Eat Like a Bird

Lately I have been eating like a bird. No, I don’t mean tiny pieces of food because I do like to eat. I am talking about seeds. There are so many benefits to adding seeds to your diet and such a variety of seeds to add. Here are some of my favorites that I eat regularly:

Chia Seeds: Remember the cha-cha-chia pet? Or am I just showing my age? Well, chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses. These seeds are high in important nutrients such as antioxidants and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and protein. They are small and round and resemble a poppy seed. If you let them soak in water for about 15 minutes they expand and turn a bit gelatinous, making them a base for some healthy vegan puddings. I add them to Greek yogurt or put in my smoothie.

Hemp Seeds: Hemp seed is available in three basic forms: seed, powder, or oil. One of the biggest benefits of hemp seeds is that they are higher in high quality protein than other seeds, containing all 10 essential amino acids, which makes them a great vegan-friendly protein source. It is also the easiest protein to digest. Hemp contains omega-3 fatty acids and is an excellent source of riboflavin (Vitamin B2), which is important for general health as well as slowing the aging process and supporting a healthy metabolism. And don’t worry (or be disappointed), you will not get high from them! The hemp seeds sold in stores do not contain delta-9-tettrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in pot. I use hemp to power up my smoothies as I transition away from using whey.

Flaxseed:  Flax contains lignans, fiber, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Lignans have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer when used regularly. Flaxseed can be used either as oil or the grounded seeds. The whole seeds cannot be digested and will therefore serve no purpose. Flaxseed oil can be taken as a supplement or on salad. I use ground flaxseed in oatmeal or over yogurt.

Pumpkin seeds: These are also called ‘pepitas’ and are known for being a great source of iron. If you don’t eat red meat, think about adding these to your diet. I personally think these taste great raw as a snack or on a salad. But often these are sold roasted, salted, flavored, etc in the stores. At that point the nutritional value decreases. If you want more flavor, roast them yourself using some lime juice and chile.

Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are high in protein, vitamin E, and antioxidants. They also taste great. Sunflower seed butter is a great alternative to peanut butter and is a good choice to use for school lunches. I snack on them or add to my salads.

Sesame seeds: These are a great source of calcium. They can be ground into flour, which makes a great gluten-free substitute for baking. I do not eat these quite as often as the others, but that is just due to personal preference.

Quinoa: I bet many of you thought this is a grain. It really isn’t, it is a ‘pseudo-grain’. Pseudo-grains are commonly referred to as grains but technically are seeds. They are naturally gluten free and contain more protein than grains. Buckwheat and Wild Rice are other examples of pseudo-grains. Quinoa is high in protein, iron, potassium, and B vitamins. It is a good idea to rinse the quinoa well before cooking since it naturally contains a bitter resin. Most of the quinoa you see in stores has already been rinsed, but it is a good idea to also rinse again. Quinoa is delicious and can be used in place of any grain to give your meal more power. Quinoa is a staple food in my house.

So, try some, or all, of these powerful seeds. They taste great and are so good for you. Give it a few weeks and see how much more energy you have. They are not as caloric as nuts, but you still need to practice portion control. Remember the bulk of your diet should still come from non-starchy vegetables.

Have a healthy week

 XOX

This blog is for informational purposes only.  It’s not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem, nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. It is advised see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Journal from Fall Ayurveda Detox

I decided to follow the Yoga Journal’s 7-Day Fall Ayurveda Detox http://falldetox.yogajournal.com/, but for 5 days instead of 7. (see my post on Ayurveda 8/12/11)

Thursday before: Shopping at Nature’s Temptation in Ridgefield for all of my ‘supplies’! Yikes, what is kombu?? How am I going to cook the Kitchari when I am not really much of a cook? Am I really going to use ghee when I hate butter? Well, I bought all of the ingredients including the ghee. I even bought sesame oil for my skin as part of the total detox regimen. I am usually a Vata/Pitta dosha, but this summer really brought out my Pitta. I think that my skin allergies and my impatience (Pitta imbalance) out-weigh the cracking in my joint (Vata imbalance), so I bought the spices to make the Pitta soothing kitchari.

Sunday: I realize with my schedule of teaching, training, and mommy-duties that I will not be able to make it to my yoga classes. I downloaded the iPhone App ‘Authentic Yoga with Deepak Chopra’. This will help supplement my own practice.

Monday: Day 1: Woke up at 5:15 to walk on the treadmill instead of my usual run and then did some yoga. I didn’t want to eat the kitchari for breakfast since it was too heavy to eat before my next class, so I had a detox tea, and apple and some grapes. It didn’t seem to be enough to get through teaching both Spinning and Pilates. Then, for lunch, I had steamed broccoli, celery, and spinach with some kitchari, followed by another apple a few hours later. I had a headache from caffeine withdrawal, but it wasn’t too bad.

Tuesday: Day 2: Have a bad case of poison ivy and now wondering if the three prescriptions my doctor gave me will fit into the detox. The kitchari was still yummy, the poison ivy made me forget my headache, and the prescription antihistamine gave me a wonderful night’s sleep.

Wednesday: Day 3: Wishing I had the time to do the meditation and asanas. With a 4yr old, the only time to do that is at 5AM, but the antihistamine I am taking for the poison ivy knocked me out and I woke up at 6 instead of 5. Also trying to learn new choreography, which is also hard to do with a young child. My husband thinks the detox is making me cranky, but I think the detox is actually making me less cranky than I would have been otherwise. For dinner, I mixed it up a bit by having steamed broccoli, kale, carrots, and celery with some avocado instead of the kitchari and an apple for dessert.

Thursday: Day 4: Feeling very calm and peaceful. I added some quinoa to the kitchari for more fiber and protein. Really starting to feel the mental and emotional benefits of this cleanse today. Even found time to do some yoga.

Friday: Day 5: This is my last day of the detox because my family enjoys going out to lunch together on the weekends, and it is our only time that we can enjoy meals together. I plan to have a coffee tomorrow, but that is the only thing I am craving. I may even find a restaurant this weekend where I can have brown rice, beans, and veggies. I don’t really want anything else. I also did not feel any real ‘detox’ other than the headache the first day. I think it may be because I generally eat close to this plan anyway. I look forward to the next seasonal cleanse (although I am not looking forward to the next season, Winter!

Weekend: Days 6&7: I really ended this after day 5 but I stayed close to the diet plan by choice over the weekend. I added a cup of coffee and over the course of the weekend I had some sushi, Greek yogurt and egg whites. Other than that I stayed with the Ayurvedic foods. I went to the grocery store to buy more items to make kitchari and will replace the rice with quinoa and use olive oil instead of ghee.

So, what did I get from all of this? Actually quite a bit!

1. I plan to give up coffee over the next few months. I will transition to decaf and then to only teas. I feel calmer and grounded without the coffee, but I do love the taste of it.
2. I really enjoy eating vegan foods. I will not go back to being strictly vegan, but I will try some combinations of vegetarian/pescetarian (fish) plans with most of my diet vegan. I just bought the book ‘Thrive Diet’ by Brendan Brazier, as I have followed his website for a few years.
3. I enjoy cooking!
4. Daily yoga, even if it is just 10 minutes at home, does wonders for my mind and body.
5. I lost any desire for sweets (other than fruit) and meat/poultry.

I am not suggesting that you go as far as an Ayurvedic cleanse, but it may be a worthwhile experiment to simple spend a week with no caffeine, sugar, processed food, wheat, and soy and see how you feel.

Namaste

XOX

This blog is for informational purposes only.  It’s not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem, nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. It is advised see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Its all in the Timing (Part III of the Body Pump Trilogy)

I am finally fully Les Mills Body Pump certified. It was a difficult process (see links below to posts) and I am so proud of this certification. Although I received a full ‘Pass’ on the initial training, I received a ‘Pass-Withheld’ on my video assessment. This meant that I did not need to re-submit my video, but I had to ‘clean-up’ any areas where I fell short and then have my Group Fitness Manager (GFM) review and sign-off before the certification can be issued.

The components of the video assessment for Body Pump are; Position, Execution, Timing, Fitness, and Feel. I received my assessment via email while on vacation in mid-July and it was very thorough. I was actually feeling wonderful as I started reading the complimentary tone of my assessor.  I had 100% on Position, Fitness, and Feel. and 90% on Execution but I did not get a full Pass. Well, ladies and gentlemen, my Timing really was that bad!

Well, I really couldn’t argue with the assessment. In fact, from the review and the suggestions to improve timing, it seemed to me as though the assessor really wanted to pass me but rightfully could not. In my defense, I did not have experience teaching to the beat. I primarily teach Pilates and Spinning. I used to teach a lot of Boot Camp and Total Body Conditioning, but those also do not use a beat. I also am not blessed with a natural talent for music. Yes, I had my work cut out for me.

I really have to give a lot of thanks to my GFM and the other Body Pump instructors who worked with me. They gave me lessons on counting the beats to many different tempos. I also thank my daughter for practicing with me. She has a natural feel for music and helped me practice the various tempos. I practiced by counting the beat and moving to the beat of all types of music.

Enough about me: What does this mean for you? Why is it so important for me to have my timing perfect in order to be certified? Well, it does make the class flow and it is more natural to move to the beat, but there is a much better benefit to the various tempos used in Body Pump.

Tempo Exercises are a great way to train your muscles to burn fat for energy. In Body Pump you perform tempo exercises at various slow steady tempos without pausing at the top or bottom. An example of this would be the 2/2 squats or even the 4/4 super-slow tempos. These put your muscles under a constant low level tension, which slightly restricts blood flow to the working muscles, depriving them of oxygen during the exercise. The muscles compensate for the low levels of oxygen by increasing the size of the slow-twitch fibers, which contain a high level of mitochondria. Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the muscle cell that produces energy from fat. So, the more mitochondria you have, the more body fat you can burn. Also, since you are producing more energy, you can work out longer and harder and therefore burn more total calories.

As well as the slow tempos of 2/2, 3/1, 1/3, and 4/4, Body Pump also uses singles to drive your heart rate up and burn calories and incorporates isometric holds (1/1/2 count tempo) to recruit even more muscle fibers. So, by making sure we instructors are proficient in Timing, Les Mills creates a workout that will build lean muscles, shape and tone your body, build bone density, burn calories, and will not bulk you up! Timing is everything….

Make fitness part of your ‘back to school’ routine this week

XOX

http://sharonsherryfitness.blogspot.com/2011/05/pump-it.html
http://sharonsherryfitness.blogspot.com/2011/06/body-pump-part-deux.html

This blog is for informational purposes only.  It’s not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem, nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. It is advised see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.