Stephanie Pedersen's Blog, page 19
June 30, 2014
THE 5-DAY DETOX PARTY: Did you know…..
I am so excited to spend five days with some of you next week! The 5-Day Detox Party: runs from Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 11, 2014 and in getting my online classroom ready for, it occurred to me that the detox could be even more fun if you joined us! Yes, you! But perhaps you need to know a bit more before diving in. So I thought I’d share a few fun facts about the The 5-Day Detox Party:
You will be eating food and drinking beverages. Yes, you’ll be eating! Moreover, you’ll be eating easy-to-find foods that are easily found I supermarkets, delis, restaurants, takeout shops, cafeterias and other places where you eat every day. Yep, you read that correctly: You can continue to shop and eat where you are now.
No, you don’t need a juicer. You could even get by without a blender if you have a place nearby to purchase a daily green drink.
Yes, you can travel and attend events while on the 5-Day Detox Party plan. You’ll see how easy it is. We typically have one to three people traveling during any given detox and they do beautifully. Partly because you’ll be eating real food!
If you sign up three friends, I’ll allow you to attend for free. Just email me their names and once they sign up, I’ll register you into the program for free.
Everything is done virtually: We have an online classroom which you’ll stop by each morning to pick up your daily lesson and all the goodies I’ll have waiting for you! Hangout for as long as you like and chat. I’m always around to answer your health questions—even if they have nothing to do with detoxing. We also have an optional daily phone call for those of you who like to connect that way. I’ll give you a lesson around the day’s assignment, then open up the call for questions. If you can’t make a live call (or any of the live calls), no worries: They are all recorded and posted in the classroom for you to listen to at your leisure.
If you love watermelon, you’ll be happy to learn that one of your gifts for signing up for the 5-Day Detox Party is the audio recordings and bonuses from my Superfood Superheroes Summit . One of our speakers was a nutritionist who specialized in watermelon. You can listen to the interview with her and read her watermelon report to learn more than I ever thought possible about watermelon. I’m not easily impressed but wow, after my interview with her, I came away a watermelon expert! You’ll also get to listen to the other superfood speakers—you’ll be a superfood expert! This audio library retails for $67, but I give it to my detoxers as a free gift to help them uplevel their health in easy, fun ways.
The 5-Day Detox Party is a Monday through Friday detox, designed to get you in quickly, help you easily detox, then have you done by the weekend. It’s a great way to jumpstart a larger health regiment, kickstart a weightloss plan, budge you off a plateau, clean you up after a period of excess, or help you look and feel great before a big event. It’s also an affordable way to work with me or, for those of you who would like to go deeper with your health, it’s a no-brainer way to experience my working style.
I detox with you. Yep. I do. Happily! We’re all in this together—not that it’s very difficult. It’s more like a five-day health party.
If you have food intolerances or allergies or specific health concerns, you will be taken care of. You’ll have an opportunity to let me know all of this! For information on who should not detox, please go here.
This is for women and men. Really. Real men do detox! They’re great at it! I’ll admit that typically a man joins the detox with his girlfriend or wife or sister, but we do get some brave guys who come alone.
Yes, you will make friends with the other detoxers!` Detoxers from years ago still keep in touch and it isn’t uncommon for me to see facebook posts by a past-detoxer who lives in one area of the world who has traveled overseas to finally meet a friend made during one of my detoxes. We are a supportive, friendly bunch.
EAT MORE WATERMELON!
Growing up, I ate a lot of watermelon. My parents grew it, my friends’ parents grew it, everyone we went to church with or lived near to grew it. Huge torpedo-sized melons with red flesh and plenty of seeds. There were no seedless or yellow-fleshed melons in my childhood!
But there were big triangular slabs of melon stacked on a plate and served every summer evening for dessert. Neighborhood moms gave us slices, shooed us outside and encouraged us to keep busy with watermelon seed spitting contests. It wasn’t uncommon to see burly men walking home with a 15 pound watermelon resting on a shoulder, or see small groups of shoppers crowded around supermarket watermelon displays, thumping and inspecting, trying to find the perfect specimen. And watermelon showed up at every single summer barbecue, buffet and potluck party I ever attended.
All that watermelon helped lower our body temperature and keep us comfortably cool during those hot California Central Valley summers. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, watermelon is seen as a cooling food, one that helps lower your body’s temperature in high temperatures. Its high water content (92% of a watermelon is water) has a lot to do with its ability to help keep you hydrated.
At 80 calories for a two-cup serving, watermelon is the perfect health food.
Its fiber and high water content help with weight loss and management by making you so full and satisfied you lose your desire to overeat or snack on junk food. Further, watermelon helps boost your immune system and fight cancer, thanks to high levels of antioxidants, such as the phytonutrient and cancer-fighter, lycopene, the nutrient that actually gives red watermelon its rosy color period.
The vitamin A found in watermelon—a serving contains 30% of your daily requirement— is important for optimal eye health and boosts immunity by enhancing the infection-fighting actions of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Vitamin B6 found in watermelon helps the immune system produce antibodies. Antibodies are needed to fight many diseases. Vitamin B6 helps maintain normal nerve function and form red blood cells. The body uses it to help break down proteins. The more protein you eat, the more vitamin B6 you need.
You’ll get 25% of your body’s daily requirement of vitamin C to bolster the immune system’s defenses against infections and viruses and can protect a body from harmful free radicals that can accelerate aging and conditions such as cataracts. A two-cup serving of watermelon is also a source of potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium and vitamin B6.
My favorite way to eat watermelon is by the slab, but this lovely gazpacho is a very close second favorite way to eat watermelon! Try it! It’s different, filling, nutritious, delicious and will convince everyone who tastes it that yes, you are a culinary genius! (For more watermelon recipes, tips and tricks, join the 5-Day Detox Party, more on the watermelon-detox connection, below.)
WATERMELON GAZPACHO
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Gazpacho fans, this one’s for you! You’ll notice there’s no tomato in this one. Instead, watermelon steps into the starring role. And no, this isn’t a sweet, dessert-style soup, it’s a tasty savory dish, great for helping you stay cool and getting all your antioxidants on sweltering summer days. It is very yummy!
2 cups 1/4-inch-diced red watermelon (remove seeds)
2 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 seedless cucumber, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1 small red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small onion, preferably a red onion, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1 or 2 chopped scallions for garnish
1. Process 1/2 cup of watermelon, along with the orange juice and oil, in a blender or food processor until pureed.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl, along with remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made several hours before serving.)
4. Optional: Garnish with chopped scallions before serving.
June 25, 2014
IT WASN’T THE RIGHT TIME!!!
I know that The 5-Day Detox Party is food and drink based, but frankly, I wasn’t ready to give up Doritos and Pepsi.
I was traveling to Paris (Tuscany/Copenhagen/Oacxaca/Tuskagee/etc) during the Monday through Friday and didn’t want to deprive myself of croissants (pasta/wienrbrod/chicken mole/white bread and soda, etc).
I am a slowpoke and want to move at my own pace without feeling as if I’m pulling down the group.
I was getting married/my best friend was getting married/there was a family reunion/etc. during the detox.
I just kicked my husband out/broke up with someone and I really needed to be able to drown my sadness in ice cream and pinot grigio.
I am shy in groups.
It’s summer and things are insane at work/home right now and I just don’t have the time to focus on detoxing at the moment.
I was getting ready to go in for a face lift.
I just fell in love//retired/had a baby/became a grandmother.
I had just adopted a puppy.
Five days is too long for me to commit to.
I bet you may have had a few other awesome reasons for passing on The 5-Day Detox Party . (Feel free to share your reasons with me if you’d like! I promise not to get my feelings hurt!)
But let me say this: If time was an issue for you in the past, I’m excited to let you know that The 5-Day Detox Party is a get-in-and-get-it-done kind of detox. It runs from Monday, July 7 (yep, right after Independence Day for those of you in The States) through Friday, July 11—enough time to clean yourself up, jumpstart your weight loss, ditch the bloat, clear the brain fog, and even work on those sugar and carb cravings that may have worsened over with the looser eating and drinking styles most of us enjoy during the summer. For more information, or to register, go here.
I can’t wait to spend those five days with you!
Much love,
June 22, 2014
A HEALTHIER WAY TO BE A PARENT
A HEALTHIER WAY TO BE A PARENT
Are you a mother? Take a moment and imagine that parenting may make you a bigger, healthier, more extraordinary person. That it grows you in ways that you wouldn’t otherwise grow. Imagine what’s POSSIBLE on your own extraordinary dance with motherhood. Carla Wood’s Motherhood and Mindfulness Summit is a place where you’ll learn how motherhood can make you a more evolved person.
If you’ve EVER felt unfulfilled after having children, or that you have lost yourself to motherhood, you have to meet Carla. She’s been there—and she’s willing to talk about it, all of it, including her personal dark mothering night of the soul. She’s assembled 21 brilliant women who, in their own motherhood, have shone with the authentic light each of us has as a mum. (I am one of the speakers: Tune in July 20 to hear how my oldest son’s seemingly unfixable health condition led me, in desperation, to an unconventional source of wisdom, and how that moment forced me to surrender to the terrifying unknown. grew me and made me the professional—and the human—I am today.)
Mothers are in a unique and powerful position to create growth, for themselves and their families. Join us. For free! Here’s where you can register!
Tune in for 21 days of speakers beginning June 30th. You’ll learn to find your innate and amazing wisdom (and find the courage to follow it!) in order to create extraordinary growth for yourself and your family. Goodbye, Super Mum! Hello Super You!
YOU’VE NEVER DETOXED BEFORE? JOIN US!
YOU’VE NEVER DETOXED BEFORE? JOIN US!
(You have detoxed before? Join us!)
Monday, July 7— Friday, July 11, 2014
Wow, am I excited! The 5-Day Detox Party is almost here! I get to party with you and the rest of the detoxers this July, from Monday the 7th through Friday the 11th. You are going to have so much fun with me and the detox gang, on our quick, easy, weekday detox. Join people from all around the world as we jump into summer in this online, virtual, high-touch detox.
Together, we’ll flush the toxins that find their way into our body via the food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe, surfaces we touch and self-care items we use. By flushing these toxins, you’ll get rid of stubborn bloat and puffiness, your eyes will look clear, your skin will become firm and glowing, your brain fog will lift, your sleep will improve, your moods will become more stable, your clothing will fit better, you won’t crave wheat and chocolate the way you used to, you’ll feel unbelievably energetic, and you’ll not only lose some weight, you’ll find it so much easier to lose weight using your favorite methods once the detox is over and you are clean and your body is running efficiently.
For more information, go here.
WHY I DON’T BUY COLD BREAKFAST CEREALS
WHY I DON’T BUY COLD BREAKFAST CEREALS
If your kids eat a bowl of “kid’s cereal nearly every day, they are consuming more than 10 pounds of table sugar a year? That’s what a new report from the Environmental Working Group has found in a recent analysis of more than 1,500 cereals, including 181 marketed for children.
Virtually all of the cold cereals contained added sugar, but children’s cereal contains an average of 40 percent more sugar per “serving” than adult cereals. Worse: Because the “serving” size given on the label does not reflect what Americans actually consume—researchers have found that the average person eats 30 percent more than the serving size listed on a cereal box— people who eat sweetened cereal every day can wind up with much higher sugar intakes.
Here’s why consuming sugar is such a health no-no:
Sugar promotes inflammation, which in turn promotes aging and disease.
Eating too much simple sugar can negatively affect your immune system for up to 5 hours after you eat it. An excess of sugar blocks your immune system from functioning properly and diminishes the ability of white blood cells to fight bacteria.
Sugar can alter your mood by creating a sugar high, which means that your adrenaline surges after eating sugar. This is quickly followed by a sugar crash, associated with low blood sugar. These effects can lead to lethargy, fatigue, behavior problems, difficulty paying attention and trouble learning.
Sugar raises insulin levels. An influx of sugar into your body forces your blood sugar levels to increase. Shortly after, your pancreas will release a bunch of insulin to help clear sugar from your blood into your cells. As blood sugar levels go down, insulin levels return to normal. But when you eat a lot of sugar, you’re constantly calling for insulin. Over time, it takes more and more insulin to get the job done. Eventually, your pancreas may just stop responding to the call. Further, exposing your cells and organs to chronically high insulin levels accelerates the aging process.
“When you exclude obviously sugar-heavy foods like candy, cookies, ice cream, soft and fruit drinks, breakfast cereals are the single greatest source of added sugars in the diets of children under the age of eight,” nutritionist and EWG consultant Dawn Undurraga, co-author of the organization’s new report, Children’s Cereals: Sugar by the Pound, said. “Cereals that pack in as much sugar as junk food should not be considered part of a healthy breakfast or diet. Kids already eat two to three times the amount of sugar experts recommend.”
If you do want to use boxed cereal as an occasional snack food, the Environmental Working Group recommends reading nutrition labels, buying cereals with no more than 4 grans (about one teaspoon) per serving.
The bottom line: You really don’t need cold breakfast cereal for breakfast. Neither do your kids. One of my family’s favorite is a green drink—for its antioxidants, alkalizing effect and energizing chlorophyll— with a bowl of high-protein, low sugar, homemade hot cereal. Here’s one of our favorites.
Coconut Amaranth Porridge
Serves 2
Do you know Amaranth? It’s a Mexican seed that contains 26 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber per cup! The same amount also provides large percentages of your daily recommended allowance of magnesium (119%), iron (81%), vitamin B6 (55%) and calcium (30%). There is a downside to amaranth, though: It is slightly bitter. Though it is easily made tasty with coconut! This recipe passes the picky kid test with flying colors.
1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds
1/2 cup uncooked amaranth
1 1/2 cups water
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup coconut milk (homemade or from a can, aseptic box or refrigerated carton)
¼ cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
Optional: coconut sugar, coconut nectar or other sweetener, to taste
Optional garnish: More nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, dried fruit or other garnishes
In a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid, bring water to a boil. Add the amaranth and salt, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Remove from heat and stir in the coconut oil, coconut milk and shredded coconut.
June 17, 2014
CHOOSE YUMMINESS
Happy summer! (Or winter, for my friends South of the Equator.)
I can’t wait to hear what you’re up to! Send me an email and tell me how you’re doing! As for me, I am happy to report that I am hard at work on my next book! The topic is a secret but there is a hint in the super delicious recipe below. Want to take a guess?
I’m also excited to share than my next 5-Day Detox Party (the summer version) begins July 7 and runs through Friday, July 11, 2014.
This Monday-through-Friday program is a whole food and drink cleanse, perfect for resetting your health, putting you back on track, getting rid of bloat, annihilating cravings, wiping out cravings and helping you look and feel trim and energetic and clean and focused. Some people even use it as an easy, fun weight-loss jumpstart.
You’ll find more information on the 5-Day Detox Party here
I welcome past detoxers to join us for a fast, fabulous, fun time! I welcome detox newbies and know-it-alls to join us! I welcome anyone who has wondered what it’s like to work with me and are looking for a doable way to dive in! I welcome longtime clients who want some extra attention. I welcome vegans and carnivores and junk food junkies to join us. I welcome anyone who wants a fun, get-healthy summer experience to join us! We always have a great time! And, it doesn’t matter where you live, from the UK to South Africa, Australia to the States, you are all welcome! Again, you can go here .
Quinoa Berry Salad
Makes 4 servings
Berries benefit the whole body: Their antioxidants can keep your memory sharp as you move through life. They contain cancer-fighting ellagic acid, skin beautifier vitamin C, fiber, and polyphenols to keep your bones strong and your blood cholesterol low. This superfood dish is an awesome way to get berries, nuts and quinoa all in one place. Plus, it’s rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and phytonutrients! Oh, and I must mention that it is yummy, yummy, yummy! Try it! 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons orange or tangerine juice
1 tablespoon coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups cooked quinoa (any color will do)
1 cup chopped peach, apricot or nectarine
1 cup mixed fresh berries, such as blueberries and blackberries
2 tablespoons chopped raw or toasted tree nut of choice or sunflower seeds
1. Whisk oil, orange juice, vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add cooked quinoa, peach, berries and almonds; gently toss to combine.
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! JOIN US!
If you’ve gone through the 5-Day Detox Party before, we invite you to join us for this special summer version, from Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 11, 2014. If you have never experienced the power of a short, friendly, easy, whole food cleanse and want to know why everyone raves about it, join us ! And if you’re one of our super fabulous regular yearly detoxers, I definitely want you along for the ride! Go here to register or for more information. (And if you want a special coupon code, email me here with the words “Detox Code” in the subject line.)
May 16, 2014
NO MORE ACHES!
NO MORE ACHES!
Do you spend endless hours sitting or hunched over your electronic device?
Are you frustrated by the aches and pains in your back that accompany your work days?
Has your post-pregnancy body not bounced back in the way you hoped it would?
If the answer is YES join me at Not Another Pain in the Back on Thursday, May 21 at noon in NYC. Rebecca Lubart, Founder of Dynamic Body Pilates will teach you how to end your cycle of chronic pain and better manage your body at Not Another Pain in the Back! Plus, I’ll be speaking on how to eat for pain management. Yep, there really are things you can eat (and things you to avoid) to reduce or eradicate your pain! (If you stop by, I’ll get a chance to hang out with you in person, which would be wonderful!)
Many of us think of exercise as being over “here,” life being over “there,” and healing being something perhaps entirely different. So we push through our pain to get through the day all in the name of success. In the end all we get is more pain and lost productivity. This event is about bridging the gap between our bodies and our lives and providing manageable every day things you can do to live a happy, healthy, and productive life without the pain and setbacks.
Using a selective blend of a number of movement modalities we’ll give you practical information, skills, and techniques for combatting back pain so you can focus your time and energy on being Successful in your Business and lead a more Joyous Life!
*Register now to enjoy free giveaways, access to special offers, and fun networking!*
Who Should Attend: Anyone ages 18-85 and all fitness abilities.Please note that regular work clothes with some give (except for dresses and skirts) are appropriate and athletic wear is not required.
Click Here to register!
Take Control of Your Body. Live Your Life!
Have questions? Email rebecca@dynamicbodypilates.com
Want to get to know Rebecca to see if her style matches your own? Listen this Monday, May 19th @ 11 am ET. I interview Rebecca on my radio show, Chai Time! Tune in online.
Article 3
Hello!
Life is so much better when you are having a good time, don’t you think?
I was talking with my friend Jenean Zunk, creator of the Owning Your Awesome online event, about this. The event is happening now and runs through May 25.
Every day of Owning Your Awesome features a different heart-centered expert to learn from. All you have to do is choose the talks you want to listen to and tune in online.
I happen to be speaking with Jenean on May 23rd about the moment I decided my health, energy and looks had to change. (The moment took place in Beverly Hills and involved handbags, Sharon Stone and Paris Hilton—listen in on the 23rd to hear more about this horrifying, change-making experience.)
What I love about Owning Your Awesome is how Jenean has formatted it: Each lesson is hovers around 30 minutes and features do-right-now steps you can take to immediately see change in your life. It’s brilliant–especially for those of us who are too busy to spend lots of time listening to other people talk.
Join me and begin Owning Your Awesome.
Have a beautiful weekend!
