Archive for the ‘Fitness’ Category

Omega Giveaway!!

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

This month we have a fantastic giveaway offer – Barlean’s Omega Swirl, an award winning Omega-3 product! I take mega Omega’s for the benefit of my heart, skin, joint mobility, mental health and overall well-being – maybe you should too!! All you have to do is check the facebook page for A Girl Named Guy Productions and check out the posts, respond and whoa-la! On any given day this month we’ll have fun questions, facts and contests – it’s easy! We love partnering with companies like Barlean’s to offer you great health options, education and free stuff! If you aren’t a facebook-er, you can also signup for my newsletter, Sage Advice, for a chance to win. Simply go to www.ModernSage.com.
Enjoy the Omega Swirl – truly it’s delicious!!

Yoga Poses for Detox

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

sideangleWhen you’re cleansing it’s generally not a good idea to over-exercise, but you also don’t want to be a couch potato! The best option is to balance the detox with light walking (20 min) and gentle yoga stretches. The ones I’ve posted here are side stretches and twists which will help invigorate and then relax your organs as well as your tummy muscles, helping to wring out toxins. Don’t do these poses right before eating and wait at least 30 minutes after eating! Enjoy!!

Side angle pose (pictured on blog):
On a non-slip mat (I use Manduka) step your right leg back about 3 feet. Point your left toes toward the front of the mat, angle your right foot 90 degrees toward the side of your mat. Bend your left knee so that your knee is over your ankle. Place your left elbow on your left knee, stretch your right arm up and over your right ear. Don’t hold your weight on your left elbow or knee, your legs should be balancing the weight evenly, only using your elbow for balance. Stretch up and out through your right arm, pointing your fingers toward the sky and gazing up toward your right arm. Hold for 5 breaths then repeat on opposite site.

Sitting twist pose (pictured on the front page):
Sit on your mat and bend your right leg at the knee so that your right foot is near your left buttock. If you can’t bend your knee, keep that leg straight and point your toes toward the ceiling. Bend your left knee up and place your left foot next to your right knee. Sit up straight and make sure both buttock cheeks are firmly on the ground. Take your right hand and place behind your back, raise your left arm to the sky and twist to the right. Wrap your left elbow over your left knee to help with the twist. Breathe in and raise up straighter, exhale and twist deeper. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths, shake legs out in front of you and repeat on the opposite side.

Detox Precautions & Notes

Friday, April 29th, 2011

A few precautions before you begin your 3-Day Detox….
~You may experience cravings, moodiness, a bit of lethargy or feeling slightly “not right” – this is normal to a certain extent as the cleansing is taking place. Drink plenty of water and make sure you are not starving yourself – this is NOT a starvation or liquid diet cleanse.
~Staying hydrated is extremely important, in particular if you are taking psyllium or other fiber supplements/teas during the cleanse. Also, if you are exercising to the point of sweating, taking hot baths or have a demanding job, it is crucial to stay hydrated and supplement with electrolyte water/vitamin or mineral water during the cleanse.
~If possible, take a 3-day break from your normal supplement routine.
~If you are taking medication for any reason, consult with your doctor prior to cleansing.
~If you are hypo or hyper-glycemic, consult with your health care professional prior to cleansing.
~If you are pregnant, nursing or menstruating, do not follow the detox diet at this time.
~If the yoga/movement exercises are too intense or you do not have the proper mat, please do not attempt. Modify or ask for other suggestions.

Good luck and happy cleansing! The SHOPPING LIST is posted, and the DAILY DIET for the 3-Day Detox will be posted Saturday, April 30 and the following 2 days!

3-Day Detox SHOPPING LIST!

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Fruits and veggies

Fruits and veggies

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Welcome to your 3-Day Detox Diet Planner! This is a great way to cleanse your body and feel totally revitalized, but first you need to get prepared. Two to three days before starting this cleanse (in this case, Thursday prior to the Sunday start date) start reducing intake of heavy foods, meats, alcohol and caffeine from your diet. During this time, whatever you can buy organic, I recommend you do so. Get creative with the fruits & veggies, we want to pack in the nutrients and avoid boredom. The details of how to cleanse will be posted by Friday and I’ll lead the cleanse from Sunday, May 1 – Tuesday, May 3. See the blogs prior to this post for additional cleansing tips and equipment you may need!

FOOD SHOPPING LIST:
Fruits** (bananas, grapefruit, green apples, mangoes, kiwi, blueberries, figs, oranges, raspberries, etc.)
Veggies (broccoli, beets, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, kale, bell peppers, lettuce, carrots, etc.)
3-6 Lemons
Brown Rice (short grain preferable)
Nuts (unsalted pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans) NO Peanuts
Olive Oil &/or Coconut Oil
No-Fat PLAIN yogurt (I like the thicker, Greek yogurt myself)
Fish (white fish preferable or salmon or tuna)
**To reduce cost and increase ease of preparation, I’ll be using a pre-packaged frozen smoothie by Jamba. They are super easy to make and contain a variety of fruits with a bit of yogurt, so you can eliminate chopping and cleaning fruit before making smoothies! Store locator and product info is on Jamba’s site. Will require juice.

SUPPLEMENT SHOPPING LIST:
Psyllium Husks (ground)**
Epsom salts (if you have a bath tub)
Flaxseed Oil or flax meal (I use Forti-Flax by Barlean’s)
Herbal Teas (and/or natural coffee substitutes) – See below–
**If you want to use herbal colon/detox elimination teas in the evening, do not take psyllium husks during the cleanse. You may do one or the other. Some of the detox teas that are recommended may include licorice, red clover, dandelion, chamomile, mullein and a variety colon cleansing herbs such as senna. Use as directed and with caution, along with ample water.
Filtered Water
**If you are extremely active &/or participating in sports/yoga during the cleanse, I recommend a good energy elixir like YogaEarth pre/post exercise elixirs. They are easy to mix, fortify your body with nutrients and keep your energy up! At the least, with heavy activity, make sure you are hydrated and don’t overdo it during the cleanse. Coconut water is a great way to replenish your body as well.

ELIMINATE:Coffee, caffeinated and fizzy drinks
Sugar, chocolate (my addiction!),
Breads, pasta or other yeast or gluten products
White rice, potatoes, crackers
Dairy (with the exception listed)
Fast food & fatty food
Alcohol
All meats (fish listed ok)

If you have any questions, please leave a comment so I can address them for all to see. I will post the How-To Cleanse along with meal suggestions, pictures and cleansing yoga moves by Friday!

I’m excited – let’s do this!

3-Day Detox Prep Step 1

Sunday, April 24th, 2011

The cleanse is coming, the cleanse is coming! On May 1, I’m going to lead a 3-Day Detox so we have 1 week to prepare. The Shopping List will be posted by Tuesday morning, so check back to allow time to get the goodies! This cleanse won’t break the bank, no worries.
Below are some items you want to get together (either borrow or buy if you don’t have) and pre-cleanse healthy living tips. As mentioned, this spring cleanse involves some movement (basic yoga type) exercises that will assist in the detox process. I’ll be walking you through the daily diet and movement regime with pictures, food ideas and inspiration. It’s going to be a great 3-Day rejuvenation for your body, mind and spirit. Join us!

1 – Blender (or food processor)
2 – Exercise mat. I prefer a good yoga mat (if you’ve been wanting to buy a mat, now’s a perfect time! Manduka’s eKO Mat For the same price as at target $39 you can get a great quality mat that will support your body and keep you safe!)
3 – Loofah, dry skin brush or sugar salt body scrub
4 – Juicer (optimal but not necessary)

That’s it! The food and supplement list will be posted by Tuesday.
2-3 days prior to the cleanse, begin to reduce your meat, coffee, alcohol and sugar intake. We want to be gentle to our bodies and allow time to purge the toxins.
Of course, if you can’t start the cleanse on Sunday, May 1, do it at your leisure but we would all love your support!

It’s that time of year!

Friday, April 8th, 2011

Couple of new things to kick off the spring! It’s that time of year to do a cleanse, and I’m hosting a 3-Day Detox in early May! Last year’s 2-week spring cleanse was so popular and we have even more asking for a shorter version (imagnine that!) so here we go. I’ll be posting everything you’ll need for the detox starting April 15th so you’ll have time to get it together. This year, we’re also going to be adding “movement” to assure a body that is strong, lean and purged of that icky winter weight and toxins. So if you’ve been wanting to detox and want some support, find it here!
Two new giveaways coming your way: April’s prize is a generous gift package from FruitFast’s CherryFlex. The winner will receive pure cherry juices, supplements and fruit bars from the country’s finest! This stuff is amazing for your health, especially your heart and joints!
In May, we’ve got a great giveaway from Manduka Yoga Mats!
To get a chance to win, simply sign up for my newsletter, Sage Advice (right side bar on homepage).
Looking forward to cleansing with you!

Spring into Yoga

Saturday, March 19th, 2011

Updog on the beach

Updog on the beach

I haven’t started lots of things because I get overwhelmed with the commitment. The great thing about yoga is that you can do a little anytime you want, on your clock, your dime, according to your interest. Don’t let the idea of “you have to practice yoga every day for an hour each time or it’s not going to benefit you,” keep you from doing any yoga at all. That’s just not true. When I take that kind pressure off myself, I find that a simple pose is just what I need from time to time and I look forward to a moment when I can take a break and bust into a down-dog. This week, why don’t you try coming into a gentle up-dog and taking a moment to stretch your core, broaden your shoulders and strengthen your back.
Lie down on your tummy, bend your arms and put your hands to the ground next to your breast area on each side. Spread your fingers and make sure the palm is completely on the floor. The tops of your feet should be on the floor also. Push into your hands and bring your chest and head forward. The weight should be distributed between the tops of your feet and your palms. Everything else is off of the floor. Find a spot in front of you to focus on, spread your shoulders wide but pull the blades down. Hold the pose.
This should feel great on your front muscles. If you have a bad back or don’t have the strength yet to go this far into the pose, just go back to the beginning and only raise your chest and head about 6 inches from the floor. In this position you will not be holding yourself off of the floor.
Spring is a great time to start or return to yoga. I always think of expansion when spring arises, and that’s exactly what yoga does for me – it creates space within and allows my body to breathe. Don’t get hung up on the posture so much – it will come. I’ve been doing yoga off and on for a long time and as you can see, it’s not perfect. It’s just where I am in my practice and that’s perfect.

Warm & Fat?

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

fat_stomachI just read an article (sourced below) about how raising the temperatures in our homes may be adding to the obesity problem in our society. Now, I see the premise here, but come on. Are we really spending dollars on this kind of research to find exterior reasons for the steady rise in jean sizes? Yes, it’s true that when your body is at a resting state, your metabolism may work harder (faster) in chillier climates. (65 degrees in the 80’s was the norm vs. 67ish now). But really – are we going to blame a mediocre temperature of 67-68 degrees for our fatness? When are we going to take an ounce of responsibilities for their health? When are we going to demand our food companies provide acceptable foods? We are fat for 2 reasons. Laziness and poor choices.
We have become lazy, period. Most of us don’t know what ‘labor’ is any more. And unfortunately, many people with ‘labor’ jobs are making wages that don’t afford real food. They eat out of plastic wrappers and cardboard boxes. We cuddle up to our computers/ipads/tv’s instead of getting outdoors in the fresh air and sun to move our bodies. We sit in chairs all day, don’t go to the gym, we eat crap food from crap companies that process it. We are addicted, lazy people.
It’s not all our fault though. Prices are cheaper for crap food. This is the fault of our businesses and frankly, the government. Companies put chemicals, addictive substances and sugars of the worst sort in a processor, package it real fancy and call it food. And, they get away with it, even getting approved by our FDA. The taste buds (and wallets) get hooked. Then the body feels like the same crap that it just ate and can’t muster the energy to take a long walk or hit the weights. The vicous fat cycle has begun.
If you want to not be fat, don’t turn down the thermostat, eat natural food & move your body. Eat fresh, live and untampered food. Stop giving your money to large companies that make false claims on colorful boxes. And if you love to eat like I do, eat all of the real food you want and I bet you won’t get fat. Dates, figs, lean poultry, farm-fresh eggs, cocoa, wild fish, asparagus, brown rice, the list is long..

If you turn down your house heat to try to loose weight without eating a healthy and natural diet, fat chance. You may save 50 cents on your bill, but otherwise you’ll probably just be cold.

Article source: http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/26/5917711-turn-down-the-thermostat-your-heater-may-be-making-you-fat

Radio Interview – Sexy Secrets for Radiant Beauty

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

In case you missed the live radio interview yesterday, you can still tune-in and hear me talk with host Brad King (author, Beer Belly Blues, Fat Wars) talk about sex, health, beer bellies and beauty! Click http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vepisode.aspx?aid=49341
to listen to a fun-filled hour of straight talk about what women need for a healthy, happy life.
It’s a new organic lifestyle trend, full of easy, healthy living tips you will love to have!transforming health

So, What Are chakras?

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

chakrasThe mainstream critic still poo-poos words like “chakra” & “aura” -until they go for an energy healing session, of course! In my opinion, it’s simple education and personal experimentation that turns a skeptic into a believer. I’ve been doing energy work for years and can tell you I’ve witnessed dramatic results from working with someone’s energy field.
Chakras are energy centers that initiate from the midline of the body. There are 7 major chakras that get the most publicity, but actually, there are hundreds of chakras (energy centers) that exist for each person. As your health is stable and balanced, your chakras tend to be the same, and vice versa. The use of energy healing, Reiki, hands-on healing and other forms of energy medicine such as acupuncture have a physical affect on your health.
I’m sure you’ve heard common sayings such as “I feel ungrounded,” or “I feel like I’ve been swept off my feet.” These refer to an innate sense of not having our “feet on the ground” which is usually a sign of an imbalance in the root chakra (at the base of your spine). With hands-on energy healing, the chakra can be balanced and a person will feel “grounded,” or “centered” or “whole.” This idea applies to all of the chakras and what they represent physically. A host of emotional and physical ailments can help be restored with chakra balancing.
In light of not reinventing the wheel, I found a practical website with easy descriptions and tips to balance your chakras. Here it is: http://www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/introduction.php
It’s a healthy living tip you don’t want to miss! Enjoy!