Car Shopping

The lease on my BMW X3 is almost up.  I can’t wait.  See, when I first moved to LA, I was told that EVERYONE checks out what kind of car you drive and judges you by it.  So, I was “convinced” to get a more expensive car than I really needed.  It was nice when I had it, especially the free oil changes and fixed gizmos here and there.  But when I asked my clients if they knew what kind of car I was driving, NONE of them had an answer.

So, I knew to trust my own intuition going forward.  My car is my office, a workhorse that carries equipment and weights to various homes and parks, gobs of groceries and food prepared for my clients.  Why do I want some super expensive car that I’m afraid to touch or that costs an arm and a leg to repair?  (You should see what they want to fix my bumper!  I”m taking it elsewhere first).

I test drove a Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and a Toyota RAV.  My lease isn’t up until December, but I”m working with a car broker, so wanted to get my ducks in a row beforehand.  I was amazed at the differences in cars AND car salesmen.

The Honda salesman barely spoke English.  He was a very nice man, Persian, I think.  His accent was so thick it was hard to understand him.  Plus, since I said I was just doing “research,” he didn’t converse very much or make comments about the car except to say, “Turn right here.  go on the highway here.”  Plus, I felt the Honda was almost too light a car for me.  It didn’t feel secure driving it.  Kind of like how this nice man, who wasn’t a fabulous salesman, made me feel.

The Toyota dealership was next.  They didn’t even have the exact model I was looking to buy, so I had to drive a close facsimile.  The salesperson was another nice man who tried to push the V6 on me.  I was having none of it.  Plus when I asked my big question, which was the same to all three salespeople, “Why should I buy THIS brand as opposed to the other two?” he couldn’t really give me an answer and knew NOTHING about the Nissan Rogue.  Uhhh…kinda good to know your competition, don’t you think?

Last was the Nissan dealership.  Santa Monica Boulevard is a hotbed of car dealerships, so each one is about 8 feet from the next.   Our salesperson was really good.  After explaining that I was just doing research, he laid out all the available options and when I asked the question to him, he actually gave me solid reasoning.  Plus, he took me on all different kinds of roads and really gave me a good 20 minute test drive.  Plus, he showed me that the pick up didn’t hesitate.  Something about how this motor was different.  That part went over my head.  Bobby knew what he was talking about and that was good enough for me.

So, I”m goin’ with the Rogue.  Plus, not a ton of people have this one.  I HATE buying something that every other person in the world has.  And I’m getting in a color!  I’m so tired of every single car on the road being white, black or one of 17 shades of gray.  Either red or blue.  Color is fun!  Color makes you stand out.

Oh.  Wait.  Cops see stuff that stands out.  Does that mean I can’t drive like a New Yorker anymore?

Rats.

 

Talk to you later,

Rona

 

Risky Foods We Thought Were Healthy!

This is a reprint of an article my brother, Mark, sent me the other day.  “Blog about it!” he told me.  Because I cook so much and talk and write about healthy foods, he wanted me to spread the word.  Paraphrasing it just wouldn’t do it justice, so I”m copying and pasting it below.  Be careful what you eat.  Cook it through, wash it thoroughly (except for the ice cream part) and be aware of any news about locally grown produce.

Talk to you soon,

Rona

 

Leafy Greens Top Risky Food List

Advocacy group notes illness outbreaks usually linked to ‘healthy’ foods

By Robert Preidt

<!– HealthDay Reporter–> Leafy greens head a list of the top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a report released Tuesday by a public advocacy group says.

The 10 types of foods included in the list account for nearly 40 percent of all foodborne illness outbreaks linked to FDA-regulated foods since 1990, according to the report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Unfortunately, the list includes some of the healthiest and most popular foods consumed by Americans, the report authors noted.

More than 1,500 separate, definable outbreaks that caused almost 50,000 illnesses were linked to these 10 foods, the report found. The illnesses ranged from gastrointestinal distress to long-term disability and death.

The report, based on U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, says the top 10 riskiest foods regulated by the FDA are:

• Leafy greens: 363 outbreaks involving 13,568 reported cases of illness.
• Eggs: 352 outbreaks with 11,163 reported cases of illness.
• Tuna: 268 outbreaks with 2,341 reported cases of illness.
• Oysters: 132 outbreaks with 3,409 reported cases of illness.
• Potatoes: 108 outbreaks with 3,659 reported cases of illness.
• Cheese: 83 outbreaks with 2,761 reported cases of illness.
• Ice Cream: 74 outbreaks with 2,594 reported cases of illness.
• Tomatoes: 31 outbreaks with 3,292 reported cases of illness.
• Sprouts: 31 outbreaks with 2,022 reported cases of illness.
• Berries: 25 outbreaks with 3,397 reported cases of illness.

Pathogens typically associated with meat and poultry — such as salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7 — have been repeatedly linked with outbreaks caused by these 10 types of foods. In fact, salmonella was the culprit in 33 percent of outbreaks involving the foods in the report. Along with salmonella and E. coli, other pathogens causing outbreaks associated with these foods include Campylobacter, Scombrotoxin, Norovirus and Vibrio.

The report noted that foodborne illness outbreaks are becoming more common in the United States because of a complex, globalized food system, outdated food safety laws, and the rise of large-scale production and processing.

In July, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill, backed by President Barack Obama, that would give the FDA expanded oversight of food producers. The bill would speed up the ability of health officials to track down the source of an outbreak and permit the government to mandate a recall, instead of having to rely on food producers to voluntarily pull tainted products from store shelves, according to the Washington Post.

The Senate is expected to take up its version of the bill this fall.

More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about foodborne illness.

SOURCE: The Center for Science in the Public Interest, news release, Oct. 6, 2009

Kid Stuff

I”m working with my branding coach, Wendy Newman and my publicist, Jill Daniel, to organize a gathering of Los Angeles Moms who want to learn some new recipes and ideas for feeding their kids.

Now, giving a cooking lesson to a group of 10 or a group of 1000 isn’t my problem.  As you all know, I’d talk with a packed house at Madison Square Garden if I could!  The thing is…I don’t have kids.  I know what I ate as a kid and what my brothers ate, but that’s about it.

I enlisted the help of my friends across the country and asked them about their experiences with THEIR kids.   I’m targeting the ages of 2 thru 10, the “difficult” years.  At least, that’s what some Mom told me.

You know what?  Each kid is different!  There are kids who love to eat raw broccoli and those who wouldn’t touch anything green with a 10 foot pole.  There are those who’ll chomp on anything Mom puts in front of them and those who refuse to eat anything but plain chicken and buttered noodles.

There were commonalities, however.  All kids love carbs.  Some don’t like potatoes, but love pasta.  Others won’t touch rice, but love whole wheat bread.  They all need to have some form of it at every meal.  Jerry Seinfeld’s wife had that book about hiding veggies in food.  Most of that is carrots and sweet potatoes, with some cauliflower thrown in.   I think it’s a brilliant idea, but how do I get take that idea and re-engineer foods that have spinach, kale, asparagus and other green foods in them?

Another thing I learned is that kids like simple foods.  Their palate is full of taste buds, so their sense of taste is very strong.  Too much spice and flavor overwhelms them.  As they say in writing-KISS-Keep It Simple,  Stupid!  (not that I’ll be calling these moms ’stupid’ or anything…)

With kids, it’s trial and error.  The biggest thing to watch for is portion control.  A second helping should be 1/2 the size of the first.  No thirds.  Kids need nutrients and energy, especially if they actually go out and PLAY instead of sitting around playing video games.  It’s calories in, calories out for these pee-wees.

I have a few recipes I’ve worked on that seem to work.  One is a chicken pot pie with no fat cream and only a bit of crust on the top.  I”m working on a lower fat mac and cheese, using whole grain pasta.

Kids eat what they know.  Start off feeding them this kind of food and they won’t know any different.  It’s when you start taking them to McDonalds and feeding them greasy french fries that they realize how addicting fried foods can be!

If you’d like, when I get the recipe for the mac and cheese down, I’ll share it with you.  Meanwhile, if you’ve had success with any food, recipe or technique, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks and talk to you soon!

Rona

Frozen Yogurt Hell

My boyfriend, Bobby, and I like to go out for a treat every so often. We both love frozen yogurt and these shops seem to be popping up everywhere! First the excitement was about Pinkberry, which to me seems like frozen sour cream.  Then all these others followed suit…Yogurtland, Penguins, Frogo,  Frogurt,  Froplay, Twist, and others I can’t remember just now.  I”m amazed at the choices and how CRAPPY most of the flavors are!

I used to have the Carbolite frozen dessert because it didn’t have sugar in it (I don’t eat a lot of sugar).  But it has so many chemicals and processed ingredients, it literally made my stomach hurt.  Then I tried sticking to the “no-sugar” options at these other places.  That was hard because the flavors they offered were so boring, I would rather not have it at all.  Usually it was a choice between Vanilla or Mint.  Sometimes they’d get fancy and have Banana-Strawberry.  Wha?!  Why can’t they make no-sugar flavors in Chocolate-Peanut Butter or at least Cookies and Cream?

Looking around, I saw that many of these places didn’t even have these flavors as REGULAR frozen yogurt, no less a healthier version.  Why would anyone choose to have flavors like Pistachio, Coconut, Honey-Raspberry, Almond, Hazelnut Mocha or Broccoli?  (ME?  Make stuff up?)

There should be more chocolate flavors like Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate Chip.  Maybe some Peanut Butter Chip thrown in.  Actually, my favorite ice cream flavor is Coffee Chip and they don’t even have that as a flavor!  Quelle Horror!!!

Of course, they ALL give you a choice of a small or large trough to put it in.  I guess it’s good marketing.  If you put 6 or even 8 oz of yogurt in the small one, it barely covers the bottom of the container!  Before you know it, you’re eating a quart of the stuff just because you want to fill the thing half way.

There’s no information on calories, sugar content, fat content or ANY content posted, either.  All the signs tell you is the flavor and whether it’s non-fat, low fat, no-sugar, tart or dairy-free.  This is probably because we’d all have a heart attack if we actually saw how many calories are actually in each ounce.

The average ounce of frozen yogurt (at least the ones who publish it on the web)  has between 30-40 calories per ounce, Have 8-10 oz for a snack and that’s a hefty addition to your daily caloric intake!  Some are less, some are more, but have you weighed your purchase or seen the scale before you buy it?  And that doesn’t even include the brownie or cheesecake topping!

Just be aware when you buy your yogurt.  Ask questions, weigh your purchase and most important…ask when they’re getting more chocolate flavors in…

Talk to you later,

Rona

How to Eat Pasta on a Low Carb Diet

Eating pasta might seem impossible on a low carb diet. But there are ways to enjoy this carbohydrate-rich food that will keep blood sugar from spiking, keep full and give the taste satisfaction that only pasta can. I will show how and when to eat it and which type of pasta is best when choosing to indulge.

Step 1

It’s often thought that working out harder and overdoing it with cardio is the best way to lose or maintain weight. However, the fact is that 80% is diet. Meal plans are a great way to keep on track, especially low “starchy-carb” meal plans. This means easy on the breads, rice, potatoes and pasta. Carbohydrates retain water, digest faster than proteins and turn to sugar in the body. But everyone needs to satisfy cravings. Allow one cheat day per week. If choosing to make pasta, here are some tips on how and when to eat it.

Step 2

Pasta is a carbohydrate. Period. Doesn’t matter if it’s whole wheat, rice or bean/lentil pasta. While rice and bean pasta are recommended for those needing a gluten-free diet, be aware that they have 45 grams and 33 grams of carbs per cup, respectively. Whole wheat has 37 grams. Most low carb diets keep daily the count between 20-100 grams. Those numbers make it difficult to have pasta. It is still possible, though.

Step 3

Eat starchy carbohydrates earlier in the day. Carbs are an energy source, so eat them either for breakfast or lunch. This way, the body will use it throughout the day and by the time evening comes; it’s used up. Lunch is a great meal for pasta. It will help the feeling of fullness and satisfaction and by the time dinner rolls around, it’s digested. Eat a light dinner of protein and vegetables, keep salt to a minimum and the scale won’t move.

Step 4

Prepare a cup of pasta. It may not seem like much, but there are ways to make that cup seem like much more. Add sautéed vegetables. Make interesting choices. Kale, Portobello mushrooms and heirloom tomatoes can be sautéed with garlic, fresh basil and oregano and a touch of olive oil. This combo adds fiber, nutrients and a ton of flavor. Add equal amounts of vegetables and pasta together to get a satisfying meal.

Go one step further and add ½ cup of ground turkey or even some cooked shrimp. The protein will take longer to digest and you’ll have a great one-dish meal.

Make pasta as a side dish for dinner, not the main course. Stay away from any kind of cream sauce or oil-based sauce, as these will add lots of calories. Use olive oil sparingly when sauteing vegetables. Add a touch of vegetable or chicken broth while cooking to help finish them off. Any kind of tomato-based sauce is the best choice for flavoring your pasta. A side dish should be simple. Feel free to add fresh herbs and garlic to the tomato sauce to make it flavorful. Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top will also add flavor and protein.

As long as the pasta portion is under control and both vegetables and protein are added, the satisfaction of eating it without the guilt or weight gain will be there. But remember, keep it only once a week.

Talk to you later!

Rona

View From the Bay Glycemic Index Pointers

I got back from San Francisco last night.  Bobby drove both ways, the sweetheart, so I could relax, make sure I knew what points I wanted to make and just take in the scenery.  It was Route 5, so there wasn’t much to see besides the occasional cow, oil pump and fast food joint.  BUT, there was no traffic, so we whizzed up there.

I’m so impressed with the way KGO-TV takes care of their guests.  They listen, make them comfortable and are incredibly prepared and professional.  I had plenty of time to prepare my food presentation and everyone behind the scenes was really funny and easy to work with.  And Janelle was a dream!  I email Spencer Christian here and there, but hadn’t gotten to know Janelle.  It was fabulous working with her by herself.  She had her little “Rona” notes and asked all the right questions, all the while having fun while she did it.  You guys think it’s EASY doing what she does?  She has a whole pile of notes for every guest and has to memorize a ton of facts and questions to ask.  Amazing.

While we cooked, I brought up the subject of the Glycemic Index.  the Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates (both kinds) according to how they affect your blood sugar.  It’s a simple as that.  Protein HAS no carbs, so it has no score.  You want to have foods that are lower on the scale, as the higher the number, the quicker your blood sugar rises and the faster your energy crashes.

Of course you want to watch your fat intake…certain cuts of red meat and many dairy products are loaded with it.  It’s a cause of high cholesterol, which is a major cause of heart disease.  Trans fats are a no-no, as well.

However, there are many kinds of fats, like the kind in  nuts, olives, seeds, avocados and fish that are essential for optimal health.

But sugar isn’t a healthy alternative.   Even though “healthy” starchy  carbohydrates and the simple carbs in fruit break down slowly and provide sustained energy during performance, that’s the ONLY reason we need sugars in our body.  And we don’t even need that much!  Many “no fat” products substitute sugar for flavor in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup.  That’s no solution, either, as sugar is addicting, so you end up eating much more than a single serving of these supposedly healthier alternatives.  It’s equally as guilty of  contributing to Diabetes.

So, here’s a list of commonly eaten foods and their Glycemic Index number.  Print this out and put it on the ‘fridge.  And remember, no starchy carbs at dinner! 

Glycemic Index of Commonly Eaten Foods (lower is better)

Vegetables:

Broccoli 10

Cabbage 10

Lettuce 10

Mushrooms 10

Onions 10

Red Peppers 10

Carrots 49

Green peas 48

Corn, fresh 60

Beets 64

Pumpkin 75

Parsnips 97

Fruits:

Cherries 22

Grapefruit 25

Prunes 29

Apricots, dried 30

Apple 38

Peach, canned in juice 38

Pear, fresh 38

Plum 39

Strawberries 40

Orange, Navel 42

Peach, fresh 42

Pear, canned 43

Grapes 46

Mango 51

Banana 52

Fruit Cocktail 55

Papaya 56

Raisins 56

Apricots, fresh 57

Kiwi 58

Figs, dried 61

Apricots, canned 64

Cantaloupe 65

Pineapple, fresh 66

Watermelon 103

Dates 103

Cereals and Breakfast Foods:

All Bran with Fiber 38

Muesli 43

Bran Buds 47

Hearty Cut Oatmeal 52

Oat Bran 55

Bran Chex 58

Raisin Bran 61

Cream of Wheat 66

Quick (One Minute) Oats 66

Pancakes 67

Puffed Wheat 67

Special K 69

Grapenuts 71

Bran Flakes 74

Cheerios 74

Cream of Wheat Instant 74

Shredded Wheat 75

Waffles 76

Rice Krispies 82

Corn Chex 83

Corn Flakes 92

Sweeteners:

Fructose 19

Marmalade 48

Honey 55

Jams/Jellies 65

Sucrose 68

Pancake Syrup 76

Pasta:

Fettuccini (egg) 32

Spaghetti, whole wheat 37

Spaghetti, white 38

Star Pastina 38

Spiral Pasta 43

Capellini 45

Linguine 46

Macaroni 47

Rice vermicelli 58

Rice and Grains:

Barley, pearled 25

Converted, White 38

Long grain, White 44

Buckwheat 54

Brown 55

Basmati 58

Couscous 65

Cornmeal 68

Aborio 69

Short grain,

White 72

Instant, White 87

Wild rice 87

Sticky Rice  98

Dairy

Yogurt, artificially sweetened 14

Whole milk 31

Skim milk 32

Yogurt, sweetened with fruit 33

Ice cream, premium 38

Ice cream, low fat 43

Juices:

Tomato 38

Apple 40

Pineapple 46

Grapefuit 48

Orange 53

Cranberry Juice Cocktail 68

Bread:

Pumpernickel 41

Sourdough 53

Stone Ground whole wheat 53

Pita, whole wheat 57

Whole Meal Rye 58

Hamburger bun 61

Croissant 67

Taco Shell 68

White 70

Bagel 72

Kaiser roll 73

Whole wheat (100%) 77

French Baguette 95

Potatoes

Yam 37

Sweet 44

New 57

White skinned mashed 70

French Fries 75

Baked 85

Instant Mashed 86

Red Skinned, boiled 88

Beans and Peas:

Chana Dal 8

Chickpeas, dried 28

Kidney Beans, dried 28

Lentils 29

Lima Beans (frozen) 32

Yellow Split Peas 32

Chickpeas, canned 42

Blackeyed Peas, canned 42

Baked Beans 48

Kidney Beans, canned 52

Feel free to contact me with any questions: rona@ronafitness.com

See ya later!

Rona

Shape Up While You Clean Up!

It’s a holiday weekend.  I actually have clients each day, but it’s not nearly as busy as usual, as everyone wants to be done before it gets hot and before their company gets there.  I’m happy about that! It gives me a chance to catch up on some writing and house cleaning.

I’m not a great housekeeper.  I can cook you a 5 course meal that you’ll remember for years to come….just don’t ask me to clean it up.  I will, but not very well.  Some people love to clean.  I just don’t get that.

Scratch that.  Perhaps I do.  I can see how concentrating on the task at hand can be very theraputic and leaving a sink that gleams very satisfying.  I do that with cooking–having no background noise to disturb me allows me to “be in the NOW” and having people really enjoy my food is very satisfying (and the results last about the same amount of time as a perfectly clean sink!  Half-hour at best!!)

So, I’ve come up with a way to multi-task housecleaning with exercising.  Now, you ARE still burning calories while housecleaning.  The average 135 pound woman will burn about 218 calories doing this as opposed to sitting on the couch watching TV or sleeping.  Both burn around 60 calories an hour.   Can I mention here that the average American woman is just under 5′4″ and weighs 163 pounds?  If this is you, you’ll burn more calories doing these things, but you weigh too much for your height.  Not because I think you should be a size 2, but extra weight puts you in danger of heart disease, Metabolic X syndrome, Diabetes and joint pain.  You should weigh on average…you guessed it…about 135 pounds.  Some will weigh less, depending on bone size and density.

SOOO…if you houseclean AND exercise, you’re toning your muscles AND burning more calories!  Fabulous, no?   Not all of these are of my invention, but they all work very well:

The Fold and Plie:  Place full basket of clean clothes on the floor by your feet.  Feet should be in a wide “second position.”  Bend your knees so that your thighs become parallel with the ground and pick up an item of clothing to be folded.  While folding, pulse in the center of your movement and place in your pile on the couch/table/counter.  Repeat until all items of clothing have been folded.

The Vacuum Walk:  Place right hand on vacuum (or left if you’re so inclined).  As you push the vacuum forward, take a huge “Groucho Marx” step forward with your left leg.  Your back leg (right) should be bent with your knee just about touching the ground.  Your front knee should be no further forward than over your ankle.  Press back to starting position.  As you move a few inches to the side to vacuuma new area of floor/carpet, repeat motion.  Switch sides after 10 sweeps to get both legs.  Repeat the 10 and 10 until floor or carpet is clean!

Beach Towl Abs:  You’re not really cleaning house while doing this, but it’s a good one to do AFTER you vacuum, being that you’re on the floor.  Lay a large beach towel flat on the floor with your head just below the top of the towel.  Grab each cormer of the towel and make  fists around them, so they’re squished in your hands.  Bring your hands to your ears and have your elbows pointing to the ceiling.  Your head should be cradled with the towel right now.  Bend your knees and have your feet flat on the floor or your calves parallel to the floor.  Leading with your elbows, crunch up to your knees, trying to touch your elbows to them.  See how your neck is relaxed and not straining?  Why spend money on those expensive “ab” trainers when this does EXACTLY the same thing.  HEck, do it outside and get a TAN at the same time…wearing SPF 30, of course. 

I have more of these exercises , but lets start with these.  I don’t want to scare you off or anything!  Let me know how you like them.

Talk to you later,

Rona

In Praise of Sensitive Men

My boyfriend, Bobby, just moved in with me and all my friends have been anxious to meet him.  See, I haven’t had the best luck with men in the past.  An ex-husband who was at the very least “frugal” to a fault and an ex-boyfriend who took advantage of me, my money and my talents whenever he could.

Luckily, Bobby is the complete opposite of these guys.  Besides being a real “Man’s Man,” (he’s a burly, tough looking  Sicilian) Bobby isn’t afraid to show his sensitive and giving side.  He’s a true romantic and does all the little thoughtful things women love…flowers, love notes, etc.  He’s also very thoughtful.

My good friend, Paola, wanted to meet him after speaking with him on the phone last time he came for a visit.  Bobby suggested we invite her to dinner–one where HE cooks for us.  Really?  HE cooks?  I was flabbergasted and agreed.  Of course, then he tells me that I had to make the vegetables and h’or doevres.   I KNEW I couldn’t get away with not being in the kitchen!  But it was still a lovely gesture.

She came over last night and we had a terrific time.  She and Bobby talked about Italian customs, family memories and we all laughed a lot.  Bobby made his spaghetti sauce (Sunday night IS macaroni night, after all!) and tried his hand at a champagne chicken recipe he found on Epicurious.com.  It was a valient effort and it came out pretty well.  Of course, he doesn’t know how to re-engineer recipes,  but he can follow them quite well.  The dinner turned out wonderfully. I started us out with a bruschetta recipe I got out of The Silver Palate cookbook.  I was inspired by the one I saw in Julie and Julia.  It’s a good one.  You should try it.

Bobby was a wonderful host and made sure Paola and I were comfortable and had enough to drink and eat.   He very much wants to make me happy and be a part of my life and get along with my friends.  What a concept and a difference from my ex-boyfriend, who was afraid of me having too many friends…since HE had practically none.

I think I’ll keep this one.  Everyone loves him, including me.

Talk to you later,

Rona

Practice What You Preach?!

It’s Monday morning, August 24th and I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting my blog.  My boyfriend, Bobby, moved in over the weekend and I’ve been “nesting” in prep for his arrival.

You’re asking what the HECK this has to do with the title of the blog, aren’t you?  Well, I’ll tell you.  Bobby’s in the restaurant business.  He’s very knowledgeable about food and has been helping me immensely in my pursuit of becoming the “Healthy, Edgy Rachel Ray.”

I am, however, much more neurotic about what I eat and how I exercise than either Bobby OR Rachel!  As those of you who know me can attest, a cheat day for me is having low-fat yogurt WITH sugar!

So, when Bobby insisted we have one good date night out to dinner a week, starting last night, I was hesitant.  At my age, I have to be careful of what I put in my body!  I have to be an example to others!  My brain was working overtime, especially since we’d just seen Julie and Julia.

While everyone else was salivating from the food, I kept thinking “Oh my god!  I can’t believe no one in this movie is having a coronary!”  The food looked WAY too rich for my taste (Except for the chocolate cake.  It’s chocolate.  If I have to die, that’s the way I want to go…)  But I couldn’t help but be hungry after seeing it.

After it was over, we agreed to go to dinner.  Now, Bobby’s Italian.  He grew up with Sundays being “Macaroni Night!”  So, that’s what he wanted.  I have carbs at dinner perhaps twice a month.  This was going to be a big change for me.  But then I realized, I tell all my clients to do something like this!

Once a week, treat yourself to a day of eating something that’s not usually in your repetoire.  It makes one feel like they have something to look forward to and they appreciate the food much more than usual.  It’s also amazing that once one starts to eat cleanly, the cheat food actually becomes healthier, as well!

So, I decided, “What the heck.  I’ll have the Sardinian gnocchi.”  Don’t worry, I didn’t know what it was until I read the menu, either.  Gnocchi is my favorite pasta and this was homemade.  The sauce had lamb, mushrooms and peas and had a tomato base.  It was delicious.  So was the appetizer of eggplant rolled with sauteed red onions, red pepper and goat cheese.  (I would have added a touch of garlic and fresh basil, but it was still good!)

Now, these aren’t TERRIBLE in terms of “cheating,” but eating out always has more salt and oil than making it oneself.  I”m still full, though.  I ate all of it.  I almost licked the plate, but there were other people in the restaurant.

Will I feel it today?  Definitely.  Will I have pasta next week?  Who knows, but taking my own advice will allow me to be human.  Letting go a little allows me to enjoy my new relationship a little more…while still making sure HE doesn’t have cheat meals the rest of the week.  I’ll be cooking just to make sure.  And how bad could THAT be?

Talk to you later,

Rona

Was Rocky ahead of his time?

It was a quiet Sunday, yesterday. I got back from my morning clients and the gym, had lunch and discovered a “Rocky” marathon on TV.  I watched the end of Rocky I and the entire RockyII movie.  (Personally, I think these two were the best of the bunch.  Sly looks VERY good in these!)

Anyway, I concentrated on what Mickey, his trainer, had him do to get in shape.  Now, realizing these movies were shot in the 70’s, it was amazing how many functional exercises he had Rocky do!

What are Functional Exercises?  They focus on building a body capable of doing real-life activities in real-life positions, not just lifting a certain amount of weight in an idealized posture created by a gym machine.  It’s about teaching all the muscles to work together rather than isolating them to work independently.

So, in boxing, besides hitting the speed and heavy bags and bench pressing a ton of weight, Mickey had Rocky chasing a chicken for speed.  We see Rocky wielding a sledgehammer on a pile of scrape metal for shoulder, arm, back and core.  He balances a huge log on his shoulders while he does squats.  These exercises keep him off balance and make his whole body work FOR him and with him.

More and more trainers are incorporating functional exercises into their clients’ workouts.  It’s the smart thing to do.  A simple bench press can make you stronger and shaplier for that one area, but moving an odd-shaped kettlebell or medicine ball will incorporate core work, arms, legs, etc, so you can lift that box of books to put on a high shelf or grab a bag of heavy groceries from the cart and twist to the side to place them in the trunk of your car.

A combination of functional, strength and stretching exercise will give your body the best chance to work to it’s maximum capacity and decrease your chance of pulling muscles or tearing tendons.

Of course, eating right will help you LOOK like a million bucks, but that’s another blog…

Talk to you later.  I think I’ll go run some steps and pump my hands in the air.

Rona