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SW-e-AT

Food-Ex Pairing Day Seven: Dark Chocolate Biceps

Hello, it's Friday, the end of our first full week of SW-e-AT-ing together, and time to celebrate with some instant gratification: Dark chocolate and biceps. Yes, you're welcome. 

These two are sort of self-explanatory, but we'll explain: Dark chocolate is, oddly enough, good for you. Yes, must be taken in moderation, and we're not talking about a Snickers bar, or anything loaded with milk and sugar. We're talking RAW CHOCOLATE, the essence of the fermented cacao bean, i.e. the 3,000 year old Central America delicacy: THIS can be good for you. Research suggests it lowers blood pressure, and is packed with anti-oxidents. It can also increase your "feelings of relaxation and love," says our very savvy food expert friend Natascha. She's the one you may recall, with the killer recipe for raw chocolate which manages to be decadent and healthy all at the same time.

Much like, I might add, curls. Curls are the iconic exercise of free weights. They work too well, and appeal primally to one's vanity. Of course, there are other ways to get at the biceps. Chinups come to mind, and even push-ups will get you half way home. The truth is, if you give your biceps just a little love, they'll love you back in a big way. Ask our First Lady: It's nice to have guns. Or ask the governor of California. He's long been a proponent of biceps, curls, and "the pump" -- as he notes in following wonderful and brief video.

Good luck out there, and let us know how it goes. The food and exercise part that is....

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The brilliance of SWeAT

This two-part Feat really is a great idea. By noon or so, I've eaten, acquired, found a recipe for, or otherwise made plans around the necessary food.

So when I'm debating whether to exercise or Netflix for the evening, I'm already invested in the exercise. Because heaven forbid that cup of green tea be brewed for naught!

8th day straight (another podcast), 4th SWeAT.

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SW-e-AT motivational. Sweat dangerous.

The SW-e-AT part of the challenge was all that got me off my ass yesterday. I like it because it gives me a random, but specific, goal to achieve... sort of like a scavenger hunt. Go find quinoa and eat it while getting a pedicure. Eat some oatmeal and then pass gas while you work out your abs. Whatever. I'm in.

SW-e-AT Green Tea & Ashtanga: Voila!

One hot green tea after one hour of Ashtanga. Namaste.

(Also, one handful of blue corn chips because green tea makes me queasy.)

Other Places

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Belated: Feet. In memorium.

I thought of an ex-boyfriend many times on Tuesday. A hardcore foot fetishist, he certainly would have many many more creative ways for me to work my feet than what I eventually came up with. Sometimes I miss him because he was very sweet and very young and had a whole worshipping-me-below-the-ankles thing going on that I found endearing and quirky.

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Belated: Feet. In memorium.

I thought of an ex-boyfriend many times on Tuesday. A hardcore foot fetishist, he certainly would have many many more creative ways for me to work my feet than what I eventually came up with. Sometimes I miss him because he was very sweet and very young and had a whole worshipping-me-below-the-ankles thing going on that I found endearing and quirky.

when you look into the eyes of a cow, what do you see?

Finally went to see Food, Inc. last night. Oy. Talk about a picture says a thousand words. While I am a complete believer in the message, from a documentary standpoint, it did seem a little sensational, including some pretty unfortunate music. But still, YIKES! A must-see (in the An Inconvenient Truth kind of way).

Then had dinner!

Other Places

SW-e-AT

Food-Ex Pairing Day Six: Green Tea Adductor

As if you needed a reason to get on the old thigh machine! Welcome to Day Six of our daily pairing of body part and ingredient. You may ask yourself: Is there science behind these pairings? And the answer is: No, there's poetry!

Right, so the food half of today can be accomplished in a matter of minutes with a pot of boiling water, but it doesn't have to be. Should you care to surf over to our partners-in-crime at thekitchn.com, you will discover that green tea can be muddled, or pickled, made into a smoothie, or served frozen in ice cream. However you do it, know that you are participating in a ritual that dates back to the 2nd Century in China. Know also that lot's of smart people think green tea will do good things for your body. It's got antioxidants, dude. "Green tea's antioxidants, called catechins, scavenge for free radicals that can damage DNA and contribute to cancer, blood clots, and atherosclerosis," writes WebMD. Look, nothing is exactly proven, but it's clearly way better for you than a Diet Coke.

Now let's talk about your inner thighs! Yes, the adductors are the muscles responsible for pulling your legs together. The same ones that made the scissor lock hold so effective when used on you by your siblings or annoying friends. Why plural? There are, in fact, four adductor muscles: Brevis, Longus, Magnus, and Sartorius. Think of them as the Four Musketeers of your upper leg, constantly in tension with your abductors, a.k.a. your butt muscles. Unlike the glutes, however, the addies aren't so obvious to exercise. Hence, the whole vaguely inappropriate thigh machine routine. There are other ways, though. An excellent Pilates technique involves lying on one side, crossing your top leg over the bottom so the foot is planted by the knee of your lower leg, and then pulsing your lower leg up and down. For that matter, you could simply hit any Lotte Berke method class and work those inner thights for an hour at the ballet barre. Or go crazy with this You Tube video featuring Swiss exercise ball and crazy robotic voice. All of these techniques will do, but, if you have something better, please share!

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Workday, Worknight, Workout

My workout was rushing around for three hours making copies and 'borrowing' office supplies from coworkers who'd left on time. Untraditional, but I'm hungry and my feet hurt so it doesn't feel like much of a stretch. Oh, and there was stretching with emphasis on downward-facing dog when I did get home.

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Run in the Park

I lured my friend J, a new runner, out to the park with me to run a few miles. I'm still building up the strength, but it felt great! :)

28 minutes, ~3 miles

SW-e-AT
I accomplished the challenge for yesterday (quinoa/feet), so I am 3/10