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Thank You, Tracy Anderson!

February 12, 2013 — Leave a comment

Thank You Tracy Anderson!

Those of you who know me, and who have read the unflattering things I have written about Tracy Anderson, must be seriously wondering whether I have lost my sh*t. Why in the world would I be thanking Tracy Anderson?

 

Derivative of 30px and 30px.Red version of Ima...

Surely not for her focus on training women to be “teeny-tiny”.

Or for her positioning herself as a seasoned and trained fitness veteran, when in actuality she is a dancer without even a fitness certification.

Not even for her unsound training practices and her use of baby food as a diet measure!

No, I thank Tracy Anderson for being a constant reminder to me of what NOT to do to my clients.

Back in December 2012, I read an new article about Tracy Anderson in my Sunday Times’ Metropolitan Section. You may know Tracy as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian’s current trainer, and Madonna’s former trainer. She is known for her focus on making women “teeny tiny” through two hours a day of high impact dance aerobics and low-weight high-rep “muscular structure” exercises.

There is one paragraph of this article that says it all,

 

“Ms. Anderson has not sought certification in fields like exercise physiology or teaching, she said, because, ‘I am so hard on myself with not deviating the amount of time that I have for research and development of the method.’”

 

Really? You don’t have time to do a little study and get a basic fitness certification? ISN’T THAT LIKE NOT GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL AND GETTING A PHYSICIAN’S LICENSE BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO BUSY PRACTICING MEDICINE? Have I mentioned that most of her claims about what her method does are dubious?

English: An osteoporotic elderly women in Japan.

I teach in a Pilates studio that is near Tracy’s NYC studio, and so have the chance to work with people who have tried her method, and found themselves in pain from the repetitive motions. And never lifting anything heavier than three pounds? That only works if you can afford to pay other people to carry your stuff, and even then it will leave you with brittle bones. I carry grocery bags heavier than that!

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are not fun. Only weight bearing resistance exercises build bone. This woman has the characteristic dowager’s hump that is a sign of spinal fractures from osteoporosis.

My clients do not walk away with weak joints and brittle bones. In fact, they are strong, flexible, reasonably pain-free, have great posture, and are able to take on strenuous physical challenges when necessary. Why should they expect anything less?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Shooting Is Cathartic

February 6, 2013 — Leave a comment

Shooting Is Cathartic and Fun – Who Knew?

A little while ago I received a message from the folks at Vimbly.com via the contact page on this very blog, offering me $25 towards any booking off their site. Vimbly is a New York City activity booking website, where you can find discounts on interesting classes, workshops, and other city events.

I chose an uncharacteristic activity, a rifle shooting lesson, including a gun safety class, 90 minutes of range time, and 50 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition. The two hour event at the venerable Westside Rifle Range in Chelsea, was $65 ($40 with my discount) and required a criminal records background check.

Note that I have never shot a gun, not even a fake gun, or a BB gun, in my life. Plus, I tend to be anti-gun by default. But since being back in the US I feel like knowing how to use a gun and shoot one well are skills that I should have. And now that I have them, I do feel better. More equipped, shall we say?

Vimbly.com sent me the links to the background check, called the range to confirm my appointment, and sent me a reminder email the day before class. There were only four people in my class, and after a good introduction to the rifle we learned how to fill a magazine, filled our ten magazines with five rounds per, put on our ear protection, and started shooting.

I shot about 20 rounds at 25 feet:

25ft

20 at 35 feet:

35ft

and 60 rounds at 50 feet (the longest distance possible at this indoor range):

50ft

Yes, I was having so much fun that I bought an extra 50 rounds of ammo.

My core strength, breath control, and focus from Pilates really helped my shooting, and I enjoyed the whole experience much more than I expected. It helped that I was good at shooting – note how close most of my shots are to center mass, even at 50 feet and with very used guns with imperfect sights.

And shooting a gun is, indeed, cathartic. It requires such concentration, control, and exactitude to put the bullet where you want it to go, and when you combine that with the knowledge of the power of that shot…. Let’s just say, it’s a good time in a controlled environment ;) .

I had so much fun with the rifle range experience, that I would use Vimbly again for several other New York activities that I want to try.

  • Archery
  • Fencing
  • Comedy Improv
  • Chess

Now I feel confident in my ability to join and add value to the Zombie Killing Stoners after any Zompoc! As my former Israeli military friend Emily said, “If that was the enemy, you definitely killed him!” And seriously, the Zombie Killing Stoners is a great read!

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Abundance Change Me Prayer by Tosha Silver

January 31, 2013 — Leave a comment

Abundance Change Me Prayer

Hex sign abundance

Hex sign abundance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From my friend Tosha Silver, author of Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead

She posted this on Facebook this morning, and I am compelled to share it with you. It is simply beautiful and is something that we can all use.

Abundance Change Me Prayer.

If you feel drawn, let it enter your Being, releasing any old ideas of constriction or limitation and returning Your true essence as expansive, radiant Light.

“Divine Beloved, Change Me into someone
who can give with complete ease and abundance,
knowing You are the unlimited Source of All.

Let me be an easy open conduit for Your prosperity.
Let me trust that all of my own needs are
always met in amazing ways
and it is safe to give freely as my heart guides me.

And equally, please Change Me into someone
who can feel wildly open to receiving.
Let me know my own value, beauty and
worthiness without question.
Let me allow others the supreme pleasure of giving to me.
Let me feel worthy to receive in every possible way.

And protect me dear Lord from those whose hearts
may be closed. Let me extend kindness to all who need,
feeling compassion and understanding
in even the hardest situations.

Change me into One who can fully love, forgive
and accept myself… so I may carry your Light
without restriction.

Let everything that needs to go, go.
Let everything that needs to come, come.
I am utterly Your own.

You are Me.
I am You.
We are One.

All is well.

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Firm Up with Lipo Lotion System

January 28, 2013 — Leave a comment

Try Lipo Lotion Freeproductpage2

Even I, a professional fitness and pilates teacher, wish there was any easier way to lose weight and tone up. And I bet that you think I am going tell you to run out and buy tons of lipo lotion, because that does the trick. Alas, I am here to tell you that you still have to work hard to lose weight and tone up, but that the Lipo Lotion system will help you reduce the appearance of cellulite and look even more toned.

Full body exercise, including weight training and pilates, is necessary for basic physical health and well-being as well as looking and feeling great. Full body exercise, along with some “spot” toning work, will also help you look better and more toned. But many of us (including me) still have some jiggly spots and some cellulite sitting on top of our hard-fought-for muscles, and that’s where a ultrasonic massage and lotion system can come in. The tummy toning exercises will build the muscle, while the Lipo lotion will help you show it off.

A skin firming cream alone is not quite enough. The ultrasonic massager assists in the delivery of the lotion’s active ingredients. According to the company,

This amazing massager sends millions of vibrations (1,000,000) per second into the deep tissues of the skin – breaking down stubborn fat and promoting circulation. Ultrasound also encourages the production of collagen, which irons out unsightly wrinkles and fat deposits. Using this vibrating massager for several minutes results in increased tissue stimulation, increased product penetration, promotion of metabolism, and better overall results.

Lipo lotion is most effective on the hips, buttocks, upper thigh, tummy/midsection, and upper arms. It takes only 3 minutes of using the vibrating applicator along with the twice daily lotion application. Plus you can try Lipo Lotion completely risk free.

post sponsored by Lipo-Lotion

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Try Nopalea Cactus Fruit Juice Free

January 28, 2013 — Leave a comment

Nopalea Is Yummy, Anti-Inflammatory, & You Can Try It Free

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I remember when cactus fruit, or nopal, first became widely available on the east coast. It was about ten years ago, and I loved them at first bite! Between the rich red color, the light watermelon-like crisp texture, the light but sweet flavor, and the edible seeds, the nopal fruit had everything I loved in a fruit.

Now I know that all those things I loved about the cactus pear also make it extremely healthy, especially the widely studied Sonoran Nopal fruit. Nopalea Juice from Trivita contains 24 inflammation-busting nutrients, including potent levels of bioflavonoids (hence that ruby red color).

Pain relief, reduced inflammation, and great taste.

Nopalea normally costs $39.99 for a 32oz bottle plus s/h, but you can get one today for free (just pay the $9.95 s/h) by calling Trivita at 1.800.991.7116.

 

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Safslim Chews – A Review

January 24, 2013 — Leave a comment

Safslim Chews Help You Feel Fuller and Eat Less

The lovely ladies at Naturally Savvy, as part of their blogger outreach program, invited me to test and review a full size packet of Safslim Saffrom Hunger Chews, which are meant to help control your appetite with the help of saffron. Yes, the herb!

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ReBody, the makers of Safslim, specialize in safe and tested weight loss support products, selling both clinically tested saffron-based products as well as new green coffee extract-based products.

Satiereal, derived from saffron, has been shown to help reduce hunger between meals and help reduce snacking (by 55%!).

Svetol®, from the green coffee extract, has been shown to promote significantly more weight loss, decrease in body fat, and increase in muscle mass/fat mass ratio than a placebo when combined with the same low calorie diet.

Basically, you just eat a chew twice a day, 30 minutes before your two largest meals. The theory is that you will be less hungry, so will eat less and be less likely to snack in between meals. They suggest that you use the chews for 8 weeks, which will cost you approximately $120 based on the per packet price of $29.99.

Now, did they work?

My first stumbling block was the taste. Intensely sweet orange flavor in a long lasting chew. If you hate orange, try the capsules instead. Even though I like orange, the flavor did become cloying and intense after a day or two. Was I fuller? Yes, I was. However, the chews didn’t always satiate me when I was in a salty, crunchy snack mood, since even though I wasn’t as hungry I still craved the mouth-feel and taste of other foods.

If you are looking for an easy to take product that will leave you feeling fuller and less likely to snack, I would try Safslim. You will still have to make better food choices, but Saflim will stop you from feeling as hungry on your weight loss plan.

 

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Zombies In Retirement Communities

January 20, 2013 — Leave a comment

I’m not sure if you all know this, but my husband writes about Zombies.

His first novella, Zombie zombiekillingstonersKilling Stoners: Part 1, Episode 1: Rescuing the Samoan Princess, is currently for sale at $2.99 in Amazon’s Kindle store. As one of his proofreaders, I read a lot of gory funny Zombie descriptions and have been thinking about how funny/scary it would be to set a Zombie novel in, or at least in close proximity to, one of those New Retirement Home Communities.

You have a bucolic setting, typically in a beach and golf suitable climate with swimming pools, gyms, walking/jogging trails, and pre-designed homes or condos built with the declining health of the American retiree in mind. This means outlets lifted off the floor, cabinets set a little lower, and fewer sharp angles to deal with and navigate.

But these close communities also offer recreational sport and social activities for their residents, including tennis and golf lessons, yoga and Pilates classes, access to spa treatments and personal trainers. Many also boast bars, restaurants, and community centers within their gates.

The Zombie virus would need to be brought in, possibly by a member of the staff or some county official such as a police officer or takeout delivery guy. The initial spread will depend heavily on how physically able the first bite victim is. If not very able and wheelchair bound, for example, the Zed (who at best has crap motor skills) would be stuck until someone came close enough for him to grab and bite, lead to If quite able, then the virus would spread much more rapidly and turn many more people quickly.

Imagine an entire community of elderly Zombies who were already in various stages of physical and mental decay. Imagine the look, the smell, the sounds. Not too appetizing, is it?

If you’ve read Zombie Killing Stoners, which takes place in a skyscraper apartment building in lower Manhattan, you know the Zombie virus will spread through major cities like wildfire. Imagine how quickly it will spread through a retirement village.

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