My niece called me from New York City a few weeks ago.  She was walking to work at her relatively new job as a hot shot NYC attorney and just wanting to catch up on life.  It feels like such a short time ago that we put on our bathing suits and sat in the whirlpool at her (actually my sister and brother-in-law's) weekend home in Bethel, New York,  to discuss what she might do with her life after her upcoming graduation from Wash U.  I mentioned law school and after a few minutes, she jumped out and announced to everyone that she had decided she wanted to go to law school.  Funny how other people's kids listen to what our own would roll their eyes at.

So on her walk to work she was telling me about a new studio she went to recently, for a workout she couldn't quite find the right words to describe.  "Sort of Pilates but kindof aerobic," she said, but then added "but that's not really right either."  Physique 57 was the name of the studio and my niece also added "it's where Kelli Ripa" works out.  I told her I would check it out online when we hung up and that's exactly what I did.  Of course I wanted to know about the place Kelli Ripa works out at.  That woman has a gorgeous body!

Last summer I got super hooked into P90X thanks to Kyle Zipp.  This year, when I saw that Physique 57 also offers videos, I figured, "why not?" and just a few days later, there I was in my garage with my new playground ball, a chair (to simulate a ballet barre)  some light weights and my yoga mat.  Muscle overload, followed by stretching is the recipe used by the instructor to lift the butt and sculpt the arms, shoulders and abs.  My niece was correct in her description of Pilates and aerobics.  Somehow, this 57 minute body sculpting routine, manages to keep your heart pounding and your muscles begging for mercy.

I have only done the video twice, and have brought little bits and pieces to some of my classes.  Come mid June, a couple of my clients will be leaving town for the summer and I will have time to revisit this video and bring more of it to my students and clients.  If it's good enough for Kelli, its good enough for us!

I will also be revisiting P90x this summer.  As far as I am concerned, that program still takes the prize for the most diversified, challenging and (mostly) safe moves to recreate a body!  I'll also be hitting the pool a lot more.  Swimming is a great way to let the muscles unwind while still working them.  While many of us can't and shouldn't jump on land, the impact is taken off our joints in the pool.

Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE summer?  Some down time, swimming,  long days and summer fruits and vegetables!!  Just yesterday I was at Publix filling my wagon with peaches and mangos and blueberries and red raspberries and corn on the cob and... Well you get the idea.  As a weight conscious vegan, nothing gets better than summer.  The best that Mother Nature has to offer is not only abundant, but also quite affordable.  There are some people that like to remind me about the sugar in fruit and how it will spike my insulin and sabotage my diet.  While I do know this is true to a point, I never really met ANYONE who got fat eating grapes.  I just haven't!  Additionally, fruit is a good way to get some of our much needed fiber.  Nothing like it to keep that digestive system working regularly!

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Happy Memorial Day Weekend.  The Un-official start to my favorite season.  Have fun, be safe and enjoy the bounty of food mother nature has given us.

Speaking of bounties of food...Carol, thanks for that Bobby Flay video.  I did try most of what was on it last night and it was YUMMMMMMMMMMMMY!  I will try to post that video, on here, soon!