Terre Pruitt's Blog

In the realm of health, wellness, fitness, and the like, or whatever inspires me.

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Posts Tagged ‘Nia’

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FIREWORK (Katy Perry)

Posted by terrepruitt on December 28, 2010

When I got home from Nia one day last week, my husband  was “singing” this song.  I could not tell what he was singing so he found it on the internet and played if for me.  I really love it.  I think it is great.  This song is from Katy Perry’s album Teenage Dream.  Every time I hear it I get teary-eyed.  I hoping to get over that soon as I received the album as a Christmas gift and I keep playing it over and over.

FIREWORK

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind wanting to start again
Do you ever feel feel so paper-thin
like a house of cards one blow from caving in
Do you ever feel already buried deep
Six feet under screams but not one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there’s still a chance for you ‘cause there’s a spark in you
You just gotta

Ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the Fourth of July

‘Cause baby, you’re a firework
Come on and show ‘em what you’re worth
Make ‘em go, “Aah, aah, aah”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

‘Cause baby, you’re a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make ‘em go, “Aah, aah, aah”
You’re gonna leave them all in awe, awe, awe

You don’t have to feel like a wasted space
You’re original cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds after a hurricane comes a rainbow
Maybe a reason why all the doors were closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt your heart will glow
And when it’s time you’ll know
You just gotta

Ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the Fourth of July

‘Cause baby, you’re a firework
Come on and show ‘em what you’re worth
Make ‘em go, “Aah, aah, aah”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

‘Cause baby, you’re a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make ‘em go, “Aah, aah, aah”
You’re gonna leave them all in awe, awe, awe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It’s always been inside of you, you, you
And now its time to let it through-ooo-ooo
‘Cause baby, you’re a firework
Come on and show ‘em what you’re worth
Make ‘em go, “Aah, aah, aah”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

‘Cause baby, you’re a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make ‘em go, “Aah, aah, aah”
You’re gonna leave them all in awe, awe, awwwwwwwwe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

Can this be the song that the crowd stops their conversation for, raises their glasses, and sings along.  Can this be the new anthem?  Can we cheer each other on?  Can this be the new girls’ night out song?  Can we throw out “I’ve Got Friends In Low Places” and “Before He Cheats” and embrace what everyone has inside?  What do you think?

This song was written by:  Katy Perry, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Wilheim, and Ester Dean

Posted in Entertainment, Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Greenies Reduce Holiday Waste

Posted by terrepruitt on December 23, 2010

People that are interested in being “green”, remember this is the season of tremendous waste, so if you can reuse, recycle, and don’t waste.

In the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, American households generate 25% more waste. That’s about 1 million extra tons of trash each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  That includes everything from food to wrapping paper, holiday decorations, packaging, and old cellphones and laptops that are unceremoniously dumped . . . .(copied directly from CNNMoney.com)

Be creative with your wrapping.

-Use newspaper
-Use the packing paper that came with the shipped gift.
Have the kids draw on it to make it special.
-Use some of the kids drawings. 
From what I understand kids come home with a least ONE drawing everyday.  Take a picture of it so you will have it forever, then pass it on to someone special.  Use it to wrap gifts, or use it to cushion a gift.

You know I am a fan of shredding used gift wrapping paper to use as pretty packing in gift bags or boxes.  Well this year I in additions to shredding that already used paper I just used it as packing paper.  I just crumpled it and put it around the gift and cushioned the item with it.  I thought of taking a picture to use in this post, but I didn’t want to take a chance the receiver (of the gift) would see.

One of my friends on FB said that when she sold the wrapping paper for the school fundraiser she actually used the swatched to wrap little gifts.  I think that is an awesome reuse method.

My mother and I have a few cloth bags that we give back and forth.  I laughed this year when I opened the box that holds my gift bags and found a note in one that said, “Give back to mom.”  We will just keep it going back and forth until it can not long hold anything.

That can be both a fun and silly tradition as well as a “green” thing to do!

Then remember to save that wrapping paper and the bows you get this year to use for next year.  If you are just going to shred the paper or use it for packing it doesn’t take up that much room.  It can be folded.

Or use that wrapping paper to wrap some of those precious ornaments you just received.

Give a gift in a reusable shopping bag/tote.  That is THREE gifts in one.  You are giving a gift in a bag the receiver can use PLUS you are helping the environment.  I count that as at least three.

What else?  What do you do to help reduce the waste over this season?  C’mon, share your ideas . . . we can always use more ideas on how to reuse!

Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Scarves

Posted by terrepruitt on December 18, 2010

As I was getting ready for my Nia class the other day, I thought “How cold is it?”  I was trying to decide how to wear my scarf.  Then I thought this would be a great blog post because when I first learned how to wear a scarf I was amazed.  Then as I grabbed the laptop to type this up I realized that a lot of my readers probably already know this because they are from colder areas than California.  Maybe if you don’t live in the Bay Area then you might not know how we wear our scarves so I will be sharing that with you.

A few years back I was getting ready to leave work, I hung my scarf on my neck then grabbed one end and started wrapping.  My co-worker saw me and started chuckling when I asked her what she was laughing about she explained that people in California wear their scarves different from people back East.  She was from back East and was accustomed too much lower temperatures.  I was so curious.  I had never thought about wearing my scarf a different way so I asked her to show me.  She took my scarf, folded it in half, hung it around my neck and tucked the loose ends into the folded end.  WHOA!  I laughed.  I instantly recognized how much warmer that is.

Here in the San Jose Bay Area – maybe all over California we wear scarves more as an accessory than for warmth.  Then when we want to be warm we throw one end over our shoulder.  If we want to be REALLY warm we wrap the scarf around our neck a few times.  All of these methods leave our lower neck/upper chest area exposed.  But when you fold then hang it around your neck then tuck the loose ends your lower neck/upper chest area get completely covered.  It is so warm and cozy that way.

I actually wear my scarves these two different ways.  Usually on my way TO my Nia class I fold and tuck.  On the way home because I am usually hot and sweaty from working out I just throw it over my neck and wrap.  This helps me stay a little warm but not as warm as when I fold it and tuck it.  So?  What do you think?  Did you know this?

How do you wear your scarf?  Do you wrap?  Do you tuck?  Do you do one or the other depending on the need?

Folded in half then tucked.

Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments »

Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light

Posted by terrepruitt on December 16, 2010

I had a friend visiting from Colorado that actually came to one of my Nia classes this week. I am so blessed to have friends that come to my class when they are visiting California. So many of my friends have moved from the Bay Area so when they come visit they often have a list of people to visit so I am always very grateful when they take time out of the schedule to come to a Nia class. After Nia we went out to breakfast in Willow Glen.  My friend was telling me that she had employed a Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light tactic for her children in regards to food. Instead of saying “bad food”, she uses the lights. I love that. I told her I was going to use it for a blog post and she told me who she actually got it from, but I forgot. My mind was already racing—GREEN LIGHT!

She used “Red” as treat food; hot dogs at a summer cookout, cup cakes at a birthday party, food that is served on special occasions. I would imagine that red could be used for foods you don’t eat at all. I think that the method is awesome and it can be tailored to fit the family, individual. I just like it instead of saying the food is “bad” or I was bad. I could say, “Oh, I had some red light food.” The idea for the red light is to stop and think before you proceed.

Yellow is food you eat but with caution. You might have it more often than a red light food, but it is still not the food you eat freely.

After I started typing this I looked up “red light food” and I see that on one site someone mentions Weight Watchers doing the red light food, I see on another site that it has been attributed to a Lola O’Rourke (“of the American Dietetic Association”). I am seeing a lot of different ways to design it and — as with anything — it should be tailored to your own individual needs. But it can be a useful tool in how you think about what you are eating.

Red light foods would be sweets, treats, cookies, cupcakes, ice cream, soda, maybe even cheese and dairy (depends on the needs of the individual). Yellow light food could be healthy fats. Even though they are healthy we don’t want to consume too much. Meat could be in this category. Veggies, for most people, would be a green light food. As with fruit and whole grains. But there are people who can’t eat certain vegetables due to medication and then there are those who are gluten sensitive.

So what food are included in your light scheme would be up to you. I just thought it was a cool way to think about it. I really thing it is a great way to teach kids. I’ve mentioned before that I am not a fan of (even though I still say it!) saying food it “bad”, or I’ve been “bad” when referring to eating unhealthy food.

So what do you think?  Might you want to play “Red light, Yellow Light, Green Light”?  🙂

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Honey Do List

Posted by terrepruitt on December 11, 2010

Ok, so every year at Christmas my friends and I get together to celebrate.  Today is our 24th year.  I am explaining that because I am in a rush but I want to post something.  I know if I don’t do it before I leave I won’t do it when I come back.  Since I have my injured toe all I was able to do yesterday was teach my Nia class and decorate the tree.  It takes me a long time to do anything so my posting is a little rushed.  But . . . . I still think this is a great idea . . . .and that is why I am posting it.  Its about the Honey Do List.

Are you lucky enough to have a partner that helps with things?  Do you make a list?  Well, I am lucky enough to have a hubby that does things.  He always helps me a lot when I have company coming over and he is REALLY doing a lot because he wants me to rest my foot.  I am going to share something with you that I think should be on EVERY Honey Do List all the time.

I think it is nice to let your honey know that s/he is appreciated.  So I include that on the list of things to do.  Yup.  The list might look like this:

Silly, maybe, but I think this is part of wellness.  My hubby works hard and I think it is important to let him know that he is appreciated.  Everyone likes to know they are appreciated.  I think it goes a long way.  If your honey is looking at the list of things to do and sees that it could make his/her day.  I think happy and positive go a long way.  If your partner is running around doing things in a state of “grump” that just adds to the negativity out there.  If s/he is running around in a state of “I’m appreciated”, it adds to the positivity out there.

Well, that is my take on it.  What do you think?

Posted in Helpful Hints | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Letting Go

Posted by terrepruitt on December 7, 2010

In my most recent Nia class, I decided that I wanted to help people focus on the good of the season.  I think that sometimes there is a lot of negative emotions around the Holiday season.  By negative emotions I mean the way people actually feel during this time of year.  There is always the ever present I-don’t-believe-in-Christ-so-I-don’t-agree-with-any-of-it, the it-makes-me-sad-so-therefore-I-am-going-to-be-sad, the WHAT?-ITS-CHRISTMAS!  The feelings of inadequacy; there is not enough money, goals for the year were not accomplished, baking isn’t getting done, cards aren’t being sent, house isn’t getting cleaned, nothing is enough, there is too much . . . . .oh my the pressure!  I was thinking all of this is negative stuff.  So in class the focus was pushing away the negative, somewhat rejecting it, with the intent of bringing in the positive.

Both the “negative” and the “positive” is different for everyone so that was a very individualized point.  We didn’t discuss anything that I mentioned above, so everyone could rid themselves of whatever they needed and attract whatever they wanted. It was very nice.  It is a focus and an intent that can be used any time, I just thought we’d give it a spin this season.

As with all focuses and intents we use in a Nia class they can be carried into one’s day and/or daily living.  This is where the thought of “letting go” keeps popping into my head.  I love this season.  I love cleaning my house, getting it all ready to put up the decorations.  Then I love spending days . . . at least two or three days decorating the tree and the house.  I always laugh because sometimes I can’t remember where I “normally” put something and it might end up in a new spot.  Then I spend the season either saying, “Yes, that’s good.” or  “No, that really doesn’t work.”

I sometimes feel very foolish for the sheer joy I feel when I look at a silly Christmas decoration that I cherish.  But I do.  I feel joy at the beauty and the sparkle of Christmas.  This year since I am a bit limited in my movements I am having to really draw on that joy.  I am going to have to strategically place things so that I can see “Christmas” everywhere yet not have as many decorations out and up.

Things tend to work in concert.  We ended up with a much, much smaller tree than usual.  Cool, since my hubby had to handle it without my help.  Since it is smaller it will require less ornaments which will allow me to stay off my foot.  Also a small tree requires less maintenance and the couches didn’t have to be moved.  See?  It is all gonna work out fine, I just need to let it go.  Reject the negative when I start to feel a pout coming on.  It’s ok that it is my favorite time of year and I can’t run around.  Oh well.  I can walk.  My toe/foot IS healing.  It is all good.  For heaven’s sake its Christmastime.  Let the negative go, embrace the season, embrace the unity.

Posted in Just stuff, Nia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Stuffed – State Of The Turkey

Posted by terrepruitt on November 23, 2010

For many of us, Thanksgiving is almost here, at least in the United States.  For many, Thanksgiving is about food.  Turkey dinner.  I am not saying that giving thanks is not done, I am just saying that sometimes dinner is a very high priority.  With the holidays is seems as if there people give themselves permission to over eat.  Sometimes it is not even conscious.  Eating is such a social thing sometimes we could be doing it and not even really be aware.  So in order to help ensure that it is really only the turkey that is stuffed this season remember all of the party eating ideas that you have heard.

—Drink a lot of water.
This will help keep you full and hydrated.  Plus if you always have a full glass people will not ask you if you want a cocktail which typically is a high calorie drink.

–Position yourself away from the appetizers. 
This can minimize the talking, grazing, listening, grazing, laughing situation that sometimes results in standing right next to a table full of finger foods.

–If you are hungry BEFORE the event, eat.
Eat something really filling and healthy.  The idea is that you will be full when you get to your destination and be less likely to graze at the appetizer table or fill up on unhealthy choices.

–Give yourself extra incentive to stay away from the holiday cocktails, by being the designated driver.
Then you can easily say, “No, thanks, I’m driving.”  And not have to fight off that well-meaning bartender that loves to make certain everyone is having a great time (with a drink)!

–Fill your plate with salad and greens.
Then barely use the salad dressing.  This will help keep you plate too full for a lot of the higher calorie items and help keep you full.

–Don’t fill you plate with vegetables that are in a casserole, cream, or covered in sauce.
The other ingredients in the casserole, the cream, and/or the sauce will make that veggie more calories.

–Take a bit of everything you want from the beginning. 
Don’t fall into the “oh my plate is too full, I’ll go back for it”.  Just take enough of everything to allow you a taste without planning on going back.  Often times we are full but since we said we were going to go back and get something because we didn’t try everything, we do.  We go back for that one thing and often times end up getting additional things because they were good.  So we end up with even MORE than we had planned.

–Scope out the food before you start filling your plate.
You know what I am talking about.  You’ve done it, you’ve heard other people say it, “Oh, I wouldn’t have gotten so much of the xxx, if I’d had known there was yyyy.”  So if you have a buffet style meal, walk the line.  See what there is make a plan.  If it is a sit down where things are passed, you can still see what is being served before you take a huge helping of one thing.

–Be mindful. 
Be aware of what you are eating AND drinking.  If you really want that pie a la mode, then maybe a small spoonful of mashed potatoes will do ya, instead of the heaping spoonful.  Also, being mindful has to do with your individual health goals.

Maybe you aren’t a calorie counter, but you do work to avoid the Transfat . . . so that means you might opt for the ice cream or plain pie instead of the low-calorie non-dairy whipped topping.  Just because it is the holidays and we are celebrating doesn’t mean we have to throw away our good eating habits.  Enjoy, but do it consciously.  Don’t end up stuffed like the turkey.

FYI:  I will be having my regularly scheduled Nia classes.  Wednesday at 9:30 am in Willow Glen (day before Thanksgiving) and Friday at 9:30 am in Los Gatos (day after Thanksgiving).  —Thanksgiving 2010

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

A Carbohydrate Reminder

Posted by terrepruitt on November 18, 2010

Sometimes we need to be reminded about things . . . at least I do.  This is a brief stripped down reminder.

Carbs equal sugar in the body

Excess sugar equals excess insulin

Excess carbs equal excess insulin

Excess insulin equals increased appetite and a spike in dopamine

Dopamine is the pleasure hormone.

When you get a rush of pleasure with what you eat it tends to encourage you to eat more for more pleasure.  To get that rush.

This type of situation can cause cravings for simple carbs.  This could be an addiction to simple carbs.

So carbohydrates are not unhealthy it is the simple ones that are the culprits.  When there is too many they rush into the body’s system and cause all the excess.  Then it becomes a vicious cycle.

Excess insulin also signals the body to store the excess carbs as fat.

Exercise helps burn off calories.  Nia is a great exercise to burn off the calories.  🙂

Posted in Just stuff, Misc | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Non-Impact Aerobics

Posted by terrepruitt on November 16, 2010

Nia is a non-impact aerobic exercise.  I often get a quizzical look when I explain that to people.  It is done to music so maybe that might make it a challenge for people to understand.  It’s almost as if it is difficult to imagine a dance exercise class that is non-impact.  Or maybe it is the idea that we have been programmed with–you have to jump to get a good cardio workout.  But that’s when I need to remind them about:

—bicycling
—walking up hill
—elipical
—roller skating
—ice skating
—cross country skiing
—swimming
—rowing machine
—punching bag

All of these things can get your heart rate going without impact on the body.  It is a matter of intensity.  That’s what non-impact cardio is; getting your heart rate up with the level of intensity.   With the aforementioned exercises eight of them involve your legs, four of them involve your arms AND legs.  One of them doesn’t involve legs at all.  intensity–enough to bring the heart rate up–can be done by moving your arms only.  So, this is just a reminder, using exercises that most of us are familiar with, that you CAN have a cardio workout without the impact.  So if you have knees that prefer not to jump, tender feet, or delicate ankles you can still find something to do that is a cardiovascular workout.

Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Progressive Overload

Posted by terrepruitt on November 9, 2010

I teach Nia which is a cardio-dance type workout and I say cardio-dance “type” because it is a cardio workout that we do to music.  Yet, it also allows the opportunity for strengthening of the muscles, increasing flexibility, improving stability and agility, and boosting mobility.  All of this could happen without you even realizing it because it is all done to music in a type of dance.  Or you could actually try to improve your abilities in progression.  In other fitness modalities they call it progressive overload.  You can actually decide to increase your abilities and work towards that.

Progressive overload is increasing the challenge in increments so that the body keeps adjusting accordingly to the new stress.  As long as the body perceives it as new the system will continue to adjust.  The challenge in Nia could be a variety of things; you could put your arms up higher to give you greater mobility in your shoulders, you could move them faster to increase your agility, or you could do all of this continually to increase your cardio vascular health. There is always an occasion in a routine where you can bend deeper which could strengthen the lower body and again this is a way to raise your heart rate especially if you do it at a great speed.

If you are doing something other than Nia the changes could be another wide variety of things; actually changing the exercise you are doing, doing exercises longer, doing more during a workout session, or increasing the amount of workout sessions.  If using resistance increasing the resistance would be considered an overload.  Whatever you want to improve you would increase the challenge in increments giving the body something new to learn and overcome.

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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