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Wow, Energy. What did you think of this month's book club selection, WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD? I still have a pit in my stomach after reading about Starla's experiences growing up in the South. Maybe that's why the author chose to write the book from a young child's point of view instead of Eula's, Mamie's or Lulu's. Don't you wonder how the book would have been completely different had the narrator not been Starla? I would have love to even read chapters from different points of view. It's fascinating to me to see how one event can impact people differently.
I also that that it was interesting to notice how Starla and Eula were so similar. Despite their age differences, it almost seemed like they could have been the same person at times. They both came from completely dysfunctional families and experienced various sorts of abuse. What is especially interesting is the difference in how Starla handled her experience compared with Eula. While Eula seemed to play the victim and was content to cope because that's, "just how it has to be," Starla instead takes action and breaks out of her situation. For most of the story, I often forgot who was the adult and who was the child. Do you think any of this had to do with the fact that Eula was an African American WOMAN living in a still very segregated South, while Starla was white? Do you think that Starla and Eula's different points of view influenced each other at all along the way? I also found it very interesting how the carnival motif was inserted into various parts of the book, and that both Starla and Eula had life changing experiences there. Eula tells Starla that her cousin was badly beaten there, and Starla comes face to face with the Jenkins brothers after she throws a rock at their truck. Ordinarily the carnival is a child's dream come true and a time they remember fondly forever. Not so much with Starla and Eula. Any thoughts on why the author chose that setting in particular? Perhaps the most touching part of the story for me was listening to Eula tell Starla that "everyone has gifts." For the first time, I saw Eula take control and not see herself as a victim when she told Starla that everyone was made to do something, and in order to figure out what that something is, you have to live your life and let it happen. To me, that sounded like Eula giving herself a pep talk and a reminder that in spite of her difficult circumstances, she does have a place in the world. I was also touched whenever Starla and Eula baked pies together. Not only did reading about the pies make me think of my own grandmother's kitchen, but it brought about such a strong sense of family. Even today I think of the kitchen as being a very intimate gathering place in the home. While cooking and eating, I can remember my own family's bond strengthening when we would all sit down and talk and share things with each other. I enjoyed this book and it was one that once I got started with it, I found I could read very quickly. It made me think, and it definitely made me feel. I would love if you would share your thoughts here. Let's get a huge discussion going, and comment back and forth on this blog. Should we get a big enough discussion going, I will create a new blog post to share. Once we get momentum, I would love to sit with you all in person and find out who our Energy readers are. Thanks for trying this new idea with me. Stay tuned for thoughts on THE INTERESTINGS at the end of May. Author: Joanna Etshokin
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Super foods. By now everyone has heard of them. In case you haven't the term basically means foods that are high in phytonutrients (or in layman's terms: foods that are just really really good for you). Plant based foods (fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains) are full of these phytonutrients--some of which you have probably heard of, but never really paid attention to. Those include alpha, and beta carotenes, which are the antioxidants your body needs to fight off tissue damage-- lycopenes, and flavinoids, which help reduce the risk of cancers and lutein, which strengthens the eyes and lessens the risk of macular degeneration.
We know that it can be somewhat difficult to make sure that your diet includes super foods on a daily basis. so we have listed a few recipes below in hopes of making your eating of super foods less of a chore and more of a privilege and daily habit. These days, labeling a food as a super food seems less and less scientific and more subjective. Essentially the more natural and unprocessed a food is, it can be placed in the super food group. Keep in mind that while most super foods are plant based, there are a few dairy and fish exceptions. Take a look at this 31 Day Super Foods Meal Plan from Fitness Magazine. I have enjoyed many recipes off of it, especially the guacamole veggie burgers. What I like about this plan is that it can easily be adapted for people like myself with gluten and dairy aversions. I can't wait to hear some of your favorites? What is your go to super food for feeling good? Author: Joanna Etshokin Goodness, the weekend goes by all too quickly. I never understand how I can blink once and it's Friday afternoon and then I blink again and it's Monday morning. Weekends are always time to be savored--whether it's having an extra cup of coffee, reading the newspaper (a real newspaper that's delivered to your door), going out on a second walk, working in the garden or eating take out in your pajamas. However, life is good in the Energy community. We have our online book club discussion, the launch of our running club and the addition of several exciting new classes and trainings to look forward to. We can't wait to hear about your weekend, and see you back in our studio this week. Here's to the success of another wonderful week, and the new experiences and adventures the coming days will bring you. Author: Joanna Etshokin
Photo Source: Pinterest 
Happy Friday Energy community. Finally, spring is here. The last few days of April rain haven't been the most exciting weather-wise, but today it's encouraging to see many yards and parks start to green up as a result. Come celebrate spring with us by attending a class today! As a bonus, Debra has created a PURPLE RAIN sale on all e-boutique t shirts today only. Trust me--you won't want to miss either.
How many of you are gearing up for our online discussion of WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD next week? If you missed our earlier blog announcement, our book club selection for the month of May is THE INTERESTINGS. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on our books, Energy community. Be as active on our blog and Facebook page as you are in the studio. Comment, give feedback, and ask questions. At the end of each week, I always like to think back to the things I remember from earlier that made me smile or impacted me in someway. Many times those things come directly from the Energy community and inside our studio. Sometimes they are things that I see on my own that remind me of Energy, knowing that I can't wait to share them with you. Here is what made my week. What made yours? Everyone Needs to Sit in a Ball Pit-- have you seen this video by Soul Pancake? I recommend you take the time. It will change your perspective on our world. Rice Krispies Cake--say what?? 10 Easy Things That Will Make You Happier How do you find inspiration? This is my new desktop wallpaper at home. Download it if you are feeling inspired. Literally teared up watching this. I love watching dreams come true for other people. Author: Joanna Etshokin 
At Energy we are so excited to celebrate and recognize our instructors, office staff and other employees for the work that they do each and every day. Without the dedication, passion and motivation of these people, Energy would not be what it is today. We would like to share our recognitions with you so you can share in this celebration and also get to know a little bit about each person outside of the studio. Today we are proud to celebrate one of our instructors, Elaine Simon. Elaine currently teaches Yoga Strength and Energy Sculpt at our studio. She has always been passionate about working out and that energy and enthusiasm is apparent in her classes. Outside of the studio Elaine is a teacher and enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. Baby number two is on the way. She is best described as an “obsessive shoe and boot lover” with over 50 pairs of footwear. If Elaine were a super hero, her most desired traits would be the ability to fly, to never have to sleep and boundless energy. She loves a good pizza loaded with cheese and veggies, prefers red grapes and can tell you anything you want to know about the movie, “Dirty Dancing” and the HBO series, “Sex and the City.” If you get Elaine talking and laughing, she is an amazing story teller specifically about her daughter, husband, and any reality television show that is on her DVR. Do NOT however, talk to Elaine about spiders, birds and cats, the word MOIST, or the creepy doll her dad gave her for Christmas when she was little. We are so very proud to have Elaine part of our Energy family. Thank you for all you do, Elaine. Your kindness, happiness and inspiration are all gifts to us. Sometimes I get stuck in a toast rut. I read so many things about why or why not I should be including bread in my diet as part of my carbohydrate intake. The bottom line is that bread is good for you and SHOULD be included as part of your daily food consumption. The bread aisle in the grocery store can be one of the most frustrating places to shop, especially when you see labels advertising high fiber and multigrain. I have found that sprouted breads are my favorite--with the most nutrients and less processing. When I am in hardcore training season, I tend to shy away from gluten and turn instead to brown rice tortillas and teff bread. I find it is easier on my digestive system.Regardless, I love using toast as a platform to pile on a variety of nutritious goodies to help fuel me during my day and my workouts. Here are a few of my favorites, adapted from FitneAss. 
Trust me on the celery and peanut butter one! It reminds me of my childhood favorite snack--ants on a log. I love these ideas because I am a sweet and savory kind of gal, and I also like texture. What combinations have you tried? I am always curious and looking for new ideas.
Author: Joanna Etshokin Photo Source: FitneAss.com 
So thankful for the arrival of Spring. So thankful for the contagious Energy coming from our studio this morning. So thankful for a cleansing rain. So thankful for the opportunity to bring my best into my job, family and workouts. What are you thankful for today? How many of you have been participating in our book club by reading WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD? I have gotten to the point where I cannot put the book down. I will post discussion questions and my thoughts next week. In the meantime, I am excited to introduce the second book on our book club list. For the month of May, join in and read THE INTERESTINGS by MEG WOLITZER with us:  From bestselling author Meg Wolitzer a dazzling, panoramic novel about what becomes of early talent, and the roles that art, money, and even envy can play in close friendships. The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge. The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes an engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Jules’s now-married best friends, become shockingly successful—true to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and the shapes their lives have taken. Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life. 
Remember, just one book in one month. We can't wait to read with you. Strong minds enable strong bodies. Who's in?
Author: Joanna Etshokin Photo Source: Pinterest 
We love our busy weeks here at Energy, but there is something to be said for the arrival of weekends--especially when spring is here and warm weather is on it's way. Can we say 70 degrees on Sunday? Take a look at some of the little things that made our week here at Energy.
Is this the world's happiest photo? This remarkable act of kindness How to build a better pie Rainbows Anyone want to ride this hot tub boat? Peanut butter cup brownies 34 people you probably didn't know were on Seinfeld. Magical marvelous cookies Butter in your coffee? What 200 calories looks like 14 Habits Of People With A Healthy Relationship To Food We hope you have a wonderful weekend? How will you be enjoying the warm weather? Remember to workout, cherish your family time, and eat a few jellybeans. Author: Joanna Etshokin Photo Source: Pinterest So I have been hounded and I mean HOUNDED by many of you out there to please please please post a smoothie/protein shake recipe. So, even though it is not TRY IT TUESDAY (mind you, this is hard for an OCD gal like me to change up a routine:-))I am going to go out of my comfort zone and post this for you. I have found that there is a basic formula for making smoothies that work every single time. For a busy person like me, I need a foolproof method that takes the same amount of time, tastes good, and can fit in the same tall 36 ounce yellow cup no matter what ingredients I need. I told you I'm an OCD nut. I believe the best smoothie/shake can be made in five basic steps. My go to formula is adapted from Precision Nutrition. Keep in mind too, not all of the steps below are mandatory. If you don’t a topper, you can leave it out. If you want extra veggies, go for it. If you are trying to keep your calories down, you can manipulate variables like portion sizes, and carb and fat amounts too. STEP 1 Pick a liquid
STEP 2 Pick a protein powder
STEP 3 Pick a fruit
STEP 4 Pick a veggie
STEP 5 Pick a healthy fat
STEP 6 Pick a topper / extra
At Energy we get to see so many individual styles. We love talking about the latest in workout gear. We love seeing your shoes, water bottles, bags and yoga pants. It's simple. A person can never have too many workout pants, sports bras and water bottles. Collecting them is addicting. We never realize how much our collection grows until the day a friend notices our workout clothes far out number our regular clothes. How many of you has this happened to? It's always fun to see Energy members out in the "real world," shopping at Target or Sam's Club in jeans! Sorry if we don't always recognize you without yoga pants. What do you have on your workout wish list? What do you really enjoy wearing? Share some of your favorites in our comments section. We would love to hear your recommendations. The basic staples to starting your workout gear collection are a good pair of yoga crops, a comfortable pair of shorts, a well fitting sports bra, a sweat wicking tank and a solid pair of shoes (for when you are working out outside of Energy's padded studios). Don't forget to throw in a water bottle and a sweat towel. 
Send us pictures of your favorite workout gear. Post them to our Facebook page so we can see.
Author:Joanna Etshokin Photo Source: Pinterest |
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3100 Woodbury Drive, Suite 200
Woodbury, MN 55129
(651) 337-0425 Contact Us
3100 Woodbury Drive, Suite 200
Woodbury, MN 55129
(651) 337-0425 Contact Us
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