training like I know I should.
Its not just us dancers, performers, and athletes. Everyone gets busy, and everyone has times when fitness just can't come first.
I stress the importance of getting in your minimum. I've talked about this before. For everyone, a minimum amount of exercise is going to vary. For me, its an hour of cardio, for others its twenty minutes of a yoga dvd, for you it might be taking stairs to get to your office. Whatever you've set as your minimum, just make sure you get that everyday and you'll at least maintain some level of fitness.
If you find yourself, like me, in a rut where you're stuck on your minimum, here are some ways you can add to it, even on the busiest day of your life:
- go five more minutes. If you're about done, and you know you've hit your minimum mark, just push through for five more minutes. In five minutes, you can burn 50 calories on the elliptical, stretch your entire lower body, or tone one more muscle group. Trust me, it will be an amazing five minutes.
- work out at your desk and/or your work station. Find a minute here, five minutes there, whatever you can get. Do calf raises at a counter, upper torso twists in a desk chair or a couple laps around he office suite/school/building instead of or on a "smoke break." Trust me it adds up.
- You're going to love this one. Finish your workout in bed. Whether this means doing some situps or controlled leg raises in your pj's as you wind down for sleep or getting romantic with your husband or wife before you call it a night, these last minute calories burned are going to make a difference.
Today, I'm determined to stretch when I get off this elliptical, run through the set, work on choreography for my class tomorrow, and take a ballet class. I'm fortunate to have a day off from work today, and I hope that I can get all of this accomplished in between homework and errands.
What do you want to accomplish today?
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Impulses and aspirations
So my mom called yesterday, and told me to write about something in my blog that she saw in the grocery store. A couple in front of her on line at the checkout was buying two packs of fresh, healthy sushi and two bottles of juice. Good on you, guys. HOWEVER, before they got to the cashier, though I'm not sure whether it was planned or spontaneous, they each grab a Little Debbie cake off the rack next to the cash register, completing their meals.
Part of me wants to chastise them for succumbing to those devious checkout temptations, but the other part of me is really okay with this. There has to be a balance. I'm not saying Little Debbie is healthy for you, and on some level, they did "ruin" their healthy lunch with America's favorite snack cake. But if you're going to balance an oatmeal cream pie with an eel and avacado roll and some Odwalla juice, I'd say that's a pretty good lunch.
What we do need to watch out for are all of life's little temptations, like the the grocery store check out line. Just because it's there doesn't mean we have to take it. Just because it's a buffet doesn't mean we have to eat till it hurts. And most importantly, just because it's fat-free or sugar-free doesn't mean we should the whole thing in one sitting. I guarantee you its not calorie free.
The other thing that's bugging me today is kind of related to temptation in that I am being swayed into a particular direction or another. I am a girl who has many goals, and I usually keep them in a hierarchy so I remember what's most important to me at any given time. Today, I came to realize that I'm missing one of the most essential aspirations a person can have: happiness. I get so caught up with everything that I want to do, like be a successful, healthy dance, finish school, and get my novel published, that I forget that being happy takes more than "do."
I'm not going to get into this right now, but I am going to tell you that whatever your goals are here, be it weight loss, toning, general health, etc, just make sure that these goals and what it takes to get there make you happy.
That's all for today. If I can get my head out my book tomorrow, I will have much more to say.
Part of me wants to chastise them for succumbing to those devious checkout temptations, but the other part of me is really okay with this. There has to be a balance. I'm not saying Little Debbie is healthy for you, and on some level, they did "ruin" their healthy lunch with America's favorite snack cake. But if you're going to balance an oatmeal cream pie with an eel and avacado roll and some Odwalla juice, I'd say that's a pretty good lunch.
What we do need to watch out for are all of life's little temptations, like the the grocery store check out line. Just because it's there doesn't mean we have to take it. Just because it's a buffet doesn't mean we have to eat till it hurts. And most importantly, just because it's fat-free or sugar-free doesn't mean we should the whole thing in one sitting. I guarantee you its not calorie free.
The other thing that's bugging me today is kind of related to temptation in that I am being swayed into a particular direction or another. I am a girl who has many goals, and I usually keep them in a hierarchy so I remember what's most important to me at any given time. Today, I came to realize that I'm missing one of the most essential aspirations a person can have: happiness. I get so caught up with everything that I want to do, like be a successful, healthy dance, finish school, and get my novel published, that I forget that being happy takes more than "do."
I'm not going to get into this right now, but I am going to tell you that whatever your goals are here, be it weight loss, toning, general health, etc, just make sure that these goals and what it takes to get there make you happy.
That's all for today. If I can get my head out my book tomorrow, I will have much more to say.
Friday, January 21, 2011
What you eat
Is truly what you are. Right now, I feel sluggish and tired and I'm constantly hungry. Well, this is because I'm not eating enough protein and filling myself with white flour pizza with only a sprinkle of fresh mozzarella cheese and marinara. This is tasty, fresh, and somewhat healthy...but all it is is simply carbs. That's not the makings of a good diet, especially for someone who works out as much as I do.
So I'm going to use this blog to post some of the foods I am going to fill my diet with instead of pizza so that you can find some good-for-you, filling, and nutritious foods to cook and buy for yourself as well. My main goals are to increase my protein to help me have more energy for all of the dancing and working out I do, and to eat foods that have higher fiber content and less white flours so that I feel fuller throughout the day and don't graze at the pizza place, lol. Here are some ideas for myself and for you, since I'm sure I'm not the only one falling victim to the all white bread diet:
-FiberGourmet tomato bisque pasta with feta cheese
The company, FiberGourmet makes high fiber wheat pastas that taste just like the regular stuff but have over 14g of fiber per serving. This pasta makes me feel full and it's tasty, especially when I top it with my favorite sauce/topping combo. Instead of traditional marinara or tomato or Alfredo sauce, I love to top my pasta with Tomato Bisque soup. It has all of the Italian flavor of a tomato cream sauce but it is much healthier than a creamy sauce but offers more cheesy flavor and spices than straight up marinara. Then I top it with a small sprinkle of low fat feta cheese and let it melt on top. Yum!
-Teriyaki Tofu (or chicken) bake. Fill a square baking pan or casserole dish with a small layer of a mix of soy and teriyaki sauces. Then lay long cuts of tofu or pre-baked chicken cutlets in the pan so that they are half submerged in the sauces. Let the sauces bake into the tofu or meat at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve either in lettuce cups, on brown rice, or with stir fried or steamed broccoli, sugar snap peas and carrots. Good stuff!
-Caprese flatbread. I like using Flat-out Flat breads (only 90 calories each and made with whole grain). These take less than 5 minutes to prep and only 10-15 minutes to cook so its perfect for my crazy schedule. I like to top these with soy or fresh mozzarella (never the regular stuff), diced or sliced tomatoes, low fat feta and basil. Low cal, high fiber, high protein and a perfect food for a snack, a meal or a post-workout pick me up.
-Crescent Burger-Moons. Ingredients: Boca vegan burgers (or if you like real meats you can use Bubba Burgers, Turkey burgers or anything that suits your tastes), Pillsbury crescent rolls, cream cheese. Roll the dough out from the can and spread cream cheese on the inside of the crescent rolls (laid flat). Slice the burger patty into strips and roll them up inside the crescent. Bake as directed. Enjoy as part of a meal or grab a few for the road on the way to work (you, know, so you...er I mean "I" don't spend all day noshing pizza).
I honestly think eating like this is going to do wonders for my energy levels, my fitness and muscle development and my overall health. Plus it's all delicious! Tomorrow night's dinner: Caprese flatbreads as an appetizer and Tomato Bisque pasta for me and ave before we head out dancing all night. That sounds like heaven, doesn't it?
So I'm going to use this blog to post some of the foods I am going to fill my diet with instead of pizza so that you can find some good-for-you, filling, and nutritious foods to cook and buy for yourself as well. My main goals are to increase my protein to help me have more energy for all of the dancing and working out I do, and to eat foods that have higher fiber content and less white flours so that I feel fuller throughout the day and don't graze at the pizza place, lol. Here are some ideas for myself and for you, since I'm sure I'm not the only one falling victim to the all white bread diet:
-FiberGourmet tomato bisque pasta with feta cheese
The company, FiberGourmet makes high fiber wheat pastas that taste just like the regular stuff but have over 14g of fiber per serving. This pasta makes me feel full and it's tasty, especially when I top it with my favorite sauce/topping combo. Instead of traditional marinara or tomato or Alfredo sauce, I love to top my pasta with Tomato Bisque soup. It has all of the Italian flavor of a tomato cream sauce but it is much healthier than a creamy sauce but offers more cheesy flavor and spices than straight up marinara. Then I top it with a small sprinkle of low fat feta cheese and let it melt on top. Yum!
-Teriyaki Tofu (or chicken) bake. Fill a square baking pan or casserole dish with a small layer of a mix of soy and teriyaki sauces. Then lay long cuts of tofu or pre-baked chicken cutlets in the pan so that they are half submerged in the sauces. Let the sauces bake into the tofu or meat at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve either in lettuce cups, on brown rice, or with stir fried or steamed broccoli, sugar snap peas and carrots. Good stuff!
-Caprese flatbread. I like using Flat-out Flat breads (only 90 calories each and made with whole grain). These take less than 5 minutes to prep and only 10-15 minutes to cook so its perfect for my crazy schedule. I like to top these with soy or fresh mozzarella (never the regular stuff), diced or sliced tomatoes, low fat feta and basil. Low cal, high fiber, high protein and a perfect food for a snack, a meal or a post-workout pick me up.
-Crescent Burger-Moons. Ingredients: Boca vegan burgers (or if you like real meats you can use Bubba Burgers, Turkey burgers or anything that suits your tastes), Pillsbury crescent rolls, cream cheese. Roll the dough out from the can and spread cream cheese on the inside of the crescent rolls (laid flat). Slice the burger patty into strips and roll them up inside the crescent. Bake as directed. Enjoy as part of a meal or grab a few for the road on the way to work (you, know, so you...er I mean "I" don't spend all day noshing pizza).
I honestly think eating like this is going to do wonders for my energy levels, my fitness and muscle development and my overall health. Plus it's all delicious! Tomorrow night's dinner: Caprese flatbreads as an appetizer and Tomato Bisque pasta for me and ave before we head out dancing all night. That sounds like heaven, doesn't it?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
All you can gorge
So I'm hurting today. My tummy is not very happy and it is all my fault. I decided to go to an all you can eat sushi/Chinese buffet last night, and despite all of my efforts, I completely ignored any amount of self control I might have in me. I waaaaaaaaaay over did it. It was so delicious...but so painful.
The question is: was it worth it? Well, at the time, it was. The food was amazing. My favorite things were the candied sweet potatoes and the fried bananas (yes, at a Chinese buffet. Welcome to the south, lol). But I didn't stop when I was full... I just kept shoveling the yumminess into my mouth until I literally felt like I was going to burst open. It hurt so bad.
And today I am still suffering for it. Bad heartburn, cramps, and general distaste for any kind of food have ruined my day today. I'm hoping that a nice yoga class that I'm about to go teach will help a little, but really, I just need to NOT let myself feel this way in the first place.
There is NOTHING healthy about going to an AYCE buffet. I don't care if it's a salad and fruit bar, if you eat more quantity than your body needs, you are doing yourself quite a disservice. There's almost no way to go to a buffet and not over eat, which I'm realizing is absolute hell on your body. Especially with the economy the way it is, most people would be inclined to "get their money's worth" at a buffet, which is a recipe for nutritional disaster.
Next time you feel like going to a buffet, try to persuade yourself that the heartburn, aches and possible up-chucking that may follow is simply not worth the $10.99 price. Besides, for $10.99, you can probably get something a whole lot healthier and better quality at another restaurant down the road.
Feeling really hungry? A buffet is the worst thing you can go to on an empty stomach, because you are guaranteed to gorge and binge eat in the worst way possible. Binge eating is really unhealthy. Forget calorie counting, simply taking in to much food at one time is way too hard for your body to process and you can cause a world of problems like blockage of your systems and more of the food gets stored as fat energy.
Next time you're up for something hearty, go for a footlong sub from places like Subway, Quiznos or Firehouse for less than $8. How about a personal pizza with fresh mozzarella for $8 at your local pizza joint, or some moo goo gai pan and white rice from your favorite Chinese take out for $6.50? Better prices, better portions and no painful tummyaches from overeating.
I'm learning this lesson today, the hard way. Let's just hope I even make it through Yoga class...especially since I'm the teacher!
The question is: was it worth it? Well, at the time, it was. The food was amazing. My favorite things were the candied sweet potatoes and the fried bananas (yes, at a Chinese buffet. Welcome to the south, lol). But I didn't stop when I was full... I just kept shoveling the yumminess into my mouth until I literally felt like I was going to burst open. It hurt so bad.
And today I am still suffering for it. Bad heartburn, cramps, and general distaste for any kind of food have ruined my day today. I'm hoping that a nice yoga class that I'm about to go teach will help a little, but really, I just need to NOT let myself feel this way in the first place.
There is NOTHING healthy about going to an AYCE buffet. I don't care if it's a salad and fruit bar, if you eat more quantity than your body needs, you are doing yourself quite a disservice. There's almost no way to go to a buffet and not over eat, which I'm realizing is absolute hell on your body. Especially with the economy the way it is, most people would be inclined to "get their money's worth" at a buffet, which is a recipe for nutritional disaster.
Next time you feel like going to a buffet, try to persuade yourself that the heartburn, aches and possible up-chucking that may follow is simply not worth the $10.99 price. Besides, for $10.99, you can probably get something a whole lot healthier and better quality at another restaurant down the road.
Feeling really hungry? A buffet is the worst thing you can go to on an empty stomach, because you are guaranteed to gorge and binge eat in the worst way possible. Binge eating is really unhealthy. Forget calorie counting, simply taking in to much food at one time is way too hard for your body to process and you can cause a world of problems like blockage of your systems and more of the food gets stored as fat energy.
Next time you're up for something hearty, go for a footlong sub from places like Subway, Quiznos or Firehouse for less than $8. How about a personal pizza with fresh mozzarella for $8 at your local pizza joint, or some moo goo gai pan and white rice from your favorite Chinese take out for $6.50? Better prices, better portions and no painful tummyaches from overeating.
I'm learning this lesson today, the hard way. Let's just hope I even make it through Yoga class...especially since I'm the teacher!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
catching up
Sorry its been so long. Apparently something is going all the way around Jacksonville, and last week it hit me square in the throat in the form of Strep. It hurt so bad I could barely eat, and that is definitely not a healthy way (or a fun way) to lose weight.
Speaking of "Healthy Way," I'm going to take this opportunity to gripe a little about American values and the way we eat. A few days ago, I went to the Town Center Mall hoping to grab some lunch before a gig. As I turned the corner right past Kay jewelers I immediately stop in my tracks, as I see one of my favorite healthy restaurants, the Healthy Way Cafe, has gone out of business.
Of course, Marble Slab Creamery, Auntie Anne's pretzels, and Maggiano's Little Italy, all within eye shot, are busy and thriving. Go figure.
It seems that our society really doesn't like healthy food. We'd rather savor the flavors of full fat, whole milk ice cream, white flour pretzels dripping with butter, and creamy, cheesy, oily Italian food. Well... yeah, that all sounds good... really good. However, to your body, nothing tastes or feels better than crisp, fresh vegetables and fruits, a bowl of brown rice, marinated, organic meats (or tofu), and seasoned vegetables.
Sure, that kind of food doesn't have all of the bells and whistles (aka, sugar and butter) as the ice cream and the pretzel, but it is more filling and offers more nutrients, and it won't make you crash or feel like you're dying of starvation an hour after you eat it.
I find it interesting that this happens right after I watch, and consequently become obsessed with, Supersize Me. We really are a nation of fast-food eaters and sugar addicts, and the closing of one of the few healthy quick-food restaurants completely proves this for me. I'm not saying that we should only eat vegetables and brown rice for the rest of our lives, but I am saying that we would be a healthier, skinnier nation if we didn't close down restaurants and cafes that offer fast, fresh, and tasty healthy food, and then line our streets with McDonald's, Arby's, and Wendy's.
It doesn't matter that Wendy's uses all white-eat chicken and garnishes their fries with sea salt. It's still soaked in oil and of questionable quality. It doesn't help that McDonald's sells salads if they are going to charge twice the price for them, and fill them with two to three times the calories of their traditional menu of Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets. Arby's isn't doing any better since their line of "Market Fresh" sandwiches have much more fat and calories than their cheesy, roast beef sandwich.
I'll give these guys a C for effort, passing them into the New Year with a warning. Shape up your food so we can shape up our bodies. Because Americans are starting to wise up. At least I thought we were until I stood in front of the empty concrete hole that used to be Healthy Way Cafe.
So my advice to you is if you find a healthy restaurant with good-for-you take out and friendly local service, go there. Keep visiting them, patronize them as often as your budget allows, and keep putting healthy foods in your body, and keeping healthy restaurants in business. Hold on to them for dear life.
For my Jacksonville friends, I'll let you know, these are the restaurants that I'm going to start to frequent a little bit more often:
Healthy Eats at the Avenues Mall
The Flame Broiler in Tapestry Park
Chipotle Mexican Grill (they use mostly organic ingredients)
Roly Poly
Nature's Table (I haven't been there yet, but after looking at their menu full of salads, wraps, paninis, and soups, this is so my next stop.)
Speaking of "Healthy Way," I'm going to take this opportunity to gripe a little about American values and the way we eat. A few days ago, I went to the Town Center Mall hoping to grab some lunch before a gig. As I turned the corner right past Kay jewelers I immediately stop in my tracks, as I see one of my favorite healthy restaurants, the Healthy Way Cafe, has gone out of business.
Of course, Marble Slab Creamery, Auntie Anne's pretzels, and Maggiano's Little Italy, all within eye shot, are busy and thriving. Go figure.
It seems that our society really doesn't like healthy food. We'd rather savor the flavors of full fat, whole milk ice cream, white flour pretzels dripping with butter, and creamy, cheesy, oily Italian food. Well... yeah, that all sounds good... really good. However, to your body, nothing tastes or feels better than crisp, fresh vegetables and fruits, a bowl of brown rice, marinated, organic meats (or tofu), and seasoned vegetables.
Sure, that kind of food doesn't have all of the bells and whistles (aka, sugar and butter) as the ice cream and the pretzel, but it is more filling and offers more nutrients, and it won't make you crash or feel like you're dying of starvation an hour after you eat it.
I find it interesting that this happens right after I watch, and consequently become obsessed with, Supersize Me. We really are a nation of fast-food eaters and sugar addicts, and the closing of one of the few healthy quick-food restaurants completely proves this for me. I'm not saying that we should only eat vegetables and brown rice for the rest of our lives, but I am saying that we would be a healthier, skinnier nation if we didn't close down restaurants and cafes that offer fast, fresh, and tasty healthy food, and then line our streets with McDonald's, Arby's, and Wendy's.
It doesn't matter that Wendy's uses all white-eat chicken and garnishes their fries with sea salt. It's still soaked in oil and of questionable quality. It doesn't help that McDonald's sells salads if they are going to charge twice the price for them, and fill them with two to three times the calories of their traditional menu of Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets. Arby's isn't doing any better since their line of "Market Fresh" sandwiches have much more fat and calories than their cheesy, roast beef sandwich.
I'll give these guys a C for effort, passing them into the New Year with a warning. Shape up your food so we can shape up our bodies. Because Americans are starting to wise up. At least I thought we were until I stood in front of the empty concrete hole that used to be Healthy Way Cafe.
So my advice to you is if you find a healthy restaurant with good-for-you take out and friendly local service, go there. Keep visiting them, patronize them as often as your budget allows, and keep putting healthy foods in your body, and keeping healthy restaurants in business. Hold on to them for dear life.
For my Jacksonville friends, I'll let you know, these are the restaurants that I'm going to start to frequent a little bit more often:
Healthy Eats at the Avenues Mall
The Flame Broiler in Tapestry Park
Chipotle Mexican Grill (they use mostly organic ingredients)
Roly Poly
Nature's Table (I haven't been there yet, but after looking at their menu full of salads, wraps, paninis, and soups, this is so my next stop.)
Monday, January 10, 2011
Recess
In elementary school, I remember being given about half an hour per day to run outside and play with the other kids. However, I also remember this being taken away as soon as I hit the 4th grade, and it was time to study for the FCAT and other standardized tests. Instead of being given a nice break in the middle of our school day where we could be active and get a bit of exercise, we were stuck inside sitting at our desks for seven hours straight.
Now recess is a thing of the past altogether in most schools and P.E. has been reduced to about 50 minutes PER WEEK. Top that off with hours of homework that require more sitting at a table at home writing and reading. While learning is absolutely essential and I believe that homework is a really REALLY good thing, we are forgetting to teach other important aspects of life...you know, the ones that AREN'T covered on a multiple choice test.
Kids spend all day in a desk now, all afternoon studying in their rooms, and all night playing video games as a way to unwind without needing too much energy since by then they're exhausted. This is a recipe for obesity...literally.
And it's exactly how adult life has become too. Many adults spend all day at their desks working, given a short lunch break where they sit and eat, and then go home and sit with their kids helping them with homework or work on bills/etc at their own computers for a few hours. Maybe watch a bit of TV then go to bed. I think we're learning now too early in life that it is "important" and "part of life" to be sedentary, and this needs to stop.
Let's bring back recess. Even if I can't bring it back in schools (which I am really endeavoring to do through my master's thesis), Let's try to bring it back at home. Instead of telling your kids they cant play outside til their homework is done, why not go play with them for 30 minutes or an hour right after school before they start their homework. You know their homework must get done, so if you go outside and play catch or use the swing set with them for a little bit, they're sure to get their exercise and fun AND get their homework done before bed. The only thing that might have to get left for another day is the video game playing. Take it from me, an avid gamer, playing outside is much more fun anyway.
Bring it back for yourself too. Use your lunch hour to "play" outside. Take a walk; take a lunch hour spin/yoga class. Take a few minutes while your kids are having nap time to pop in a zumba video or dance along with Carmen Electra in your living room in between vacuuming. Go get your friends after work in the park and play some tackle football or take up golfing on the weekends.
Get outside and play!
Recess is much more important than schools seem to remember it is, and I hope to affect this change as soon as I can get them to understand that standardized testing isn't the end all save all of education. For now, bring back recess in your own lives and encourage your kids to get more active just for fun. Fitness and health will simply wonderful byproducts of fun!
Now recess is a thing of the past altogether in most schools and P.E. has been reduced to about 50 minutes PER WEEK. Top that off with hours of homework that require more sitting at a table at home writing and reading. While learning is absolutely essential and I believe that homework is a really REALLY good thing, we are forgetting to teach other important aspects of life...you know, the ones that AREN'T covered on a multiple choice test.
Kids spend all day in a desk now, all afternoon studying in their rooms, and all night playing video games as a way to unwind without needing too much energy since by then they're exhausted. This is a recipe for obesity...literally.
And it's exactly how adult life has become too. Many adults spend all day at their desks working, given a short lunch break where they sit and eat, and then go home and sit with their kids helping them with homework or work on bills/etc at their own computers for a few hours. Maybe watch a bit of TV then go to bed. I think we're learning now too early in life that it is "important" and "part of life" to be sedentary, and this needs to stop.
Let's bring back recess. Even if I can't bring it back in schools (which I am really endeavoring to do through my master's thesis), Let's try to bring it back at home. Instead of telling your kids they cant play outside til their homework is done, why not go play with them for 30 minutes or an hour right after school before they start their homework. You know their homework must get done, so if you go outside and play catch or use the swing set with them for a little bit, they're sure to get their exercise and fun AND get their homework done before bed. The only thing that might have to get left for another day is the video game playing. Take it from me, an avid gamer, playing outside is much more fun anyway.
Bring it back for yourself too. Use your lunch hour to "play" outside. Take a walk; take a lunch hour spin/yoga class. Take a few minutes while your kids are having nap time to pop in a zumba video or dance along with Carmen Electra in your living room in between vacuuming. Go get your friends after work in the park and play some tackle football or take up golfing on the weekends.
Get outside and play!
Recess is much more important than schools seem to remember it is, and I hope to affect this change as soon as I can get them to understand that standardized testing isn't the end all save all of education. For now, bring back recess in your own lives and encourage your kids to get more active just for fun. Fitness and health will simply wonderful byproducts of fun!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Forbidden to be FIT
This is so frustrating. I'm sick with Strep Throat and I've been told I'm not allowed to work out for at least three days. This is really upsetting to me...and very boring.
But on the other hand, it is a lesson for myself and anyone who seems to run themselves constantly on the verge of empty. Maybe if I had rested more, and not constantly pushed myself so hard in work and workouts, I might not have gotten so sick. Maybe; maybe not. But it is an interesting idea.
Still, I hate laying here in bed, having hardly been conscious all day thanks to antibiotics and anti inflammatory meds (p.s. I hate taking medication). When I'm awake, I'm stir crazy. I can feel my muscles spazzing, begging me to run and let some air circulate through them.
But even if I really wanted to workout and forget the fact that I'm "not allowed" to until Tuesday, I don't even think I could today. That's the other thing about being sick: your body just succumbs to the virus and everything shuts down. My back aches, my legs are tight, and I have no coordination or balance. Not good combos for a workout.
So I will diligently listen to the advice I've been given and stay in bed...at least for today. We'll see how good I can be tomorrow...
For now, the wisdom I will share stems from my frustration of being sick and trying to find the underlying causes of it. Dave swears it's stress, but that can't be right. I have been constantly stressed for 5 years, but only sick a couple of times therein. As not good as stress may be, I hardly think it's related to this. I think it's actually my current eating habits, making this a prime subject for tonight's blog post.
I've been a bad vegetarian lately. Namely, I've been craving, and subsequently eating meats. I blame both my recent diet of take out from all of the restaurants me and Dave have been working at and the fact that Libretto's Pizzeria has the best meatballs I've ever tasted. But regardless of who is to blame, I've been eating meats often lately. And being that the last time I was this sick (last november), I was eating a lot of meat at Firehouse subs, I am putting the two together.
I'm not saying that everyone should be a vegetarian, although there is something to be said for all of the research and doctor recommendations that indicate that a meatless diet is the best for one's overall health and maintaining/losing weight (http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=9246). I'm saying that this is what seems to work best for me and my body and even though some meats taste really good, I shouldn't constantly indulge in them like I've been doing. Plus all of the take out can't be good for anyone.
My advice today is advice I will try very hard to take myself. If you have the time, cook your own meals. Meals that are healthy and nutritious. Tasty too, of course.
Some take our alternative ideas: Instead of going out for a burger, make home made sirloin burgers with lean ground sirloin and whole wheat buns. Save a tons of calories by topping them with homemade tzaziki sauce or fat free ranch or bbq sauce instead of mayo and high fat sauces. Try melting Feta or laughing cow light cheese wedges instead of full fat cheese on top. Fr vegetarians like me, try grilling boca vegan patties. They're delicious and low cal to boot!
Instead of ordering pizza, try making your own with healthier and cheaper ingredients. You can either get a fresh wad of dough from the bakery for a pizza or use flatbread, french bread or pillsbury rolled pizza dough as a base for a nice pizza. Add mushrooms, onions and peppers to a jar of ragu pizza sauce (which is nicely low in calories) and top with part skim or low fat Mozz, cheddar or any other cheese and toppings. Vegetable toppings add barely any calories so feel free to load up with these!
These are both things I have cooked before successfully. That's saying a lot since I'm not a great cook. Seriously, my version of cooking usually involves dialing 7 digits. But I am trying to be healthier and take control of what I'm eating. The best way to do that, and take more control of your health as a result, is to cook your own food with ingredients you choose for yourself. I think I'm going to go read a bit of Fast Foo Nation before I pass out again, to remind myself that being as sick as this is never worth living on fast food, no matter how tasty it seems.
But on the other hand, it is a lesson for myself and anyone who seems to run themselves constantly on the verge of empty. Maybe if I had rested more, and not constantly pushed myself so hard in work and workouts, I might not have gotten so sick. Maybe; maybe not. But it is an interesting idea.
Still, I hate laying here in bed, having hardly been conscious all day thanks to antibiotics and anti inflammatory meds (p.s. I hate taking medication). When I'm awake, I'm stir crazy. I can feel my muscles spazzing, begging me to run and let some air circulate through them.
But even if I really wanted to workout and forget the fact that I'm "not allowed" to until Tuesday, I don't even think I could today. That's the other thing about being sick: your body just succumbs to the virus and everything shuts down. My back aches, my legs are tight, and I have no coordination or balance. Not good combos for a workout.
So I will diligently listen to the advice I've been given and stay in bed...at least for today. We'll see how good I can be tomorrow...
For now, the wisdom I will share stems from my frustration of being sick and trying to find the underlying causes of it. Dave swears it's stress, but that can't be right. I have been constantly stressed for 5 years, but only sick a couple of times therein. As not good as stress may be, I hardly think it's related to this. I think it's actually my current eating habits, making this a prime subject for tonight's blog post.
I've been a bad vegetarian lately. Namely, I've been craving, and subsequently eating meats. I blame both my recent diet of take out from all of the restaurants me and Dave have been working at and the fact that Libretto's Pizzeria has the best meatballs I've ever tasted. But regardless of who is to blame, I've been eating meats often lately. And being that the last time I was this sick (last november), I was eating a lot of meat at Firehouse subs, I am putting the two together.
I'm not saying that everyone should be a vegetarian, although there is something to be said for all of the research and doctor recommendations that indicate that a meatless diet is the best for one's overall health and maintaining/losing weight (http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=9246). I'm saying that this is what seems to work best for me and my body and even though some meats taste really good, I shouldn't constantly indulge in them like I've been doing. Plus all of the take out can't be good for anyone.
My advice today is advice I will try very hard to take myself. If you have the time, cook your own meals. Meals that are healthy and nutritious. Tasty too, of course.
Some take our alternative ideas: Instead of going out for a burger, make home made sirloin burgers with lean ground sirloin and whole wheat buns. Save a tons of calories by topping them with homemade tzaziki sauce or fat free ranch or bbq sauce instead of mayo and high fat sauces. Try melting Feta or laughing cow light cheese wedges instead of full fat cheese on top. Fr vegetarians like me, try grilling boca vegan patties. They're delicious and low cal to boot!
Instead of ordering pizza, try making your own with healthier and cheaper ingredients. You can either get a fresh wad of dough from the bakery for a pizza or use flatbread, french bread or pillsbury rolled pizza dough as a base for a nice pizza. Add mushrooms, onions and peppers to a jar of ragu pizza sauce (which is nicely low in calories) and top with part skim or low fat Mozz, cheddar or any other cheese and toppings. Vegetable toppings add barely any calories so feel free to load up with these!
These are both things I have cooked before successfully. That's saying a lot since I'm not a great cook. Seriously, my version of cooking usually involves dialing 7 digits. But I am trying to be healthier and take control of what I'm eating. The best way to do that, and take more control of your health as a result, is to cook your own food with ingredients you choose for yourself. I think I'm going to go read a bit of Fast Foo Nation before I pass out again, to remind myself that being as sick as this is never worth living on fast food, no matter how tasty it seems.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Good days
I taught Yoga for the first time in a long time tonight, and it felt wonderful. It was nice to not only get to practice my yoga with new people, but to offer yoga classes free of charge to college students and parents and their children meant a great deal to me. Tonight my class had 5 students in it and they all seemed to really love the class. It felt really great to give them a free 45 minute yoga class after a long first day of class, a long day at work, or a long day taking care of their kids. So rewarding :)
I've had a great couple of days, in fact, all centered around fitness and dance too. Yesterday I taught a tap class as a guest teacher down in Mandarin. It was so much fun to get back in my tap shoes, and the girls I taught were so enthusiastic and quite talented. The class went so well that the studio owner actually offered me a job teaching it for the rest of the year! I'm so elated; I can hardly believe that happened. I was just so happy to guest teach for them, and now that I am going to choreograph their recital dance and teach them every week, I am just beaming with delight. Seriously, I haven't been able to stop smiling in more than 24 hours, lol.
That's what teaching does for me, especially teaching dance and fitness classes. I love to teach, to spread my wisdom and experience on to others so that they can have a new experience, or an hour of stress free enjoyment or grow into beautiful dancers and healthy individuals.
And that's why I write this blog. Because I can't teach classes every day, and I can't teach everyone I know, especially since many of you live across the world. I just want to keep teaching and inspiring, and I want to help each of you (and myself) reach these goals and aspirations we constantly strive for.
Health and fitness are attainable goals, even when we think we don't have the time, the energy or the money to help us get there. Tonight, I taught a free 45 minute yoga class that may have helped someone release all the stresses of their day; that might have jump started someone's new year's fitness resolution; that might have helped a little ballerina improve her balance for class tomorrow. I would hope that there might be a class like this that you all can find where you live. Something that won't break your budget or your schedule. For anyone in Jacksonville, come take my class.
In my opinion, fitness should always be free to those who are willing to better themselves. As much as it would make for a nice career to have a yoga studio and charge $10-15 per class per student, I just wouldn't feel right charging that much. I would feel like I'm turning people away who couldn't afford my high price tag. Sure, staying home and watching TV is cheaper than having a gym membership...but it shouldn't be.
Of course, if finding such a class is hard for you, you can always try to workout to a DVD. It's not as silly as it seems to follow along with a video, especially with all of the fun and nifty versions out for sale right now. Some of my favorites are:
-Zumba Fitness DVDs (www.zumba.com)
-Pussycat Dolls workout (available at most major DVD retailers)
-New York City Ballet Workout (available at most major DVD retailers)
And more
Also, the newest video games for the Wii and Kinect systems), though they are slightly pricier than DVDs, are great ways of working out at home for a fraction of the cost of group exercise classes. My favorite has always been (And will always be) Dance Dance Revolution (DDR).
The DVDs typically cost only $30 or less per DVD and most of them have multiple workouts on them, giving you plenty of variety that you can workout with over and over. Plus they're loads of fun, and being able to workout in the privacy of your own home is priceless.
I can't wait to teach again. I'm so excited, I'm going to start choreographing right away! Starting right now!!!!
I've had a great couple of days, in fact, all centered around fitness and dance too. Yesterday I taught a tap class as a guest teacher down in Mandarin. It was so much fun to get back in my tap shoes, and the girls I taught were so enthusiastic and quite talented. The class went so well that the studio owner actually offered me a job teaching it for the rest of the year! I'm so elated; I can hardly believe that happened. I was just so happy to guest teach for them, and now that I am going to choreograph their recital dance and teach them every week, I am just beaming with delight. Seriously, I haven't been able to stop smiling in more than 24 hours, lol.
That's what teaching does for me, especially teaching dance and fitness classes. I love to teach, to spread my wisdom and experience on to others so that they can have a new experience, or an hour of stress free enjoyment or grow into beautiful dancers and healthy individuals.
And that's why I write this blog. Because I can't teach classes every day, and I can't teach everyone I know, especially since many of you live across the world. I just want to keep teaching and inspiring, and I want to help each of you (and myself) reach these goals and aspirations we constantly strive for.
Health and fitness are attainable goals, even when we think we don't have the time, the energy or the money to help us get there. Tonight, I taught a free 45 minute yoga class that may have helped someone release all the stresses of their day; that might have jump started someone's new year's fitness resolution; that might have helped a little ballerina improve her balance for class tomorrow. I would hope that there might be a class like this that you all can find where you live. Something that won't break your budget or your schedule. For anyone in Jacksonville, come take my class.
In my opinion, fitness should always be free to those who are willing to better themselves. As much as it would make for a nice career to have a yoga studio and charge $10-15 per class per student, I just wouldn't feel right charging that much. I would feel like I'm turning people away who couldn't afford my high price tag. Sure, staying home and watching TV is cheaper than having a gym membership...but it shouldn't be.
Of course, if finding such a class is hard for you, you can always try to workout to a DVD. It's not as silly as it seems to follow along with a video, especially with all of the fun and nifty versions out for sale right now. Some of my favorites are:
-Zumba Fitness DVDs (www.zumba.com)
-Pussycat Dolls workout (available at most major DVD retailers)
-New York City Ballet Workout (available at most major DVD retailers)
And more
Also, the newest video games for the Wii and Kinect systems), though they are slightly pricier than DVDs, are great ways of working out at home for a fraction of the cost of group exercise classes. My favorite has always been (And will always be) Dance Dance Revolution (DDR).
The DVDs typically cost only $30 or less per DVD and most of them have multiple workouts on them, giving you plenty of variety that you can workout with over and over. Plus they're loads of fun, and being able to workout in the privacy of your own home is priceless.
I can't wait to teach again. I'm so excited, I'm going to start choreographing right away! Starting right now!!!!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Cravings Monster
I've been bad lately. I've been craving carbs, excessive amounts of them, for a few days now. And I can tell you that nothing good has come from satisfying this craving. Normally, I'm a firm believer that cravings are highly indicative of nutrients that you body is lacking. Because of this, I typically listen to my cravings. However, I just couldn't fathom the idea that I wasn't getting enough carbs. It didn't seem plausible that I would be lacking any nutrients in carbohydrates when that is the bulk of my diet already.
So I did some research.
Turns out carbohydrate craving often are not indicative of a lack of physical nutrients but emotional nutrients. In fact, carbohydrate cravings are linked to decreased levels of dopamine and serotonin, the "happy" chemicals. This made me realize that not only was this where emotional eating comes from, but that I was doing it.
Yikes. Now that's a wake up call.
I don't need to wonder where my lack of happy chemicals comes from since I pretty much run on stress as a fuel. But I am sure it also has to do with the fact that I'm not dancing as much as usual lately. Something that makes me the most happy isn't happening as often as it should be. I must fix this.
This happens to everybody, and I want us all to be able to catch it before it gets bad, like stopping a old before it turns into the flu.
Craving carbs turns into emotional eating faster than you can spell carbohydrates. This is how we can end up sitting on the couch munching our way though an entire bag of cookies, a whole loaf of bread, or an extra large Sicilian pizza. And let's not forget the pint of ice cream, every woman's favorite wading pool of wallowing.
So I have an idea. No, I not going to chew gum all day, I'm not going to take an appetite suppressant, and I'm going to substitute anything I crave with diet soda. This is all bad, DON'T do any of it.
The next time I crave pizza crust, pasta, the discarded ends of sub rolls, and fresh-out-of-the-oven garlic knots (can you tell I work at an Italian restaurant?), I'm going to deter my cravings in a healthier way.
To start, I'm going to tell the cooks to stop giving me any of these foods I'm asking for. It's like offering sugar to a diabetic. Not good, guys.
Secondly, I'm going to bring healthier snacks with me so that I have something to munch on that isn't calorie laden, refined bread. Good idea, huh?
And more than anything, since I learned that the reason I'm craving these foods is that I'm lacking some "happy" in my life, I'm going to fix this problem at the source. I'm going to dance more, whether I have time for it or not. I'm going to try so hard to stress less, even with my last semester of school starting today and my wedding being only 89 days away. I'm going to do what I can to stop these carbocravings from taking over my life and ruining my healthy lifestyle.
If you're having massive carb attacks or finding yourself emotionally eating, you can do something to help yourself battle these cravings. Find something that makes you happy that doesn't fill your stomach. Have some friends over. Go for a bike ride. Paint. Do anything that makes you happy even just for 10 minutes a day. It will make all the difference.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dance like an idiot around my living room for a bit :)
If you're craving
So I did some research.
Turns out carbohydrate craving often are not indicative of a lack of physical nutrients but emotional nutrients. In fact, carbohydrate cravings are linked to decreased levels of dopamine and serotonin, the "happy" chemicals. This made me realize that not only was this where emotional eating comes from, but that I was doing it.
Yikes. Now that's a wake up call.
I don't need to wonder where my lack of happy chemicals comes from since I pretty much run on stress as a fuel. But I am sure it also has to do with the fact that I'm not dancing as much as usual lately. Something that makes me the most happy isn't happening as often as it should be. I must fix this.
This happens to everybody, and I want us all to be able to catch it before it gets bad, like stopping a old before it turns into the flu.
Craving carbs turns into emotional eating faster than you can spell carbohydrates. This is how we can end up sitting on the couch munching our way though an entire bag of cookies, a whole loaf of bread, or an extra large Sicilian pizza. And let's not forget the pint of ice cream, every woman's favorite wading pool of wallowing.
So I have an idea. No, I not going to chew gum all day, I'm not going to take an appetite suppressant, and I'm going to substitute anything I crave with diet soda. This is all bad, DON'T do any of it.
The next time I crave pizza crust, pasta, the discarded ends of sub rolls, and fresh-out-of-the-oven garlic knots (can you tell I work at an Italian restaurant?), I'm going to deter my cravings in a healthier way.
To start, I'm going to tell the cooks to stop giving me any of these foods I'm asking for. It's like offering sugar to a diabetic. Not good, guys.
Secondly, I'm going to bring healthier snacks with me so that I have something to munch on that isn't calorie laden, refined bread. Good idea, huh?
And more than anything, since I learned that the reason I'm craving these foods is that I'm lacking some "happy" in my life, I'm going to fix this problem at the source. I'm going to dance more, whether I have time for it or not. I'm going to try so hard to stress less, even with my last semester of school starting today and my wedding being only 89 days away. I'm going to do what I can to stop these carbocravings from taking over my life and ruining my healthy lifestyle.
If you're having massive carb attacks or finding yourself emotionally eating, you can do something to help yourself battle these cravings. Find something that makes you happy that doesn't fill your stomach. Have some friends over. Go for a bike ride. Paint. Do anything that makes you happy even just for 10 minutes a day. It will make all the difference.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dance like an idiot around my living room for a bit :)
If you're craving
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Real quick
Dave and I realized two days ago that tomorrow, Monday the 3rd of January, marks 90 days left until our wedding.
yikes.
zomgwtfbbq.
yikes.
My real quick bit of advice for today:
The next time you get so stressed out you want nothing but carbs (LIKE ME!), try to have some popcorn available. It's carby. It's salty. It's low calorie.
But most importantly. If you eat an entire 100 calorie bag, you may just make yourself feel icky enough that you won't want any more carbs. Just a tall glass of water.
This is my new solution to my own carbocravings, since I'd rather not chain chew my way through a pack of aspartame filled gum in 15 minutes (which I've been known to do...)
On that note, I'm going to get back to my invite/email lists and hopefully pass out soon so I can wake up with enough time for a nice run in the morning. The best part of my day is that hour on the elliptical where no one can bother me and I can just run in peace, listening to my iPod or watching some HGTV. It's my ultimate "me" time. I can't wait.
yikes.
zomgwtfbbq.
yikes.
My real quick bit of advice for today:
The next time you get so stressed out you want nothing but carbs (LIKE ME!), try to have some popcorn available. It's carby. It's salty. It's low calorie.
But most importantly. If you eat an entire 100 calorie bag, you may just make yourself feel icky enough that you won't want any more carbs. Just a tall glass of water.
This is my new solution to my own carbocravings, since I'd rather not chain chew my way through a pack of aspartame filled gum in 15 minutes (which I've been known to do...)
On that note, I'm going to get back to my invite/email lists and hopefully pass out soon so I can wake up with enough time for a nice run in the morning. The best part of my day is that hour on the elliptical where no one can bother me and I can just run in peace, listening to my iPod or watching some HGTV. It's my ultimate "me" time. I can't wait.
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