Robotics?

robotics are all the rage these days. high school students design and compete with them. the japanese think they might become our future caregivers and companions. even though that's interesting this is a health/fitness blog so no robotics only probiotics and especially prebiotics.
there has been quite a bit of press on probiotics-those fermented foods- like sauerkraut, kimchi and  kombucha tea. the best known is probably yogurt, just make sure it has live cultures and preferably not much sugar.

but for optimal, overall health we also require prebiotics.  so here's a crash course on these important anti-inflammatory "good" bacterias. prebiotics are the nutrients for probiotics and are a type of food fiber found primarily in plants. no food contains both so if we want our probiotics to be healthy-which we do-we need to supply them with enough prebiotics. you could take supplements, some foods have prebiotics added to them or you can get them from the real thing. some examples are apples, almonds, honey, whole grain oats, bananas, raw onions, garlic, asparagus and dandelion greens. to get an added benefit combine a pre and probiotic such as having your yogurt with a banana.

so how much do you need and can you get enough from food? our early hunter gatherer ancestors are thought to have eaten around 135 grams a day while the recommended amount for us is only 5-8 grams a day! so what might you eat to equal that amount- about 1 ounce of dandelion greens, a half ounce of sunchokes or about 2 ounces of raw leeks-sounds like a salad to me.

there is more research currently being done on the importance of prebiotics. but if you need some more reasons to boost your intake of prebiotics- they may also help with calcium absorption and  help with weight loss, too.

Ten Best Classic Exercises, cont.

women are especially at risk for losing strength in their upper bodies (we have less to begin with than men) especially as we age. i probably realized this fact- as well as the resulting flabby upper arms-a little too late. how did i not notice this? i won't mention any of the many names for this reality but you know what i'm talking about. strength is most  important to maintain but aren't we all just a little vain no matter what our age?
all is not lost but improvement takes consistent work and with weight. one classic exercise that targets the triceps as well as the shoulders and the muscles along the neck is the shoulder press. anyone can do this, all you need are some dumbbells or at least some kind of weight that you can hold in each hand.

• stand straight with a slight knee bend
• holding the weights raise your arms with bent elbows (but don't lock them) so that the weights are at about ear height. use a relaxed grip with the weights
• your palms should be facing forward
• raise (press) the weights over head
• lower back down-not too far down- elbows should be around shoulder height. elbows should also stay in line with your body- you don't want them to move behind you
• repeat for 8-12 reps

looking for an added challenge-do the shoulder press while sitting on a stability ball. change will happen, just not overnight and you really do need to progress the weight. if it doesn't take much effort to do 12 reps it's time to progress (increase) the weight.

Personal Training @ Studio 65

there has been some confusion about how studio 65 fitness works. my approach is centered on functional movement, strength training and cardio to enhance overall health and fitness using classic exercises and the best in new equipment. an approach also taken by the master trainer that i posted about last week.  unlike many personal trainers i will (if you are interested) teach you how to workout on your own with the most efficient use of your time. many people don't have the discipline to work out on their own but if you do, for instance after you get started, i might only see you once a month to chart your progress and to show you some different exercises to keep things interesting.  there are no contracts to sign here. or you might like to come with a friend, something that helps many people commit since you support and encourage each other. and of course  i will always be there to offer you  support and encouragement.

my goal is to help people-especially women-learn to love (ok like) working out so that as we age we can improve-or at least maintain-our health, strength and weight. twenty five dollars for thirty minutes, thats all it takes.

any questions? just email me at studio65fitness@gmail.com

Personal Training Session

i had the opportunity this past weekend to spend some time at a private gym observing a master trainer with his client. the 3 room gym was filled with sleek black or silver exercise machines. each room had a purpose-one for serious weight lifting, one for the lower body and one for upper body and cardio. a machine to work out every part of the body. most had seats and many had seats with backrests. so what did the trainer have his client do for 30 minutes? not anything that involved a machine. he had his client do 3 sets, about 10 reps each of 5 different exercises (such as some of my 10 best) using dumb bells, the vipr* and body weight movements. the client never sat down until the very end when the workout was over.

does this tell you anything? it should.

*the vipr is a relatively new piece of exercise equipment that comes in different weights that looks like a large tube with various handles cut out of it. many types of movements can be done by holding it in various positions.

Close Encounters....

it has gotten warm here again*, very warm for the end of september so the crickets are back chirping away which doesn't usually bother me but they have decided to also chirp away in my basement. now that would be ok too as they are harmless to humans but they have also been coming up into the house and besides being noisy they are unusually big! bugs don't usually freak me out much but when they get past about 2 inches  and when you are not expecting them to be in your bathroom in the middle of the night it is a little unnerving.  so what does this have to do with fitness or nutrition? they are now being considered as the next best protein filled, gluten free, sustainable, paleo- although not vegan- flour! without going into too much detail they are roasted and ground up. already several companies are making protein bars and various cake/cookie blends. by weight the flour has half the amount of protein of chicken or beef although those who are allergic to seafood should not indulge. sustainable is the big word here in talking about protein as the cost (and i don't mean just money) of beef, chicken and pork protein is huge.
i've had so many close encounters lately that for a gluten free flour with protein i will just stick with almond and buckwheat flours- for now.


*too hot for soup recipe and this topic seems to be jumping out all over

Anniversary!

this post represents my 52nd weekly blog post-a complete year!-so instead of my usual topics on fitness/food/lifestyle i would like to thank my readers for going on this journey with me. i hope you will continue to do so and recommend my blog to others. the easiest way to keep in touch is to add your email address in the box above my photo, hit submit and you will receive the current post in your mail box.
this first day of fall is beautiful so i am going for a walk-hope you can too. back to topics next week.

ps: please remember that besides being a fitness blogger that i am also a certified trainer and would be happy to meet you for a complimentary session. studio65fitness@gmail.com

Gluten Free/What's in a Name?

living gluten free i've been researching other types of flours/grains that are also more healthy than some of those that are used in gluten free products and baking-like buckwheat. this great seed, not a grain, is from a plant related to rhubarb (who knew?) and has been cultivated for thousands of years in china, japan and korea. it also goes by the name "kasha" in eastern europe where it has been a food staple for many years. most are familiar with the japanese term "soba" noodles and in korea buckwheat noodles are called "naeng myun". some soba noodles contain wheat but the korean variety is usually made with some sweet potato flour so is completely gluten free.
ok. but what about the name buckwheat? no one is certain but it has something to do with its shape that resembles the seeds of beech trees which led to the name beechwheat that then became buckwheat. really!
buckwheat has no gluten and is low on the glycemic scale. a cup of the flour has about 580 calories, 23 grams of protein and good amount of iron, b-2, b-3, b-6, magnesium and is high in fiber. once opened the flour should be stored in the frig.
recently having run out of almond flour i made my "better breakfast" muffins* using all buckwheat flour. the flavor was quite strong although not unpleasant and their texture was a little dense. i think combining some of the buckwheat flour with the almond flour will make a good combination. of course pancakes are made from buckwheat and in france, their "galettes" are actually thin buckwheat pancakes-but please call them crepes.
as fall will be arriving next week, i will share my version (hot not cold) of the traditional korean soup using naeng myun.
so meanwhile don't let the name fool you and give buckwheat a try.

*blog post 4/15/14