Yoga Fit Level 1

To all my friends, family and fans,

I am so happy and excited to share my new of completing my Level 1 Yoga Fit. I'm already signed up for Level 2 in November! It brought such insight and strength to me as an individual that I really hope that I can pass it on to everyone else.

Your friend,
Shannon

What the weekend has in store....?

I hope that everyone burned off some additional calories this week, what with last weekend being Thanksgiving and all! I know I could feel a little extra "stuffing" in places that shouldn't have extra "stuff"!

I'm excited to be taking my Level 1 Yoga Fit Certification to propel myself and my knowledge in a new way. I still have a long way to go before I become a teacher but I'll get there.

Have a safe weekend!

GRILLED TOFU WITH BASIL PUREE OVER TUSCAN BEANS

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive-oil

1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Non-stick cooking spray

1 block of extra firm tofu

2 15.5 ounce cans white beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onions

1. In a food processor, combine the lemon juice, oil, 1 cup of basil leaves, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Puree until smooth; set aside.
2. Heat a grill pan to medium-high and mist with cooking spray. Hale one garlic clove and rub the tofu with its cut side. Season tofu with ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper. Grill 4 minutes per side.
3. Mince remaining garlic and saute in pan coated with non-stick spray over medium-low heat for 2 minutes; let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, combine the white beans, tomatoes, red onion, remaining salt and black pepper, and sauteed garlic. Tear up remaining basil and combine with bean mixture.
4. Divide beans among 1 plate and 3 Tupperware (for later meals) and top with tofu. Add basil puree and serve.

 For meat lovers use 1 pound 1 1/2-inch-thick sirloin steak cut into 4 portions.

Make sure that the red onion is fresh and used immediately.

Disservice to my clients

I would like to apologize to all my clients and followers for not staying up-to-date on my blog. I feel that I have done you a disservice, for that I am deeply sorry. I'm back, online and still here for you, even if I don't blog. ;)

I'm totally booked for the October Boot Camp which makes me happy to know that people see the benefits of exercise and health! I hope to expand my studio for 2012 so I can service more people in the winter season.

Yours in health,
Shannon

Setting up the perfect squat!

I can't stand when I'm at Maxximum and I see someone doing an improper squat; it drives me BATTY! When your form and technique is wrong, your not achieving the full benefits of the exercise. Here are some tips for the perfect squat.

• Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width apart, slightly, NOT sumo;
• Make sure the barbell is placed on the meaty part of your traps, NOT on your spine;
• Hold barbell in hands, lightly and start thinking about the descend (Visualize that there is a chair behind you that you are trying to sit down and back onto);
• As you go back and down, keep the weight in your heels and make sure to NOT let your knees come past your toes (as you come down, its a count of 2);
• Make sure you come low enough that your thighs are parallel to the floor and that you are still placing the weight in the heels, DO NOT LET YOUR HEELS COME UP!
• Once you reach parallel, press evenly and fluidly back to the start position through your HEELS, NOT TOES (come up to a count of 1 but fluid not jerky).

Coming nice and deep in the squat will really target those quads (upper thigh) and glutes (buttock). Pay close attention to your form and you'll have an amazing ASSets!

Falling off the wagon, man is it hard to get back on.

After the week of being sick before we went away, going away and then getting the sinus infection when we got back; I gotta say getting back on track has been hard. See everyone, no one is invincible, even trainers. I have started back to the regular program and I can tell you my down day will be St. Patty's, well because it's St. Patty's! That's my cheat and then back at it. I am looking forward to training with Scott on Saturday...eeeekkkkkk! He will seriously kick my ass but it'll be fun!

I hope that you are all having a great week and I will let you know how Saturday goes, if I survive?!

I'm back...in a couple of days.

Hey Everyone,

I am sorry that I have been MIA since Monday but when I returned home, I got a sinus infection, my daughter got bronchitis and my husband had something but wouldn't go to the doctors. We are just getting over it and I plan to be in full swing by Monday. We have March break, so things will be a little up and down but we'll get it sorted. I hope everyone has been well and I'll keep you posted this week.

Cheers,
Shannon