02 18 2011

How to Workout Like A Superhero

If my walls could talk they’d probably say, “What in the world are you doing now?”

And I would probably respond, “Working out and by the way stop looking at me like that.”

And the walls would say, “Well, you’re cracking me up.”

And I would say, “And that’s why God made dry wall.”

And then I would put my headset on so those walls didn’t ruin the rest of my workout.

Anyway…

I’ve been doing a new move lately that Chad Waterbury simply calls “crawling” but I call it the “Spiderman” because I prefer a more grown up term.

How do you do the Spiderman?

If you asked me, I’d say, “You basically climb the floor like Spiderman climbs the side of a building.”

And if you asked Chad, he’d say, “Start in a push-up position, and then pull your right leg up as you simultaneously reach and walk your left arm forward. Next, pull your left leg up as you reach and walk your right arm forward. Keep your hips as low as possible while crawling.”

In Chad’s Body of Fire (advanced program) he sometimes ends the workout with sprint/crawling intervals. Like 12 minutes of 30 seconds sprinting followed by 30 seconds of crawling, for one example.

Try it sometime. It just might make you a super man or woman. And if not, at least it will give your walls something new to talk about.

Now I really must go fix my cape in case my walls decide to start snapping pictures.

 
02 17 2011

5 Ways to Make Your Heart Smile

I very rarely go to the doctor. Knock on wood.

So when I do go to the doc it becomes rather routine to recap the usual stuff like how I’m not taking any medications, how I’m not allergic to anything, and what kind of illness runs in the family. When we reached the family history part on my last visit, I reminded my doctor that my siblings have heart conditions. She made note. Excuse me, lots of notes. Then, upon listening to my heart, she looked at me funny, and told me I needed to see a cardiologist immediately.

Immediately?

Apparently, because within the hour I had an appointment with a cardiologist.

Now that’ll get a girl’s heart racing!

Long story short, I am fine. In fact, my heart is smiling. Well, sort of. After a few tests, the cardiologist concluded that my heart has a unique sound but (thank you, God!) it is healthy. She said the unique sound is as harmless as having dimples on your face. Hearing that made my day and made my heart smile.

Want to make your heart happy? Well then, here are…

5 Ways to Make Your Heart Smile

  • 1. Eat your veggies. Your heart will thank you. Need proof? Just see the research results provided by Consumer Reports.
  • 2. If you smoke…well, how do I put this gently? DON’T!!
  • 3. Exercise. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week but you don’t have to get it all at once. If time is an issue, split it up in 10 minute intervals throughout the day.
  • 4. Go Shopping. That’s right, shop at Macy’s as they are proud sponsors of the AHA. And while you’re there, pick up a red dress for your bad self or someone you love with all your heart!
  • 5. Tell 5 friends about GoRedForWomen.org. If you already did, tell 5 more…your heart will grow dimples. I guarantee it!

Now I really must go send a few more emails and then and go shopping..with a very, very happy heart!

 
02 16 2011

Fitness & Spice Product of the Week: Aquaphor

My Grandmother’s cure for just about anything was Vaseline. That, and chocolate chip cookies.

Which explains my love of baking.

A few years ago my friend Julie introduced me to Aquaphor Healing Ointment, a product kinda-sorta like Vaseline…which explains why I brought it up in the opening credits

Anyway, I’ve recently fallen back in love with Aquaphor after (re)discovering it has so many uses that is why I’ve not only nominated but voted for it as the Fitness & Spice product of the week.

From the top, here are…

5 of My Favorite Uses for Aquaphor

  • Hair gloss. Yes, you heard me right. If you have thick, dry hair that could use an emergency shot of shine, simply take a teeny-tiny (I said tiny!) dab of Aquaphor, rub it between the palms of your hands and apply it to the ends of your dry locks. If you have thin or oily hair don’t try this at home and proceed directly to bullet number two…
  • Callus softener. If you’ve earned a few calluses on the palms of your hands lifting weights, massage some Aquaphor into those bad boys to take the edge off. If you pick at that skin it will only grow back thicker and that is not cute. By the way, you can do the same for the heels of your stanky feet.
  • Elbow therapy. If you plan on showing off your arms in sleeveless tops you need to make sure you skin is in good shape, too. If your elbows are dry try applying Aquaphor right out of the shower and again before bed. You’ll have the right to bare arms within days.
  • Lip relief. Chapped lips? Solved!
  • Shoe shine. I heard this one on Rachel Ray and gave it a whirl! Rub a little Aquaphor on your shoes for a quick shine. I tried it on my boots today and it worked like a champ.

Now I really must go give Aquaphor their imaginary trophy, grab a cookie, and dab a little more Aquaphor on my head and shoulders, knees, and toes!

 
02 15 2011

Easy Protein Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies

Have you ever read the blog 101cookbooks.com?

Well, if you haven’t you should.

In a word, it is lovely.

It’s also award-winning, effortlessly stylish, beautifully written, and thoughtfully photographed. Clearly, the site and its author, Heidi Swanson, inspires me.

In fact, this recipe posted last week for Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies inspired me to make my own version of the cookies. In a nutshell, I only made about 1/3 of her recipe along with some ingredient changes.

I have no doubt Heidi Swanson’s recipe is much, much better so go make her version and I will just post my inspired version below for my own personal reference.

Nothing to see here…

Protein Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies

  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (I use whey)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 ounces unsweetened applesauce (butter or butter substitute would be great here, too)
  • 1/3 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • 1 egg (I used an Egg Beater)
  • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2-3 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • In a small bowl combine the flour, protein powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the applesauce, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir. Fold in the chocolate. Spray a small to medium sized skillet with butter flavored Pam and pour in batter. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy a slice (or two) and freeze the leftovers in individual snack bags.

    Now I really must go thank Heidi and all of her cookbooks and then finish licking the Egg Beaters!

     
    02 14 2011

    Sweethearts and Squats

    Deep thoughts by Joanna Sutter:

    “Sweethearts are like squats…they can be a pain in the butt, but they’re both worth the effort.”

    Now I really must go squeeze in a workout and wish you a Valentine’s day full of hugs and fitness!

     
    02 11 2011

    Go Red…When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

    I want to be a greeting card writer someday.

    If I do say myself (and I do)…I can write one line zingers that can give you a tooth ache with my eyes closed. There might be a few typo’s with my eyes closed and all but nothing a little white out can’t handle.

    Anyway, as you probably know by the explosion of Hersey Kisses and Conversation Hearts in your grocery stores, we are quickly approaching one of the biggest Hallmark holidays of the year. And, if you have a Valentine, congratulations. No really, congratulations. I just read this article in the Washington Post that there are many health benefits of falling and being in love.

    Doesn’t that make your heart go pitter-patter? It should.

    And, do you know what makes my heart go pitter-patter? It’s BLOG YOUR HEART OUT DAY, a campaign created to spotlight the importance of heart health, sponsored by fitlosophy, inc., the makers of fitbook.

    To celebrate I think we should grab a glass of red wine and all TELL 5 friends about the Go Red For Women campaign by sending them a greeting card (sort of) straight from the American Heart Association’s website. All you have to do is enter the email addresses of 5 women you love and they’ll do the rest. And if your friends want more information about heart health, they’ll send information about the warning signs related to heart disease and tips on preventative measures like exercise, healthy eating, and heart check ups .

    It’s kind of like sending your friends a free e-card only this one could save lives.

    Now I really must Go Red! Happy Blog Your Heart Out Day with lots of hugs and fitness!

     
    02 10 2011

    A Heart Healthy Cafe

    When I grow up I’m going to open the happiest place on Earth and it shall be called Fitnessbucks.

    Or Dunkin’ & Spice.

    Or Sutter’s Best.

    OK, I haven’t quite decided on the name yet but that’s not important right now.

    What is important is that by morning my store will feature coffee and by night it will be a wine bar. And there will be chocolate by morning, noon, and night.

    Why coffee, wine, and chocolate? Because these are 3 of my favorite things. That, and they are all heart healthy. I would know. I just asked Dr. Web, also known as, WebMd and here’s what he said about the potential benefits:

    Coffee: “Coffee may help protect your heart by warding off type 2 diabetes. Studies show that people who drink 3-4 cups a day may cut their risk by 25% — and even decaffeinated coffee works.”

    Red Wine: “If you drink alcohol, a little red wine may be a heart-healthy choice. Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, may protect artery walls. Alcohol can also boost HDL, the good cholesterol.”

    Chocolate: “Dark chocolate and cocoa are rich in antioxidants called flavonoids. Research suggests that eating flavonoid-rich chocolate helps to keep blood vessels healthier by improving their ability to expand. One small study showed that eating high-flavonoid dark chocolate daily helped high blood pressure patients lower their blood pressure and reduce LDL.”

    I don’t make this stuff up. Besides, what isn’t healthy about grapes and beans (in moderation, of course)?

    And speaking of heart health, if you have a blog, I’d love for you join me and Blog Your Heart Out tomorrow, February 11th, an event to support the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. Just visit www.getfitbook.com for all of the details.

    Now I really must go have a glass of wine and work on the name of my shop….what do you think about a Cup of Jo(anna)’s?

     
    02 9 2011

    Fashion Icons

    There are many fashion icons of our time.

    In fact, fashion magazines and the like are telling us that some of the key fashion influencers right now are people like: Michelle Obama, Kate Middelton, and Lady Gaga.

    Well, two of the three aren’t so bad.

    Moving on.

    You know who’s inspiring me lately?

    This cover girl…

    I have no clue who she is but I like her style…and I’m not just talking about her clothes.

    Look at those arms…

    If you need a little fitness fashion or even just a little fitness inspiration, look no further than the Athleta catalog. The models are fierce and the clothes aren’t too shabby either.

    Now I really must go try to strike this pose (and Vogue)…

     
    02 8 2011

    The Daily Digest

    Grab a bottle of water and some peanut butter brown rice crispy treats and join me over at Attune Foods today. My monthly column on the Daily Digest is fresh off the organic presses.

    Here’s the link…

    http://blog.attunefoods.com/author/Joanna/

    Now I really must go to the gym and give my body Attune-up!

     
    02 7 2011

    Protein Milky Whey Bars

    You know how they say if you wait until you’re thirsty to drink some water your body is already dehydrated?

    Well, I say if you’ve waited until you’re starving to eat you’re crazy.

    In fact, I know when I wait too long between meals, I’m more likely to make really poor decisions like the people in the Snickers commercials. You know the one where the people get really crabby or don’t have a good game because their blood sugar is out of whack and once they eat a candy bar they’re more pleasant and they play better. That is until their blood sugar drops again 30 minutes later and the cycle repeats itself.

    But what do I know? I’m not Betty White.

    So instead of waiting until I’m “starving” I try to take a lesson from the Boy Scouts and be prepared by…

    • Eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day
    • Drinking plenty of water as it’s easy to mistake hunger for thirst
    • Having vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower washed and ready to crunch
    • Grabbing a frozen Milky Whey

    Yes, I said a frozen Milky Whey. This is my little way to kick my hungry sweet tooth the healthy whey way. Here’s the recipe for…

    Frozen Protein Milky Whey Bars

    • 1 cup Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Powder
    • 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla or Chocolate Almond Milk
    • 6-8 drops of Caramel Capella Flavor Drops (NO calories, fat, sugar or artificial sweeteners!)

    Blend all ingredients together, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze. These little suckers are like snack size frozen milky whey bars only without the guilt trip.

    Now I really must go grab a bite to eat before my Sugar Daddy shows up.

     
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    About Fitness & Spice

    Welcome to Fitness & Spice…where fitness, food, and fashion get a healthy shake! Please grab a bottle of water, pull up a comfy chair, and join me for some lively conversation about living life with a lot of Fitness and a healthy dash of Spice. Once you get settled, I hope you jump in and enjoy the discussion about the little things that make life in the kitchen, the gym, and the roller-coaster of life even more entertaining. Cheers, Joanna Sutter, Chief Mover & Shaker      

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