How much money have you spent on trying to look better and younger? I have 2 tips to help you spend less by finding products that really work at the BEST PRICE.  Here are the top 2 things I've found recently:

1) I used to try every new skin care product that I thought would help, switching with every fad, and spending upwards of $500 per year on skincare.  That was until I discovered Paula Begoun, the cosmetic cop.  Her no-nonsense approach to skin care, researching books rated each line's product on efficacy and price and allowed me to cut way back on spending.

Eventually, frustrated by the cosmetic industry's exploitation of women, she formulated her own line of skin care and makeup.  I now use a mixture of her products and the ones she recommends and my skin is healthy and looks great.  AND, I now spend less than $200 per year on skin and body care.  My absolute favorite products from her body care line include the shaving gel (which my husband and I both use) and skin relief treatment (helpful for rashes and redness after shaving or tweezing). 

She recently released a new report on anti-aging products,  "Anti-Aging Superstars"  where she outlines the top ingredients that have a real impact on skin's functioning and appearance, along with the best products that contain them.  I found this report to be very informative and useful in helping me choose the skin care regimen to keep my face in the best shape I can.

2) I also used to try lots of different makeup to find which one worked best for me.  MAC, Bobby Brown, Clinique - I have used them all.  But then my hair stylist Renee introduced me to Jane Iredale cosmetics and I was sold.  These mineral-based cosmetics are of the highest quality and are excellent for covering wrinkles and skin imperfections.  I wear the feathery mineral powder every time I teach Nia, and love how it stays in place even when I sweat. Now, in my opinion it's not cheap, but I use so little product that it lasts for up to a year for me. AND, Renee will do a FREE consultation on you if you call her. 

Bonus tip:  I recently tried Heel Tastic - the stick for dry, cracked heels - and WOW!  My feet are completely different!  No cracks, no dryness, and I love the smell!  I purchased mine at Sally Beauty Supply for $6, but I think you can find it at most drugstores.  I'll save you having to watch the truly gross videos of other people's feet - here's a link to more info on it. 

        

 

Now that the New Year is underway and the gyms are packed with people with good intentions, don’t you wonder what happens by the end of February when 50% of those people have disappeared?  It is GREAT to start the New Year with a new exercise plan and motivation to “really stick to it” this year.  But then, somehow, life happens and we tend to end up back in the same routine, blowing off working out because we’re tired or have to work late or can’t make time.  I know that when life gets crazy, the first thing I do is quit going to yoga.  And I KNOW that doing yoga makes me feel much better when life gets crazy.  How crazy is that?

So, if you’d still like to be doing your exercise routine by the time March rolls around, here are few tips from people who successfully stick to a routine:

1. Always exercise on Monday – it sets the tone for the rest of the week.

2. Never skip working out for more than 2 days.  You can skip for one day or two, but more than that and it’s too hard to get back in the saddle.

3. Find a workout that inspires more than just your body.  There are many ways to move your body, but a workout that inspires your spirit and is fun for you is one you are more likely to stick with.

4. Exercise frequently.  Similar to #2 above, if you are only exercising once or twice a week, you are probably overcoming a LOT of inertia to make it happen.  Try to do something most days, and it will become much easier.  At least 4 times per week.

5. Something is better than nothing. On days when I REALLY don’t feel like exercising, I just put on my running shoes and I tell myself that I’ll run for 10 minutes and if I don’t feel differently I’ll stop.  After 10 minutes I always feel better and want to keep going.  Similarly, if you are injured, find something else to do that you can do while your body heals.  Anything is also better than nothing.

6. Create a routine that works for you.  If you are too exhausted at the end of the day to exercise, then do it at lunch or first thing.  If President Obama can do it, so can you.

7. Start a Pleasure Journal – what?  Yep – journal about the pleasure you receive from exercising every time you do.  If you don’t receive pleasure from your exercise routine, then you might want to re-think it.  Review your journal entries when you don’t feel like exercising for inspiration.

These are just some tips that work for others. What helps you stick to your exercise routine? Please share your comments with this community!

 

        

Nia Plus are the Saturday classes with an added Relaxation segment at the end.  Many of you have asked me for the music I use, so here are some recent songs I've included:

Song	Time	Artist	Album
Lost	3:42	Anouk	Hotel New York
Calling All Angels	5:17	Jane Siberry	In Search Of Angels
Fix You	4:55	Coldplay	X & Y
Yellow	3:38	Vitamin String Quartet	The String Quartet Tribute to Coldplay
This Woman's Work	4:00	Maxwell	Now
Hard Times	3:46	Eastmountainsouth	Eastmountainsouth
Gravity (Live)	5:10	Sara Bareilles	Between the Lines: Sara Bareilles Live At the Fillmore
Om Namah Shiviya / Thy Will Be Done	9:32	Donna De Lory	Sanctuary
Beautiful	2:45	Me'Shell Ndegeocello	Bitter

        

Who wouldn’tlike cookies at breakfast?  Well, theseare good for you, can be made vegan, and are being posted by popular demandfrom the participants of the 52 Moves Nia Workshop.

These oversized cookies are more likemuffin tops, but calling them cookies makes them seem a bit more indulgent.They're chock-full of exercise-friendly ingredients like dried fruit and nuts.They're ideal with a glass of skim milk for breakfast after a morning workout.

 

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1"cookie")

Ingredients

   3/4  cup  packed brown sugar

   1/4  cup  butter, melted (or you can use Earth Balance Vegan Spread)

   2  large eggs (or you can use Egg Replacer, available at health food stores)

   1/4  cup  finely chopped dried figs

   1/4  cup  sweetened dried cranberries

   1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

   1  cup  all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)

   1/2  cup  whole wheat flour (about 2 1/3 ounces)

   1/2  cup  unprocessed bran (about 1 ounce)

   1/2  teaspoon  baking soda

   1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

    1/4 teaspoon  ground allspice

   1/4  cup  sliced almonds

   2  teaspoons  granulated sugar

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a largebowl. Stir in chopped figs, cranberries, and vanilla.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuringcups; level with a knife. Combine flours, bran, baking soda, cinnamon, andallspice, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirringjust until moist. Gently fold in almonds.

Drop by level 1/4 cup measures 4 inchesapart on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle evenly withgranulated sugar. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until almost set. Cool 2minutes on pans. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

 

Nutritional Information

Calories:  211 (31% from fat)

Fat: 7.1g (sat 3.3g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.8g)

Protein: 4.5g

Carbohydrate:  33.2g

Fiber: 3.4g

Cholesterol:  54mg

        

From time to time I’d like to share some of my all-time favorite recipes with a couple of caveats:

1.     I’m no chef – I’m NOT a great cook, but I love great food.  Therefore, I only prepare recipes that are easy and taste great.

2.     I’m NOT on the Cleanse all the time. Therefore, I eat low fat and mostly vegetarian, but these recipes are NOT from the Cleanse. For those, you need to download my Cleanse Guide.

Okay, so the other day I saw Rocco Di Spirito on Rachel Ray, and I paused (only because he’s cute – Rachel Ray annoys me for some reason.)  He was promoting his new book on healthy comfort food recipes and made onion rings on her show. They looked awesome, and I remembered that I have an easier recipe for low-fat onion rings that ROCKS, so I’m sharing it with you.

Ingredients

2 large onions, sliced ¼ inch thick, rounds separated

1 cup buttermilk

Nonstick cooking spray

½ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

4 egg whites, beaten

1 ½ cups cornflake crumbs (you can find them in the baking aisle)

 

Directions

Mix onion rings with buttermilk in a large, shallow bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet (you might need more than 1) with cooking spray.

Combine flour, paprika, and salt in a shallow small bowl.

Put egg whites in a second shallow bowl and cornflake crumbs in a third.

Dip each onion ring in the flour, egg, and cornflake crumbs.

Place each onion ring on the baking sheet.

Spritz onion rings with cooking spray before baking.

Bake15 minutes until brown.

 

        

Do you wish your life had a “control-alt-delete” feature so you could just reboot and start over?  If you feel you need or want a reset button or a life-sized “do-over,” this is the blog for you. Ironically, you probably won’t read what you’d expect, regardless of what kind of reset you’d like – physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual.  It doesn’t take more discipline, or another diet, or another self-help book, or another new exercise regimen to reset your life. 

After years of trying all these things in an attempt to reset my life or try again every New Year, I have discovered that what works best for me is a step back –or out- of the routine of my life.  And, I have also discovered that the best way to step back and out of the routine of my life is to temporarily change my eating habits by upgrading my diet for 7 to 14 days.  I have found that since eating is a physical, mental, emotional, and sometimes spiritual practice, that eating more mindfully has a profound effect on each of these realms.  And at the end of the 7 to 14 days, I always have more clarity on what is sustainable, healthy, and true for me in each of these realms.  I always end up upgrading my life.

So, I know I have written many times about The Cleanse as a way to eat healthier, and lose weight, but it also serves to increase clarity and vitality quicker than anything else I’ve tried.  If you want to feel BETTER FAST, this is certainly the best way I’ve discovered.  And although many people have told me that it sounds so EXTREME, it really isn’t!  Believe me, I LOVE food and do not like to GO HUNGRY!  If you’ve been holding out or are afraid to try The Cleanse, give yourself permission to do it IMPERFECTLY.  Meaning, instead of cutting out all caffeine, reduce your intake by half.  Do it however you can do it.  Any attempt will enhance your quality of life and be an act of kindness and compassion to living on this planet (in terms of sustainable eating.)  Find your way to be successful and stretch yourself just a bit.  It’s about progress, not perfection.

I don’t know of a better way to start a New Year or to start over.  And, I would love to support you - send me an email at scirihal@hotmail.com.  You can learn more about The Cleanse here.

        

If you have set a goal to lose weight in 2010, and are starting or re-starting a diet and/or fitness plan, there’s one crucial thing you can do to significantly increase your chances for success.  It’s simple, effective, and quick; however it’s likely that you’ve never done it before now. If you don’t want to be one of those people who lose steam after a few weeks of motivation, learn how to keep yourself focused and motivated once the newness wears off. 

One crucial way to do this is to keep your reasons for losing weight front and center in your mind. You may be thinking, how will I ever forget why I wanted to do this?  But you’d be surprised how easily we forget when there’s tempting food around. Then, sabotaging thoughts jump in – have you ever had any of these?

• I don’t think dieting is worth it
• This is too hard
• I don’t think I really want to do this

Without a clear way to counter these sabotaging thoughts, it is likely that at some point you will give up on your goal, stray from your diet, and stop losing weight. So, to combat sabotaging thoughts in difficult circumstances, start right now by making a list of all the reasons why you want to lose weight. Here are the reasons I used in my own weight loss:

1.     I’ll feel better physically.

2.     I’ll look better.

3.     I’ll enjoy shopping for clothes.

4.     I’ll have more energy.

5.     I’ll be able to wear more stylish clothes.

6.     I’ll  do more things (like go to the beach).

7.     I’ll be happier when I look in the mirror.

8.     I’ll live longer.

9.     I’ll be more fit.

10.  I’ll enjoy sex more.

11.  I’ll be in better health.

12.  I’ll feel more in control.

13.  I’ll increase my self esteem.

14.  I’ll be able to wear a smaller size.

You can use some of mine, and be sure to add your own.  What you want is a compelling list of your reasons, in order of priority to you. 

Then, transfer this to a piece of paper or index card  that you carry with you at all times. Commit to reading your list at least 2 times every day, and anytime you find yourself struggling with sticking to your plan.  I read my list before each meal,so it was fresh in my mind every time I ate. I carried my list with me to parties and friends’ houses to use prior to eating.  There were many times when the only reason I didn’t over-indulge was the strength I gained from reading my list.  It helped me say to myself, “As much as I want to eat this right now, losing weight is more important to me.” 

Help yourself to stick to what’s important to you instead of beating yourself up when you don’t.

        

Happy and safe holidays to all....  Here is the playlist from the Nia Canta Gratitude class a couple of weeks ago.

Song	Time	Artist	Album
Thank You for Hearing Me	6:25	Sinead O’Connor	Universal Mother
Soar	4:45	Christina Aguilera	Stripped
Somptin Hapnin (Water In Me)	10:32	Adham Shaikh	Canta
Sufani	5:33	Gaudi	Canta
Stand	4:26	Taylor Dayne	Naked Without You
Back to the Earth	5:27	Rusted Root	When I Woke
Greatest Gift	4:24	Tina Arena	Don't Ask
Everything (iTunes Originals Version)	4:35	Alanis Morissette	iTunes Originals - Alanis Morissette
Ave Maria	5:17	Josh Groban	Noël

        

I just have to share this inspiring guest performance from, "So You Think You Can Dance,"  as to me it perfectly illustrates the Nia principle of Music, Movement, Magic (the perfect combination of music and movement creates true magic).  Their dance is a mesmerizing blend of  musicality, acrobatics, and synchronization.  Presenting the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers...

        

Here's the inspirational playlist from the Nia class on Saturday, November 14th, taught by Sarah Webster:

Song	Artist
I Heard It Through The Grapevine	Michael McDonald
Sol Tapado	Thievery Corporation
I Need Your Love	MBmusic
I Gotta Believe	Honey Soundtrack (Yolanda Adams)
Stand	Taylor Dayne
I'm In Heaven	Universal Funk
Get It Together	Seal
Back to the Earth	Rusted Root
Jump	Madonna
Waiting on the World to Change	John Mayer
Shores of Avalon	Tina Malia