Marilu Henner's Blog, page 170

10 hot exercise trends

Looking for a new way to work out? Try one of these!

Boot Camp * high-intensity military-style workout.

Spinning * invigorating, sweat-producing, group indoor biking.

Buddy System * partner workout.

Zumba * world dance moves plus aerobics.

TRZ Suspension Trainer * apparatus attaches to something solid, body weight creates resistance.

Interval Training * alternating bursts of high- and low-intensity work.

Strength Training * developing muscles; often uses free weights or weight machines.

Aerojump * swinging and jumping that burns 450 calories in 10 minutes.

Piloxing * figure-polishing, core-strengthening Pilates blended with boxing moves.

Kangoo Jumps * shapes legs and booty with a reinvented 90′s workout.

 

Roughing it

One of the ways your body takes care of itself is with its waste disposal system. The system works best when it has sufficient fiber to carry the waste. Yes, fiber is your personal garbage collector.

What is fiber? * Fiber is plant roughage. Animal-derived foods have zero fiber. Plant roughage is the part of beans, grains, seeds, nuts, vegetables, and fruits that resists digestion.

What does fiber do? * Fiber moves everything through your intestines, picking up and pushing it through, even scrubbing it clean as it goes. Fiber also absorbs all the chemicals and toxins you've ingested and gets rid of them.

How does it work? * The waste disposal system in your body starts with the liver, which continuously filters your blood. As your blood passes through the liver's network of capillaries, liver cells remove toxins, chemicals, cholesterol, medications, waste hormones, and whatever else your body doesn't want. These undesirables are sent from the liver through the bile duct and into your intestine. There, fiber soaks up this waste bile and carries it out with other waste products.

As long as you're eating lots of plant foods, your waste disposal system will work pretty well. If you eat a lot of animal-derived foods, the liver filters out the toxins and chemicals, sends them through the bile duct, and then… they have nowhere to go. So they get reabsorbed back into your bloodstream, and the whole process starts over. Think of it this way – not enough fiber equals a higher percentage of waste in your blood. And that makes your blood the garbage dump… and not the toilet.

Eat your fiber.

 

Twist your way to a new waist

Work your obliques! Obliques are part of your abdominal core, so making them strong helps with your total core strength. They also make your waist look smaller when they're toned.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Rest your head in your hands, but keep your shoulders back and relaxed (like you're going to do a sit-up).
Raise just one shoulder blade up while pressing the other to the floor. As you raise up, twist to move your elbow in the direction of your opposite knee, squeezing from your abs and waist. Press your back firmly to the floor throughout the movement — don't let it arch.
Slowly lower your shoulder blade to the floor and repeat.
Do two sets of eight to 12 repetitions per side.
Look hot in your bathing suit!

Of course, you can firm up those obliques with dance, too. Remember The Twist? (Maybe not, but you can still do it!)

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/1-14 Twist and Shout.mp3

 

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Green salad with tahini dressing

We all know that salads can be incredibly unhealthy – it all depends on what you put on them. This salad has the good plant fats from avocado and sunflower seeds, as well as a homemade tahini-based dressing.

Making your own dressing is simple, and you always know what's in it. No chemicals, no fake colors or flavors, no stabilizers or thickeners… just food. And isn't that what you'd rather eat?

If the farmer's market is open in your area, make it one of your regular stops for produce. Salad greens are one of the earliest foods ready from the garden, so make good use of salad season while you can!

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Green Salad

Blue * Serves 6-8

6 big handfuls organic salad greens

1/2 organic avocado, cut up

1/2 cup organic cucumber, sliced

8 organic cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 teaspoon Spike

1 cup organic tahini

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup water

In a large bowl, combine salad greens, avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. Put garlic, Spike, tahini, cumin, and lemon juice into a food processor or blender and pulse to blend. Add water, bit by bit, until you achieve the proper consistency of dressing. Pour onto mixed greens and toss.

 

Spirit Sunday * Serendipity

 

Every day brings some kind of gift that you don't have to plan for or make happen.

What gifts will you find today? Take special notice of them; enjoy them; be grateful for them.

 

Register now for Dr Joel Fuhrman's Health Getaway – with Marilu!

Dr. Fuhrman's 2011 Health Getaway

June 26 – July 2, 2011

The Grand Summit Hotel, Park City, Utah

Dr. Fuhrman invites you to join his 2011 annual Health Getaway. From the moment you arrive at Canyons Resort an inspiring, learning and fun-filled stay awaits. Daily events include lectures and workshops led by Dr. Fuhrman, delicious high-nutrient nutritarian cuisine, health screenings and planned social events. Dr. Fuhrman's program is a health-promoting life-changing experience for you and your loved ones.

Dr. Fuhrman is pleased to announce this year's special celebrity guest emcee, Marilu Henner!

All-inclusive package includes *

Daily lectures presented by Dr. Fuhrman on the latest nutritional research
Dr. Fuhrman's nutritarian cuisine at every meal
Deluxe accommodations
Health screening
Cooking demonstrations
Exercise classes – twice daily
Roundtable discussions – "living it" with Lisa Fuhrman
Discussion groups to support you in a nutritarian lifestyle
Fun and activities for the whole family
Outdoor pool
Whirlpool tub
Scenic gondola rides
Hiking / mountain bike trails
Each room comes with complimentary wireless high speed internet
Welcome gift for each guest

Find more information here.

 

Pick it up, firm it up

Member Kecia suggests taking a bag along for trash when you go on a walk.

I challenge everyone, while you are out, if you see a piece of trash, pick it up. Think how lovely our planet would be if we all did this every time we walked.

Plus, when you bend down, you can do a squat! Think about how great your booty can be!

~ Kecia

 

Fitness Friday * Make that booty go!

Today's song is a small show of thanks to Chef Ryan for sharing his foodie expertise with us these past two weeks in the Mix It Up March online class. It may seem like an unusual choice, but Ryan's been around THMers for over a decade, and he knows we talk about all kinds of things here – including thongs.

For you? It's time to get up and get moving. Use the song to motivate you as you pick up your office before leaving for the weekend, or to get you to "shake that thing" as you prepare dinner.

Just make that booty go! Swivel your hips, shake what your momma gave you, move your ass-ets.

Note: Explicit

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/08 Thong Song.mp3

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Amazon.com Widgets

 

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Apple and pomegranate crisp

Are you ready to tackle a pomegranate? Chef Ryan has a great method for getting the pips (fruity seeds) out of the shell without making too big a mess.

Look for firm, red fruit, that's not bruised or soft. Cut pomegranate in half along the equator (like a grapefruit) then hold it cut side down in the palm of your nondominant hand over a bowl. Smack it with a heavy spoon until most of the pips are out. The smacks should be firm; if you were hitting yourself on the thigh with the smacks it would smart but not bruise/welt.

That will get a good 80% of the pipping done, the rest is by hand. The fruit will still spatter a bit, so you might want to do this with the bowl in the sink, to help contain the spatters. There may be a few pieces of white membrane among the pips, but you can just pick those out.

This recipe is adapted from The Dana Farber Report.

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Apple and Pomegranate Crisp

Yellow * Serves 12

4 medium apples, peeled cored and sliced

1/2 pomegranate, skin and light colored membrane removed

1 cup Sucanat®

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, toss together the apples, pomegranate seeds, 1/2 cup Sucanat®, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

In the same bowl stir together the oats, flour, and remaining Sucanat®. Rub in the margarine between your fingers until the mixture resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping browns. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Save water * be healthy (you AND the planet)

Saving water is good for your health, and for the planet. Even your food choices can make a real difference.

Eat cereal. It takes 72 gallons of water to grow two eggs. 22 gallons for cereal w/milk. (And less for plant-milk.)

Eat healthy. It takes 49 gallons of H20 to make a bag of chips, but 18 to grow an apple.

Skip dessert. It takes 2,847 gallons of water to make a serving of chocolate.

Skip the fast food. It takes 634 gallons of water to make a hamburger.

Skip the cocktail. It takes 31 gallons of water to make a glass of wine.

Enjoy a vegetarian meal. The water footprint of a pound of beef is 1,500 gallons.

Skip the second cup. It takes 37 gallons of water to make a cup of coffee.

~ from 30 Days of H2O, The Nature Conservancy