Inspired by: Nina Bentley

i first met nina bentley as we are both visual artists and belong to the same artist’s organization. but there is another side to nina that many are surprised to learn-she is an avid rower. now nina does not look like what most of us would think of as rowers-­young, ivy league college men-­so as a land only rower (so far) i was interested in how nina got involved with this unique, challenging sport and she agreed to talk with me.
nina has always been athletic. in high school she played volleyball and was a cheerleader. in college she played field hockey; at age 20 began playing tennis and has done so for 40 years; learned to ski at 30 and for the past 5 years has been rowing. i’ll say she's active and she still finds time to make art! feeling energized after loosing weight, she had often noticed the rowing club in her town and just decided to give it a go. in her learning to row classes she was initially fearful about falling into the water but the more she learned, the more confident she became, the greater the sense of accomplishment she felt. the fear and nervousness vanished. nina explained how technically difficult rowing is­-there are many adjustments to the boat and much  precision is needed by the group to row in sequence. rowing can be a single or a group activity and nina does both. as you can see by the photo the group has fun on the water. they also meet socially off the water.
nina rows 3 days a week. in the winter many rowers work indoors on an ergometer. one needs to have strong lower body and core muscles to row and either on land or water it is an excellent total body workout.
nina has inspired me to try the real thing. think about what new activity or sport you might like to try and like nina, don’t be held back by doubts or fears. go ahead and give it a try and ­you could be rewarded in ways you haven’t even considered-­just like nina.

to view nina's art www.ninabentley.com

this is the link for the type of ergometer (rowing machine) that i use www.waterrower.com
you might have also see it on season 1 and 2 of "house of cards". the resistance is actually created by water making it seem more like the real thing.

nina is 3rd from right in the red wig

Jumping Into Spring

have some fun with this basic, easy to do exercise that really works. what is it? jumping rope of course. the equipment is not expensive, you can take it anywhere and it can be less stressful to your joints than jogging. that being said if you have knee and/or lower back issues this might not be your best choice.  but otherwise it is a quick way to really boost your metabolism, get a full body workout and burn calories. there are a few tips to get it right-if possible jump on a wood floor or an impact mat; keep your elbows loose and turn your wrists not your arms. try to be light on your feet and try different foot positions. to size a rope, step on it while holding the handles-the handles should reach your armpits. if you haven't jumped rope since you were a kid start slowly-say 1-2 minute intervals and work your time up as you build endurance. doing some strength work in-between, some squats or bicep curls, makes for an even more complete workout.
coming next week-an interview with nina b.-artist and rower extraordinaire

Gluten Free Better Breakfast Muffins

this is a quick, easy breakfast muffin recipe that is low sugar, gluten free and has protein. make a double batch and freeze some for those days when you need a quick, but healthy breakfast. i like them with some almond butter and/or some fruit jam. they also make a healthy, balanced afternoon snack.

GLUTEN FREE BETTER BREAKFAST MUFFINS

1 1/2 cup almond flour plus ( if this is too complicated for you just use 2 1/2 cup of almond flour. muffins will still have some protein as almond flour has more than wheat flour )
 1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup golden flaxseed meal
2  tbl. hemp protein powder or protein powder of your choice
1 1/2 tbl. shredded coconut (unsweetened)
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1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or nut of your choice
1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit
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1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degress.  line muffin pan with cup cake papers or lightly oil.  in a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients. stir. in a separate bowl lightly whisk the eggs then combine with the rest of the wet ingredients. pour into the dry ingredients and mix with a large spoon. drop by tablespoons into the pan. i usually get 10 muffins out of this recipe. bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. let cool on a rack . if freezing make sure that the muffins are cool before you wrap and store them.

gluten free better breakfast muffins

Better Breakfast

prior to my annual physical i had blood work done the other morning which meant no breakfast until after it was done (by jose the vampire no less!). not a big deal but i love breakfast and not just for the caffeine boost so i couldn't wait to get back home. no fast food breakfast for me. i hope you like breakfast too. many people, especially women, skip this meal but there are quite a few reasons why that is not a good idea: women who skip breakfast have a increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes; men and women have increased risk of heart disease, elevated blood sugar levels and hypertension if they skip; many studies have shown that to lose weight and keep it off over time eating breakfast is a key factor;  when you eat breakfast everyday your memory improves and you jump start your metabolism. it is important that you also eat breakfast within an hour of waking up to achieve the metabolism jump start. after all it is break fast.
the other important part of breakfast is that it is nutritious! that does not mean just sugar and carbs like in  a donut.
eggs, oatmeal, grapefruit, berries, plain greek yogurt, coffee or tea are all good choices. remember some of these from my last post on super foods?
what did i have when i got back home-water, coffee with coconut milk and my own special protein muffin with some almond butter. yum. i will post the recipe next week.
meanwhile if a better breakfast has not been part of your morning routine, please give it a try. it need not take much time to make and will make the rest of your day better.

Top Ten Super Foods

a few definitions*. first-the word nutrition comes from nourish "to provide with food or other substances necessary for life and growth." and food-"material consisting essentially of protein, fat and carbohydrate used in the body…to sustain growth, repair, vital processes and to furnish energy." i recently read that out of 125 medical schools only about 30 require any nutritional education!

i was thinking about nutrition in regards to top 10 super food lists. these  lists are interesting to compare in part because they are changing all the time as more research is being done and who is promoting what. dr. oz seems to be particularly popular-often after he does a segment on his show-yacon syrup is a recent example-the product will sell out.  kale has had a makeover and remember when all anyone knew about chia was "pets".

after reading many  lists two foods stood out as being mentioned most-broccoli and berries. the runners up-eggs, nuts and sweet potatoes. i predict there are also some fruits from south america that will soon be added to these  lists. here are some of the other super foods. do any make your list and more importantly how many are you eating for super nutrition?

ginger                                               quinoa
hemp                                                spinach
cocoa                                               black or green tea
wild salmon                                     oats
coconut oil                                       sea vegetables




*thank you webster's