health

Feldenkrais

The instructors as Personal Euphoria all enjoy movement and finding new ways to learn about our bodies. Last week we got together to try the Feldenkrais Method of Movement. Margo Henneback came to instruct us.

We had a wonderful time. Feldenkrais, from my understanding, is about body awareness and learning how it feels to move your body in different ways. We spent the majority of the workshop moving our pelvis in different directions (up and down, left and right, and circling).

The more I learn about the body, the more I come to find that there is no wrong or right way to move the body. It can and desires to move in all different ways. Trying different modalities helps you to discover ways your body likes to move. It is important to maintain mobility in whatever method your find that your body enjoys.

FeldenkraisMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:57-04:00

New Exercise

We usually have more time on the weekends so it’s a good time to try something new. This weekend, try a new type of exercise. Let us know how it goes.

Here are some classes you may not have tried:

1) Yoga
2) Kick Boxing
3) Swing Dancing
4) Indoor Rock Climbing
5) Tai Chi
6) Swimming
7) Pole Dancing
8) Fluidity

Let the word “exercise” be very broad and pick an activity you think will be fun and get you moving.

New ExerciseMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:35:28-04:00

Best Dessert in Town

Oh My GOD! You may not expect to find a link to a dessert place on a fitness blog, but if you are going to eat dessert you want it to be good. Plus, Vida Doce Pastry Shop in Newington, which I tried last weekend is a small business. As a small business owner I like to support small places, especially when they are good. No, not good, fantabulous–that’s not a word, but that’s the best way to describe Vida Doce.

I couldn’t decide what to get, but went with a brownie and hot chocolate. I couldn’t finish. It was delicious and very rich.

It would be a great place to spend an afternoon with some friends and share a couple desserts. I went with two people. We each ordered something different and none of us could eat it all. The portions are good and the prices really reasonable.

Best Dessert in TownMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:35:28-04:00

Beat the Winter Blues

It’s February and though we haven’t gotten much snow the winter doldrums have certainly set in. The best way to stay happy throughout the winter is to change your mindset–make winter fun.

When I was a kid my mom gave me great advice. One piece of advice she gave was that if someone ever teases you act like you don’t care. They won’t get any satisfaction out of it and they won’t tease you. It was totally effective. Treat winter the same way.

When it does snow have a snowball fight, go sledding, build a snow man.

Go a little further north and go skiing or cross country skiing. Go ice skating. Bundle up and go for a hike in your favorite state park.

Get a group of friends together for game night and have some fun. Have a fire.

Whatever you do, don’t let the winter stop you!

Beat the Winter BluesMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:35:28-04:00

Healthier Grilled Cheese

I love grilled cheese. I love almost anything that involves cheese, but I don’t really like butter–I’m lucky that way. I can eat butter in mashed potatoes or in pie crust, but I don’t add it to my food and don’t like it on toast. So when I order a muffin or a grilled cheese and it comes smothered in butter, I’m always disappointed. Nothing can ruin a good pancake for me like butter.

For years I’ve been making my own grilled cheese in olive oil, but it’s not right. I’ve never been happy with it, and then last night I had a thought. It seemed brilliant at the time, but now it seems fairly obvious. Here’s what I did to make a delicious grilled cheese and cut out some of the sat fat. And it really was yummy.

Recipe for Healthier Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

2-3 Slices Cheese (I use white Land-0-Lakes American Cheese, sliced thin)
2 Slices of Good Bread (something with flavor like an oat of a nut bread)
1 Tomato (if you are so inclined […]

Healthier Grilled CheeseMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:25-04:00