The Fitness Guru

Hope you’re having a great day! Where do you want to be? I know where I want to be…..

The Bananaheads are at it again.

Every so often, I come across a study that makes me go into the bathroom, close the door, bury my head in a towel and scream obscenities at the top of my lungs. The last one that brought out the cuss in me was a genius little number about how smoking boosted the fat-zapping gene. Yeah, that’s right. Light up a cigarette and your body goes into fat burning mode. So, flip side– stop smoking and odds are you will pack on the fat. Who do you think paid for that little bit of science?
So today, I’m kicking back, still ever-so-slightly relaxed from the holiday weekend and I come across “Exercise not likely to rev up your metabolism.” (Editor’s note: if you click on those two links, they both come up MSNBC. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but why are they so eager to promote these studies? How could they benefit from people just sitting around at home, smoking?)
The study sets about debunking the theory that your metabolism will be revved up for up to 24 hours after a workout. Apparently, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Calorie burn in a 24 hour period was the same for exercisers as it was for couch potatoes. What does that mean? Well, it means that, though you may burn calories while exercising, the likelihood of that burn continuing after you stop is next to nil.
But I tell you what it means in the real world: it will be another glorious reason for people to give up on the idea of exercise. If you are going to the gym to lose weight, and, quick reminder, 66% of our nation needs to lose some weight, and exercise isn’t going to give you those overall benefits, then what is the point?
Here is the point: even if this study is right (and I don’t really think that it is….I don’t know, call it 25 years of experience), exercising regularly will increase your overall calorie burn and metabolic efficiency because you will be far more ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE. Sit back on your sofa for an afternoon of TV, then try to go shopping for groceries in the late afternoon. You will have no energy, no desire to drag yourself up from the comfy confines of your cozy cocoon. But workout daily: not only will you burn calories through your workout, adding to caloric deficit and fat/weight loss, but you will also be the kid who is far more likely to take the stairs over the elevator to get to you office. You will be the person standing on the subway and not feeling exhausted because of it. You will be the one who is able to add far more activity to your lifestyle over the following 24 hours than the person who chose to sit still. Your overall calorie burn will be far greater, not because of the exercise, but because you have exercised. Not to mention all the benefits to you heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, circulatory system…..oh and BRAIN!
But leave it to the Bananaheads. They just can’t be happy knowing that the rest of the world is trying to get in a few minutes of exercise while they’re stuck in their stuffy lab with their test tubes and cheeseburgers.

Yea!!! We made it!! After what seemed to be an ENDLESS, COLD, DOWNRIGHT-FROM-THE-MIND-OF-SATAN winter, we have finally arrived at Memorial Day– the start of all things sun and funable.

Here are some ideas– drinks, bar-b-q bites and tools to help you relax and unwind. If you feel like exercising, make it fun! Go for a run, a swim, a bike ride or just toss around the Frisbee. Have a terrific weekend!!

Strawberry Mojito (for the grown ups)

1/2 of a lime
10-12 mint leaves torn

3 strawberries
3/4 oz simple syrup or 2 teaspoons of sugar
2 oz white rum
Club soda
In a 10 or 12 ounce glass add juice of lime, mint, 2 strawberries and simple syrup. Muddle ingredients with a twisting motion. (This will releases the essential oils in the mint and lime.) Fill the glass with ice, rum, and last strawberry cut into smaller pieces and shake well. Top off with club soda.

Raspberry Lemonade (for the kids or grown ups with a hidden bottle of vodka)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate
3 cups water
3/4 teaspoon lime juice
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup fresh raspberries, garnish
18 Mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

In a large punch bowl, combine raspberry lemonade concentrate, water and lime juice. Stir in lemon-lime soda and crushed ice. Garnish each glass with a fresh raspberry and a mint leaf.

Shish Kabobs

1 pound beef roast, sirloin or any cut of meat your prefer (2″ chunks)
2 bunches of green onions (medium sized)
Cherry tomatoes (about 2 doz)
Mushrooms (about 2 doz)
3 bell peppers 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green

Cut the meat into cubes and slice the peppers. Clean and remove tops of the green onions.
Place a cube of meat, onion, tomato, mushroom, yellow pepper on the skewer and then place another piece of meat, onion, tomato, mushroom, red pepper on the same skewer, then repeat process again ending with the green pepper this time. You can also add a slice of an apple or potato in place of a tomato.
Add some pineapple to the skewers in place of the mushrooms for the kids.
Cook over BBQ grill till meat is brown and vegetables are tender.
This will make 4 to 6 kabobs or a couple more if you put less on per skewer.

Do you ever wonder about the difference between fruits and vegetables labeled “Organic” and those that don’t carry the label? When something is labeled “100% Organic” it must contain only organically produced ingredients, whereas something simply labeled “Organic” only needs to contain 95% organically produced ingredients. The other 5% can include anything on a list of US approved non-organically produced agricultural products. Hmmmmmm…….. that doesn’t quite seem organic, does it? I would think a “Kinda Organic” label would be a better choice.

Now we are exposed to so many pollutants and and toxins throughout the course of our days, is that tiny 5% really going to matter? Well, for many people, particularly parents, that Organic label means that we are doing the right thing for ourselves and for those we love. And even trace amounts of pesticides– US-Approved non-organic agricultural products– can be especially harmful to kids and expectant moms.

Many fruits and vegetables are more likely than others to carry pesticides with them to the local market. To simplify the witch hunt for the villianous produce, here is a list of the Dirty Dozen– the fruits and vegetables most likely to soak up pesticides: apples, bell peppers, spinach, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries and strawberries.

So do we stop eating all those items? Probably not. But a good choice would be to seek out the 100% Organic label when shopping for those items. Keep in mind that the sticker (and the way the fruit or vegetable is raised) may increase the price by as much as 50%. So here’s today’s question:

 Loading ...

I have a Wii. Or, I should say, there is a Wii in my house for, truly, it is not mine but belongs to the whole family. I do not control it. Not that it makes any difference. All we play, all we ever want to play, is Guitar Hero. Why would we play anything else? It should be called the Guitar Hero and simply leave it at that.

But many, many people LOVE the Wii Fit. I love the idea of it: a fun computer game that you can play at home, keeps you moving, keeps you active, keeps you HAPPY! I know many success stories of people who have lost weight playing games like this, and I have had success getting people moving using video games when no other means would work.

So Jillian Michaels is releasing a new Fitness Ultimatum. It should be interesting at the very least. Certainly, fans of the Biggest Loser should enjoy the opportunity to have Jillian yell at them until they cry (that is part of the game, right?).

But what about you? Would you be into cyber fitness, even with someone like Jillian leading the charge? This brings us to our very first Fitness Guru Poll– let us know what you think:

 Loading ...

When I stumble off to yoga class, I generally have a wonderful experience– I feel like I am taking the opportunity to do something good for myself and I emerge cleansed, feeling happy, healthy and whole. There is just one thing that drives me nuts. No, I am not talking about the snoring in class during deep meditation, because it is usually me doing the snoring– I just relax a little too much. Sue me.

No, my bad moment comes when I am trying to get into Downward Facing Dog and my hobbit-like feet start to lose traction. They slide out from under me, forcing me into some kind of hybrid plank position and I spend the next several minutes cursing under my breath– really great place to be for a yoga class.
But then I stumbled on these: Yoga Stick-e Socks! These socks have two things going for them: the non-slip smooth Stick-e sole that you can barely feel through the sock; and toe-free design of the sock so you can still feel the mat or the floor under your feel! No more sliding through Warrior 1! No more cursing like a drunken sailor!! For more info, check out their website, www.YogaStickySocks.com

Finally! In a study that I stumbled onto today, researchers announced that, by following the DASH Plan, individuals may reduce the threat of heart failure. But what, you may ask, is the DASH plan?

Don’t be upset that you don’t know of DASH. There are few marketing dollars that are spent annually on making it a household term– few, that is, relative to genius ideas like “Brand New Bootilicious Diet: A Thinner You in 36 hours.” (please don’t try Googling the title. I made it up to make a point.)

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and it was developed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Scientists found that by increasing whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts, and decreasing intake of lean red meat, sweets, added sugars, and sugar-containing beverages
compared to the typical American diet, they could effective lower blood pressure in hypertense patients. The scientific reasoning is very involved, so much so that I won’t go into it here (please take a look at a National Institute of Health brochure for more info). But I have been recommending the Plan for years, primarily because, not only will the Plan help to lower blood pressure, it also helps people lose excess weight and lowers LDL levels (that’s the bad cholesterol).

If you are looking to eat a little more healthy, skip the fads! They’ll drive you nuts!! Check out the DASH Plan.

People seem to really like the idea of smoothies. Maybe it takes us back to milk shakes. The problem with most smoothies is that they are not that far removed from desserts: they are chock full of extra sugar and calories. So when we get to the middle of Monday afternoon and we need that little boost, we end up reaching for a sugary meal substitute that will only leave us feeling more depleted.

But here is a recipe for a smoothie that will give you a little burst of energy without that let down afterward. If the pineapple juice is still too much sugar for you, replace it with water. I like a little bit of pineapple juice because wheatgrass is not my favorite flavor (though I love the effect it has on my body.
Give it a try. Let me know what you think.
(2 servings)
- 1 tbsp wheatgrass powder
- 1 avocado
- 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder
- 2 cups fresh pineapple juice
- squeeze of honey to taste

Remove the flesh from the avocado and place with the rest of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve. Wipe mouth with napkin.

We have new Boot Camp classes forming now!!

The classes meet twice a week for eight weeks. Each class is an hour long and focuses on cardio-vascular as well as strength and Pilates training, guaranteed to get you in fantastic shape for Summer!! If you are looking for that special something to get your fitness-thang revved up, this is it!!

For more information, email michael@fitnessgurunyc.com with the subject line “I’m going to Boot”.

In celebration of Mom, here is a quick recipe idea for Sunday Brunch:

Mini Mushroom and Turkey Sausage Quiche

Ingredients:

8 ounce(s) turkey breakfast sausage , removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
1 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounce(s) mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup(s) sliced scallions
1/4 cup(s) shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup(s) 1% milk

Directions:

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese, and pepper.
Whisk eggs, egg whites, and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.
Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.

And, as a tribute to siblings everywhere, please enjoy: