Here is my week's personal fave health & fitness content!! So grab one of these five delicious, nourishing new smoothie recipes featuring the incredible Chia Seed, sit down & enjoy before getting inspired to try it all out!
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/for-a-better-smoothie-just-add-chia/
We LOVE Chia Seeds!!!!!
Nourished & energized? Ready to blast off? Don't forget to warm up first!!! Warming up & stretching out is crucial to avoid running & sport injuries such as pulled muscles, etc.
Here's an easy yoga warm-up routine before running: http://www.active.com/running/Articles/6-Yoga-Warm-up-Moves-That-Get-You-Ready-to-Run
"Warming up raises your heart rate, core temperature, and blood flow to your muscles, which minimizes the stress your body undergoes when you ask it to work hard in challenging conditions." Herron recommends spending a few minutes warming up inside to get your body primed before heading out.
For that, try this 10-minute dynamic yoga routine from Sage Rountree, author of The Athlete's Guide to Yoga. These moves will generate heat and activate key muscles your body will call upon when you hit the road—specifically your core, glutes, and hamstrings (plus, you can watch the entire video routine to follow along). Do the poses in a nonstop sequence, maintaining a flow, on one side, then repeat on the other. Alternate sides for 10 rounds. Then put on your warm gear, get out there, and run! Too cold for a full outdoor run? Try these Tips for Running Outside During Winter.
1. Mountain pose: Stand tall—hips, knees, and feet in alignment, shoulders stacked over hips, spine lengthened.
2. Leg Lift: Inhale and lift both arms straight overhead as you raise your right leg, knee bent and thigh parallel to the floor. Check out The 10 Golden Rules of Injury Prevention.
3. Arrow Lunge: Exhale and step your raised leg back into a lunge. Hold your torso on a diagonal, your shoulders over your bent front knee.
4. Warrior III: Inhale, and extend your right leg back while lowering your torso forward. Keep both parallel to the floor. Exhale. More: Strength Train With Yoga
5. Leg Lift: Inhale, and simultaneously bring your right leg back to a leg lift as you raise your torso to an upright stance.
6. Mountain pose: Exhale, then lower your leg down, returning to Mountain Pose. Take a few slow breaths."
Okay so- when we hit the roads...should we first leave our shoes behind?!
Hear from Chris McDougall, author of Born to Run, an evolutionary biologist, podiatrist, and urban caveman, about their opinions on running barefoot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JWUhW5yRdI
Speaking of exercise in general, have you read this article by Dr Andrew Weil about exercising to prevent migraines? Sounds good to me!! Read below:
http://www.drweilblog.com/home/2011/12/26/fighting-migraines-with-exercise.html
Here's another wonderful tip that caught my eye while we're with Dr. Weil- Tart Cherry juice for a good night's sleep? You bet!! I use it to control muscle pain when I have fibromyalgia flare-ups, & add it to smoothies for the health benefits. Looks like a snooze aid too from the small amounts of melatonin they contain: http://www.drweilblog.com/home/2010/9/20/tart-cherry-juice-could-help-you-sleep.html
How about 10 Foods to eat for Happiness? Have you ever had PURPLE cauliflower, for instance? Eat these & feel uplifted:
http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/2012/01/03/10-foods-for-happiness-2/#10-foods-for-happiness-2
Next on the list- here's a healthy eating article- for the love of FOOD (I'm right there with you.....) Love to eat good food, & despise dieting, but *need* to trim down? Read the scoop how one chef lost 55 pounds without giving up good food!!!!
http://greatist.com/health/jesse-schenker-healthy-weight-loss
Excerpt: "First, we established what kind of eater I am, pinpointed my motivations for eating, and identified my trigger foods. By determining each of these factors, Dr. Gullo and I worked together to build a healthy diet around my life — not the other way around. I learned that I was a “finisher” — I eat for quantity. I like to finish the whole plate, bag, slice, or slab. So I was able to identify foods that I was able to eat all of — pound(s) of shrimp, mussels, or lobster; an entire head (or two) of broccoli (which I like to char in my home toaster oven). I didn’t have to change my lifestyle, or become a portion-controlled eater. I am a finisher, and I will always be. So now, I eat foods that I can finish..."
I am totally that type of eater. I was raised to clean my plate, "wasting food is a sin", "Think of those starving children in Africa," etc as so many of us were! Its an automatic thing for me to keep eating until its all gone....grr! I try to be careful with portions but, its a work in progress, hehe. Sometimes I pile too much on because it looks so yummy & I like to photograph new recipes I made before eating them so..... yeah. Like I said, I need to work on those portions!!!!! I can put away food like any of my five brothers to boot, LOL. Rethinking WHAT I am filling up on, like broccoli etc. (Does purple cauliflower count? ;)), is what I love about this article. Its going to come in handy to refer back to! ;-)
"Now, I like to snack on raspberries or blackberries when I’m watching TV. Fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and foods high in fiber are now staples in my life. Of course, there’s some wiggle room now that I’ve dropped the weight, but there are certain things I have given up, my trigger foods: French fries (and most other potato based foods), breads, and desserts. They don’t make me feel good, and they aren’t satisfying to me. I don’t know many people who can stop after just one or two or three French fries, and I can’t either. The foods I know I can’t moderate myself, I’ve removed from my diet. For me, it’s easier to eliminate than it is to only eat a few." Kudos, Chef Jesse Schenker!!! Just in time for bikini season!!!!
Speaking of which..... Bikini Body Bootcamp is here! I'm working on trying to tone up more (and of course, those stubborn abs.....hehe) after carefully losing most of the baby weight from Baby Darling number three, & overall feel great...just need to set aside more time for yoga & feel-good exercise throughout the week! Here is the latest from the pros for the swimsuit season now upon us! You can do these right at home:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/you-can-do-it/bikini-body-bootcamp-2013/
And last but certainly not least, for a generous sprinkle of OM:
Have y'all tried TM, or Transcendental Meditation yet? I have not, but heard amazing things about it! An ancient, proven, drug-free anti-anxiety treatment brought over to the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi:
http://www.tm.org/
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!!!! May you continue to have a beautiful, healthy, fit, productive week everyone!!!! Peace & Love!!!!!!
Warmly,
Christine Elizabeth
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