Three Cheers for Gentle

September 14, 2023 ellen
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The idea that “gentle” is for babies or for the injured, but aside from those specific demographics, you should be embracing intensity, is still alive and well in the world today, but not in my world. In my world, gentle is sustainable, nurturing and a winning aspect of longevity. What is a gentle workout? First, gentle might just be slower. It might just be shorter. It might just be avoiding certain ranges of motion that cause pain. Gentle doesn’t mean less effective.  Secondly,...

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One & Done!

The 411 on “One&Done”

July 17, 2023 ellen
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One & Done! is here and it’s a unique take on fusion sculpt as this 30minute workout uses only one handheld weight. The video is now streaming on “Let’s Move! and I sure do hope you check it out.  Having only one weight throughout the workout puts the body, intentionally, off-balance. That 3 or 5lb asymmetry “tips the scales” so to speak, forcing the midline (the core) to engage differently in order to stay aligned. If you are someone who sits in a car or at...

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Summer Salad

My Favorite Summer Salad

July 12, 2023 ellen
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To me, summer is salad season. Homegrown produce and warmer weather is a winning combo. Since the end of June, I’ve made this particular salad six times (I just did the calculation), so clearly I’m smitten. My whole family likes it too. I thought I’d share it with you. It’s simple and requires zero cooking. All you need is a touch of patience as you peel, slice and dice. Here it is: Crunchy Summer SaladIngredients1 yellow or...

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Adapt & Thrive

July 6, 2023 ellen
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Greetings from Narraganset, Rhode Island, the quintessential New England beach town I’ve been coming to pretty much every summer since I married Steve in 2004. Sometimes, our time here is just a day trip, but this year we’re doing a whole week. We have extended family here and it was time to get the kids together and really do it up. Like most people on vacation, my workout routine is thrown off. I’m in a...

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Love & Fitness

June 29, 2023 ellen
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“Fit people like themselves better.” – Diana Vreeland I came across the aforementioned quote and I found it startling, but true. It reminded me of something I’ve heard Dr. Gabriel Cousens say again and again, “Love yourself enough to heal yourself.”  Self-love is a major component to wellness. I’d say it’s the foundation – it’s where all of the goodness springs from down the road. Fitness gets abused when there is a lack of self-love. The...

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Let's go!

An Army of One

June 19, 2023 ellen
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Thanks to my sports-loving family, I find myself watching sports in person and on TV a lot. (It seems like every day…) Many of these games have cheerleaders smiling courtside, spewing encouraging words with energy and happiness. It dawned on me, wow, what a luxury it is to have real people cheering you on for all the world to see. If I had an actual person shouting, “You can do it, Ellen” or “Hip Hip...

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Mood Boosting Cardio With Ellen Barrett

Boost Your Mood In 15

June 14, 2023 ellen
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For my entire life – without realizing it until fairly recently – I have used “doses” of cardio as mood boosting medicine. When I was an 8 year old, I freakishly took my dog on walks into the woods when I could have stayed inside idly watching cartoons. (Where were the adults 😉?) In my early teens, I’d bike to my friends house even though I could have gotten a ride. In college, when feeling blue...

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Breakfast With Luca

Breakfast With Luca

June 8, 2023 ellen
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I’m a mom of one, a bona fide morning person, a nutrition geek, and a huge believer in “get your day started right,” so breakfast with my son has always been a big thing. We live in a culture that tends to race through meals, and while the rest of the day may require eating on the go, breakfast time is old school in my house. Simple but home cooked food. Real dishes. Real glassware. Sit...

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Ellen Barrett Mindful Movement

Like a Well-Oiled Machine

May 30, 2023 ellen
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Symmetry is honest to God so important yet often ignored. Alignment gets more play, and while alignment is just as crucial, function and flow need both. When bodies are misaligned and asymmetrical, they feel strain and unease, like a sliding door with a wonky track. If you’d like to move like a well-oiled machine, here are five things to do that facilitate the one-two punch of symmetry and alignment:   We all have some specific nuances within...

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ELLEN BARRETT Blog

A Workout Ritual You Should Try

April 26, 2023 ellen
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There’s a lot we can accomplish when we are sitting on our mats. We could do a pre-movement chat, have a meditation or intention setting session, or do a breathing exercise. I also think the act of sitting on our mat could be part of the warm-up, where we ground and settle our bodies, and get situated with where we are in space and time. Simple stuff, right? But these simply things aren’t benign. They can really...

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