Feeling the Need to Lunge...

I love lunges!  The word lunge comes from the French word allonger  to stretch out, to lengthen which originates from the Latin ēlongāre ). 

Lunges are not only elongating, they are functional, they can be dynamic, they work the flexibility in the hip and provide strength work for the glutes and all muscles in the legs.  This sequence, Bespoke Lunge #7 will work your balance, your core AND get your heart rate up.  What's not to love? 

Here is my Bespoke Lunge #7: (Do this for 4-5 minutes)

Start with your feet together and plenty of room in front of you.

Step right foot forward into a deep lunge

Twist your opposite elbow to your knee or ankle

Use your right leg to pull your body up, taking your left leg up into a high knee

Balancing on your right leg, do a single leg dead-lift and reach the right leg straight behind you and your hands to the floor.

Use your hamstring to stand tall again and step forward with your left leg...repeat on the left.

To increase the intensity, add some heavy dumbbells, a medicine ball, or a ViPR!

BRILLIANT.  EASY.  BESPOKE.  

Disclaimer:  The information on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.  As with all exercises in this blog...please make sure you have consulted your doctor and are in good health before attempting.

Snacking Made Easy.

I cannot believe we have already reached the letter “K” in our Fitness A to Z series!

Now that you have jumped, interval trained, and foam rolled…we turn our attention towards nutrition…specifically to the king of the cruciferous vegetables, kale. 

Another question that I am frequently asked is, what makes a good snack?  Any food that contains loads of vitamins and minerals, and fiber, and anything but snack bars/protein bars and other fake foods (they are loaded with sugar,  and chemicals)…so how about whipping up some Kale Chips?

A 2-cup serving of raw kale is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Calcium, Potassium and fiber.   Plus, kale's flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that can decrease chronic inflammation and oxidative stress (two risk factors for some cancers).

This super easy recipe for Kale Chips is from Studio DelCorpo’s friend Chef Justin Ferguson at Blue Door Farmstand on Armitage.  (They sell these at the restaurant!)

Preheat oven to 200-225 degrees

Line baking sheet with aluminum foil…spread a generous amount of olive oil or coconut oil.  Spread large kale leaves (trimmed of thick stems)  on the foil, coating them with the oil.  Sprinkle the tops of leaves with a moderate amount of organic parmesan cheese* (go easy!) and sea salt.

Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until crisp…remember you are not cooking the kale leaves, simply dehydrating them.

*Remember to use only organic dairy products:  non-organic dairy can be loaded with the same fat soluble chemicals and antibiotics in non-organic beef.

For more info on Blue Door Farmstand, http://bluedoorfarmstand.com

BRILLIANT.  EASY.  BESPOKE.  

Eat real food, not fake food.