A Nice Morning For A Run

My sweet nanny baby (a.k.a. bug-ah-boo) and I went for a run through the back bay today. What a glorious morning. Here are a few pictures of the bay and things we saw along the way.

Man To Run LA Marathon Barefoot For Keep A Breast Foundation

Hey Guys! My friend Casey Cochran is running the L.A. Marathon next week to raise money for the Keep A Breast Foundation (which is amazing in itself), but get this... he is running the whole thing BAREFOOT!
Way to go Casey! I am so stoked for you and your cause.

Check out his interview with KCAL 9. As well as this short clip on the Keep A Breast Non Toxic Revolution.

KCAL 9

"Casey Cochran will be running the Marathon BAREFOOT in an effort to raise money for Keep a Breast Foundation's Outreach Center's rock climbing wall. As campaign director of Keep A Breast's Non Toxic Revolution, Casey is passionate about rock climbing and providing cancer survivors and recently diagnosed with an outlet to gain confidence and discover their inner strengths." -KCAL9



For more information on Casey and how you can donate
Click Here

A little about The Keep A Breast Foundation and the Non Toxic Revolution
The Keep A Breast Foundatiom is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Their mission is to help eradicate breast cancer by exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support. Through art events, educational programs and fundraising efforts, they seek to increase breast cancer awareness among young people so they are better equipped to make choices and develop habits that will benefit their long-term health and well-being.

Non Toxic Revolution’s mission is to inform and educate people about toxic chemicals in our environment and food supply especially those linked to the initiation of breast cancer. Its aim is to focus on prevention as a means to maintaining long-term health and well-being. NTR also provides alternative choices so that young people everywhere can make smart changes.

Hollywood Hike

Dan and I hiked to the Hollywood sign with a few of our friends last Saturday. It's an easy 4.3 mile hike with amazing views! After our hike we went to Mashti Malones for some tasty herbal ice cream.

Shanny and Me

A 360 view of LA!

Danny

Some Friends!

The Griffith Observatory in the distance.

Mashti Malone!

I love Mashti's!

My favorite is Herbal Snow -- rose water ice with basil seeds, lemon, cardamom and Arabian gum!They also have creamy rose, lavender, saffron, pomegranate, faludeh, sour cherry, orange blossom, and green tea.

It was a fun morning.

Marisa Miller's Supermodel-Worthy Ab Workout

Marisa Miller is one of my all time favorite models. She is a former Victoria's Secret gal who surfs and boxes! Too cool right? In her interview with SHAPE magazine she talks about her recent obsession with paddle boarding and the great benefits she gets from it. For those of you who don't live next to the beach, SHAPE and Marisa teamed-up to make this great workout that will give you similar results to her sporty lifestyle.

 

Triple-Delt Duty

Position A:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand out to the sides at shoulder level. Circle arms forward 15 times, then back 15 times. Next, bend elbows 90 degrees. Rotate forearms down so they’re parallel to the floor, then back up. Do 15 reps.

Position B:

Finally, bring elbos together infront of you and then back out. Do 15 reps.

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Plank Progression

Position A:
Get in plank position on forearms on the round side of a Bosu.

 

Position B:Hold for 30 seconds, then turn to the left and balance on right forearm, feet staggered and left arm up. Hold for 30 seconds, return to center, and switch sides to complete series. Repeat entire series once.

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Standing Crunch

Position A:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your chest, elbows bent and palms facing each other.

Position B:Pull your abs in and lean forward and to the right, using the same motion as you would when doing a regular crunch. Repeat to the other side to complete 1 rep. Do 15 to 25 reps.

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Burpee

Position A:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then squat and put hands on floor in front of feet. Hop feet back, then forward again.

Position B:
Jump up, catching air and raising hands overhead. Continue for 1 minute. (Add a push-up while you're in plank pose for more of a challenge.)

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Balance Squat

Position A:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart on the flat side of a Bosu (or use the round side if that’s more comfortable for you) and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.

Position B:Squat as low as you can, maintaining your balance and keeping your knees aligned with your toes, then rise up and repeat. Do 15 reps, then step onto the floor and do 5 to 8 jump squats.

And...

Just because

Pictures: SHAPE

Victoria's Secret Supermodel Miranda Kerr Workout

The last post on VS supermodel workouts was so popular, I thought I should find another one for all you lovely ladies...and because I have been re-motivated to workout after watching the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last week. I wonder why? Ha-ha. I found Miranda Kerr's weekly workout on Sharieitfitness. It's no cake-walk. She works hard and eats a healthy balanced diet to achieve her slender amazingnessssss. I've also heard that she is a big fan of Yoga!

Here it is:

Miranda usually spends about 90 minutes in the gym, 4 days a week. If you don’t have time for that, try spreading it out over 6 days. She begins with a 15 minute sprint/jog session to get her heart rate up. She'll jog for 2 minutes then sprint for 30 seconds and repeats the process until 15 minutes are up. After her warm-up she'll jump rope -- 5 minutes of regular jumping, followed by 5 minutes of advanced. Advanced jump roping includes double skips, one-legged jumps, and knee tucks.

Then it's onto the resistance component to her routine. Miranda's trainer has her practice snatches, in ladder form. What this means is she’ll lay out 4 dumbbells in increasing weight. She’ll start with the lightest and do 1 rep, then move on to the next heaviest and so on (weights do not exceed 15 lbs. remember the focus is toning the arms, not bulking-up). Once she’s done all four, she'll start back at the lightest weight and do 2 reps etc. She repeats this process until 10 reps for each weight.  Tip: Move fast during the ladder snatch drill to keep your heart rate up and burn more calories.

From here she will spend 20 minutes focusing on lower body toning with a barbell and a few weights. She combines barbell squats, barbell lunges, barbell reverse lunges, and box jumps to make up her lower body routine. She'll do 3 sets of 12 for each kind.

Miranda repeats her jump rope drills for another 10 minutes at this point. The goal of a circuit training routine is to keep the heart rate high. This burns a massive amount of calories and vastly improves cardiovascular capabilities.

From here it’s back onto the treadmill. Although this time it will be with a steeper incline. Miranda will spend 3 minutes sprinting, 6 minutes walking, and 6 minutes walking backwards.

To recap:

15 minutes: Jog/sprint – sprint 30 seconds, jog 2 minutes, repeat.

10 minutes: Jump rope – 5 minutes regular jumping, 5 minutes advanced jumping technique

20 minutes: Ladder snatches – see above for description

20 minutes: Lower body work – BB squats, BB lunges, BB reverse lunges, box jumps

10 minutes: Jump rope – 5 minutes regular jumping, 5 minutes advanced jumping technique

15 minutes: Inclined treadmill (at LEAST 15 degrees) - 3 minutes sprinting, 6 minutes walking, 6 minutes walking backwards

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Perfect Workout

Shanny has volunteered herself to be my Bridal Boot Camp Sergeant for the remainder of this year. I want to feel my best and look my best for the BIG DAY!

We've discovered an awesome workout...P.S. You'll feel like shiza during the run, but light as a feather and energized to the max when you finish.

Here it is:

1 hour run (the key is - no stopping allowed! Jog very slowly or speed walk if you need a break)
When you get home:
50 crunches
25 leg lifts
50 bicycles
25 squats
15 sumo squats
50 calf raises
50 arm circles (with 5 lbs weights)
15 push-ups
50 Jumping Jacks
1 minute plank

Good Luck!

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Codes For Longevity

I am so proud to announce that my Great Uncle Phillip Schaeffer along with my Great Aunt Gita Labrentz, Ph.D finished the revised edition of:

Codes for Longevity

Living well beyond 80, 90, and 100 years.

I am simply fascinated with Phillip’s healthy lifestyle and warm personality. He is one of the kindest people I know – always smiling and happy; he gives the best hugs and always has something genuine to say! I've re-read this book many times and I love all the advice he gives about taking care of your body, mind and soul; it’s my go-to-book for tips on living a healthy, natural life. Phillip Schaeffer is a truly remarkable man with wonderful recommendations on how to promote longevity.

And as they say… “Behind every great man, there is a great woman” (love you too Aunt Gita)! You both did a fabulous job on Codes for Longevity.

Here are a few of Phillip's sworn-by health tips that he has implemented into his daily life. Pick up a copy of your own HERE and read about many more lifestyle routines that will help improve the quality and length of your life.

-Take time to practice deep breathing exercises daily.

-Eating foods rich in anti-oxidant will counteract free radical damage.

-Embrace life with joy and enthusiasm. Positivity will help lengthen your life. Let go of stress (meditation, prayer, yoga)

[On a side note… I learned in a few bio-psych classes that your body will produce stress related hormones such as Cortisol and Catecholamine’s when you are worried, angry or frightened. A build up of stress hormones can lead to heart and cell damage in the body. You can literally make yourself sick from constant stress.]

-Get 8 hours of sleep

-Always stay connected to younger generations. Do not surround yourself with negativity or lazy spirits

-Keep up-to-date in everything you do…reading, technology, events, entertainment.

-Get involved in community activities; take up hobbies or college classes. Learning new things and helping others will ward-off depression.

-Laugh more and forgive freely, don’t hold grudges. You can alter your life by altering your attitude

-Use it or lose it! Increase your flexibility and mental activities (exercise, stretch, puzzles, math and music…)

-Multivitamins A 10,000IU, B complex 400mg, B6, C and E, pantothenic, zinc 50mg and selenium 400mg, D (1,000 IU) and multivitamins daily.

-Avoid refined foods and artificial sweeteners

-Eat Garlic = antibiotic cleansing agents

-Smile as much as possible

-Massage lymph nods often (neck, armpit etc.) they filter toxins and are sometimes concentrated and need to be massaged

-Avoid using household cleaners. Use natural products such as vodka or alcohol to clean.

- Drink 2 spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water 3 times daily (to alkalize the body). A body that is too acidic will lead to illness and disease.

-detoxify your liver and practice eye exercises to eliminate glasses.

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"You are responsible for the kind of energy that you put out into the world. Whatever you give, you will get back"-B

Congrats Uncle Phillip and Aunt Gita!

Victoria's Secret Supermodel Workouts

I stumbled across an interview by Vogue with Victoria’s Secret supermodels. What do these women do to stay fit? They shared some of their favorite fitness routines.  Here are some great ways to get in shape.

Alessandra Ambrosio
“Yoga calms me down and also keeps me lean—it makes exercise feel easy,” the 30-year-old Brazilian says enthusiastically about regular 60-minute Lunch Box and Happy Hour classes at midtown’s mang’Oh studio. One month before a Victoria’s Secret show, however, she ups the ante with Leandro Carvalho’s Brazil Butt Lift workout. “It’s a hard-core mix of squats and dancing to Brazilian music!”
mang’Oh
322 East 39th Street
212.661.6655
mangohstudio.com

Cheesy video...but The results look good. Leandro Carvalho's workout DVD 

Lindsay Ellingson
“I was always involved in dance teams growing up,” says Ellingson. “Maybe that’s why I can’t stand running in a straight line on a treadmill now!” Every other week, she pops and breaks at Crunch gym’s Hip Hop classes; to round out her routine with strength training (while perfecting her sun salutation), she also squeezes in twice-weekly vinyasa sessions at Yoga Works. “When it comes to exercise, I don’t like anything that’s too serious,” she says.
Crunch
404 Lafayette Street
212.614.0120
crunch.com

Yoga Works
138 Fifth Avenue
212.647.9642
yogaworks.com

Erin Heatherton “I need to pay people to make me work out or I wouldn’t do it,” says Heatherton with a laugh. Lucky, then, that trainer Lynn Duffy is up for the challenge. The pair head no farther than the gym in Heatherton’s West Village apartment building, where the 22-year-old psychs herself up, three times a week, for a high-octane half-hour workout that has her switching between five-minute intervals of sprinting and power-walking on an incline. “It’s exhausting,” she says. “But then comes my favorite part—a half hour of yoga. I love the way it tones but also loosens you up.”
Lynn Duffy
646.321.0275

Lily Aldridge
Aldridge credits best friend Miranda Kerr for keeping her in shape. “Miranda introduced me to Justin Gelband four years ago,” reveals the newlywed, who meets with the New York City–based trainer three times a week. “My favorite thing is jumping on the Reformer, but we also kickbox and do a bunch of crunches and sit-ups. That section isn’t much fun, but the results are worth it!”
Justin Gelband
310.863.6705
justingelband.com

Justin Gelband with VS Model Selita Ebanks

Candice Swanepoel
“My body’s changing as I get older,” muses the 22-year-old South African model, who lifts, crunches, and squeezes with Gelband three consecutive days a week. “So I’m doing a lot more work with weights to keep muscle tone.” Her favorite exercise? “Kickboxing! I like that, as well as keeping fit, I can protect myself.”

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Asics, Brooks, Saucony, New Balance or Nike? Running Shoes

Ok, so I’m a little tossed on which shoe to pick. I’ve needed a good pair of running shoes for quite some time now but I’m having trouble on finding the perfect shoe. Today I went to Roadrunner and got a running analysis done. They said that I am a neutral runner for the most part, but my left ankle seems to overpronate and needs more support (a Dr. Scholls might fix the problem). In a perfect world, I would need two different shoes to address the needs in each foot….OY VEY. Do any of you have a great pair of running shoes? What is your favorite brand, make and style?

Here are a few I was thinking about...

ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 have undergone a noticeable transformation -- slimmed down and toned up. Having recently lost some weight, this version is their lightest ever. Focusing on improved fit and comfort, loyal fans are sure to notice the shoe moves more effectively with the foot. Plus, it's synthetic fabrics are made from recycled materials, ensuring a more ecologically friendly direction. 10.4 ounces $139.99 YIKES!(these seem to be everyone's fav on internet reviews)

Women's BROOKS GHOST 3: The updated Brooks Ghost 3 feels so great on your foot, it's almost supernatural! With generous cushioning and just enough stability, this shoe delivers a feeling of bounce throughout your run, and its newly designed upper gives you a custom-made fit that will make you shiver with delight! Now in widths, the Ghost 3 is the ideal shoe for neutral runners who want great cushioning, fit and feel. 9.2 ounces $62 (These look great! They also won the runner's choice award)

Women's SAUCONY PROGRID RIDE 4: You'll forget all excuses with this lightweight, versatile runner. The Blown rubber outsole of the ProGrid Ride 4 shaves off weight while increasing shock absorption and comfort from the moment you put them on. Comfort improvements include more luxurious collar and tongue linings. A great everyday choice for neutral runners. 9.7 ounces $99 (I don't know if I'm diggn the look of these, but I've heard good things about their performance)

Women's NEW BALANCE 1226: Like to rack up the miles? Get lots of cushioning and support in the updated women's New Balance 1226 featuring greater heel impact absorption, durable stability, and the best-fitting, most supple upper ever! PL-1 Last - Performance fit. 10.4 ounces $94 (I like the look of these!)

Women's NIKE AIR PEGASUS +28 BREATHE: One of the more popular Nike shoes, the women's Nike Air Pegasus +28 Breathe is a solid, lightweight running shoe that offers minimal rub and reflective detailing for warm summer or fall evening runs. The environmentally preferred rubber in the outsole is durable for all surfaces and provides great traction for the mildly underpronated to mildly overpronated runner. The Flywire midfoot panel holds the foot in place, and the mesh top keeps your foot aired out in the hot sun. 9.2 ounces $89 (Nike is always great...but I wonder if I should try a new brand. Is the Pegasus any good?)

Here it is in peach and grey

-B