Monday, March 23, 2009

Fitness Me In Workout Series #20

Cardio Cooking
Here’s a yummy and creative recipe that incorporates healthy seafood. It’s from Chef Tom Pantley at Toscano’s Café and Wine Bar in Puyallup, WA, http://www.toscanospuyallup.com/
Cosmo Prawn Salad

12 medium sized shrimp
1 C light olive oil
1 can frozen cranberry juice concentrate (also can use orange juice)
¼ C white balsamic vinegar
¼ C vodka
Garlic
Salt and pepper
1 t dry basil
4-6 cups mixed greens
½ C fresh sliced basil leaves
1 tomato, diced

Instructions:
1. Since this involves cosmos, put on some fun music and dance like you are on a girls’ night out as you prep and assemble your ingredients.
2. Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a pan. Meanwhile, grab cans or hand weights and do a set of shoulder presses. HOW TO DO THEM: Hold can/weight in each hand with arms out to sides at shoulder height and elbows bent so hands point toward ceiling. Straighten and raise arms overhead. Return to start.
3. Add the prawns and begin to brown. Meanwhile, do shoulder presses on one side, then the other. Repeat once more so you’ve completed 3 sets total on each arm.
4. Deglaze the pan with vodka. Add ½ can of the cranberry juice concentrate. Prawns will turn orange right away, but you need to check their middle to see when they are done (as soon as grey turns white). Meanwhile do 3 sets of 10 side arm raises on each side. HOW TO DO THEM: Start with arm down to your side. Raise to side until it's parallel to the floor. Return to start.
5. Set aside in refrigerator and chill. Once they’re in, grab both cans/weights and do as many bent over rows as you can. HOW TO DO THEM: Start with weight in hand and arm down at your side. Raise it to the side until arm is parallel to the floor. Repeat.
6. Place the remaining juice concentrate, white balsamic vinegar, dry basil, and salt and pepper in a food processor. With processor running add remaining olive oil until dressing thickened (ideally 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar). Meanwhile do front shoulder raises. HOW TO DO THEM: Hold a weight in one arm and raise it to the front to shoulder level so arm is parallel to the floor. Try for 15 reps, then do the other arm.
7. Place the mixed greens on 4 individual plates. Divide the prawns onto the plates, pour the dressing on and garnish with fresh basil and tomatoes. As you walk each plate to the table, do 15 bicep curls with the other arm so you end up doing 2 sets of 15 on each arm.
8. Enjoy your food and the afterglow of your workout!



Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)
The weather is still questionable, so work out inside where it is warm and dry – and get your grocery shopping done at the same time.

Here’s how.

1. Don’t get your cart right away. Instead grab a bag of cat or dog food – you choose the size – and carry it around the perimeter of the store. Make sure to keep your abs tight to support your back. Replace the bag and get your cart.
2. Find an empty aisle and walk down and back at a fast pace.
3. Grab your cart. Dip slightly each time you take a step (so knee is more bent than normal as you step) and raise to normal height as you complete the step. Do this as you find the first six items on your list.
4. Find the bread aisle, and then tighten and release your buns as you walk around to find the next 5 items on your list.
5. Do your fast paced walk again – either with your cart, or park it at one end of an aisle, then return to it. Find a few more items. Repeat.
6. Finish shopping and pat yourself on the back for working in a workout.


Cleaning Day

I got really behind on laundry while I was working on the Light My Fire fundraiser to benefit the Leukemia Society, and I also had to get really creative to work in workouts while I was so busy. Here’s one I did.
1. Set laundry pile on a table or counter. Grab a piece of laundry, squat and slide to the side. Come up, fold the piece, put it on the counter and squat again. Slide back to start and repeat 15-20 times.
2. Deliver the laundry you just folded and do front snap kicks as you move back and forth. HOW TO DO THEM: Raise leg, knee bent, so thigh is parallel to the floor. Kick your foot out so entire leg is parallel to the floor. Bring the kick back in so thigh is parallel again before putting the foot down in front of the other one in a step forward. Repeat with other leg as you take the next step.
3. As you fold the next batch, either jog in place or do high knees (jump from foot to foot, raising knee to waist height each time).
4. While delivering these items, place an exercise band or pair of old nylons around your ankles to create resistance. Walk sideways, leading with right leg on the way to the room you’re going to and left leg on the return to the laundry pile.
5. As you fold the rest of the load, do 3 jumping jacks in between each item you fold. As you fold jog in place.
6. Do lunges as you walk to deliver the laundry.


Play Day

We’re in the thick of Little League practice, so here are two workouts I did while my sons were on the field. I was a bit worried about funny looks when I did the second workout, but instead I met lots of the other moms, who approached me and said, “What a good idea to bring your weights along!”

1. Put on a pedometer and don’t stop walking during the entire practice. I did 3 miles as my elder son practiced, and my younger son thought we had a great time exploring the park’s adjacent trails and play areas.

2. Bring some hand weights or cans and do the following circuit workout 3-6 times. I did this one at my younger son's practice. It was developed by Mike Ross of Seattle Fire Department:

1. 10 upright rows (See http://exercise.about.com/od/strengthtrainingworkouts/ss/shoulders2.htm if you need instruction)
2. 10 deadlifts (http://exercise.about.com/od/lowerbodyworkouts/ss/deadlifts.htm)
3. 10 bent over rows (http://exercise.about.com/library/blmixrow.htm )
4. 10 squats with bicep curls (curl at bottom of squat, straighten arms as you come up)
5. 10 squat thrusts (http://exercise.about.com/b/2005/05/17/exercise-of-the-week-squat-thrusts.htm)
6. 10 overhead shoulder presses (http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/shoulderexercis_3.htm)
7. 10 jumps or squat jumps

Groggy Day

This one’s really simple –and it’s a great way to catch up on things and inspire a friend to work out at the same time. Call someone you want to talk to, set a timer, and walk and talk for 15 minutes or longer. Ask them to do the same, and you’re working out together!


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Where' the blog go?

Thanks to all who contacted me to let me know the blog did not come through last week. Actually, I was swept up in the Light My Fire Auction & Concert to benefit the Leukemia Society. For the past 3 years I've been in charge of this event, which involves auctioning off firefighters as well as items donated by local businesses. Band 3rd Degree Burn http://www.3rddegreeburn.com/ performed for the event as well.
For the past 2 years, we've just about doubled the amount raised, hitting $12,149 this year compared to $6,100 last year.
We had a great time and supported a very worthy cause. See how much fun we had at http://www.bhpimages.com/commercial.htm.
Needless to say, I didn't have much time to work out or do my blog. I really utilized the FitnessMeIn concept during the final stages of my event planning! I also really worked my mind, which is a great thing. In fact, I recently read that a Mayo Clinic study indicates that middle aged and older people who work out their minds can keep their minds stronger.
Here's the scoop: Yonas Geda of the Mayo Clinic looked at people between the ages of 70 and 89. Some had a little memory loss – called mild cognitive impairment. Others did not. All were asked about things they did in middle age, from 50 to 65.
People who kept their brains active with things like reading, games, computer activities and crafts were 30 percent to 50 percent less likely to have developed mild cognitive impairment.
“This means perhaps aging does not have to a simple passive process,” says Geda.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Learn more at www.hhs.gov.