Posted by terrepruitt on April 6, 2013
You might have read my post about a couple of Nia Celebrities coming to the San Francisco Bay Area (for that post, click here) and around this month (April 2013). Well, they arrived this week and have been doing classes since Thursday. Today was the class in Palo Alto at the Equinox (Gym). The classes are scheduled around the North Bay, East Bay, and Peninsula. The class was great. The 52 in the title refers to what the classes was about. All of the classes in this series are based on the 52 moves of Nia. I have posted about the Nia Moves before. They are not uniquely Nia moves, but Nia has compiled them and bases our routines on them. Nia has also set guidelines as to how they are to be done. As I have also mentioned in my posts about the 52 Nia Moves, when they are included in a dance sometimes they are not done exactly to specifications. Anyway . . . this class was definitely interesting. I love the gathering of Nia people. And when a celeb is in town the energy is astronomical. There are – as of today, April 06, 2013, a few chances left to take a class with Debbie Rosas (one of Nia’s founders) and Nia Trainer Kevin VerEecke. If you can make it I recommend it.
As I just mentioned it is always fun to gather and dance with Nia people. This time was really great for me because several of my students were in attendance. I love that they were able to take a class with Debbie. She is like many successful company leaders . . . dynamic and a force of her own. I think that when you can be in the presence of the person who started something (whether it be a fitness craze, a company, a restaurant, whatever) you get a different understanding of the workout (company, restaurant, etc.). Even if you are just in the same space as the person and you observe them without even talking to them . . . you get a better sense of things. Being able to be in a Nia class led by the founder of Nia is really an education.
This type of class is a different direction for Nia. It is not a dance exercise class it is an exercise class where we do a move from the 52 moves for a minute. The moves and the timing is not based on the music they use a timer. Most moves were done slow, then fast, and then as fast as you can. They are calling it Interval Training, but it seems to copy the “Intermittent Training” formula that Zumba uses. So it reminds me of a Zumba class without the dancing. It is truly an exercise class with loud music and a lot of sweat!
It is easy to do all 52 Nia Moves in an hour especially if you are doing one a minute. With nineteen of the 52 Nia Moves being movements done with the arms, hands, and/or fingers they are easily combined with foot and body movements. So we were even able to do a few of the moves for more than one one minute cycle. But not all Nia routines have all 52 moves so this is another way to get a great workout in!
I am usually torn at a Nia event because I want to dance . . . . I don’t want to miss a moment, but I also want to take pictures to document the event. This exercise class was a little easier to break away from because they were either doing the move slow or fast, so I could jump right back in and be right on the mark.
Here are a few shots that I took. As you can see everyone is happy, sweaty, and having a fabulous time!
Have you ever met the creator of something you love? Did you find it exciting? Are you going to make it to one of these Nia 52 Moves classes?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 52 Nia Moves, April 2013, California Peninsula, Debbie Rosas, East Bay, Francisco Bay Area, Intermittent Training, Interval Training, Kevin VerEecke, Nia celebrities, Nia class, Nia education, Nia founder, Nia Moves, Nia pictures, Nia routines, Nia students, Nia trainer, North Bay, Palo Alto Equinox, Zumba | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 5, 2013
So how is your Goodie Jar filling up? Well? Do you have a lot of good things that you are putting into it?
I can think of many things that some people might consider Good Things. Here are a few:
Basketball
March Madness
Baseball
Hockey
Spring Weather
Rain
Easter
Resurrection
Passover
Hard Boiled Eggs
So, how about that? This list might help you if you need it!
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: Baseball, Basketball, Easter, hard boiled eggs, Hockey, March Madness, Passover, Rain, Resurrection, Spring Weather | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 4, 2013
I have such wonderful Nia students. One day I was talking to one of my students and she shared with me something she and her husband are doing before bed. She said that they each share THREE good things that happened throughout the day. Now this is just like the good thing jar idea in that the “good thing” is up to the person doing the sharing. It can be anything you think of as a good thing. You could say you heard your favorite song on the radio, saw a hummingbird, had a door held open for you, held a door open for someone else, you attended a Nia class . . . . whatever you want. The “Good Thing” is up to you. The idea is to help the day end on a positive note. And it could lead to a nice conversation with whomever you are doing it with. If you are doing it by yourself it could allow you to remember more good things about your day. Whatever the situation it is a nice positive way to end the day. Three good things is a beautiful thought to fall asleep on.
It could be particularly helpful in a stressful time. Often when something is causing stress we tend to think about it a lot. For me the quiet time as I am falling asleep is prime thinking time. Is it for you? With thinking time the mind can easily go to the stressful thought. But if you have spent a little time with three good things maybe the good has pushed the stress off to a corner. Falling asleep on a positive note seems like it would help you have a good sleep. Sleep is a great tool in handling stress. It could be you are happily thinking about your good things as you drift off. Could be, if you have a partner you are talking about good things with, your partners good things are on your mind.
It also seems like this fun exercise would be good for people who tend to think of the negative instead of the positive. This would help direct the negative attention to positive and shift the energy. We all have things going on in our lives that we could dwell on and conduct negative thoughts and energy, so having to think about positive and good things that happened throughout the day and talk about three of them . . . that can really get the good stuff flowing. Not thinking about the negative side of things can really work wonders.
I really like this idea. I am looking forward to reading all the good things at the end of the year that I have document throughout the year, but this is a way to keep that “good thing” idea at the forefront. This can provide “instant” gratification and help shift energy from negative and stressful to positive and peaceful.
Manifest the positive by sharing the good things!
What do you think?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: energy shift, Good Thing jar, good things, negative energy, negative thoughts, Nia, Nia class, Nia students, peaceful thoughts, positive energy, positive thoughts, sharing | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 2, 2013
So in my post Venting Gets Me Good I explain how my complaint about Starbucks’ Chai Tea Latte landed me a great Chai Tea recipe AND cardamom, one of the spices used to make it. Well, the original recipe calls for “pinches’ which didn’t seem like enough to me and is difficult to translate in a recipe. So I decided that a pinch would be about an 1/8 of a teaspoon. I felt that made a bit of a weak tea. So I have increased the measurements and changed the water to milk ratio. Also, lately when I have been in the mood to make this tea and have actually had the time and the milk I have not had fresh ginger so I have been using ground ginger. It works for me and I am not left chewing on ginger. While my fabulous Nia friend who gave me the recipe pointed out I could use a tea strainer to get out the ginger and the cloves, one reason I like to drink the tea is to drink the ginger and get the benefits from it.
Like many recipes SOMEONE has to have created it. Then others morph it into what works for them. I keep telling one of my friends about this recipe and that I made adjustments. She seems excited to try it so she says, “And you put the adjustments on your blog?” I had not so that makes it difficult for her to make the tea with my adjustments when I have not noted them. So I decided to do it. Plus it helps me. I use my blog as my recipe book and when I have to keep remember to adjust it is not as helpful as when the measurements are just documented accurately.
Here is the recipe I have been using and I think it is very lovely.
Terre’s Favorite Chai Tea Latte:
2 cups of water
2 tea green bags
10 cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 (heaping) tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups milk
Boil the water then add the tea bags. Let simmer for a few minutes. (Here is where you decide how long according to how strong you like your tea). Squeeze out the tea bags and remove them from sauce pan (or whatever you are using to make the tea). Then add all the spices. Allow it to sit and simmer a bit. Then add the milk and let it simmer gently. Add sweetener of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
The original recipe said to use “2 tea bags (black, green, redbush, etc.)” so I it seems you can use whatever you like. If green does not agree with you, then don’t use it.
I think this makes a very yummy tea. And I call it Chai because that is what the recipe said when I first got it. One thing I do like to do while drinking this tea is stir often. I want to drink the spices and get their flavor. When all the spices end up at the bottom of the mug it is not as flavorful a cup of tea. Plus in order to get the benefits from the spices you need to drink them.
One day when I tweeted out that I was making Chai someone responded that she makes it every day and she adds fennel. I have yet to try that. I don’t see why you can’t add anything you want. This is just a starting place . . . .
So . . . . . tell me what you think? Do you like it? What changes did YOU make to make it “Chai Tea Latte For You”?
Posted in "Recipes" | Tagged: black tea, cadamom, chai tea, Chai Tea Latte, chai tea recipe, cinnamon, cloves, complaint, flavorful tea, ginger, green tea, how to make chai tea from scratch, Nia, Nia friend, nutmeg, Redbush, Starbucks, tea recipe, Venting, yummy tea | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on April 1, 2013
Ha. Ok, so I was thinking that I had a check in. I think, “I will do one and post on my plank check in that I have one down and two more planks to go.” I was looking to encourage and get encouragement. Then I come to my blog and remember that I am doing a weekly check in. So, ok, I won’t do this everyday. I promise, but heck, since I got one down and two to go, I am gonna tell you about it. Especially since it was such a good one. If felt good!
It is really late, though so I need to go to bed. But I want to cheer you on. You can do it. Just do it.
Get on the floor and do three planks a day with me for the month of April! Yes?
Posted in Planking | Tagged: planking, planks, three planks a day with me for the month of April | 1 Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 31, 2013
So today is our last day of our Plank A Day For A Month Challenge. What do you say? Are you ready for more?
Posted in Planking | Tagged: Plank A Day For A Month, Plank A Day For A Month Challenge, plank challenge, planking | 3 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 30, 2013
So, what do you think? Do you want to do a Multiple Planks In One Day For Thirty Days Challenge? Oh, c’mon. You do. You saw how just doing one a day helped you feel good so why not do more than one a day? The challenge will be for three a day for thirty days, for the entire month of April. The idea is to take your last duration time and just do it three times a day. Or you can just let the stopwatch run, three times a day. If you want you can do it all at once or throughout the day. The ideal is THREE PLANKS A DAY. But two is better than one, and one is better than none. So even if you don’t get in all three it is still good. But aim for the three.
I will tell you (again, I think I’ve already mentioned it) posting on a blog EVERY SINGLE DAY is not easy. Even if it is just a few sentences. As you probably have experienced when checking-in with the challenges. Plus I know I have some lovely readers who have subscribed (THANK YOU!) and they get a notification when I post. Even if it is not an e-mail everyday it might start clogging up the in-box. So . . . . as you can see on the calendar in this post I have designated a check in day! I have made the check in day on Sunday. With a Sunday check in we can report on the previous week and get psyched up for the week to come! That will also spread out my check ins and posts a little. I have a Friday Goodie Jar check in and I post on Saturdays, so I thought Sunday would be good.
Also with a once a week check-in that will free up time to do the planks! Yay!
The forearm planks are what we are talking about. The ones where you are on your elbows and forearms, not the straight armed ones. No matter if you plank for a set time or just let the clock run be sure to keep the bones in alignment. Arms bones straight down from shoulders, head aligned with hips, straight spine, no peaks or valleys, straight legs, and feet hip joint width apart.
Remember the challenges we do are just to set a goal and get it done. But the way you do the challenge exactly is up to you. Our guidelines are: 1) Plank every day three planks a day 2) Document the number of times/planks you do a day 3) Post on Sunday how many times you planked the past week.
Your three planks could be the longest duration to short or the other way around. Or all three the same duration. There are a lot of ways you can do that portion, just do it three times a day/three planks a day, yes? Yes. However you are going to do it decide before you start so you have a your own guidelines to stick too. When you have a plan it makes it easier to get it done.
I will have to get at least one in before Nia everyday!
Well, you in? C’mon . . . . . .
Posted in Planking | Tagged: multiple planks in a day, Nia, planking challenge, planks, thirty day challenge, three planks a day | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 30, 2013
Ha, ha, ha. Ok, not really, but reaching for titles here. We are not walking our plank. We are just staying in one. So this is our second to last day in the Plank A Day For A Month Challenge. I really think it would be cool to continue. And as I mentioned in a previous post I have an idea . . . . . . . .
Have you increased your duration?
Posted in Planking | Tagged: Plank A Day For A Month, Plank A Day For A Month Challenge, plank challenge, planking | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 29, 2013
Last Friday of March and our ninth Goodie Jar Check in. It is all about Good Things, My Friends. Focusing on the good because that is keeping the positive energy flowing. I hope that you have had many good things happen this past week and your jar is getting full.
Keep up the practice. I know at the end of the year when you read all these good things you are going to be so happy you kept is up. You are going to be reminded of all the good things and feel so warm and fuzzy!
How is your jar looking?
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: good things jar, Goodie Jar, March 2013, positive energy, positive practice | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 29, 2013
You want to know something? I have not seen anything Gangnam Style except what Saturday Night Live did. They did a skit based on it almost the second it happened and the guy that started the whole thing was on it. Ok, and I did watch a few seconds of a Gangnam Style wedding video, but I was not entertained enough to continue.
According to Wiki: “On December 21, 2012, “Gangnam Style” became the first YouTube video to reach a billion views.” Wow! I can say, I am not one of those billion views. But I do believe I have heard of “Gangnam Style” – just about everything so why not planking. Ha, ok, not really. Again . . . just really trying to eek out a couple more titles to these daily posts. It is not easy! As I am sure you can tell from the titles themselves!
With only a few days left of our Plank A Day For A Month Challenge. It is kinda shocking to realize that we have almost gone an entire month. Wow.
How are you doing?
Posted in Planking | Tagged: Gangnam Style, Gangnam Style wedding video, Plank A Day For A Month, Plank A Day For A Month Challenge, plank challenge, planking, Saturday Night Live, SNL skit, Wiki, Youtube video | 1 Comment »
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