Monday, August 9, 2010

Health-y Surprises

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Yesterday I went to the gym. I haven't gone in what feels like a long while, mostly because I either feel like a DVD is more convenient and offers a better workout, but also because the weather has been so nice that I'd rather be outside.

But yesterday was gym day. After hooping in the park with some other awesome women (third week in a row!), I took my sweaty self over to the fitness center. And -- it was lovely. There was hardly anyone there, so it was quiet and peaceful. I happily elliptical-ed away while reading the April 2010 issue of Health Magazine.

I have an on again/off again relationship with health and fitness magazines, since they often focus on looking good and losing weight rather than my goal of achieving balance. Still, sometimes a magazine is just the thing (if read with a grain or two of salt), and I actually really enjoyed this particular edition.

My favorite article in the magazine was the cover story, an interview with actress and musician Zooey Deschanel. This actress is my age and is super cute (in spite of how flat and unattractive her Health cover photo is), quirky, and fun to watch in every movie I've seen her in. I'm not sure what I expected an interview with her to reveal, but I was very surprised to learn that she is quite the balanced gal. She's a health food store junkie, and is an early-to-bed/early-to-rise person just like me. Also, she says that she loves chilling out at home -- just like me again! If I liked Zooey Deschanel before, the interview has convinced me that we would totally be BFFs if we met.

Okay, maybe not. But I did find her down-to-earth lifestyle very refreshing. Plus, Ms. Deschanel tap dances and plays the ukelele (although probably not at the same time), which I think is rad. Her answer to the final question of the interview ("When do you feel most at peace?") made me think about my hooping. She replied, "When I'm playing music, I definitely feel really happy." A lot of hoopers describe hoop dance as mesmerizing, magical, zen-like, and a cure-all for mental maladies. I don't. It's not some magical chill pill -- but it does make me feel "really happy." Thanks for the opportunity to reflect, Z! (Can I call her that? Probably not.)

Hrm. Somehow this post turned into a Zooey Deschanel fangirl gush. Still, I was very impressed with her balanced responses to the interviewer's questions. My original goal in writing, however, was to share the magazine's healthy eating content, spotlighting smoothies. I discovered some concoctions I had never before considered (banana maple smoothie? yes, please!), complete with recipes. Check out Health's gorgeous (seriously -- the Sunrise Smoothie Parfait is a work of art) and delicious-looking Feel-Good Smoothies.

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Have you read anything particularly surprising, refreshing, or interesting in magazines lately? Are there any public figures (politicians, entertainers, etc.) who have pleasantly overturned your idle expectations of them?

1 comment:

  1. There was hardly anyone there, so it was quiet and peaceful. I happily elliptical-ed away while reading the April 2010 issue of Health Magazine.

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