All posts tagged: fitness

marisa tomei suggests belly dancing and protein

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Marisa Tomei (45) is on the cover of Shape Magazine ( August 2010) and not sure if she is airbrushed (yes I am sure she is, just my inner voice wants to believe otherwise ), but she looks pretty good. According to her, when asked how she stays fit, she starts off her day drinking a cup of hot water with lemon and a boiled egg drizzled with a little olive oil or some fresh berries and granola with whole-milk yogurt. And since she loves to eat, she keeps high protein snacks on hand in order to keep her feeling full until the next snack attack. She also belly dances and this I can vouch for myself, it is a very good form of exercise. (Note: If you are a patient of Kaiser Permenante, they offer belly dancing classes now as a form of excercise). It is something to consider if salsa dancing isn’t available in your neck of the woods. She is a girl after my own heart because she also believes in playing, …

ocean and sun equal a happy me

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You might say I am a serious sun worshiper but often times unable to enjoy a sunny day, thanks to the fog in San Francisco. So when the sun is able to outwin the fog on oh probably only about five days out of the summer months, I run to the beach and try to spend an entire day enjoying the sun and the ocean. I usually pack an ice chest of goodies, such as fresh fruits, carrot sticks and humus dip and a bag of mini Oreo cookies (my favorite) as well as some music  (I-pod)  and I am there. Ocean Beach in San Francisco has come along way since I was a kid, they actually keep it clean and monitored throughout the day to make sure everyone’s experience is most enjoyable. Families often picnic on the sand and play in the water, dog owners walk their best friend along the beach, and tourists, in rolled up jeans and fancy shoes try to walk across the sand to the edge of the water in …

treat yourself at anthropologie

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Some stores may be intimidating or just not the right style for some woman, so they simply avoid going in for the fear of the unknown or the lack of interest in experiencing something new. In my opinion, all women need to experience  Anthropologie and if you happen to live  in a city or town or a country where there is an Anthropologie store near by, please consider going in and buying yourself something just for the fun of it. The store reminds me of  a cross between a French Provincial boutique with a hint of a shabby chic theme and although I am a fan of modern decor, I simply love walking through Anthropologie  and admiring all the colorful displays and products from ceiling to floor. I often buy myself a neatly wrapped bar of soap from France or a bizarre hook for my bathroom and even a costume jewelry piece with unique or unusual compilation of beads and colors stranded together. Kitchenware is also fun to look through and can be incorporated into any …

shoes for me – oh you shouldn’t have

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Shoe shopping has become a chore for me, now that I am in my 40’s. I swear every time I go to the mall, I hyperventilate when I need to shop for shoes because of  today’s Salvador Dali-ish approach to shoe design. But you know, one of the most amazing things happened to me the other day while I WASN’T actually shopping for shoes. I found a pair which I can actually wear in public and on my feet and be able to walk in them and actually feel sexy. Oh thank heaven, Virginia there is a Santa Claus!!! Anyway, the shoes are made by guess who? Guess of course and are only 98 or so U.S. dollars and you can find them at any retail store which carry the Guess shoe brand.  They felt comfortable, sexy and seem actually doable for about 2 or so hours outside the house. And ladies we all know that having a good pair of flats (please no flip flops or bare feet) on hand is always useful when …

my playground

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Going to my favorite playground for a week to kick off the 4th of July celebration and of course play tourist and a celebrity all wrapped up in one. I do this once or twice or even three times a year, it’s a fun and quick escape from it all, especially if you are on a budget. So, happy 4th Americans and for all the tourists visiting the U.S. this week, enjoy our version of Patriotism with bbq’s, fireworks and the old red, white and blue cupcakes and popsicles.

eat, pray, love in reference to the woman over 40

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Another one of  my favorite reads last year, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, is being made into a movie with Julia Roberts playing the lead role.  Although the true story is about a woman in her 30’s, Julia is portraying the role while in her 40’s, which in my opinion require much alteration and revision to the film to fit the make up of a 40 year old woman’s lifestyle.  I am not really sure how good the film will be but the book is a recommended read for any woman who hasn’t read it yet. The book can be considered a motivational book and although geared towards the woman in her 30’s, some of us beyond that decade can learn a few things from it here and there. The only downside for the woman over 40 is that, if she were to consider using the methods in the book to self discovery, she must be childless to accomplish the challenge. But either way, it is a solid book and since it is based on a …

step out of that sweatsuit

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I frequent malls and quant neighborhood streets with small shops and restaurants and I must say I can’t help myself get annoyed with women in their 40s wearing outdated or their daughters sweatsuits in public.  I don’t think women in their 40s should wear sweat suits in public but if they really really have to, then it’s best to consider the following: 1. Black pants, no purple, brite green or yellow please. 2. Full lenght preferred over capri style, unless of course you are having brunch with a friend immeidately after a brisk walk or run or a walk with your dog, otherwise avoid wearing any part of a sweat suit for any outings.   3. A zip up jacket rather than a fruit of the loom pullover with your college name or a midwestern town name printed across the front. 4. And finally a pair of tennis shoes, rather than a 3 inch pair of open toe shoes is much appreciated. Below are photos of what not to do and what to consider

penne with eggplant and parsley

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I know I said I wasn’t going to write down my own recipes in this blog, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to write recipes which I have used from various magazines throughout my life. Here is one of my favorites since I am a huge fan of eggplants, cheese of course and parsley. I can’t remember which recipe magazine I got it from but when I remember I will reference it accordingly. In the meantime you need the following items/ingredients: 1. One whole eggplant (medium size).  I use a large size because I love eggplants 2. Sausage: I use Jimmy Dean Spicy but you can use any sausage you want.  If you go with Jimmy Dean, you should only use half the packet unless you love a meaty pasta. **Note: sausage has to be ground, remove skin before cooking 3. One bunch parsley, again you can use whichever type parsley you like but I prefer the one in the photo. 4. One can stewed tomatoes, any brand, even homemade if you are into that sort of thing. I …

the art of walking

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Here is the thing, we all know we need some form of exercise in our life to stay healthy, especially when we are on the wrong side of 40. But since the “gym thing” or running a daily marathon is not my choice of exercise, I walk. I have always been a firm believer of walking and feel it is the best way of getting enough exercise without really hurting myself in the process. However, I also know that in order to get the most out of my walk, I must follow a few simple rules I created for myself. Walking everyday is ideal for me. I prefer a path with challenges along the way. Such as 50 or so steps to climb up, 500 yards total of some uphill and then downhill, a dirt road or sand paths to minimize unwarranted stress to my problematic knees and heels and finally a winding road or coarse to make the exercise more fun. The other thing I find helpful while walking, is changing the neighborhood everyday. I find that if I walk the neighborhood I …