Happy Leap Day 2012!

HAPPY LEAP DAY FEBRUARY 29 2012! 

If I live to be 100 - I have 10 more leap years to celebrate

I'm going to celebrate them all folks

                                             Yummmmmm..... celebration cookies for tonight!

A few little facts for you about leap year -

Why we need it. Paul Simons in The Times explained why we have one. It actually takes the Earth 365.25 days to whizz round the Sun, which means we need an extra day in the year every four years to keep up with the seasons. If we didn’t, we’d “gradually grow out of step … so that February would be in summer."

The tradition of "ladies' privilege"

In keeping with the theme of nature gone awry, a whimsical tradition dating back at least four centuries holds that leap years confer upon women the "privilege" of proposing marriage to men instead of the other way around. The convention was (in literature, if not in reality) that any man who refused such a proposal owed his spurned suitor a silk gown and a kiss — provided she was wearing a red petticoat at the moment she popped the question.

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Day 3 Exercises

There are people following this blog that exercise on a regular basis, there are folks that have good intentions but don't do what they know they should and there are crazy-fit wild people (yes, that would be you Emily TRX queen, you Alexander and you Thuy Mountain Climbers, you Cindy marathon queen, you Jayne aerial dancer and you Kristina triathlete queen and my massage guru) who do extreme forms of exercises. 

When our son Alex wrestled for UMD - The Saddle Back Carry was one of the exercises they did - and I'm telling you they did this going up and down the bleachers. It is one of the Guerilla Exercises I found in my U.S. Army Physical Fitness books for strength and endurance.

For the rest of us normal folks - warm up any way you'd like.

If you think you know these exercises, yes - you might, but...... you might not be doing them exactly right. A little review is always good.

CRISS CROSS CURL

Keep your elbows out to the side and neck relaxed.

Exhale as you curl your head, neck and shoulder blades off the mat. Rotate your torso, not your arms. Think of bringing your left shoulder toward your right thigh as you pull your belly in, in, in. Long exhale, long in, in, in goes the belly.

Slowly return to start position.

Do 8-16 reps on one side and repeat on opposite side.

SIDE ARM RAISE

This will make your shoulders so beautiful and strong.

See how Kathy's palms are facing in toward her thighs to start?

EXhale while you EXert and slowly lift your arms out to the side (not in front) to shoulder height. 

Pause and lower back down.

If you are lifting heavy weights do 2 sets of 8. Light weights do 16-24 reps. Of course, rest if you need to. Control, control, control the lift and the lower.

FRONT OF HIP/CHEST/FRONT OF SHOULDER STRETCH

This feels so good.

Notice how her right leg is off the chair in a lunge position with the knee bent. Her left leg is fully supported by the chair. Feel this stretch in the front of your right upper thigh and hip. 

Keep your body upright. Relax your neck muscles and breath. Keep your gaze soft. 

This is a very restorative position. Enjoy it.

Switch sides.

I hope you enjoy these exercises. Any questions? email me at donnaraesmith@yahoo.com

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Last week a 93 year old woman was featured on the news for her volunteer work and for her youthfulness. The reporter asked her the key to her longevity and she said she eats one cookie every day! I love cookies. This is a great recipe. Enjoy!

The Heart-Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

Vegetarian Times Issue: February 1, 2009   p.69

Yummmmmm!

When you replace butter and eggs with ground walnuts, and all-purpose flour with a blend of oat flour and oatmeal, you get a moist, chewy, vegan cookie that’s loaded with good-for-your-heart ingredients.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine meal. Add canola oil, and blend 2 to 3 minutes more, or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter, scraping down sides of food processor occasionally. Transfer to bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar and ½ cup water in small saucepan, and bring mixture to a boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter, add vanilla extract, and stir until no lumps remain.

4. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats, then chocolate chips.

5. Shape cookie dough into 2-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Member Rating: ingredient list

Makes 30 cookies

            3 Tbs. canola oil

            2 cups walnuts

            1 cup light brown sugar

            2 tsp. vanilla extract

            1½ cups oat flour

            1 tsp. baking soda

            1 tsp. salt

            ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

            2 cups rolled oats

            3 3.5-oz. bars bittersweet vegan chocolate, chopped, or 1½ cups vegan chocolate chips (12 oz.)

Nutritional Information

Per cookie:

Calories	173
Protein	3g
Total Fat	10g
Saturated Fat	3g
Carbs	21g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	122mg
Fiber	2g
Sugar	12g

                            

With every best wish,

                                                                       Donna Rae

Rev up with "The Engine"!

Cherry Avocado Salad

Ingredients 

    Dressing:

    1/4 cup olive oil

    1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

    1 1/2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    1/8 teaspoon pepper

    Dash cayenne pepper

    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

   

    Salad:

    Baby romaine or mixed greens, as desired

    1/2 cup dried cherries

    1/2 cup sliced red onions

    1/2 cup sliced fennel

    1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or candied pecans

    1/2 cup avocado

    Alfalfa sprouts

Directions:

1) Combine first 7 ingredients in glass jar and shake.  Refrigerate dressing for 2 hours. 

2) Construct salad and top with half the vinaigrette, serve remaining on side or save for another day.

This recipe was adapted from a recipe found in The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook, by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge. Use this salad to reignite the flame in your relationship, and if not, well at least you’ll have a damn good salad that is sure to make you scream out for more! Ha!

Makes: 4 to 6, Preparation time: 15 minutes

Copied from "Greeneyedlady" from the internet. Thank you "Greeneyedlady"!

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Day 2 Exercises

Warm up with THE ENGINE - 3 minutes

This is a great warm up exercise (copied from U.S. Army Physical Fitness) involving the big muscles of your legs. You can modify it by bringing your arms up over your head as the knee comes up or by holding the position for a few seconds to improve balance. 

Stand with your arms straight out, palms down.

Bring the right knee up and touch to right elbow then left knee up to touch the left elbow.

Keep your back strong and chest lifted.

Use a moderate cadence.

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CHEST PRESS

See Kathy Smith's start position in the first picture- her arms are like little goal posts. This exercise strengthens the chest, shoulder and triceps (the jiggly ones under your upper arms) muscles.

When you press your arms up pretend you're reaching around a big barrel, this will recruit more muscle/nerve units and really work those pecs (chest muscles). 

Keep your arms over your breasts, not over your neck or face. 

Keep dumbbells steady and don't lock your elbows at the top of the move.

Lower the weights in a controlled motion.

Do 2 sets of 8 if the weights are challenging (last two reps fairly hard). Do 1 set of 16-24 if weights are lighter.

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ONE ARM ROW

Great back exercise for good posture.

Before you begin this exercise, pull your shoulder blades in and down slightly.

When you bring the weight up, continue to move your shoulder blades in toward your spine. This way you will be using your strong back muscles to do the work.

Keep the weight close to your side throughout the lift. 

Don't tense your neck. 

Lower slowly and purposefully down. 

Do 2 sets of 8 if the weights are challenging (last two reps fairly hard). Do 1 set of 16-24 if weights are lighter.

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CAT BACK STRETCH

This feels so good.

Inhale as you lift your head up, drop your low back down and stick your boo-tay out.

Nice long slow exhale as you round your back and pull your belly in.

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There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though 

nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a 

miracle.

~ Albert Einstein

These beautiful daffodils greeted me on my walk today. Such a wonderful February miracle.

narcissus / daffodil
THE MEANING & SYMBOLISM OF NARCISSUS / DAFFODIL
Symbolizing rebirth and new beginnings, the daffodil is virtually synonymous with spring. Though their botanic name is narcissus, daffodils are sometimes called jonquils, and in England, because of their long association with Lent, they’re known as the “Lent Lily.” Lore connecting the daffodil to not only a sign of winter’s end but a lucky emblem of future prosperity is found throughout the world. In Wales, it’s said if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth, and Chinese legend has it that if a daffodil bulb is forced to bloom during the New Year, it will bring good luck to your home. The March birth flower and the 10th wedding anniversary flower, a gift of daffodils is said to ensure happiness. But always remember to present daffodils in a bunch – the same legends that associate this cheerful flower with good fortune warn us that when given as a single bloom, a daffodil can foretell misfortune.

Much love,

Donna Rae

p.s. email me if you have any questions about the exercises, donnaraesmith@yahoo.com

Let life live through you.....

Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾 北斎, September 23, 1760 – May 10, 1849) was a Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period. He was influenced by such painters as Sesshu, and other styles of Chinese painting. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), Hokusai is best known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (富嶽三十六景 Fugaku Sanjūroku-kei^?, c. 1831) which includes the internationally recognized print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, created during the 1820s.


Hokusai had a long career, but he produced most of his important work after age 60. Below is a quote from Hokusai.


“From around the age of six, I had the habit of sketching from life. I became an artist, and from fifty on began producing works that won some reputation, but nothing I did before the age of seventy was worthy of attention. At seventy-three, I began to grasp the structures of birds and beasts, insects and fish, and of the way plants grow. If I go on trying, I will surely understand them still better by the time I am eighty-six, so that by ninety I will have penetrated to their essential nature. At one hundred, I may well have a positively divine understanding of them, while at one hundred and thirty, forty, or more I will have reached the stage where every dot and every stroke I paint will be alive. May Heaven, that grants long life, give me the chance to prove that this is no lie.” 

                                                           Carp Leaping Up A Cascade

                                                          The Great Wave of Kanagawa

                                                                        Red Fuji

                                              The Dragon of Smoke Escaping From Mt. Fuji

The following is a poem by Roger Keyes. From what I understand Roger Keyes is a scholar of Japanese Art, focusing on Hokusai. This may be the only poem he has ever written.

Sit back, relax, take a deep breath in and out - then enjoy reading this sublime piece of poetry. 

Hokusai Says.....

Hokusai says look carefully.
He says pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing

He says look forward to getting old.
He says keep changing,
you just get more who you really are.
He says get stuck, accept it, repeat
yourself as long as it is interesting.

He says keep doing what you love.

He says keep praying.

He says every one of us is a child,
every one of us is ancient
every one of us has a body.
He says every one of us is frightened.
He says every one of us has to find
a way to live with fear.

He says everything is alive --
shells, buildings, people, fish,
mountains, trees, wood is alive.
Water is alive.

Everything has its own life.

Everything lives inside us.

He says live with the world inside you.

He says it doesn't matter if you draw,
or write books. It doesn't matter
if you saw wood, or catch fish.
It doesn't matter if you sit at home
and stare at the ants on your veranda
or the shadows of the trees
and grasses in your garden.
It matters that you care.

It matters that you feel.

It matters that you notice.

It matters that life lives through you.

Contentment is life living through you.
Joy is life living through you.
Satisfaction and strength
is life living through you.

He says don't be afraid.
Don't be afraid.

Love, feel, let life take you by the hand.

Let life live through you.

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Today begins Day 1 of our 28 day fitness program. 

I'm going to keep it simple and pick exercises that are effective. If anything hurts, don't do it. If your doc or physical therapist or any fitness guru has limited your movement don't do that movement. You can make a modification that is good for your body if you wish. Rest as needed. Let me know if you have questions - donnaraesmith@yahoo.com

If you already exercise, these would be nice to do as a little power break at work.

3 minutes - Walk or run in place or go up and down stairs (holding rail) or step up and down on a step at the bottom of your stairs, dance crazy, do jumping jacks, jump rope -- anything that will warm up your body and get your blood moving through your muscles and up to your brain.

2 minutes -Squat (holding dumbbells or not) 

                   With feet hip width apart -

                   Squat and stick butt out behind you like you're trying not to sit on a dirty toilet seat at the mall. Thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. 

                  Exhale and press down into your heels, straighten your legs and feel the strong contraction in your thighs as you come up. This is controlled movement. Keep your chest lifted, back straight and strong. When you come up, come all the way up so that you're standing tall.

                                             Squat with Kathy Smith

2 minutes - Hip Lift with Legs on Chair

See how her knees are slightly bent for start up position - do that

Exhale, press your heels into the chair, contract your butt and lift your body up. Keep your belly contracted like you're trying to put on a pair of tight jeans. Relax your neck muscles. 

Pause, inhale and slowly lower back down.

                                           Hip Lift with Kathy Smith

3 minutes - Crunch with Legs on chair

Before you begin (yes, yes before!) pull your belly in, inhale and then exhale as you pull your belly deep in toward your spine as you lift your body upward using your abs. Don't pull with your arms.

Come up with the intent of bringing your shoulders completely off the ground. 

FEEL THE CONTRACTION IN YOUR ABDOMINAL AREA. CAN YOU FEELS IT?

                                           Crunch with Joyce Vedral

As long as you want - Hamstring/Back stretch

                                           Stretch with Kathy Smith

I love this stretch. It relieves tension and is centering. 

With feet together, bend from the groin (not the waist). Your back should be straight. If your arms or legs feel tight, bend your elbows and knees a little. 

Shut your eyes and breath.

I hope you enjoy these exercises - Listen to your breath, feel the strength of your muscles contracting and.........

Let life live through you,

Donna Rae