We love this song to accompany our squats and lunges – the not-always-fun-but-always-effective moves to firm and tone that booty. The tempo keeps us from rushing through the movements, and the lyrics… well, the lyrics are exactly what’s going through our head anyway, so we may as well hear them from someone with a better voice.
Here are some tips and ideas for squats and lunges *
When you squat and do lunges, make sure your knees are lined up over your ankles. If that means you need to move your feet – to a wider or narrower stance for squats, or to a longer or shorter stride for lunges – then move your feet!
When you squat, stick your booty out a bit, like you’re sitting down in a chair. Don’t overdo it – you should still be upright – but show what’s back there, you know?
Start with some squats, then turn to the left and do a bunch of lunges. Turn back to the center and do more squats, then turn to the right and do a bunch of lunges. And repeat.
Alternate wide and narrow (feet together) squats as you step-squat-step-squat-step-squat in one direction. When you run out of space (or there’s a good musical break), go back the other direction.
Try curtsy-kicks. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Move your left leg behind the right leg, and bend, as though you’re doing a curtsy. When you pick up your left leg, do a side kick to the left. Repeat a bunch of times. Then do it all again on the right.
Not everyone eats turkey at Thanksgiving. If you prefer to celebrate by saving a turkey, consider Farm Sanctuary‘s Adopt-A-Turkey Project which offers a compassionate alternative for Thanksgiving.
Since 1986, Farm Sanctuary has rescued more than 1,000 turkeys, placed hundreds into loving homes through our annual Turkey Express adoption event, educated millions of people about their plight, and provided resources for a cruelty-free holiday. For a one-time $30 donation, anyone can sponsor turkeys residing at Farm Sanctuary.
There’s nothing worse than a low-energy day as we head into the holiday season – except maybe a string of low-energy days.
The best way to combat low-energy is by taking care of yourself. Caffeine and those chemical-laden energy drinks are a waste of money and dangerous for your health.
Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Studies have shown that getting a couple of hours of sleep before midnight is especially helpful.
Get 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Individual needs vary, but usually fall in this range.
Drink water as your primary beverage. Cut out all sodas and caffeinated beverages. Limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks a day, and no more than five drinks a week. Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume.
Eat a minimum of 5 servings of vegetables a day, and make at least one of those leafy greens (spinach, kale, etc.).
Cut out the sugar and sweeteners. They may give you a boost, but it’s only a temporary feeling before the crash.
Exercise every day. Do something that makes you break a sweat, and then keep it up for 10 more minutes. Exercise helps you sleep better, metabolize food better, and helps reduce stress.
Cut back on animal proteins. They take more energy to digest, and you want that energy for other tasks.
HOT For The Holidays! is a three-week holiday blitz focused on looking great, feeling fantastic, and planning the best holiday season ever. It’s like having your own personal trainer, nutritionist, party planner, and support group in one.
There’s no sense in spending your holidays feeling over budget and overweight, feeling under-prepared and under pressure, feeling like there’s got to be a better way. Our “HOT for the Holidays!” class will incorporate Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover® principles to prepare YOU for YOUR holiday season. You’ll get tips for preparing your body, your home, your meals and MORE. You’ll establish routines that will help you look and feel your best throughout your holiday season. You’ll learn how to celebrate and have fun – with no remorse.
Our Members tell us that it’s so much easier to succeed with the support of online classmates and the THM Coaches. Why not get that support while you prepare to be your B.E.S.T. – and your hottest! – this holiday season?
Classes at Marilu.com are free to all Members.
Not a Member? Join today!
This recipe offers an alternative to the ubiquitous green bean casserole – that gloppy, salty mess that people have come to associate with holiday meals.
Why do we like this recipe? We make the dressing a day or two in advance, storing it in the fridge. Washing and prepping the beans is easily done while the turkey roasts. Steaming the beans doesn’t take long, and we have room on the stovetop for the pot. The beans can be dressed and plated right after they’re cooked – but don’t need to be served hot, reducing the number of dishes that need last minute attention (we just cover the dish with foil and set it aside for the 10 minutes it takes to get everything else ready for the table). Oh, and they’re great cold from the fridge if you have leftovers.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Green Beans Vinaigrette Blue * Serves 8
1-1/2 pounds string beans, ends snipped
2 medium shallots, halved and finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving, optional
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the shallots, mustard and vinegar together. May be made in advance and stored in a glass jar in the fridge.
Steam the green beans for about 7-8 minutes, so they’re still bright green and have a little crisp to them. Drain the beans and toss with the dressing, and some salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, if you like.
People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child–our own two eyes. All is a miracle.
Caffeine is addictive, just like other drugs. You know you’re addicted when you get a headache in the morning if you don’t have your coffee. Or if you get headaches on the weekend, when you’re on a 1 cup/day routine instead of your weekday/workday 4 cups/day routine. Or if you feel sluggish when you don’t have your caffeinated soda.
Break the addiction. Some people can go “cold turkey” and just quit. Others need to wean themselves from caffeine slowly, to avoid the potential side effects from quitting an addictive drug (we’ve done it; our headache was Not.Fun., so we recommend the weaning).
How to wean from caffeine *
REDUCE * Cut back on the quantity of caffeinated beverages you drink in a day. Cut out one a week. If you drank four cups of coffee each day last week, then only drink 3 cups of coffee a day next week. Same for caffeinated sodas (No cheating on getting bigger drinks, either.) The following week, limit yourself to 2 cups of coffee a day. If you need to, take two weeks at one level. You’re going for the overall, lifetime reduction here, not a quick fix.
REPLACE * Switch to decaffeinated coffee, herbal tea, or caffeine-free soda. Swap out one drink/day with a non-caffeinated version. There’s still some caffeine in decaf, but it’s negligible by comparison. If you have the choice, go for water-processed decaf (it has fewer chemicals, so it’s a healthier choice).
Combine those two options * Reduce and replace. Drink more water, too. Your body is detoxifying from the drug, and you can speed the process by being hydrated.
If you get a headache from the withdrawl, be sure to sip water, get some rest, and if you need to, take some caffeine-free pain reliever (yes, there’s caffeine in some of them; read the labels).
Don’t let the holidays throw you off track! With all the food and fun times ahead, it’s too easy to overindulge and end up right back where you started last January.. or worse.
Don’t do it to yourself again. Do something different this year! Stress free celebrations, delicious and healthy food, and a happy and organized home can all be yours. Learn how in Marilu Henner’s fun and innovative online class this holiday season!
“HOT For The Holidays!” is a three-week holiday blitz focused on looking great, feeling fantastic, and planning the best holiday season ever. It’s like having your own personal trainer, nutritionist, party planner, and support group in one. You’ll get tips for preparing your body, your home, your meals and MORE. You’ll establish routines that will help you look and feel your best throughout your holiday season. You’ll learn how to celebrate and have fun – with no remorse.
Our Members tell us that it’s so much easier to succeed with the support of online classmates and the THM Coaches. Why not get that support while you prepare to be your B.E.S.T. – and your hottest! – this holiday season?
Classes at Marilu.com are free to all Members.
Not a Member? Join today! Only $9.95 a month – for recipes, tips, and personal coaching to help you meet your goals.
Get a small notebook or write it on your kitchen calendar or open a spreadsheet or download an app – whatever is easy for you – but start a fitness log.
Log your hours, activities, and how you felt during and after your exercise. Log the music that keeps you motivated.
You’ll find out what you love to do, and what you’d prefer not to do. You’ll be able to create your own motivating music playlist. You’ll see how often you’re really exercising (instead of what you think you’re doing). You’ll know when you started to lift more weight, and when you started to run further and faster on the treadmill. You’ll know when to challenge yourself to do more or to mix it up.
