Posts Tagged ‘Nia’
Posted by terrepruitt on March 8, 2011
Yay! There is a grocery store in Willow Glen in the neighborhood where I have my San Jose Nia Classes. This means I can pick up some things on the way home. I can anyway because my regular grocery store is not that far past my house, but sometimes I take the exit for my house before I remember I wanted to go to the store because I start thinking of all that I have to do. Once I am off the freeway and I actually have to pass my house to get to the store, I can easily talk myself into NOT going to the store. Ya know? So this store is pretty much right on my way home.
It is a tiny little market. The isles are so small two carts can barely fit down the same row. Just like the bigger stores they have so many extra bins and displays in the aisles (on the ends) there is no way to have two carts going down that way either. So it is kind of a place where you can actually run into your neighbors. 🙂 I was excited when I saw that there was no added trans fat and high fructose corn syrup. I had walked by the sign quickly so I had thought that all products in the store were like this. But as soon as I saw some products I am familiar with having those ingredients I realized that the sign said that Fresh and Easy products don’t have those ingredients. But they DO have Canola Oil so depending on what you believe in regards to that oil you will have to take that information with a grain of salt.
I did have a yummy sample of vanilla yogurt and granola. I was going to buy some of the granola because it tasted really good in the yogurt. Even though it didn’t have HFCS in it, or any partially hydrogenated oil, it did have canola oil in it so I didn’t buy it. Canola oil is not easy to avoid so when I don’t need the product I am not going to buy it. I am not going to buy a product new to me that has Canola oil in it.
They do have their own brand of Teryaki without HFCS. YAY! I have had teryaki in months because I’ve only seen kind with HFCS in it. It doesn’t taste very “teryaki-y”. Its first ingredient is soy sauce and that is pretty much what it tastes like. But it is not bad.
I think they have a lot of interesting looking prepared food. I didn’t look at all of them to see the ingredients, but I will check it out as I have the need. They did have water crackers about $3.00 cheaper than my regular store. I was excited to try them. The box I open is very crumbly. They are dry. They are not as good as the water Crackers at Trader Joe’s that are the same price.
One thing that will keep me from filling up my cart and doing ALL my shopping at this new little neighborhood market is self-check out. I don’t want to spend my time shopping and checking out the ingredients, looking, deciding, menu planning and thinking—-just to have to spend even MORE time checking myself out. I only had a few items and it took me what seemed like forever to just find the bar codes on the items. I understand that this is one way that a store can keep the prices down, but I did notice and I heard other people say that many items in the store were MORE expensive than other stores we frequent. I don’t have to check my own groceries at the other stores.
And I don’t need to mention how great the checkers at Trader Joe’s do I? I love the checkers at Traders Joe’s.
Anyway . . . I am excited to have a little market to stop in on my way home to pick up a few things. As I said, I won’t be doing the bulk of my shopping here but it really is a great thing that this area of Willow Glen has a grocery store.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Canola Oil, Fresh and Easy, granola, grocery store, HFCS, High Fructose Corn Syrup, neighborhood market, Nia, Nia Classes, partially hydrogenated oil, San Jose Nia classes, self-check out, Trader's Joe, Trans fat, water crackers, Willow Glen Nia class | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 5, 2011
Do you collect anything? My husband collects shot glasses. He has them from all over. ALL over . . . . . . even space. This one is probably from the furthest away. This is a shot glass from Ferenginar 🙂 . Ferengi is from the Star Trek Empire.
You might be able to see it is made up of two pieces. The metal piece made up of rings that hold the glass “shot glass” portion. It is a fun design. I guess it is perfect for off world shot taking. I don’t know if he has ever drank out of it. Now that I think about it is quite funny. He collects shot glasses, but he doesn’t really drink shots. He does like to buy a shot glasses from places we have been. So it is the collecting of the item that brings him pleasure. It is a bonus if the shot glass is cool or unusual.
Because I started this blog to promote Nia, my Nia classes, and grow in my Nia practice by writing and posting about it, I always have Nia in the back of my mind when I am writing a post. Even if it has nothing to do with Nia, like this one. It is about collecting, it is to share picture of this particular shot glass. But as I was typing the part about my husband collecting shot glass because it makes him happy, it brings him pleasure I thought of a comparison to Nia.
The similarity is that he doesn’t really like to drink shots, a person could not really like to workout or exercise. My hubby likes to buy shot glasses, it brings him pleasure, Nia is a dance, if you like to dance it brings pleasure. If the shot glass is cool or unusual it is better, Nia is cool, it is unusual, it is different. The fact that John doesn’t really drink shots doesn’t mean that it is not nice to have shot glasses around in case he wants one so he gets the benefits of owning them. Nia doesn’t really FEEL like exercise because the participants are involved in a movement that bring pleasure, but since we are moving in all different ways, up down, around, fast, slow, and engaging so many body parts and muscles it IS a workout. You DO receive benefits as you do when you do traditional exercise.
Funny how things can be connected. Funny how things can be collected. Do you collect anything? What?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: collections, dance exercise, Dance Workout, drinking shots, Ferengi, Ferengi shot glass, Ferenginar, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia Practice, Nia work out, Nia workout, shot glass collection, shot glasses, Star Trek, Star Trek empire | 18 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 3, 2011
I always hear about collard greens and how nutritious they are. I was in the store the other day shopping after my Nia class. I always feel energetic after Nia. Sometimes even a little adventuresome, so I decided to buy some collard greens. I was hoping I could cook some mushrooms and throw the greens in and let them steam a little bit. I looked up how to cook collard greens and what I found was boil with ham hock. Uh-oh. The two things I read talked of cooking the bitter out or disguising it with bacon or ham. I looked at the pictures of dull green soggy veggies piled on a plate and realized why I had never eaten collard greens. Ewwww. It looks like a soggy pile of spinach.
I decided to go ahead with my plan. I minced a shallot and cooked the mushrooms. I didn’t salt the mushrooms because I was thinking that I would need all the salt I could use on the collard greens AND I would need to sweat the greens. Right as the mushrooms were done cooking I put a little butter in the pan, I was thinking this would help counter-act the bitter I had read about.
I put some wine in the pan. I was thinking in addition to the salt sweat I was going to have to somewhat steam the greens because I had also read something about the greens being tough. I put the greens in and put a spoonful of minced garlic on it. Then salted it a bit. They cooked much faster than I thought considering what a heart leaf it is.
So, my hubby was happy. It tasted like the mushrooms I usually cook or like all the other veggies except there was a slight sourness to it. So, now that I know they don’t taste horrible and they can be cooked and enjoyed without boiling them with ham hock, I can step away from the normal flavoring and try other flavors. Ones that will compliment the strong flavor of the leaf.
Do you cook collard greens? Do you boil them with the ham hock? How do you cook them? Give me some ideas because I think I will be making them a lot more because it really made my husband happy.
Posted in "Recipes", Food, Vegetables | Tagged: boiling vegetables, Collard Greens, dark green vegetables, garlic, green vegetables, green veggies, hamhock, happy husband, mushrooms, Nia, Nia class, Nia Classes, soggy vegetables, sweat the greens | 18 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2011
I told my Nia Sister Jill that I wanted to post some exercises one can do with a weighted bar. Her comment on my one of my last posts helped encourage me. A couple of ways to use the weight bar is triceps extensions. You can stand or sit down, grasp the bar in an over hand grip, then carefully raise it over your head until your elbows are pointed towards the ceiling and the bar is behind your head, push the bar up. Concentrate on keeping your elbows pointing up at the ceiling. Don’t rock, sway, or use momentum to get the bar up and back down (behind your head). Be sure that the movement is smooth and controlled. Your core is tight. Abs contracted to assist in protecting your lower back. The movement is just from your elbows and you are moving your forearms. Your head does not move, the bar does not touch your head or your shoulders/neck.
This same thing can be translated into a lying down exercise. Elbows pointed up, forearms move. The triceps do the work do not let momentum move the weighted bar. In this position your core is still tight. Abs are contracted even while lying down. Also be careful not to let the bar hit you in the head.
You hands can be about shoulder width apart or close together. I like to adjust the width depending on how I am feeling. Another way to do this, depending upon the weight of your bar, you can rest one end of the bar on the ground. While this allows for the ground to assist you with the weight, I find that it requires me to have my wrist bent at an odd angle. Be very aware of your wrist if you are allowing one end of the bar to rest on the ground. You want to make certain that you are not injuring the rest. So experiment to find a comfortable position that does not put too much stress on it.
These are the same exercises that you might have done with dumbbells. Using the weight bar is just a different way of doing them.
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: dumbbells, lying down exercise, Nia, Nia exercises, supine triceps extention, triceps, triceps extensions, weight bar, weighted bar | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 24, 2011
In Nia classes we have the opportunity to experience flexibility AND mobility AND agility AND strength AND stability. Depending on the starting point we can either be increasing or maintaining. I also believe it is good for people to participate in a weight training program. I believe it is good to use weights to keep strength or build strength. I think having muscle strength in important. Most people do not have to concern themselves about getting big and bulking up. I have heard women say they don’t lift weights because they don’t want to do either of those things.
First of all, as a reminder, weights are not the only way to build strength, any type of resistance can work muscles. Depending on your starting point different things can be used, for example body weight alone without the use of weights is a great place to start. The use of resistance bands or tubing can be a great way to work muscles without having to deal with storing the weights. Working with weights (resistance) is a great way to stave off the aging process.
I think it might help people who are afraid of building big muscles to know how it happens. Basically if you want to build big muscles you have to work really, really, really hard at it. It doesn’t happen from going to the gym two or three times a week doing a few exercises at 8 repetitions each. Hypertrophy (muscles getting bigger) occurs when heavy weights are lifted in a specific way . . . more than the average person is going to lift (75% to 85% of what you can absolutely lift), more exercises than the average person takes time for, and with less rest time than most people take in the gym. It really takes work and concentration. It is very stressful on the body and people often don’t like to be sore. The type of lifting required to cause hypertrophy is not something the average woman is going to do. Doing 8 to 12 repetitions of a few exercise two or three times a week will enable your muscles to stay toned or it might even build some strength, but it will not make the muscles really big. If you want to increase your strength add more resistance or more reps.
What could actually happen if you start working with weights is the shape of the muscle might adjust and it you might think it is bigger because you actually start sensing it. I would recommend you measure your limbs with a flexible tape measure before you start a weight regimen. After a couple of weeks measure again, see if there is actually an increase in size. I’ll be waiting to hear . . . .
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: agility, anti aging, flexibility, hypertrophy, Mobility, muscle building, muscle tone, muscle toned, Nia, Nia Classes, resistance training, stability, strength, strength building, strength training, weight training | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 22, 2011
I believe that movement, like Nia, can help keep our bodies mobile and balanced. I also believe foods can give us nutrients to help our bodies function better. I believe there are natural ways to help stave off disease. But I do also believe that at anytime our cells can malfunction and cancer can occur. I don’t try to eat healthy with the idea that if I do I won’t get cancer because so many things can contribute to cancer. So many people have it. I was just remembering the days when I didn’t know anyone that had cancer. Now I know too many. There are so many different types. There is no guarantee one will not get cancer. On a commercial recently for a show I saw a doctor asked who gets lung cancer, her response was, “Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer.” That is the truth. Anyone can get it. Unfortunately.
What I DO really believe is that a healthy body can fight it better. A lot of the treatments for cancer kill off good stuff in our bodies as well as the cancer. So if we have a strong healthy body it can combat the offending cells and treatment. Healthy people get sick, but they can often recover faster because they have a base of good health. A body can only handle so much. It is not able to fight off everything thrown at it. There is too much now-a-days. So the healthier the start, the better.
I know a lot of foods claim to decrease the risk of cancer but that is usually not what I am thinking about when I eat it. I am thinking about how the food is thought to assist in the function of the body. I am thinking about how I believe that the ingredients on my avoid list* interfere with the body’s healthy functions, which could very well result in a decrease risk of cancer, but will definitely result in your body FEELING better. Plus I believe that when your body feels better you will actually FEEL better emotionally.
None of us want to get cancer so foods thought to decrease the risk are worth consuming, but I think it is unwise to think that we will not get cancer because we are eating foods “proven to fight”/”shown to decrease the risk”. We should concentrate on eating well to feel well and stay healthy.
*Ingredients I avoid: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Partially hydrogenated Oils, Canola Oil
On somewhat of a side note: I have joined a Team for the American Cancer’s Society Relay for Life. The walk is May 14, 2011. If you would like to contribute, please do. I am walking in memory of a friend who succumb to cancer and family and friends that are survivors or are in current battles. Also on April 30, 2011, I’m walking in the San Jose MS Walk: http://bit.ly/terremswalk
Posted in Food | Tagged: American Cancer Society, cancer, Canola Oil, food nutrients, HFCS, High Fructose Corn Syrup, lung cancer, MS Walk, Nia, Partially Hydrogenated Oils, Relay For Life, San Jose MS Walk, San Jose Nia | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 17, 2011
The focuses of my Nia classes this week were connected to love. Since is was Valentine’s Day this week. Monday’s Nia class the focus was Love with the intent of allowing what was needed. Whether it was to give love to the community, the world, or oneself or to receive love from the community, the world, or for oneself. The playlist was LOVEly. Wednesday the focus was peace. With somewhat the same intent but with the addition of the peace inviting in calm. The playlist was the same . . . love, kisses, and hearts. Tomorrow’s class in Los Gatos the focus will be the fourth chakra, the heart chakra.
The routine I’ve put together allows for the many opportunities to move the upper back, chest and the ribs. Our intent will be move the physical area where the heart chakra is located in order to open the heart chakra. Opening this chakra invites feelings of joy. Joy shares company with calm. With joy and calmness as companions additional positive feelings, sensations, and states of being are experienced such as compassion, prosperity, and abundance. This also allows for connections to peace and harmony.
Also with moving our heart chakra we are enhancing our circulation. Concentration and focus is a powerful tool. While we might move our upper back, chest, and ribs it will undoubtedly affect our circulation but with the additional focus on the fourth chakra we can bring extra attention to it. Bringing whatever healing to our heart chakra that might be needed. This will round out the week of love quite well, I believe.
Posted in Chakras, Nia | Tagged: class focus, class intent, fourth chakra, heart chakra, Los Gatos Nia, Los Gatos Nia classes, love and peace, love chakra, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia focus, Nia intent, Nia Los Gatos, Valentine's Day | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 15, 2011
Nia has a list of 52 moves. A lot of Nia’s moves are moves that are from different forms of dance. I knew a lot of them already because of the different dance I have been involved in. One thing I’ve done before is just rolling around the foot, in Nia we call it Rock Around the Clock. Normally we actually STEP to or on positions as if we are dancing on clock on the ground, but for this move it is rolling on our feet, as if on positions of a clock.
With your knees relaxed and your upper body loose, rock back onto your heels. If going “counter-clockwise” you would rock to the right edge of both your feet–at the same time. Then move to the balls of your feet, rising on your toes. Then rock and roll 🙂 to the left edge of your feet. Both at the same time. The feet roll to 6 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 12 o’clock, then 9 o’clock. Rock around the clock. Don’t forget to rock clock-wise.
This move helps build strength in the ankles and the lower leg. A strong base is a stable base. With this move the muscles in the feet can also be exercised. Since often our feet are encased in shoes that don’t allow them to achieve the movement they are designed for, this move can help with strengthening our feet AND improving flexibility.
Nia’s Rock Around the Clock is a prime example of one of the exercises we do in a Nia class that is easy to do and results in huge benefits. If at first you find this move a challenge to your balance that’s ok, practice it holding onto a table, a chair, a counter then before you know it you will be able to rock around the clock without any help.
Update-ish: On January 15, 2015 I posted about another way to practice this move. Click here to go to Ways To Practice Rock Around The Clock.
Posted in 52 Moves (of Nia), Nia | Tagged: balance exercise, different forms of dance, flexibility exercise, foot exercises, foot flexibility, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia Dance, Nia exercise, Nia flexibility, rock and roll, rock around the clock | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 12, 2011
So, I have been holding my Nia classes even with my injured toe. I limit my movement and coach the participants to move in their own body’s way as is the norm with Nia. So there are movements I can’t do. Even outside of Nia I can’t. I have been limiting all of my activity so that I can “save my foot/toe” for my Nia classes. There have been events and outings I have missed because “I can’t”. There have been goings-on and happenings I’ve skipped because “I can’t.” I can’t. I can’t because I am saving my movement. When I do a lot of normal activity my toe gets “tired” and swells and throbs, so I can’t do a lot of stuff. I have put this limitation on myself so that I can continue to move in my class. I have restricted my movements outside of class so that I can do as much as I can inside of class. I have placed “can” and “can’t” guides on myself.
This past week I was talking to a friend about something and I heard “I can’t” a lot. It occurred to me that I have been saying that a lot too. I can’t go here or there because I have to rest my foot. There it is. I have put restrictions on myself. I want my foot to heal so I won’t allow myself to do certain things so that I can accomplish this other thing.
I can’t.
By saying “I can’t” we put restrictions and limitations our ourselves. We do this to ourselves. So can’t you? Really? Is that word serving you? In the case of my foot, I do believe it is serving me. I really believe by restricting myself from doing too much I am allowing it to heal. The doctors always say “stay off the foot”. So that is what I am doing. But . . . .since I am saying that so much lately it is allowing me to see where I say it in other areas of my life. It is as if I only have so many allowances where I can say that and since I am having to say it for my foot the other times I am saying it, it sticks in my mouth and I think, “Why can’t I?”
Can I not because I have told myself that? Can I not because I have imposed this limitation, this restriction on myself? Is this a “good” I can’t? Or is this an “I can’t” that is squelching my growth? If I were to say “I can” instead would there be an opportunity to learn something? To experience something new? To have an adventure into something different?
Hmmmmm? The POWER of “I can’t” has come to light. I know, I have heard it before the positive thinking versus the negative thinking, but this is not necessarily positive versus negative. Sometimes it could just be laziness or just the I- don’t-know-what-that-will-do-so-I-can’t kind of thing. I believe that “can’t” sometimes is the correct response, but I am evaluating that. So interesting to me.
What about you? Interesting? What “CAN’T” you do? What “CAN’T” you do that you know will be good for you? What “CAN’T” you do even though you know it will benefit your health? Why “CAN’T” you do something? Is it because you just haven’t before so you can’t possibly now? Hmmmmm? All kinds of questions and ideas, huh?
For me, I am stopping and thinking before I say I can’t. Even if my answer or comment is me saying, “No.” I am going to try my hand at rephrasing it and instead of just saying, “I can’t”, I am going to give a more accurate answers. Because often times, I probably CAN, I just . . . . well, whatever the reason.
This toe thing really has me thinking . . . . a lot.
Posted in Misc | Tagged: body's way, limiting thinking, limiting thoughts, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia Movement, restricting thoughts, serving you | 8 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 8, 2011
After my Nia class this past week, I went out to have something to eat with a friend. I wanted something on the menu without this and with that, and instead of this could I get that on the side? In the past I have hated going out to eat because I couldn’t ever find anything I liked. Well, several things have happened;
1) I eat more variety than I used to eat
2) Almost every restaurant serves a salad and
3) I can now rearrange a menu item and the server doesn’t have a fit.
I think a lot of it is due to food allergies.
Well, not entirely because long before people started discovering they were allergic to gluten restaurants started being more flexible with their menu. So many things have tomatoes and even though I will eat a tomato, I prefer not to have them IN things. Now-a-days it seems so many things have a hot, spicy chipotle or something other sauce on it. So I am ALWAYS at the very least requesting that something listed on the menu as part of the dish be eliminated. I do believe though that so many people are allergic to so many things servers and restaurants are more sensitive to the fact and they just try their best to do what you want. Sometimes they might feel the need to charge you when you do a lot of rearranging, but they will usually let you know if that is the case. And you will be able to get what you want.
I used to pour over the menu trying to find the thing that I could eat. I used to break out in a sweat when it was my turn to order. My husband used to . . . .no, he still does, roll his eyes. Now I can pick something and take off a few things or add this. I once was reminded that if the kitchen isn’t busy and they have all the ingredients for what you want, you can always just ask for it. Sometimes you get a surprise. Years ago I was at a hotel and I asked if they could make me a grilled cheese even though it was not on the menu. When my order came up I was horrified because I didn’t remember ordering two, but there were two sitting there. The waitress saw my face and laughed explaining that the cook thought it sounded good so he made one for himself. Whew! I certainly didn’t want two.
While I don’t really love food allergies because I understand that they can have very serious consequences if the person that is allergic to a particular food happens to consume it. I also understand that living with a food allergic can be quite a challenge. I do, however, love that as a result I think restaurants are more accommodating. I love that most restaurants will have a vegetable option and/or vegetable sides. Also, if there really isn’t anything on the menu that grabs me, I can usually fall back on a salad. Since so many things contain gluten that you might not even thing about, I can also rearrange the salad if I want.
What about you? Do you order straight off the menu? Or do you rearrange things a bit?
Posted in Food | Tagged: allergic to gluten, food allergies, food variety, Nia, Nia class, restaurant eating, salads, vegetable sides | 6 Comments »
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