Trick Those Muscles, it’s Beach Season!
Posted by Monica | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, fitness, life
There are many different styles and beliefs when it comes to the what, where, how, and for how long in the gym in order to see results that will last. This is my personal take on the different forms and what I have found to be most effective. I have written other blogs on the different methods of working out, however for this blog, this is more about the time we spend in the gym and what we do with that time to make it the most effective.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan shows a healthy respect for fireworks, more
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Health Care Reform, Royal Oak, drinks, events, fitness, food, life, marketing, people
Detroit’s Riverfront was awash in revelers Monday night for the much-anticipated Target Fireworks display. And The Urbane Life was lucky enough to be invited to what we imagine had to be the best party on the block. The Flip Floppin Summer VIP Rooftop Party atop the Miller Garage next to the Renaissance Center set us front and center for all the action.
While the main event – presented by Charter One and sponsored by (our host) Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, The Parade Company and WDIV – featured a midway full of games like guitar hero, Wii Bowling and basketball, celebrity-spotting, tents full of top-notch cuisine and cocktails galore, we were there to learn about an even greater cause.
For the second year, BCBSM unveiled its Detroit edition of The Biggest Loser - a local version of the national weight loss and health-focused competition. The fireworks bash served as grand scale kick-off for a successful effort that started last year.
In 2009, BCBSM tracked six local contestants as they lost a staggering 300 pounds total last fall. The group worked with Blues wellness coaches who helped them meet weekly weight loss goals and guided them through programs that focused on proper nutrition and exercise. Farmington Hills resident Marilyn Kluka won the contest – and the honor of riding on the BCBSM float in the Thanksgiving Day parade last year.
According to Andrew Hetzel, vice president of corporate communications for BCBSM, the insurance company has been a longtime partner with The Parade Company. Together they had been trying to come up with an idea that would promote wellness and make use of a float in the parade. “It was a great opportunity to partner with The Parade Company,” he said. “Everyone was excited about it.”
The intention, Hetzel said, was to create a contest that would be “visible, relevant and meaningful.” The results and response encouraged BCBSM to repeat the competition again this year. Applicants can go to ClickonDetroit.com for a chance to participate.
Six finalists will be announced at an upcoming kick-off event at Parade Company headquarters and 11 weeks of competition will follow. Competitors will be screened by physicians and then BCBSM wellness coaches will work with them to create a diet and exercise plan that’s customized.
Who should try out? “People who really want to transform themselves should take the challenge,” said Hetzel. “It’s a very public venue. You have to be able to say ‘I’m going to go on television and be very visible about what I’m doing.’”
Ken Dallafior, senior vice president of group sales and corporate marketing, is a major proponent of The Biggest Loser: Detroit edition program. He noted that it’s an important initiative, especially in our state.
“The level of obesity is off the charts,” he said. “There’s a loss of productivity.” He estimated that obesity costs our health care system $145 billion every year. Programs like this one aim to “get people healthy, and get people moving. That’s really important,” added Dallafior.”
To learn more, visit http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org or follow @healthiermi and @bcbsmnews on Twitter.
Here are a few more shots of the festivities from Monday night:
We didn't exactly go hungry waiting for the fireworks.
We might've indulged in Just Baked cupcakes
We channeled our inner rock star
Spotted Jackson Rathbone of 'Twilight' fame | Photo courtesy of Shannon Paul
**Please note that The Urbane Life was graciously invited to attend this event by @shannonpaul and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and costs were covered by the company.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and theUrbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter at@UrbaneLife
Tags: Andrew Hetzel, BCBSM, Biggest Loser Detroit, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Flip Floppin Summer VIP Rooftop Party, Target Fireworks, The Parade Company, Urbane, Urbane Life, WDIV
ENERGY DRINKS: friend or foe
Posted by Monica | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, drinks, fitness
Hi my name is Monica and I’m an addict. Addicted to energy drinks that is! It’s no secret to those who know me that I love my energy- naturally and canned that is, but recently I have given myself a much needed detox . After doing some research on how many others are out there, the benefits, risks, and opinions, it’s only fitting I would write about it and get the readers opinion as I am sure almost every one of you has tried a red bull, spike, or a redline or two.
Some of the caffeine culprits:
Red-bull
Monster
Spike
Pros:
- Caffeine found in energy drinks improves strength , accelerates the burning of fat, and can enhance your performance.
- Taurine, which is found in several of these drinks appears to increase metabolism and decrease muscular fatigue
- Sugar is also a main ingredient found in these drinks. Since glucose is the body’s preferred source of fuel, and since most sugar is converted to glucose this will give you fuel.
Cons:
- The sugar found in these drinks will give you that initial energy; however you will most likely crash down shortly after.
- Caffeine can have adverse effects and increase your blood pressure as well as give you irregular heart patterns if taken in too high of doses.
- Your adrenal glands will build a tolerance for the caffeine and therefore you will need to take higher doses to get the same energy.
Alternately another NATURAL energy enhancer is green tea, acai berry, or ginseng. I think I will give those a shot for a few weeks and weigh out the effects of the type of energy I get and sustain.
When I look at the pro’s and con’s myself, I am not going to lie I will continue to drink energy drinks, but I think in lower doses are the smarter way to go.
This Urbane Life post brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments who also bring you the Urbane Lobby!
Tags: Energy Drinks, Red Bull
Weights v.s Cardio…..and the winner is?
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, life, trends, uncategorized
As a personal trainer, I get asked this question a lot so I thought I would shed some insight into my personal opinion having been in the industry and gone through weight loss myself. When I first started working out really hard after high school I went with the cardio only, but after a while I felt I was missing out and boy was I right.
Cardio will help you to lose weight but it won’t magically tone you up the way that weights will. However just doing the weights is not the key either. From my experience and studying in this field, both are crucial.
Once I began to incorporate the weights in with the cardio and proper eating things really started to transform. There are so many different training methods out there but the majority has in common a combination of cardio and strength training. The more lean muscle you have the less room there is for fat and the more daily calories your metabolism will naturally burn. Here is a brief explanation of why this is so:
What Cardio does: Aids in fat burning, gets the blood flowing, and maintains a healthy heart.
What Strength Training does: Builds muscle, aids in fat loss, increases metabolism, and more.
It does not take rocket science but it does take a smart, realistic, PROGRESSIVE PLAN. You can’t go into a fitness plan thinking you are going to get from A-Z, it has to be something attainable and that means Cardio, weights, and nutrition combined.
Super Snack!
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, food, uncategorized
Power Parfait
You want the dessert but not all the calories right? Well here you go! This happens to be one of my favorite dessert recipes that is easy to make (it takes less than 10 minutes). You will get your sweet tooth fix (the sugar from the fruit), and your crunch fix while getting over 20 grams of protein! So check out the recipe below, and try it out yourself, let me know if you like it as much as I do!
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup ready to eat oatmeal
¼ cup of strawberries
¼ cup of blueberries
1 kiwi (optional)
8 oz plain non-fat Greek yogurt
In a large glass combine all the ingredients in different layers and enjoy!
Indulge in spa specials in April
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, fitness, life, trends
When the group-gets-a-deal site Groupon.com kicked into gear around Metro Detroit recently, I was excited to see what all the hype was about. I logged in for free and now receive daily messages detailing available discounts of at least 50 percent at metro area businesses. I’ve seen everything from rock climbing to smoothies available for a steal. My first Groupon experience - a full hour long Swedish massage at Revolution Wellness Center in Shelby Township was a hit. Last weekend, I paid $25 for a relaxing service that retails for $60. I left feeling refreshed and ready to start the week.
Today’s deal sounds equally as appealing. Those interested in slendering down before bikini weather officially hits may want to purchase a Groupon for Instafirm Body Wraps – the $125 service in Troy is going for $55 but you have to act fast!
If Groupon just isn’t your thing, but you’re looking for an affordable spa treatment - for you or to give as a gift – Birmingham-based Avalon Salon & Spa has announced it’s April deal. And it’s a good one.
Make an appointment Monday-Friday in April and you’re eligible for an hour-long Swedish massage and an hour-long Replenishing Facial for a total of $110. It regularly costs $160. I can say from previous experience the Replenishing Facial is one of the most comforting spa experiences around. I’m a sucker for an Aveda concept salon, too, so to me, the natural plant-based products smell heavenly.
Do you have a favorite area spa or spa service? Tell me about it.
Tags: Avalon Salon & Spa, Birmingham, deal, discount, Groupon, Instafirm Body Wrap, Replenishing Facial, Revolution Wellness Center, Shelby Township, Swedish massage, Troy
My Fav Salad- A must try!
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, food, uncategorized
I have been teaching and training a lot over the last month, so to be honest salads have not been my selection of choice for food as I am craving the COMPLEX carbs ….. ladies and gentlemen, remember:
CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY!
So I thought it would be a nice change of pace to lighten my load for my meal and make on of my absolute favorite salads the Chicken Walnut (caramelized optional) pear salad. There are a lot of variations in this recipe, you can add all kinds of fruit, switch up the protein source (tuna instead of chicken perhaps). The best parts are that it’s easy to make, taste’s amazing, leaves you full, and it will help you lean up while still giving you your protein:) So go ahead read below, try it, and LET ME KNOW IF YOU LOVE IT AS MUCH AS I DO:)
*red or green leaf lettuce, washed and cut into pieces/purple cabbage optional (crunchy and great for you!)
ADDED INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 cups red grapes
3 tablespoons crumbled walnuts
4 pears, thinly sliced or cubed (peeling is optional)
2 breasts of chopped cooked Chicken/ other source of protein
Dressing: olive oil and red wine vinegar / Raspberry vinaigrette
Salad:
1. Toss the lettuce, grapes and pears with the dressing into a large bowl.
2. Add the chopped walnuts, feta cheese, pears and any other remaining ingredients.
Serve and enjoy!!!!
Yawning:Monkey See-Monkey do…
Posted by Monica | Filed under Health Care Reform, fitness, life, people, uncategorized
Ever wonder why when we see someone yawn, then repeat it, even if we aren’t tired why that is? Is this something conscious or subconscious?
This became the topic of conversation the other day between a couple of friends and myself, so I began to observe it throughout the next few days. Every time someone would yawn (like for example in the elevator) one or two would follow with a yawn of their own. I looked into this further and checked up on a few studies,articles, websites,etc and found the following ….
Yawning is believed to be mostly an UN CONSCIOUS signal and/or action.
When someone yawns, it’s signal creates a response that passes through your“mirror-neuron system,” because it contains a special type of brain cell that become active both when their owner does something, and when he or she senses someone else doing the same thing- (from the World Science of study 05′).
Several other studies I found had similar back and fourth theories, but NONE of them have any conclusive evidence as to WHAT causes this. Apparently there is a response that is automatic within our brains, but to this day- researcher are still scratching their heads to figure out the how and why.
So there you have it, the next time someone brings this up (as it seems to be a common topic for some reason)we know that it is subconciously contagious- we just don’t know why ?!?!…. oy,all of this research has made me tired folks yawwwnnnnn…… lol have a great day!
Superbowl Snacks that won’t Fumble your Health
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, food, uncategorized
Oh yes, it’s that time of year again- GAME TIME! I love superbowl weekend, especially since this year I live in Miami and it just so happens to be here:) But nonetheless I would still much rather watch the game in the comfort of a couch, good friends, cold drinks, and yes, the SNACKS!!!! So to give a few helpful ideas for you, I will be doing a series of superbowl snack recipes this week so that you don’t pack on the pounds.
The first recipe is my favorite-
SPINICH- ARTICHOKE DIP
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (16-ounce) can lima beans, drained
- 1 cup light miracle whip (w/ olive oil is the better choice)
- 4 ounces tub-style fat-free cream cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
- 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced green or purple onions
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 8 ingredients (through mustard) in a food processor, and process until smooth (about 15-20 seconds).
3. Add remaining ingredients; pulse 6 or 7 times, then process until mixture is consistent all the way (about 10 seconds). Transfer the mixture evenly to a 1-quart casserole dish, or dipping bowl smoothing top.
4. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly at the edges. Remove from oven; cool for 10 minutes. Touchdown indeed:)
Like MJ used to say, Just Beet it….
Posted by Monica | Filed under Health Care Reform, drinks, fitness, food, life, uncategorized
I have heard this mentioned by a few nutritionists and recently looked into the discovery that
drinking/eating beets before a workout has been found to intensify your H2O and stamina.
After checking into this, I decided to try it out and see the results. I have only been doing it for a week, and don’t necessarily feel a difference right away although I feel more awake and alert.Let me explain why this new study is so interesting and so many people are looking into it like myself. The results of various studies,( such as the one found on ehow.com) showed that by taking about 500ml a day of beet juice resulted in an increase in the stamina of given individuals by as much as 16 percent while working out. This results in LESS muscular fatigue which in turn allows a longer workout with better performance without taking sucralose -induced energy drinks woohoo!!!
The best and cheapest way to get beetroot juice is to either grow the beets in your own garden, or buy organic beets at a supermarket or farmer’s market, and juice them yourself. So check it out and see for yourself before heading to the store and grabbing a redbull:)
Honey Mustard Chicken Burgers-so fast and so yummy:)
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, food, music, people, uncategorized
These days everyone is crunched for time, and that leads to one of the main reasons people don’t take the time to eat properly -which in turn stunts their progress with their fitness goals. This is one recipe that I have found to be my best friend, it’s so simple to make and takes about 10-15 minutes to make! Here is what you’ll need:
1 ripe avocado, sliced 1/2 cup quick dry oats 1 tablespoon of honey mustard 1 large Vidalia onion, sliced 2packets ground chicken meat salt ,garlic, and pepper to taste 4 wheat hamburger buns 4 slices of Swiss cheese
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until browned and caramelized; set aside.
- Season the chicken meat with salt , garlic, and pepper. Add in the oats and honey mustard. Place on grill, and cook until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 7 minutes on each side.
- For toasted buns either place on a skillet w/ olive oil or place in the toaster on medium
- Add swiss cheese to the cooked chicken burger and let melt-turn heat off.
- Add chicken burger to the bun,add the caramelized onion, and top w/ sliced avocado.
Enjoy!
Jump for Joy- and to be fit:)
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, uncategorized
As I am getting back into my personal training, and love for fitness, I have been changing routines, trying different methods, and checking out new exercise equipment . What’s my verdict for the week? Nothing beats the classics.
I am of the thought that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it!
You don’t need fancy, expensive equipment to get results. This brings us back to the good old jump rope. Amateur and professional boxers have used jump ropes for many years to perfect their footwork, timing, and stay conditioned, so it’s just as effective for you.
After doing some research and comparisons jumping ropes burns a surprisingly high amount of calories – up to 1000 calories in an hour! Just ten minutes of fairly strenuous exercise with the rope is as effective as thirty minutes of jogging, and it tones every part of your body.
Jumping ropes actually have an advantage over jogging or running. With jump ropes, the shock of hitting the ground is absorbed equally by both feet, whereas with running or jogging, each foot may absorb up to five times your body weight when you hit the ground. With jump ropes, the calf muscles tend to absorb the impact, causing less muscle strain.
Using a jumping rope tones the muscles in every major muscle group, throughout the entire body. Regular jump rope practice will also help in developing long leaner muscles. A jump rope workout also optimizes cardio conditioning and studies also show that it can help to build and maintain healthy bones. SO GO GET A ROPE AND HOP TO IT:)
