NYC Fitness Event Saturday September 22nd - Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye during New York Health & Racquet’s Fitfest 2012 for Breast Cancer Research

MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND FREE YOUR DAY - This fantastic event is open to members and non-members of NYHRC. Each class is a $20 donation to the Glam-a-thon Foundation, a non-profit organization providing women battling breast cancer and their families with support and funding for mammograms and diagnostic testing. It’s going to be a great day jam packed with great classes, great raffle items, and load of giveaways, and gift bags!

My favorite NYHRC instructors are going to be teaching —-

Matt Wilpers for spinning — He has SO MUCH energy, his spin classes are dynamite! His awesome playlist will keep you going strong for the hour and you will come out of there cycling harder and stronger than you thought ever would be possible.

Leo Wright and Celine Desgranges for sculpting and bootcamp – They give you tough love, they do not let you cheat your workout and they will push you. YOU WILL BE SORE! It is more than worth it.

Ash Aviles for Yoga — he’s got a gift for making you feel brand new, deeply at peace and rejuvenated after every class. 

Here’s your chance to work out with the instructors I speak very highly of in my blog, and donate your efforts towards a really, really good cause.

Weight loss, lean muscle, pre-workout boost and post-workout recovery — Burn & Build Body Protein Powder is my hero!

I’ve been adding 2 scoops each morning into my smoothie and oh hello vanilla creamy love. Same dedicated workout schedule as usual, but now I am noticing the rewards! I’m full and satisfied up until lunch time, energized through the day, I’ve shed some weight and see a big difference in my lean muscle tone. 

Follow Surf Yoga Run Live on Tumblr for detox, high energy, and anti-inflammatory smoothie recipes coming later this week.

This formula is also prized by bodybuilders and athletes as a pre-workout boost and post-workout recovery drink because its clean, easily-digestible protein builds muscle and strength while promoting deep tissue recovery. Protein Lean supports cardiovascular health by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and immune health by countering the immune suppressing side-effects of stress, intense exercise, and gastrointestinal health by strengthening your stomach’s ability to block unhealthy bacteria and toxins from passing into your bloodstream.

How much protein is enough?

Our protein needs depend on our age, size, and activity level. The standard method used by nutritionists to estimate our minimum daily protein requirement is to multiply the body weight in kilograms by .8, or weight in pounds by .37. This is the number of grams of protein that should be the daily minimum. According to this method, a person weighing 125 lbs. should eat approximately 46 grams of protein per day, a 200-pound person should get 74 grams. Another way to compute protein needs has to do with lean body mass. This method is discussed in the Zone Diet and Protein Power books. Two scoops of Burn & Build Body Protein contains 17 grams of proprietary non-gmo green pea/rice protein. Two tablespoons of nut butter contains about 6 grams of protein. Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 3 grams of protein. A piece of sashimi has about 4.5 grams of protein and an average sushi roll has about 14 grams.

Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Our bodies cannot manufacture nine of the amino acids, so it is important to include all these amino acids in our diets. Animal proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy products have all the amino acids, and many plants have some of them. So, for us eating mainly (or all) plant-based diets, it’s important to consume complete proteins every day to maintain optimal health and immunity. I was so happy to find Burn & Build Body Protein Powders because they score 100% for amino acids – 19 amino acids including Glutamine, Arginine and Lysine. Plus, the formula is Lactose Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Fructose Free and does not contain wheat, corn protein, yeast, colors/artificial sweeteners/preservatives. Through robust research, this is the only allergen-free protein formula I have found that is pure protein, no added vitamins or supplements, so if you are already taking a multi- or supplements prescribed by your physician or nutritionist, you will not be over-supplementing yourself, just getting pure, complete 100% amino acid protein!

Whether your daily workout consists of intense office work, the gym, or a yoga class, Protein Lean Power Food is an exceptional low calorie snack – or a meal replacement for those times when you’re on the run. Protein Lean is designed to help you manage your body composition and reach your health and fitness goals.

Join Opensky through this link and you will receive a $10 gift certificate to use when you make your first purchase. Retail price for the Burn & Build Body Protein Powders is $49 but you can score it for $39. Once you join, search “Burn & Build Body Protein Powders” or Follow Padma Lakshmi, Author, Model, TV Host, Cook, World Traveler. If you are not yet familiar with OpenSky, think of a baby made between Gilt and Twitter. It is addicting… follow celebrities, athletes, chefs, and then shop their private sales.

“You decide, based on your personal interests and passions, which people to connect with—we like to call them “curators.” They’re a growing group of tastemakers and experts who are deeply passionate about what they do and what they love. You’ll discover what they discover: the most amazing products and brands you’ve never heard of and the stories (and the brilliant designers and artisans) behind them. You’ll be surprised, delighted, engaged.” – OpenSky

Protein Lean contains a plant derived enzyme system proven to increase protein digestibility and amino acid absorption thereby increasing nitrogen retention and aiding in the synthesis of muscle mass and strength. The protein in Protein Lean is easily digestible without the side-effects often associated with dairy and soy based protein powders.

• This formula is Lactose Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Fructose Free
• Does not contain wheat, corn protein, yeast, colors/artificial sweeteners/preservatives.
• Contains heart Healthy Fiber
• Scores 100% for amino acids – 19 amino acids including Glutamine, Arginine and Lysine
• Protein Lean provides an excellent protein source for vegetarians and vegans

Nutrition Facts Serv. Size: 2 scoops (45 g) Serv. Per Container: 14 
Amount Per Serving: Calories 150, Fat Cal. 25, Total Fat 3g (4% DV), Sat. Fat 1g (5% DV), Cholest. 0mg (0% DV), Sodium 225mg (9% DV), Potassium 365mg (10% DV), Total Carb 18g (6% DV), Fiber 6g (23% DV), Sugars 8g, Protein 17g, Vitamin A (0% DV), Vitamin C (0% DV), Calcium (0% DV), Iron (0% DV).

Ingredients: A proprietary Blend of Rice Protein Concentrate and Pea Protein Isolate and Aminogen, L-Glutamine, Clycine and Taurine. Evaporated Cane Juice, Fiber Complex (Inulin from Chicory, Beta Glucans, Oat Fiber, Corn Bran), Cocoa Powder, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors, Potassium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Gar Gum, Sodium Citrate, Steveia Leaf Extract. Protein Lean Meets or Exceeds cGMP Quality Standards.

Typical Amino Acide Profile Per Serving: Glycine 772mg, Alanine 731mg, Valine 950mg, Leucine 1,428mg, Isoleucine 765mg, Serine 901mg, Threonine 663mg, Tyrosine 646mg, Aspartic Acid 1,955mg, Phenylalanine 935mg, Tryptophan 70mg, Proline 765mg, Methionine 187mg, Cystine 170mg, Lysine 1,224mg, Histidine 425mg, Arginine 1,479mg, Glutamine 2,931mg, Taurine 500mg.

Summer Bucket List: Stand-up Paddling (SUP) Yoga

Well and Good NYC posted a great article this week - Class Action: SUP Dog Yoga featuring Jessica Bellofatto and Gina Bradley.

Last November, I joined these phenomenal surf and yoga athletes on a retreat to Rincon, Puerto Rico, and practiced surfing, stand up paddling, and yoga techniques under their expert guidance.

Stand-up paddling is a tremendous ab and core workout! And combining that paddling with some yoga sequences, you will be not only working your core, but your balance and grace as well. Each time you gain the confidence to explore a challenging yoga asana on your board, and when you get to the full expression of the pose (for example, using your strength and balance to come up into a backbend such as wheel, or inversion such as headstand while the unsteady board rocks in the water below you) you will be overwhelmed with a phenomenal proud ah-hah moment. 

“Paddling in the ocean, you are at the mercy of that. On the one hand, you need to be brave… On the other, there is an extreme sense of humility… and huge surrender. The yoga practice requires that same balance of strength and softness, but when you’re out in the elements, maintaining that balance is all the more urgent.” - Jessica Bellofatto

Last week, I went home to the Catskill Mountains in Upstate NY where I grew up. We live on a lake and it is the perfect weekend getaway, especially with my kayak and paddleboard waiting anxiously for me to come play on. I was a little rusty from not practicing my SUP yoga since November, but when I came up into my favorite heart-opening backbend, Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose), the rush of energy I got from seeing the lake upside down, that shift of perspective - that was just the coolest feeling. 

If you’d like to try SUP yoga before the summer comes to an end (Ah, Labor Day weekend is approaching in just a few weeks…unbelievable how quickly the summer just flew by!) you can join Jess and Gina out in East Hampton, NY for some exhilarating surf and yoga. They are truly inspiring athletes with fearless attitudes and awesome energy. I’m just dying to join them on another retreat…