Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)
My 5-year-old loved doing this grocery store workout with me. This is an especially fun workout because people think you are humoring your children, so you get “fun mommy” points and lots of smiles.
Don’t forget your cell phone so you can keep track of time.
1. Walk the aisles for 4 minutes looking for “ABC” items (having your child find an item with an “A” on it and so on.
2. Now, walk backwards down one aisle, tightening your butt each time you take a step – Don’t forget to watch where you are going! TIP: It’s good to drag your cart instead of leading with it on this one.
3. Walk forward down the next aisle.
4. Walk backwards again.
5. Walk forward down another aisle.
6. Walk sideways down one aisle, tightening the hip flexor (side of the leg) of the forward foot each time you take a step.
7. Walk forward along perimeter of store for 2 minutes
8. Walk another aisle sideways with the other leg leading.
9. Walk up and down aisles for 2 minutes looking for more ABC items.
10. Take one more backwards walk and one more sideways walk on each side.
11. Walk 2 more minutes.
You’re done (if your child agrees)!
Cardio Cooking
Here’s a tasty recipe from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. With no added salt and very little oil in the marinade, these broiled or grilled kabobs made with skinless chicken breasts are lower in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Plus, you can get two workouts out of this one!
CHICKEN ORIENTALE
8 skewers
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
8 fresh mushrooms
black pepper to taste
8 parboiled whole white onions
2 oranges, quartered
8 canned pineapple chunks
8 cherry tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) frozen, concentrated apple juice, thawed
1 cup dry white wine
2 T soy sauce, low sodium
Dash of ground ginger
2 T vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil
Workout 1:
1. Gather and prep your ingredients as you have your own dance revolution.
2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with pepper.
3. Thread 8 skewers as follows: chicken, mushroom, chicken, onion, chicken, orange quarter, chicken, pineapple chunk, cherry tomato. Do a squat for each piece of chicken you thread. Jog in place each time you thread another item.
4. Place kabobs in shallow pan.
5. Combine remaining ingredients; spoon over kabobs. Meanwhile do side leg lifts. HOW TO DO THEM: Lift your leg straight out to the side until your foot is 6 to 12 inches off the floor. Slightly bend leg you are standing on and keep abs tight. At the top of the movement pause and count to 3.
6. Marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour.
Workout 2
7. Drain the marinade. Broil 6 inches from heat, 15 minutes on each side, brushing with marinade every 5 minutes. For the first 5 minutes dance or jog around the kitchen (it’s a good time to do some clean-up if needed while you stay moving). For the second five minutes do lunges to and from the table as you set it. For the third 5 minutes go back to your dancing or jogging.
8. Discard any leftover marinade.
Yield: 8 servings. Serving Size: 1/2 chicken breast kabob. Each serving provides: Calories: 359. Total fat: 11 g. Saturated fat: 2 g. Cholesterol: 66 mg. Sodium: 226 mg
Cleaning Day
Time to clean again – does it ever stop? That’s OK; it can be a good workout too. Today let’s vacuum. First, don’t bend to pick up toys, pieces of tape (they’re always on my floor, don’t ask me why) or other objects. Do a squat and squeeze your buns at the top. To get from object to object, jog or jump to get your heart rate up.
Now, instead of standing in one spot and using your arms, walk with your vacuum to get the room clean (similar to mowing your lawn). Keep your abs tight also to work this area as well.
Play Day
Do you ever get frustrated because you’re trying to sneak in a workout and your kids won’t leave you alone? Well if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em – or have them join you in a fun, physically active game.
This activity, from the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund web site, is called Hit The Deck.
Here’s what to do:
1. Get out a pack of cards.
2. Have your child select a card. Do the corresponding activity for each suit:
Heart: touch elbow to knee or crunches for 20 seconds.
Diamond: jog in place or march in place for 20 seconds.
Club: modified push-up or push-ups for 20 seconds.
Spade: jumping jacks or scissors for 20 seconds.
Note: It’s helpful to write the corresponding activities on a board or piece of paper where you can see them. If you don’t like these activities, make up your own!
More ideas from this web site are found at: http://www.fitkidsnc.com/default.aspx
Groggy Day
Here’s a Pilates workout on YouTube for your abs and back to bring some energy you’re your day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qBqptPNA7s&feature=PlayList&p=E72B3947D9C7B873&playnext=1&index=11
Legal junk/Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or care of medical professionals. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, or exercise program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.
Showing posts with label activity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label activity. Show all posts
Monday, January 12, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
Fitness Me In Workout Series #10
Cardio Cooking
My time was completely booked this week due to the holidays, so I really wanted something healthy to eat. That means - you guessed it - veggies! That's why I made an Italian dish.
No, you did not read that incorrectly. For some reason, many Americans associate Italian cooking only with pasta. The reality is that vegetables are an integral part of cooking in many regions of Italy. Here’s a recipe for one of the more famous dishes, Ratatouille, from Toscanos Café and Wine Bar in Puyallup, WA. The restaurant hosts cooking classes that feature many healthy and delicious recipes, such as this one.
Ratatouille
½ cup sliced green and red peppers (cut small)
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup sliced zucchini
1 small head broccoli, sliced (best with flat edges)
1 small onion, sliced
1 small eggplant, diced
3 small potatoes, boiled, cooled and sliced
½ cup crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Instructions:
1. Gather and prep your ingredients as you groove out to great tunes.
2. Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add carrots, peppers and eggplant. Sauté on high heat until vegetables begin to brown. As you stir, use a soup can or hand weight to do bicep curls with the other hand. Do as many as you can and switch hands. Squat down very slightly each time you release your arm, and come up as you curl. Squeeze those butt cheeks together at the top of the movement.
3. Add onions and broccoli, cook until begin to brown. Stand with legs wide apart and do Hula-Hoop circles one way.
4. Add cooled, sliced potatoes along with zucchini. Do hulas in the other direction.
5. Pour in crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and a little water. You can deglaze now too if desired. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and all flavors have blended together. Stir infrequently. Repeat on set of bicep curls on each side along with the small squats.
6. Do walking lunges as you move to and from the table to set it. Stretch and enjoy your healthy cooking!
NOTE: I served this last with a roasted chicken.
Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)
Here’s a workout you can do in the grocery store while you shop for all of those holiday recipe ingredients you need.
1. Walk for 4 minutes.
2. Now stop and look at something interesting while you work your chest with 2 isometric contractions. HOW TO DO THEM: Press your palms together in front of you. Hold for 10-15 seconds and release.
3. Walk down 3 aisles with abs pulled in tight (don’t forget to breathe).
4. Grab a can of food from your cart or the shelf. Hold it straight out in front of you, arm at shoulder height, as you walk down an aisle, pushing the cart with your other arm.
5. Repeat with the other arm.
6. Walk down 3 aisles with tight buns.
7. Do 2 more isometric contractions.
8. Walk down 3 more aisles, and then modify steps 4 and 5 so you are lowering the arm halfway down and raising it to shoulder height as you walk.
9. Walk the store perimeter, then do 2 isometric contractions followed by a repeat of step 8.
10. Pat yourself on the back for all of the multitasking you just did: You worked your abs, upper and lower body at the same time you shopped!
Play Day
I don’t know about you, but this week I needed a break from holiday cheer for a while. That’s why I took my kids on a dragon hunt. Here’s how to do it, according to www.pbskids.org:
1. Set out on a dragon hunt: Stand together have your kids repeat after you as you chant words and perform actions. For example:
I woke up in the morning - stretch -
I decided to find a dragon - show claws and teeth -
I ate a hearty breakfast - eat -
And headed out the door - march -
I walked through the tall grass - push aside tall grass -
I squished through the mud, etc.
Add whatever adventures you and your kids would like.
2. Flee the dragon: When you encounter the dragon in its cave, run home by retracing your steps in reverse order at a much faster pace.
For more information on this activity and other ideas, see http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/acts/dragon_hunt.html
Groggy Day
With all of the holiday shopping, cooking, cold-weather school closures, winterizing headaches and other curves life throws at us this time of year it’s easy to get exhausted and stressed. Here are two helpful workouts – one to energize and one to relieve stress – featured in Fitness magazine. Follow the links below:
To energize: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/express/20-minute/20-minute-energizing-workout/
To alleviate stress: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/express/20-minute/20-minute-workout-for-stress-relief/
Cleaning Day
Let’s get that kitchen cleaned up.
1. Dance as you clear and scrub the counters, then do as many biceps lifts as you can. HOW TO DO THEM: Reach under the counter. Put your palms against the underside and pretend you are lifting it off the floor. Hold for 10-15 seconds.
2. Got dishes? Scrub them up while you keep movin that body. Then do as many wall push-ups as you can.
3. Now it’s time for the floor. Forget the mop and do “squat and scrubs.” HOW TO DO THEM: Squat down with a cloth, scrub the area around you with your right hand and then your left. Stand up and squeeze your bum as tight as you can. Take a step forward or to the side and repeat. Keep going till your floor is all done.
Legal junk/Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or care of medical professionals. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, or exercise program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.
My time was completely booked this week due to the holidays, so I really wanted something healthy to eat. That means - you guessed it - veggies! That's why I made an Italian dish.
No, you did not read that incorrectly. For some reason, many Americans associate Italian cooking only with pasta. The reality is that vegetables are an integral part of cooking in many regions of Italy. Here’s a recipe for one of the more famous dishes, Ratatouille, from Toscanos Café and Wine Bar in Puyallup, WA. The restaurant hosts cooking classes that feature many healthy and delicious recipes, such as this one.
Ratatouille
½ cup sliced green and red peppers (cut small)
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup sliced zucchini
1 small head broccoli, sliced (best with flat edges)
1 small onion, sliced
1 small eggplant, diced
3 small potatoes, boiled, cooled and sliced
½ cup crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Instructions:
1. Gather and prep your ingredients as you groove out to great tunes.
2. Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add carrots, peppers and eggplant. Sauté on high heat until vegetables begin to brown. As you stir, use a soup can or hand weight to do bicep curls with the other hand. Do as many as you can and switch hands. Squat down very slightly each time you release your arm, and come up as you curl. Squeeze those butt cheeks together at the top of the movement.
3. Add onions and broccoli, cook until begin to brown. Stand with legs wide apart and do Hula-Hoop circles one way.
4. Add cooled, sliced potatoes along with zucchini. Do hulas in the other direction.
5. Pour in crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and a little water. You can deglaze now too if desired. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender and all flavors have blended together. Stir infrequently. Repeat on set of bicep curls on each side along with the small squats.
6. Do walking lunges as you move to and from the table to set it. Stretch and enjoy your healthy cooking!
NOTE: I served this last with a roasted chicken.
Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)
Here’s a workout you can do in the grocery store while you shop for all of those holiday recipe ingredients you need.
1. Walk for 4 minutes.
2. Now stop and look at something interesting while you work your chest with 2 isometric contractions. HOW TO DO THEM: Press your palms together in front of you. Hold for 10-15 seconds and release.
3. Walk down 3 aisles with abs pulled in tight (don’t forget to breathe).
4. Grab a can of food from your cart or the shelf. Hold it straight out in front of you, arm at shoulder height, as you walk down an aisle, pushing the cart with your other arm.
5. Repeat with the other arm.
6. Walk down 3 aisles with tight buns.
7. Do 2 more isometric contractions.
8. Walk down 3 more aisles, and then modify steps 4 and 5 so you are lowering the arm halfway down and raising it to shoulder height as you walk.
9. Walk the store perimeter, then do 2 isometric contractions followed by a repeat of step 8.
10. Pat yourself on the back for all of the multitasking you just did: You worked your abs, upper and lower body at the same time you shopped!
Play Day
I don’t know about you, but this week I needed a break from holiday cheer for a while. That’s why I took my kids on a dragon hunt. Here’s how to do it, according to www.pbskids.org:
1. Set out on a dragon hunt: Stand together have your kids repeat after you as you chant words and perform actions. For example:
I woke up in the morning - stretch -
I decided to find a dragon - show claws and teeth -
I ate a hearty breakfast - eat -
And headed out the door - march -
I walked through the tall grass - push aside tall grass -
I squished through the mud, etc.
Add whatever adventures you and your kids would like.
2. Flee the dragon: When you encounter the dragon in its cave, run home by retracing your steps in reverse order at a much faster pace.
For more information on this activity and other ideas, see http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/acts/dragon_hunt.html
Groggy Day
With all of the holiday shopping, cooking, cold-weather school closures, winterizing headaches and other curves life throws at us this time of year it’s easy to get exhausted and stressed. Here are two helpful workouts – one to energize and one to relieve stress – featured in Fitness magazine. Follow the links below:
To energize: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/express/20-minute/20-minute-energizing-workout/
To alleviate stress: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/express/20-minute/20-minute-workout-for-stress-relief/
Cleaning Day
Let’s get that kitchen cleaned up.
1. Dance as you clear and scrub the counters, then do as many biceps lifts as you can. HOW TO DO THEM: Reach under the counter. Put your palms against the underside and pretend you are lifting it off the floor. Hold for 10-15 seconds.
2. Got dishes? Scrub them up while you keep movin that body. Then do as many wall push-ups as you can.
3. Now it’s time for the floor. Forget the mop and do “squat and scrubs.” HOW TO DO THEM: Squat down with a cloth, scrub the area around you with your right hand and then your left. Stand up and squeeze your bum as tight as you can. Take a step forward or to the side and repeat. Keep going till your floor is all done.
Legal junk/Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or care of medical professionals. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, or exercise program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Fitness Me In Workout Series #9
Cardio Cooking
This recipe comes from Iceland, which has one of the lowest rates of depression in the world despite the long, dark, cold days. In the U.S., the lifetime risk of experiencing depression is 20 percent in women and 12 percent in men. Icelanders also have half the death rate from heart disease and diabetes, lower obesity rates and greater life expectancy than North Americans, according to Daphne Miller, M.D., and author of “The Jungle Effect,” which discusses the healthiest diets around the world.
Here is a great Icelandic dinner from the book courtesy of Miller.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage
1 small red cabbage, sliced into thin strips
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup blueberry, bilberry or other deep-colored, unsweetened juice
2-3 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
3 whole cloves or ½ t ground cloves
1 T butter
Sugar or honey and salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Get your body moving to some fun tunes as you prep and assemble your ingredients.
2. Place cabbage and apple in medium saucepan. Stir in juice, vinegar and cloves. As you do so, do 20 side leg lifts on each side. HOW TO DO THEM: Lift your leg straight out to the side until your foot is 6 to 12 inches off the floor. Slightly bend leg you are standing on and keep abs tight. At the top of the movement pause and count to 3.
3. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring every so often. You can cook this longer if you prefer it to be softer. Now work your inner and outer thighs some more with 2 o’clock lunges. Do 2 sets of 10 on each leg. You can find instructions on how to do them on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f37XpK4yN1E
4. Now it’s time to shake that booty again and get started on the fish recipe below
5. When the 45 minutes are done, add butter, allow it to melt, and then stir into cabbage mixture. Add salt/sugar as desired. Serve hot with Fish and Potato Mash (below).
NOTE: The next day leftovers are excellent on a sandwich.
Fish and Potato Mash (Stappa)
1 pound white fish (like cod or sole)
1 pound waxy potatoes with skin on (such as fingerling), cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks
1 cup warm milk (more or less as needed)
1 T butter or cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives or parsley for garnish
1. Prep and assemble your ingredients as you shake that booty.
2. Cook fish 3-5 minutes in a pot of boiling water until the fish becomes flaky. As your fish boil, step back from the stove and do squats. Try for at least 3 sets of 10. In between sets don’t forget to dance to keep that heart rate up.
3. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and drain, and put potatoes in same boiling water to cook until soft. Flake the fish with a fork, making sure to remove any bones (the skin is full of omega-3s but if you find it unappetizing remove it as well). Keep on dancing as you do this.
4. As you cook the potatoes (about 20 minutes), go back to those 10 and 2 o’clock lunges. Try for another 2 sets of 10. Shake your legs out for a minute, then do the following:
a. Soccer kicks (20 each leg) HOW TO DO THEM: Flex your foot so sole it is parallel to the floor. Turn your toe out. Move leg forward as if kicking a soccer ball. Hold 3 seconds. Repeat. You’ll feel this on the inner thigh.
b. Side leg lifts (20 each leg)
c. Rear leg lifts (20 each leg) HOW TO DO THEM: extend your leg straight back behind you, keeping your knee straight and your toes pointed down to the floor. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift. Pause at the top for count of 3 before returning leg to the floor
d. Repeat sequence of soccer kicks and side and rear lifts if possible
5. Now is a good time to set the table. Keep that body moving as you do so. Take a stretch break before finishing up with the cooking.
6. Drain water from potatoes. Add flaked white fish, milk, and butter or cream and mash to desired texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot scooped over Sweet and Sour Cabbage (using an ice cream scoop makes this look nice). Top with chives or parsley. Keep dancing slowly to cool down.
Note: Miller says this is a good way to introduce fish to a “fish hater.”
Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)
We’ve actually got snow where I live, so I completely understand not wanting to walk extra outside where it is cold and slippery. Instead, work in a workout at the grocery store where it is warm and safe. I like to do this either with a full cart or halfway through my shopping.
Here’s how:
1. Do 5 laps around perimeter of the store. For the last 2 laps, keep abs pulled in as tight as possible. Don’t forget to breathe.
2. Do walking butt crunches down one aisle. HOW TO DO THEM: With each step, drag your rear toe on the floor behind you, tightening butt as toe points. Go very slowly.
3. Walk down 4 more aisles.
5. Repeat butt crunches.
6. Walk for 2 minutes.
7. Find another aisle with no traffic. Squat down and look at something. Stand tightening your butt at the top, take a few steps and repeat. Make your way down the aisle, and try to do at least 10. TIP: You can always leave the aisle if someone comes down it and resume in another location.
8. Walk for 2 minutes.
9. Head for the cashier. During checkout tighten and release your abs as you unload your cart.
At a glance:
5 laps around perimeter, with abs tight for 2 laps
Walking butt crunches
Walk 4 aisles
Repeat butt crunches
Walk 2 minutes
10 squats
Walk 2 minutes
Abs at cash register
Cleaning Day
Who doesn’t have a bit of laundry piling up this time of year? If you don’t please email me your secret! This is the chore I like the least, so I make it fun and active to compensate. Here’s an arm workout:
1. Dance as you fill your laundry basket with clean clothes. Now take the basket and do as many bicep curls as you can. This works best if you have a round basket. If rectangular you want to hold it on the narrow sides (so your arms are not out wide). If the basket is too heavy you can remove some of the clothing.
2. Tap your toes side to side as you fold about half of the laundry.
3. Do another set of bicep curls
4. Tap your toes to the front as you fold the rest of this basket.
5. Do one more set bicep curls with the empty basket.
6. Now lift the basket out to the side with one arm. If it’s too easy with the empty basket place some of the clothes back in it. Repeat on the other arm.
7. Briskly walk your laundry to the room it will be put away in. Put it down and do a set of wall push-ups. Keep your booty shakin as you put about half the laundry away. Repeat the wall push-ups. Put remaining laundry away, and do your final set of wall push-ups.
8. Reach around and pat yourself on the back for being such a great multitasker!
Play Day
I liked the State of Missouri Department of Health energizers so much that I’m posting another one. You can find more ideas at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/PhysicalActivity/Activities.htm
This activity, called “California Dreamin,” takes you on a virtual tour of California. Here’s what to do:
1. March across the Golden Gate Bridge
2. Surf in the Pacific Ocean
3. Climb up a Redwood Tree
4. Pretend you are an actor and wave to all your fans
5. Flex your muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor
6. Stomp the grapes
7. Pick oranges
8. In line skate on the boardwalk
9. Ski on the Sierra Nevadas
10. Climb Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental U.S.
11. Crawl through the Death Valley Desert
12. Hit a homerun at Pac-Bell Park
13. Shoot a foul shot at the Staples Center
Groggy Day
OK, there’s not enough time in the day – especially with the rapid approach of the holidays. So we need to work out smarter and more efficiently. Keeping the core strong is vital to protecting the back and preventing injuries. According to an American Council on Exercise study, the bicycle exercise is the best move to target that abdominal “six pack” and the obliques at the same time.
To do this exercise correctly:
1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. Exhale as you do this.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion.
NOTE: With this one, it’s quality, not quantity that counts, so move slowly and really feel these exercises as you do them.
Two yoga exercises are a great compliment to the bicycle:
1. Plank pose (see http://www.best-abs-exercises.com/plank-exercise.html for instructions different levels of difficulty)
2. Boat pose (see http://www.best-abs-exercises.com/yoga-abdominal-exercise-boat-pose.html)
For the full ACE study, see http://exercise.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=exercise&cdn=health&tm=124&gps=250_421_1676_821&f=21&su=p284.9.336.ip_p674.5.336.ip_&tt=29&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.acefitness.org/getfit/abstudy_results.aspx
Legal junk/Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or care of medical professionals. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, or exercise program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.
This recipe comes from Iceland, which has one of the lowest rates of depression in the world despite the long, dark, cold days. In the U.S., the lifetime risk of experiencing depression is 20 percent in women and 12 percent in men. Icelanders also have half the death rate from heart disease and diabetes, lower obesity rates and greater life expectancy than North Americans, according to Daphne Miller, M.D., and author of “The Jungle Effect,” which discusses the healthiest diets around the world.
Here is a great Icelandic dinner from the book courtesy of Miller.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage
1 small red cabbage, sliced into thin strips
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup blueberry, bilberry or other deep-colored, unsweetened juice
2-3 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
3 whole cloves or ½ t ground cloves
1 T butter
Sugar or honey and salt to taste
Instructions:
1. Get your body moving to some fun tunes as you prep and assemble your ingredients.
2. Place cabbage and apple in medium saucepan. Stir in juice, vinegar and cloves. As you do so, do 20 side leg lifts on each side. HOW TO DO THEM: Lift your leg straight out to the side until your foot is 6 to 12 inches off the floor. Slightly bend leg you are standing on and keep abs tight. At the top of the movement pause and count to 3.
3. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring every so often. You can cook this longer if you prefer it to be softer. Now work your inner and outer thighs some more with 2 o’clock lunges. Do 2 sets of 10 on each leg. You can find instructions on how to do them on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f37XpK4yN1E
4. Now it’s time to shake that booty again and get started on the fish recipe below
5. When the 45 minutes are done, add butter, allow it to melt, and then stir into cabbage mixture. Add salt/sugar as desired. Serve hot with Fish and Potato Mash (below).
NOTE: The next day leftovers are excellent on a sandwich.
Fish and Potato Mash (Stappa)
1 pound white fish (like cod or sole)
1 pound waxy potatoes with skin on (such as fingerling), cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks
1 cup warm milk (more or less as needed)
1 T butter or cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chives or parsley for garnish
1. Prep and assemble your ingredients as you shake that booty.
2. Cook fish 3-5 minutes in a pot of boiling water until the fish becomes flaky. As your fish boil, step back from the stove and do squats. Try for at least 3 sets of 10. In between sets don’t forget to dance to keep that heart rate up.
3. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and drain, and put potatoes in same boiling water to cook until soft. Flake the fish with a fork, making sure to remove any bones (the skin is full of omega-3s but if you find it unappetizing remove it as well). Keep on dancing as you do this.
4. As you cook the potatoes (about 20 minutes), go back to those 10 and 2 o’clock lunges. Try for another 2 sets of 10. Shake your legs out for a minute, then do the following:
a. Soccer kicks (20 each leg) HOW TO DO THEM: Flex your foot so sole it is parallel to the floor. Turn your toe out. Move leg forward as if kicking a soccer ball. Hold 3 seconds. Repeat. You’ll feel this on the inner thigh.
b. Side leg lifts (20 each leg)
c. Rear leg lifts (20 each leg) HOW TO DO THEM: extend your leg straight back behind you, keeping your knee straight and your toes pointed down to the floor. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift. Pause at the top for count of 3 before returning leg to the floor
d. Repeat sequence of soccer kicks and side and rear lifts if possible
5. Now is a good time to set the table. Keep that body moving as you do so. Take a stretch break before finishing up with the cooking.
6. Drain water from potatoes. Add flaked white fish, milk, and butter or cream and mash to desired texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot scooped over Sweet and Sour Cabbage (using an ice cream scoop makes this look nice). Top with chives or parsley. Keep dancing slowly to cool down.
Note: Miller says this is a good way to introduce fish to a “fish hater.”
Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)
We’ve actually got snow where I live, so I completely understand not wanting to walk extra outside where it is cold and slippery. Instead, work in a workout at the grocery store where it is warm and safe. I like to do this either with a full cart or halfway through my shopping.
Here’s how:
1. Do 5 laps around perimeter of the store. For the last 2 laps, keep abs pulled in as tight as possible. Don’t forget to breathe.
2. Do walking butt crunches down one aisle. HOW TO DO THEM: With each step, drag your rear toe on the floor behind you, tightening butt as toe points. Go very slowly.
3. Walk down 4 more aisles.
5. Repeat butt crunches.
6. Walk for 2 minutes.
7. Find another aisle with no traffic. Squat down and look at something. Stand tightening your butt at the top, take a few steps and repeat. Make your way down the aisle, and try to do at least 10. TIP: You can always leave the aisle if someone comes down it and resume in another location.
8. Walk for 2 minutes.
9. Head for the cashier. During checkout tighten and release your abs as you unload your cart.
At a glance:
5 laps around perimeter, with abs tight for 2 laps
Walking butt crunches
Walk 4 aisles
Repeat butt crunches
Walk 2 minutes
10 squats
Walk 2 minutes
Abs at cash register
Cleaning Day
Who doesn’t have a bit of laundry piling up this time of year? If you don’t please email me your secret! This is the chore I like the least, so I make it fun and active to compensate. Here’s an arm workout:
1. Dance as you fill your laundry basket with clean clothes. Now take the basket and do as many bicep curls as you can. This works best if you have a round basket. If rectangular you want to hold it on the narrow sides (so your arms are not out wide). If the basket is too heavy you can remove some of the clothing.
2. Tap your toes side to side as you fold about half of the laundry.
3. Do another set of bicep curls
4. Tap your toes to the front as you fold the rest of this basket.
5. Do one more set bicep curls with the empty basket.
6. Now lift the basket out to the side with one arm. If it’s too easy with the empty basket place some of the clothes back in it. Repeat on the other arm.
7. Briskly walk your laundry to the room it will be put away in. Put it down and do a set of wall push-ups. Keep your booty shakin as you put about half the laundry away. Repeat the wall push-ups. Put remaining laundry away, and do your final set of wall push-ups.
8. Reach around and pat yourself on the back for being such a great multitasker!
Play Day
I liked the State of Missouri Department of Health energizers so much that I’m posting another one. You can find more ideas at http://www.dhss.mo.gov/PhysicalActivity/Activities.htm
This activity, called “California Dreamin,” takes you on a virtual tour of California. Here’s what to do:
1. March across the Golden Gate Bridge
2. Surf in the Pacific Ocean
3. Climb up a Redwood Tree
4. Pretend you are an actor and wave to all your fans
5. Flex your muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor
6. Stomp the grapes
7. Pick oranges
8. In line skate on the boardwalk
9. Ski on the Sierra Nevadas
10. Climb Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental U.S.
11. Crawl through the Death Valley Desert
12. Hit a homerun at Pac-Bell Park
13. Shoot a foul shot at the Staples Center
Groggy Day
OK, there’s not enough time in the day – especially with the rapid approach of the holidays. So we need to work out smarter and more efficiently. Keeping the core strong is vital to protecting the back and preventing injuries. According to an American Council on Exercise study, the bicycle exercise is the best move to target that abdominal “six pack” and the obliques at the same time.
To do this exercise correctly:
1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. Exhale as you do this.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion.
NOTE: With this one, it’s quality, not quantity that counts, so move slowly and really feel these exercises as you do them.
Two yoga exercises are a great compliment to the bicycle:
1. Plank pose (see http://www.best-abs-exercises.com/plank-exercise.html for instructions different levels of difficulty)
2. Boat pose (see http://www.best-abs-exercises.com/yoga-abdominal-exercise-boat-pose.html)
For the full ACE study, see http://exercise.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=exercise&cdn=health&tm=124&gps=250_421_1676_821&f=21&su=p284.9.336.ip_p674.5.336.ip_&tt=29&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.acefitness.org/getfit/abstudy_results.aspx
Legal junk/Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice or care of medical professionals. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, or exercise program, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Mini Workouts DO Help
Don’t think these Fitness Me In mini-workouts will help out? Relax – exercising for 10 minutes at a time is fine, according to the new Physical Activity Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Not only is it best to spread your activity out during the week, but you can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. As long as you're doing your activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for at least 10 minutes at a time,” according to the CDC.
Overall, the CDC recommends 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) of vigorous intensity aerobic activity.
You also should include muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week, according to the CDC.
For more information on these guidelines check out the CDC’s Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html
(see link at right)
“Not only is it best to spread your activity out during the week, but you can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. As long as you're doing your activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for at least 10 minutes at a time,” according to the CDC.
Overall, the CDC recommends 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) of vigorous intensity aerobic activity.
You also should include muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week, according to the CDC.
For more information on these guidelines check out the CDC’s Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html
(see link at right)
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