Being in the holiday season with all the glorious food and sweets, I'm seeking refuge in vegetables! With a treasure trove of freshness courtesy of the the Palos Verdes Farmer's Market, I walked away today with bags of red and yellow peppers, yellow squash, zuchhini, cauliflower and broccoli, heirloom tomatos (the last of the season!), garlic, green beans and orange persimmons. Abundanza! The great thing about displaying all the goods on one platter in the kitchen is - you feel healthy making the items on the platter disappear one by one during the week! I've been making batches of soup by steaming vegetables and pureeing with chicken stock and throwing in a few herbs. It's quick, easy and healthy.
I recently started taking Tai Chi and I would not have imagined that 1) I would be sweaty after class 2) it's harder than it looks 3) it's fun.
What I like about it is it requires 100% concentration. Being in perpetual slow motion, our mind can absolutely not wander like it can when working out on the treadmill or precor. The moves feel slightly unnatural in one respect as you pivot to a pidgeon toe or heal-toe position, and yet the actual flow and rhythm of movement feels completely comfortable and familiar. Arms and legs are constantly in controled motion and the required focus provide a sense of accomplishment and grounding. This is a two-for-one group exercise which has physical benefits as well as providing a sort of active meditation which is good for the mind. Three suprises and and a two thumbs up!
The Europeans do it. We hear of siestas and snoozing. What about power napping? On cold, grey days, napping is especially pleasant. Take a load off, lie down on the sofa, make sure there is no ancillary noise like music or the TV, cover yourself with a blanket and close your eyes and breathe deeply. Aaaaaaaah. A twenty minute nap can help restore your body and give you a second wind without relying on a caffine jolt or a sugar rush. For more info on the benefits of napping and different types of napping, click on the following link from the Men's Journal. Try it. You might like it. http://www.mensjournal.com/healthFitness/0601/napping_power.html
Malaga Cove Plaza in Palos Verdes is spectacular and features a reproduction of a fountain called "Fontana del Nettuno" or Neptune's Fountain which was installed in the main square in Bologna, Italy during the 16th Century. Neptune, the god of the sea, is surrounded by cherubs and mermaids. The one in Malaga Cove was dedicated February 16, 1930 and repaired and restored in the late nineties. Since my parents lived in Bologna and two siblings were born there, this holds a very special place in my heart. The plaza itself harkens back to classical, beautiful architecture of days gone by and is very Mediterranean. Stop by the local grocery store/deli and you will be surprised at the offering in the deli - home made hummus, dolmas and tabouli that is quite delicious! Recommendation: Buy some of these goodies and sit on the steps of Neptune's Fountain like the Europeans do!
Well, reality hit. Shock! Dismay! I was far, far away from 10,000 steps and sometimes I just wanted to chuck the pedometer and forget about fitness. But not really. So slowly I started working my way up. Last month I was particulary happy with my progress, hitting nearly 300,000 steps in a month. But alas, Achilles Tendonitis put me on the sidelines. Ouch. I never really thought I had to stretch out my calves to go for a walk! But oh contraire! When walking for fitness, it is really important to take a few precautions and take a few actions that will set you up for success rather than set-backs.
An Achilles tendon injury might be caused by:
To speed the healing, you can:
Well, lesson learned. I am on the road to icing, stretching, massages, new stablizing sneakers and sticking my feet in the jaccuzi. I want to get back to the 10,000 steps per day and right now I have Jimmy Buffet's "A Thousand Steps to Nowhere" rummaging around in my brain. I found a good website that has a wealth on info on starting a walking program http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
Originally my blog concept was to provide first hand experiences and insights into spas, wellness centers and general well-being (as spa consulting has been my livelihood, this was/is a topic I feel confident to write about). Soon after, I began to conceptualize casting a wider net to include unique aspects of my neighborhood, my love for travel, writing and photography, my interest in social responsiblity, cooking... Why limit myself?
With the passing days, weeks and months of deliberating which direction, what name and which software to use, I decided to embrace the Nike Goddess in me and "Just do it"! http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Nike.html
And so here it is. There is something very gratifying to see your work in progress grow. I hope that you enjoy reading my blog as much as I am enjoying getting started!
This is one of my favorite views in my neighborhood and it appears after a series of twist and turns. On a clear day you can see the city of Los Angeles. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I've always enjoyed taking snaphots. Recently, after a few friends encouraged me to pursue my hobby more vigorously, I had my first "sale". One of my friends now calls me a professional photographer. Stay tuned. You never know what life has in store for you!
