The Fitness Guru

When I first heard the term “Swine Flu”, I didn’t go immediately to the flu bug that is presently making all kinds of headlines. It’s an unfortunate name for an illness and misplaced: this bug isn’t a form of the Swine Flu but is a strain of the human influenza virus (on a related note, the World Health Organization, bowing to the protests of the Hog Lobby, have decided to refer to the bug as H1N1 Human Influenza A, a title which will no doubt yield far less interesting headlines. The timing is a little late– Egypt has already destroyed 300,000 pigs).
No, I immediately went to my favorite swine and his bout with illness. Here’s a clip:

Every single doctor I know, without exception, is shocked and upset by the CDC’s call to arms. Yes, there is a flu bug going around. Yes, people are falling ill. The numbers are extremely low, but you still should not go out and lick the straphangers’ pole in the subway. If you want to keep busy, call your local media outlet and chastise them for blowing this WAY out of proportion. Be safe, be smart, be calm. Take the same precautions that you would take during our regular flu season.
And before you write the note, please don’t assume I am making light of this. I am just choosing not to join in the panic.

Okay, the weather is all over the place. But the weekend got me in the mood for Summer and EVERYTHING thta brings with it: the sun, the fun and the food. I found this great recipe for Shrimp Ceviche.

Before I start getting the feedback, yes, shrimp are high in cholesterol. But they can serve to increase the ratio of HDL to LDL (good to bad cholesterol) and lower your triglycerides. As for the papaya, the bell pepper, the limes, the oj– let’s just say they are all kinds of goodly nutrients to bump your health just a little. Enjoy!!

Ingredients
2 pounds small shrimp, peeled, steamed for two minutes and cooled
1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 small bunch cilantro
1 cup passion fruit juice
1 cup orange juice
2 limes
1 large papaya
salt and pepper

Cooking Directions
Place lightly cooked shrimp in a large bowl. Set aside.
Peel and thinly slice the red onion, cutting into a julienne. Cut the red pepper in a similar fashion and set aside. Pluck the cilantro leaves and set aside.
Combine passion fruit juice and orange juice in a mixing bowl. Squeeze the lime juice and combine with the shrimp. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
Cut the papaya in half, cutting through the center, lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds and place the papaya on a platter.
Pour half the passion fruit-orange juice over the shrimp and allow to marinate five minutes longer. Add half of the red onion, red pepper and cilantro leaves to the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the shrimp into the papaya and top with the remaining onion, pepper and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Beaming

My friend, David, came up with a great new idea– Beaming. A little yoga, a little Pilates, a little balance and stabilization, all on your your own personal balance beam…. a great workout.

Check out the website.

My good friend, Ron Navarre, is taking part in the TENTH ANNUAL World Tai Chi-Qigong Day Celebration in Central Park. Ron is a world class Tai Chi teacher and he is taking part as a special demonstrator. He is also the creator of Stress Defense, a program designed to help people deal with stress through the Eastern arts (show of hands– who’s stressed?!?! Check out the link).

If you have time this Saturday, head out to Central Park and check out the event. If you don’t have time ’cause you’re just too busy– all the more reason why you should carve out the time and attend.

Recently, I posted about the absurdity of Kim Kardashian releasing an exercise video. My problems with the video stemmed mostly from the fact that Kim is not a fitness professional and therefore has no place as an instructor. My post brought a response from Jennifer Galardi, one of the two actual professionals hired to put Kim through her paces. Jennifer appears with Kim in the video and her comments may be read at the bottom of the previous post.

[caption id="attachment_1049" align="alignright" width="100" caption="Patrick Goudeau"][/caption]

I continue to take issue with many points raised by Ms. Galardi including the fact that Kim was hired because she “sells” and that “by no means do the DVD’s imply that Kim is the one who created these routines or tries to teach them.” Unfortunately, that is exactly the implication, given the packaging and the marketing campaign. And, even though Kim is one of the “hardest working clients” she has ever trained and Kim “is really committed to this and now makes fitness a part of her life”, that is by no means any sort of qualification for what is gimmick marketing, pure and simple.
However, as insulting as I find Kim’s video to be, attention must be paid to Ms. Galardi and Patrick Goudeau, the other professional hired to whip Ms. Kardashian into shape. Here are two pros who have spent their careers improving their craft and dedicating themselves to helping others. The fact that they need to work on projects like this is simply business.
BUT both instructors have their own video lines and I strongly urge you to check them out the next time you are shopping for videos. Let’s put our consumer dollars toward people who have worked hard and deserve the support.
Here is Jennifer
and here is Patrick
Enjoy!!

We are very lucky at the Guru. We have a stunningly talented community, made up of the very best in the arts, theatre, dance, music and business. But I was blown away when I heard the music of one of our own, Jillian Lubow. She was kind enough to let us post one of her new songs, but I STRONGLY recommend check out her other work here and getting a copy for yourself. Check it out!!
Remember/Forget (click the link, hear the song)

The Fitness Guru

 

www.fitnessgurunyc.com

For those of you who are starting to explore Wii Fit as a means of staying active, check these out! These are Riiflex Weights. Your Wii controls slip into the weights and you can exercise with a little more resistance.
Good heavens! What will they think of next?!

Our friend, Chrissy Beckles, a New York Golden Gloves Champ, is taking part in an amateur boxing exhibition to help raise money for the Dog Rescue Group of Puerto Rico. Chrissy is an amazing boxer and it should be a great evening. So, if you are in the DUMBO area on May 16, stop by to support Chrissy and the pups.

The event starts at 7pm at Gleason’s, right next door to the Fitness Guru at 77 Front St. Call 718 797 2872 for tickets.

See you there!

Did you wake up this morning feeling like it was a special day, but you just couldn’t put your finger on why it was sooooo special? Me too!! And it took a little time and a little investigation but I figured it out. Today is the day that Kim Kardashian releases her new exercise video, Fit in Your Jeans by Friday: Butt Blasting Cardio Step. Which leads me to the question…….

WHY THE HELL DOES KIM KARDASHIAN HAVE AN EXERCISE VIDEO?!? Why would I seek out advice about my body from this woman? What’s next? Tax advice from Paris Hilton? I am a proud member of my profession. I believe that, when people entrust you to take care of their bodies, you better damn well know what you’re doing! What are her credentials?

There are people out there who will say, “Come on, Michael. At least she is inspiring some people to exercise. That’s better than just sitting around doing nothing. Right?” Wrong. She inspiring people to part with THEIR MONEY! Oh sure, the video might be genius. What are the odds? Someone said “Hey Kim, instead of porn, let’s make a video that we can market on Amazon.” And they film it, slap a dominatrix photo on the cover and BAM all over Walmart. And every 17- to 34- year old seeking Kim K.’s………what? What on earth are they seeking?…….plops down $24.95 for a copy that will probably sit on top of the TV for the next 14 months until it is sold for 35 cents at a garage sale.

I’m not against videos. Check out Petra Kolber. Check out Chris Feitag, Check out Minna Leissig. Hell, check out Richard Simmons. These are people who have devoted their lives to the human body in all its fitness wonders. They are not spoiled celebutantes looking for the next media fix.

There. I feel better now.

More fun with studies. Sometimes I wonder what I would have blogged about years ago when there wasn’t such easy access to all of these studies.
First, I find out that the average American is consuming a pound of sugar per week. That didn’t really come as a surprise, as you can’t quite reach for anything on the shelves at the supermarket without somehow coming in contact with some form of sugar. Next, soda erodes tooth enamel. Again, not a shocker– the dentist and my mom have both been saying that for four decades. Then a scorcher that liquid calories do far more damage to our weight than food. So I am getting a little nervous, but I am still keeping it under control.

As I was working with clients this morning, two in a row asked me about their drinking habits. By drinking habits, I am referring to non-alcoholic beverages, not whatever you may be downing during a hard core Monday night session of “Drinking with the Stars.” Both of my clients, very intelligent gentlemen, told me that they didn’t enjoy water but instead chose to drink a) sodas and b) Jamba Juices.

I have caught a great deal of flack in the past for suggesting to people that they drink half their body weight in ounces of water per day (200 lb man would drink 100 oz of water per day). Some of my colleagues feel that amount is too high, that it should be more like 30 to 40 ounces. My answer, with a wave of the hand, is “whatever!” The fact is that we as a population do not drink enough water. Not even close. And, worse yet, we replace water with drinks like soda and juices, packing on the calories and doing all sorts of crazy things to our ability to process sugar. It just isn’t healthy.

The downside is that water just isn’t exciting. Funny enough, there are many people who make livings finding ways of making diet sodas exciting to drink. They create formulas that almost dare you to stop drinking. And, consequently, it becomes a habit that wreaks havoc on your health.
So here is what you do:

• For every serving you have of whatever you are used to drinking, have a glass of water.
• Keep water near you while you are at work, or watching TV. If it is within arms length, you will drink it.
• Make your water more exciting. Add fresh lemons, limes, cucumbers, anything you like to make the taste more intriguing. (I know where you are going with this– that does not mean going to the store and buying flavored water. Avoid the laboratory water. Make your own.)
• For the first couple of weeks, keep track of how much you are drinking daily.

The results will be tremendous. You will lose weight, feel more vital, look more vital and allow your body to function far more efficiently.