Leggy And Nuts About Nuts

by Phillip Tomlinson

You may call this a nutty story, but it also has legs.  Legs, not because it manages to get around, but because… Well, you’ll see.

Let’s put it this way:  There’s a leggy protagonist.

A blonde, leggy protagonist. 

I know — there you are thinking “tall, statuesque and…”

Well, you couldn’t be more off base, because as far as leggy protagonists go, this one is a bit unusual — not just because of her height, but because of the legs.

 And, of course, let’s not forget her habit — the one that has to do with nuts — because that’s just where the nutty story comes in.

And, yes, this does include real nuts and a coincidence that turned into dog-day-afternoon.

 It happened one day as I enjoyed my usual handful of nuts.

Sure enough, one fell to the ground.  And as fast as you can say “nuts,” my little friend, of the mop-topped, four-legged variety, snagged it, trotted off to the opposite side of the room and — snap, snap — it was gone.  All the way to tummy-dom.  On dog-day-afternoon. 

And, as fast as she swallowed that little treat, she was back pawing and sniffing the air.  Going crazy. 

Begging for more.

Surprised, this being her afternoon, I gave another up but not before dangling it mischievously — for my own amusement — in front of her nose just to watch her twist and turn.

How could I have known?

Broccoli?  Yes, she’s crazy about that too.  But that’s another story.  Right now let’s stick to nuts.

That’s because when it comes to the value of a nut, you should be excited too.

Let’s put it this way:  You’d have to be a bit nuts to overlook these convenient supersnacks.

What you should know is that, as far as supersnacks go, these definitely have the goods: protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, magnesium, folate and phosphorous.

To put it in simpler terms, you couldn’t find better enforcers to ride shotgun for you because they offer protection against heart disease, belly flab, muscle loss, cancer, high blood pressure and — get this ladies — wrinkles.  Yes, wrinkles.

Your number one enforcer?

Almonds.

And I couldn’t put it any better than acclaimed health expert David Zinczenko who said,  “Almonds are like Jack Nicholson in One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest: They’re king of the nuts.”

For starters, a handful of almonds provide half your daily requirement of vitamin E, eight percent of the calcium — so essential for bone health — and some 19 percent of magnesium which is a key component in muscle-building.

So, go ahead.  Go nuts about nuts.  Unabashedly.  Eat them and go back for more.  Preferably a handful in the morning and another in the evening.  You may even discover how good they are, among other things, for your legs. 

For a tip on how to include almonds in your diet and for more on the nutritional benefits of nuts, check out the BodinSync Prescription below:

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BODINSYNC PRESCRIPTION

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For a healthful snack, sprinkle a handful of chopped almonds in a small container of Greek yogurt.  For added fat burning power, add raspberries or other berries of your choice.

Click on the following link for more information on the nutritional value of nuts: http://www.helium.com/items/824263-the-different-kinds-of-nuts-and-their-nutritional-value

NOTE:  If you are interested in trying out some fun and functional ways to improve your physical fitness, you’re welcome to send your E-mail to  nattydregs@aol.com to arrange for a class at the low introductory price of $30.

A Walk In The Park: Pure Magic

By Phillip Tomlinson

It was magic alright.

Right there in a place which back then was called Crown Mines.

That was more than a few years back in South Africa.

I saw them doing what turned out to be commonplace — practicing the art of magic. 

Well, not exactly the kind of magic you’re thinking. 

You see, you may not classify walking as magic, but that’s what they were all doing — one after another.  Walking.

Definitely not the David Blaine kinda magic but, nevertheless, street magic.  But then again, Blaine often goes walking too.  Difference is his slight-of-hand always captures a mesmerized crowd.

And, no, no crowds gathered in awe of any these women.

I know, you’re probably thinking that whatever they were doing couldn’t have been all that magical afterall.

Well, let’s put it this way:  If everyday there were an army of Blaines out there doing what he does, pretty soon it would become just something that he and others like him do.

Okay, you get my drift.  

But, now, let me ask you this:

Have you ever seen a balancing act that goes on for ever and ever?  Of course not.  Performances don’t go on for ever and ever.

Well, for these women, this daily magic kinda went on for ever and ever.  This was definitely no performance.  Just life happening as they balanced heavy loads — like a huge basket or container of water — on their head for long distances while, at times, bearing additional load or even a baby in their hands.

Well, guess what?  When it comes to physical fitness, we can all perform some magic that — like in the case of  these women — could become just something we do.  life happening.  Second nature.  A walk in the park.

The good thing is when this happens the magic never stops because, like the women of Crown Mines, you’ll find yourself covering a lotta distance without batting an eye.

If you’d like to be able to go the distance and then some, check out the no-nonsense core exercise in the BodinSync Prescription below.  It’s a real balancing act, so it may not exactly be a walk in the park.  Not yet anyway.  But give it a try, stick with it and watch magic happen.

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BODINSYNC PRESCRIPTION

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1. Assume a pushup position with your feet supported by a medicine ball as in the diagram below. 
2. Be sure to keep your back as straight as possible without allowing your midsection to belly toward the floor.
3. Try holding the position for 10 to 15 seconds.  If you need to get used to balancing, concentrate only on that.  Also, if you find that your core is not yet strong enough to hold you up for balancing, start out by raising your hips to form a V with your body.  You will find that the more you practice, the stronger your core muscles will become.
4. If you can already balance in a full pushup position, try raising one foot off the ball for two seconds doing five repetitions.  Do the same with the other foot.  If you find this too easy, do 10 repetitions.  Still too easy?  Then, in a very smooth motion, remove one foot from the ball, retracting your knee toward your chest, before returning to the original position.  Do the same with the other foot.  Keep doing this until you are smoothly walking on top of the ball.



This is your walk in the park.  But it doesn’t end here.  You see, while there are often lots of people who walk in the park, there are some who also jog.  YES, JOG.  So, when you can walk smoothly on the ball, start moving your feet faster and you will find that you are actually doing a little jog on the ball.  And when you get to this point, you may feel like mixing things up.  So, guess what? Jog 1o paces on the ball and do a pushup.  That’s one repetition.  Think you have it in you to aim for 10?

NOTE:  If you are interested in trying out some fun and functional ways to improve your physical fitness, you’re welcome to send your E-mail to  nattydregs@aol.com to arrange for a class at the low introductory price of $30