number ten has various names-spinal extension, arm/leg extension, superman (woman) and pilates swimming. i like these last two and if you can imagine yourself "swimming" or flying through the air like superman while laying on the floor you have a good visual of what you will be doing.
this exercise works many muscles including your erector spine (flexes the spine), quadratus lumborum (flexes the trunk) and the infraspinatus (muscles that help stabilize your shoulders)-all very important. your own body weight is enough and it is important to have correct form. remember to breathe and start slowly-these are muscles that are often neglected so you might feel some soreness but just like with any exercise if you feel any pain stop.
how to:
lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended straight out. your legs should be hip distance apart and your arms shoulder distance apart. palms down, toes pointed and face towards the floor. lift your arms and legs off the floor. making small movements like your are kicking in water lift one leg and the opposite arm a little higher while lowering the other pair. after repeating the "swimming" several times go back to the start position then back down flat on the floor. don't get discouraged if you can only do a few of these. like i mentioned these are muscles that many of us neglect. as you do this exercise make sure to keep your arms and legs straight, hips down and your shoulders down and back. the goal is a fluid motion with proper form not how high you raise your arms and legs.
so this completes my ten best classic exercises. if you regularly do a combination of them along with alternating aerobic activities you actually could become a superwoman (or superman-i do have some male followers)!
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Gluten Free Buckwheat Noodle Soup
winter is just about here when a bowl of soup and a salad make a great meal, especially if it is a hearty soup (and i don't mean campbells). this is my hot version of a traditionally cold buckwheat noodle soup from korea called naeng myun. the traditional cold version features a rich broth* that was then poured into a bowl containing cooked buckwheat noodles, kimchee juice, some vegetables a soft boiled egg and some julienned pear or apple to offset the tartness from the kimchee juice. as this was a summer meal it was meant to be light.
so here is my hot version -hope you will give it a try. it is meant as a starting point and soups in general are quite flexible as to their ingredients. the meat and egg can be left out and with vegetable broth you will have a vegan version.
ingredients:
1/2pkg buckwheat noodles (also called soba) cooked according to pkg. and drained. if you want gluten free make sure you buy the korean variety made with buckwheat and sweet potato flour.
4 cups broth of your choice
2 cups fresh baby spinach or other greens of your choice such as arugula, cabbage, etc.
1 onion cut into thin slices
1 bunch scallions cut into 1" pieces inc. green ends
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
3 large garlic cloves minced (or more!)
3" piece of fresh ginger grated
1-2 cups cooked meat of your choice, diced
1 tablespoon each of sesame seed oil, g-free soy sauce, vinegar of choice and rice wine vinegar
(or 2 tbl of whatever vinegar you have on hand or the same amount of kimchee juice if you want a more traditional and spicier soup.
salt and pepper to taste.
optional-cooked egg, julienned pear or apple, sesame seeds
method
cook noodles, set aside
saute onions in sesame seed oil until they soften
add in scallions, garlic, ginger and sauté over medium heat for several minutes
heat broth, add in above plus the mushrooms, fresh greens, meat, vinegars and soy sauce
bring to a slow boil, let simmer for several minutes
taste-adjust seasonings if needed
laddle soup into bowls containing a good portion of noodles
add the optional ingredients if desired-enjoy
*hot broth is the new thing in nyc this winter instead of coffee
so here is my hot version -hope you will give it a try. it is meant as a starting point and soups in general are quite flexible as to their ingredients. the meat and egg can be left out and with vegetable broth you will have a vegan version.
ingredients:
1/2pkg buckwheat noodles (also called soba) cooked according to pkg. and drained. if you want gluten free make sure you buy the korean variety made with buckwheat and sweet potato flour.
4 cups broth of your choice
2 cups fresh baby spinach or other greens of your choice such as arugula, cabbage, etc.
1 onion cut into thin slices
1 bunch scallions cut into 1" pieces inc. green ends
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
3 large garlic cloves minced (or more!)
3" piece of fresh ginger grated
1-2 cups cooked meat of your choice, diced
1 tablespoon each of sesame seed oil, g-free soy sauce, vinegar of choice and rice wine vinegar
(or 2 tbl of whatever vinegar you have on hand or the same amount of kimchee juice if you want a more traditional and spicier soup.
salt and pepper to taste.
optional-cooked egg, julienned pear or apple, sesame seeds
method
cook noodles, set aside
saute onions in sesame seed oil until they soften
add in scallions, garlic, ginger and sauté over medium heat for several minutes
heat broth, add in above plus the mushrooms, fresh greens, meat, vinegars and soy sauce
bring to a slow boil, let simmer for several minutes
taste-adjust seasonings if needed
laddle soup into bowls containing a good portion of noodles
add the optional ingredients if desired-enjoy
*hot broth is the new thing in nyc this winter instead of coffee
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Ten Best Classic Exercises-Number 9
the wall sit
since we just had our first snow here and many ski areas are already open the wall sit comes to mind as many consider it a "getting ready to ski" exercise- but it is more than just that. my late husband was an avid skier so when i met him i learned too but this was before i exercised and also when i had a desk job. the results-after my first weekend on the bunny slope every part of my body hurt and i could not hardly walk. forget stairs!
the wall sit works all the muscles isometrically-you are not moving but staying in one position until the "burn" and you just can't do it any longer. your body should form 90 degree angles and at the end you need to stand back up, not collapse to the floor.
all you do is stand against a wall, walk your feet out while sliding your upper body down the wall until you are sitting, sitting on air. it is important to keep your head up looking forward, pull in those abs, keep your knees over your ankles and your feet flat on the floor. rest your hands on your hips or lap. that's all there is to it.
the wall sit is another classic exercise that you can do anywhere, no equipment needed and that will make you stronger. i certainly learned my lesson after that first weekend skiing about being stronger. even if skiing is not in your future plenty of stairs will be.
since we just had our first snow here and many ski areas are already open the wall sit comes to mind as many consider it a "getting ready to ski" exercise- but it is more than just that. my late husband was an avid skier so when i met him i learned too but this was before i exercised and also when i had a desk job. the results-after my first weekend on the bunny slope every part of my body hurt and i could not hardly walk. forget stairs!
the wall sit works all the muscles isometrically-you are not moving but staying in one position until the "burn" and you just can't do it any longer. your body should form 90 degree angles and at the end you need to stand back up, not collapse to the floor.
all you do is stand against a wall, walk your feet out while sliding your upper body down the wall until you are sitting, sitting on air. it is important to keep your head up looking forward, pull in those abs, keep your knees over your ankles and your feet flat on the floor. rest your hands on your hips or lap. that's all there is to it.
the wall sit is another classic exercise that you can do anywhere, no equipment needed and that will make you stronger. i certainly learned my lesson after that first weekend skiing about being stronger. even if skiing is not in your future plenty of stairs will be.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Be Mindful/Give Thanks
brian wansink, phd who wrote "mindless eating" has a new book titled "slim by design". since i am interested, as many of you are, in mindfulness, design and slimness i thought i would check it out. he writes on how to redesign the main locales in which we encounter food-our kitchens, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. -to promote healthier, mindful eating that may also lead us to being slimmer. one of his main ideas is that it is easier to change our environments than to change our minds.
some of his ideas, based on research, should be familiar. here is a selection of some of his main suggestions.*
*if you're interested in promoting change in your workplace or children's school i suggest you take the time to read the book.
some of his ideas, based on research, should be familiar. here is a selection of some of his main suggestions.*
- willpower alone does not work for most people with 75% of dieters giving up in the first month of their diets. small changes that you can live with work best for a steady weight loss.
- don't hang out in the kitchen! the only food on your kitchen counters should be a big bowl of fruit. this is basically the out of sight out of mind rule and he also suggest using this rule in arranging your cabinets, pantry and frig. wrap that leftover piece of pecan pie in aluminum foil not clear wrap so that it's not staring at you every time you open the door
- use smaller plates! his research also indicates that if the plate is close to the color as the food that is on it that we will eat 18% more food. i'm not so sure that i believe this one.
- speaking of color-the best kitchen colors are mid tones-not too dark nor too light (although white kitchens seem to be making a comeback lately). ok but we are not supposed to be hanging out in the kitchen anyway
- if you have a dining room and use it, dim the lights and have soft music playing. it should slow everyone down giving our brains a chance to tell us when we are full
- of course no bread at restaurants but always get water even when having wine or a cocktail
- and these are my tips-many times when you think you are hungry what your body needs is water so give it what it really needs. and if you are not hungry enough to eat a piece of fruit guess what, you aren't hungry- you're doing mindless eating and it probably has a lot of calories!
*if you're interested in promoting change in your workplace or children's school i suggest you take the time to read the book.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Hungry?
recently some friends and i were commenting on how we feel hungry all the time! and not, it seems, hungry for more apples or carrots but more for brownies or mashed potatoes. maybe you've been feeling this way, too. so what's going on?
it is not our imagination, we do tend to eat more in the winter-200 more calories a day on average- with most adults gaining 1-2 pounds over the winter. that wouldn't be so bad if the weight were lost in the spring but many times it just adds up with many 50 year olds being 30 pounds heavier that they were in high school-not a good thing.
there is debate on why this happens but it is probably a combination of factors. if you think about evolution we needed extra calories to get us through the winter when food might be scarce. the colder temperatures in winter (unless you head down south) drop our body temps which signals our brains to tell us to warm up and one of the fastest ways to do this is to consume carbs and sugars that "heat up" the body quickly. this in turn can create that spike in insulin that just makes us crave even more calories. carbs and sugars are not in the comfort foods category for no reason. we feel better after eating them as they make our serotonin levels rise. another factor is that many of us exercise less in the winter causing our serotonin levels to drop. i think we can see what is happening here.
it's also harder what with less sunlight, holiday parties, snow, and/or family expectations to not give in to all the stresses and food treats that are more common this time of year. but be aware-try to keep up with exercise and if you are feeling hungry or moody try having a snack containing fiber and some protein rather than just empty calories-as comforting as they might be. you might think so but remember that the third cookie or second piece of pie will not taste any better or make you much happier than the first!
it is not our imagination, we do tend to eat more in the winter-200 more calories a day on average- with most adults gaining 1-2 pounds over the winter. that wouldn't be so bad if the weight were lost in the spring but many times it just adds up with many 50 year olds being 30 pounds heavier that they were in high school-not a good thing.
there is debate on why this happens but it is probably a combination of factors. if you think about evolution we needed extra calories to get us through the winter when food might be scarce. the colder temperatures in winter (unless you head down south) drop our body temps which signals our brains to tell us to warm up and one of the fastest ways to do this is to consume carbs and sugars that "heat up" the body quickly. this in turn can create that spike in insulin that just makes us crave even more calories. carbs and sugars are not in the comfort foods category for no reason. we feel better after eating them as they make our serotonin levels rise. another factor is that many of us exercise less in the winter causing our serotonin levels to drop. i think we can see what is happening here.
it's also harder what with less sunlight, holiday parties, snow, and/or family expectations to not give in to all the stresses and food treats that are more common this time of year. but be aware-try to keep up with exercise and if you are feeling hungry or moody try having a snack containing fiber and some protein rather than just empty calories-as comforting as they might be. you might think so but remember that the third cookie or second piece of pie will not taste any better or make you much happier than the first!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Number 8-Best Classic Exercises
counting down-hope you have been doing some (all!) of these best classic exercises.* when i started with this exercise-the triceps dip, also called the bench dip- i could do maybe 2! triceps make up 66% of the backs of your upper arms. obviously named as there are 3 muscles that make up the triceps, they are especially important when lifting heavy objects. this exercise also works your core-an added benefit. all you need is a strong chair, bench or i even use my coffee table.
all you do is sit on the edge of whatever you are using with your palms on the edge and your fingers hanging down. keeping your arms straight and feeling your weight in your hands lift your hips off of the edge while moving your legs out in front of you. your feet should be flat on the floor making a right angle between your hips and body. while keeping your back straight and your head up lower your body down bending at the elbows without elevating your shoulders. press back up again-not with your legs- until your arms are straight and repeat. you will feel your triceps working!
start slowly and build up your strength and number of reps. as with any exercise if you feel any pain you should stop immediately but a little soreness is to be expected especially when using those muscles that have been waiting around for you to pay attention to them.
*although my blog title is "studio 65 functional fitness for women" and is geared towards women's health and fitness issues many posts, such as those about my ten best classic exercises, and others also apply to men.
all you do is sit on the edge of whatever you are using with your palms on the edge and your fingers hanging down. keeping your arms straight and feeling your weight in your hands lift your hips off of the edge while moving your legs out in front of you. your feet should be flat on the floor making a right angle between your hips and body. while keeping your back straight and your head up lower your body down bending at the elbows without elevating your shoulders. press back up again-not with your legs- until your arms are straight and repeat. you will feel your triceps working!
start slowly and build up your strength and number of reps. as with any exercise if you feel any pain you should stop immediately but a little soreness is to be expected especially when using those muscles that have been waiting around for you to pay attention to them.
*although my blog title is "studio 65 functional fitness for women" and is geared towards women's health and fitness issues many posts, such as those about my ten best classic exercises, and others also apply to men.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
goats head soup
vegans and vegetarians read no further but if you are paleo or just eat meat and/or care about the environment and sustainability then read on.
yes, i am a stones fan but no, their album titled "goats head soup" did not start me thinking about eating goat meat (history on the stones below). like many, my introduction to this meat (people here do consume goat cheese but little of the meat) was outside of the usa. this is not unusual as goat is the most widely eaten meat in the rest of the world. i had a tasty experience my first time with a goat meat stew-not head soup!- in the caribbean although many tourists get turned off by goat that is not prepared well and ends up dry and tough.
but give it another chance. goats are not raised (yet) in huge factory farms and are not given growth hormones. it has more flavor, more protein and iron than beef (see the chart below), is low in calories and has less fat than chicken. sounds pretty good. but because of the low fat content it benefits from recipes that add moisture during cooking such as stews or curries.
with a little searching you can probably find goat meat in your locale. i'm actually searching right now and plan to experiment with some recipes. will let you know.
comparisons: calories protein
3 ounces of goat 122 23 gr.
" beef 180 22
" chicken 162 21
so back to the stones. goats head soup was the stones 13th album and their 3rd number one album. we're way back in the 70"s here. they began recording in jamaica so it is thought that that is where the title came from. but i think there is a little more to the story as goat heads soup is thought by some to be an aphrodisiac.
yes, i am a stones fan but no, their album titled "goats head soup" did not start me thinking about eating goat meat (history on the stones below). like many, my introduction to this meat (people here do consume goat cheese but little of the meat) was outside of the usa. this is not unusual as goat is the most widely eaten meat in the rest of the world. i had a tasty experience my first time with a goat meat stew-not head soup!- in the caribbean although many tourists get turned off by goat that is not prepared well and ends up dry and tough.
but give it another chance. goats are not raised (yet) in huge factory farms and are not given growth hormones. it has more flavor, more protein and iron than beef (see the chart below), is low in calories and has less fat than chicken. sounds pretty good. but because of the low fat content it benefits from recipes that add moisture during cooking such as stews or curries.
with a little searching you can probably find goat meat in your locale. i'm actually searching right now and plan to experiment with some recipes. will let you know.
comparisons: calories protein
3 ounces of goat 122 23 gr.
" beef 180 22
" chicken 162 21
so back to the stones. goats head soup was the stones 13th album and their 3rd number one album. we're way back in the 70"s here. they began recording in jamaica so it is thought that that is where the title came from. but i think there is a little more to the story as goat heads soup is thought by some to be an aphrodisiac.
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