“Do you come from a land down under….

BY LEANNE SALANDRO

…where women glow and men plunder?” I have those lyrics and Australia on the brain. The first reason is, I thoroughly enjoyed a live show recently with Girls4Sport team rider Erin Alexander and we heard those lyrics live from Mr. Colin Hay himself. (You might know him better as “that guy” from Men At Work. Go see him if you get the chance!)

The second reason is, as our summer winds down here in the USA, the Australian summer season is just gearing up. I think that’s rather magical. As we’re inspecting tan lines, stowing our swimwear and sundresses, thinking of fall, our Australian counterparts are getting ready for a bevy of summer sports, many of them in and on the water—swimming, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, rafting and kayaking.

An amazingly huge and diverse country, there are so many locales and destinations to choose from. Check out this list of Australian destinations for water activities: http://www.letsgo.com/2745-asia_and_pacific-travel-guides-australia-outdoor_recreation-water_activities-c.

If you do decide to visit Australia, be sure to take your rashguards, board shorts, and plenty of sunscreen. The intense Australian sun and amazing array of outdoor fun has made the country number one for skin cancer. Don’t add yourself to the statistics. Girls4Sport‘s tested fabrics are rated at the maximum of SPF 65 and block at least 98% of UVA/UVB rays.

Be safe, have fun, and glow or plunder, whichever suits you best!

Jumping for Joy

BY MELODY DECARLO

They say that admitting your addiction is the first step, so here goes. My name is Melody and I am addicted to exercise equipment. Okay, that wasn’t so bad. Over the years, I have collected all kinds of equipment. In addition to my surfboards (from short to long) and my stand up paddleboards, I have a bike, Indo Board, hula hoop, Coremaster, Bowflex, inversion table, bosu ball, rollerblades, and some stuff I have probably forgotten about.

The one piece of equipment that I would never want to be without is my rebounder. Several years ago, I got a brochure in the mail about rebounders. I went online and researched their benefits.

Rebounding works every cell in your body. It uses three forces-gravity, acceleration, and deceleration. These forces act against your body and your body gets stronger as a result. 

Rebounding is also very beneficial for your lymph system. This system carries nutrients to the cells and waste products away. Your lymph system has no pump so it is dependent on exercise to work properly.

Rebounding will improve the immune system since all cells become stronger in response to the increased “g force” exerted on the body during each jump. As a result, the immune cells become five times more active.

I also found that this form of exercise is low impact, improves balance, builds bone mass and strengthens joints. It can improve sleep, give you more energy, reduce stress, and increase metabolism.

I was convinced that rebounding would fit into my exercise program. I read that a poorly made rebounder could actually cause injury, so I made the decision to invest in a good quality model and hope that I would be happy with my purchase.

Within a week of receiving my new Cellerciser (the brand I chose), I was hooked. It was FUN!!! I got some dvd’s to go along with it and soon I was doing dance, boxing, yoga, and hip hop on my rebounder. On a visit to my 86 year old mom, I took it with me so I could use it while I was there. I had her try it and within a week, I had to order another one for her. My sister tried my mom’s and, shortly after, she got one, too.

  

We use our rebounders every day. It is the first thing I do every morning, even if it is for a few minutes. I bounce while I am on the phone. My mom bounces during commercials. It is so easy to just jump on it and do a quick workout or pop in a dvd and really work up a sweat.I am so happy that I made the decision to purchase a good quality rebounder. It seemed like a big investment at the time, but now, several years later, I know that it was worth it. I would highly recommend rebounding to everyone. It will improve your health, increase your energy, and make you feel like a kid again. Go jump!

Melody DeCarlo is an inspirational surf teamrider for Girls4Sport. Read more about Melody DeCarlo here (http://www.girls4sport.net/category-s/282.htm).

Enhance your flexibility without stretching a thing…

BY ROBIN NIELSEN

This is a picture of my pretty toes right before I went surfing this past Sunday… just before I slipped my warm booties on over them to dip into the cold waters of Santa Cruz. As I get ready to go surfing each time, I think about my flexibility. How is my body feeling? Where am I tight? Maybe you wake up in the morning feeling stiff and tight.

I do some minor stretching before I go out in the water or onto the tennis court so that I can “play” better, but I am really bad in this area! Do you stretch before you exercise?

I carry my “tightness” in my neck and shoulders. Part of it is heredity and part of it is learned poor behavior (i.e. working on the computer too much and being the “queen” of doing). Sound familiar? I am not as tight or stiff as I might otherwise be because of the diet I eat and the good rest I get. Believe me, it’s not due to all the stretching I do!   

 Here’s the scoop on how to ward off a tight, stiff body that only makes us feel old. Stay flexible and vibrant by following these simple tips.

• Get good sleep – at least 8 hours, uninterrupted night every night

You may wonder why sleep has an impact on our flexibility.  Even the most modest amount of sleep restriction raises inflammation which causes stiffness in our bodies.

• Eat good protein (free range, organic) such as wild caught fish, beef, chicken, whey and eggs

Protein contains calming and relaxing amino acids like taurine and theanine that help us to relax.

• Eat lots of vegetables: eat a rainbow to get a wide variety of nutrients – try some sea veggies too like kombu (use like a bay leaf – toss when finished) in your soups to add lots of amazing minerals, or arame which is also great for the skin.

Vegetables contain vital minerals that help us to relax and maintain a more balanced pH. People who are “mineral rich” are more flexible and cramp less due to the higher levels of magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium found in rich vegetable sources.

• Supplements: if you still need some support to get flexible, try the following:

1.   Green food – a powder made from vegetables and fruits with lots of good nutrients.
2. Extra magnesium: it is a muscle relaxer (too much, though and you’ll have diarrhea so try the chelated form) – try 250mg-500mg at lunch and before bed or try an epsom salt bath.
3. Taurine and theanine: these amino acids (breakdown of protein) are very relaxing – you can try this supplement as it contains both – Stress Arrest
4. Calcium and magnesium are very important for muscle function – try them in equal amounts of 250-500mg 2 times daily (use the chelated form)

(With supplements, work with a health care professional if you have questions or specific needs.)

• Breathe deeply during the day. Short, or shallow breathing causes tight, stressed muscles, and we all do it! So, when you hit the bathroom, breathe. It will help you get into the routine of deep breathing to relax.

Get flexible! You will feel better and will grow younger. That’s a big woo hoo!

Robin Nielsen helps her clients to “grow younger.” She is a successful entrepreneur, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist and an in-demand speaker and educator. She’s motivated thousands to improve their health with the right mental and physical fuel for living a luscious life.  Sign up for her ezine Rejuvenate, http://www.juvenescence.net/subscribe, or join her on a wellness surf/standup paddle board retreat: www.surfsolsister.com

© Robin Nielsen, NC

(Showing) Less Is More

BY LEANNE SALANDRO

When people ask me what I do for a living, they are often surprised to hear that I design and market clothing, specifically active wear providing a wide range of coverage for women. For the most part, we are in the market to offer more coverage versus less. You could say we sort of specialize in modesty.

First of all, people are surprised that I’m an everyday kind of person who designs clothes. It’s more of a high-dollar, fashion runway, Paris, Milan, big label occupation in most imaginations. For me, it’s not quite that glamorous. Enjoyable, but not glamorous.

After that, the surprise lingers around the fact that I would work hard on something involving the word “modesty” especially where the word “fashion” is concerned. People are often operating under the usually false misconception that confident women who are proud of their bodies want to show it off and wear revealing “sexy” outfits.

That may be true for some but, when you are engaged in a truly active endeavor like triathlon, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, kayaking, etc. the last thing on your mind in the heat of the moment is, “do these shorts make my butt look too big”?

Sure, most of us like to look our best as much as possible but most female athletes are primarily concerned about actively enjoying or competing in their chosen sport comfortably. Performance is the priority, not the “hey, check me out” factor. Let’s face it, a little extra coverage actually keeps things nicely covered during rigorous activity and prevents impromptu peep shows of any, um, feminine assets. Furthermore, even the most gorgeously toned back and shoulders will suffer a scorching burn if unprotected all day in the sun kitesurfing. Not fun. Not pretty. Sun protection is serious stuff and even more so for female athletes who spend a lot of time outdoors. Extra coverage also gives the welcome bonus of skin protection.

The caveat here is we really do still want to look good and all this talk of modesty, serious sun protection and coverage engineered to fight physics starts conjuring up images of boring, utilitarian, “un-fun” fashion. Luckily, being too exposed was the “a-ha” moment for a fashion-loving person like myself.

After a particularly chilly surf session with my business partner Kim, we were changing out of our wetsuits and trying to preserve some modesty as we simultaneously wrangled neoprene and large towels with our stiff, cold fingers. We noticed some perv’ on a bicycle who kept riding back and forth past our vehicle… we’re talking five, maybe six, times obviously trying to catch a glimpse of something should a towel slip. I felt an emotional combo of anger and great amusement. How desperate do you have to be to catch a glimpse of the female form so that you’re compelled to ride your bike repeatedly past two, drenched, rumpled, middle-aged chicks struggling out of wetsuits? I can assure you that we were no visions of sexual loveliness as we were trying to get out of neoprene and into some warm, dry clothes. But I digress…

I decided that bottoms designed to coordinate with rashguards would be so great. That way, I could strip off my wetsuit and be covered. No need to fuss with towels! Just unzip and go about my business. Let’s go one step further and make such an ensemble fun and interesting.

In a nutshell, showing a little less really is more and it’s what we aim to deliver at Girls4Sport. Less revealing garments that provide more for the women wearing them. You get the benefits of sun protection and coverage, and (much to the chagrin of peep-tom cyclists everywhere) you also get the added allure of leaving a little something to the imagination.

Eat Your Way to Surf Better: Seven Secrets to Improve Your Surfing

Robin Nielsen

BY ROBIN NIELSEN

I love to surf. In fact I love it so much that two years after I learned to surf at the age of 38 I created a company to help other women experience what I had. If you surf, you know what I’m talking about!

I also love to eat. But what I didn’t know when I learned to surf was how important my diet was to my surfing success.

Let me clarify… I ride a long board and cruise. Sometimes I cut back, but the most fun for me is riding a faster wave and cruising up and down the face trying to make it past the section.

But when I first learned to surf I was burned out and exhausted. So I had to heal my body to surf better. Fortunately, shortly after I learned to surf I also went back to school to get my degree in nutrition. Eating delicious food in the right combinations, and surfing was a powerful combination for what transformed into my Wellness Retreats.

Here are some of the tips I share at my retreats.  In the process, you just may:
• Feel a little lighter (i.e. “pop up” quicker)
• Increase your energy (stay out longer)
• Improve your moods (no swearing out in the line up)
• and paddle faster than you ever thought possible

Seven Secrets to Improve Your Surfing

Secret #1: Eat Whole Real Food
That means no processed foods. Eliminate the “frakenfoods” such as Splenda, Nutrasweet, food colorings, food additives, natural and artificial flavors, etc.

Secret #2: Always eat a healthy protein, fat and carbohydrate together, every time you eat.

Secret #3: Healthy proteins are: free range meats, wild caught fish, ree range eggs, cottage cheese/Greek yogurt (if you can tolerate dairy), whey protein powder, brown rice/pea based protein powder

Secret #4: Healthy fats are: olive oil, grapeseed oil, butter, ghee, nuts/seeds, avocados, coconut oil or meat

Secret #5: Healthy carbohydrates are: vegetables and fruits in season, whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, wild rice, barley and legumes (i.e beans such as garbanzo/adzuki/kidney/cannellini/lentils)

Secret #6: Eat within one-two hours of waking.

Secret #7: Never go more than five hours between meals.

These seven secrets will help you to:
• Maintain balanced energy
• Build lean muscle
• Be happier
• Sleep better

Woo hoo! On my surf and wellness retreat this is just how we eat. When you eat this way you just feel better.

Give it a try and let me know what you discover. You just may be able to cruise on down the line, get some toes on the nose or find yourself in the green room!

Robin Nielsen helps her clients to “grow younger.” She is a successful entrepreneur, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist and an in-demand speaker and educator. She’s motivated thousands to improve their health with the right mental and physical fuel for living a luscious life.  Get your FREE audio 7 Secrets to Reclaim Your Radiance:  http://www.togrowyoung.com/

© Robin Nielsen, NC

Stand-Up Paddling: You’re Never to Old to Learn

Girls4Sport team rider Melody DeCarlo

BY MELODY DeCARLO

I have been surfing for forty-two years.  During that time, I have seen equipment go through many transitions, and I have always tried to keep an open mind as things changed.  I have gone from longboards to shortboards, trifins, quads, bonzers, and back.  I have a quiver that covers all of those.  I have never lost my passion for surfing, yet, even as it is happening, I am surprised as my passion for a new sport grows.

I watched with interest as Laird and other hardcore surfers took up stand-up paddling (SUP).  Last summer, as week after week of Florida flatness went by, I started thinking about what great exercise it would be to SUP on flat days.  But since it would be such a big investment, I held off.  This year, as summer approached, I was ready to make the purchase.  I went to a few demo days and tried different boards.  I bought a used 10’6” and paddle and I was on my way.  My plan was to paddle on flat days, either in the ocean or the river.

Funny how plans can change.  After several flat water paddles, I was out on a small day and caught a wave.  What happened next was a surprise.  As that first wave picked me up, I got the same feeling I had as a kid on that longboard catching my first wave.  It was exhilarating.  And addicting.  I wanted to do it again and again.  Within two months, I downsized to a 9’6” so it would be easier to handle in the waves. 

Stand-up paddling has opened up a new world for me.  Surfing will always be my first love, but now I can be in the water when it is too small for my longboard or when I just want to ride something different.  Sometimes we get a group together and explore the beautiful islands in the river.  In just a few months, I have paddled with a school of bonnethead sharks, had a manatee swim right under me, and paddled with dolphins, rays, and fish.

Stand-up paddling has given me a new perspective of all the things around me. I am so happy that I was open to trying something new.  I look forward to each new day and new adventure.  Hopefully, this is just the beginning of the story and there will be many more tales to tell.

Melody DeCarlo is a surfer and a Girls4Sport team rider who lives in Florida.  She began surfing in 1966.