I thought I would share a  delicious recipe I came across  on Cooking Light under Gluten free recipes, ( gluten free is a diet that is free of the following: wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet, and any derivative of these grains.)

Farmer John’s Pumpkin Soup

Below are a few Gluten Free food items:

Amaranth

Cornmeal

Rice flour

Quinoa

Seaweed snacks

Some nut butters

thinkThin Bars ( which I love they are delicious)

If you would like more information on this topic, here are a few websites you may want to take a look at:

This website has recipes, products reviews, etc

Celiac

GlutenFree Help.info

There are a ton more websites with information on going Gluten Free.

A little extra:

Celebrities Who do Pilates

Best Late Night Snacks

5 Reasons to Love the Incline

Have a fantastic week.

As active people we sometimes have difficulty finding the “perfect” workout apparel.  Over the next few weeks I will be featuring athletic wear from various companies.

These items can be worn by runners, cyclists, Pilates enthusiasts, walkers etc.

First up is ellasport according to their website “At ellasport, we make technical athletic apparel that makes you look and feel amazing”. Who doesn’t want to look amazing when working out.   Oh and cute.:)

Here are a few pieces I like:

Chloe Long -Sleeve Tee

The back of the Chloe Long -Sleeve Tee

Stanton Sport Tank

Stanton Sport Tank back view which I love.

We all need a Workout Skirt

Power Capris

Don’t you just love the design on the leg?

Notice their logo?  The four petals represent desire, power, strength, and femininity.

You should check out the website, while you are there watch the behind the scenes video of the photoshoot.

What are your workout plans for the week?

I will be doing  a little of this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

Though not as graceful:)

And this:

Eating a lot of this:

And this:

And drinking lots of this:

Have a great week.

(EMAILWIRE.COM, February 16, 2011 )  Houston, TX – Jodie Pilates announces a new public service to help promote good health. In order to address the common concern of choosing the right products and groceries to complement losing weight and a healthy lifestyle, Jodie Pilates has announced a grocery store shopping tour that will visit several grocery stores in the Houston Metro Area. A Jodie Pilates representative will spend time leading the tour and teaching the tricks of the trade to up to 8 people at each tour stop.

Jodie Fontenot, Pilates Instructor, Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutritionist and owner of Jodie Pilates has the goal of helping the community “stay fit, lose weight, and feel great.” She teaches Pilates and offers personal training at a studio in northwest Houston.

The first stop is at HEB Vintage Park in Houston TX. For information, please visit the Jodie Pilates Facebook page at http://facebook.com/jodiepilates.

Welcome to my website, where I share my passion for Pilates, Fitness, Health, Food, etc.

What is Pilates? Pilates is a form of exercise, or method of body conditioning developed by Joseph Hubertus Pilates, which emphasizes the balanced development of the body through core strength flexibility, and body awareness thus making our movements flow and more graceful. Mr Pilates originally called his method Contrology, using your mind to control your muscles. As trainers we often tell our clients to put their mind in their muscle, be present, be aware.

Jodie A. Fontenot has been training and advising clients since 2004. As a Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor, and Fitness Nutritionist; Jodie offers customized training programs which include:

* Pilates
* Plyometrics
* Weight Training
* Boot camp training
* Nutritional counseling
* Cardiovascular exercise
* Running specific training ( endurance/speed etc)
* Improving Flexibility and Balance

I train out of a private training studio in Northwest Houston, TX (Willowbrook, Champions, Spring, Cypress, CyFair are in 77070 zip code) equipped with a reformer, Cadillac, a full array of workout machines, free weights, ellipticals, and treadmills. I am passionate about fitness and health and will take a holistic approach in working with you.

Call today at 713-398-2370 or email to setup your appointment or click here to register on the popup form.

Our hamstrings  consists of 3 muscles the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris.  The hamstrings cross 2 joints, the hip and the knees, and they are involved in hip extension as well as knee flexion.   (Picture source)

Runners tend to neglect their hamstrings in their strength training and flexibility routines and resulting at times in strains, tears and pulls.  Many times this injury occurs because of a muscular imbalance, the quadriceps being more dominant or stronger than the hamstrings.

This type of injury is very difficult to heal, sidelining runners for weeks. So I will be sharing some exercises you can introduce into your training.

 Perform 2-3 sets 12-15 reps, where required choose an appropriate weight.

Exercise Ball Curls

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Prone leg curl

Good morning

Upcoming Posts:

Product review

Exercises using the Pilates Ring  

Plyometric exercises to improve your speed

Let me know what you think.

Have you heard about the elite female runner, four time Boston marathon winner named Catherine Ndereba?

Photo courtesy of BAA

I didn’t until yesterday, and I was very intrigued to learn more. So I followed the link to the blog, read through it, as well as watched a brief clip of an upcoming documentary.  It gives an inside look at her life.

The goal of the producer Stefani L Weiss in her words:

“My journey to tell the story of how World Champion Kenyan marathon runner Catherine Ndereba has inspired many through her running and how her faith has guided her. This story will explore the many ways she stands as a role model for Kenyan women and girls and how she inspires others to pursue their education and dreams and not be bound by the traditional role women have been bound to in Kenya. “

Although Catherine faced many obstacles in her country, she was able to overcome it and persevere. She has been an inspiration to many young girls in Kenya.

I am not an elite runner, but I am a runner. I run because I love it and have a passion for it. In watching the short clip, Catherine’s passion for running emanates from the screen. Her eyes and her entire face just light up.

Here is the link to the blog and the link to the making of the documentary.

Let me know what you think.

 Strong ankles are important for preventing and recovering from injuries.

The Achilles tendon which connects the calf muscles to the heel bone and provides the power in the push off phase when running or walking; is also  the largest tendon in the human body and can withstand forces of 1,000 pounds or more, but it is also the most frequently injured.

Some causes of Achilles tendonitis:

• rapidly increasing your running mileage or speed
• adding hill running or stair climbing to your training routine
• overuse resulting from the  lack of flexibility in the calf muscles

Symptoms of Achilles tendonitis:

• Mild pain after exercise or running that gradually worsens
• Morning tenderness about an inch and a half above the point where the Achilles tendon is attached to the heel bone
• Stiffness that generally diminishes as the tendon warms up with use
• Some swelling

Here are some exercises for the lower leg muscles which can help strengthen and stabilize ankles after injury, as well as help reduce the risk of injury.

Heel raises works the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.

Stand upright on the end of a platform or stair with the balls of your feet on the edge and your heel free. Raise your heel as high as you can with your weight supported on the balls of your feet. Then slowly lower your foot until your heel is below the level of the stair.  Or you can do this without a platform, facing a wall, place both hands against the wall, rise up on your toes, hold for a count of 5, then lower and repeat.

To increase the work on your calf muscles perform the exercise with your weight supported on one foot by placing the other foot behind your heel.

Your front lower leg muscles are small but are prone to injury, aka, shin splints; you need to work these front lower leg muscles to help balance the development of your calf muscles.

Toe raises strengthen the lower leg muscles.

While standing either with your hands on your hips or holding onto body bar to help with balance.  Raise your toes off the floor, balancing on your heels, and lower. Lift and lower several times, you will definitely feel this in the front of your leg.

Seated calf raises should be included in your routine because this works the soleus muscle more than the gastrocnemius.  We can all benefit from this exercise but especially distance runners because the soleus muscle is made up of mostly slow-twitch fibers thus making it an endurance muscle.

Sit down on the edge of a table or exercise bench with the balls of your feet on a surface two to four inches high. Place a barbell or 2 dumbbells across your thighs and raise your heels as high as you can or if you are in the gym, you can use the seated calf raise machine.

Towel Stretch- Inversion

Wrap a towel around the ball of your foot. Start with your foot turned out then pull your foot in, and return to the start. Repeat on the other foot.

Towel Stretch- Eversion                             

Same instructions as above, but this time  start with your foot turned  then pull your foot outwards. Repeat on the other foot.

Supination and Pronation – Heel of Foot

Sit with your foot on a towel, placing your heel off the edge of the towel. Use your heel to push the towel inwards towards the inside of your foot. Then reverse the movement and push the towel outwards. Repeat on the other foot.

Walking on your toes (preferably with shoes on) for 1-5 minutes; then alternate walking on your heels for the same amount of time, will also help strengthen the ankles.

Simply balancing on one leg for up to 1-2 minutes will also help to strengthen the ankle.  Once this becomes easy, try it with one then both eyes closed, when that becomes easy use a wobble board or the BOSU ball.

Let’s keep our ankles healthy and strong and injury free.

This lower body routine will definitely work  your  hips,  glutes and outer thighs.  Enjoy.

Single Leg Circles (Increases the flexibility and mobility of the hips)

Lie on your back with your hands at your sides straighten your left leg up to the ceiling, the right knee is bent with your right foot firmly planted on the mat.  Keep your neck long and shoulders down and away from neck.

On an inhale, circle the leg across the body down and around, exhaling back to the start position.

Keep your left hip rooted into the mat, abdominals pulled in and up.

Circle 8 times in each direction.   Switch legs and repeat.

Single Leg Kick (Strengthens hamstrings, back extensors and gluteals and stretches the quadriceps).

Lie prone with your head and torso lifted, with your fists together press your forearms in to the mat. Your legs are straight and close together and your shoulder blades down and back.

Tighten the buttocks while pressing your hipbones into the mat inhaling bend one knee and pulse the heel towards your buttocks with a quick double beat.  Keep your hips still and keep abdominals pulled in.

Exhale and switch legs.  Perform 6 double beats each leg.

Side Leg Lifts (Strengthens hips abductors).

Lie on your side and align your body against the back edge of your mat. Prop your head in your hand and place the other arm on the mat in front of you. Now place your legs at a 45 degree angle, so that you are in a slight pike position.

Rotate your top leg slightly so that your kneecap and the top of your foot face the ceiling.  On an inhale lift the top leg up towards the ceiling. Keep shoulders and hips stacked on top of each other and the spine straight.

Exhale and lower the top leg to the bottom with resistance. Imagine your top leg pushing through quicksand.  Repeat 10 times on each side.

Side Leg Circles (Strengthens hips abductors).

The same starting position as the Side Leg Lifts, keep the legs at a 45 degree angle.

Inhale and left the top leg to hip height and begin making small circles, allowing the top heel to brush past the bottom each time. Perform 10 circles in each direction.

Side Leg Kicks (Strengthens hips abductors, external rotators, and challenge your balance).

Maintain 45 degree angle of the legs, shoulders and hip stacked with the shoulders down, abdominals engaged.  Inhale and kick the top leg forward with your feet flexed and pulse it twice to the front, exhale and kick the top leg back with your foot pointed.  Repeat 10 times.

Side Leg Bicycle (Strengthens hips abductors, external rotators, and challenge your balance).

The same starting position as above. Extend the top leg forward, foot pointed, then bend the knee in, aiming the heel toward the buttocks, extending the leg behind you. Repeat “pedaling” motion 6 times in each direction.

Double Side Leg Lifts Banana (Strengthens hips abductors, external rotators, and challenge your balance).

Lie on your side with the bottom hand under the head with palms facing up. Place your other hand in front of you for stability. Keep your legs straight and in line with torso.

Inhale and lift your arm, head, torso and legs to the ceiling, pause 3seconds, exhale and lower. Repeat 8 times on each side.

Kneeling Straight Leg Lift and Kneeling Side Kicks (Strengthens abductors and obliques, challenges core stability).

Start in a kneeling position and lean to your right side, placing your right hand on the mat. Extend your left leg out to your side, foot flexed. Place your left hand behind your head, keeping elbows wide.

Tighten your abdominals, extend your left to the ceiling, lift and lower leg with control 10 times.   Then lift leg back out to the side, keeping your leg straight and foot flexed, kick to the front and then to the back. Repeat 8 times and switch sides.

The side leg series above is best performed all on one side first, if you want a more intense lower body workout.

Stay tuned for a few stretches that you can do at your desk.  I posted a new workout in my work out section.  Let me know what you think about the routine.

Good morning all the winner of the Performance Nutrition for Runners is ………………..    Whitney of IrunIsweat.

Whitney said : I’d LOVE that book, and I’m sure it would help me on my next 1/2 marathon! I’ll definitely link back!

Congrats Whitney!!!  Please email me your address and your book will be on its way.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

Happy Wednesday everyone. How has your day been so far?
Mine is going really well, busy, busy. I promised a “GIVEAWAY POST”.
Well, it’s about that time……………………………………
This is an excellent book to have in your library, you don’t have to be training for a marathon to enjoy this book, your love for running or being active is all you need.

Two chapter titles included are : Pre-race nutrition information and Recovery nutrition and more.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment stating why you would like to have this in your library.

2. Or email me your comment.

3. Link back to this post on your blog and let me know.

You have until midnight Wed. Sept 16/09. The winner will be announced Thursday Sept. 17/09.

This giveaway is open to US residents only.