Seasonal Meals

Attend your local farmer's market, grow your own, or know what's in season before you shop for the best selection.  Purchase extras to freeze or can for winter use.  Plan your meals around produce that is in season to get the best nutrition and taste throughout the year.   

Here are some recipes to help you and your family eat more healthy:

·                     Avocado-Spinach Salad w/Honey Lime Vinaigrette

·                     Wagon Wheels w/Summer Squash and Mint

·                     Mozzarella Tomato Salad w/Balsamic Drizzle

·                     Red Cabbage, Cranberry & Apple Slaw

·                     Oriental Chicken Salad

·                     Avocado Feta Salsa

·                     Spinach & Artichoke Pasta

Pilates Principles: Flow

Pilates, when done correctly should look like a graceful performance.  It takes a great amount of energy to ensure the exercises look effortless.  Other basic principles such as breath and concentration need to first be in place before flow can occur.  Flow also relates to smooth transitions.  Each exercise should flow into the next without taking breaks in between.  The tempo of each exercise can fluctuate, however it needs to be done with purpose.  

The equipment will tell you if you are using flow correctly.  Ideally the machine will be quite when you are in control, otherwise springs will bang or clank.  It takes a high level of focus to make sure each exercise is done in this manner.  This can take years of practice to perfect.  It is also one of the most rewarding of the principles.

Barefoot Running

After completing my second half marathon (in 20 minutes less than my first one 12 weeks ago) I am proud.  Proud to have completed all my training and finished strong with my parents standing by to witness my hard work.  My dad even came to help coach me through my last mile which meant a lot to me (he had previously done a 5K earlier and ran his best time).  I'll admit, I started at an 11 minute mile pace and ended at about a 13 minute mile pace.  It is to be expected when running distance races.  As part of my training I purchased New Balance minimus shoes to wear at work to help strengthen my ankles when I wasn't training.  I love them because they actually look and feel like shoes compared to those "webbed" versions out there.

Today, barefoot running is all the craze.  If you don't have the shoes no need to worry.  Here are some exercises to make your feet and calves strong enough to make it through that last mile:

• Squat Jumps (can add in weights for more resistance)
• Single Leg TRX Squats/Lunges
• Balance 
• Yoga poses, Bosu, Walk/Run on grass/sand
• Dynamic walking:
• Toes only, Heels only, Skipping, Side shuffling
• Calf raises: lift on your toes and lower back to the heels
• Parallel, Heels together toes apart, Big toes together heels apart 
• Add pulses while keeping your heels raised

I'm helping host another C25K workshop at Core Sport this year to prep you for theWicked Halloween Run in Plymouth, MI (costume contest included!).  Join us by registering today to learn more tricks to make your next run the fastest yet!