Reveille Recommendation from Joan

I don't know about you ladies, but I have been loving our Reveille Readers and our Reveille Recipes!  I am always looking for my next book to dive into and I ALWAYS love new recipes to try! So I decided to give you another one of my alliterations - A couple of Reveille Recommendations!  Why not share other things with one another, whether it's a great new movie, an awesome hotel, your favorite TV show, or a class you tried at the gym!  We have no limits to what we can share, just let us know! 

Here are a couple of recommendations that I came up with to share with the Reveille Community!

Up by Jawbone

There are a number of new devices to track your daily activity, your sleep, your food intake, and calories burned.  I was given the Up band by Jawbone for the holidays and I wear it round the clock. Somehow this little gadget is able to sense when you are sitting idly or up strolling, running and working hard, lightly sleeping, and completely zonked.  Don't ask me how, but it seems pretty accurate. It communicates this info to you through the UP app which you download onto your phone.  You can set goals for sleep and steps per day and it gives you daily blurbs of advice to help you improve.  You can also set an "idle alert" so that if you are inactive for a period of time (mine is set for an hour), the band will vibrate to remind you to get off your keister. You can also use it as a daily alarm - it will wake you up during a preset window of time while you're in a lighter stage of sleep rather than deep sleep.  This way you wake up feeling more refreshed than if it had gone off while you were in deep sleep.  I’ve really learned a lot about my sleep patterns and I have had to take a real honest look at how much activity I’m getting during my days.  I love wearing it to the gym and then seeing my read out at the end of the day.  Good incentive!!

The Butler 

I highly recommend this movie starring among others, one of our favorites, Oprah Winfrey. The acting in this movie is terrific but it was in fact the story that really swept me away. It took us back to a time not all that long ago when America was such a different place to live. I found it almost hard to believe that during my lifetime America was a place where people harbored such hatred and disrespect of each other and could be so uncompassionate and somehow feel that was OK. It is good reminder to all of us that we should appreciate how we have learned to live together fairly and compassionately. I know there are still vestiges of our dark past alive in today’s world but The Butler is powerful because it depicts real people’s lives and how their hopes and dreams were dashed by other peoples need to feel superior. Don’t miss it!

Luminosity

I heard about an app that helps your concentration and focus and improves your cognitive thinking.  There are a number of different apps to do this and I’ve tried a few but I have found that Luminosity the easiest to use.  You can really get hooked on playing the brain games, and bottom line - I feel like it has actually improved my focus and memory.  I’ve never been one for crosswords or Sudoku, so I am happy to have found an app which I find fun to do and feel it’s beneficial.  It tracks my improvement and reminds me each day to go back to it and practice my memory and focus yet again. 

Do you have any Reveille Recommendations to share?  Let us know!

Reveille Readers January

Reveille Reader: Diana Mihailoff

Reveille Camper in: 2013

Diana's Pick: Encore Performance: How One Woman's Passion Helped a Town Tap Into Happiness by Vicki G. Riordan & Brian Riordan

Diana's Review: An inspiring true story of woman who learned that it is never to late to live the life you want.  As a young girl growing up in the 1950's Vicki idolized stars like Shirley Temple and Gene Kelly.  She soon found her calling as a dance instructor, but like many baby boomers, she put her passion on hold to start a family.  Only when her marriage ended and she was left with little means of support for herself and two young sons did Vicki return to her first true love: teaching dance.  In doing so, she found much more than a way to make a living: she found a way to make a difference.  With her exuberant personality, infectious enthusiasm, and unwavering belief in the magic of movement to make even the darkest of moments better, Vicki has inspired thousands of women to do things they never dreamed possible.  At the age of 62, when her peers were thinking about retirement, Vicki opened the doors to what has become America's largest adult tap dancing studio.

Book Description: Billy Elliot meets The Golden Girls in this inspiring true story of a woman who learned that it’s never too late to live the life you want. As a young girl, Vicki Riordan found her calling as a tap dancer and at eighteen she opened her own studio. But Vicki soon decided to put her tap shoes into early retirement to focus on marriage and start a family. When her marriage abruptly ended and Vicki was left with no means to support herself and her two young sons, she returned to her passion and began teaching adult tap. The Tap Pups program was born and at the age of sixty-two, Vicki opened what has become the largest adult tap studio in America.
Vicki has gone from teaching seventeen adults to 500. Her students range in age from twenty-one to eighty-nine (with an average age of fifty-seven), and thanks to the Tap Pups program many have transformed and reinvented themselves at a point in life when the expectation is that they should be slowing down. Tap has made them confident in their bodies and themselves and has joined the women of Vicki’s community into an unbreakable sisterhood.

Encore Performance is ripe with themes that readers everywhere can relate to: love, family, friendship, living your dream, keeping hope alive in difficult times, and so much more. Vicki’s story celebrates the importance of remembering your true passion, going after it with courage, and proving that it’s never too late to live the life you want.

Reveille Reader: Riselle Abrams

Reveille Camper in: 2007 - 2013

Riselle's Pick: The Crypt Thief: A Hugo Marston Novel by Mark Pryor

Riselle's Review: This book is an inspiring true story of a woman who learned that it is never to late to live the life you want. 

Book Description: It’s summer in Paris and two tourists have been murdered in Père Lachaise cemetery in front of Jim Morrison’s grave. The cemetery is locked down and put under surveillance, but the killer returns, flitting in and out like a ghost, and breaks into the crypt of a long-dead Moulin Rouge dancer. In a bizarre twist, he disappears under the cover of night with part of her skeleton.

One of the dead tourists is an American and the other is a woman linked to a suspected terrorist; so the US ambassador sends his best man and the embassy’s head of security—Hugo Marston—to help the French police with their investigation.

When the thief breaks into another crypt at a different cemetery, stealing bones from a second famed dancer, Hugo is stumped. How does this killer operate unseen? And why is he stealing the bones of once-famous can-can girls?

Hugo cracks the secrets of the graveyards but soon realizes that old bones aren’t all this killer wants. . . .

New Year, New Fitness Routine!

It’s January, the start of a new year and a month filled with resolutions to be healthier and to get more active. (Raise your hand if one of your New Year’s resolutions was to hit the gym more!)  If walking into a gym and running on a treadmill either bores or intimidates you – remember that there are SO many options out there for fun ways to get active. It doesn't matter if you're in a gym, at home, outside, or somewhere totally new to you... getting active is what's important and having fun doing it will KEEP you active!  There are so many options out there to try this year, here are a few of our favorite finds:

Take a hike: If you live somewhere that ISN’T experiencing the upcoming historically low temperatures, then get out and explore!  Find a local mountain and go ahead and start with the easy trail!  Not only will it get you moving, but walking, hiking and exploring can clear your mind and be unbelievably relaxing! 

Spinning: We keep hearing about the trendy Soul Cycle andFlywheel, but just what are they exactly? Spinning is indoor cycling, usually accompanied by fun upbeat music. It involves using a special stationary exercise bicycle with a resistance setting that you modify throughout your workout. Spinning focuses on endurance, strength, intervals, high intensity spurts and recovery. This is one where you might get addicted!

Dance Classes: You can either check out the schedule at your local gym for classes like Zumbda, or you can look up a local dance school. Many have adult classes in jazz, ballet, hip hop, and even tap dancing! Need some extra encouragement? This is a GREAT activity to do with girlfriends. Trying to get your spouse involved? Try a Salsa dancing class or other upbeat ballroom dance that will be fun, get you moving, and might even spark some romance!

Pilates: This is one of our favoites - Pilates is a body conditioning routine that may help build flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips and back. If you have any back problems this helps strengthen your spine and pelvic alignment while working on your breathing to establish a strong core or center.

Tennis Lessons: Keep an eye out for deals on deal sites such as Groupon. They often offer discounts on packages of tennis lessons, court time, even other things like golf lessons. This is a great way to try new things! 

Barre Classes: Ballet dancers always keep themselves fit and have amazing bodies. We might not all be able to dance like them - but we can work out like them! Barre classes are hot, hot, hot right now. If you live in NYC or LA you can't walk outside without tripping over a new ballet-inspired/barre fusion/dance-ilates studio, and the trend is spreading....FAST! We bet there's already a class offered in your hometown.

Winter Sports: Take advantage of the weather and try getting outdoors. (If you live in the northeast, you might want to wait until this freezing weather passes!) Find a local mountain and take a ski lesson, try cross country skiing, or even take your kids to a local ice rink.  You might think you’re just having innocent fun, but you can burn 300-800 calories gliding around that rink! Even the simple act of taking a walk in the snow is challenging and you will find yourself exerting a lot more energy than on a regular snow-free walk. 

Trampoline Classes: YES - you read this right! Your childhood dream has come true and it has given a new meaning to the term 'bouncing off the walls!' It might not seem like hard work but this new fitness trend has sky rocketed and is becoming more and more popular as trampoline sports centers open around the country. Places like Bounce! have great classes for adults and even children! 

Self-defense classes:  Everyone should know how to defend themselves if you find yourself in a threatening situation, this is a fun way to get a workout in… and you’re learning at the same time! 

AND REMEMBER... Now is actually the BEST time to try those classes at the gym that you have always been too intimidated to walk in to. This time of year you will be surrounded by others who are taking classes for the first time.  A lot of people hit the gym and try new classes in January so you won't be alone. Also – most instructors know that there are newbies in January and alter their teaching to help everyone get up to speed. 

Staying active is so important for your well-being and there is no time like the present to try new things. So grab your buddy and try something new!  It will be fun and if nothing else- your ab's will get their own workout from all the laughter that will be had. 

How To Stay Healthy Physically and Mentally During the Holidays from Beth

We hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season and spending time with loved ones or simply taking some time for yourself.  

During the holidays it can be easy to get caught up in all the chaos that goes into preparing but it is very important to remember to stay healthy physically and mentally. Our fitness & wellness expert Beth Bielat sent us some tips on how to keep our composer during this holiday season.

How to stay healthy physically and mentally during the holidays...

One of the most important things to do is to try and keep your daily routine. Try and stay on your fitness plan and exercise! If you find that there is not enough time during the day and you have to skip the gym to hit the mall, travel to see friends, or even just because you're cozy hanging with family  - there are still a few things you can do.  When shopping, park in the parking spot furthest away from the entrance, wear comfy shoes and power walk as you travel from store to store. Take a walk with the family in between opening gifts and one of the many meals! Exercising every day is very important, so even small bits here and there are beneficial.

If you're attending a holiday party, eat a healthy snack before you go so you don't show up hungry. Eat sensibly between parties and special events. The holidays are a time to celebrate, so if you overeat or "mess up" your eating habits it is not the end of the world, get back on the horse the next day. Drinking a lot of water helps you stay hydrated and full longer. You can even make it special by adding fizz and a splash of fruit juice to give it color and flavor.

The holiday season can take a toll on your mental health just as much as your physical health. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, meditate for a few minutes each day. I find that when I wake up and before I go to sleep are the best times for me. Throughout your day make sure to BREATHE! and make sure to practice your abdominal, relaxed and rhythmical breathing techniques.

The most important tip I can give is to remember that the holidays are about spending time with your family and friends. They are a time of joy and happiness. Pray for gratitude, serenity, love and peace and let go of all the things that you can not control and that aren't important.

Happy Holidays & Best Wishes!