What does Olympic Curling have to do with achieving your goals?
The Winter Olympics just wrapped, and I know some of y’all were following skiing, ice skating and the dog who made a surprise appearance in the cross-country ski race.
Curling has got to be one of the strangest sports I’ve seen.
One of the players “throws” a heavy, polished granite stone, and two players sweep the ice in its path. This sweeping removes the friction so that the stone will travel farther. Sweeping can also affect the “curl” or trajectory of the stone.
So, what has this got to do with you and your fitness goals?
Starting (and maintaining) a new habit is hard! If you’ve tried to eat healthier, work out more, or go to bed earlier, and you just can’t make it stick, I have news for you. You are not alone. You are not a failure.
What if instead of trying harder, or beating yourself up over your failed attempts, you simply took away the friction?
How can you make this easier?
For example:
Want to move more during the day? Set a yoga mat next to your desk.
Want to eat more fruits and veggies? Buy precut veggies and put them front and center on the top shelf of your fridge.
Want to change your bedtime routine, and improve your sleep? Place the book you’re reading on your pillow to remind you to read instead of scrolling.
Need help?
Reach out today and we can discuss strategies to help you look and feel your best!
Anne
503-705-4762
Anne McCranie is a Vancouver, Washington based Licensed Massage Therapist and Personal Trainer. She offers guidance, gentle nudging, and encouragement. Appointments available via zoom or in person at your home, or her office in the Haxel Dell neighborhood in Vancouver.
Slowly and gently roll your pelvis around in a circle. 5 each direction. I’m not kidding, make these as slow and gentle as possible. Take the amount of effort you start with and cut it in half. This should feel like you’re a baby being rocked.
Swimming:
Lift opposite arm and leg. Engage your core, lengthen your neck, slide your shoulder blades down and out to the sides of your ribcage. Think length over height.
Step up:
Hold on to something, lean forward, hinging at your hips, step up onto a block or bench. Reach back with your leg and lean forward to step back down.
Upright flye:
Hold light weights. Imagine a balloon in front of you getting bigger as you extend your elbows out to the side.
Fish pose:
Support your upper back with a block, (You may be most comfortable with a couch cushion or yoga bolster under your head as well). Take 5 deep breaths allowing your chest to relax.
Anne McCranie is a Vancouver Washington based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. These photos are meant to remind you of moves we have done together. This is not an exercise prescription. You are in charge of taking good care of you. Do not do anything that causes pain. Please see your medical professional prior to beginning a new movement program.
I wanted to share my New Years Day dinner with y’all. While this meal is typically eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck and prosperity, you could enjoy this delicious dinner any time of the year!
This year I cooked a small ham for me and my husband, along with sweet potatoes, collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread. This was a true southern meal and my husband, and several friends I shared a plate with, loved it!
I was surprised to learn how many of y’all had never had black eyed peas or had not heard about the tradition of eating them on New Year’s Day, so I wanted to share this recipe with you.
Scroll down below the recipe to see how I put this whole meal together…
Black Eyed Peas Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb. dried black eyed peas
2 Tbsp bacon fat (or Olive oil)
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
about 5 cups of chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp vinegar
Instructions:
Sort thru the beans to pick out any debris. While it’s rare to find a rock in dried beans, you’d much prefer to find it with your eyes than your teeth.
Cover peas with water and soak for a few hours, or overnight.
Heat bacon fat in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot for 5 minutes until softened.
Drain the beans and add them to the pot. Add broth, salt and pepper to taste, 2 bay leaves and a few shakes of cayenne or red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar and taste. Adjust seasonings if needed. To thicken it, remove the lid and cook for another 20-30 minutes. If you want it thinned out, add more broth and continue cooking. I like my peas to have a little bit of give to them, soft, but not mushy.
Serve with collards, ham, and cornbread for a true southern meal!
Here’s a quick run down of what I did for my NYD dinner:
I made a glaze by whisking together a couple spoonfuls of maple syrup, brown sugar, dijon and powdered mustard and massaged it all over the piggy. Cooked low and slow for a couple hours (I followed the directions on the package for how long to cook it based on the size).
I wrapped two big sweet potatoes (or garnet yams) in foil and baked those until they were soft and squishy – about 90 minutes at 400. Cooked the peas as above.
I washed and chopped my collards, chopped about half a small onion, cooked the onion in some bacon fat, then added the greens and some water and cooked them until they were tender (you could also use butter, or olive oil, and if you have a lil piece of bacon or leftover ham, you can toss it in).
Now here’s the part that’s going to send any foodies into a tizzy, I used a box of Jiffy cornbread mix, added a 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, used buttermilk instead of regular milk and threw in two large spoonfuls of this Trader Joe’s corn salsa.
One of my friends said this was the best cornbread she’d ever eaten, restaurant or homemade!
If you have a sacred cornbread recipe that you love, please use it. If you want a quick, easy pan of hot cornbread that tastes delicious, use the box, baby. Remember, if you prepare a meal in your kitchen, it counts as homemade, no need to make every single part of the meal from scratch!
Speaking of making things easier for yourself, if you want to start with canned beans, just heat them up on a low simmer, add any veggies you like, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and your favorite seasonings. Cook some rice and this would make a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Do you have a New Years Day tradition? Have you eaten this type of meal? If so, I’d love to hear from you!
~Anne
I’m a Vancouver, Washington based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist.
I offer these recipes to tickle your tastebuds, please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.
Free Energy Flow class Thursday January 1st at 6 pm
Join us from the comfort of your own home as we cruise through gentle tai chi type exercises. Can be done seated or standing. No equipment needed. All levels welcome.
Here’s a short video demonstrating some of our moves:
This is not your typical Tai chi class. My ladies are silly, chatty, and fun!
Last week several of them were on a cruise and they tuned in from the cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We’ve been working on a balance exercise where you stand on one leg and take your sock off, and they were able to do it while the ship was rocking and rolling!
If you want a HIIT class with cardio sprint intervals and medicine ball slams please do not come to this class, as you will be disappointed.
If you’re new to or returning to exercise, you want to experience easy and fun movement, you want to kick off the new year with happy people who are warm and welcoming, this is the class for you!
