Marilu.com – The Home of Marilu Henner’s Total Health Makeover®

Jul 17

Marilu at AIDS walk (San Francisco) tomorrow

See Marilu at the AIDS walk in San Francisco tomorrow, Sunday, July 18. She’s one of the opening speakers, and she’ll walk, too. Gather some donations today, and come join the fun!

The AIDS Walk begins and ends in Golden Gate Park at Sharon Meadow. Walkers should enter the venue at the intersection of Haight Street and Stanyan Boulevard to turn in their funds. The walk is 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and takes roughly 2-3 hours to complete.

9 a.m. Sign-In opens in Mother’s Meadow. Walkers turn in donations, pick up fundraising awards, and receive their official 2010 AIDS Walk San Francisco walker button and AIDS Walk Guide. All donations support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF).

9:30 a.m. Aerobic Warm-Up

9:45 a.m. Opening Ceremony in Sharon Meadow. Live from the stage: community leaders, musical guests, and celebrity speakers like Marilu!

10:30 a.m. AIDS Walk begins!

12:30 p.m. Post-Walk concert and family entertainment in Sharon Meadow with live music and the announcement of the fundraising total for AIDS Walk San Francisco 2010! The KidZone features a bounce house, face painting, and free carousel rides!

More information here.

Jul 16

Fitness Friday * Clear your head

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We all know that exercise benefits our physical health. Did you know it’s great for mental health as well?

Studies show that there is a link between physical exercise and brain activity, resulting in more creative and productive mental activity after exercise. If you’ve ever started your day with a dance-based workout or kickboxing, or a yoga routine, you’ve probably experienced that the whole day is easier after focusing on “right” and “left” for half an hour. Exercise is almost like turning the pathways in your brain to superhighways. Everything just moves faster and smoother, and isn’t that how we want to think?

You don’t need an hour-long cardio class to feel the effects—a brisk 10-minute walk will do the trick. (But try one of those dance-based classes for a few mornings to see if you notice the difference!)

Jul 10

Sports spectacular

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Look at all the professional sports on the calendar right now.

World Cup (soccer) finals
All-Star Break (baseball)
Tour de France (cycling)
Wimbledon (tennis) just ended
British Open (golf) is in a week

There’s a sport out there for everyone. Sometimes you have to experiment to find the one that fits you. Or you have to find the way it fits you.

Does competition energize you or demoralize you? There’s no right answer – just the answer that’s right for you. If you won’t ride your bike around your neighborhood, but you love the idea of a road race or a mountain bike race, then by all means, find a cycling competition! If the idea of a golf league scares you to death but you love the feel of swinging a golf club, then schedule a couple of sessions at the driving range each week.

Do you feel nostalgic for your energetic days of youth sports? If you miss your high school tennis team, but don’t want to compete yourself, then volunteer to help coach kids’ tennis. Perhaps you love the game of baseball or soccer – then pass on your passion to young people and become a youth baseball umpire, or youth soccer referee. Role models are good – and you’ll have to do some moving, too.

Do you like working alone, with a partner, or in a group? Maybe individual sports like golf work best for you. Perhaps you like to share the work with one other person, like a tennis doubles partner. Maybe a team is more fun – or maybe it’s just a lot of stress. Choose a sport that fits your personality.

Don’t just be a spectator. Be an athlete.

Jul 09

Fitness Friday * That’s hot!

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Wow, it’s been HOT-HOT-HOT lately!

But you know that weather (hot or cold, wet or dry) is not an excuse for not exercising, right? There are some exceptions, of course – don’t go outside during an electrical storm or hurricane or tornado – but the recent heat is not enough to stop exercising.

We just need to exercise smart when it’s hot.

Pay attention to your body’s response to the environment. Can you still breathe easily? Can you still talk while you’re moving? Is your heart rate staying below 80% of its maximum? Are you still sweating?

Don’t push it – this is not the time to add distance or reps, or increase speed or weight.

Take water breaks. Or bathroom breaks. Or just breaks.

If you exercise outside, go early in the day or late in the day. Avoid the hottest part of the day.

Split your workout into shorter intervals. These aren’t speed intervals – just partial workouts. Instead of one 60 minute workout, try three 20 minute workouts throughout the day (think creatively).

Wear sunscreen if you’re exercising outside.

Stay hydrated! Start drinking water an hour before you exercise, drink (sip) while you exercise, and keep drinking for a couple of hours after you exercise. Replenish what you’ve lost through sweating. Don’t chug it, though. At a certain point, you’ll need to consider replenishing minerals, too. We’re not fans of sweetened sports drinks, but there are some brands of enhanced water (check for sugars!) that aren’t too bad. Or drink a glass of watered down fruit juice, and make sure you’re eating lots of vegetables and whole grains.

This is all true for your kids, too – whether they’re “just playing” outside, or are in an organized sport.

Jul 07

Stay loose

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Does your neck get “tight” staring at a computer all day?
Do your muscles ache after a busy work day?
Have you worn heels so long your legs hurt when you wear flats?
Are your movements so routine that any extreme movement leads to pain?

Then you need to get loose and s-t-r-e-t-c-h!

No matter what exercise you do, stretching is important at the end of your workout. There are great stretching routines on most exercise DVDs, and you can always choose a simple yoga or tai chi routine to end your workout.

Now get moving!
And then s-t-r-e-t-c-h it out when you’re done.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Jul 02

Fitness Friday * Reverse crunches

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Crunches – done regularly – are the easiest and best exercise for toning the abs. We all know it. We all get a little bored with crunches, though. So let’s try reverse crunches – an exercise that works the lower abs (a real problem area for women).

Lie on your back with your hands palms down just beneath your buttocks and your back pressed flat to the floor.

Bend your legs a little at the knees, cross your ankles, and lift your legs above you, feet to the ceiling.

Contract (squinch) your lower abs to pull your hips up off the floor a few inches and release. This movement is small and controlled. Don’t use momentum (rocking) to move your hips or legs, just tighten up those lower abs and your hips will lift. Exhale as you contract your abs and keep your knees bent at the same angle throughout.

Repeat two sets of 8-12 repetitions, resting for 15 seconds between sets.

Jun 30

Today is your day! Believe it!

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Start your day with some positive thinking. This IS your day.

Your day to be your best.
Your day to contribute.
Your day to step it up.
Your day to make a positive change.
Your day to shine.

Get motivated with a little Shakira. We like to use this song for kickboxing – it makes us feel strong in body and mind. (But, you know, kicking a soccer ball around is good, too.)

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Jun 25

Fitness Friday * Mini-workouts

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Create four 5-minute workouts that can be done anywhere, anytime. Think simple, light and low-injury.

Try leg lifts, calf raises and squats.
Try crunches – do them standing.
Try wall push-ups or counter push-ups, curls and dips.
Consider what you can do with resist-a-bands or light weights.

Now incorporate those mini-workouts into your day. Try a workout *

while you’re on the phone
waiting for an elevator
in a check-out line
at the airport security line or gate
waiting for your kids to get done with school, practice or lessons
while you’re cooking dinner
during a tv show

Take a quick break to refresh your body and mind with exercise.

Jun 22

Turn OFF the TV…

Posted in Exercise and fitness, Family friendly activities, food, tips, Healthy Kids | No Comments »

… and turn ON the action!

Get your kids outside. Heck, get yourself outside!

Go dig in the garden. Weed it, water it, harvest it.
Go play on the playground. Swing, slide, climb.
Go out on the trails. Hike or bike.
Go out on the water. Swim, paddle, hoist the sails, drop the skis.
Go play. Red rover, kick the can, flashlight tag, hopscotch, kickball, badminton.

What? It’s raining? Put on some boots and a jacket and jump in puddles (not during severe weather, of course).
What? It’s too hot? Get out the sprinkler or the slip-n-slide. Make it fun.

No excuses. Everybody needs fresh air, and nobody’s too old to play.

Jun 18

Fitness Friday * Balance

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Fitness is measured in many ways, and one of the ways we tend to overlook is balance.

It’s great fun to walk on the curb instead of the sidewalk, but not always so practical. Instead, take 2 minutes a day to practice the Tree pose (Vrksasana in Sanskrit, but you don’t have to know that to do it).

Stand with your feet together, shoulders down and back, and breathe. Focus on a point on the wall or floor in front of you, so your line of sight is at about a 45 degree angle.

Shift your weight to your left foot, and place your right foot on the inner thigh of your left leg. Use your hand to move your foot if you need to. If you can’t get your foot that high, place it just below the knee instead. Keep your knee turned out (pointed to the side).

Put your hands in a prayer position in front of your chest. Move them above your head if you can. Keep breathing.

Keep your focus on the point you chose. Imagine your left foot rooted to the earth, and your arms pulled to the sky. Feel the strength of that connection. Keep breathing. Hold the pose for about a minute, then bring your hands back to your chest and put your foot on the floor.

Repeat on the other side.

Our days are filled with moments of imbalance – surprises that throw us off our game, challenges we didn’t see coming, unfulfilled expectations. Being able to maintain physical balance and focus helps our minds stay balanced and focused when it matters.

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