Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Sunday, March 04, 2012
Saturday, March 03, 2012
relevé
The Ballerina Project continues to inspire.
Have you tried the fitness-ballet workout? They seem to be a really hot class right now. Here are a few that look interesting:
Balletone
Ballet Barre Workout (a DVD)
Barre Physique
In Kansas City: Fusion Fitness, Personal Best Pilates, and "Fitness Ballet" at Lifetime Fitness.
In NYC, Physique 57 has been around quite awhile and is still uber popular, and I'd love to try a class at Beyond Barre.
First post about the Ballerina Project here. Support the Ballerina Project at BallerinaProject.com. Photos via BallerinaProject.com
Have you tried the fitness-ballet workout? They seem to be a really hot class right now. Here are a few that look interesting:
Balletone
Ballet Barre Workout (a DVD)
Barre Physique
In Kansas City: Fusion Fitness, Personal Best Pilates, and "Fitness Ballet" at Lifetime Fitness.
In NYC, Physique 57 has been around quite awhile and is still uber popular, and I'd love to try a class at Beyond Barre.
First post about the Ballerina Project here. Support the Ballerina Project at BallerinaProject.com. Photos via BallerinaProject.com
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The "Iron Lady" had important words
Margaret Thatcher once said, “Power is like being a lady; if you have to say you are, you aren't.”
image via Toronto.com
More wisdom in Meryl Streep's Oscar acceptance speech after commenting that most of America had Streep-fatigue -- "Whatever."
image via Toronto.com
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
no Friend of mine (yoga scandal)
John Friend, the founder of Anusara, one of the world’s very popular styles of yoga, told followers that he was stepping down for an indefinite period of “self-reflection, therapy and personal retreat.” This comes, apparently, after accusations of sexual impropriety with female students.
I find it a bit heart-breaking, as the uninformed extremists that label yoga as "Sin" are going to have a ball with this one.
More details on the full, icky story here. Though please read with an open mind, as I have one problem with this article: I have been to hundreds of classes and the thinking "yoga and scandal? no surpise here" is unfair.
I find it a bit heart-breaking, as the uninformed extremists that label yoga as "Sin" are going to have a ball with this one.
More details on the full, icky story here. Though please read with an open mind, as I have one problem with this article: I have been to hundreds of classes and the thinking "yoga and scandal? no surpise here" is unfair.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Exercise = a better brain.
"Some people feel better when they exercise. I am a different person when I exercise."
Mr Right said this to me a few days ago after a particularly good workout. I could relate in a big way -- it is also an accurate description of myself post-workout.
After a good sweat, I literally speed through work at twice the pace as I do before I've exercised.
Today I found this article in the NYT health pages.
Apparently some Japanese researchers have found that this "different person" effect is happening in the brain.
In the first of their new experiments, published last year in The Journal of Physiology, scientists at the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Neuroscience at the University of Tsukuba gathered two groups of adult male rats and had one group start a treadmill running program, while the other group sat for the same period of time each day on unmoving treadmills. The researchers’ aim was to determine how much the level of brain glycogen changed during and after exercise.
After the single session on the treadmill, the animals were allowed to rest and feed, and then their brain glycogen levels were studied. The food, it appeared, had gone directly to their heads; their brain levels of glycogen not only had been restored to what they had been before the workout, but had soared past that point, increasing by as much as a 60 percent in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and slightly less in other parts of the brain. The astrocytes had “overcompensated,” resulting in a kind of brain carbo-loading.
The levels, however, had dropped back to normal within about 24 hours.
That was not the case, though, if the animals continued to exercise. In those rats that ran for four weeks, the “supercompensation” became the new normal, with their baseline levels of glycogen showing substantial increases compared with the sedentary animals. The increases were especially notable in, again, those portions of the brain critical to learning and memory formation — the cortex and the hippocampus.
So if they kept at it on a regular basis, they didn't just get smarter for part of the day following exercise, they stayed smarter. Which is why the findings are potentially so meaningful – and not just for rats.
While a brain with more fuel reserves is potentially a brain that can sustain and direct movement longer, it also “may be a key mechanism underlying exercise-enhanced cognitive function,” says Hideaki Soya, a professor of exercise biochemistry at the University of Tsukuba and senior author of the studies, since supercompensation occurs most strikingly in the parts of the brain that allow us better to think and to remember. As a result, Dr. Soya says, “it is tempting to suggest that increased storage and utility of brain glycogen in the cortex and hippocampus might be involved in the development” of a better, sharper brain.
Yes, "a better, sharper brain." So get moving, it truly makes you smarter.
via New York Times Health blog
Mr Right said this to me a few days ago after a particularly good workout. I could relate in a big way -- it is also an accurate description of myself post-workout.
After a good sweat, I literally speed through work at twice the pace as I do before I've exercised.
Today I found this article in the NYT health pages.
Apparently some Japanese researchers have found that this "different person" effect is happening in the brain.
In the first of their new experiments, published last year in The Journal of Physiology, scientists at the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Neuroscience at the University of Tsukuba gathered two groups of adult male rats and had one group start a treadmill running program, while the other group sat for the same period of time each day on unmoving treadmills. The researchers’ aim was to determine how much the level of brain glycogen changed during and after exercise.
After the single session on the treadmill, the animals were allowed to rest and feed, and then their brain glycogen levels were studied. The food, it appeared, had gone directly to their heads; their brain levels of glycogen not only had been restored to what they had been before the workout, but had soared past that point, increasing by as much as a 60 percent in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and slightly less in other parts of the brain. The astrocytes had “overcompensated,” resulting in a kind of brain carbo-loading.
The levels, however, had dropped back to normal within about 24 hours.
That was not the case, though, if the animals continued to exercise. In those rats that ran for four weeks, the “supercompensation” became the new normal, with their baseline levels of glycogen showing substantial increases compared with the sedentary animals. The increases were especially notable in, again, those portions of the brain critical to learning and memory formation — the cortex and the hippocampus.
So if they kept at it on a regular basis, they didn't just get smarter for part of the day following exercise, they stayed smarter. Which is why the findings are potentially so meaningful – and not just for rats.
While a brain with more fuel reserves is potentially a brain that can sustain and direct movement longer, it also “may be a key mechanism underlying exercise-enhanced cognitive function,” says Hideaki Soya, a professor of exercise biochemistry at the University of Tsukuba and senior author of the studies, since supercompensation occurs most strikingly in the parts of the brain that allow us better to think and to remember. As a result, Dr. Soya says, “it is tempting to suggest that increased storage and utility of brain glycogen in the cortex and hippocampus might be involved in the development” of a better, sharper brain.
Yes, "a better, sharper brain." So get moving, it truly makes you smarter.
via New York Times Health blog
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Courtney, SJP and Sandra Bullock - all my age!
I first posted this a year ago as I was a few weeks from turning 46. But inspiration is inspiration, and it's worth saying again.
These women have inspired my pre-birthday "Spring Cleaning." As in cleaning me. I really hope to stay injury-free long enough to be consistent with my workouts. Miracle weight loss probably won't occur (though welcome with open arms), but come April 1, I will know I've given my best effort to turning 47 in good health.
All three of these women are my age.
Sarah Jessica Parker is exactly one week older than I am.
Courtney Cox and SJP --Clearly they don't sit around eating starchy-carbs, but I've always chalked these gorgeous bodies up to a definite genetic advantage. Obviously thin frames that very little flesh lives on.
Sandra Bullock? My envy, my idol. Apparently her favorite workouts are Pilates and running. Whatever it is, she is obviously very loyal.
I became a really serious fan when she dedicated her 2010 Oscar to "the Moms who take care of the babies and children no matter where they come from." Nobody knew about little Louis then, but what a powerful, well-deserved acknowledgement to those Mom's.These women have inspired my pre-birthday "Spring Cleaning." As in cleaning me. I really hope to stay injury-free long enough to be consistent with my workouts. Miracle weight loss probably won't occur (though welcome with open arms), but come April 1, I will know I've given my best effort to turning 47 in good health.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
hot yoga - the controversy lives on
The debate about hot yoga is almost as old as yoga itself. Ok, not quite as old. I do remember first hearing it discussed at an IDEA Convention in 1999. The conversation has evolved (a good thing!) and there are good points from both "sides."
Hot yoga--where you perform yoga poses in a room heated between 90 and 105 degrees--may come with a list of benefits, like helping you sweat out toxins and release anxiety and stress. But experts warn that some people need to talk to their doctors before signing up for a class--or stay out of the sauna-like room altogether.
One well-known form is Bikram yoga, though many "hot" yoga classes are now available that do not follow Bikram sequencing or protocal.
According to Diana Zotos, a yoga instructor and physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, "The heat makes people feel as if they can stretch deeper into poses and can give them a false sense of flexibility. This can lead to muscle strains or damage to the joint, including ligaments and cartilage."
If you experience any of these health issues, hot yoga might not be the exercise for you:
* You've ever had heat stroke or get fatigued, dizzy, or dehydrated quickly
* You have osteoarthritis, rheumatologic arthritis
* You have pain in your muscles or joints
* You have high blood pressure, low blood pressure, or heart disease
Plus, says Zotos, if you're totally new to yoga or over 40, you should first become familiar with yoga poses before heading to hot yoga--even if you don't have underlying medical conditions. "Yoga of any type is physically challenging, and the heated environment of hot yoga makes the practice especially demanding," she says.
Read more from post on Glamour.com
Read more on Yahoo News
Hot yoga--where you perform yoga poses in a room heated between 90 and 105 degrees--may come with a list of benefits, like helping you sweat out toxins and release anxiety and stress. But experts warn that some people need to talk to their doctors before signing up for a class--or stay out of the sauna-like room altogether.
One well-known form is Bikram yoga, though many "hot" yoga classes are now available that do not follow Bikram sequencing or protocal.
According to Diana Zotos, a yoga instructor and physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, "The heat makes people feel as if they can stretch deeper into poses and can give them a false sense of flexibility. This can lead to muscle strains or damage to the joint, including ligaments and cartilage."
If you experience any of these health issues, hot yoga might not be the exercise for you:
* You've ever had heat stroke or get fatigued, dizzy, or dehydrated quickly
* You have osteoarthritis, rheumatologic arthritis
* You have pain in your muscles or joints
* You have high blood pressure, low blood pressure, or heart disease
Plus, says Zotos, if you're totally new to yoga or over 40, you should first become familiar with yoga poses before heading to hot yoga--even if you don't have underlying medical conditions. "Yoga of any type is physically challenging, and the heated environment of hot yoga makes the practice especially demanding," she says.
Read more from post on Glamour.com
Read more on Yahoo News
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
oooh la la Kate
I stopped loving Kate Spade when Kate Spade wasn't really there any more. (She's a Kansas City girl!).
But the "Pardon My French" t-shirt won me (back) over. Not to mention the dots.
It's taken me two years to say "Bonjour" without embarrasment, so I giggled a little when I saw this.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Monday, February 06, 2012
Thursday, December 01, 2011
meat - yes or no?
Part of me really wants to stop eating meat. And part of me finds it a good (inexpensive, filling) protein source. But maybe it's just familiar to me, therefore easier.
If I could always buy organic, truly farm raised meats, my problem would be over. Whole Foods is a great source, but a bit tough on my budget.
Am I making excuses?
Do I need to align my money with my values?
I found this fascinating:
John Ikerd, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri, Columbia: The biggest single problem with factory farming is that it shows no respect for the sanctity of life — either the life of farm animals or human life. Factory farming treats feedlots as biological assembly lines, where the animals are simply machines that produce meat, milk, or eggs for nameless, faceless consumers, with no respect for the people who work in them or live in the communities where they operate. This lack of respect for life undermines the ethical and moral fabric of society.
And Carolyn's post from the National Conference to End Factory Farming is even more fascinating. Thanks for sharing Carolyn!
If I could always buy organic, truly farm raised meats, my problem would be over. Whole Foods is a great source, but a bit tough on my budget.
Am I making excuses?
Do I need to align my money with my values?
I found this fascinating:
John Ikerd, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri, Columbia: The biggest single problem with factory farming is that it shows no respect for the sanctity of life — either the life of farm animals or human life. Factory farming treats feedlots as biological assembly lines, where the animals are simply machines that produce meat, milk, or eggs for nameless, faceless consumers, with no respect for the people who work in them or live in the communities where they operate. This lack of respect for life undermines the ethical and moral fabric of society.
And Carolyn's post from the National Conference to End Factory Farming is even more fascinating. Thanks for sharing Carolyn!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
good and bad ideas
I knew the name was too sexy. Turns out the Brazilian Blowout I got last year was a really bad idea. Not only did it take a year for my hair to recover, it seems the product contains formaldehyde (!) and the FDA may be pulling it.
I learned about the formaldehyde in Crazy, Sexy Life, the blog I found by Kris Carr after reading her {very awesome} book, Crazy Sexy Diet.
Speaking of good books, I just finished "Cooking for Mr. Latte" an adorable story of Amanda Hesser's courtship with her husband. I've also fallen in love with Food 52, her new website. {WARNING: Do not go there hungry. Do not.}
I learned about the formaldehyde in Crazy, Sexy Life, the blog I found by Kris Carr after reading her {very awesome} book, Crazy Sexy Diet.
Speaking of good books, I just finished "Cooking for Mr. Latte" an adorable story of Amanda Hesser's courtship with her husband. I've also fallen in love with Food 52, her new website. {WARNING: Do not go there hungry. Do not.}
Friday, August 05, 2011
rainy days and (Fridays?) always get me down
*I can't wait to make these with my daughter:
*I'm so impressed that Jenny can do these projects, like make arched bookshelves, from her NYC apartment.
*A good cry is followed by a wonderful sense of peace and relief.
*This is good to remember. Always.
"My happiness depends on me, so you're off the hook."
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Gym germs
Three tips for NOT catching colds and flu (or other nastier things) at your gym:
1. Shower flip flops
2. Anti-bacterial wipes -- your gym should provide them, but use them BEFORE and after you use equipment
3. Do not touch your eyes or mouth with your hands while you are working out. Wait until you've soap-and-water'd them several times post-workout.
source: APHA
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thanks to Rebecca at Tomboy Design Studio for doing a wonderful job on the dress (and from a tiny, tiny, old photo).
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Phit and Frugal: grocery shopping
Anytime someone decides to eat more veggies, buy more produce or eat healthier, their first reaction is "this is expensive."
The problem: they haven't added up the chips and snacks they didn't buy. (Or maybe they still bought them, and that's the problem.)
It's interesting that (even to me) $4 for a carton of raspberries seems expensive but $4.25 for a latte sounds perfectly reasonable.
Yesterday Amazon delivered Kris Carr's "Crazy Sexy Diet" and I love her point about spending on health instead of sickness. She believes that spending on organic, whole foods is an investment worth making, and I agree.
You'll still catch me at "Fourbucks" getting the latte, so gotta work on that.
The point: dollars are finite. So the more we can stretch them, the better.
Fitness magazine recently shared three tips for spending less at the grocery store:
Cut back on coupons.
"I've seen it over and over in my research: People buy things they wouldn't normally choose, because they have a coupon," says consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow, PhD, coauthor of Gen BuY. "Cheap prices allow you to rationalize less-healthy purchases." Ask yourself if you would want it without the coupon. No? Skip it.
Shop after you eat."When you're famished, you naturally crave the most calorie-rich foods," Yarrow says. The next thing you know, you're piling your cart with corn chips and doughnuts.
Leave the kids home.
The problem: they haven't added up the chips and snacks they didn't buy. (Or maybe they still bought them, and that's the problem.)
It's interesting that (even to me) $4 for a carton of raspberries seems expensive but $4.25 for a latte sounds perfectly reasonable.
Yesterday Amazon delivered Kris Carr's "Crazy Sexy Diet" and I love her point about spending on health instead of sickness. She believes that spending on organic, whole foods is an investment worth making, and I agree.
The point: dollars are finite. So the more we can stretch them, the better.
Fitness magazine recently shared three tips for spending less at the grocery store:
3 Easy Ways to Shrink Your Grocery Bill
Cut back on coupons.
"I've seen it over and over in my research: People buy things they wouldn't normally choose, because they have a coupon," says consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow, PhD, coauthor of Gen BuY. "Cheap prices allow you to rationalize less-healthy purchases." Ask yourself if you would want it without the coupon. No? Skip it.
Shop after you eat."When you're famished, you naturally crave the most calorie-rich foods," Yarrow says. The next thing you know, you're piling your cart with corn chips and doughnuts.
Leave the kids home.
As soon as you walk into the store, they start up: "I want candy/cupcakes/ice cream. Please, please, please!" Cue the tears. You end up buying more than you planned to. Have your husband watch them while you shop. Or trade babysitting time with another mom.
via Fitness Magazine online
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Photog envy: cinemagraphs and hipstamatic
Don't you LOVE the cinemagraphs that the talented photo-bloggers are doing? My favorites are from Jamie Beck and her "From Me To You" tumblr.
Jamie is darling but SO TALENTED. You have to check out her tumblr. She can make a plain ole beer look better than champagne.
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Here's a tutorial I found on making a cinemagraph. If you are a decent photographer and know your way around Photoshop CS5 it won't be hard.
I shouldn't have a need for instagr.am, given that I have albums from the 70's and 80's that are full of original photos with rounded borders, Polaroid-esque white frames and "Filters" (which used to be just plain old bad lighting). But seeing the fun photos on blogs makes me want to trade in my Blackberry for an iPhone just to have this cool app (please Blackberry?).
And despite my splurge on a Diana camera (only dipped my toe into lomography, want so bad to learn more!) I really want the hipstamatic app.
C'mon Blackberry, you're gonna lose this seven year customer for a couple cool camera apps.
image credit: From Me To You
Jamie is darling but SO TALENTED. You have to check out her tumblr. She can make a plain ole beer look better than champagne.
I shouldn't have a need for instagr.am, given that I have albums from the 70's and 80's that are full of original photos with rounded borders, Polaroid-esque white frames and "Filters" (which used to be just plain old bad lighting). But seeing the fun photos on blogs makes me want to trade in my Blackberry for an iPhone just to have this cool app (please Blackberry?).
And despite my splurge on a Diana camera (only dipped my toe into lomography, want so bad to learn more!) I really want the hipstamatic app.
C'mon Blackberry, you're gonna lose this seven year customer for a couple cool camera apps.
image credit: From Me To You
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