2009 ALS Ride at Cinemaworld in Lincoln

Time is running out to reserve a bike for the 2009 ALS ride at Cinemaworld in Lincoln on 2/7!

A fellow Spinning instructor, Joe Goddard, is riding from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Saturday, February 7th. His personal goal is to raise $2000 for ALS!

In October of 2005, Jon Blais (Blazeman) became the first person with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) to finish an Ironman. He completed the 140.6 mile event (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) in 16.5 hours to honor all past and present PALS (people with ALS). As Blazeman "Kona Rolled" across the finish line in Hawaii, he challenged all endurance athletes to help find a cure for ALS. Please ride in support of Blazeman and all PALS on February 7, 2009.

There will be 10 bikes available with an instructor leading an hour long ride every 2 hours (starting at 8:30 AM). It's not too late to sign up for a ride or make a donation. If you can't make it to ride with us, you can donate at:

http://www.active.com/donate/SpinForALS/ri

Bikes are being loaned out from Spin-Works with the generosity of Peter Vasconcellos. Come and join us for the ride of your life!

New Year, Healthy Recipe

I must confess.  I'm a big fan of pasta.  And not just a little bowl.  A big bowl.  One of the changes that I'm making in the new year is to reduce my portion sizes.  That's a good way to still enjoy the foods that you love but not pack on the extra weight.  I came across this recipe in the February OXYGEN magazine and just had to try it.  It's a recipe for one of my favorite kind of meals -- you know -- the 'stick to the ribs' kind of recipe -- Spaghetti Bolognese.  Except this recipe has NO PASTA!  I was skeptical but I tried this recipe two weekends ago and loved it!  So here's the recipe:

SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOLOGNESE

(Ready in 30 minutes - 4 servings)

1 medium (2lb) spaghetti squash

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1.5 lbs. extra-lean ground turkey

1 jar (or can) of spaghetti sauce

1.  Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.  Place upside down in a microwave-safe baking dish, add about 1/4 inch of water and cover with plastic wrap.  Microwave for about 8 to 10 minutes or until a knife slips easily into squash.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet add oil and onion and let sweat over medium heat until onion turns translucent.  Add turkey and let cook, periodically chopping into crumbles with spatula.  Add spaghetti sauce and heat through.

3.  To serve, use a fork to scrape spaghetti squash out of shell and pour meat mixture over it.

440 calories per serving.

I substituted fresh mushrooms for the onions and also added some of my favorite spices and the recipe was delicious!  I found that it didn't leave me feeling bloated the way pasta often does.  This is a recipe that I know I will make again.  Hope you like it!

Enjoy!

Happy Healthy New Year!

Hello everyone!

2009 is a new year with new goals.  I don't believe in New Year's resolutions.  Often times, they are unrealistic, far too rigid, or quite possibly there is no thought as to a method of achieving them!  I'm using 2009 to make smaller changes that can be adapted to little by little.  

Your health should be one of your top priorities.  People who are busy (and some that are not so busy) will find every excuse in the book to put off doing something for your own personal health.  This is one of the worst things you can do!  Now - I don't mean that you need to be at the gym (or on a Spin bike!) every single day.  I mean doing SMALL things throughout your day to contribute to your health.  It could be as simple as...

• taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work
• selecting a healthy salad with grilled chicken for lunch (instead of a burger and fries!)
• shoveling your own driveway (instead of paying the kid next door to do it)

As a Spinning instructor, I've seen a trend in people losing weight when they first start working out.  After that first couple of months, they start to plateau.  No more weight loss, no more compliments from friends about the weight you've lost.  You take a Spinning class three times a week and the number on the scale isn't moving!  What am I doing wrong -- you ask? 

You do the same workout every week, expecting different results.  It's time for a change!  Try expanding your workout to include something you're not used to doing.  If you're a hardcore Spinning addict, try incorporating some weight training into your week -- or yoga, or pilates!  Be sure to pay attention to your body and notice how they will change your body.

So - what about if you already have a well-rounded variety in your workout and still aren't seeing the results that you'd like?  

Have you taken a look at your diet lately?  There's no better time than the present to evaluate your eating habits.  Have you thought about keeping a journal of everything you eat in order to get a realistic picture of how many calories you intake everyday?  

I hope that this blog encourages you to look at 2009 as a turning point in your health!  

Check back often for new posts.  I'm looking forward to feedback on your progress as well!  

Here's to your health!