Women & Push-Ups: Why We Need Them!

Most of my students hate doing push-ups. Hate. Them. I always get the "ugh" once I announce that push-ups are next. Usually followed by, "but that hurts my wrists!". Well, yeah--anything you do once in a blue moon isn't going to feel GOOD. The body thrives on consistency and that is especially true with strength/toning moves. Consistency and perseverance are key. In the not-so-distant past I didn't particularly relish doing push-ups myself and used to hate them altogether. Now, I can tolerate them and even take pleasure in the burn and success I feel after accomplishing more than 10. Can I bust out 50 without breaking a sweat? Hell no. On a good day I can do 15 (on my toes) and I'm a teacher! Am I'm ashamed I can only do 15 push-ups? Ha! For one, I don't seek to be the world's most ripped woman. I like my slim but curvy frame and I have no intention of trying to "bulk up". Which is why I haven't bought into the whole "kettle-bell craze" either. Swinging kettle bells looks about as appealing to me as caber tossing. (Click the colored text to SEE actual caber tossing!) Men in kilts throwing trees is... interesting but a little too primitive for me. I digress. See a proper push-up below...

Push-ups. Ladies, we need-need-need to be doing the push-ups! Men too--although most of them claim to do them on a "daily basis". (PAUSE.) Mmm-Hmm. Well, we all have our own version of "reality". Let's put it this way, I see men in my mat classes who have worse form and are often weaker in the upper body, core, and upper back than women who are OLDER than they are. Well. We'll leave the rest of that conversation for another day...

Women are notoriously weak in the upper body and this is a huge multi-tasking exercise that will efficiently hit many key areas. Whether it's done on the knees or toes--either way you're going to work your pecs, arms, upper back, glutes (if on toes), and abdominals. Note: please keep your head where it is supposed to be--at the top of one's neck. Hanging your head down while you're doing your push-up is only going to make the whole experience more hideous and upleasant--let's not do that to ourselves.

INSTRUCTIONS: Keep your head up, your abs in, your butt tight, and your chest broad. Try doing push-ups first where the elbows go out to the sides: it's more pec work and good for toning the chest (instant breast lift!) and also tones the upper back (better upright posture!). Then, as that gets easier try keeping your elbows pinned to your side and work your triceps more--that's trickier and one MUST keep the shoulders out of the ears and the neck from getting all scrunched up. Usually men like this version better but they rarely do it correctly! Often men will either lift their head too much over-shortening the back of the neck (most common) or they will hang the head down, adding to the difficulty. For proper neck form try to look at the floor but slightly past one's hands.

Try to knock out at least 5-10 push-ups a day if you're a beginner, 15-25 if you're stronger, and up to 50 or more if you're a conditioned athlete. Men--you too.

We'll save the caber tossing for another day! ;)

Be strong and carry on...
Kilt or no. 

Eve

A New Recipe: Eve's GLUTEN FREE Fusilli Carbonara

I didn't have the usual fall-backs for spaghetti in the house. I had no turkey or beef (for meatballs or to make a meat sauce) and no pancetta. But I did have bacon and parmesan.
Here's my super-easy version of gluten-free fusilli. Look, I'm not a professional chef--so this is how I do it. I rarely follow a recipe EXACTLY. I like to improvise and I don't like to use measuring tools. So, this recipe below is an estimation of what I did. I use my hands and learned the "pinch o this, pinch o that" method from cooking over the years. Play with this recipe and use it as a basic outline--get creative! This is what I happened to have in my kitchen yesterday and I added things as I went, I didn't follow a recipe. Here's what I came up with. It received the nod of approval from man and daughter so yours might like it too!

What you need:
*grated fresh lemon, 1 TBS
2 cloves of garlic, minced
5-6 large leaves fresh basil
shredded or flakes of REAL parmesan cheese as preferred (NOT the kind in a green can!)
1 rather large piece of bacon (uncooked), chopped into small pieces
1 or 1 & 1/2 jar(s) spaghetti sauce (depends on how wet you like your pasta)
& add a fresh tomato, chopped- if you have one around.
GLUTEN-FREE Fusilli or spaghetti (Brown rice pasta is best)
salt & pepper
any italian herbs you normally add to your sauce

*The grated fresh lemon adds a zesty "chirpy" flavor which, I, particularly enjoy. Lemon has many anti-oxidant benefits as well--so add it to everything! (I keep one in my fridge or freezer to have available for zesting with at a moments' notice.) Lemon zest can go in or on teas, pastas, fish, rice, sangria, ice cream, sushi, noodles, and salads and more! It adds an instant vibrancy to foods that perks up many dishes we make repeatedly (like fusilli/spaghetti/pastas).

Cook the pasta according to directions. While the pasta is boiling, start your carbonara sauce.

Start with a little butter in a hot pan. Add the minced garlic. Once the garlic gets a little pungent in the pan add the chopped, raw bacon. (Do not burn!) Stir together for a minute or two until the bacon is almost cooked. (Add the fresh tomato here if you have it and let it cook to soften.) Add the jar of sauce right over the bacon and garlic. Stir together and add salt & pepper and spices when and how you like it. Let it simmer for a few minutes so all the flavors merge together. Add the lemon in at the end before mixing with the pasta. Also add in the parmesan (1/4 cup if you like).

Once the pasta is cooked and rinsed, toss it with the sauce and then sprinkle more lemon zest and parmesan on top and then a few torn leaves of basil on top for color and decoration. Enjoy!

It's an easy twist on our usual pasta that everyone likes. Bacon, lemon, and parmesan--a bright, robust, tasty addition to the usual pasta meal.

The Controversial Late Cancellation Fee! WHY???

"Our office/studio/business has a 24-hour-cancellation-policy. We require 24-hours' notice to cancel any appointment or you will be charged for the missed appointment (or a portion of the cost of the service)."

This has become a very common conversation any person has these days while booking appointments whether it's at the doctor's office, dentist's office, spa, photographer, wedding location, Pilates studio, and many, many other types of businesses. The late cancellation fees also range anywhere from $25 to the full cost of the service or location fee: hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars. I recently saw an endocrinologist/gynocologist who had a FIVE-DAY cancellation policy and the fee for canceling within FIVE DAYS was $200! TWO HUNDRED! At first I was totally taken aback and almost didn't schedule the appointment--it seemed outrageous! However, I decided to schedule with her anyway because of what I had heard about her--and I didn't regret it. She's the best doctor I've ever seen. One appointment with her changed my life--and she spent three hours with me! She valued my time and I valued hers. I also made sure to be there on time and prioritize that appointment! I knew going into that business "relationship" that I would be held accountable for a missed appointment and I agreed to the terms. 

But... Why has it suddenly become so commonplace? Why is it necessary? Why can't the business take it on a "case by case" basis? Is it a greedy way for businesses to enforce payment? What about emergency situations? And... a question I've heard from many of my Pilates students over the years: "Why can't an exception be made for ME...this one time!?"  Well, in this blog post I'm going to share with you the reasons these policies exist, why they are important, whom they protect, and why VALUE and RELATIONSHIP play a big role in the necessity for this type of agreement.


Why the Policies Exist...
Most businesses that have these policies make their money on an hourly basis. Forget salaries or benefits or job security. Our world is moving more and more toward AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT and CONTRACTED SERVICES. You don't work, you don't get paid. Gone are the protections and guarantees and "job security" seen in days of old. So, for hourly workers a 24-hour cancellation policy is as much job security as hourly workers/businesses receive. That's it. As lovely as people are: people forget and things "come up". Unfortunately, most people wouldn't pay for missed appointments without the policy/contract holding them to their word. Especially in this "recession-mindset" our world is caught in these days, pinching pennies has become something of a necessity. But when does it go too far? I've seen in many cases  some individuals will show up for a Pilates session or class when they're extremely sick and contagious: in order to avoid being charged for appointments. I've also seen the reactions of other students who are forced to participate next to a sick individual. It's not chummy.

Why Showing Up Sick Is Not Okay...
 In my experience over the years, most students who have a cold or the flu will show up for their session even if they are sick, sometimes very sick. It's not a good idea for two reasons. One, a sick person won't feel good during or after the workout. With illness, working out hard can slow down the healing process and spread germs in all directions. The second is: your teacher really does not appreciate working with sick individuals. Someone who doesn't get paid unless they work does not want to be sick themselves. Having students expose them to germs threatens their ability to teach. If teachers don't teach, they don't get paid--no paid sick leave in this industry. True, no one likes to pay for a missed appointment but the teacher now loses a day or more of income because a student made them sick. A whole day or more of lost pay is quite significant. It seems if the student is prepared to pay for the session when  well, then maybe the same should be true if not? These policies exist for one simple reason: the business requires payment to remain open and pay their teachers. It's not the business "being greedy" it's a necessary measure to protect the staff and the business itself from going belly up. The funny thing is--there's a SIMPLE solution here that most students don't think of...

THE SOLUTION: Honoring Agreements...
IF the student isn't feeling well or think they might have a conflict, calling the day BEFORE to EARLY CANCEL the appointment is the best solution. Then, if the student is feeling better by the next day--calling in to find out if the teacher is still available is ideal for both parties. Chances are she/he might be and they'd be thrilled to teach (now that the student is feeling better!). If they're not, I'll bet they'll try to find a time for this person because they were so respectful and considerate! Also, that way if the student is feeling worse they already canceled their appointment and... won't be charged for a missed session! Sometimes we just wake up feeling poorly and can't anticipate it--on those days as much of a bummer as it is--the student will be required to pay. When that happens, it's important to remember the contract/agreement in place between both parties--agreeing to the policy. A signature accepting the terms of the relationship is usually present. Respect yourself and your teacher by holding true to your agreement.

Value & Respect...
Once I heard (actually heard the phone message) of one student calling to ask for a "courtesy" EARLY cancellation because "I'm a valuable and long-standing customer and if you value my business you won't charge me." We'll call that customer Veiled Threat for future reference.  However, Veiled Threat has made their intentions in the business relationship clear: You (business) are at my disposal and I pay you to exist for me at my convenience AND if you don't give me what I want or make me more important than other people then I will take my money elsewhere. (Does anyone else feel like they need a bath?) That business rolled its proverbial eyes and kept dealing with that customer but charged them nonetheless. If you're one of those people let me give you one big tip: STOP BEING ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. It's also my guess that the people who provide a service for these types of individuals will probably resent them and seek to avoid giving them the best service they possibly can, even subtly. It happens--believe me. Another teacher I know dealt with the situation differently, "You won't be charged for this session but I'll have to ask you to find another teacher. Thank you for your business."  Also happens. That's called: Calling The Bluff. Veiled Threat will probably go leave a nasty YELP comment or two and then ruin their own reputation in the process. Think neighborhood Pilates studios don't communicate with each other? Or doctors? Or aestheticians? Think again.

Where Exceptions Can Be Made...
If we consider that ALL business transactions are relationships then we might respect the other party as much as we would want to be respected. Ah--the nasty GOLDEN RULE rears it's ugly (much forgotten) head. Doh! Paying a business for their expertise (read: service) does not give us the excuse to believe that they are at our disposal (or we theirs). It's a two-way street and that needs to be remembered and protected so the VALUE of the relationship can last long-term. But, this one can be tricky to navigate. After all, emergencies do crop up and when they do it can be a delicate situation.True emergencies happen pretty rarely though. When they do, and speaking only for my own business: I will offer a student a "make-up" session and will allow an early cancel for the missed appointment. Many teachers and studios do not. It is up to each business to decide where to draw the line. Some are more strict than others and for different reasons. Really understand where the studio stands when you sign up to work with that studio. If they say they enforce the policy, they will. Having realistic expectations about the situation in advance helps keep everyone on the same page.


ACTUAL Emergencies: A parent, spouse, child, or self is in the hospital. Examples: child birth, car accident, broken limbs requiring cast or x-rays, serious illness, sudden life-saving surgeries, and fatalities. Basically, if you or your immediate family are in the hospital or worse it's the real deal. Exceptions can be made.

Examples of NON-Emergencies: Headaches, cold or flu for self, child, or pet, etc. bad traffic, repairman/cable-guy/pest control services person is at your house, didn't "feel like it", acne, hang-overs, flight got canceled or delayed, favorite TV show got canceled, important phone call, forgetfulness. NOT REAL EMERGENCIES. These happen to EVERYONE and they are NEVER one-time things. No exceptions will be made.

When the Teacher Cancels...
Another thing I've frequently encountered over the years is, "But my teacher didn't give me 24 hours' notice before canceling my workout!" My response to that is: Were you charged for the workout? The answer is always no. The teacher may have late-canceled but the teacher isn't getting paid either. Most of the time, in these cases a substitute teacher is offered so the workout can proceed regardless. In situations where it doesn't happen, just remember the teacher is usually taking sick leave  or dealing with an emergency (without pay). They don't like it anymore than the student does, trust me.

Put Yourself in Your Teacher's Shoes...
The other day I was enjoying some quality with my partner. Because I knew I only had a brief time with him, part of me remained alert even though I had set my alarm so I would remember to give myself enough time to get to the studio on time to teach and be mentally ready. So, the alarm goes off and I ended time with my partner early to get to the studio and be ready to.... WAIT. Wait for a student who never showed up (or called to let me know they wouldn't be coming). My partner wasn't happy about it when he heard. "We could have had more time together! Does this person realize that they just wasted an hour of your time? You better charge them for that session! That's not fair to us!" While I agree with him I also have to handle the situation with as much finesse as possible for the sake of my student (who I very much enjoy working with) and for the business (which has bills to pay & overhead), my own self-respect, and our of respect to my partner (whose time was also affected).


What is FAIR?
And now comes the odious task of reminding the student/client of the 24-hour-cancellation policy. Never a fun conversation... Many students in this situation ask for a "make-up session"? Which is now two hours the client would receive for the price of one...and they're getting a bonus session because they... forgot? My daughter's school wouldn't reward her for forgetting her homework. Quite the opposite. Even as children we learn these simple lessons. So, why do we expect that kind of treatment as adults? It doesn't encourage that person to value the time of the teacher. It allows that person to continue forgetfulness. Because now they will think they can just do a "make-up" session. Yes, but--at the teacher's expense. What we have to remember is that we are all more alike then we are different. If we're asking (or demanding) something--chances are other people are too. It's usually at least 2-3 sessions per week (or more) that ask for reschedules, exceptions, and special treatment. While it may be a one-time thing on the students' end for the teacher and studio alike: it's constant. So, if you're that person who asks for the "one-time" exception remember that you are not the only person that business serves.

Try Working For Nothing...
If it was your time would you want to be paid? How would you feel to have set aside time for someone who didn't bother to show up or call and were expecting payment for that hour? Now imagine when you ask to be paid for your time, that person threatens to withdraw their business? (Also happens--some of them are blatant threats and will leave.) What if you went into your job one day and the boss said, "We're gonna call this a "make-up day". No pay or benefits for you today! Would you be A. Kind of annoyed B. Really pissed or C. Wondering how you'll pay your rent!? or D. All of the above? Would you have a good attitude about that? Would you want to continue working with or for that person?

Relationships are built on mutual respect. It's important for the teacher/studio and student to understand what is a real emergency and what is not and that respect means valuing the other persons' time. I'm sure I probably passed the "lecture-y" point a long time ago but-- remember the Golden Rule. No one wants to be coughed on, not paid, threatened, or disrespected.

I scheduled that appointment with my doctor, agreed to her $200 dollar and 5-day cancellation policy and therefore if I choose to cancel then I'm prepared to pay for her time whether I can make the appointment or not. Her time is valuable and she helped to change my life. Pilates also changed my life. It has made me fitter, stronger, taller, and better looking. How much is that worth? To me... it's extremely valuable both as a teacher and a student of the work. It's worth every penny.
--Eve White

What Are We Going To Eat?

For working moms, getting food on the table in a painless way while still eating WELL & RIGHT seems to be the most difficult part of the day. At least it is for me and many other friends I know. It's a hassle. You can't put it on hold for long or there is major grumpiness. I'm a classic low-blood-sugar-bitch. Seriously, when I'm hungry it's so much easier for me to go from 'Delightful Person' to 'Absolute Jerk'! How does this relate to anything else on this blog? Well, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome has to do with insulin resistance. So many of our diseases, conditions, and situations revolve around and are influenced by DIET. Ugh. Low blood sugar must be tamed and with constant, smaller meals.

DIET!!! The big, bad, four-letter word. Right up there with "shit" and "damn" if you ask me. Recently being gently guided (read: do this or possibly die with diabetes) by my doctor to start eating SUGAR FREE, GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE, AND DAIRY FREE; I have been forced to be more creative than opening a box of cereal. Try cooking and eating whilst simultaneously avoiding the above "four evils" as I affectionately call them and you can easily twist yourself into a pretzel. The amount of time I spend reading labels in the grocery store is annoying, but necessary. Just when you think--that's healthy--one reads the label and shock and awe immediately set in... "THAT has high fructose corn syrup in it...!? ...or soy or wheat!? WHY???"  The amount of "shit" in food these days is unreal. "Shit" is my abbreviation for all those long words ending in syrup or sodium or ...glutamate. Not to mention the other long words I don't even KNOW what they mean and stand for and are about as good for a person as rat poison. Read the labels--get in the know and you'll be looking for a different grocery store--or rather a health food store.

Voilà! I'm going to present you, dear reader with tips, ideas, occasional pictures, and meals to take with you and/or make on the spot to help you with your own health. Note: you can't force kids to adopt your healthier lifestyle overnight--even if they're your own. Trust me, I've tried. Unless you're a big fan of kicking and screaming or incessant whining I'd recommend easing them in by being innately tricky, coercive, and be completely possessive about your NEW! AWESOME! FOOD! Example: My daughter started to wonder why I used different bread (on the rare occasions I would eat bread.) So, I told her that this was "special" bread that was something I enjoyed. I didn't even offer her a slice, which piqued her curiosity. She said to me, "Mom, can I have some?" My response was (chewing) "You want some of my special bread?" (She was practically salivating). "YES!" She loves it and will now make herself a sandwich with "Mommy's special bread". Gluten-free bread. Indeed: "YES!"

Another thing that can help is only having certain "choices" in the house. What I like to call THIS or THAT eating. Example: "You can have a tuna sandwich or a peanut butter sandwich." (On gluten-free bread and in lieu of bologna or pasta.) Always try to go heavier on the protein and lighter on the carbs--even with your kids. Always. Sorry, but if you're a vegetarian who thinks pasta is a healthy choice: YOU ARE DELUDED and will eventually be somewhat chubby if you're not already. Also, legumes are not a "perfect" replacement for animal protein. More on that in another post. Look Vegans: if you can find an indigenous, ancestral culture somewhere in the world that could survive ENTIRELY without animal protein feel free to disagree with me. Until then: eat some meat. I still haven't come to terms with tofu. I'd LOVE to hear some terrific TOFU RECIPES from the readers out there! Please feel free to comment below the post and share, disagree, or chime in!

I will also occasionally offer KID-FRIENDLY choices that are similar to the adult food item.
So, stay tuned in and SUBSCRIBE (enter email above) and you'll get more and more menu options along with my other blog posts as the days go by! Have a great lunch, breakfast, or dinner... as these can be used interchangeably.

EAT ME: Today's Three Specials...

Breakfast Suggestion: EVE'S OATMEAL
*Cook old-fashioned oats as per directions on box. Usually 1 c. water to every 1/2 c. oatmeal. Heat and stir... put in a bowl.
*ADD: Shredded coconut, raw walnuts, organic dried cranberries, and a dollop (1 tsp.) of Agave. Also some rice milk if you prefer your oatmeal a little more creamy. Eat it while it's hot!
 *KIDS: use fruit instead of the other extras and almond milk is often preferred over rice for kids. Dairy milk if your kid can handle cow. They will still enjoy the agave!

Lunch: KILLER TUNA 
*One can of tuna split into two small bowls. One bowl is for the adult--add one whole avocado and mix with a little olive oil into the tuna (in lieu of mayonnaise). In the kid bowl add 1 TBS of mayonnaise (for the kids who don't like avocado) and a dash of the olive oil. A little salt and pepper on both bowls. Mix.
*Gluten-free bread for the kiddies and lettuce leaves for the adults to make tuna sandwiches (or simply dip in with corn-tortilla chips. Eat. Quick, easy, painless. Yum.

Dinner: MORGAN'S GLUTEN-FREE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
4 cups water
2-3 cups shredded, skinless rotisserie chicken (pre-cooked)
1, 32 oz carton chicken broth
6-8 oz gluten-free fusilli
1 large chicken boullion cube
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 or 2 carrots, chopped
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves
dried rosemary (a pinch)
red cayenne (a small pinch!)
5-6 sage leaves
a smattering of italian seasoning and maybe a little coriander.

*Saute the veg with the garlic and onion in olive oil. 3-5 minutes. Heat broth and water together (microwave is one option or stovetop). Add broth & water to sautéed veg and add seasoning. Bring to a boil and add in pasta. Cook until al dente. Add chicken and cook 2-3 minutes until heated. Add in seasoning and spices as you cook. Salt at the end.
*Kids like this one as much as adults. It's also pretty fast. *Add extra chicken broth if you like a thinner soup.

EAT. AND BE MERRY.

Adamant Eve Is Back!

Well, let's not waste any time. I'm back to blogging and there's big news.

I'm embarking on a new diet. As a woman suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Endometriosis, and P.M.D.D. I'm learning a LOT about how to heal and how to cope. I'm here to blog on health and fitness, specifically but not exclusively, related to women. The issues I'm dealing with personally I know a lot of other women out there are dealing with too. You're not alone! What I discover, I'll share here. I also happen to be a Pilates teacher so you might get some tips on that too! ;)

The new BIGGIE is that I'm embarking on a new diet. NO SUGAR (& Booze), NO GLUTEN, NO SOY, NO DAIRY. What I am finding out from my medical doctor who is an endocrinologist and an obstetrics/gynocology doctor is this: polycystic ovarian syndrome is not the root issue. The root issue is INSULIN RESISTANCE. Thus the diet change. Basically, being hypoglycemic I have to eat like I'm diabetic. While there are some key differences between hypoglycemia and diabetes at the end of the day it's a sugar issue. Balancing blood sugar is key and eating the wrong food can exacerbate the aforementioned issues.

If you're trying to eat NO GLUTEN or NO SOY (more on why Soy is like rat poison later) or NO SUGAR or NO DAIRY: there's something in this blog for you! Stay tuned and tell your friends. I'll be including recipes (with pictures) to help you along on your own journey or simply offer you a healthier choice to try from time to time. I didn't expect having to make a major overhaul to an already pretty healthy lifestyle... but when life hands you lemons... use those lemons to flavor your salmon!!!