I always say this and I truly mean this: I love what I do. I have been doing this for a very long time and as I grow older and wiser to the ways of you crazy ladies, I have learned a thing or two about food choices. One of the most asked questions of me besides ‘how can I tighten my bum?’ is “What can I have as a cheat meal?” Depending on where you are in your dieting, my answer typically is, “Anything you want. But if I was you, I wouldn’t have…”

CHEESE
I would avoid cheese like a strange substance on a park bench—and I mean that literally! Cheese begets cheese. Are you following me? But more importantly, cheese is an experience. Mostly a texture and salt experience, cheese feels good on the palette. It validates whatever meal you are eating. Not a fan of veggies? Put cheese on them and suddenly you can eat your veggies, your friend’s veggies, veggie platters, okra—who cares!

Of course whenever I tell someone to avoid cheese they ask about cottage cheese, which by the way does not count. I am only referring to hard cheeses so cottage, ricotta and feta do not count as cheeses to avoid. Everything else, though, will send you down the river without paddles, fast!

You cannot recover from a meal with cheese. Pizza for instance will set you back at least 2 days, possibly 3. If you think you are going to have pizza Saturday night and steel cut oats on Sunday morning and not notice the difference, you are fooling yourself. When I say ‘set you back’, I do not mean by weight gain. I mean by focus. Suddenly, everything needs cheese. Your eggs, your tuna, yourself at 4 in the afternoon when you are suddenly alone with a stick of Crackerbarrel cheddar cheese and are unsure how half of it is missing even though it was new when you took it out of the fridge. You know, everything. Honestly, spare yourself the pain of overshooting your cheat/treat meal (call it what you like, it is what it is)and avoid cheese.

ICE CREAM
WOW! Now here’s the beginning of Armageddon. Forget what people say about 2012 coming, your downfall is contained in a pint-sized package managed by 2 guys and a cow—Ben and Jerry. I have 3 words for you: DON’T DO IT. I would rather sharpen my pinky in an electric pencil sharpener before I would ever have ice cream as a cheat meal. Now first of all I have to be honest…I do not like ice cream. It doesn’t do it for me and I could truly take or leave it. But the rest of you would sell your first born to the Kathy Gifford College of Sweater Making located in luxurious downtown New Delhi just to get a ½ cup of the sinful treat in a flavor you may not even like. You want some fun? People watch at a restaurant and look for a woman who has ordered ice cream for dessert. The only thing more scandalous is the awkward scene from When Harry Met Sally—and if you haven’t seen it, do so to know what I am talking about.

Ice cream is a total assault of the palette. It’s a beat down that you are not equipped to handle half way through your dietary regimen that you so proudly have been enduring. Texture: heavenly. Not only is it smooth and creamy, it’s ice cold. Taste: outrageous. Stuffed with just about anything you can think of, ice cream is an aggregation of flavors. Experience: unlike any other. If you go for a sundae, you have hot, cold and sweet at the same time and that is just hard to resist. Here…take these nails…you’ll need them for your coffin.

What ice cream does is make everything in your life pale in comparison. Suddenly your husband isn’t attractive anymore. Calling him Chunky Monkey doesn’t make him any more appealing than he was before you dropped your face in the container. Good try, though. You almost wished that uncomfortable and unpleasant things came with ice cream: “Hi Ms. Jones, good to see you here for your annual exam. Here is a robe to change into and you will find a dish of buttercrunch ice cream with sprinkles in the examination room to help you through the appointment. Enjoy.” Women would be lined up with all kinds of fake ailments if this ever happened. The medical insurance system would be thrown for a loop with false claims left and right.

My point: it is so hard to return to a focused diet the day after ice cream that it is not funny. Nothing tastes good. Nothing shuts down the craving. Nothing compares to peanut butter mocha fudge almond praline with sprinkles and whip cream on top except mmm…yum… baked chicken with broccoli. Why didn’t I think of that? (total sarcasm there)
When you hit maintenance, have some ice cream. Til then, avoid it like the rails on the staircases of the subway station. Ewww.

ALCOHOL
I am going to make this one brief because it’s simple. One drink makes every seem ok. From eating your whole fridge to going on a second date with someone you would never go on a second date with, alcohol makes you lose your senses. And then on top of that, it makes you feel like crap the next day so that you indulge even more. We have all learned this lesson the hard way, but let’s try to help those out who may not know: avoid this!

I have a post on here about this and you should read it when you have time.

In the mean time, choose your cheat meals wisely. They really do make a difference in your diet experience.

No, that’s not me.  My hair is not that long. Plus I am not a fan of strings on a bikini.

You’ve surely noticed that Miss Jodi has posted for me the last few weeks. (Isn’t she awesome!) I was away with my fam on vacation in Costa Rica. It is a beautiful country with great folk and we had a wonderful time. My favorite part is that I learned (kind of) to do a cool new thing, surfing. It’s weird because I didn’t even know that I was interested in surfing. I knew that we were in a place that has great conditions for surfing almost all the time, but I’m an indoor girl. I am so not an ocean person; I even have to keep water out of one of my ears. How much more not the surfing type could I possibly be?

More than that, I have been thinking about how at 42, a prissy stay at home mom shouldn’t be able to do something so physically unfamiliar, you know? At my age and knowing me, I should be too intimidated to even try, let alone make enough progress to want to keep trying. The energized confidence in my physical ability to realistically work towards something new and really different, I think is a very happy result of being committed to being super fit. Like all of you reading this, I train hard, recover well, and eat like a champion (most of the time). While I don’t have a specific sport, I train like an athlete (and if you’re a client, so do you). Jodi throws a crazy variety of things at us resulting in being strong, agile, flexible, fit, as well as feeling/looking pretty good in a bikini AND confident enough about all of that to try surfing. I just love feeling sure about my body in ways that go beyond just how it looks. Very cool.

So about surfing …

Anyway, in the beginning stage, there really isn’t too much to do but get up on the board, which isn’t easy, but it’s not exactly strenuous. You’re lying face down, paddling a little with your arms to get in front of the wave, the instructor shoves you off and then you push up into a downward dog sort of position, and spring onto your feet. Once you’re up, balance and body awareness are important so in general, there is some exertion, but not a lot. Staying alive in the ocean is what is tiring. It being in the water and all, there is a learning curve with how to deal with the ocean, which is no joke. The instructors tell you not to put the board between you and the incoming waves, but of course, that’s easier said than done for a while until you figure out what he’s talking about. After the first lesson, my legs were pretty beat up and bruised because I wasn’t handing the board right when walking it back out into the water. Once I finally get out there, lay on the board, get shoved off and try to get on my feet, of course I get thrown off most of the time. I came away with scrapes and scratches on both of my knees, my butt and the tops of a few toes from being knocked around. Another time, the instructor and I were walking out to the deeper water and a wave came and knocked us both off our feet. Well, he lost hold of the board and the leash (the cord that is attached to the board at one end and my back foot on the other) cut across and down my quad hard, leaving a big hideous purple bruise. Then yesterday, after getting thrown off the board, when coming up from under water, I got smacked across the bridge of my nose leaving, yep, a bruise. Fortunately my nose didn’t bleed or swell, and there is no cut, so once the bruise goes away, I should be fine. Needless to say, in a bikini, my physique may be where I look ok, but I’m black and blue and that is never pretty. Oh well.

My melasma reared its ugly head again on my vacation.  Pardon the pun. (That was for you, Heather.

Next, surfing is an only in the daytime, and only outside sport – so you’re in the sun constantly. You guys know how I feel about the sun exposure and skin health. A little sunshine is good for you; a lot increases your risk of problems and in time will destroy your looks. I’m diligent with sunscreen use and hang out in the shade whenever possible, but especially being near the equator. While out there learning to surf, I was coated head to toe with sunscreen, but even then I took on more sun and tan on my face and body than I wanted to. In fact, the melasma on my forehead came back – grrrr – and my kids keep asking me what that brown swatch on my forehead is. I also learned a lesson about sunscreen during my adventures: they are not all created equally. We have sunblocks and screens with chemical blockers that rub in invisibly that performed as promised – they stayed waterproof and provided high spf when reapplied as directed. We also had sunscreen that act as a physical block with zinc oxide, the kind that coat on white and rub in kind of purplish that kept us protected beautifully, as well. But I had one kind – Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection spf 55 – that utterly failed me, which I used yesterday. While out there in the water, waiting around with tummy down on the board, rear-end up, my butt, lower back and back of my legs got totally burned (I had on a long rash-guard shirt so my back, shoulders and arms were protected). I’m kind of mad about it too. This was a new bottle of sunscreen that was supposed to protect me from uva/uvb, be waterproof and have high spf. I will never use Aveeno sun protection products again.

There is just no way to not take on sun exposure and damage when you’re out there. Everyone here (not so much the tourists) is very, very tan. Most of them are young and it looks gorgeous, but I’m old enough to know that things change as time passes. The sexy tan on a 25 year old makes her blue eyes really stand out now, but at age 45, not so much. I’ve seen a few older women year-round ex-pats that look weathered and leathery. Keep up the surfer girl, sun goddess lifestyle for years on end and it will show. Looking older than you are is the least of the effects of an in-the-sun-all-the-time way of life. I’m just saying. Please protect your skin. Wear clothing that covers you up (your body is still smoking hot even if it’s not on full display), smear on zinc oxide even though it gives a smurfish hue, wear a hat (always cute), and find sunglasses that protect from uva and uvb rays. Be willing to give up a little bit of style to take care of your skin while enjoying the sunshine. Then find some shade and get under it!

All in all, I’m so glad I tried surfing. I had no expectations of being able to–even a little. I’m so glad that I had the strength and energy to hang out in the ocean for hours at a time. I’m glad I had the chance and the guts to take it. Pretty cool.

And now, after two weeks of being brutalized by the sun and surf, I’ll be so glad to sleep in my own bed, hug my dog, get a pedicure, a deep condition and fresh color on my hair, laser on the melasma, and be in a climate that is conducive to wearing make up again. It’s still me after all!

I might have mentioned this before, but my father sends me articles from the NY Times that are related to fitness.  A few weeks ago he sent me this one: Is Fitness All in the Genes?  Check it out if you are interested.  But the cliff notes version is that researchers performed a genomewide study to determine if tiny segments of DNA called single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs (pronounced “snips”), recur frequently in people with certain traits.  In this instance, the test was to determine if particular SNPs occurred in people that respond to aerobic workouts by becoming incredibly fit as opposed to those who exercise just as hard for months and end up no fitter than when they began. 

  (for those of you who don’t know what a genome is (I didn’t either), according Wikipedia, “In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism’s hereditary information.  It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA.  The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA.”

 The determination as to whether test subjects became fitter was made by looking for an increase in the amount of oxygen their bodies consumed during intense exercise, a measure called maximal oxygen capacity, or VO₂ max.  

 Yes, the study concluded that there were certain SNPs that were more prevalent in individuals who responded to aerobics.  However, what I most liked about this article was how the scientist/author closed it:

 There are many reasons to be excited” by the advances in the study of the genetics of exercise, Dr. Bouchard said. “But there are also many reasons to be cautious.” Genetics, no matter how sophisticated it becomes in looking at the body’s response to exercise, he said, “will never explain everything.”

 Which brings me to the point of my post; I don’t disagree that genetics plays a role in each individual’s skill, but it is not the end-all-be-all of who we are or what we can accomplish.  Each and every one of us is genetically gifted in some way; albeit we might never figure out in what way that is.  However, I would really hate to hear someone say “I’m not going to seek out X goal because I’m not genetically gifted in that area.”  Genes can and do help, but they are NOT everything. 

 There are so many more factors at play than genes, or raw talent.  For example, how many “gifted” individuals do you know that were taken out of the game way too early due to an injury, due to poor life choices, or who simply didn’t want it?  One example that immediately came to my mind was Alex Wong on So You Think You Can Dance.  He was called the most talented dancer to ever be on the show, and was the favorite to win.  Yet in the beginning of the season he injured his knee (I believe it was his knee) and was forced to leave the competition. 

 I was devastated because he truly was/is amazing (I believe he has since healed and is dancing again and I would love to see it).  But to my point, the most talented was side-lined with an injury, leveling the playing field for the rest of the contestants.  (Also, I am not taking away from how hard Alex worked.  I am sure he worked just as hard if not harder than most, I am merely using him as an example.  The saddest part of his injury was that he really did want it and really did work for it.  But was still taken out by something out of his control, no matter how gifted he was or how hard he worked).  This link will bring you to one of my favorite Alex Wong performances.  

 On the other side of the spectrum are stories of individuals who may not have been “talented” but against all odds, worked their tails off, put the time in, and became exceptional.  Yes, the genetically predisposed individual could have gotten their faster and with more ease but this person kept at it day-in and day-out. 

 So no matter how you slice it, genes are not the determining factor of your success or failure at any given thing.  Yes, you might have it easier/harder than others in some things, but just as the article closed, genetics will never explain everything. 

 And in writing this, I think about all the hard work I have put into various things in my life.  One, in particular, being my training.  I am not the most genetically predisposed person to athletics.  However, I have a LOVE for athletics which has driven me to work HARD for it.  And now, looking back at all that hard work and where it has gotten me, I am proud of my achievement. 

 In sum, this article told me a lot of what I already knew.  While everyone has different genes and thus, some people may be predisposed to excel in certain areas, both external forces and human choice play a large role in whether we succeed.  But what do you think?  Do you think only genetically predisposed individuals will play pro-sports?  That might be a tough one as those athletes are the elite of the elite, but what about D1 college sports, can only the genetically gifted make that cut?  I think not, but I’d love to hear what you think.

Two unsuspecting guys were about to find out…

I watched my husband Reid and our friend Tyler, a former Marine and Ironman competitor, run the Tough Mudder a couple of Saturdays ago.  While the name is cute, the event is not.  It was 12.4 miles of punishing hill runs on rough terrain, peppered with over 20 brutal obstacles, not to mention signs such as the ones reminding competitors: “Remember, you signed a death waiver”.  While the Warrior Dash my husband and I ran last year was WAY overblown, ending up to be more of a muddy fun run that was over before we knew it, the Tough Mudder was an exercise in mind over matter (and, of course, fitness and ability) if there ever was one.  With competitor finish rate of only 71%, I should say so.

Let the demoralizing begin!  Mental toughness had to kick in early at the first obstacle–a cold water plunge.  Just look at the faces!  If you can see it, Tyler is #5639, Reid is to the right in a gray Nike shirt.  There was so much screaming, you’d have thought there were piranhas in the water.

My guys were still able to smile at this point, about 1/2 way through-ish.

As the hours ticked by, and I witnessed the runners’ jolly pre-race attitudes dissolving, it reminded me of this post regarding the fact that so much of exhaustion is mental, especially when the exhausted person in question is highly trained and well-fueled.  I’m not saying that all 71% of finishers were both or either of those, but, regardless, they had the mental toughness to keep putting one muddy foot in front of the other until they crossed the finish line.  In fact, some of the 29% who didn’t make it may have had the training and fueling down, but they might have lacked the will to go on.  It’s way more than an attitude, though.  It’s science.

When obstacles like these are being described as “fun” and “a break”, you know it’s a tough event.

As the post I allude to above points out, when we train, we train way more than our bodies, we train our brains as well.  Not just physiologically and neurologically, but emotionally even.  No pain, no gain, and all of that.  As this post points out, you are only as strong as your weakest link.  While it points this out with regard to dysfunctional joints affecting the rest of the body’s performance, a person’s weakest link could also be their mental state.  Fortunately, the very act of repetitively pushing through perceived physical barriers by mental goading ourselves fortifies us with regard to mental toughness too.  More on that here.  So you’re covering both in your workouts, assuming you’ve moved beyond attending the same predictable pre-choreographed Pump ‘n Tone class week after week after… And speaking of overriding the unpredictable, I think Reid and Tyler both agreed that what required the most mental toughness was the fact that they didn’t know how very many hills they’d be running that day, and also that the race lasted longer than the distance they were told (11 miles), which at that point in the event was the worst obstacle they encountered due to its demoralizing nature.

Mental toughness comes in many forms.  In the top left pic, the guy in front is going the rucksack challenge, where you carry 25lbs in a backpack the entire event.  Oh, and he’s holding a beer, with the added challenge being not to spill it.  In the top right pic, there’s a guy dressed as the movie “Hangover”–that’s a wig on his head, and a babydoll in a carrier hanging off his front.   Bottom pic, see guy behind my husband dressed as Shrek.  Apparently he travels around and runs ALL Tough Mudders–Sat AND Sun–dressed this way.  What do they all have in common?  The toughness to finish this event.  Oh, and a sense of humor.  A coincidence?  Probably not.

I’m already witnessing the phenomenon of training the central nervous system as a whole—toughening yourself up, seasoning yourself to your true very-core, body and mind—as I hear my husband already trying to figure out his next escapade with Tyler.  Mind you, this started about 36 hours after I heard both of them say “I will never do that again” immediately post-event.  Apparently running the Tough Mudder is much like child-bearing in that regard.

Top pic is Reid running through last obstacle–some dangling wires-some live, some not.  He had just jumped off a tower into cold water and swam, so he was also soaking wet.  Nice, eh?  Bottom left is Tyler and Reid crossing the finish line.  Many of us know the complete exhilaration of a moment like that.  Bottom right is self-explanatory.  Well done, guys.  Well done indeed!

Do you have a comment or story about when you had to dig deep and get something done, relying largely or solely on your mental toughness at a certain point?  Let us know.

Brown rice has all bran layers intact and thus contains all of its naturally present nutrients. These layers of bran act to protect the grain and to help maintain its fatty acids. Brown rice contains the highest amount of B vitamins out of all grains. Additionally, it contains iron, vitamin E, amino acids, and linoleic acid. Brown rice is high in fiber, extremely low in sodium, and is composed of 80% complex carbohydrates. Because brown rice is a whole food, it takes longer to digest than white rice, providing the body with sustained energy throughout the day.

Phytic acid is a naturally occurring organic acid in the outer layer or bran. All grains contain phytic acid to some degree, but brown rice contains a relatively high level. When brown rice with untreated phytic acid enters the intestines, the phytic acid mixes with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. The chemical reaction that takes place prohibits those minerals from being absorbed and utilized by the body. Some sources say that eating grains with untreated phytic acid will cause the body to lose bone mass and will eventually lead to overall mineral deficiency. However, soaking brown rice and other grains will eliminate the consequences of phytic acid by producing beneficial enzymes and raising the amount of nutrients present in brown rice. Others believe that un-soaked brown rice is healthier, as it stays in the digestive system longer than soaked grains, thus providing more energy.

Characteristics
•    Generates energy
•    Promotes good digestion
•    Quenches thirst
•    Alleviates diarrhea caused by spleen-pancreas deficiency
•    Relieves mental depression

Buying & Storing
Look for quality brown rice that contains a small amount of green grains. We recommend buying high quality organic brown rice and storing it in airtight glass jars in a dark cupboard.

Basic Brown Rice (yields 3 cups)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups of water or broth
seasonings to taste

Directions:
•    Rinse rice in a bowl of cool water and strain.
•    Place all ingredients in a pot with a tight fitting lid.
•    Bring to a boil, reduce heat.
•    Cover and let simmer for 50 minutes, if you are not experienced with cooking rice, you’ll want to check the rice 10 minutes before the anticipated finish time so you don’t burn the rice (If you do burn it, it is okay, just try it again!)
•    Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes
•    Fluff with fork and serve

May also be prepared in a rice cooker with the same ratio of ingredients.

Versatile Rice Pilaf
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 55 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice
2 tsp oil or butter
4 cups broth or water
½ cup nuts or seeds
2 cups fresh vegetables, chopped
herbs and seasonings to taste

Directions:
•    Heat oil/butter in a heavy skillet with a tight fitting lid on medium heat.
•    Add rice, stirring for 5 minutes or until grains are lightly roasted.
•    Add broth/water, cover tightly and cook for 45 minutes.
•    Stir in vegetables, nuts/seeds, herbs cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Pilafs involve sautéing of raw grains to add a nutty, toasted flavor. Always use a wooden spoon to stir rice to avoid breaking the grains.

Creamy Rice Pudding
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-20 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup amasake (creamy sweetener found in refrigerated section of health food store)
½ cup water or apple juice
2 cup cooked (leftover) rice
3 tablespoons chopped raisins
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds or chopped nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon or grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
•    Combine all ingredients.
•    Heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes; the longer you cook it, the softer it will get.
•    Serve warm or cool.

Congee
Congee is the product of cooking rice for an extended period over low heat. It enables the body to assimilate and to absorb the medicinal properties of rice. Congee is an excellent first food for infants, convalescents, people under stress or those with a weakened digestive or immune system. Congee is extremely beneficial for someone with an inflamed digestive tract or extreme diarrhea.

Simmer 2 tablespoons of rice in 2 cups of water over the lowest possible heat, or in a crockpot, for 4 to 6 hours. Add seasonings, beans, vegetables, or spices and enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

 This is a reprint of my one of my favorite posts from MP4.  I picked it because I needed a reason to put this chick’s photo on the blog again.  Holy mother of pearl…

1. Be on a team.
Yes…you are a badass. You have incredible talent and you are gunning for number one. But when you get there and you are all alone, or you miss it and you are all alone, you will begin to wonder ‘why’ you are doing what you are doing. Teams fill in the “why”. Having fun, camaraderie, personal bonds, learning to be selfless is what a team is all about. Pushing harder because it helps others or giving more because it benefits the whole gives you a feeling of satisfaction that you cannot describe to anyone and one that you will always treasure. At some point every athlete should be on a team and learn how to take direction, move as a unit and go beyond what they could ever achieve as a solo athlete.
2. Be solo.
So you have always been on a team all of your life and you love it. You know how to fight for the greater good and give it your all for the team but now I have some questions for you: Are you hiding behind your team? Do you think that you do not *deserve* to do better because others on your team are “better” than you? Do you depend on your team so much that you no longer know how to be self sufficient? What make teams effective are individuals. Yes, you work as a group but you bring your own thing to the table. If you have been on a team so long that you no longer have an identity of your own, you are not helping the team—you are weighing them down. Know who you are as a person/athlete and then bring those assets to your team on a silver platter as a presentation (sort of like what cats do when they leave dead birds at your doorstep.) You are meant to contribute. You are meant to count. You won’t know what you are made of and how good you are until you only have you to count on.
3. Learn.
Before I even go here and talk about this I need to say, “Get over yourself”. Every athlete thinks they are great learners. They know the best supplements, the best methods to achieve “fill in the blank” and so on. They are in every book and on every website and if this is you then you *know* a lot but you may have not learned anything. No, you know you have learned something when you have had your butt handed to you by someone else because you thought you knew everything. The faster you realize that there is a vast difference between book knowledge and application, the quicker you will go from knowing to learning. Drop the know-it-all, humble yourself and learn.
4. Forget.
This is a hard one but man do you need to know how to do it as fast as possible. Forget that loss. Forget the time you wasted following the latest trend. Forget the money you spent on some new fangled piece of equipment that didn’t get you anywhere. Forget your past mistakes on the emotional level so that you may learn from them on the rational level. If you cannot do this, you will spend a ginormous amount of time in the land of would-a, could-a, should-a and what a shame that will be. Your pride, your emotion, as much as a fuel as it can be it can also be the heaviest anchor in your life. Know how to let those things go emotionally. Carrying baggage around with you from 2 seasons before is not going to help you out. Drop the pity party and run with the experience you will begin to see the benefits of the past mistakes instead of just the past mistakes.
5. Forgive.
You must know how to cut yourself some slack. Yes, you missed the winning goal, you slept late and missed practice and now the team will suffer for your slackdom, you didn’t know XYZ was a banned substance and now you feel like a fool. You are going to make mistakes. Lots of them. You are going to be preoccupied with life at times and not give your all—you’re human. You are not Arnie the All Star Athlete so you cannot push through the pain of your injury—no worries, heal up in time for the next game. Basically what I am saying here is “get off of your back”. Now your once positive self talk is becoming mindless negative chatter. Forgive. Forget emotion. Learn. Perform. Cool? No one is thinking anywhere NEAR as bad about you the way you are and it’s not doing anything for you.

I know you’re asking, “What does this picture have to do with this post?  And I’ll admit it…nothing.  I’m obsessed with it, though.  Isn’t Heather (Monday girl) hot?   Any chance I get to throw it in, I will.

6. Succeed.
This one seems like everyone knows how to do it but it is so not true. So many people think so low of themselves that success is just a word to them, not an actual thing. You must be able to see yourself achieving something in reality, not just in dreams (you know, where you see people holding a parade for you because you are so amazing.) As necessary as dreams are, they also become limiting by providing you a place to hide. Because you have relegated them to fantasy status, you no longer think of it as something you achieve. I am not saying that you should not dream, I am saying make sure your idea of success matches up with your day dreams and that your everyday action has put you on that course. If not, you really do not believe that you can succeed, you just believe that you can dream.
7. Quit.
Not only do you need to know how to walk away from something with dignity, but you also need to learn how to walk away from something without dignity (refer to #3 when I discuss having your butt handed to you.) I know that people say you shouldn’t quit anything but that is crap. Quit—and by golly, quit fast. Injury, debt, sense of being lost—ie. no purpose to what you are doing, resentment, etc. are signs that you should walk away from whatever it is you are doing and yes, you are quitting but so what. Really you are exercising good judgment by walking away before you truly had a mess on your hands. If you are quitting because it is hard, then no, you do not get a free pass here and that is not the same thing. Get your behind back on the band wagon and stop complaining. No, this message is for those who need to know “when”. When it’s time to ‘call it a day.’ It’s hard, but someone has to do it. And then forgive yourself and forget emotion.
8. Fail.
Don’t hold back on this one. Fail big. The bigger the failure, the better the rebound (that is if you can learn, forgive and forget emotion.) and who doesn’t want an awesome comeback story? If you are always winning then just know that you could be even better than you are now simply because you have not found your Achilles heel, yet. One tough win or loss and you will soon find out what you do not know. Either look for tougher competition or broaden your horizon, but you will not be the best you can be til you fail.
9. Come in second.
You want to have the character that others admire? You want to be the athlete your teammates look up to? Know how to come in second. Losing from a landslide is much easier than losing by one point. Being a figure skater and getting the silver when you think you should have had the gold is hard. Accepting the silver medal with a smile on your face is even harder. Being gracious when you may not feel it is a true sign of character. Turning that “loss” into a win by learning from it is a gift you want to be given. Before you cut up like a clown and claim you were robbed because the referee made a bad call, take a look at all the eyes that are on you. Do you want to show them your worth or your ass? Your choice.
10. Win.
This is a combo of both “success”, where you must know how to do this, and “come in 2nd”, where humility is a rare treat. On the one hand you must know how to win. As a team or an individual, you must be able to see this happening. You must believe you are worthy and you must be confident enough to make this happen. Many a team has fallen apart in the playoffs because they simply didn’t believe they could do it when they really could have. On the other hand, if you are doing the humpty dance at the goal line for 5 minutes and then running around like a complete jackass whooping and hollering because you won, you have just successfully made everyone wish you lost—even your home town. You need to have a good balance of confidence and humility so you can win but then keep your head on tight enough to show excitement without being crass. This is a tough one that I hope everyone has a chance to learn how to do.

This is the longest post you may ever get out of me! Haha! Hope you enjoyed and if you can think of more, please add them below. We love to know what you think.

Seanna is wrapping up her R & R this week so I thought re-posting her thoughts on balance from MP4 might be especially relevant this week.  Enjoy!–Jodi

I know someone who has struggled his whole life with psoriasis. This someone went to the dermatologist (again) for help treating a mean outbreak of the itchy, red spots. I was sharing with Jodi and she mentioned that this person is more than likely, due to the inflammatory nature of psoriasis and his typical, albeit fancy, western diet, chronically heavy in omega 6 and deficient in omega 3, ie. his omega 3-6 ratio is way out of balance, and that daily doses of omega-3 will in time help keep the psoriasis under control. (I’m giving my dog omega-3 every other day for a similar reason.)

This got me thinking about equilibrium in all areas of life. When things are out of whack, man do we know it. I’m convinced that our minds and bodies want to exist in a peaceful stability. For me, the keys to staying in balance are enough physical activity, clean eating, lots of sleep and a peaceful day-to-day outlook.

Physical

Take training for example. The MP4 call last week was about recovery. Heather does this and Amy likes that, and then there’s me. I was the “control” group because I always feel pretty good. Recovery for me isn’t so much of a thought out thing, but obviously I do recover because for the most part I always feel pretty great. I feel like this is due to me not pushing myself as hard as they do in the training ring because I know myself. I exert myself as much as I need to for my purposes (health and physique maintenance), and that’s all. Mostly because I don’t want to do more, I don’t need to do more, but also, who has time? In other words, I know my personal limits and myself. I’m meeting my needs and so feel good physically most of the time. When I up the ante and take on more (for a specific purpose and stated time frame), I feel it, and so have to plan around this so that the rest of my life isn’t sacrificed to the increased physical demands from a new goal.

Nutrition

A very big piece to being able to stay well, recovered, and in balance is a great diet. We’ve all talked about this to death but it bears repeating, you won’t feel or look your best, let alone be able to really get it done for your sport if you eat like crap, not enough, too much, etc. You’ve also got to know what you need. What sits well in your tummy, what doesn’t? What weighs you down or makes you feel alive? Knowing yourself and what you thrive on is important with eating too. I’ve walked this clean eating walk for a long time (at MP4 we all have) and could probably plan meals in my sleep. I know what I need and what I can get away with adding in or leaving out. But clean eating, with a few treats sprinkled in as life offers, is key to my steady state of being recovered and feeling great.

This is a classic!

Sleep

Oh man, I love to sleep! I love when I can go to bed early, like by an hour, even if I’m not tired, because I’ll fall right to sleep. Can I just add that after sleeping a solid 9 hrs or so, your skin glows and your eyes sparkle. Well, mine do, but then I thrive on lots of sleep. You may not need as much and glow and sparkle with 7 hrs. Like eating, sleep is one of the areas that I’ll have to plan to tweak due to increased activity demands. I can’t increase my activity output and not also compensate with a bit more sleep. When that’s impossible, the sleep I do get must be quality. I’m not a frequent nap taker, but occasionally my body will force one out of me. That’s my rather obvious clue that I’m getting out of balance.

If you’re like me you may have thought she was blowing her nose in her hand, but she’s not.  She’s crying.  Hope that helps you out in your travels today.

Emotional

I won’t get into this too much, except to say that emotional balance is precious to me. All of us that have lived through a season of emotional upheaval know what I’m talking about. I’m convinced that emotional and physical health go hand in hand, one greatly enhancing the other. For me and mine, a peaceful existence is a priority.

So the take home message from today’s post is this … stay in balance – know yourself and give your body and mind what it needs – activity, nourishment, rest, peace.

What are some of the ways you keep your life in balance? What activities specifically address this for you? Thanks ya’ll. Have a great day!

It was well over a year ago when I wrote a blog post called “Pumping Up with a Purpose.”  I asked the question “Do you workout or do you train with a purpose?”  And followed with:

 Is there a distinction you ask?  Is it just semantics?  I say there is a difference.  Someone taking spinning twice/week is not necessarily a cyclist while a cyclist might take spin twice/week.  Running for cardio does not make you a runner while a runner does run for cardio.  Playing basketball with your buddies does not mean your training is geared for a basketball player trying to get better.  However, a dedicated basketball player might play with his buddies. 

 I then went on about training for a goal and how I trained for a rock climbing trip in Mexico.  Well, a little over a year later and I currently have no tangible training goal.  I am training to stay in excellent shape, keep my physique the way I like it, and for my own mental sanity.  However, that about covers my goals.  Actually, if you cut right down to it, my goal is to get in a great workout.  But I really don’t consider that the type of goal I wrote about last year. 

 There are times when we find ourselves without training goals and I do not necessarily think there is anything wrong with that.  Now, before you come at me with a response like “well, if we don’t need goals, why did Jodi do an entire series on goal setting?” go back and re-read what I wrote – sometimes we find ourselves without TRAINING goals.  That does not mean we do not have goals.  It merely means our goals are not training related. 

 Right now I am barely trudging through tax season.  I know, I’m sure you are tired of hearing me talk about tax season week in and week out, but it really is brutal this year.  I used to LOVE to write crazy workout programs for myself; programs that were designed for a specific goal.  However now, the thought of writing my own program is more than I can bear.  I know that if I was training for something right now, I would be one crazy lady and all of my friends would disown me (if they haven’t already).

 However, that does not mean my life is goalless.  To the contrary, I have plenty of goals.  Two that come to mind are (1) to make it through tax season without losing my mind, and (2) to make it through tax season without losing my fitness level.   But I also have work-related goals and personal-growth specific goals.  So for the time being, I am sticking with those. 

 In that article a year ago, I wrote about my climbing specific training, lifting, cardio and mobility.  Well, except for the climbing specific training, I still incorporate all of those components into my training and add in additional functional training. 

 I do not currently have the luxury of twice-daily training sessions and so I have to incorporate everything I can into a morning workout.  However, this does not mean that I half-arse anything, but it means I train smarter. 

 Mobility and Flexibility

 Every session starts with some form of mobility.  If I am not doing a functional-plyo-agility workout in the aerobics room I start out with shoulder mobility, thoracic spine mobility and hip mobility in the stretching area in my gym.  If I am in the aerobics room, I perform a dynamic warm-up with things like butt kickers, high knees, 180s, lunge and rotate and so on.  Regardless of what I do, I keep in the mobility. 

 Just like mobility always opens up my training, flexibility always closes the session.  I always try to get in between 10-30 minutes of stretching/yoga type work.  Because I am so busy right now, I have not gotten to a yoga class in a few weeks (leaving work before 7pm to 8pm is just not an option).  Instead, on days when I have the time, I head into the yoga studio at my gym and do my own practice.  And in the alternative, I do something for at least 10 minutes. 

 Lifting and Functional Work

 My lifts have been full-body lifts.  This is helpful for the lack of time and also for the type of training and am currently doing.  There are two distinct ways in which I set up these sessions.  The first type is pure lifting.  However, I use the big movers – all complex movements with minimal rest in between and lots of giant sets.  BUT, I am lifting HEAVY.  This is not a circuit you would find at your grandma’s gym.  Additionally, depending on the specific workout, I add in plyometrics/functional moves.  Think of Jodi’s recent post about adding a crank after finishing up on set of exercises, before moving onto the next; or simply changing a pair of lifts into a giant set by adding on a weighted burpee.  When I am doing this type of lift, I’ll lift 3x/week and spend 1-2 days in the aerobics room doing a straight up plyo/functional workout.  Ok, honestly, it is usually 1 day of plyo/functional, which is why I add in the plyos to the lifts.   

 The second type of workout I call a hybrid.  I will head into the aerobics room and do 2-3 plyo/agility combos and then head out onto the weight floor to finish up with a lift.  These lifts will be more combo/complex/giant sets.  With this set up, I will not do a separate functional/plyo workout that week. 

 This training is not for everyone.  But it is PERFECT for my life at this moment and I absolutely love it.  It also helps with the fact that, at the moment, I am unable to get in a large amount of cardio.

 Cardio

 This one is barely happening right now and I openly admit it.  I shoot for 3-4 days/week but realistically am only getting in 2-3.  There are mornings when I plan to get in a lift and cardio, but by the time I am finished with the lift, I’ve got nothing else to give.  Or, there are weeks where my schedule just does not conform to what I had planned and one of my cardio sessions is out the window.  This is the second reason I set my lifting/functional workouts the way I do, I get a full metabolic workout in those sessions.

 A year ago, doing so little cardio would have sent me straight into a panic attack; but not today.  First, I don’t have time to stop and panic, but second, my world has not ended doing so little cardio (what a concept to finally grasp).  I know once the weather is nicer and 4/15 passes, I’ll be ramping up that cardio.  But for now, of all the things to fall by the wayside, cardio takes the hit.

In sum, while I am not training for a goal, I can still discuss my training and the purpose behind it in a similar manner to the way I did when I was training for a goal.  It took me writing this post to see it, but there is a purpose to what I am doing.  I have accepted that right now, I cannot have a training goal and thus set up my program accordingly.  In the past I would have fought this, tried to convince myself that I could train for something despite working crazy hours, put together a program I had no way of ever completing, and the gotten depressed and discourage because I couldn’t get it all done.  Well, not this year.  I am not sure how it happened, but I’ve evolved.  And with that, so has my training.  And when it really boils down to it, I am getting in some awesome, killer, workouts to boot.  So I leave you with the challenge to evolve as well and not be a slave to having a training goal.  There are times when it just won’t happen.  But that does not mean the world will end, nor does it mean you have to lose all that you have achieved.

Do don’t you just love all of that “great” advice slung around by people who are clearly NOT experts about something?  You know the type.  They TiVo shows featuring Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, Dr. This, Dr. That, and Dr. The Other.  Mind you, they don’t follow most or any of the advice on Dr. Whoever’s show, but they’re happy to share it, or, worse, some bastardized version of it, with you.  Again, don’t you just love that?  Me either.  Let’s chat.  (P.S.  My name is Dr. Morgan, no T.V. show, you can call me Heather, I don’t profess to be an expert at anything, and I’m happy to say “I don’t know” or “This is just my educated/experienced opinion” when warranted because I SO don’t know it all, or even a fraction of it.)  Moving on…

I love this guy–he’s great!  But, at some point, it’s time to walk away from the TV and apply the info!

One benefit to my job is that people ask me “What do you think about [x-health topic, food, exercise, etc.]?” questions, which helps me know what’s in the collective health-minded-or-at-least-contemplative conscious at any given time.  Likewise, I get to hear what lay people (by that I mean folks who are not professionals in any branch of health care) are telling each other.  With authority, no less.  This is also helpful because it helps me know that kind of information is being shared.  It’s not all bad, as my tone up to this point might imply, but some of it just makes me cringe.  So here are some little gems I’ve been “hearing around” that I feel the need to clear up.  I honestly could make a series of this, but for now let’s just hit what’s irking me most at the moment.

Just for grins, after you read each quoted lead off statement, please insert an immediate mental game show buzzer noise indicating that the statement is incorrect.

1.       “All machine exercises and single-joint exercises (aka. “isolations”) are bad.” I’m starting here because I feel like this one is largely my fault, at least within my own circle of influence.  Now, I’m decidedly MUCH more pro compound movements and movement patterns overall that utilize the entire body as one functional unit versus a pile of independent parts.  Your parts are completely interdependent, and this is the best way to train the majority of the time for reasons including, but not limited to, promotion of the following: energy expenditure/”calorie burn”; dynamic flexibility; true strength (ever know someone who could crank out heavy reps in a chest press machine but not do a single proper pushup?); injury prevention; fun-factor; time-efficiency.  But I don’t like absolutes so, no, not all isolations are “bad” or always unwarranted.  They can certainly be an integral part of rehabilitation, but also they can be a very helpful part of a program that is very physique change-driven for a certain body part focus, namely building that part.  It’s also a great way to pre-fatigue certain muscle groups in an effort to increase participation of a target muscle group in a compound lift to follow, OR post-fatigue after if the isolated group is the target.  In fact, I do gym lift programs for folks all of the time that include single-joint movements, but they are a small part of those programs overall.  But that might be more a function of the fact that I’m generally working with folks who want to be better overall, and who are not entering a bodybuilding contest any time soon.  Regarding machines, I don’t love them at all, but if I have someone who is super deconditioned and uncoordinated, some gym machines can be helpful in building enough strength in them to the segue into relying more and more on the trainee’s abilities during “freer”, more closed chain movements.  I have to finish with the statement that some isolations, no matter what, are indeed “bad” in that they promote injury, making them inferior to, say, another isolation that will get the job done without negative incident.  Example: Preacher curls—not a good position for the shoulders, stressful to the elbows, and many injure themselves just getting set into start position for the lift.

You get only one of these to live in, and it’s a marvelous work and a wonder.  Use the whole thing!

2.       “You shouldn’t exercise so much.  You’ll wear yourself out.” This one absolutely, positively kills me.  And, honestly, that line of thinking is killing the believer.  Ever notice that the folks who utter this sentiment don’t do a whole lot of physical activity?  Ever notice that they are not exactly the paragons of health and wellness themselves?  Ever notice that they are worn out and hurting often from a lack of activity?  Here’s the deal.  The human body was designed to m-o-v-e-move.  Our relative stillness to people living even just a century ago is massive.  “Our physiology has not adapted to technology.”  (Bruce Costello, DC) We are still Neanderthal bodies in a sit on your ass, eat what’s closest and most convenient (and likely packaged) society. (paraphrase of Diane Wakat, PhD Human Nutrition)  It does not match up.  So I don’t care how hard you’re killing it in the gym each day, as long as it’s appropriate for the machine (body) you have to work with, you’re still trying to combat the other bazillion hours of sitting.  Not moving.  Likely in a bad posture.  Not lubricating your joints or enhancing your circulation via muscle contraction and relaxation, not bolstering cell turnover and renewal.  Rusting, in other words.  Do you hear what I’m telling you?  Even though I’m referring to your body as a “machine”, it’s so much more.  It’s a dynamic creation made of tissues that function better when moved and used.  Movement = successful aging.  Mostly intense movement that stresses the body = better adaptation to life stresses of all types in addition to successful aging.  Mostly intense movement that stresses the body done frequently with appropriate rest and recovery intervals for (again) the machine you are working with = [Do I need to even write anything here?]  I’m 100% for working at your appropriate level of intensity and frequency.  But I’m telling you now, most people stop short of any sort of challenge, thus missing out on the benefit of the body rebuilding itself better in response to intervals of intentionally imposed stress.  I implore you to know yourself, and exercise appropriately.   And, honestly, I find that those who routinely contemplate their food choices and regularly workout know their bodies better than those who don’t.

This is what not-moving and improper fueling will do to your body.

3.       “Don’t squat so low/twist like that/lift that heavy/jump around so much/etc.  It’s dangerous.” This is hugely related to #2.  What I’d ask the advice-giver here is “How exactly do you think people hurt themselves when not exercising?”  My answer: Squatting lower than usual, twisting in a way that doesn’t happen much, lifting something more than their body has had to in years, jumping around when it isn’t the norm.  My advice: Train for that.  Of course, you need to ramp up to whatever level you can ultimately achieve with movements such as described.  That’s just good sense.  But pigeon-holing ourselves into limited “fitness” ranges of motion has done bodies everywhere a massive disservice in the injury prevention and overall function department.  Example: If you’re knees weren’t meant to bend all the way until your calves hit the back of your thighs, they wouldn’t.  Some of us, through injury, are not able to use all of our joints through a full range of motion anymore.  That’s where knowing yourself and appropriateness comes in.  Knowing your given machine.  But I say train and use as much range of motion and resistance in all planes of motion that you can safely, for the task (workout) at hand.  Don’t only make yourself strong in a limited range or weight.  You don’t live your life that way, I assure you.  When picking up kids, opening stuck windows, leaning over and twisting to the side to get something, reaching over the front car seat to the back to reach an item or kid, are you asking yourself things like “Wait, did I keep my knee from going over my toes?”  What’s dangerous is not using what you have available to you physically to its fullest extent, whatever that is for you, at any given point in your life.  A wise person once said to me “Life is an athletic event.  Train for it.” (John Downes, DC)  And to those who don’t think women should lift heavy weights, try telling that to the gals pushing to failure, grunting, and high-fiving each other with their hot smokin’ shoulders and arms about their toned thighs and buns.  {I’m doing the “I’m not worthy” bow right now in homage}

Wow.  Someone really needs to tell these old guys how dangerous and unhealthy that squat position is.

4.       “I heard you should eat [x-trendy food of the minute]”. I’m not saying that x-food is bad at all here.  But this sort of thing unleashes the style of eating that’s analogous to workouts containing only isolation/single-joint movement patterns for one muscle group exclusively.  It’s not complete, it’s not how your body works, and it’s often done in hopes that eating this berry that’s high on the ORAC scale, in large quantities, daily, is going to combat a host of ills.  Much like someone would hope that pee-and-sniff-walking the dog and maybe doing a bicep workout once a week is going to combat the damage of sitting slumped at a desk and rusting most of their days.   (Oh wait—the folks who are worried that frequent intense movement won’t be worried about that.  Nevermind.)  Learn about what foods are nutrient dense and emphasize them in your diet, yes.  But stop getting hung up on that one thing that is going to prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, according to the “latest study” or that was highlighted on Dr. So-and-So’s show.   Really, it’s as simple as this: “God got food right, man messed it up”.  (Jodi Jones, BS, CSCS, ACSM H/Fi)  If you can remember that when you’re choosing the next thing with which to fuel the ONLY machine you’ll ever get to live in, you’re probably going to do alright.

5.       “You don’t need to workout/eat healthy/etc. You look great/you’re too skinny/you’re lean enough/etc.” As with #2, ever notice that these sage folks often fill themselves with “food” that makes you wonder if they are under the impression that they are a garbage can versus a human?  Just sayin’.  But anyhow…  Who are they to say what your goal is?  And just because you’re “here” doesn’t mean that there isn’t a better “there” with regard to your health that you have your eye on.  Likewise, even if you’ve reached the pinnacle of perfection in all aspects of health and fitness and physique-shaping, there’s that little issue of maintenance.  You know what got you there, and you want to keep it there versus ever starting from square one again—am I right?  Keep in mind also that people who aren’t interested in focusing on movement and proper nutrition are uncomfortable with those who are.  They may not know it consciously, but it’s a true phenomenon.  Your health-conscious lifestyle shines a spotlight on their unhealthy one.  Sort of like how happy people annoy the heck out of those who are miserable.  Sadly, sometimes it’s those closest to us, those who should be our greatest support and cheerleaders.  But it could also just be the person at the desk next to you at work who tries to find a way to make you feel badly for taking your lunch at the gym versus taking it at the mall.  Don’t let them.  Pull out studies showing how much more productive you likely are because you exercise and eat right if you have to.  But otherwise, keep on keeping on.  Keep your sites on those you’d like to emulate.

I’m hopping off the soapbox for now.  If you have any “great” advice to share, please do.  We’ll laugh, we’ll cry, and maybe we’ll tear it apart.  Who knows.  Most of us who would be inclined to do the tearing apart are too busy moving our bods and fueling them well to so anyhow.  So, anyone who scoffed at #’s 1-4 above up for plyos on the soapbox followed by a stellar post-workout meal of ingredients we can easily spell?   Holla!

Special note: This little rant is dripping with sarcasm, I’ll own that.  If you can get past that, the message is clear.   And logical, really.  Additionally, to those with physical limitations, not only do I hear you, I feel you.  Literally.  I’m one of you.  But hopefully the point was also embedded within my passionate ramblings that what’s “appropriate” is to exercise as intensely and fully with regard to joint range of motion, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health, as you can safely, at any given moment in time of your life.  It can change, good or bad, even for the relatively unlimited folks.  We should all work within that moment’s ability, strength, flexibility, energy level, coordination—always pushing as is “fit” (double-meaning), thereby pushing us forward.

Beans are a wonderful way to add high-quality, plant-based protein to your diet. They are high in iron, B vitamins and fiber, and are versatile enough that you may never tire of them. Dry beans stay fresh longer when stored in a cool, dark place (rather than on your countertop). Don’t use beans that are more than a year old, as their nutrient content and digestibility are much lower. Also, old beans will not soften, even with thorough cooking.

1.  Check beans for rocks and shriveled or broken beans, then rinse.

2.  Soak for six hours or overnight, with water covering 4 inches higher than the beans. Small and medium-size beans may require less soaking—four hours.

Note: If you’ve forgotten to presoak the beans, you can bring them to a boil in ample water to cover. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let stand for one hour.

3.  Drain and rinse the beans, discarding the soaking water. Always discard any loose skins before cooking, as this will increase digestibility.

4.  Place the beans in a heavy pot and add 3 to 4 cups fresh water.

5.  Bring to a full boil and skim off the foam.

6.  Add a small piece of kombu (seaweed) and a few bay leaves or garlic cloves for flavor and better digestibility.

7.  Cover, lower the temperature and simmer for the suggested time. Check beans 30 minutes before the minimum cooking time. Beans are done when the middle is soft and easy to squeeze.

8.  About 10 minutes before the end of cooking time, add 1 teaspoon of unrefined sea salt.

9.  Cook until beans are tender.

*do not require soaking

All times are approximate. Cooking lengths depend on how strong the heat is and how hard the water is. A general rule is that small beans cook for approximately 30 minutes, medium beans cook for approximately 60 minutes, and large beans cook for approximately 90 minutes. Be sure to taste the beans to see if they are fully cooked and tender.

Digestibility

Some people have difficulty digesting beans and legumes. They may develop gas, intestinal problems, irritability, or unclear thinking. Here are a few techniques for preparing and eating legumes that will alleviate most problems.

• Soak beans for several days, changing the water twice daily, until a small tail forms on the beans.

• Use a pressure cooker. This also cuts down cooking time.

• Chew beans thoroughly and know that even small amounts have high nutritional and healing value.

• Avoid giving legumes to children under 18 months because they have not developed the gastric enzymes to digest them properly.

• Experiment with your ability to digest beans. Smaller beans like adzuki, lentils, mung beans and peas digest most easily. Pinto, kidney, navy, black-eyed peas, garbanzo, lima and black beans are harder to digest. Soybeans and black soybeans are the most difficult beans to digest.

• Experiment with combinations, ingredients and seasonings. Legumes combine best with green or non-starchy vegetables and seaweeds.

• Season with unrefined sea salt, miso or soy sauce near the end of cooking. If salt is added at the beginning, the beans will not cook completely. Salt is a digestive aid when used correctly.

• Adding fennel or cumin near the end of cooking helps prevent gas.

• Adding kombu or kelp seaweed to the beans helps improve flavor and digestion, adds minerals and nutrients, and speeds up the cooking process.

• Pour a little apple cider, brown rice or white wine vinegar into the water in the last stages of cooking. This softens the beans and breaks down protein chains and indigestible compounds.

• Take enzymes with your meal.

Have a great weekend!