Showing posts with label store. Show all posts
Showing posts with label store. Show all posts

Monday, January 5, 2009

Fitness Me In Workout Series #12

Cardio Cooking

Several people asked me for this recipe recently (well 3, but hey, who’s counting?) so here it is for all to share with an added cardio kick:

Sweet Potato Apple Casserole

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 onion, grated
5 egg whites or 3 whole eggs
1 t salt
¼ t white pepper
½ c white sorghum flour
¼ c raisins
¼ cup white wine – sweeter is better
2 large apples, chopped with peel in them.
4 T butter or Earth Balance spread
3/4 c brown sugar (divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup)
1 T lemon juice
1/3 c. broken cashews
1/4 t. ground ginger

Instructions:
1. Shake your thing as you nab the raisins and wine. Soak the raisins in the vino to plump (about 30 min).
2. Prep and assemble the rest of your ingredients as you continue your dance revolution.
3. Take 1/2 t. salt, 1/2 c. packed brown sugar, cashews and ginger. Mix in food processor or blender and set aside. Meanwhile squat and hold as the mix blends. When it’s done come up and squeeze your behind.
4. Place grated sweet potatoes and onion in large bowl. Beat in eggs, ½ t salt and white pepper. Add flour and mix well. Set aside. Meanwhile step from side to side, kicking your heel up as close to your butt as you can get it.
5. In frying pan melt butter or Earth Balance and add apples. Cook until wilted, 3-5 min. Add ¼ c brown sugar and lemon juice. Do mini-squats as you complete this step, making sure to squeeze at the top.
6. Drain raisins and add to apple mixture.
7. In a baking dish, layer sweet potato mix, then apple mix, then cashew mix. Make a second layer of sweet potato, topped by cashew mix. Meanwhile, Stand on right leg, knee slightly bent. Point toe of left foot and tap it to the side, and then immediately next to your right foot. Do 2 reps and switch feet. Do as many sets of 20 as you can.
8. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes.

***Note: You can also blend all ingredients in a food processor instead of layering.


Shape-Up Shopping (Grocery Day)


It’s still way too cold for me to park far away. Not only do I want to avoid slipping on the ice, I’m what my 5-year-old calls a “snow wuss” when I’m not playing or skiing on the colds stuff (kind of like bugs and camping – they’re OK in the tent but not in the house). Here's what you can do in the nice, warm indoors:

1. For the first half of your grocery list, stand on only one leg (or just keep weight on one) each time you select an item to buy.
2. Walk up and down each aisle in the store before when you are about halfway done shopping.
3. Soldier march: Now, remember those old style marches soldiers of bygone days did? Do a subtle version by straightening your leg and flexing your quadriceps muscles each time you take a step (no, you don’t need to stick your leg way out). Do this down 3 different aisles.
4. Walk 3 aisles
5. Side leg lift walk: Do 3 aisles of lifting your leg to the side and pausing before moving it forward with each step.
6. Either finish shopping or repeat steps 3 through 5.
7. Tighten and release abs while in checkout line.

When you get home:
1. Hop, skip or jump everywhere you need to go as you put your groceries away.
2. Then, after you unload your stuff, hold 2 cans or jars of equal weight in front of the body, on shoulders, or at hips. Stand with feet wide apart, toes turned out and knees tracking directly over the toes. Lunge side to side, keeping torso upright, and hips opened wide. Alternate sides, or do one side at a time. Try for 3 sets of 12, jogging in place in between sets.


Cleaning Day

OK, you are stuck inside, but you can prepare for or pretend you are skiing while you do the never-ending chore of laundry (can you tell I really don’t like this chore so try and make it fun on a regular basis?).

Here’s how:

Dump your laundry on a bed or table.
Do the following circuit as many times as you can while you fold your laundry. I do six reps of an exercise each time I fold an item.

1. Ski jump: Stand with feet together. Bend the knees and jump to the right as far as you can. Land with soft knees and immediately jump laterally to the left. Repeat.
2. Tuck jumps (or just regular if you want): Jump and bring knees to the chest. Land on balls of feet and repeat.
3. Single leg lateral hops: Stand on one foot. Hop sideways onto other foot. Then hop sideways back to first foot.
4. Front scissor jump: Stand with knees bent. One foot is in front of you and the other behind equal distance. Jump up and switch your feet (like a jumping jack but with legs going front and back instead of side to side)
5. Diagonal jumps: Jump forward and to the left (about 45 degrees), then backwards to center. Jump forward and to the right, then backwards to center.

Play Day

Playing with your kids is a great way to gain some exercise time. This one can be suitable all the way through middle school, according to the Web site from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, http://ncpe4me.com/index.html. The site has lots of other great ideas.

Sports on the Move:
Say a sport and movement and have your kids repeat that movement for about 30 seconds until a new movement is stated.
Examples:
Basketball: dribble with fingertips; dribble through legs; dribble around back; jump shot and follow through; bounce pass; chest pass; overhead pass; defensive slide to front and back to start position
Soccer: shot on goal (practice with both feet); inside of foot pass; outside of foot pass; long banana kick; juggle imaginary soccer ball; trap ball with thigh; trap ball with feet
Baseball or softball: swing a bat; windup and pitch; field a ground ball; catch a fly ball; play imaginary catch
Tennis: forehand; backhand; serve; volley
Volleyball: serve, set, dig, spike
Football: quarterback long pass; short pass; catch imaginary ball;
kick field goal; punt; catch a punt; block
Golf swing
Drive a NASCAR
Lacrosse
Tae Kwon Do

Groggy Day

Still worn out from all of those holidays and the return to school? Try out this Kundalini Yoga routine on YouTube to gain some energy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsSWWLo9g7s&feature=related This exercise uses a technique called “Breath of Fire” It’s a rapid, rhythmic, and continuous breath that sounds like powerful sniffing. A good description is on the Yoga Yoga Web site, http://www.yogayoga.com/kundalini/pranayama
Or, you can watch the same guy demonstrate at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsEZylK8sDA



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.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Fitness Me In Workout Series #7

Week 7

Cardio Cooking


Another busy mom day has left you with no workout -- and now it’s time to cook dinner.
Here’s the solution: Grab the remaining leftovers from Thanksgiving and make this Turkey Chili recipe from the Mayo Clinic.

Ingredients
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic
1 pound chopped cooked turkey
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin seed
2 cups diced canned tomatoes, no-salt-added variety
4 cups canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 475 F and gather and prep your ingredients. Dance to some upbeat holiday tunes – or whatever else strikes your fancy.
2. Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the zucchini in a single layer in the baking dish. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly tender and lightly browned.
3. While the zucchini is roasting, add the oil and chopped onions to a dutch oven or soup pot. Sauté over low heat until the onions are browned. Meanwhile grab a hand weight or soup can and do 15 bicep curls on the left, then the right (leaving second hand free to stir).
4. Add the celery and peppers and continue to sauté. Do 15 more bicep curls on each side, but this time squat about halfway down each time you do a curl (this works upper and lower body at the same time).
5. Add garlic, turkey, chili powder and cumin seed. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Now’s your chance to do some lunges. Try for at least 20 on each side. HOW TO DO THEM: Stand with feet together. If you can, hold your weights or soup cans. Move forward into a lunge position (Land on heel first and end with front knee and back knee at 90 degree angles. Make sure your front knee does not bend past your toes). With your weight in your heels, push back up to starting position.
6. Next, dance as you stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, vegetable broth, brown sugar and the roasted zucchini.
7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes before serving. Meanwhile do 2-3 sets of tricep kickbacks. HOW TO DO THEM: Hold a weight or soup can in each hand and bend over until your torso is at a 45-degree angle or parallel to the floor. Keep abs tight to protect the lower back and slightly bend knees. Bend your the arms and pull the elbows up to torso level. Now, straighten the arms out behind you, squeezing the triceps muscles. Hold at the top for count of 3 before returning arms to starting position. Rest or dance for 30 seconds to 1 minute between sets.
8. Get back to that booty shake as you set the table.

You can find more healthy recipes at the Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Recipe Center, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RE99999

Grocery Day


Here’s a workout that you can do in the grocery store this week to tone some of the spots all that turkey and stuffing went into. You’ll want to wear a long shirt or coat.

1. Walk around the store for 3 minutes
2. Find a deserted aisle and go down it. Each time you take a step lift your knee so the thigh is parallel to the floor, contracting your abs as you do so.
3. Walk for 2 minutes, and then repeat the ab exercise above.
4. Now stop to read a label, slowly tightening and releasing your butt 30 times.
5. Walk for 2 minutes.
6. Stop in another spot and very slowly do 10 side leg lifts on each side. Hold at top position for counts of five.
7. Walk for 2 minutes, and then repeat the butt tightening exercise (you can even do this in the checkout line – thanks to that long shirt no one will know).
8. As you pay for your groceries, keep your abs pulled in tight the whole time.
9. Go home and have a great day!

AT A GLANCE
1. Walk 3 minutes
2. Knee lifts with tight abs
3. Walk 2 minutes
4. Knee lifts with tight abs
5. Butt crunches
6. Walk 2 minutes
7. Slow side leg lifts - 10 each leg
8. Walk 2 minutes
9. Butt crunches
10. Tighten abs at checkout


Cleaning Day


It’s time to catch up on that darn laundry again – but at least you can tone your thighs while you’re at it.
1. Warm up by walking around your house for 2 minutes, grabbing your laundry that needs to be folded en route.
2. Set yourself up so you can do a wall sit as you fold some of the laundry (I like to scoot my dining table close to the wall). HOW TO DO THEM: Place your upper back against a smooth wall. With feet shoulder width apart, lean back against the wall, inhale and slowly lower into a squat position while sliding down the wall. Keep abs tight. Hold as long as you can before coming up. Shake your legs out, and then repeat. Do 3-4 sets.
3. Now walk or jog the folded laundry to its proper place(s).
4. This time as you fold, do side leg lifts. Try for 20-30 on each leg. HOW TO DO THEM: For the side lifts, 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. Return the leg to the floor.
5. This time as you bring the laundry to its destination(s), walk sideways like a sumo wrestler. HOW TO DO THEM: Start with feet together, and take a step sideways to the right, ending in a squat with feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Transfer your weight to the right foot and stand up. Continue walking sideways in this manner. Lead with the left leg on the way back.
6. If you’ve got more laundry to fold, do calf raises while finishing the chore.
7. Then walk or jog the laundry to where it goes, stretch your legs and feel the tone in your thighs!


Play Day

It’s fun to be a goofball and exercise with your kids. Today, you’ll play mirror. Stand facing your child(ren) and pick one person to be the “looker.” The rest are mirrors who mimic the looker’s actions as if they are the image in the mirror. Turn on some upbeat music and have fun with this one! If your kids are like mine, they’ll have you jumping around and doing all sorts of crazy things!

Groggy Day

Don’t have lots of energy? That’s OK. Here’s a Pilates routine for flexibility on YouTube that’ll make you feel much more focused and centered: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZopL5-P8zgs


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.