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On Sunday, I had the first Sugar Workshop of the year, and boy did I enjoy it.

This is a topic near and dear to me. And then to top it off, a client, I will call S, came in after the class for a “tune up”.

Client S, is a rare soul, who gave up pies, cookies, cakes, and candy for almost six years. Six years. Just imagine that for a moment!! I really admire her. For her, these things are like drugs and she is wise to just think,” not for me.”

Well, several changes happened in her life at once, and she found herself,
eating pies, cookies, cakes and candy. Not just one particular thing, or brand, but whatever was available. Client S is also very fit, and enjoys doing circuitry classes at her gym. A circuitry class includes jump roping, squats, and push ups.

I asked her, “What is the worst thing about being back on sugar?”

Her answer, “I feel sluggish and tired. My body is not as responsive.”

Who eats a candy bar to feel sluggish?

Isn’t it interesting that we associate treats as “pick me ups,” and that ultimately, they have exactly the opposite effect? Most of us will notice a DRAMATIC increase in our energy, after just a few days without sugar.

Try it………

The next class is Feb 10th, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

http://www.health-through-hypnosis.com/classes

Dr. Mercola, has an incredible website for health information. Now, he has taken to answering questions about health, on a webcan. A recent question was, “Does hypnosis work for weight loss?” He is an esteemed doctor, and his answer, is music to my ears.

Check it out::::
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pFf-2etm1g

We are heading into the middle of January and “my gym”, Allstar Fitness in Seattle, is as busy as ever. Yesterday I felt lucky to get the last bike in the 5PM spinning class. Two weeks ago, my daughter and I didn’t get a bike at all, and upstairs, we were only able to snag a recumbent bike. My twenty-year old finds it fun to see me try to keep up, which of course I am, and the delusion is wonderful!!!
On Wednesday, January 17th, I am going to teach a class called, “It’s All in your Head”, featuring a deeply relaxing meditation, with hypnotic techniques. Eric Davies, the fitness director is very elegant and clever, and I relish the opportunity to create some mental fun around this “getting in shape stuff”. Take a look at all of the classes he offers: http://www.trumba.com/calendars/allstar_west_seattle
I started back in September, after taking a FULL YEAR, of telling myself, that once I started again, it would be my lifestyle.

In December, my friend, the very fit Darcy Birkeland, gave me the book, Younger Next Year, for Women, by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D. This is chock full of ideas about how to think differently.

Not only do we need our fruit picking-heart rate, we need to hunt down a lion, to really wake up our bodies. This high gear makes us feel younger, and we want to keep this high gear, for the fun stuff. Of course, I have grossly abbreviated the message. Suffice it to say, I am now going to the gym, to chase “whatever my imagination chooses”.

Sometimes, I prefer to be chased, and I let myself get caught!!! LOL

Spinning is fun, fun, fun. You can be in the front with the century riders, or you can be in the back, next to someone fresh from surgery. Wherever you are, GO AT YOUR OWN PACE, and choose to use your imagination, get lost in the music, and work up a sweat. It is wonderfully addictive.

My craving for this usually begins at Thanksgiving. No matter how little, or much, I am responsible for the “big dinner”, I will make a fruit salad. I want it right beside the mashed potatoes, for contrast.

Now in January, after record setting rains, high winds, cold weather and days of nothing that resembles a beach, I want fruit salad.

I encourage you to join me. You may, like me, get a reputation as being a healthy cook, when in reality, all you are doing, is exercising your ability to cut up fruit, while inhaling pleasantries.

The first ingredient: A pineapple.

It needs to feel just slightly soft, yet be solid, and when you can easily pull out one of the leaves, it is ripe. If you pick up and smell it, you will really look like you know what you are doing.

Then choose some hard apples, granny smiths and braeburns are both good choices. You need two or three.

And then several large naval oranges. Produce people are amongst the friendliest in the world and they love it when you ask, “Which are _____are the best right now?”

You want the oranges to feel heavy for their size and the skins to not be too thick,’but don’t be shy, ask a produce person?

You want this salad to last a few days, so choice your next fruits carefully. Pears are good, but they need to be a little firm, or they will become mushy.

Seedless grapes are good.

Frozen rasperries work, but only if you are willing to have a red salad.

Pomegranate seeds are fun.

Make this salad to please yourself. Choose a container that allows you to notice your fruit salad when you open the refrigerator.
Begin by cutting off the top of the pineapple and then cutting off the rough outsides.

Then cut it in half from the top, and make the HUGE decision about how large or small
you want your pineapple pieces to be. You will want to cut out some of the core, unless you enjoy a really LONG chew.

There is going to be pineapple juice all over the cutting board, and you will forget that it is winter.

Then just keep cutting to your heart’s content. This is so relaxing.

The orange smells like heaven and there is juice everywhere.

You can stir your salad lightly as you make it; the color and textures are mesmerizing.

The best part is when you open the refrigerator the next day and there it is!!!

Picking through the tastes, colors and textures is so satisfying.

You can throw some plain yogurt on the top and a little bit of granola.

Life is good.

At the gym today, where I get my best ideas, I was thinking about the bean soup we are enjoying at my house today. Beans are a tradition for the New year in many cultures and as we were eating, I was musing about the beginnings and reasons for this custom.

My modern mind clings to the idea that after all of the “richness of holiday food” I am ready for the simplicity of a bean soup. “Roto rooter” comes to mind. I imagine everything about my body is happy to recieve the benefits of beans.

I decided not to persue the history of beans for New Years, because I am afraid that a simple search may lead me to one exciting site after another. Such a search may even lead me to forget to what I was looking for, and why!!!!! Better that I spend my time sharing with you how to make the easiest and most delicious healthy soup.

• 20oz bag of 16 bean Soup Mix
• 1 large can of tomatoes
• 2 Bay leaves
• several cloves of chopped garlic
• chili powder
• several chili peppers
• lemon
• onion to taste

Even if you think you do not know how to cook, you can make this.

Pour the beans into a pot big ernough to accomadate them and water two inches higher than the beans. Turn the burner up to high. Boil this mess for two to three minutes.

Let it set for an hour or longer.

Drain off the icky water, lessening your chance of flatulence by a large margin.

Add fresh water and cook the beans with two bay leaves (they grow outside here in the Northwest) until the beans are soft.

You can pull some out with a spoon and blow on them. If the skin separates, you are ready for the next step.
Get out the blender. Throw in a lg can of tomatoes and however much onion you want.

Now here is a bit a truth because I am a terrible liar, but I put the tomatoes and onions in the blender becasue my youngerst daughter will pick out both, especially the onions. She hates onions. Well she thinks she hates onions. At dinner she told me again how much she loved the soup I made her. Feeling a twinge of guilt I said, “You know Haley, there were onions in there.” She said, “I just picked them out.” I ended the conversation.

Blending the tomatoes and onions makes the soup pretty!

Add this to the beans along with a few whole chili peppers. (If you do not have access to the whole dried chili use more chili powder). Throw in some chili powder dependant on your desire for spicy and the same goes for the chopped garlic. I used about five cloves but this is totally to taste.

Cook this on a moderately low heat for about thirty minutes. Add salt and lemon juice to taste. Like all soup this one is going to taste better one it has cooled and then reheated. Pick out the bay leaves and chili peppers before you eat it.
Enjoy!