Archive for April, 2010
Better form in the gym means a better form for you! No leaning * unless maybe your gym is in Pisa. Don’t lean on the handrails of the stair climber, elliptical trainer, or treadmill. Carry your own weight and stand up straight, as though there’s a string coming out of your head and pulling you up. Use the handrails for balance, but never for holding yourself up. The side benefit of standing up straight? Less chance of a back or wrist injury.
Here’s something light and refreshing for a warm day. It’s the perfect side dish, perhaps with some grilled fish or chicken as the entree. Or serve it on top of a plate of fresh salad greens for a girlfriend’s lunch. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 1 small jicama, peeled and julienned Combine the jicama, sectioned oranges, and onion in a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, juice and spices. Pour dressing into the larger bowl and mix well. Enjoy the salad right away, or let it marinate in the dressing for a day for even more flavor.
As we changed our menus and recipes (we hate to call it “diet” because we’re not dieting – it’s just the food we eat) to healthier versions, based on whole foods instead of processed foods, we noticed that food tasted kind of bland at first. It’s not the food that’s bland, though. It’s our palate – the way we taste – that had adapted to the overly-salted, overly-sweetened processed foods. If whole foods taste “flat” or bland or odd to you, maybe your taste buds have just been numbed beyond usefulness. Eat an apple. Can you tell the difference in taste (not just texture) between the flesh and the skin of the apple? If you try different kinds of apples, for example, a Granny Smith and a Braeburn, can you taste the difference between them? As you reduce the number of processed foods on your table, you can also remove the salt shaker and the sugar bowl (and other sweeteners) from the table. Use less when you cook with it, and use less when you add it. Bring your palate back to life. Enjoy the natural taste of real food.
Do any of these excuses come out of your mouth?
“I’m a busy mom, and I have a full-time job.” “I can’t have it all.” “I’m so tired all the time.” “I just don’t have the energy.” “I don’t have time to work out.” “I’ve tried dieting, but nothing seems to work.” “My skin has always been bad.” “Those dark circles under my eyes are because I have deep sockets.” “I don’t know what to eat.” Stop making excuses – and stop having reasons to make them. Booty Camp will make a difference for you! It’s simple commitment – read your daily email, and check in with the coaches on the message boards each day. Download the recipes and journal. You can combine the recipes in any way to make your daily menus (so if you have leftovers, you can use them up; if you love something, you can have it again; if you don’t want a particular meal, there are no consequences, only other choices). It comes down to YOU – just doing it. Of course, motivation and commitment are the toughest part of any life change. That’s where our coaches and community come in. You are never alone during Booty Camp (or any of our classes). Help is just a few keystrokes away. Use the chat room to talk with Marilu, coaches, and experienced members. Use the message boards to ask for support when you’re stuck or struggling. Share tips when you figure something out for yourself (you’d be surprised how much we have taught each other in the 10 years we’ve been doing online classes!). Sign up now – Booty Camp with the Jills is coming in May. Stop making excuses and make a difference in your own life!
Would you rather have a shovel than a fork when you’re eating? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you’re not chewing enough. Sometimes a visual is the best way to learn or remember an idea. So here’s a visual for you. YOUR STOMACH DOESN’T HAVE TEETH. If you don’t chew your food in your mouth, it’s not going to get chewed up later in the process. Your teeth, with the help of the enzymes in your saliva, break down food so that the nutrients from the food can be absorbed into your body. Not chewing equals not as many nutrients. It also equals more difficult digestion, which can include heartburn, constipation, and acid reflux. The next time you sit down to eat, challenge yourself to chew your food until it’s nearly liquid. Or try counting the number of times you chew each bite – start with 20, aim for 30, or even 50. You may find you need to take smaller bites – that’s okay, too.
As our fresh produce becomes more bountiful, and our weather gets warmer, we tend to eat lighter meals. Here are a couple of salad dressings you can mix up quickly – no preservatives, no chemicals, and absolutely delicious! ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 2 Tablespoons agave nectar Whisk agave nectar and vinegar in a bowl. Add oil in a stream whisking until emulsified. This is especially good on spinach (or mesclun) salad with walnuts, dried cranberries (or fresh strawberries) and sliced red onions.
Quick Basil Vinaigrette 1 cup olive oil In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, basil, and garlic. Pour over or toss with your favorite salad to serve.
Network: TV Land The 8th annual TV Land Awards will be a sitcom lover’s dream come true. Stars of many classic sitcoms from the 60s through the 2000s are all here to a give recognition to the breakout hit of the television season, “Glee.” Marilu joins David Hasselhoff in leading the TV Land Glee Club singing “Don’t Stop Believing.”
Gratitude is something that has a truly transformational quality to it. By spending a few moments each evening writing down just five things you are grateful for in that day, your life can change immensely. Occasionally there might be something quite amazing; usually there will be things as simple as the taste of a good meal, a pleasant conversation, a hug. There will be difficult days when you can’t imagine anything to be grateful for – that’s okay – reality won’t go away. But look for that bit of sunshine pouring in over the clouds. In the most difficult circumstances, gratitude can offer some escape and peace – actually becoming a part of who you are. Until you begin to practice gratitude, it is hard to imagine the deep inner peace that comes to you, and makes you feel more secure. M.J. Ryan, in her book Attitudes of Gratitude Gratitude begins to change your perspective, a little bit at a time – and slowly you will begin to start noticing and appreciating the smallest details of your day in a new light. At first you will have to really sit and think about what you can be grateful for. Soon you will begin to notice these things as they are happening … and bit by bit you will begin to feel better about each day. If you spend time being grateful for what you have, you will absolutely become open to receiving more. You will begin to feel better and more optimistic about things, and in a subtle way your consciousness will begin to transform and you will be more empowered to live your life in a joyful way. Start your gratitude journal today. Use your calendar, a notebook, a journal, a document file – whatever you have. Just list five things you’re grateful for at the end of each day. It’s a simple way to see your life in a whole new way.
Don’t let other people define you. You are choosing to become a healthier, happier person. Let your choices rule your decisions. Allow other people the freedom to run their own lives, so you can take care of yours. Now get your groove on, turn up the volume and dance. And sing, too. Singing (you don’t have to be good, you don’t even have to know all the words – just be enthusiastic) energizes your body, especially if you put yourself into the song. ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
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, says “one of the incredible truths about gratitude is that it is impossible to feel both the positive emotion of thankfulness and a negative emotion such as anger or fear at the same time. Gratitude births only positive feelings – love, compassion, joy and hope. As we focus on what we are thankful for, fear, anger, and bitterness simply melt away, seemingly without effort.” 
