Sunday, September 26, 2010

September Is National YOGA Month, Celebrate With The TITANS OF YOGA

The TITANS OF YOGA is the Official DVD of National Yoga Month 2010.  The DVD, which features 25 Masters of Yoga, take you on a journey of self-discovery and mastery.  Featured masters include:   Dr. Dean Ornish, Lilias Folan, Kim Eng, Bryan Kest, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Dharma Mittra, John Friend, Rajashree Choudhury, Gurmukh Khalsa, Swami Kriyananda, Beth Shaw, Shiva Rea, Gary Kraftsow, Ana Forrest, David Swenson, Seane Corn, Larry Payne, Deva Premal & Miten, Vinnie Marino, Lisa Walford, Krishna Kaur, Saul David Raye, Sara Ivanhoe.



Proceeds from the purchases of this DVD go towards Yoga-Recess in Schools, a national campaign and platform to bring yoga-based health education into classroom.

For more information on Yoga-Recess in Schools and to purchase the DVD, please visit:
 http://www.yoga-recess.org/



Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Body Beautiful Playlist – Week of September 22, 2010

Get the big hair, neon brights & hammer pants ready! It’s PLAYLIST WEDNESDAY 80’s style!  This was another tough task to narrow the songs down to only 10, we actually added a bonus track to make it 11.  Do you have favorites from the 80’s?  Help us out and give us some of your favorite picks.  What are 5 -10 songs that keep you energized and movin' and groovin'?
“Heads up” since September is national YOGA month, next week we’re choosing our top 10 yoga tunes.  Great for meditation, relaxation & restoration!
Body Beautiful Playlist – Week of September 22, 2010



  1. Beat It – Micheal Jackson
  2. Thriller – Micheal Jackson
  3. I love Rock & Roll – Joan Jett & The Black Hearts
  4. Flashdance (What A Feeling) – Irene Cara
  5. Walk This Way – Run DMC & Aerosmith
  6. 8675309 – Tommy Tutone
  7. Turn This Mutha Out – MC Hammer
  8. The Reflex – Duran Duran
  9. Express Yourself - Madonna
  10. It’s Tricky – Run DMC
  11. *Karma Chameleon – Culture Club


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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Body Beautiful Playlist – Week of September 15, 2010

Party time friends LATIN-style! It’s PLAYLIST WEDNESDAY & today we’re listing our Top 10 LATIN songs THIS week to keep us motivated during our workouts.   It was really tough to narrow it down to just 10; we could’ve done top 20. It’s YOUR turn, share songs from your own playlist.  What are 5 -10 songs that keep you energized and focused this week?  ;-)  “Heads up” Next week we’re going 80’s, so get your tunes and big hair ready!
Body Beautiful Playlist – Week of September 15, 2010 
 

  1. Aguanile – Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe (Salsa) *also available, Marc Antony's contemporary version

  2. El Baile del Beeper – Oro Solido (Merengue)
  3. Atrevetete te te – Calle 13 (Reggaeton)

  4. La Negra Tiene Tumbao – Celia Cruz

  5. *Baila Esta Cumbia – Kumbia Kings featuring Selena (Cumbia)

  6. Abusadora – Wisin y Yandel (Reggaeton)

  7. *Se Le Ve – Andy Montanez featuring Daddy Yankee ( Salsa/Reggaeton)

  8. *Nadie Se Muere – La Makina (Merengue)

  9. Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo – Calle 13 (Rggaeton)

  10. Te Regalo Amores - RKM & Ken-Y (Bachata)

 *songs not found on playlist.com



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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Out With the Old, In With the New - Knowing When It's Time to Buy New Workout Shoes

Today’s cardio-kickbox class was unlike any other day. My DJ had just given me a brand new cd that he’d created especially for my class; I was already fired up and ready to get folks moving. So I pop in the music, start the class and kick it into high-gear. We’re kicking, jabbing, jacking, and striking to the beats; oh the energy was high tonight. But for some reason I kept getting distracted. My shoes, even though I was wearing thicker socks, felt loose. I looked down several times to check if my laces had come undone, but whenever I looked down expecting to see the laces untied, they weren’t. So at one point, I finally bent down and re-tied my laces tighter than what they already were. It was at that point that I really paid attention and realized that it’s time for a new pair of shoes. Yes, even though I know the rules, like many others I also get “comfortable” with my favourite pair of sneakers. Even though I have other pairs that I rotate out to help minimize the wear and tear, my white,-now beige- shoes with the pink and black trim are still my favourites. But because I do know the rules and the tell tale signs of a worn out shoe, I know that it’s time to give them up. Why you ask? They’re already broken in, aren’t shoes supposed to be comfortable? Yes, shoes are supposed to be comfortable, but not worn out.



For the same reason that we need to change the tires on our cars and have them rotated periodically, we should also change our workout shoes. The purpose: to protect the body from injury and to increase performance in activity. Think of your workout shoes as the tires for your body. The difference between good tread and worn tread on tires can be best judged on the road during slippery weather conditions. I once had a friend tell me that he’d just bought new tires for his car, the old tires weren’t really old enough to be changed, but for him, the tread made the difference between driving 90mph and 110mph on the road. With the better tread, he was able to get more traction and ultimately better performance. Many car manufacturers will tell you that if you want to save on gas, make certain that the air pressure in the tires is adequate. Yet again, it’s about safety and performance. When thinking of fitness equipment, most people will consider, apparatus for strength training, a fitness DVD, music to inspire during workouts, and workout attire. But most will not even consider their footwear. For any activity that requires you to use your feet, which is just about everything, special consideration should be taken to make certain that they are protected.


Worn out shoes can lead to increased injuries to the body since the shoes begin to lose their stability, support and shock absorbency abilities. Over time, this lack of support begins to stress the lower body setting it up for injuries along the way. In my years of training and teaching, I’ve had many people tell me that after a workout, their back hurts, or their legs hurt or that the front of their legs are experiencing pain (shin splints). The first thing that I do is to look down at their feet to see what they’re wearing. If the shoes look “seasoned” I’ll ask when the shoes were purchased and in almost every case, the time to buy a new pair of shoes had been long overdue. In those cases, I’ll give a couple of stretches for them to do and then recommend that they buy another pair. In EVERY case where that recommendation was given, the person has come back to me to say, “WOW, these shoes feel great and I don’t have the pains anymore. I never would have thought to buy a new pair”


So what are signs that your shoes need replacing?


• Runners: it’s recommended that you replace your shoes every 300-500 miles or every 6 months whichever comes sooner
   o If you log 25 miles/week – replace every 3 – 4 months
• Expiration Date: On your next shoe purchase, take a marker and write down the purchase date on the inside of the shoe, I usually put it on the tag. This will help you keep track of your shoe purchase dates without having to rely on memory.
• Leaning Shoe Test: Place your shoes on a table and look at them from behind, if they’re leaning to the sides… it’s time
• Examine the tread of the shoe, if it’s worn, you need new shoes.
• Twist the shoe, the midsole is what helps to provide stability and cushion, if it’s worn; chances are that the shoes have reached their limit. If the shoe twists easily, this is a huge sign that you need a new pair
• The body NEVER lies! Pay attention to what you’re feeling, are you noticing tightness, increased muscle fatigue, shin splints, pains in the lower back? It may be time.
• Save your shoes, rotate them! If your finances allow, buy 2 pairs of shoes to rotate out.



This was also the topic of our Body Beautiful Question of the week last week and here’s what some of our Facebook friends had to say:
Kristal Turner-Childs: Every 4-6 months and I buy two pair because I don't like wearing the same workout shoes every day.
Kimberly Zahour:  I buy two pairs also! It's better to alternate and let the shoes completely dry out to extend the life of your shoes. 6 to 9 months would probably be good if you only wear them for workouts but I have to admit I'm over that mark.
Sydney Molare':  never thought about it...just when they wear out
Joy Kagendo:  Every 3 to 6 months. I feel like the soles get worn out pretty fast and I'm not willing to compromise my feet. If you put in an equivalent or 500 miles in your shoes you should replace them regardless of how new they look

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Body Beautiful Playlist – Week of September 8th, 2010

Hey Body Beautiful friends, it’s PLAYLIST WEDNESDAY again! Below we’re listing our Top 10 songs for THIS week that keep us motivated during our workouts. We’re back to mixing it up again with a little help from some of our friends. Heads up!!! Next week we’re going LATIN, so get your tunes ready!


Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas
Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
Get into the Groove – Madonna
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life – Indeep
Chuck Baby – Chuck Brown
Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
Low – Flo Rida w/ T-Pain
Just Fine – Mary J. Blige
Fighter – Christina Aguilera
Lean on Me – Kirk Franklin (good for cooldown/stretch)




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Sunday, September 5, 2010

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

"One of the greatest responsibilities we have as a Nation is to safeguard the health and well-being of our children. "  ~ President Barack Obama


This year, President Obama has declared September National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, encouraging all Americans to take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote health eating and greater physical activity for American children.
 For more information, check out the press release: Presidential Proclamation--National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Farmer's Markets at Your Fingertips - new search engine makes finding Famer's Markets easier!

Woo Hoo! I am SO excited about this new tool! Not often do government search engines interest me, typically, while the intent is good, they somehow miss the mark on what is truly needed and become more cumbersome than helpful. But this one is a definite winner. There’s been a lot of talk as of late, especially with the help of First Lady Michelle Obama and her Let’s Move campaign encouraging people to support local farmers by shopping at Farmer’s Markets. Many people have been taking up the banner and doing so, but for as many who have changed their shopping patterns to incorporate Farmer’s Markets, there are many who would like to but can’t because they just don’t know where or how to find one in their area. Well, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has recently launched a new search engine to help consumers find local Farmer’s Markets in their listing more than 6,100 markets. A 2010 count showed that there are 6,132 listed Farmer’s Markets in the US. I wish this had been introduced earlier in the summer when many Farmer’s Markets started, but at least we have it now and can use it going forward. I’ve checked out the search engine and it’s pretty simple to use. You can search by state, city, county, and zip code.




According to the Let’s Move blog, “The search engine is a great tool for local growers and sellers, as market managers can provide the public with important information like hours of operations, acceptable forms of payment, or programs supported. Consumers can use the tool to become more informed shoppers by searching for locations, product availability and payment options”



What’s even more exciting is that this search engine does not limit itself to the 48 continental states, but includes ALL states and US territories. Curious to see how far reaching this search engine was, I checked for markets in Guam and Palau and there are no markets listed. But then again, everything there is so fresh there probably isn’t a need for Farmer’s Markets as we’re used to here on the mainland. That said, there are 4 listed in the US Virgin Islands. They’ve also included a feature to let you know what forms of payment are accepted and for those on fixed incomes, which programs are accepted such as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Talking about making fresh food accessible to everyone. This is definitely a move in the right direction!


Check it out!

US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service:
http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/Default.aspx

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Body Beautiful Playlist – Week of September 1st, 2010

Alright everyone, it’s PLAYLIST WEDNESDAY again! Below we’re listing our Top 10 songs for this week that get us moving and grooving during our workouts. We’re feeling Old School this week and kicking of the list with Earth, Wind & Fire mixed w/ a little P-funk.  ;-)


September – Earth, Wind, & Fire
Flashlight – Parliament
Get Down On It- Kool & The Gang
Brickhouse – Commodores
Atomic Dog – Parliament
Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind & Fire
Boogie Oogie Oogie – Taste of Honey
Aqua Boogie – Parliament
Get Up Offa That thing – James Brown
Thank you ( Fallettin Me Be Myself) – Sly & The Family Stone




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