Pearl Howie's Blog, page 20
June 20, 2014
Weekly Newsletter - Relaxation For Busy Minds and Bodies
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Monday 23rd June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week - All classes running as normal
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
Tuesday
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(1 space left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
New Beginners Taster Session - 1st Tuesday of every month
I know how hard it can be to walk into a new class, so I've decided to offer a new beginners taster session on the first Tuesday of every month from 6:45-7pm at Vestry Hall, in between our two regular classes.
If you have friends or relatives who would like to try a "mini-scoop" of Zumba Fitness they can now book in for this 15 minute taster.
Congratulations!
To the guys who completed their reward cards this week:
Elisa completed 5 classes!
Lee and Mary both completed 30 classes!
And, drum roll please…
Benita completed a whopping 70 classes!
Carers Group - Relaxation For Busy Minds and Bodies
On 3rd July I will be visiting the Carers Support Merton's women's group to give a book reading and answer Q&A about spa treatments and breaks, including how to get that all important me-time without breaking the bank.
The group is open to any women caring for someone with a long-term condition and aims to offer a little respite plus peer support and social interaction. Even if you're not caring for someone full time, perhaps just supporting a friend or neighbour, you can give Mary Goodwin a buzz on 020 8646 7515 to find out about everything Carers Support Merton has to offer. (It's a lot!)
The group meets on the first Thursday of every month 1:30 - 3.30pm. On 3rd July it will be in the Committee Room at Vestry Hall, but the group also often meets elsewhere, for instance local coffee shops, to vary the scenery.
I am more than happy to visit local groups for book readings and Q&A, so let me know if you need a speaker.
Dementia Hub Opening Merton
I was very privileged to go along to the opening (by Angela Rippon) of the new Dementia Hub in Mitcham.
It’s the national pilot for this type of centre, and I’m really excited that we are planning Zumba Gold chair classes as part of the program.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from dementia please do go and check out all the amazing services on offer. It was great to find out about so many things that are going on both locally and nationally, including working with primary school children to educate about this issue. Out of all of the comments made on the day it was the words of a young child that really moved me. When talking about her grandma’s illness she said; “It wasn’t just Grandma that got dementia when she was diagnosed, we all did. Because we’re a team and we all work together to make it better.”
Diary Dates
Thursday 3rd July - Carers Group
Friday 11th July - Salsa masterclass - Holistic Fitness
Friday 18th July - BELIEVE - Central/East London
A Special Thank You...
As most of you know I had a bike accident last week and it’s been a bit of a hectic week, squeezing in extra classes, hub launches, visits to the GP, bike shops and the police station. So a big Thank You for all of your support and kindness this week - especially when I was a little bit dizzy. Funnily enough it’s the balancing and stretching that’s been the hardest because of the little bit of whiplash, but fingers crossed I should be back on top form next week!
Much love, Pearl
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Monday 23rd June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week - All classes running as normal
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
Tuesday
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(1 space left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
New Beginners Taster Session - 1st Tuesday of every month
I know how hard it can be to walk into a new class, so I've decided to offer a new beginners taster session on the first Tuesday of every month from 6:45-7pm at Vestry Hall, in between our two regular classes.
If you have friends or relatives who would like to try a "mini-scoop" of Zumba Fitness they can now book in for this 15 minute taster.
Congratulations!
To the guys who completed their reward cards this week:
Elisa completed 5 classes!
Lee and Mary both completed 30 classes!
And, drum roll please…
Benita completed a whopping 70 classes!
Carers Group - Relaxation For Busy Minds and Bodies
On 3rd July I will be visiting the Carers Support Merton's women's group to give a book reading and answer Q&A about spa treatments and breaks, including how to get that all important me-time without breaking the bank.
The group is open to any women caring for someone with a long-term condition and aims to offer a little respite plus peer support and social interaction. Even if you're not caring for someone full time, perhaps just supporting a friend or neighbour, you can give Mary Goodwin a buzz on 020 8646 7515 to find out about everything Carers Support Merton has to offer. (It's a lot!)
The group meets on the first Thursday of every month 1:30 - 3.30pm. On 3rd July it will be in the Committee Room at Vestry Hall, but the group also often meets elsewhere, for instance local coffee shops, to vary the scenery.
I am more than happy to visit local groups for book readings and Q&A, so let me know if you need a speaker.
Dementia Hub Opening Merton
I was very privileged to go along to the opening (by Angela Rippon) of the new Dementia Hub in Mitcham.
It’s the national pilot for this type of centre, and I’m really excited that we are planning Zumba Gold chair classes as part of the program.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from dementia please do go and check out all the amazing services on offer. It was great to find out about so many things that are going on both locally and nationally, including working with primary school children to educate about this issue. Out of all of the comments made on the day it was the words of a young child that really moved me. When talking about her grandma’s illness she said; “It wasn’t just Grandma that got dementia when she was diagnosed, we all did. Because we’re a team and we all work together to make it better.”
Diary Dates
Thursday 3rd July - Carers Group
Friday 11th July - Salsa masterclass - Holistic Fitness
Friday 18th July - BELIEVE - Central/East London
A Special Thank You...
As most of you know I had a bike accident last week and it’s been a bit of a hectic week, squeezing in extra classes, hub launches, visits to the GP, bike shops and the police station. So a big Thank You for all of your support and kindness this week - especially when I was a little bit dizzy. Funnily enough it’s the balancing and stretching that’s been the hardest because of the little bit of whiplash, but fingers crossed I should be back on top form next week!
Much love, Pearl
June 13, 2014
Weekly Newsletter - Salsa Masterclass
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Monday 16th June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week - All classes running as normal
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
Today I'm again off to Lonesome Primary School in Mitcham to share the Zumba Love with the Zumba Kids!
Tuesday
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(1 space left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
Then I am stopping off at the Dementia Hub launch in Mitcham 2-4pm.
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Friday
I'm popping in for a Zumba Gold with the Goan Elders Group at lunchtime, and then off to teach a special Zumba class for a Mencap group in Mitcham.
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
Salsa Masterclass - Friday 11th July 7:30-9pm Holistic Fitness Wimbledon
Finally, the masterclass I have been dreaming of. We've flirted with the salsa in our classes, but now it's time to spend the night together in a Cuban nightclub (well, the Holistic Fitness studio) and get down and dirty like never before. If you love salsa you're going to love this, if you haven't got into it yet, now is the chance to let the rhythm really get under your skin.
Tickets are £10, refundable up until Friday 4th July. Holistic is a smaller space, so there are only 25 tickets but unfortunately Vestry is fully booked for Fridays. I know parking is a nightmare in Wimbledon so this is a great opportunity to leave the car behind and join me in Tortilla next door after class for a burrito and a frozen margarita! If you do want to drive there are a few streets I know where you can park after 6:30pm a short walk away.
Please leave your heels at home, as we only want to tear up the floor figuratively, not literally! Partners are welcome but this is not a partner style salsa night.
And yes Saturday morning will run as normal! I'm in training for Zumba Convention in Orlando in August which is nothing but late nights and early starts - but, you see, there I have an outdoor pool complex and Denny's Diner to get me up and running in the morning! A cold shower before breakfast will have to do.
Another cute video
from Beto Perez as he travels round the world. Check out the whole video, but it's 2.23 in that reminds me what I love about Zumba.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlnCPPjVZTk#t=26
Energy Beverage or Sports Drink?
When you are trying to stay cool and hydrated in the hot weather it's important to know the difference between these two types of drink - sold side by side with almost identical packaging in most supermarket fridges. It's especially important if you are picking up a drink before or after class.
An energy beverage is any drink with caffeine or a stimulant, like guarana - so just check the ingredients, even if the words "Energy" aren't used on the packaging. Drinking something like this is designed to give you a boost, which might seem a great idea before a class, but if it's a hot day that extra burst, plus the diuretic effects of the caffeine can leave you dehydrated.
A sports drink on the other hand normally has electrolytes or salts and sugars added to help you retain fluid and keep you hydrated, as well as replenish salt loss. These are a quick fix and I prefer to use them as a last resort. If I have time I'll try to replenish with good salts in my food, more fruit and vegetables, juices and water - but sometimes you will see me grab one on my way into class.
The truth is that the real impact of energy beverages is far from being understood, but the high caffeine level in some drinks (3 x a cup of coffee) plus the fact they can be downed so much more quickly than a hot cup of coffee mean that they can put your heart in danger, especially combined with a full on workout. In some countries these drinks are banned in gyms, and even in supermarkets are sold to only over 18s. I worry about the amount of caffeine I have as I adore coffee, so it's something I try to keep an eye on (my intake and general information).
It might seem obvious when you look at the packaging of a drink named "Relentless" (160mg caffeine) or even "Red Bull" (80mg caffeine in a can), but closer inspection of the original Lucozade Energy drink shows it too has 46mg caffeine per bottle. (If you're seriously drinking "Death Wish Coffee" at 660mg, ah well... what can I say?)
N.B. I found this on http://www.caffeineinformer.com/ - it's CRAZY the difference between the amount of caffeine in different coffee chains standard cappuccinos. Check out your drink here and see how it measures up!
Believe - Friday 18th July 2014
6pm - Doors Open
8-10pm - Masterclass
10pm - 2am - Club
The biggest Zumba Fitness event in the UK since the February 2012 fitness concert at the London Conference (and that was Zumba Instructors only), Believe is being held in a 2,000 person nightclub Troxy in E1. This is open to EVERYONE.
Tickets have not gone on sale yet - but I am in touch with MALOCA and official resellers to hopefully get my ticket and tickets for anyone else keen to come along. I also may have access to a VIP table for those who need to get out of the hurly burly.
Featuring Francesca Maria - above with me - (I have done her masterclass - she is awesome!) and top instructors from around the world and if anyone wants to take me up on it I will put money on Beto Perez being the special surprise guest!
£29 early bird, £35 and then £40 on the door. Please let me know as soon as you can if you are interested in coming along - this is going to be the official after party for the Instructor Academy (which goes on until Saturday bizarrely) so I am guessing that tickets will go fast!
Latest From Pearl Escapes
Here are some healthy (and not so healthy) recipes from me!
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/6/10_Oven_Roasted_Risotto_Recipe.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/6/10_Roasted_Pepper_and_Courgette_Pasta_Recipe.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Food/Pearls_White_Chocolate_and_Ginger_Cheesecake_Recipe.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Food/Chocolate_Buns_%28With_No_Processed_Sugar%29.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Food/Date_and_Cinnamon_Flapjacks_%28With_No_Added_Sugar%21%29.html
Thank You...
...as always for being wonderful - and please do let me know any requests, suggestions or questions you have, for classes, my website or this newsletter.
Much love, Pearl
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Monday 16th June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week - All classes running as normal
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
Today I'm again off to Lonesome Primary School in Mitcham to share the Zumba Love with the Zumba Kids!
Tuesday
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(1 space left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
Then I am stopping off at the Dementia Hub launch in Mitcham 2-4pm.
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Friday
I'm popping in for a Zumba Gold with the Goan Elders Group at lunchtime, and then off to teach a special Zumba class for a Mencap group in Mitcham.
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
Salsa Masterclass - Friday 11th July 7:30-9pm Holistic Fitness Wimbledon
Finally, the masterclass I have been dreaming of. We've flirted with the salsa in our classes, but now it's time to spend the night together in a Cuban nightclub (well, the Holistic Fitness studio) and get down and dirty like never before. If you love salsa you're going to love this, if you haven't got into it yet, now is the chance to let the rhythm really get under your skin.
Tickets are £10, refundable up until Friday 4th July. Holistic is a smaller space, so there are only 25 tickets but unfortunately Vestry is fully booked for Fridays. I know parking is a nightmare in Wimbledon so this is a great opportunity to leave the car behind and join me in Tortilla next door after class for a burrito and a frozen margarita! If you do want to drive there are a few streets I know where you can park after 6:30pm a short walk away.
Please leave your heels at home, as we only want to tear up the floor figuratively, not literally! Partners are welcome but this is not a partner style salsa night.
And yes Saturday morning will run as normal! I'm in training for Zumba Convention in Orlando in August which is nothing but late nights and early starts - but, you see, there I have an outdoor pool complex and Denny's Diner to get me up and running in the morning! A cold shower before breakfast will have to do.
Another cute video
from Beto Perez as he travels round the world. Check out the whole video, but it's 2.23 in that reminds me what I love about Zumba.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlnCPPjVZTk#t=26
Energy Beverage or Sports Drink?
When you are trying to stay cool and hydrated in the hot weather it's important to know the difference between these two types of drink - sold side by side with almost identical packaging in most supermarket fridges. It's especially important if you are picking up a drink before or after class.
An energy beverage is any drink with caffeine or a stimulant, like guarana - so just check the ingredients, even if the words "Energy" aren't used on the packaging. Drinking something like this is designed to give you a boost, which might seem a great idea before a class, but if it's a hot day that extra burst, plus the diuretic effects of the caffeine can leave you dehydrated.
A sports drink on the other hand normally has electrolytes or salts and sugars added to help you retain fluid and keep you hydrated, as well as replenish salt loss. These are a quick fix and I prefer to use them as a last resort. If I have time I'll try to replenish with good salts in my food, more fruit and vegetables, juices and water - but sometimes you will see me grab one on my way into class.
The truth is that the real impact of energy beverages is far from being understood, but the high caffeine level in some drinks (3 x a cup of coffee) plus the fact they can be downed so much more quickly than a hot cup of coffee mean that they can put your heart in danger, especially combined with a full on workout. In some countries these drinks are banned in gyms, and even in supermarkets are sold to only over 18s. I worry about the amount of caffeine I have as I adore coffee, so it's something I try to keep an eye on (my intake and general information).
It might seem obvious when you look at the packaging of a drink named "Relentless" (160mg caffeine) or even "Red Bull" (80mg caffeine in a can), but closer inspection of the original Lucozade Energy drink shows it too has 46mg caffeine per bottle. (If you're seriously drinking "Death Wish Coffee" at 660mg, ah well... what can I say?)
N.B. I found this on http://www.caffeineinformer.com/ - it's CRAZY the difference between the amount of caffeine in different coffee chains standard cappuccinos. Check out your drink here and see how it measures up!
Believe - Friday 18th July 2014
6pm - Doors Open
8-10pm - Masterclass
10pm - 2am - Club
The biggest Zumba Fitness event in the UK since the February 2012 fitness concert at the London Conference (and that was Zumba Instructors only), Believe is being held in a 2,000 person nightclub Troxy in E1. This is open to EVERYONE.
Tickets have not gone on sale yet - but I am in touch with MALOCA and official resellers to hopefully get my ticket and tickets for anyone else keen to come along. I also may have access to a VIP table for those who need to get out of the hurly burly.
Featuring Francesca Maria - above with me - (I have done her masterclass - she is awesome!) and top instructors from around the world and if anyone wants to take me up on it I will put money on Beto Perez being the special surprise guest!
£29 early bird, £35 and then £40 on the door. Please let me know as soon as you can if you are interested in coming along - this is going to be the official after party for the Instructor Academy (which goes on until Saturday bizarrely) so I am guessing that tickets will go fast!
Latest From Pearl Escapes
Here are some healthy (and not so healthy) recipes from me!
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/6/10_Oven_Roasted_Risotto_Recipe.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/6/10_Roasted_Pepper_and_Courgette_Pasta_Recipe.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Food/Pearls_White_Chocolate_and_Ginger_Cheesecake_Recipe.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Food/Chocolate_Buns_%28With_No_Processed_Sugar%29.html
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Food/Date_and_Cinnamon_Flapjacks_%28With_No_Added_Sugar%21%29.html
Thank You...
...as always for being wonderful - and please do let me know any requests, suggestions or questions you have, for classes, my website or this newsletter.
Much love, Pearl
June 10, 2014
Oven Roasted Risotto Recipe
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Hi guys,
As you can probably tell from my last recipe I am quite the lazy cook day to day - in fact if I could get healthy ready meals or order in I totally would - but it seems almost impossible to get anything ready made with wholegrain carbs, or without stacks of additives, especially sugar so I try to do one of these at the beginning of the week which gives me a great meal to tuck into when I come back from class. I also have a quick cheat which I’ve even cooked after evening class - so it must be easy!!
Most important ingredient and one I often have to go to the big supermarket for is wholegrain rice. I mean, there seem to be more and more packets of microwavable flavoured white rice but nothing with wholegrains. (In time wholegrain pasta, rice, noodles etc. will become as commonplace as wholegrain bread and cereals, but you know, we may have to wait a little!) I also don’t have a microwave! I like wholegrain Basmatic rice, if you get brown rice just make sure it’s wholegrain - I’m still a little confused about the whole rice thing. Even better if you spot a nice bag of wild rice - go for it - but these can get a bit pricey.
Buying the rice is the hardest part.
Option 1 - throw together a pack of chicken, pack of carrot batons (told you I am lazy), some flaked or sliced almonds, and the kind of optional extras you might throw in a casserole - onions or shallots, stock cube, herbs, maybe a little olive oil - although I am happy without these, and then about 250g wholegrain Basmatic rice. Mix all together and make sure there’s enough fluid to cover the rice. Stick in a 180-200 C oven, oh sorry, cover over with foil or a lid, and check every half hour or so, maybe sooner at the end. Add more fluid (this time boiling water) if it’s getting dry. When the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the rice soft it’s ready. Takes 1.5 - 2 hours. For a quick cheat cook rice separately for 25 minutes, then throw it in - which makes it take about 45 minutes but you don’t get that lovely flavour in the rice.
Option 2 - Slice and fry a chorizo ring in the pan - if it’s one of those good pans that you use on a hob and in the oven. Add some tomatoes, either fresh baby or a tin of baby, add any extras - onions or shallots - really doesn’t need any seasoning. Throw in the rice, fluid - stick it in the oven and let it cook as before. Really great flavoured wholegrain rice!
Option 3 - So decadent. I do this when packs of fish are 2 for 3! Uncooked prawns, salmon, any fish really, throw in with.... drum roll please, can of coconut milk, fresh ginger and garlic and the rice of course. This is really fab although it looks gross going in the oven.
You could go anywhere with this base - completely vegetable, maybe with some nice nuts thrown in - you could even make a sweet rice dish with coconut milk and er... more nuts n stuff. I’d love to know if you do!
Here is also a rather decadent recipe I made earlier.
Much love, Pearl x
Follow me on Twitter
Hi guys,
As you can probably tell from my last recipe I am quite the lazy cook day to day - in fact if I could get healthy ready meals or order in I totally would - but it seems almost impossible to get anything ready made with wholegrain carbs, or without stacks of additives, especially sugar so I try to do one of these at the beginning of the week which gives me a great meal to tuck into when I come back from class. I also have a quick cheat which I’ve even cooked after evening class - so it must be easy!!
Most important ingredient and one I often have to go to the big supermarket for is wholegrain rice. I mean, there seem to be more and more packets of microwavable flavoured white rice but nothing with wholegrains. (In time wholegrain pasta, rice, noodles etc. will become as commonplace as wholegrain bread and cereals, but you know, we may have to wait a little!) I also don’t have a microwave! I like wholegrain Basmatic rice, if you get brown rice just make sure it’s wholegrain - I’m still a little confused about the whole rice thing. Even better if you spot a nice bag of wild rice - go for it - but these can get a bit pricey.
Buying the rice is the hardest part.
Option 1 - throw together a pack of chicken, pack of carrot batons (told you I am lazy), some flaked or sliced almonds, and the kind of optional extras you might throw in a casserole - onions or shallots, stock cube, herbs, maybe a little olive oil - although I am happy without these, and then about 250g wholegrain Basmatic rice. Mix all together and make sure there’s enough fluid to cover the rice. Stick in a 180-200 C oven, oh sorry, cover over with foil or a lid, and check every half hour or so, maybe sooner at the end. Add more fluid (this time boiling water) if it’s getting dry. When the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the rice soft it’s ready. Takes 1.5 - 2 hours. For a quick cheat cook rice separately for 25 minutes, then throw it in - which makes it take about 45 minutes but you don’t get that lovely flavour in the rice.
Option 2 - Slice and fry a chorizo ring in the pan - if it’s one of those good pans that you use on a hob and in the oven. Add some tomatoes, either fresh baby or a tin of baby, add any extras - onions or shallots - really doesn’t need any seasoning. Throw in the rice, fluid - stick it in the oven and let it cook as before. Really great flavoured wholegrain rice!
Option 3 - So decadent. I do this when packs of fish are 2 for 3! Uncooked prawns, salmon, any fish really, throw in with.... drum roll please, can of coconut milk, fresh ginger and garlic and the rice of course. This is really fab although it looks gross going in the oven.
You could go anywhere with this base - completely vegetable, maybe with some nice nuts thrown in - you could even make a sweet rice dish with coconut milk and er... more nuts n stuff. I’d love to know if you do!
Here is also a rather decadent recipe I made earlier.
Much love, Pearl x
Roasted Pepper and Courgette Pasta Recipe
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Hi guys,
So inevitably we often getting to talking of food and this is a recipe I came up with (it’s so simple I’m sure a million people have come up with it) to avoid using bottles of pasta sauce because 1) I don’t really like many of them 2) they have stacks of sugar added 3) some of them make me sneeze because I’m intolerant to something in them 4) they are EXPENSIVE!
Anyhoo, all you need to do is cut up your peppers and courgettes into the size you like - I like to mix up the sizes of the peppers and have small crisp size slices of courgette, then stick them on a baking tray with or without a drizzle of olive oil and maybe a sprinkle of fresh garlic (I try to avoid if I am teaching!) and bung them in the oven for a bit.
Once these are roasted you can keep them in the fridge for days - and this also makes a great picnic snack.
The most important part for me is to use wholegrain pasta - as it’s the whole carbohydrates that will keep me going for longer - you can also find cool spelt pasta or vegetable pasta in some bigger supermarkets. And then just mix up in the quantities you like. If you are going to teach three Zumba classes the next day go heavy on the pasta - actually go heavy on everything!
To make this a full meal add a source of protein - either fish (I loved pre-cooked mackerel, which is great in pretty much every way - even ecologically), cheese, chicken or even sausages.
A simple alternative to this is to use baby tomatoes - just throw them in the oven as they are (I like a sprinkle of pink Himalayan salt because I’m a little bit pretentious) and then they will be absolutely bursting with flavour when they come out.
I love to have this tomato pasta with slices of fresh Mozzarella on the side - or you can even add some slices of avocado for a take on the old tricolore salad.
Next recipe is my oven roasted risotto...
Much love, Pearl x
Follow me on Twitter
Hi guys,
So inevitably we often getting to talking of food and this is a recipe I came up with (it’s so simple I’m sure a million people have come up with it) to avoid using bottles of pasta sauce because 1) I don’t really like many of them 2) they have stacks of sugar added 3) some of them make me sneeze because I’m intolerant to something in them 4) they are EXPENSIVE!
Anyhoo, all you need to do is cut up your peppers and courgettes into the size you like - I like to mix up the sizes of the peppers and have small crisp size slices of courgette, then stick them on a baking tray with or without a drizzle of olive oil and maybe a sprinkle of fresh garlic (I try to avoid if I am teaching!) and bung them in the oven for a bit.
Once these are roasted you can keep them in the fridge for days - and this also makes a great picnic snack.
The most important part for me is to use wholegrain pasta - as it’s the whole carbohydrates that will keep me going for longer - you can also find cool spelt pasta or vegetable pasta in some bigger supermarkets. And then just mix up in the quantities you like. If you are going to teach three Zumba classes the next day go heavy on the pasta - actually go heavy on everything!
To make this a full meal add a source of protein - either fish (I loved pre-cooked mackerel, which is great in pretty much every way - even ecologically), cheese, chicken or even sausages.
A simple alternative to this is to use baby tomatoes - just throw them in the oven as they are (I like a sprinkle of pink Himalayan salt because I’m a little bit pretentious) and then they will be absolutely bursting with flavour when they come out.
I love to have this tomato pasta with slices of fresh Mozzarella on the side - or you can even add some slices of avocado for a take on the old tricolore salad.
Next recipe is my oven roasted risotto...
Much love, Pearl x
June 3, 2014
Weekly Newsletter - Neurobics
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Monday 2nd June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
More late breaking news - Monday 9th June 2014!
Today I'm off to Lonesome Primary School in Mitcham to share the Zumba Love with the Zumba Kids!
Tuesday
Tuesday Rendez-Vous - West Barnes Library 2 - 2:30pm chair class. (Please contact me for more information as this is full right now!)
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(3 spaces left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Please note as of June 2014 this class has a new time of 6:30 - 7:15pm
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
Be Brave
I am loving this video – I get a little bit annoyed when I see an amazing song like this used to sell computers so I wanted to share the original video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
Neurobics
I came across this term a few weeks ago and it really hits the nail on the head for a lot of what we do in Zumba classes. By making our brains work, as well as our bodies, not only do we keep more of our brain function for longer, but we also trick our whole body into feeling younger and regenerating neural pathways and cells throughout the body.
Looking into neurobic research further, the idea is that anything new creates new neural pathways, so although movement is important it's also beneficial to seek out new sensual experiences. (No, not like that!) What I mean is that the new experiences we have in Zumba relate to sight and sound, but to get the most out of neurobics we want to be experiencing new smells, new tastes, new physical sensations (well, we can get that through Zumba too) and maybe even new emotions. All of these experiences keep our brains working better, longer and the rest of our bodies too!
ZumbaWear Sale AND 20% Off Code
A couple of people have pointed out to me that there is a SALE on the ZumbaWear site! If you would like to order through me it looks like I'll be putting in an order next week, so you can save on P&P - make sure you check the item name, colour and size (remember that sizes have changed recently so click on the size guide of each item!)
http://www.zumba.com/en-US/store/GB
I've also found code for first time shoppers - although I am not sure if it is working on the UK store as I am certainly not a first time shopper! If you want to check, load up your shopping basket apply the code and see if it's worth you shopping direct for the 20% discount.
Paying Through Paypal
I'm reminded by the endless stream of junk mail asking me if my "salon" takes credit cards (I blame my listing on the Wahanda website) that some people may want to pay by credit card. Although I'm not yet accepting credit cards as such, you can set up your credit card on your Paypal account and pay me at pearl@pearlescapes.co.uk, effectively creating a way to use your credit card to pay for your Zumba classes.
As Paypal takes a very small percentage, cash is still preferable but it is so small that I am more than happy to accept Paypal payments for all classes.
Latest From Pearl Escapes
RIP Maya Angelou
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/6/3_RIP_Maya_Angelou.html
This meditation might help to find the quiet voice inside yourself
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Classes/the-real-you-meditation.html
Thank You...
...as always for being wonderful - and please do let me know any requests, suggestions or questions you have, for classes, my website or this newsletter.
Much love, Pearl
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Monday 2nd June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
More late breaking news - Monday 9th June 2014!
Today I'm off to Lonesome Primary School in Mitcham to share the Zumba Love with the Zumba Kids!
Tuesday
Tuesday Rendez-Vous - West Barnes Library 2 - 2:30pm chair class. (Please contact me for more information as this is full right now!)
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(3 spaces left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Please note as of June 2014 this class has a new time of 6:30 - 7:15pm
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
Be Brave
I am loving this video – I get a little bit annoyed when I see an amazing song like this used to sell computers so I wanted to share the original video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
Neurobics
I came across this term a few weeks ago and it really hits the nail on the head for a lot of what we do in Zumba classes. By making our brains work, as well as our bodies, not only do we keep more of our brain function for longer, but we also trick our whole body into feeling younger and regenerating neural pathways and cells throughout the body.
Looking into neurobic research further, the idea is that anything new creates new neural pathways, so although movement is important it's also beneficial to seek out new sensual experiences. (No, not like that!) What I mean is that the new experiences we have in Zumba relate to sight and sound, but to get the most out of neurobics we want to be experiencing new smells, new tastes, new physical sensations (well, we can get that through Zumba too) and maybe even new emotions. All of these experiences keep our brains working better, longer and the rest of our bodies too!
ZumbaWear Sale AND 20% Off Code
A couple of people have pointed out to me that there is a SALE on the ZumbaWear site! If you would like to order through me it looks like I'll be putting in an order next week, so you can save on P&P - make sure you check the item name, colour and size (remember that sizes have changed recently so click on the size guide of each item!)
http://www.zumba.com/en-US/store/GB
I've also found code for first time shoppers - although I am not sure if it is working on the UK store as I am certainly not a first time shopper! If you want to check, load up your shopping basket apply the code and see if it's worth you shopping direct for the 20% discount.
Paying Through Paypal
I'm reminded by the endless stream of junk mail asking me if my "salon" takes credit cards (I blame my listing on the Wahanda website) that some people may want to pay by credit card. Although I'm not yet accepting credit cards as such, you can set up your credit card on your Paypal account and pay me at pearl@pearlescapes.co.uk, effectively creating a way to use your credit card to pay for your Zumba classes.
As Paypal takes a very small percentage, cash is still preferable but it is so small that I am more than happy to accept Paypal payments for all classes.
Latest From Pearl Escapes
RIP Maya Angelou
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/6/3_RIP_Maya_Angelou.html
This meditation might help to find the quiet voice inside yourself
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Classes/the-real-you-meditation.html
Thank You...
...as always for being wonderful - and please do let me know any requests, suggestions or questions you have, for classes, my website or this newsletter.
Much love, Pearl
RIP Maya Angelou
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Hey you,
So last week saw the passing of a hugely inspirational woman, Maya Angelou.
The first book of her autobiography, written about her childhood years in the Deep South of the US “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” has rocked the world of anyone who has read it. It should only be read with great caution.
Maya Angelou has influenced presidents, prime ministers and kings, but also worked as a dancer, singer and even a prostitute.
This was her last tweet to the world.
Much love, Pearl x
Follow me on Twitter
Hey you,
So last week saw the passing of a hugely inspirational woman, Maya Angelou.
The first book of her autobiography, written about her childhood years in the Deep South of the US “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” has rocked the world of anyone who has read it. It should only be read with great caution.
Maya Angelou has influenced presidents, prime ministers and kings, but also worked as a dancer, singer and even a prostitute.
This was her last tweet to the world.
Much love, Pearl x
May 29, 2014
Weekly Newsletter - Class Rights
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Don't forget Saturday is as normal - 31st May 2014 - 10 to 11am Vestry Hall. Feel free to drop in, there is plenty of room!
Monday 2nd June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
Late breaking news - Monday 2nd June 2014!
Have been asked to jump in on a charity event for CLIC Sargent 7-8:30pm
Only £5 entry. 100% of money will go to this charity.
Mitcham Lane Baptist, 230 Mitcham Lane, London, SW16 6NT
Tuesday
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(4 spaces left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Please note as of June 2014 this class has a new time of 6:30 - 7:15pm
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
Zumba® Instructor Academy in Germany 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C03SEExXC5k
Can you see me?
Permanent class change
I, along with the Wimbledon Guild who run the class, am changing Thursday night's Zumba Gold class to 6:30 – 7:15pm in the hope of attracting more new participants. Participants are also welcome to park on the Wimbledon Guild forecourt – but please do put a "Doing Zumba class" note on the windshield while we all get used to it.
This class is very special to me because, before I added it to my timetable, I was constantly being asked by people still working full time – "when will you do a weekend or evening Zumba Gold class for us!" As such it's an important part of Ageing Well - the program run by Wimbledon Guild to help keep people active from a younger, er… older age – if you know what I mean?
If you have attended this class before and were put off by the group next door (we had a few little issues) I'd like to let you know that they have been asked to leave the Guild and have found a new home, so I hope you'll come back and give the class another go at the new time!
Class Rights
When I went off to vote last week (before locking myself out of the house on my night off grrr…) I saw this lovely sign on the school wall of the Unicef Rights for Schools. It sums up so many of the thoughts I have about running a great class:-
We have the right to... a good education
To respect this right we... always try to do our best
We have the right to... learn
To respect this right we... learn from our mistakes
We have the right to... be listened to
To respect this right we... listen carefully to the opinions of others
We have the right to... always hear the truth
To respect this right we... are always honest
We have the right to... be treated fairly
To respect this right we... treat everyone in the way we want to be treated
Latest From Pearl Escapes
I got a little heated after hearing some criticism of fitness instructors who are not perfect (!!!! isn't that all of us?)
Diet and Exercise
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/5/27_Diet_and_Exercise.html
What Is Fitness And A Healthy Diet Anyway?
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/5/27_What_Is_Fitness_And_A_Healthy_Diet_Anyway.html
My new workshop! One Step At A Time
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Classes/one-step-at-a-time.html
Thank You...
...as always for being wonderful - and please do let me know any requests, suggestions or questions you have, for classes, my website or this newsletter.
Much love, Pearl
Follow me on Twitter
Click to subscribe to my weekly class newsletter http://eepurl.com/U3C3T
Don't forget Saturday is as normal - 31st May 2014 - 10 to 11am Vestry Hall. Feel free to drop in, there is plenty of room!
Monday 2nd June 2014 - Timetable Updates
This Week
Monday
10 – 10:45am Zumba Gold® Holistic Fitness, Broadway Court, off The Broadway, SW19 1RG - behind Clarks £6
Late breaking news - Monday 2nd June 2014!
Have been asked to jump in on a charity event for CLIC Sargent 7-8:30pm
Only £5 entry. 100% of money will go to this charity.
Mitcham Lane Baptist, 230 Mitcham Lane, London, SW16 6NT
Tuesday
5:45 – 6:30pm Zumba Gold® Vestry Hall, London Rd, Mitcham, CR4 3UD £5
7:15 – 8:15pm Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Wednesday
10:10 – 10:55am Zumba Gold® Acacia IGC, 230 Grove Road, Mitcham, CR4 1SD £5
(4 spaces left for this week)
11:30 – 12 noon Zumba Gold® chair Acacia IGC £2
6 – 7pm Zumba® Fitness Holistic Fitness £6
Thursday
12 – 12:45pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild, Drake House, 44 St. George's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 4ED £3
(Due to this class becoming ever busier you will now be able to book your next week's class by paying in advance. You can cancel up until the end of Monday, but after that only emergency cancellations please.)
6:30 – 7:15pm Zumba Gold® Wimbledon Guild £5
Please note as of June 2014 this class has a new time of 6:30 - 7:15pm
Saturday
10 – 11am Zumba® Fitness Vestry Hall £5
Call me on 07770 846 284 for more details or to book.
Next Week - All classes run as normal
Zumba® Instructor Academy in Germany 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C03SEExXC5k
Can you see me?
Permanent class change
I, along with the Wimbledon Guild who run the class, am changing Thursday night's Zumba Gold class to 6:30 – 7:15pm in the hope of attracting more new participants. Participants are also welcome to park on the Wimbledon Guild forecourt – but please do put a "Doing Zumba class" note on the windshield while we all get used to it.
This class is very special to me because, before I added it to my timetable, I was constantly being asked by people still working full time – "when will you do a weekend or evening Zumba Gold class for us!" As such it's an important part of Ageing Well - the program run by Wimbledon Guild to help keep people active from a younger, er… older age – if you know what I mean?
If you have attended this class before and were put off by the group next door (we had a few little issues) I'd like to let you know that they have been asked to leave the Guild and have found a new home, so I hope you'll come back and give the class another go at the new time!
Class Rights
When I went off to vote last week (before locking myself out of the house on my night off grrr…) I saw this lovely sign on the school wall of the Unicef Rights for Schools. It sums up so many of the thoughts I have about running a great class:-
We have the right to... a good education
To respect this right we... always try to do our best
We have the right to... learn
To respect this right we... learn from our mistakes
We have the right to... be listened to
To respect this right we... listen carefully to the opinions of others
We have the right to... always hear the truth
To respect this right we... are always honest
We have the right to... be treated fairly
To respect this right we... treat everyone in the way we want to be treated
Latest From Pearl Escapes
I got a little heated after hearing some criticism of fitness instructors who are not perfect (!!!! isn't that all of us?)
Diet and Exercise
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/5/27_Diet_and_Exercise.html
What Is Fitness And A Healthy Diet Anyway?
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Basics/Pearls_Blog/Entries/2014/5/27_What_Is_Fitness_And_A_Healthy_Diet_Anyway.html
My new workshop! One Step At A Time
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Classes/one-step-at-a-time.html
Thank You...
...as always for being wonderful - and please do let me know any requests, suggestions or questions you have, for classes, my website or this newsletter.
Much love, Pearl
One Step At A Time
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Hi there,
So I’ve been tinkering with a workshop concept for a little while now and finally feel ready to release this little baby out into the world!
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Classes/one-step-at-a-time.html
Click the link to read more about the workshop.
This won’t be a new weekly class as it’s a workshop - designed to do everything it says on the tin, ideally for small groups of up to 10 people.
I’m looking for appropriate venues and am hoping to offer individual spaces for one-off events very soon. So stay tuned and make sure you add yourself to my mailing list to get your invitation to the first workshops!
Much love, Pearl x
Follow me on Twitter
Hi there,
So I’ve been tinkering with a workshop concept for a little while now and finally feel ready to release this little baby out into the world!
http://www.pearlescapes.co.uk/Classes/one-step-at-a-time.html
Click the link to read more about the workshop.
This won’t be a new weekly class as it’s a workshop - designed to do everything it says on the tin, ideally for small groups of up to 10 people.
I’m looking for appropriate venues and am hoping to offer individual spaces for one-off events very soon. So stay tuned and make sure you add yourself to my mailing list to get your invitation to the first workshops!
Much love, Pearl x
May 27, 2014
What Is Fitness And A Healthy Diet Anyway?
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Hi there,
Check out my previous blog post "Diet and Exercise" to see this piece in context.
Of course much of the argument about body shape, diet and fitness relies on the idea that skinny equals fit, and that there is one perfect diet for everyone. Whereas we only have to look at Olympic athletes to see that fitness comes in many shapes and sizes. If you think about the word fitness it is nothing alone, do we mean fitness to run or to punch, fitness to cycle or to sail? Do we mean fitness to run 100 metres really, really fast or to run a marathon? Try telling a marathon runner not to eat carbs.
We want to look great, but surely feeling great and being able to do all the things we want to is far more important? It's simple for athletes – if what you eat doesn't help you run faster, cycle faster or throw further you change it. If you feel tired in the middle of a training session because you didn't eat a big bowl of cereal in the morning you make sure you do it the next day. You eat for your life, to empower you to do whatever it is you're living right now.
I love reading Olympic breakfasts; successful eating comes in all shapes and sizes – even Olympians disagree about what makes a good breakfast.
Idara Otu – Olympic 4 x 400m runner
Cupful of porridge with dried fruit and a banana, some granola, and maybe a hard boiled egg white. Fibre so I stay full longer and Earl Grey tea because I need something warm in my stomach to prevent me from feeling empty.
I don't do fruit juice on race days because the sugars prevent muscles firing due to the way it interacts with insulin.
But it is really the dinner the night before that counts, and you need pasta. Lunch on race day will be a salad and bread just to hold me. Before the race it's better to be hungry than full because you can grab an energy bar or a protein shake to keep you steady.
Kelly Parker - Olympic footballer
If we have an early game in the afternoon, breakfast is high in carbohydrates. It would be granola, different cereals, muesli or oatmeal with yoghurt or milk. And some fruit too – kiwi, pineapple, banana. Football is an endurance sport so we have to make sure we get enough fuel to our muscles. We leave protein out because it puts your body under more stress to digest. Nearer the game you want simple sugars in your body. If you don't eat right you get cramps – you feel it more in your legs in the second half and you burn out earlier.
Jessica Ennis - Olympic heptathlete (and look at that six pack!)
I have pretty much the same thing for breakfast everyday - yoghurt mixed with muesli and pumpkin seeds on top, banana, toast and jam and an orange juice. It isn't a breakfast that was designed for me by a nutritionist, it's just what I've always had and it works for me. It fuels me up for the day and releases energy slowly throughout the day, which is what I need with the heptathlon.
Okay, so you know I need to add in Mo Farah, Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps but first I just love what this guys says…
Robbie Grabarz - Olympic high jump
"I usually have two shredded wheat, some grape nuts and some muesli. Healthy crap. Then I pour gold top milk all over it, thick lumps of cream. Proper milk. Straight from the udder. The nearer the cow the better I think. I'll have a smoothie as well and then that's me done until lunchtime. But obviously I'll have lunch as well because my final is in the evening. Actually, why don't you just say I have peanut butter? Nutty. Half a jar. That's all I have. Then I might get a peanut butter sponsor. It's high in protein, and good fat. Keeps me full up 'til lunchtime."
So, Mo Farah, love him, uses coffee, sugar and dark chocolate to get him through the day, but can't touch burgers during regular training.
I love his quote:
"What's your trusted snack for an energy boost?
Chocolate, usually dark chocolate is good for an energy boost. There are all manner of sports snacks that pretend to do wonderful things, but I mostly like to stick to the basics."
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/eat-athlete-mo-farah
Usain Bolt is of course pretty controversial for adding McDonald's into his diet;
“I had some plaintains, some hash browns, fruit, then a wrap from McDonald’s. For lunch I had rice and pork and some apple juice.”
But even Usain cannot compete with the daddy – Michael Phelps whopping 8-10,000 calorie a day intake – sorry for the poor video quality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnE3yp9vQb0
Pearl Howie – er… me
Two pumpkin and oat seed Ryvita with coconut butter (aka coconut oil) and Manuka Honey 10+ or higher, a pot of blueberries, some cheese, vitamin tablet, Atragalas and Acidophilus and a big cup of coffee.
This is, of course, just first breakfast. As Hobbits will tell you when you are teaching Zumba all day, or on a quest to defeat the Dark Lord you need a second breakfast, whatever Aragorn might say.
Beto Perez shows how he trains before a fitness concert - which raises some interesting questions. It's important to remember that for most people your Zumba class is about supporting the rest of your life – whereas this video is what it can look like when Zumba is the most important thing in your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqXIsKGtn4o
When I first started teaching Zumba Fitness I dropped a lot of weight, in fact it got a bit scary – my clothes were falling down – and I was comforted when a fellow instructor told me that yes it does slow down. When I started to "settle down" I could still change a whole dress size in a week. (One time I lost more than a dress size in a single day when I got lost on a mountain. The day before I threw away some shorts "I would never get into again" but my Chinese hotel cleaners luckily put them back on my bed. They were the only item of clothing I had that didn't fall straight off me. It took me three weeks to recover.)
I was beating myself up about my diet, until I read all those Olympic breakfasts, because like Olympians I eat to support my life. Not just the exact food, but if you look, many Olympians include treats and comfort food, something from home or to give them a sugar rush something to get them feeling truly Olympic not just physically, but mentally and spiritually too.
I'm the same. I eat some things I don't even like that much because they remind me of home and childhood and sometimes I need that. Sometimes I eat a bag of popcorn while watching a good movie. Sometimes I eat biscuits because I'm tired and want a sugar boost.
I don't burn calories as fast as I did before, what does this mean? My body has become more efficient, my weight doesn't fluctuate as much as it did before, I'm ready to do more classes. I struggled at London 2012 (Zumba conference) to survive 3 days and couldn't dance in my last session. In Orlando 2013 (Zumba Convention) I did 4 whole days and I danced every step in every session of my super hard core programme – the only thing holding me back was a slightly broken shoulder. When I go to a 90 minute masterclass after teaching 10 classes a week I do it all. Am I ready for Orlando 2014? I've booked possibly the hardest programme yet. Bring it on.
Much love, Pearl x
Follow me on Twitter
Hi there,
Check out my previous blog post "Diet and Exercise" to see this piece in context.
Of course much of the argument about body shape, diet and fitness relies on the idea that skinny equals fit, and that there is one perfect diet for everyone. Whereas we only have to look at Olympic athletes to see that fitness comes in many shapes and sizes. If you think about the word fitness it is nothing alone, do we mean fitness to run or to punch, fitness to cycle or to sail? Do we mean fitness to run 100 metres really, really fast or to run a marathon? Try telling a marathon runner not to eat carbs.
We want to look great, but surely feeling great and being able to do all the things we want to is far more important? It's simple for athletes – if what you eat doesn't help you run faster, cycle faster or throw further you change it. If you feel tired in the middle of a training session because you didn't eat a big bowl of cereal in the morning you make sure you do it the next day. You eat for your life, to empower you to do whatever it is you're living right now.
I love reading Olympic breakfasts; successful eating comes in all shapes and sizes – even Olympians disagree about what makes a good breakfast.
Idara Otu – Olympic 4 x 400m runner
Cupful of porridge with dried fruit and a banana, some granola, and maybe a hard boiled egg white. Fibre so I stay full longer and Earl Grey tea because I need something warm in my stomach to prevent me from feeling empty.
I don't do fruit juice on race days because the sugars prevent muscles firing due to the way it interacts with insulin.
But it is really the dinner the night before that counts, and you need pasta. Lunch on race day will be a salad and bread just to hold me. Before the race it's better to be hungry than full because you can grab an energy bar or a protein shake to keep you steady.
Kelly Parker - Olympic footballer
If we have an early game in the afternoon, breakfast is high in carbohydrates. It would be granola, different cereals, muesli or oatmeal with yoghurt or milk. And some fruit too – kiwi, pineapple, banana. Football is an endurance sport so we have to make sure we get enough fuel to our muscles. We leave protein out because it puts your body under more stress to digest. Nearer the game you want simple sugars in your body. If you don't eat right you get cramps – you feel it more in your legs in the second half and you burn out earlier.
Jessica Ennis - Olympic heptathlete (and look at that six pack!)
I have pretty much the same thing for breakfast everyday - yoghurt mixed with muesli and pumpkin seeds on top, banana, toast and jam and an orange juice. It isn't a breakfast that was designed for me by a nutritionist, it's just what I've always had and it works for me. It fuels me up for the day and releases energy slowly throughout the day, which is what I need with the heptathlon.
Okay, so you know I need to add in Mo Farah, Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps but first I just love what this guys says…
Robbie Grabarz - Olympic high jump
"I usually have two shredded wheat, some grape nuts and some muesli. Healthy crap. Then I pour gold top milk all over it, thick lumps of cream. Proper milk. Straight from the udder. The nearer the cow the better I think. I'll have a smoothie as well and then that's me done until lunchtime. But obviously I'll have lunch as well because my final is in the evening. Actually, why don't you just say I have peanut butter? Nutty. Half a jar. That's all I have. Then I might get a peanut butter sponsor. It's high in protein, and good fat. Keeps me full up 'til lunchtime."
So, Mo Farah, love him, uses coffee, sugar and dark chocolate to get him through the day, but can't touch burgers during regular training.
I love his quote:
"What's your trusted snack for an energy boost?
Chocolate, usually dark chocolate is good for an energy boost. There are all manner of sports snacks that pretend to do wonderful things, but I mostly like to stick to the basics."
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/eat-athlete-mo-farah
Usain Bolt is of course pretty controversial for adding McDonald's into his diet;
“I had some plaintains, some hash browns, fruit, then a wrap from McDonald’s. For lunch I had rice and pork and some apple juice.”
But even Usain cannot compete with the daddy – Michael Phelps whopping 8-10,000 calorie a day intake – sorry for the poor video quality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnE3yp9vQb0
Pearl Howie – er… me
Two pumpkin and oat seed Ryvita with coconut butter (aka coconut oil) and Manuka Honey 10+ or higher, a pot of blueberries, some cheese, vitamin tablet, Atragalas and Acidophilus and a big cup of coffee.
This is, of course, just first breakfast. As Hobbits will tell you when you are teaching Zumba all day, or on a quest to defeat the Dark Lord you need a second breakfast, whatever Aragorn might say.
Beto Perez shows how he trains before a fitness concert - which raises some interesting questions. It's important to remember that for most people your Zumba class is about supporting the rest of your life – whereas this video is what it can look like when Zumba is the most important thing in your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqXIsKGtn4o
When I first started teaching Zumba Fitness I dropped a lot of weight, in fact it got a bit scary – my clothes were falling down – and I was comforted when a fellow instructor told me that yes it does slow down. When I started to "settle down" I could still change a whole dress size in a week. (One time I lost more than a dress size in a single day when I got lost on a mountain. The day before I threw away some shorts "I would never get into again" but my Chinese hotel cleaners luckily put them back on my bed. They were the only item of clothing I had that didn't fall straight off me. It took me three weeks to recover.)
I was beating myself up about my diet, until I read all those Olympic breakfasts, because like Olympians I eat to support my life. Not just the exact food, but if you look, many Olympians include treats and comfort food, something from home or to give them a sugar rush something to get them feeling truly Olympic not just physically, but mentally and spiritually too.
I'm the same. I eat some things I don't even like that much because they remind me of home and childhood and sometimes I need that. Sometimes I eat a bag of popcorn while watching a good movie. Sometimes I eat biscuits because I'm tired and want a sugar boost.
I don't burn calories as fast as I did before, what does this mean? My body has become more efficient, my weight doesn't fluctuate as much as it did before, I'm ready to do more classes. I struggled at London 2012 (Zumba conference) to survive 3 days and couldn't dance in my last session. In Orlando 2013 (Zumba Convention) I did 4 whole days and I danced every step in every session of my super hard core programme – the only thing holding me back was a slightly broken shoulder. When I go to a 90 minute masterclass after teaching 10 classes a week I do it all. Am I ready for Orlando 2014? I've booked possibly the hardest programme yet. Bring it on.
Much love, Pearl x
Diet and Exercise
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Hi there,
So I got into it last week with someone who said fitness instructors who don't "master their own diet" are bad examples; so if you're not a perfect physical example you shouldn't be working as a Zumba Instructor.
For me that's quite a hurtful opinion, as I'm probably the heaviest I've been since I started teaching, but I feel I've developed more teaching skills than ever before.
The pressure to be a particular weight is a nightmare for anyone walking into a gym – whether it's an official studio or anywhere we exercise (including the beach and the park). I believe it's completely counter-productive to put body shape pressure on someone wanting to exercise. It's like telling someone with depression seeking counselling to come back when they're happier.
One of the things I love about Zumba is that it's written into our code of conduct that we should treat all participants the same and not judge people - especially on their fitness level, and I believe that Zumba is a powerful healing tool, not just for us individually, but for the fitness industry as a whole.
I recently encountered this prejudice on my new posters. From a standard business point of view you're selling something so people want to see an "after" not a "before". In fact, one of my colleagues told me this week that he hates the picture on my new poster, apparently I look… ahem… "short and wide". "Well," I replied, "I am short and wide." In truth I chose the picture not because it was the best photo of me, but because I loved the energy in it, the relationship between myself and the lady from my Zumba Gold class, that said so much more about the nature of what I sell. It's not just physical exercise.
Sadly I also see this in Zumba marketing – even when a slightly larger model is used in an advertising campaign (you know maybe a UK size 12 shock horror!) she seems to be the one that is always getting cut out.
I got so het up about this subject that I wrote a whole other piece about fitness and diet; What Is Fitness And A Healthy Diet Anyway? but for now let's just look at this obesity problem.
Apparently obesity is on the rise, it's a big problem in many countries, especially the UK, and I am so happy to be able to help anyone struggling with their weight, but to say that obesity is cured by diet and exercise alone is as naive as saying that anorexia can be cured with diet and exercise.
We fail every time we try to treat an illness that is a symptom, not a cause, as if it is the cause. We fail every time we treat our body as if it exists in isolation, as if it has nothing to do with our mind and spirit, as if our mind exists only to figure out which exercises or which diet to follow. We fail when we fail to honour our whole selves; mind, body and spirit. But it's okay, because as I am reminded FAIL is an acronym for First Attempt In Learning.
I love Zumba because it is a holistic class – like yoga and it works as long as we remember that it is holistic. I have been to yoga classes where I went in feeling like a bunch of problems and came out feeling like a whole person. Sadly I've also gone in and been judged and made to feel stupid because I couldn't do the tree pose under the gaze of a critical teacher. I hope to always remember that it's not about a move or a rhythm or anything physical that I am instructing, but the whole thing – getting to come in and dance and reconnect mind, body and spirit. That is how we heal.
I have the utmost respect for all of you guys who come to my classes and the people I have met along the way. We all have beautiful, complicated lives and sometimes our weight changes as we go through things.
For me, I try not to worry when I put on weight, because I know, that for me, when things get really bad I go the other way and can't eat. As long as I am comfort eating things are manageable. But everyone is different.
We think we have an obesity problem or an eating disorder problem or a body image problem, but when we look closer we see that the disease is not taking care of ourselves; mind, body and spirit; eating our feelings because we are too afraid to say "I'm angry", controlling our bodies because we cannot control other aspects of our lives; making our bodies undesirable because we can't cope with our sexuality or the relentless pressure to be sexy or just being in relationships, over-eating to cope with the pain of "not enough" in other areas of our life, eating as an act of rebellion, not eating as an act of rebellion.
We need to heal on a personal level, on a social level, on a global level. And the answer is not to increase the pressure on us all to look "perfect" - there's quite enough of that around thank you very much, the answer is not a perfect exercise regime or diet plan, the answer is not to beat ourselves up or weigh ourselves every five minutes, or to try to shame others into what we feel is the right standard, the answer is as simple as it has always been; it's learning to love and accept ourselves mind, body and spirit as we are right now in this moment. Not when we've lost ten pounds or a hundred pounds, not when we are wearing sexy new clothes, not when we get that salsa step, but right now in this second remembering that we are perfect just as we are.
Much love, Pearl x
Follow me on Twitter
Hi there,
So I got into it last week with someone who said fitness instructors who don't "master their own diet" are bad examples; so if you're not a perfect physical example you shouldn't be working as a Zumba Instructor.
For me that's quite a hurtful opinion, as I'm probably the heaviest I've been since I started teaching, but I feel I've developed more teaching skills than ever before.
The pressure to be a particular weight is a nightmare for anyone walking into a gym – whether it's an official studio or anywhere we exercise (including the beach and the park). I believe it's completely counter-productive to put body shape pressure on someone wanting to exercise. It's like telling someone with depression seeking counselling to come back when they're happier.
One of the things I love about Zumba is that it's written into our code of conduct that we should treat all participants the same and not judge people - especially on their fitness level, and I believe that Zumba is a powerful healing tool, not just for us individually, but for the fitness industry as a whole.
I recently encountered this prejudice on my new posters. From a standard business point of view you're selling something so people want to see an "after" not a "before". In fact, one of my colleagues told me this week that he hates the picture on my new poster, apparently I look… ahem… "short and wide". "Well," I replied, "I am short and wide." In truth I chose the picture not because it was the best photo of me, but because I loved the energy in it, the relationship between myself and the lady from my Zumba Gold class, that said so much more about the nature of what I sell. It's not just physical exercise.
Sadly I also see this in Zumba marketing – even when a slightly larger model is used in an advertising campaign (you know maybe a UK size 12 shock horror!) she seems to be the one that is always getting cut out.
I got so het up about this subject that I wrote a whole other piece about fitness and diet; What Is Fitness And A Healthy Diet Anyway? but for now let's just look at this obesity problem.
Apparently obesity is on the rise, it's a big problem in many countries, especially the UK, and I am so happy to be able to help anyone struggling with their weight, but to say that obesity is cured by diet and exercise alone is as naive as saying that anorexia can be cured with diet and exercise.
We fail every time we try to treat an illness that is a symptom, not a cause, as if it is the cause. We fail every time we treat our body as if it exists in isolation, as if it has nothing to do with our mind and spirit, as if our mind exists only to figure out which exercises or which diet to follow. We fail when we fail to honour our whole selves; mind, body and spirit. But it's okay, because as I am reminded FAIL is an acronym for First Attempt In Learning.
I love Zumba because it is a holistic class – like yoga and it works as long as we remember that it is holistic. I have been to yoga classes where I went in feeling like a bunch of problems and came out feeling like a whole person. Sadly I've also gone in and been judged and made to feel stupid because I couldn't do the tree pose under the gaze of a critical teacher. I hope to always remember that it's not about a move or a rhythm or anything physical that I am instructing, but the whole thing – getting to come in and dance and reconnect mind, body and spirit. That is how we heal.
I have the utmost respect for all of you guys who come to my classes and the people I have met along the way. We all have beautiful, complicated lives and sometimes our weight changes as we go through things.
For me, I try not to worry when I put on weight, because I know, that for me, when things get really bad I go the other way and can't eat. As long as I am comfort eating things are manageable. But everyone is different.
We think we have an obesity problem or an eating disorder problem or a body image problem, but when we look closer we see that the disease is not taking care of ourselves; mind, body and spirit; eating our feelings because we are too afraid to say "I'm angry", controlling our bodies because we cannot control other aspects of our lives; making our bodies undesirable because we can't cope with our sexuality or the relentless pressure to be sexy or just being in relationships, over-eating to cope with the pain of "not enough" in other areas of our life, eating as an act of rebellion, not eating as an act of rebellion.
We need to heal on a personal level, on a social level, on a global level. And the answer is not to increase the pressure on us all to look "perfect" - there's quite enough of that around thank you very much, the answer is not a perfect exercise regime or diet plan, the answer is not to beat ourselves up or weigh ourselves every five minutes, or to try to shame others into what we feel is the right standard, the answer is as simple as it has always been; it's learning to love and accept ourselves mind, body and spirit as we are right now in this moment. Not when we've lost ten pounds or a hundred pounds, not when we are wearing sexy new clothes, not when we get that salsa step, but right now in this second remembering that we are perfect just as we are.
Much love, Pearl x
