Jump and Jive.....

By nature, I’m a creature of habit. I like knowing what’s next and I tend to frequent stores, restaurants and places with familiar menus, aisles and people. That being said, I force myself to step outside of my comfort zone, and it’s during those “pushes” that I have found some of my favorites in life.
It’s the same with your exercise routine. It’s easy to fall back on what has worked for you in the past, but if you’re not seeing the results you once saw or you’re just bored with the same pattern, check out some different ways to get moving. Many gyms offer a variety of classes and you can usually check out the group fitness schedules online, but sometimes it’s fun to “think outside the gym” and explore other options. So, I did exactly that and discovered a couple of workouts that made me feel like a kid again.
If you grew up with a trampoline in your backyard (My kids are still mad at me because I wouldn’t let them have one) or jumped on one in your gymnastics class, you remember the sheer joy of “flying” with your whole body buoyant and breathless with each bounce. Indoor trampoline facilities are popping up all around the country and they offer jumping classes, open jumping and even corporate team events. Research has shown that jumping strengthens every muscle in your body, but is easy on your knees, back and ankles. At Sky Zone, a St. Louis indoor jumping facility, they offer SkyRobics (their trademark classes), low impact classes that combine aerobics, running, and jumping. Rebounding, or jumping, for 10 minutes on the trampoline is equal to 30 minutes of jogging without the stress on your body. My daughter and I tried the workout (including jumping, running on the trampoline called “rouncing”, and throwing a weighted ball) and we had a blast but it wiped us out!
Even if you don’t have a facility like SkyZone in your area, a backyard trampoline or mini trampoline (about 3 feet in diameter and 9 inches high) can work for you at home. Rebounding has been shown to improve blood pressure, circulation, and coordination while stimulating metabolism. Plus, it’s really FUN!!
If you were a kid in the early 60s, you probably remember growing up with the Wham-O Hula Hoop! Many hours were spent on playgrounds, in backyards and at basement parties trying to keep the plastic rings turning. The fad lost momentum but has recently re-emerged as a fitness craze. According to the web site hooping.org, the band The String Cheese Incident deserves some credit for kicking off the second revolution of hooping. They have been known to toss hoops into the audience during shows starting in the mid-90s and apparently their fans spread the word. Hooping began showing up at underground dance community events and raves.
Today it has re-emerged as a popular new fitness trend and provides an alternative cardio and core strengthening workout. Hooping uses a larger and heavier hoop than the hula hoop you remember as a child. Because the hoop is bigger and heavier, the rotation is slow enough that even clumsy amateurs can keep the hoop going. At the Healthy Kids Fair hosted by Michelle Obama, the First lady actually twirled her hoop 142 times. My record doesn’t come near that, but I try to swivel my Toys r Us hoop when I’m working out at home, and I can sometimes really rack up the spins on Wii Fit. I figure once I order the heavy hoop, I’ll look like a pro. You can compare hoops by checking out the LA Times review by Roy Wallack at http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-gear23-2009feb23,0,420871.story
Actual hooping classes are popular on both the East and West coast, but if you can't find a hooping class near you, instructional DVDs about hooping can show you the basics of how to use these larger (35-40 inch plus diameter) hoops to become fit. Click on
http://www.hooping.org/archives/000863.html for a review of several different hooping DVDs.
So even if you can't make time for the gym, pull out your jump rope or add a few of these new “toys and games” to your routine.

All In My Grill...

One kitchen appliance I absolutely cannot live without (besides my coffeemaker) is my George Foreman Grill. His “lean, mean, fat-reducing grilling machine” has helped me cook up more quick meals than I can count. So I was surprised to find out that not everyone uses the grill like I do. In fact, most of my friends thought it was just something to give to kids going off to college so they could burn up their dorm rooms when they missed dinner in the residence hall.
I never even had a Foreman grill in college. In fact, George Foreman didn’t become the heavyweight champ until a few years after my freshman year (and by the way, his fight with Joe Frazier took place in January of 1973). I bought the grill a few years after I got married and have pretty much used the same one ever since.
I love the flavor of grilled foods and, since the weather where I live is not conducive to year-round outdoor cooking, I was thrilled to find something so simple and quick. I’ve used grill trays on cook tops that didn’t get hot enough and were hard to clean. I’ve bought broiler pans and grill skillets, but nothing works as well as the Foreman. The “Lean, Mean….Cookbook”, lists the secrets behind the grill as:
-The unique design that let’s fat drip away from the food as it grills.
-The nonstick coating on the grill plates. No additional oil or butter is needed and clean up is easy.
-The heating elements cook BOTH sides of your food at once so the food cooks quickly.
It’s a dieter’s best friend because you can cook your proteins, vegetables, and even fruits using little or no fat or sauce. Foods can be seasoned with light marinades and/or rubs and the fat falls into a drip tray that comes with the grill.
My grill is so old they don’t even make the model anymore, but they currently make quite a few different models ranging in surface size from 36 sq. inches all the way up to 240 sq. inches. Depending on the features that you want: removable grill trays, floating hinges (for thick cuts of meat), digital temperature readouts, griddle plates, waffle plates and more, there’s a grill for every budget and family size.
I normally use very lean cuts of meat, poultry and fish, brush each side LIGHTLY with oil (about 1T vegetable or olive oil for 3-4 servings) and use a variety of rubs (found pretty much at any grocery store) before I put them on the grill. You might have to try a few different ones before you find what you like, but most of the people who work behind the meat and fish counters usually can give you some suggestions.
My “go to” marinade is pure orange juice, low sodium teriyaki sauce, and a good quality Italian dressing: about 1 cup of juice, ½ cup of dressing, and 2 -3T teriyaki sauce to ¾-1 pound of meat, poultry or fish. The cookbook comes with marinade recipes and you can log on to their web site for more ideas.
http://www.georgeforemancooking.com/default.aspx
So instead of that fast food, frozen microwave stuff, or processed meal from the grocery store, save the calories and fat by preparing and grilling your dinner in less time than it takes to “nuke” and open your packaged McDinner. Foreman Grills, they’re not just for college anymore!