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Category: Health and Wellness

Maui 2012 Recap – whales, dolphins and sea turtles!

Ok here is part three of my Maui recap.

On this trip to Maui I saw the most whales that I have seen in my five visits to the island, we could even see them from the house. By mid week the skies had cleared and we were able to head out on a snorkel cruise with Captain Don and his Seafire Snorkel Adventure crew. We got really up close and personal with whales, dolphins and sea turtles.

The crew provided all of our gear and even got us into wetsuits. I got a little chilly (says the girl from Florida) after coming out of the water but the crew had us covered with dry towels and big sweatshirts. They had fresh pineapple, sodas and muffins for us to snack on in between our two snorkel spots. We first headed to molokini, the crater just offshore where we saw lots of cool fish. We then headed own the coast past Makena to La Perouse bay for our second snorkel stop. This was only a few miles south of where we were staying but the coastline looked much different – lots of jagged rocks which I am assuming were formed from a lava flow.

We cruised down a little further south and when we turned about there was a whale breaching very close to the spot where we had just had been snorkeling. Amazing. Here’s a family of spinner dolphins who swam alongside the boat for a few minutes. They were really playful and fun to watch.

 

 

After the boat trip it was time for massages. Most of the time we did our massages on the lanai and a few lucky people got their massage as the sun was setting.

 

 

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Maui 2012 Recap

This is part two of my recap of our Maui Adventure 2012.

Ok I promised some details about the food. My buddy Laura cooked up some awesome eats for us. One of the things I love about Maui is the abundance of fresh fruit. We started the day with some combination of oranges, pineapple, kiwi, apples, papaya, we even had fresh coconut juice – fresh as in we watched the girl at the veggie stand whack off the top of the coconut with a machete and stick a straw in it. After our morning workout Laura had eggs, oatmeal, fresh coffee and smoothies waiting for us.

Here we are on the Lanai enjoying breakfast and whale watching.

I mentioned that we had a little rain in the first part of the week. Our Luau at Feast at LeLe actually got rained out, but not until after we had a cocktail and a plate of Kahlua Pork, poi, taro chips and salsa, fresh fish with a tropical fruit sauce.

Before the first performance the rain started and they cancelled the Luau. Everyone ran for cover except for us and the table of Canadians behind us. We refused to leave until we polished off our drinks and food. I have never seen someone laugh so hard as Leslie under her poncho. I thought she and Kathy were going to fall out of their chairs.

Keep reading for more on our adventure…

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Maui 2012

Aloha!

We are back from our second annual Fluid Stress Relief Vacation in Maui and I wanted to share some of our adventures with you. Here’s a shot from my happy place, “Little Beach” just north of Makena.

 

We had an action packed week that included daily yoga and Pilates classes, several hikes, Stand Up Paddle, a snorkel cruise where we saw whales, dolphins and sea turtles, and couple of relaxing beach days. A few members of our group even made it to a sports bar to watch the Superbowl.

We had a few cloudy/rainy days in the beginning (see the Luau photos to follow) but then the skies cleared up and we were treated to sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70’s the rest of the week. For me the best part of the trip was being barefoot almost the entire time and seeing dolphins jumping alongside our boat on the snorkel cruise, and of course being able to relax with my cool Fluid family.

Our house in Kihei was a short walk from the beach. Here a view from the Lanai:

And our sunset view:

The custom in Hawaii is to head to the beach around 6 to watch the sunset which happens surprisingly fast. Here we are on our first night down by the beach at Kamaole Park. I noticed on my first day back on the mainland that as the sun was setting I thought “oh it’s happening, I better get somewhere to watch the sunset”. Ahhh Hawaii…

Our days began with some combination of yoga, Pilates, strength training, cardio, tai chi and running/walking drills. Here we are headed to the beach for our morning yoga session.

And some beach yoga action shots.

In an effort to keep each post brief I will stop here and continue on a new post. Want to find out about our yummy eats? Keep reading…

 

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Can Loosing Sleep Make You Fat?

Raise your hand if you got a solid 8 hours of sleep last night.  I thought so.  If you are typically logging 6 or so hours of sleep each night you are not alone. Between 1960 and 2010, the average night’s sleep for adults in the United States dropped to six and a half hours from more than eight. According to this N.Y. Times article the benefits of a good nights sleep include improved concentration, productivity, mood, immune function and less sensitivity to pain.

Here’s the bad news – loosing sleep can make you fat.

As the average hours American sleep each night has declined our average weight has increased. A 16 year long  Harvard sleep study showed women who slept for 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to experience major weight gain and 15% more likely to become obese compared with women who slept 7 hours.

Several factors can affect your shuteye, from medications, your exercise and activity level during the day, stress, diet,  alcohol consumption and the amount of sunlight you receive. What can you do?  Here are some great recommendations for getting a more restful nights sleep.  They include establishing a regular sleep schedule and getting plenty of exercise. If you have trouble turning of your thoughts, to do list etc.. keep a journal and pen by your bed make a quick note about it and let it go.  If you drink coffee have a cup in the morning then cut yourself off.  Love your glass of wine in the evening?  Have one glass with dinner then stop drinking at least an hour before bedtime.

Did you know massage can help you sleep?  I receive (and suggest to my clients) at lease one massage per month.  If you are in need of a more structured movement + massage program call me today and together we will craft a customized exercise, stretching and self care program that will leave you looking and feeling your best!

Three Acupressure Points to Improve Digestion

Eggnog, sugar cookies, holiday cocktail parties… Are you suffering from post holiday belly blues? Here are three acupressure points that may help ease your digestive distress.

In this article Author Donna Gates quotes Yu Jia Yan a medical doctor from the 16th century:

If the Stomach is strong, life will be healthy; if the Stomach is weak, life will be unhealthy.

Good digestion is the key to a long, healthy life. Traditional Chinese medicine uses acupressure to help stimulate good digestion.

You can perform acupressure on yourself using the right essential oils to receive similar results to professional acupuncture. Stimulating specific points will improve your digestion, boost your immune system, and even improve your overall energy!

If you are suffering from major abdominal pains seek medical care.  If you suffer from the occasional upset stomach try stimulating these points and see if they bring you relief.