Marilu Henner's Blog, page 181

Pump it up!

In honor of one of Marilu's favorite reality tv shows (hint: new season started last night), we've got a great song today. This will get your body moving – so turn on your speakers, get out of your chair, and get ready to pump it up, rock it out, and shake that thing!

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/05 - Lets Get Loud.mp3

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A little dab'll do ya!

Calories and fat grams can really add up on salad. Here are a few ways to reduce the amount of dressing you use. Enjoy the taste of the actual vegetables in your salad – don't obliterate them with the dressing.

Dilute salad dressing with a little bit of water and apply it with a small spray bottle.

Use your fork to drizzle salad dressing over your salad, instead of a spoon or pouring from the "on the side" cup or bottle.

At home, put your salad in a clean plastic produce bag (like the ones from the grocery store) and add 1 teaspoon of dressing per serving. Blow a little air in the bag if it's just for you, or "capture" a little air by grabbing the bag at the top. Twist it closed and shake the bag to distribute the dressing evenly.

 

Age doesn't matter

You're never too old to get healthy and to feel better than you do right now.

~ Marilu Henner

 

Life is a continuous process improvement program. Every day is an opportunity to feel better and be healthier than you were yesterday. Never give up on that daily opportunity – no matter how old (or young) you are, no matter what health challenges you're facing. Choose to do better today than you did yesterday.

 

Morning jumpstart

Start your day off right – and fit everything in with a simple routine. If you're confused about how to fit in dry skin brushing, this morning jumpstart will help you understand it.

The night before *

Check your calendar for tomorrow.
Select your clothes for tomorrow based on your calendar. Lay them out.
Select your workout clothes for tomorrow. Put them in the bathroom.
Wash and moisturize your face!
Drink a glass of water.

In the morning *

Drink a glass of water.
Skin brush.
Put on those very convenient workout clothes before you talk yourself out of exercise.
Work out!
Shower and dress for the day.

 

Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Pumpkin oatmeal

Your mom was right – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Start off a cold winter day with pumpkin oatmeal. More flavor, more excitement, more nutrients, and more fiber – yum! (And it's vegan!)

Time saving bonus – you can make the whole recipe and just keep the extra in the fridge for a few days. Warm it up with a little extra almond milk, and you're good to go with very little prep time.

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Pumpkin Oatmeal

Blue * Serves 4-6

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

2 cups water

2 cups plain almond milk

4 Tablespoons dried cranberries

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Maple syrup or agave syrup, for serving

Chopped pecans, for serving

Additional almond milk, for serving (if desired)

In large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the pumpkin, water, milk, dried cranberries, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Bring to a boil.

Add the oatmeal. Turn the heat down and cook about 15 minutes. Stir often. Once the oatmeal is cooked, serve with maple syrup or agave syrup on the side, chopped pecans to sprinkle on top, and almond milk for those who like creamier oatmeal.

 

Rise above

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States. MLK was a powerful leader and a strong voice in the battle for civil rights in the 1960′s. He lived his convictions every day. He never doubted his responsibility to the world at large.

While we're here trying to meet our personal goals of weight loss and better health, it's good to remember why we're choosing to do that. If we're only here for vanity, then our lives will lack meaning. Become your best so you can make an impact on your community and the world. And don't wait until you're at your best (it's a journey, you know? It's going to take a lifetime!) to start doing some good.

What will you do today to make a difference?

Side note * If you're ever in Memphis, the National Civil Rights Museum is a really good place to learn (or be reminded) about the fight for civil rights in the USA.

 

Spirit Sunday * You're amazing

We can't all be Miss America, but we can all be amazing.

And you are. YOU are amazing.

We hear (especially in January) about all the ways we can improve ourselves, and sometimes we forget that we're pretty darn good just the way we are. In the grand scheme of things, we're doing fine. Sure, we want to improve something (or a few things), but that's because the opposite of improving is letting it go, and that's just not who we are. So work on your goals, aspire to be greater than you are today, but never forget…

you're amazing, just the way you are.

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/02 - Just The Way You Are.mp3

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Marilu on The View

Set your DVRs for next Thursday, January 20 to see Marilu and others with superior autobiographical memory on The View.

The show airs on ABC at 11 AM Eastern (check local listings to verify).

 

Tune in tomorrow night

Remember to watch the Miss America Pageant tomorrow night on ABC – 9 PM Eastern.

Marilu is judging the competition. While the judges don't get a lot of airtime, we know she and the other judges have been impressed by a lot of the contestants. As Marc Cherry said on Joy Behar's show the other night, there are a lot of young people getting attention for negative behavior – why not check out some young women who are making a positive impact in the world?

 

And the swimsuit competition…

This is the Miss America competition that riles up the feminists. It's supposed to be about fitness, and how well the contestants take care of their bodies. The thing is, we'd all love to look that good in a bikini. And we know that it does take effort to look that good. Regular, frequent (daily), deliberate workouts get those results.

So scorn the swimsuits all you want. They really do show what a serious fitness routine can do for you.

Now get up and get moving. For real.

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/09 - Bad Body Double.mp3

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