Healthy Body Healthy Lifers,
First, thank you for the early "xmas gift" that you all so generously presented to me last week. It was a total surprise, way too much, and VERY sweet of you all. I know I've said it before, but you all inspire me to do what I do and I'm so thankful for your help in making HBHL a success!
Also, thank you all for being extremely patient as I perfect my blog! I am ALMOST ready to go "live" which would make it easier for you to access all of the information (and WAY easier for me to disseminate!) but I've got a few minor issues to resolve. If any of you happen to be a genius with computer programming (especially java script and HTML) and have a few seconds to offer assistance, let me know- I've got one more blog formatting issue to iron out and I'm the most computer illiterate person in the world...
Weekly Workouts:
Remember: 2 HBHL instructor supervised workouts per week, and 3 on your own. To really feel the effects of the program, I'd like you all to get 5 workouts per week (remember PB workouts are quick!) but at least make time for 4 workouts per week. You are worth it!!!
Workouts:
Powerbodyz x2
2 mile minimum walk/jog/run
1 hour of yoga
Personal choice: 2 mile minimum walk/jog/run, 1 hour workout video/aerobics class of your choice, or an elliptical/bike/treadmill workout (make it count though!!!)
PBz workout:
Fitness Lesson:
YOGA AND RUNNING- YES! Yoga is the perfect complement for runners. Many of you may be runners who stick religiously to your running workouts, never venturing outside the lines to try other activities. However, by not including yoga in your regular weekly workouts you might be missing out on some huge benefits! When training for my last half-marathon I did yoga twice per week and noticed a big difference in my running ability, my recovery times, and my flexibility. Running is a very strenuous activity for your body- your muscles and joints experience an excessive amount of pounding, tightening, and shortening. This makes you very prone to injury, but yoga enables you to stretch your muscles bringing your body back into balance through a non-pounding strength and flexibility routine. If you are a runner who also does yoga, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you are a runner who hasn't tried yoga- I urge you to try it! It really will make you a better runner and help prevent joint and muscle injuries. Check out the following article from Runner's World, explaining the importance of making yoga a part of your running program:
Yoga also teaches the importance of breathing- you develop a sense of calm with your breath and can relax your mind toward a meditative state. Yoga breathing, particularly ujjayi breathing, exercises your lungs and expands your lung capacity helping you breathe more efficiently during cardiovascular exercises like running. An increased lung capacity equals increased stamina during intense exercise. By using yoga breathing techniques (pranayama- rhythmic breathing) during my runs, I was able to maintain a meditative state exercising with a calm, balanced, and focused mind that listened to my body and helped to maximize my performance in a safe and cohesive way. Now if I could only get my yoga breathing to help me with my golf swing :)
Nutrition Lesson:
Cinnamon is one of those relatively unremarkable spices, that has surprisingly remarkable benefits. Did you know that cinnamon has been used in Ayurvedic medicine dating back to 2,800 BC? Cinnamon can aid digestion, treat colds and the flu, and can soothe the nervous system. It can also help to lower blood sugar and cholesterol in diabetics, and recent research has shown that it can tame blood sugar levels in non-diabetics too! In fact, just smelling cinnamon can improve your memory. As with anything, moderation is the key- so don't overdo it on the cinnamon and speak to your doctor if you have any unusual allergies or conditions. But it's super easy to add to stuff you are already eating everyday- and some studies have shown that just 1/2 tsp per day can lower LDL cholesterol.
**Btw, the pre-ground store bought cinnamon is just as good as freshly ground.
There are tons of easy ways to incorporate cinnamon into your diet:
- add it to oatmeal or cereal, yogurt, pancake batter, or on your french toast
- mix 1/2 tsp of cinnamon with 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter and spread it onto celery
- heat a cup of almond milk, add a dash of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon for a warm treat
- sprinkle it over sweet potatoes, carrots, or bananas
- coat 2 cups of raw nuts with a mix of 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 tsp cinnamon and roast at 350F for 15 mins
- put it in your smoothie
- sprinkle a cut up apple with cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and some agave syrup and bake at 325 for 20 minutes (or until soft)
Cinnamon is so versatile- you can literally add it to anything for a yummy, spicy, treat. And with the added health benefits- it's a Win-Win!
Lastly, a few of you have recently asked me what I do with my fruits and vegetables if I can't buy organic (or it's insanely expensive to purchase organic!) I keep a spray bottle on my sink and ALWAYS spray my fruits/veggies before use- I actually even spray the organic ones out of habit. If I have the time (best if you do this immediately when you get home from the grocery store) you can make the soak. The following link has the details:
Recipe:
This week's recipe is a whole meal- fish, salad, veggie, and grains. It's actually a CLEAN recipe- meaning it is an easily digestible meal that is cleansing for your body. It's an example of the types of foods/meals we will have when we cleanse in January- get up for it!!
This week's recipe is a whole meal- fish, salad, veggie, and grains. It's actually a CLEAN recipe- meaning it is an easily digestible meal that is cleansing for your body. It's an example of the types of foods/meals we will have when we cleanse in January- get up for it!!
Weekly challenge: this week I'd like to see you all consciously incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet (kind of goes along with the raw food and meatless mondays challenges!) One important reason for increasing your plant based proteins is CALCIUM. Most healthy calcium sources are actually beans and leafy green vegetables- like broccoli, kale, collards, and brussel sprouts. These veggies pack a lot of highly absorbable calcium! But what about milk? Isn't milk a good source of calcium? That's what all of the ads say! Actually, milk does provide calcium, BUT in combination with the animal proteins in the milk, it actually promotes calcium loss. Animal proteins actually escort calcium out of your bloodstream and out your body via urination. If you are an AVID meat eater who gets a majority of calcium through milk, you can lose up to 50 percent of the calcium you ingest. Studies are now showing that the answer to osteoporosis is actually a nutritious diet centered on fruit, vegetables (especially broccoli!), grains and legumes, as well as exercising three or more times per week, rather than the ingestion of more milk. Check out the following article that goes into more detail on the relationship b/w protein and calcium, and the importance of natural, rather than synthetic Vitamin D, to the calcium absorption process:
Slowly but surely, I hope the nutrition information I pass along is making you THINK about what you're eating and CONSIDER diet changes to become a healthier version of yourself. My goal is to educate you so that you can make the right choices for your family. Knowledge is power and we are all on a journey together... a journey toward building healthier bodies and ultimately, healthier lives!
Have a wonderful week! As always, feel free to email me with any questions :)
Namaste,
Jannell
Jannell MacAulay, BS Biology, MS Kinesiology
Certified yoga and fitness instructor
healthybodylife@me.com
www.myhealthybodyhealthylife.blogspot.com
healthybodylife@me.com
www.myhealthybodyhealthylife.blogspot.com
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