by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Agility & Speed, Fitness, Health
Working out in the gym is great, but even the biggest treadmill loyalists can get bored on the moving belt. Our advice? Mix up your sweat sessions whenever you can. Introducing different types of movement into your fitness routine can actually help you get in shape faster because they challenge your muscles in new ways.
That�s why we love with this samba reggae dance workout. It�s a total change of pace from your standard barre class. And you don�t need to be a pro dancer to try the moves either.
Samba Workout
In the video, dance teacher Quenia�Ribeiro, of the�renowned dance school Ailey Extension demonstrates basic samba reggae moves that work up a solid sweat. Ready to get down and groove? Follow along for a heart-pumping, fat-blasting workout you�ll actually have fun doing.
RELATED: 12-Minute Dance Cardio Workout With Katie Austin�
- Samba reggae basic step: Standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, bounce from one foot to the other, moving your hips from side to side as you bounce.
- The snake: Adding on to the basic step, roll your upper body and arms in a snake-like movement to the right as you step to the right side. Clap as you return your torso to center, then repeat on the left.
- The shake: Standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, step your right leg out to the side as you sit into a squat and pop the hips forward and back. Continue to stay low as you repeat this movement on the other side, stepping out with the left leg. Stay loose in the hips as you alternate stepping out onto each leg.
- Cross-and-pull: From standing, step and cross the right leg over the left as you pull the right arm down in front of the body. Return to center and repeat on the left. Bounce from side to side as you alternate doing this cross-and-pull movement on the left and right.
- Window washers: Standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, shift your weight as you bounce your hips from one side to the other, holding your arms out to each side and moving them in quick circular movements, as if washing windows.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Fitness
Trying to be a better runner? It’s not just about logging miles (although that certainly helps). The key to running strong and long also has a lot to do with shoring up your muscles, activating your core and back in addition to your lower body,�and keeping your movements fluid. To help do that, start incorporating these full-body strengthening�moves from Nike+ Run Club coach Julia Lucas to your routine three days a week, before or after a run. You’ll start noticing a difference in your strength in no time.
1. Planks
�
Planks have long been considered one of the best exercises for your core. In addition to your abs, this move engages your back, quads, and hamstrings, making it a great full-body exercise for runners. To do it, get into the �up� part of a push-up, with palms�on the floor directly under shoulders and legs extended behind you, forming a straight�line from head to heels. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, keeping abs tight. Do�2 or 3 sets.
RELATED: 20 Ways to Do a Plank
2. Clamshells
Clamshells work your hips and glutes, parts of the body that runners regularly need to activate. To do them, start out by lying�on your side with legs stacked and knees bent at 45 degrees. Rest head on arm; place top hand on hip. With inside edges of feet touching, lift top knee as high as you can without shifting hips or pelvis. Pause; lower knee. Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 reps per side.
3. Side squats
Side squats are a great way to strengthen your outer highs, hips, and glutes. To do, stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips; squat. Stand; move left foot a step out. Squat again; step left foot in as you rise. Continue, alternating sides. Do 2 or 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.
Pin all of these moves for later:
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Health, Integrative Functional Wellness, Integrative Medicine, Nutrition, Wellness
Let’s face it, sometimes there’s nothing better at the end of a long day than a glass of wine. But sipping much more than that can wreak havoc with your shape, and not just by adding hundreds of calories to your diet. Alcohol temporarily keeps your body from burning fat, explains integrative medicine specialist Pamela M. Peeke, MD, author of The Hunger Fix. The reason is that your body can’t store calories from alcohol for later, the way it does with food calories. So when you drink, your metabolic system must stop what it’s doing (like, say, burning off calories from your last meal) to get rid of the booze.
“Drinking presses ‘pause’ on your metabolism, shoves away the other calories, and says, ‘Break me down first!'” Dr. Peeke explains. The result is that whatever you recently ate gets stored as fat.
What’s worse: “Research has uncovered that alcohol especially decreases fat burn in the belly,” Dr. Peeke adds. “That’s why you never hear about ‘beer hips,’ you hear about a ‘beer belly.'”
So can a girl ever enjoy a drink without putting on pounds? Absolutely, if you imbibe the right way. In fact, large, long-term studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and International Journal of Obesity found that middle-aged and older women who drank moderately (about one drink a day) gained less weight over time than those who never imbibed at all; they were also less likely to become obese.
It’s a complex topic, but JoAnn Manson, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the studies, says that the moderate drinkers appeared to be more likely to compensate for the occasional drinks by taking in fewer calories from other sources and also tended to be a little more physically active. (In other words, they didn’t get blitzed on margaritas, then dive in to a bowl of fried ice cream.) What else beyond basic exercise and calorie-counting can keep happy hour from turning into hefty hour? Health dug into the research and grilled the experts on how you can have your sips and jeans that still zip.
Rule #1: Always eat when you drink
While the Harvard research suggests it’s wise to factor in those cocktail calories, it’s actually more important to eat right than to eat less, the experts stress. Skimping on food in order to “make room” for drinks will only backfire and send you straight to the bottom of the candied nut bowl. Here’s why: Most cocktails are loaded with simple carbohydrates, “so during a night of drinking, people end up with soaring blood sugar, followed by a ‘crash’ that leaves them ravenous,” says Jason Burke, MD, an anesthesiologist and hangover researcher who runs a hangover treatment clinic in (where else?) Las Vegas.
You can help counteract that effect by nibbling foods that provide long-lasting energy. “Before you go out, have dinner or a snack with protein, fiber, and healthy fat,” says Karlene Karst, RD, author of The Full-Fat Solution. “They stabilize your blood-sugar levels without slowing down your metabolism.” Karst recommends Greek yogurt with berries, almond or hemp butter with an apple, or a protein shake. An added benefit of grabbing a bite beforehand, she says, is that that Pinot or appletini will be absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream, minimizing its diet-damaging effects.
In addition to revving your appetite, tippling also makes you lose your eating inhibitions (“I only live once�I’ll have the steak frites!”). “It temporarily impairs the prefrontal cortex, the smarty-pants part of the brain that allows you to think clearly and rein in impulsivity,” Dr. Peeke says. “So after a certain amount of alcohol (and it’s different for everyone), you’re going to feel yourself not caring and letting it rip with food and probably drinks.” A cocktail (or three) can make you forgetful, too�as in, forgetting that the Death by Chocolate dessert is not on your eating plan.
The trick is to have an easy-to-follow strategy in place before you take that first sip. Scout out the bar or restaurant menu ahead of time and note your picks on your phone. Then set an alert to remind you to order wisely�that way you won’t have to think too much (or rely on that alcohol-impaired prefrontal cortex!) to stay on track.
As with your pre-partying meal, go for something with fiber, protein, and a little bit of healthy fat to help control blood-sugar levels and make you feel satisfied, Karst says.
Rule #2: Know that some drinks make you hungrier than others
When it comes to waist-friendly cocktails, the simpler the drink, the better. Not only do the sweet-and-fancy ones tend to have more calories, but the additional sugar can make you even hungrier: Your blood sugar skyrockets higher than it does on beer, wine, or a shot of something, making the plummet (and the resulting cravings) worse.
And then there are the calories! Booze has 7 calories per gram, making it the second-most calorie-dense macronutrient. (That’s just below pure fat, which has 9 calories per gram.) This means a measly 1.5-ounce jigger of vodka has almost 100 calories. Mix that up with some club soda and lime, and it’s a reasonable tipple, but when you start tossing together a whole bunch of different liquors�whether it’s a hipster fizz made with bourbon, elderflower liqueur, and house-made bitters, or a dive-bar Long Island iced tea loaded with vodka, rum, tequila, and gin�it really adds up (to the tune of 300 calories, in the case of a Long Island).
Even simple mixed drinks like rum-and-Cokes and screwdrivers pack extra calories because of the sugary soda and juice. “So if you’re going to drink, have something straight up and simple like wine or beer,” Dr. Peeke advises. Any wine or beer works, but to trim about 10 calories per glass, choose a ros� or white wine instead of a heavier red. A whole pint of a dark beer is around only 170 calories (compared with 195 for the same amount of regular beer) and may leave you feeling fuller than, say, Champagne, because it’s so starchy and rich, Karst notes. Vodka, gin, or bourbon with club soda and a twist are pretty good bets, too. Club soda is calorie- and sugar-free and dilutes the alcohol and its effect on your cravings. Avoid juices, liqueurs (which are sweet and syrupy), colas, tonics, and super-sugary bottled mixes like the ones for a lot of bar-made margaritas and daiquiris.
Rule #3: Stick to a drink or two, tops
One drink a day is the widely accepted definition of moderate drinking for women, but there’s a misconception among some bar-hoppers that you can go without alcohol all week and save your seven drinks for the weekend. “That’s the worst thing you can possibly do for your weight,” Dr. Peeke says. (And, of course, for your health.) “It has a much bigger effect than one drink a day.”
When you down three or four drinks in one night, your body has many hundreds of alcohol calories to process before it can continue to break down food calories or stored fat. Plus, all those drinks throw your blood sugar even more out of whack so you’re hungry as heck�and because you’re tipsy, your prefrontal cortex is misfiring and you now have zero compunction about ordering the fried mozzarella sticks with a side of ranch (and keeping them all for yourself). The extra calories alone are enough to pile on the pounds; have four drinks every Saturday night and you’ll be up about 10 pounds in a year.
Rule #4: Beware that gnawing, starving feeling the next day
The morning after poses a new diet challenge. As if a hangover weren’t punishment enough, you’re fighting cravings for large amounts of cheesy, greasy fast food. Part of the problem is that you’re dehydrated (don’t forget, alcohol is a diuretic), and that can make you feel even hungrier, Karst notes. But that’s not the only thing at play. “The body needs energy to resolve the effects of a big night of drinking, so it wants the richest source of energy it can find, which is fat,” Dr. Burke says. “Also, greasy foods tend to settle the stomach a bit.”
To avoid that: When you’re out, drink a big glass of water for every drink you have. Then, before going to bed, have some more, along with a snack that is high in fiber and protein such as high-fiber cereal or oatmeal, Dr. Burke suggests. “You’ll get important nutrients into the body that were lost during alcohol consumption,” he adds. “Plus, foods rich in fiber stay in the stomach longer, so you’ll be less prone to hunger in the morning.” With any luck, you’ll also be less likely to overdo it in the a.m., ensuring your figure won’t have to pay the price for a night out.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Fitness, Health, Wellness
Add lean protein to every meal and snack
Weight-loss experts have always encouraged us to fill our plates with produce as a way to reap the benefits of its hunger-busting fiber, along with its antioxidants and other nutrients. But if you�ve been laser-focused on loading up on fruits and vegetables, your diet may need more lean protein. You should have a serving every few hours, says Brill. Nuts, eggs, and meat are more caloric than an apple or a pile of power greens�but the protein will keep you full longer and can lower your overall calorie intake for the day.
Moreover, a 2015 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that incorporating protein into every meal and snack�starting with breakfast�helps control appetite and manage body weight. “A balanced diet that includes some protein helps fuel your muscles,” explains Brill. And as you already know, the more lean body mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be. Not to mention, your body has to work harder to digest protein, and through that process you burn even more calories.
RELATED: 13 High-Protein Breakfast Recipes and Ideas
Don�t protein-load. But do try making a more conscious effort to get small, regular doses: Eat eggs or almond butter in the a.m., for example. Make meat, fish, or legumes (like beans and peas) a key component of your lunch and dinner. And snack on hummus, nuts, kefir, or roasted chickpeas�all protein-packed picks to fuel your way to fit.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Fitness, Health, Wellness
This article originally appeared on People.com.�
Erin is a self-proclaimed exercise addict.
The 39-year-old from San Diego, California reveals on Tuesday�s episode of�the syndicated daytime series The Doctors�that she builds her whole life around fitting in workout sessions.
�I exercise eight�hours a day,� she says in an exclusive clip. �I never get tired, I don�t get sore.�
Even Though Her Body Can Seemingly Handle Her Excessive Workouts
They do not make her feel good.
�I�ll cancel plans, I�ll cancel appointments. It�s been controlling my life,� she says. �I just can�t stop. It�s not giving me the rush that I used to feel just doing three to four hours.�
Erin says she squeezes in early morning workouts before work, and then returns to the gym when she is done for the day.
RELATED:�Why You Should Rethink Your Spinning Obsession
�Around 5 o�clock is when I work out, and then I go to work, and then I work out for another two hours,� she says.
But Erin also reveals she has been using exercise to avoid a painful trauma she experienced in the past.
�Eight months ago I got a message from a girl. It triggered a memory that I had suppressed for 30 years,� she says in the clip.
�Basically I�ve Been Adding On Exercise So I Can Just Forget.�
Host Dr. Travis Stork commends Erin for seeking the help she needs to fight her addiction.
�Before we get into where we need to go from here, we have to acknowledge where we are right now,� he says. �I�m so happy you realize that you need to change, because when I saw those blood pressure readings, there are things in medicine we call hypertensive urgency, and those blood pressure numbers [are] quite alarming.�
Gastroenterologist Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, who is working to treat Erin, says he was also alarmed by the results.
�In the six years that I�ve done the show with you, Erin is the most ill person, the sickest person that we�ve had on the show in my opinion,� he says.
To find out more of her test results and to see if�The Doctors can help Erin, check your local listings and tune into Tuesday�s episode.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Fitness, Health, Wellness
Here�s to a different kind of body transformation. On Instagram yesterday, fitness influencer Anna Victoria shared a�follower�s photos that document her inspiring recovery from an extreme exercise habit.
In the “before” pic, @barbellkell_fbg is flexing her biceps in a bikini that shows off her chiseled six-pack.
What It Took To Get That Sculpted Bod Was Anything But Healthy
The photo on the left was taken a year and a half ago, when @barbellkell_fbg was committed to a 10-week plan that involved working out�five times a week, sometimes twice a day, and counting macros (down to chewing gum, vitamins, and cough drops), she explains in the caption. “[Z]ero balance, zero living, zero sustainability,” she wrote. “I had my full time job and this, which was another full time job basically.”
The strict dieting and intense workouts�took a serious toll. By the end of the plan, @barbellkell_fbg had a flat belly, and no trace of cellulite�but her energy levels had plummeted. “I could barely lift my feet to run on the treadmill,” she wrote. A blood test showed her white blood cell count was severely depressed. It was so low her doctor wanted to test her for cancer, she says.
After convincing him to do another blood test in a month, @barbellkell_fbg�committed to getting back to “normal.” She ate “to survive,” she said;�and in time, she gained fat and her white blood cell count recovered.
OD’ing on exercise�is a real thing, and it can�cause everything from fatigue to chronic achiness�even an elevated heart rate, which puts more demand on your ticker. “Overexercising�often contributes to pain,�dehydration, or electrolyte imbalances, all of which can lead to an increase in heart rate,” Kathryn Berlacher, MD, a cardiologist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, explained to�Health in a prior interview.
Signs That You’re Overdoing It At The Gym
And tips on how to scale back�check out our guide to the symptoms of overtraining.
As for�@barbellkell_fbg, she’s�come a long way in the last 18 months.�She now follows Anna Victoria�s Fit Body Guides, and eats what she wants in moderation. “I feel good. I am strong. I am happy,” she says�and�she loves the body she has now.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Fitness, Posture, Wellness
You can get away with slouching at your desk. But looking hunched in your best friend�s wedding photos? That�s a no-no. We tapped fitness expert Lauren Williams for a series of exercises that will perfect your posture, so you can rock a strapless and stand tall at any social event this season. Watch this video for six moves that will sculpt your shoulders and elongate your torso so your wedding-day posture is as polished as possible.
1. YTW stretch:
Lay on your stomach with your hands reaching overhead �so your body forms the shape of the letter Y. Lift your chest slightly off the ground, then lower back down. Next, bring your arms out to your sides to form the shape of the letter T as you lift chest slightly off the ground. Lower back down. From here, bend arms at the elbows to form the shape of the letter W as you lift chest slightly off the ground. Return upper body to the ground and repeat sequence.
2. Renegade row:
Start in a high plank position with hands resting on dumbbells. From plank, lift your right arm into a row movement, lifting the dumbbell off the ground and bending the elbow to form a 90-degree angle. Return hand to mat and complete row movement on opposite side.
3. Best chest opener:
Starting on all fours, reach right hand to the ceiling, twisting the upper body open and looking up at your hand. Return to center and repeat reach and twist on the left side.
RELATED: This is the World�s Greatest Stretch (Seriously!)�
4. Bentover dumbbell flys:
From standing, lean your upper body forward so you�re slightly bent over with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended long. Lift both arms out to shoulder height on each side with elbows slightly bent, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return arms to starting position and repeat the fly movement.
5. Single-leg dumbbell balance with row:
Start from a standing position with a dumbbell in each hand. Carefully lower the upper body, creasing at the hips, while simultaneously lifting the right leg to hip height behind you. As you do this, lift weights one at a time toward your chest with the arm bending deeply at the elbow. Lower the leg to the floor as you lift your upper body back to standing upright and repeat movement with the left leg extended behind you.
6. All four shoulder opener:
Starting on all fours, reach the right arm out straight to the side, walking the hand along the floor as you twist the upper body toward the left. Return to center and repeat movement with the left arm extended.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Athletes, Fitness, Health
Nike Debuted Its�Air Max Sneaker In 1987
featuring a visible air-cushioning unit in the sole designed to absorb shock and�more importantly, some may say�look really freakin’ cool. Over the years, Nike has retooled and reimagined the innovative design, releasing dozens of versions of the now-iconic shoe that’s beloved�by sneakerheads and athletes alike. A variety of new Air Max shoes are now available on Nike.com, and�on March 26�dubbed Air Max Day�Nike will release a running shoe called the Air VaporMax. Ahead of its release, fitness editors like me were�invited to log a few miles in the shoe, which is about 7 years in the making.
This Latest Silhouette
features plush Air Max cushioning across the entire foot and Nike’s ultra-flexible Flyknit upper. The first thing I noticed when I put the shoes�on was how comfortable they felt. I took a few bounces in them, and was also impressed by their light-as-a-feather feel.�As I started my run, I was amazed by how bouncy they felt�it�was as though I had lined up a�bunch of trampolines�leapt from one to the next. Another standout feature: the grip. Surprisingly, those air bags�on the soles really grab the ground. On a snowy, icy, or even rainy day, that would be an awesome feature.
One Potential Downside To This Shoe
The price. At $190, the Air VaporMax is pretty expensive. But, you can be assured that the shoe is built to last. During its initial testing phrase,�more than 350 runners�put 126,000 miles on these babies in a variety of climates and across myriad surfaces. Basically, Nike tried to kick this shoe’s butt. Kathy Gomez, vice president of Nike Innovation, claims your first mile and 1,000th mile will feel exactly the same in the Air VaporMax.
The bottom line:�If you are a fan of Nike Air, are in the market for a new pair of kicks, and are cool with a bit of a splurge, then I would�definitely consider these. They’re light, bouncy, and flexible�and they have 30 years of design innovation behind them. Sounds like a winner to us!
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Fitness, Mobility & Flexibility, Power & Strength
When you think of a ballerina body, you may picture a petite, slender�physique. But many dancers have rejected that rigid idea of what a ballerina is supposed to�look like�and instead, they’ve led a shift towards�embracing a diverse range of�athletic ballerina bodies. One woman who’s played a major role in that movement is none other than Misty Copeland, the iconic principle dancer at the American Ballet Theater.
�We are real women and ballerinas, muscular, feminine but also strong, lithe but also curvaceous,� Copeland writes in her new book, Ballerina Body: Dancing and Eating Your Way to a Leaner, Stronger, and More Graceful You�($30, amazon.com).�But Copeland doesn�t pretend she always felt so confident in her skin. �None of it was easy. Not my climb in the ballet world, not my arrival at a place of personal contentment and peace, not my journey to the body I stand in.�
Her book is her way of helping other women reach the same state of body confidence that she now exudes to the world. �I dream of sharing what I�ve learned�of showing women everywhere how to reach their body goals and achieve what they see as their best selves,” she says.
For Copeland, that has meant prioritizing exercise, as an integral and positive element of her day.��Working out, so essential to our mental and physical well-being, can and should be woven through every part of our lives,� Copeland says.
Below are four exercises that she incorporates in�her cross-training routine, to help maintain her ideal ballerina body��one that is lean but sinewy, with muscles that are long, sculpted, and toned.� But you certainly don’t have to be a dancer to reap the benefits of these challenging moves. Try them out to�get toned from head to (pointed)�toe.
Relev�
�Relev� means �raised,� or lifted, and describes the position when you rise onto the balls of your feet (demi-pointe) or onto the toes (pointe) of one or both feet.
a. Begin in first position. Demi-pli�, then stretch your knees and rise onto demi-pointe (relev�). Repeat this three times and old on the count of four. When done to music, the counts are to the timing of the music.
b. Repeat once. When you get stronger, you may do four repetitions.
Remember to hold your posture. The flexing and pointing also prepare and strengthen your ankles to allow you to stand on demi-pointe (or en pointe, if you are an advanced dancer).
Balancing Adagio
�Adagio� refers to the slow movement in the ballet technique. As much as the adagio is about flexibility, strength, and fluidity in the movement, learning this exercise on the floor will give you an advantage before approaching it standing. On the floor you acquire a sense of balance and where your weight should be in order to leverage it to make you legs appear higher and more extended in opposition to our upper body.
This exercise should be done slowly to improve balance, alignment, abdominal strength, and stamina.
a. Start by sitting with your legs together on the floor in front of you.
b. Lift your legs into the air by bending your knees, holding the backs of your things with your hands with your legs still bent and parallel to each other.
c. Leaning back, with your back straight and the backs of your thighs (hamstrings) leaning into your hands, slowly lengthen both legs into the air until they are fully straight, making you into a V shape. Bend your knees so the tips of your toes touch the floor. Now do the same with each leg, alone, keeping the tips of the toes of your other leg posed on the floor.
d. Repeat the sequence, beginning with the other leg, when doing the single-leg section.
Seaweed
This exercise is great for freeing and lengthening the spine and for centering and strengthening the core.
a. Begin lying on your back, your legs together and parallel and your feet pointed.
b. Bend your legs slowly, bringing them off the floor, still bent, and lifting your feet off the floor as well, while your back hugs the ground.
c. Keeping your lower back on the floor and your shoulder blades drawn down toward your waist, curl your upper back off the floor, around your lower abs. Your arms should act like seaweed being moved by the motion of the tides, around and behind your lifted legs.
d. Float your upper back and arms down to the floor, legs still bent, body still energized.
e. Repeat four times, bringing your legs gently toward your head as your core and upper body lift, igniting the lower abdominal muscles.
f. After the last time, hold one hand or wrist (depending on the length of your arms) with the other, behind your thighs.
g. Lengthen your legs straight into the air, pressing the backs of your legs into your arms.
h. Propel your legs to the floor, arms still around them, until you get close to the floor. Then open your arms to the sides and move them forward toward your feet, over your head.
i. Your upper back should bend forward over your legs as you transition from lying to sitting, with the backs of your hands on the floor to help stabilize and keep the backs of your legs on the floor.
j. Roll down through your spine until your back is on the floor and you are in the starting position, with your shoulders relaxed. Repeat two to four times.
D�gag�
�D�gag� means �disengaged.� When preparing for d�gag�s in particular, but whenever you�re lying on the floor, you should feel like you are standing or jumping�not lying on the sand at the beach!
This exercise is good for length, strength, and alignment. Be sure to press the parts of your back and body that are touching the surface of the floor to the floor, allowing your working leg to float up, initiating the movement with your inner thighs and the backs of the legs rather than the top of your thighs (quadriceps).
a. Begin lying on your back with your feet in first position (heels together and toes apart, feet pointed).
b. Place your arms at your sides with your palms facing down; you can vary the positioning of your arms depending on what makes you comfortable, as long as your arms don�t go above your shoulders.
c. Keep your legs elongated, straight on the floor.
d. Use your palms and arms by pressing them to the floor. This will help to strengthen ?your core and align the spine.
e. Lift one leg two or three inches from the floor, with your toes still pointed out, by pressing the standing leg (again, whether you�re standing or lying on the floor, the standing leg is the one that is not moving; it helps to maintain balance), your arms, and your head into the floor. This will help you to lift the working leg while maintaining stability throughout your body. Do four d�gag�s with one leg front, then switch legs and do four with the other leg front.
f. Now do four d�gag�s to each side. For these, your working leg stays on the floor, brushing along the floor as it extends to the side. Do not disturb the balance of the pelvis or the back as you move the working leg.
Excerpted from the book BALLERINA BODY by Misty Copeland. Copyright 
2017 by Misty Copeland. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Health, Nutrition, Wellness
Grapefruit
Even if you changed nothing else about your diet, eating half a grapefruit before each meal may help you lose up to a pound a week!
A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, and that can lead to weight loss. It’s also a good source of protein, and because it’s at least 90% water, it can fill you up so you eat less.
Try this recipe: Ginger-Citrus Fruit Salad
