Juicing

My fiancé and I have been juicing daily since December. With a little patience it's possible to make fresh juice a regular part of your daily diet.



Some Reasons to Juice
There are three main reasons why you will want to consider incorporating vegetable juicing into your health program:

1. Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you, so you will receive most of the nutrition rather than having it go down the toilet.

2. Allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner. Some people may find eating that many vegetables difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice.

3. You can add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet. Many people eat the same vegetable salads everyday. This violates the principle of regular food rotation and increases your chance of developing an allergy to a certain food. But with juicing, you can juice a wide variety of vegetables that you may not normally eat.

The juicer we have is the Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer. Our favorite juice is carrot-apple-ginger and strawberry-pineapple-mango. Grapefruit-orange-pineapple is tasty too.

vegan chocolate cookies


I got this recipe from an old friend from school. I've had it for a couple of years now and never made it. I'M SO MAD AT MYSELF FOR WAITING SO LONG! THEY ARE SO GOOD!

recipe
. 2 c flour
. 1 tsp baking powder (I'm changing it to 1/2 tsp because they were a little too poofy).
. 1/2 tsp baking soda
. 1/2 salt
. 5 T soy margerine
. 1/2 c sugar
. 1/2 c brown sugar
. 1 T vanilla
. 1/3 c soft tofu
. 4 T canola oil
. 3 T soy milk
. 1/2 c rolled oats (opt). (I didn't use oats this time).
. 1 c pecans
. 1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together margerine, sugars, tofu. Add vanilla, soy milk & canola oil. In seperate bowl. sift together flower, baking powder & soda, & salt. Gradually add to wet mix. Once combined add nuts, chips & oats.

Bake @ 375 degrees for 10-12 min.

My new FAV dance show!

So You Think You Can Dance has been off the air since this summer, so a new dance show has taken it's place (for now).

America's Best Dance Crew airs on MTV every Thursday @ 10PM ET / 9PM CT.

My pick to win is Kaba Modern. They are the perfect example of how hip-hop has crossed all cultures. Their Filipino flava of fashion and their music selections sets them apart from the other teams.


I also REALLY like Status Quo.

Some of the dancers tried out for So You Think You Can Dance last season and almost made it to the show. B-boys only make it so far on So You Think You Can Dance. So I happy to see the team be able to express street dance on America's Best Dance Crew. Their theatrics and raw dancing makes them crazy sick to watch!

Do the Wiggle-Jiggle Test
If you've resolved to shed pounds this year, here's a bit of advice: Do NOT weigh yourself every day -- what torture! "When you work out, you burn fat but build muscle, so the needle on the scale may not waver more than a few ticks," says celeb trainer Kacy Duke. Instead, try:

1. The Wiggle Test
"How your clothing fits is the best indication of how effective your workouts are," Duke explains. When you no longer need a shoehorn to squeeze into your jeans, you've lost inches.

2. The Jiggle Test
Take a few moments to feel the muscles along your arms and legs -- are they getting a little firmer? Then so's the rest of you.

from "fitness" magazine

Smart Snack to Feed Your Cold

Ginger Tea with Gingersnaps
Ginger helps relieve congestion and has a soothing, spicy taste. To make a throat-calming, congestion-busting tea, steep chopped raw ginger in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Make your teatime a little sweeter by adding a teaspoon of honey to the brew and two crunchy gingersnap cookies on the side.

Recommended serving size: 1 cup of tea with 1 teaspoon honey and 2 gingersnaps
Calories: about 85

from "fitness" magazine

Introducing INDIAN BHANGRA!

Sometimes I catch Sarina Jain's Bhangra fitness dance on Fit TV's All Star Workout. I've been inspired to add this type of Indian music and dancing to my ZUMBA routines.

Bhangra is a traditional dance of celebration from the Indian state of Punjab. Bhangra dancing is also found in Bollywood movies. Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. Bollywood films are mostly musicals.

Check out this video for a sneak preview of what we'll be doing in class:

black bean soup


This soup makes great lunch leftovers! The recipe makes 4 servings.

RECIPE
Saute 1 chopped onion, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 4 minced garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Add 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth broth, 3 chopped tomatoes, one 15-ounce can black beans (I like to rinse and drain my canned black beans 1st) , 3/4 15-ounce can of corn or use fresh corn from the cob, and one 1.4-ounce can diced green chili peppers. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro. Garnish soup with crushed tortilla chips.

245 calories, 10g protein, 34g carbohydrate, 11g fat (1g saturated), 8g fiber.

from "fitness" magazine, Amy Kalyn Sims (some edits made by me)

ZUMBA birthday party

What a way to kick off 2008 other than having a ZUMBA birthday party?!?

The birthday girl and I getting the party stared!



Party people!

HAPPY 2008!

I will resume weekly Monday posts on the 7th.

Class Update

Holiday Schedule

Scott Fitness
classes will continue every Wednesday
NO CLASS: Wednesday, December 26

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

the Hallmark Fitness Center
last class: Thursday, December 27
ZUMBA classes resume: Thursday, January 10 (8-week session)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre
classes will continue every Saturday
Studio closed for winter break: December 23- January 5
ZUMBA classes resume: Saturday, January 12


HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to me!

Today is my one-year anniversary of getting certified in ZUMBA!

I'd like to thank everyone that has attended my classes. And I especially like to thank my Hype-Man for all of her support!

May 2008 be just as fantastic!

Indian Spinach Dip


This raw food dip is really good!

RECIPE
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1 large avocado
1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. low-sodium seasond salt
1 small clove garlic, peeled
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. minced fresh ginger
dash cayenne pepper
dash chili powder
dash cumin

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smoother, and serve.

makes 2 cups

per serving: 102 cal; 2 g prot; 8g total fat (1g sat fat); 8g carb; 0mg chol; 321mg sod; 5g fiber; 0g sugars

Prevent Party Pig-Out
Thanksgiving weekend was the 1st taste of all of the holiday goodies. Now that December is right around the corner there are many holiday parties fast approaching with tons of unnecessary calories to consume. Here are some tips to be holiday party ready!

You'll bust your seams if you...skip meals all day long.
Why? "Arriving at the party hungry will make you reach for the first thing you see (and the second, and the third!) -- whether it's healthy or not," says Elisa Zied, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of Feed Your Family Right!
Instead: "Cut back on refined carbs and fats throughout the day to give yourself some leeway," advises Zied. "And include protein and fiber in every meal to help you feel full." For example, at breakfast have oat bran cereal with skim milk, a low-fat yogurt, and a piece of fruit. At lunch, throw some beans into your salad and swap the oil-based dressing for balsamic vinegar with a little mustard mixed in. Have a healthy snack -- a handful of nuts or air-popped popcorn -- right before the party.

Work out as an excuse to eat more.
Why? "One exercise session is not going to make up for the hundreds of extra calories consumed at a party," says Zied.
Instead: "Add an extra 10 minutes to your workout for a week, if you know you may be overly tempted," recommends Zied. "When you exercise just to compensate for calorie intake, you're setting yourself up to feel bad when you can't work off a high-calorie meal."

Taste a little bit of everything.
Why? "Studies show that eating too many different types of food may turn on your appetite," says Zied.
Instead: "Survey the entire food spread first," says Zied, "then choose a few things that you really want." Count the party grub as one meal -- aim for 500 to 600 calories, including your drink, she adds. Take two small-size plates of food -- one for snacks, the other for appetizers.

sourced from Fitness magazine

Class Update

I will be out of town Thanksgiving week. Please note the following class changes.

Scott Fitness
CLASS: yes
sub on Wednesday 11/21

Hallmark Fitness Center
CLASS: no
all classes on break 11/19 - 11/23

KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre
CLASS: no
studio closed for Thanksgiving break on Saturday 11/24

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's that time of the year to get cozy with a cup of hot chocolate. Here's a yummy recipe that cuts some of the calories.

Healthier Hot Chocolate
This recipe is from Fitness magazine with a few edits I made.

SERVES 2
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3-4 tablespoons agave nectar (a natural sweetener found in supermarkets & healthfood stores. I use it in my oatmeal. It looks like honey and it's yummy!).

2.5 cups soy milk (or skim milk)

1/2 vanilla bean, split

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix cocoa powder and agave nectar. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over very low heat w/ vanilla bean, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk in cocoa-agave mixture thoroughly, until mixture is warm, but not boiling.

215 calories, 12 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat, 3 g fiber.

Class Update

KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre
Ms. Kym will be subing ZUMBA for me on Saturday November, 10. I'll be back for Saturday November, 17th.

I'll be participating in the Crafty Chicks craft show from 9a- 4p. Please stop by after class!

Thanks!

AN EXTRA HOUR
Time to turn the clocks back 1-hour on November 4th. You can snooze – or you can use the BONUS hour. Here are five worth-it ways.

1. Make an indulgent yet nourishing breakfast of whole-wheat pancakes, topped with blueberries, walnuts and maple syrup.

2. Dig out your phone book and call that good, from-way-back buddy you’ve only been e-mailing recently.

3. Read the travel section of the Sunday paper, and start planning your next trip.

4. Write a “TO BE” list. Less late? Better at knitting? Jot down what you wish you were, then what you can do to be so.

5. Stretch! Blow the dust off of your yoga DVD. Or better yet, schedule a 1-hour massage!

sourced from Fitness magazine

Dee Lite - Groove Is In The Heart (1990)

Everytime I do this song in class I always envision the psychedelic colors from the video!

Cookies!

Indulge your cookie cravings -- and still stick to your diet -- by grabbing one of these healthy treats. NO BAKING REQUIRED.

from Fitness magazine

NEW ZUMBA CLASS!

Starting this Wednesday (October 3rd) I'll be having a 1-hour ZUMBA class @ Scott Fitness.


Class is open to Scott Fitness members only.