To the GayleFORCE Fitness & Lifestyle Enhancement Family...

Even Women Who Exercise, Sit Too Much.

Study finds that people sit more hours a day than they sleep, raising the risk of chronic health conditions

You might find this hard to believe, however, it makes total sense. We do far more sitting down than we did in the past when we had less convenience. Sadly, we have almost everything at our fingertips. We have remotes for TV’s, air conditioners, home alarm systems, and even window blinds; thus, we move less on so many levels. For those of us who do work out, that’s great, but even we tend to sit more. We really have to think “think active” and think of various ways to try to incorporate short and sweet bursts of movement into our days. I.e.

1. Walk a few extra blocks to the next subway station rather than taking the station ½ a block away.
2. At the office, walk up and down the internal stairwells, instead of taking the elevator 1 or 2 flights up or down.
3. Go for a stroll on the weekend, fool around on the monkey bars at the park.
4. Join the kids in a game of basketball at the courts.
5. Use the phone at the office to talk to a co-worker, better yet, take a walk …tell them in person.

Whatever, it takes, just MOVE!!! And, try to have fun doing it! The following article elaborates on this apparent dilemma.

Are you sitting too much?

THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2012 (HealthDay News)*
For women who love that great, self-satisfied feeling after a workout, a new study could be a disappointing surprise. Regular exercise, the study found, does not reduce the risk of an otherwise sedentary lifestyle.

Women who exercise regularly actually spend as much time sitting down as those who don't get much exercise, and thus may be susceptible to a greater risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and premature death, the study revealed.
"We spend the vast majority of our time not exercising," said Lynette Craft, lead author of the study and an adjunct assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago. "It's important to think about how you spend your entire day and what you're doing in your non-exercise time." READ MORE... (*this news item will not be available after 02/28/2013)

Source: MedLinePlus News

A Personal Note from Sharon Gayle

Dear GayleFORCE Friends,

Another year has come and is almost gone. It’s hard to believe that the Holiday Issue of the GayleFORCE Fitness Newsletter has just been hit the press.

Sharon Gayle

Thank you all so much for your well wishes and encouragement during the very rocky road to my final competition of the year, the NPC Eastern USA Championships. Your kind words were greatly appreciated. Many put a smile on my face, when smiling did not seem possible. The date, time, and eventually location, were changed due to the Tribecca Performing Arts Center’s downtown Manhattan location. The venue remained inoperable due to major damage incurred from Hurricane Sandy. I competed as planned, placing 7th in the Figure-Tall Class. Not what I had hoped for, but satisfactory. I remind myself that I have done well throughout my 4-years of competing, and that you can’t win them all. Plus, there is always next year! :-}

Happy Holidays! May it Merry and Bright, and filled with lots of Love and Laughter!

Yours in Health!

Sharon Gayle
MA. BA. ACSM-HS. ACE-CES. ACE-PT.
*INBF World Figure Champion
*WNBF Professional Figure Competitor
*Health & Wellness Practitioner
*Fitness Specialist

Exercise of the Week

CHEST: Fly - Lying (Cable)

Work against gravity; shape , tighten, and tone, your chest. A tight and lifted chest can do wonders for your posture and presence! ~Sharon Gayle

Tighten and tone your Chest.

Directions:

Cross arms over middle chest, keeping elbows slightly bent.

Sets and Reps:

Do 3 sets. Complete 8-12 repetitions.

Correct Form / Suggestions:

1. Bring legs up and place feet flat on the bench. This will prevent arching of your lower back.
2. Be sure that cables are aligned with center chest.
3. Cross and hold for 2-seconds.
4. Uncross arms back to starting position. Repeat.

Let's Dine!

Saving the best for last...

DESSERT: Cinnamon Bread Pudding with Cranberry-Raisin Sauce

Pungent and aromatic cinnamon perfumes this bread pudding and sweet-tart sauce. The sauce, made with Cranberries and Golden Raisins, gets a toasty flavor from Mustard Seeds and a touch of heat from Chile Peppers.

Cinnamon Bread Pudding; a Sweet way to end your Holiday meal!

8 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

Ingredients:

Bread Pudding

• 8 slices slightly dry whole-grain bread, crusts trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon black, brown or yellow mustard seeds
• 2-3 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, such as chile de arbol, stemmed
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen (no need to thaw), sliced in half
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water

Preparation:

1. To prepare pudding: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine bread, 1/2 cup brown sugar, raisins, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Allow the bread cubes to swell a bit and absorb the liquid, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
3. Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking dish. Place the dish in a larger baking pan filled halfway with hot tap water. Place together in the oven. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1-hour. Remove the baking dish from the water bath and let stand for about 15 minutes.
4. To prepare sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until the seeds stop popping (not unlike popcorn), 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in chiles to taste and cook until blackened and smoky, about 30 seconds.
5. Add cranberries and raisins. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the raisins are plump, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and cook, stirring, so the sugar melts, about 30 seconds. Pour in water and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns syrupy-thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the chiles.
6. Slice the pudding into 8 pieces and spoon some sauce over each. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving: 278 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 56 mg Cholesterol; 52 g Carbohydrates; 8 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 163 mg Sodium; 350 mg Potassium
4 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 carbohydrate (other), 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the sauce (Steps 4-5) for up to 1 day. Reheat before serving; thin with a little water, if desired.

Courtesy: EatingWell: November/December 2012

Let's Dine!

For the Chicken Lover in You...

ENTREE: Roast Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze

This sweet-tart Pomegranate Molasses glaze is delicious combined with the citrusy Sumac Spice rub, and gives the roasted Chicken a dark, ruby luster. Rub the chicken earlier in the day, or overnight, for the best flavor.

For the Chicken Lover in You!

6 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground sumac (see Tips)• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 4-pound chicken
• 6 cups sliced cored fennel (2-3 large bulbs)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses (see Note)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Pomegranate seeds for garnish (see Tips)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine sumac and salt in a small bowl. Remove giblets from chicken (if included) and trim any excess skin; pat dry. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat and rub the spice mixture under the skin plus a little on the skin. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together with kitchen string, if desired.
3. Combine fennel and onion in a large roasting pan and toss with oil to coat. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the vegetables.
4. Combine pomegranate molasses, honey and pepper in a small bowl. Transfer half the mixture to a small saucepan and set aside to serve with the chicken.
5. Roast the chicken and vegetables for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, stir the vegetables and cook for 20 minutes more.
6. Turn the chicken over one more time (so it is breast-side up) and stir the vegetables again. Reduce oven temperature to 400°. Brush the chicken all over with the remaining pomegranate mixture, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh without touching bone reaches 165°, 20 to 30 minutes more.
7. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the pomegranate glaze in the saucepan over low heat. Remove the string from the chicken, if necessary, and carve the chicken. Serve with the fennel and onion, drizzled with the warm glaze. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving (without skin): 330 Calories; 10 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 103 mg Cholesterol; 23 g Carbohydrates; 35 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 723 mg Sodium; 711 mg Potassium
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 carbohydrate (other), 5 lean meat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Rub the chicken with the spice mixture (Step 2), cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before roasting.
• Tips: The tart red berries of the Mediterranean sumac bush add fruity, sour flavor to many regional dishes. Find ground sumac in Middle Eastern markets, specialty food shops and online at penzeys.com. Or use 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest in place of the sumac.
• To seed a pomegranate, fill a large bowl with water. Lightly score the fruit into quarters from crown to stem end, cutting through the skin but not into the interior of the fruit. Hold the fruit under water, break it apart and use your hands to gently separate the plump seeds (arils) from the outer skin and white pith. The seeds will drop to the bottom of the bowl and the pith will float to the surface. Discard the pith. Pour the seeds into a colander. Rinse and pat dry. Seeds can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Note: Pomegranate molasses has a bright, tangy flavor. (Don’t confuse it with grenadine syrup, which contains little or no pomegranate juice.) Find it in Middle Eastern markets and some large supermarkets near the vinegar or molasses. To make your own: Simmer 4 cups pomegranate juice, uncovered, in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 45 to 50 minutes. (Do not let the syrup reduce too much or it will darken and become very sticky.) Makes about 1/2 cup. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Courtesy: EatingWell: November/December 2011

WORLDS 2012

Miami - DFAC World Championships

November 3rd 2012 - Miami, Fla.
Hyatt Regency James L. Knight Convention Center

Results

*Overall Winner - Received DFAC Pro Card.

Results/Stats: DFAC-Drug Free Athletes Coalition
Photographs Courtesy: DFAC FaceBook

Directions to Tribecca Performing Arts Center

See Official Poster!

Winning ...An Exhilarating and Heartwarming Experience!

1st Place Figure and 3rd Place Masters Figure

at the
NPC Grand Prix
Saturday 6th October, 2012 : Brooklyn, New York

*****

 Yeah!!! Needless to say, I am thrilled to have done so well upon my return to the NPC (National Physique Committee). To have made an impression upon the Judges wearing one of my own designs from the GayleFORCE Suits Collection,
made it even more impacting!!!

Sharon Gayle taking 1st Place in Top-5

Saturday 6th October, 2012 was most definitely a good day! A big thank you to my friend Patricia for helping me prepare for Prejudging; Natalie for helping me prepare for Finals and calming my nerves with her wonderfully positive attitude and uplifting words. (Natalie, I am still blushing and so flattered by your “Statue” comment! You are too kind!) More thanks and hugs sent out to my beloved Mother, and friends for believing in me, and wanting only the best for me in my competitive career. And to all of the beautiful Competitors that I met on this day: Danny (Danielle), Victoria, Jalynn, Alix, Erika (and friend Erica - I hope I got that right:-), …THANK YOU for your kind words, compliments on my suit, and the huge HOORAH!!! that you all gave me when I came backstage with my trophies in hand. You all made this experience all the more touching, and memorable. THANK YOU! ~Sharon Gayle

Me, preparing for PreJudging.

Lightweight trophys ...love it!

FIGURE Top-5 Competitors.  Waiting to see how we've placed and take our positions on front stage.

Nervous, but composed.

Masters Figure Segment

 
Masters Top-5. I take 3rd Place.

  
Great group shot!

Close-up of Masters Top-5  Competitors.

Finals Entertainment

Mellie Mel was in the house stirring up the excitement!

Backstage Chilling ...Offers great photo ops!

The win was exhilarating, while the competitor camaraderie backstage in the tiny changing room, was heartwarming! Competitors pitched in to help each other, pointed out things that the other may have missed, and suggested remedies for the usual mishaps that happen throughout backstage preparation. Backstage changing rooms is where bonding takes place, and where new friendships are often forged!

Making the most of the time leading up to the Finals.

The dynamic trio ;-) ...Danielle, Me, and Victoria.

And as usual ...a girls got to look good coming and going in front of the Judges!

*Sharon is wearing “Pin Stripe Fiesta” from the GayleFORCE Competition Suit Collectio
GayleFORCE Competition Suits & Accessories

Premiere Showcasing of GayleFORCE Brand

The Art of Competition!

GayleFORCE Competition Suits & Accessories was in the house, and in living color at the Fulton’s/WNBF Pro U.S. Cup & INBF Summer Explosion this past August 18th, 2012. This event was host to the premiere showcasing of the GayleFORCE Brand, which includes Women’s Figure and Bodybuilding Suits, Men’s Posing Trunks, Women’s Robes, GayleFORCE T-Shirts, and more.

Sharon Gayle, smiling for the camera's.

Smiling even more!

The competitor and guest turnout was great and GayleFORCE received a very warm welcome from all.  A wonderful beginning to what will be a bright and colorful future!

Profiling next to my designs.

Inquiring minds ...discussing the GayleFORCE Brand with a Competitor and Guest.

Post Prejudging... Competitors get a much-need break.
(L-R) Figure Competitor, Tiffany Jackson (INBF Bodybuilder), and Sharon Gayle. 

Thank you Robert Fulton for having me! The GayleFORCE Banner on the podium ...nice move :-)

A BIG SHOUT OUT to the following wonderful people for lending a helping hand when they could: Jada Hooks-Wilson, Patrick Lawrence (and friend on crutches ;-), Denise Richardson, Clarence Thomas, Benetta Taylor (much love and hugs for keeping me company throughout the day), John (for coming to the rescue at the end of the event), and anyone else that I might have missed. Thank you to all of the stunning competitors and guests who stopped by to say hello and check out GayleFORCE Suits. It so was nice to finally meet many of my FB Friends. I truly appreciate all of your compliments and kind words.

See you all again soon ...on and off the stage!

Sharon Gayle
GayleFORCE Competition Suits & Accessories
The Art of Competition!