cliches & superheros

The sky is the limit.
The world is your playground.

There are so many cliches based on how you can/should attain your goals and do whatever it takes to fulfill your dreams. AND I LOVE THEM ALL! 

Your role models have proved that it is possible. Which means it has been done.........
And there will always been more to come.  
Someone to make new discoveries, someone to set new records and people that challenge the norm.

WHY CAN'T IT BE YOU?
Set the bar.
Defy even your own expectations.
Create those "pinch me please" moments in your life.
You will get there with hard work, dedication and a fearless attitude.
Dont be afraid to ASK QUESTIONS, to HEAR NO 10 times before you hear YES.
The yes is around the corner. WHEN PREPARATION MEETS OPPORTUNITY.

Be your own SUPERHERO!

NO FEAR Carbohydrates

You have all heard about the NO CARB trends by now.
Please don't let all these ATKINS and PALEO people get in your heads.

What you should do is moderate & be attentive to what you are putting in & when you are doing so.

Eating ORGANIC, WHOLE FOODS should be top priority. It is harder to break down the more complex of the carbohydrates but a good potato now and them never hurt nobody.
(says the girl currently visiting Stockholm, Sweden)

When in doubt have smaller portions....

My rosemary red potatoes are the best!

Start by boiling 5-7 SMALL potatoes for about 5-7 minutes

Once drained, moderately smoosh them right away, 

or slice into quarters

depending on your preference.....

add a tbsp non dairy butter (earth balance)

pinch of sea salt

 pinch of pepper

 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary

AND ENJOY!!!!

makes 2 servings!

(EACH SERVICE SHOULD BE AROUND 3.5 OUNCES) 

ROLE MODELS

If there I can be a guiding light in this world

A ROLE MODEL 

is just that.

Positive examples will change your life.

To have someone to look up to,

to see the path that they have paved,

gives you the strength to believe 

that it can be done.

It is not about mimicking.

Admiration & inspiration go a long way.

For me, I idolize strong women, 

who achieve their dreams

....and then some. 

People who are not afraid to BE WHO THEY ARE.

The ones that make no apologies for their bold personalities.

Have you even noticed some people can silence a room when they walk in?

Some gifts you are born with,

the rest come from hard work, confidence and dreaming even when people tell you can't.

Thank you to the incredible JANE FONDA for being HERSELF.

Who has been your shining star?

VENICE BEACH

VENICE, CA is a very colorful place.

Not just the graffiti, but the people, the activities & the overall energy.

You cannot beat the weather, but sometimes the craziness can be a lot to handle.

When I started building my brand on the East Coast, I wasn't sure if I was going to look back.

Owning a business & living on Market Street in the heart of the VENICE BEACH had its perks but mostly the tourism had taken its toll on me.

I took my pup on a trip to NJ for 3 weeks.

We spent all of our time up in the woods, with the deer, bear & turkey.

A slightly different lifestyle than Southern California.

When the time came to come back to LA, 

I really didn't want to leave the quiet & calm nest I have build on the East Coast. 

The day we touched down after that 5 1/2 hour plane ride, 

I got that feeling, 

The feeling you can only get in California.

And then it hit me.

THIS IS WHY I LIVE HERE.

I am a beach baby, a freckle faced, sand in between my toes, 

bike riding VENICE BEACH LOCAL.

There is more mayhem than most other beach cities, 

but hell, that makes it exciting!

We really do have the best of both worlds.  

The beach with access to a big city.

There are so many different types of people with ranging passions 

& a dedication to building something new. 

Always looking for the next best thing.

Yes, that can be exhausting,

 but it is innovative and inspiring at the same time.

As I reflect back on my experience thus far, 

I could not change a thing.

There have been many things 

that I have been through that weren't pleasant.

Of the most important things that I have learned 

over 12 years of Southern California living,

is that you cannot plan for your life.

Things come and go, 

and there are surprises around every corner.

PREPARATION MEETS POSSIBILITY.

You have to be in the right place at the right time...

for the right lesson to find you.

I am thankful for VENICE to have taught me all of the colorful lessons to date.

Sometimes you need to take a step back to appreciate all that is in front of you.

Venice is my home.  I can safely say, no matter where life takes me I will always come back for more.

HUSTLE

The only person you have to prove ANYTHING to is YOURSELF.

And YOU are the most important person.

Set goals for yourself.

Hold yourself accountable.

WORK AND MAKE EVERYDAY YOUR PERSONAL BEST

1. Strap em down

2. Lace em up

3. HUSTLE

How do you show for the gym/yourself?

Do your workouts reflect your life?

Do you easily throw in the towel?

Are you known to push yourself to set new limits?

When you say you are going to achieve your goals in the gym do you?

How may times have you said "I am going to start on Monday"?

Decide now!

The energy we surround ourselves with is the energy that is available in other aspects of our lives.

Choose integrity.

If you say something, mean it.

If you have the desire to do something, find a way.

The only person you have to prove it to is yourself.

Don't break your promises, because if you can't show up for you, who will?

why so serious

In 2011 the NIKE MAKE YOURSELF campaign ran.

Girls would come in to take class at ALPHA VENICE

& would fill out a questionnaire.

On the piece of paper it would say:

I WANT TO MAKE MYSLEF _________.

My answer was STRONG

There are so many things we don't know that we don't know.

I am so thankful for my dedication and my drive.

Since then, I have made myself strong.

From life's ups and downs,

I have hung in there and kept on trucking.

It is true, if you say things enough to yourself, they come true.

So let's set the intention and get after it!

MAKE YOURSELF_______________.

#goaldigger

#manifest

#DREAM

MOBILITY - opposition

We are creatures of habit.

Our physical activity tends to be consistent.

The problem with repetitive movement is the Reciprocal Inhibition.

For everything that you are overusing there are things that you are underusing.

Runners:

STRETCH!

Open up your chest

Work on the ROM in your lats.

Arm Circles Back

Sun Salutations

Runners Lunge with Rotational Reach

Most importantly....change things up!

NEW Yummy Venture

ALPHA SPORT is making things to go.......

All in one ALPHA SWEETS ingredients, just add water breakfast AND MORE!!!!
This will be rolled out at the ALPHA ORGANICS CAFE opening the end of April in NJ.
I am taking suggestions for what you hope to TASTE!

HARNESS YOUR POWER

We are in charge of our own happiness.

No one can give it,

or take it away.

What makes you SOAR?

Each one of us finds our own piece of heaven on earth.

That feeling that you get as though you are lifting off the ground.

For me, it is CREATING.

When my brain is working and bringing ideas to life.

The concept that we can change our path in a spilt second makes me feel ALIVE.

How do you hold onto that feeling?

How do we lengthen those moments?

Look for the beauty in the in between moments.

If the everyday things, the common things, that we take for granted

become special, become things worth noticing,

imagine how much higher the joys will be.

There can be less time/space between the incredible moments of gratitude.

Jump at the opportunity for optimism.

 Do you choose cloudiness or clarity?

My head may be in the clouds, but I want my intentions to be CRYSTAL CLEAR.

The Crooked Truth

This is my spine....not so straight huh?
But can you see how well my body has adapted to keep me upright?
My tailbone & C spine are stacked right on top of each other.
The beauty of the human body is its ability to heal itself.

The truth about me, is that I cannot train like a person who doesn't have scoliosis.
I have aches and pains that most people don't regularly have.
BUT what I do have is the knowledge of how to heal myself.
I know what I need to do to keep my body healthy.
Training single sided helps me to neuromuscularly learn how to counter balance my imbalances.
Now that I have been through injuries and gone months unable to train,
I understand that beach muscles only tighten me in places my body should be open & fluid.

Vanity aside, I want to be pain free.
I want to make smart choices.
I want to be able to explain to someone in pain that is can subside.
That we need to learn how to adapt.
How to train our brains to understand that we are all different.
Balance, is the key.

GINGER COOKIES

While I work on perfecting my 

GINGER MOLASSES COOKIE recipe

what I can offer you, is the next best thing.

WOW: Gluten Free Baking Company

I have had EVERY FLAVOR of these cookies. 

They are just the right texture & flavor.

They are an amazing brand that is also GMO-free.

REAL. CONSCIOUS. FOOD.

Summer in March?!

86 degrees in March in SOCAL
WAKE UP THAT SUMMER BODY!

No matter what time of year, keep yourself in shape.
Take the time to train your body, clam your mind and nourish yourself properly.

I know that not everyone lives in CA: ETERNAL SUMMER, but healthy should be a lifestyle.
The continual flip flopping of in season off season is not great for your metabolism.
People that crash diet to lose weight for vacation end up eating a ton. Then they return without fitting into any of their clothes.  That doesn't feel good on the outside or the inside.  

Lets focus on self respect and self control.
Retrain your brain to want things that are good for you.
Be aware of recovery and allowing yourself to live a little without falling off track.

Confidence comes from self love, self love can be attained by listening to you intuition, your body & ME.  Let me guide you to a healthier lifestyle....one day at a time.
Be proud of yourself for staying consistent.
Look forward to your healthier options

#ALPHASPORTLA
#ALPHAVENICE
#ALPHASPORTEAST

opposites DO NOT attract

You know that feeling when someone that doesn't LOVE fitness asks you about your day?

When people just don't get that an ideal day is a workout and a healthy meal?

So why would someone think that opposites attract?

If you don't enjoy sweating....I don't understand

People that can go for days without wearing a pair of sneakers......

BLOWS MY DAMN MIND

It's not an obsession, it's a passion;

It's a lifestyle. 

Being good to myself starts with taking care of my body.

It also requires that I surround myself with likeminded people.

People that work hard, play hard & are open to all life can throw at them.

That along with self awareness,

is what makes a beast A BEAST.  

#BEASTMODE

#compatibility

#lifestyle

#single

Hi, I'm Awesome

THATS ALL......

#SWOOSH

Badass!

MAKE THE RULES....

If you only have this moment once, why not make the best of it?
Do you only have one chance to make a first impression?
Is there only a single shot at greatness? 

Why does there have to be one PERSONAL BEST? 
Hit that make and keep reaching kid!

BE intimidating, but approachable
BE tough with a soft side
BE firm in your beliefs, but still willing to learn

bad·ass

ˈbadˌas/

NORTH AMERICANinformal

noun

1. 1. 

   a tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person.

   "one of them is a real badass, the other's pretty friendly"

adjective

1. 1. 

   tough, uncompromising, or intimidating.

   "a badass demeanor"

   
   

   
   

MARCH 2-5 experience my MENTOR

I will be traveling to the EAST COAST LOCATION the beginning of next week.
Marc Coronel, one of the TOP TRX course instructors in THE WOLRD will be taking over my classes & sessions!!!!!
This is an extra special treat for you.
NOT TO BE MISSED!

He is just as strange as I am so you will definitely have fun.....and the knowledge is not even a question.  
So get your butts into class even if you haven't been in a while.
This is not something to be missed.
Please sign up online to reserve your spot.

www.AlphaVenice.com/schedule
We welcome Marc to PFIT and look forward to his continual appearances!

Healthy Snacks - Asparagus

ASPARAGUS

One of my favorite snacks made by #Paleta

is the Power House.....asparagus spears wrapped in turkey.

Sunday's Farmer's Market in Santa Monica 

has the best make your own omelets:

egss, bacon, corn, asparagus & mozzarella  

is EPIC

High in vitamin K and folate, asparagus is extremely well balanced.

Asparagus is high in anti-inflammatory nutrients as well as provides a wide variety of antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and the minerals zinc, manganese and selenium.

No matter how you dress these puppies up they are GOOOOD for you.  So boil them, steam them, sauté them, just consume them! Your body will thank you.

I am feeling a bacon trend here!

for the full recipe visit LILUNA

let it out and move on....

As much energy as we expend during exercise,

 we need to put that much back in. 

Respecting our bodies by sitting quietly and bringing the attention back to the breath.

Much of our health is related to our metal state

that controls stress, sleep and recovery.

I just started reading THE BUDDAH WALKS INTO A BAR
What I have to work on is the INCREDIBLE HULK SYNDROME
Learning how to deal with your strong emotions when they arise quickly.

There is a analogy about a glass of water...

"The first thing to remember is that these emotions are not your enemy.  They are fluid and open experiences.  They are the dirt swirling in a glass of water before it settles to the bottom.  Like the dirt in the glass, your emotions won't always be active on the surface unless you keep stirring them up.  In other words, it's not your strong emotions that get you in trouble, its the fact that you get hooked by them."

I think the trick is to not let things get backed up, not let things build until you explode.
But do yourself a service of dealing with things as they come up and fully allowing yourself to move past them. 

Remember things will arise, but you have the choice of whether or not to give them energy.
The more you sit quietly the more this will make sense. 
Choose the breath, choose to teach yourself how to react better/differently by learning how to make healthier decisions in the moment.

#BREATHE

Personally Fit!

As you all know by now, we have moved. 

ALPHA VENICE has joined forces with 

PFit at 1500 Lincoln Blvd

So far, we have had a GREAT transition.

The parking & showers seem to have helped the flow of classes.

I would love to see each of your smiling faces in there ASAP

We have changed NTC/NIKE TRAINING CLUB 

on the schedule 

to a class called ALPHA HUSTLE.

#NIKEWOMEN

will only be offering NTC in NIKE stores & elevated events around the globe

SO ALPHA HUSTLE WAS BORN

is a combo of NTC drills, power plate, TRX, RIP, HIIT & yoga.

All the best ALPHA VENICE has to offer rolled into one class!

You can always come to the FREE NTC events in SOCAL

MONDAY EVENINGS

check www.nike.com/LA for locations & times.

I will be teaching TONIGHT 

MONDAY FEB 23rd 

at NIKE SANTA MONICA starting at 630pm.

Please come early to sign in and get settled!

OATS in or OUT?

During my years baking gluten free,

my favorite grain alternative has always been oat flour.

It has a very similar texture to regular flour, that fluffiness without the nutty taste of the other options.

Recently, I have been noticing a similar reaction to the oats, that my tummy has to GLUTEN.

Research shows that traditionally oats are not allowed

 in a gluten free diet for those with Celiacs. 

Though oats contain a different type of protein 

than wheat, rye & barley called, AVENIN 

making it digestible for those with a gluten entollerance.

You can get GLUTEN FREE oats from the super market.

Most people that are "Gluten Free" these days aren't necessarily suffering from Celiacs.

The difference between being gluten free & having Celiacs is that the Celiacs' response is autoimmune. Most people that take gluten out have a digestive issue.

Canadian Celiac Association’s professional advisory board has developed a position statement on using pure, uncontaminated oats. It says that adults with celiac can safely consume half to three-quarters of a cup (50 to 70 grams) of dry rolled oats per day. For children, it’s one-quarter cup (20 to 25 grams) per day.

Since I know I do have an autoimmune disorder, I am sure I need to limit my intake.

What do I do for all my ALPHA SWEETS that i make with oats & oat flours?

Back to the drawing board.........

The picture shown above was an experiment of my favorite 

PUMPKIN DRIED CHERRY COOKIE sans OATS.

I subbed the oat flour for rice flour

and added quick oats at half the amount of the rolled oats.

The results were: a difference in texture (to be expected), 

they required a longer bake time, almost double

& they where much more crumbly.

AND NO BAD REACTION FOR MOI!

The solution: offering this option as a different cookie, it is more crunchy and delicious.

Refrigeration after cooling helped the cookie stay together.

This is a VEGAN cookie option, so I will offer a NON VEGAN option by adding eggs 

to  make them stickier!

*EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON WHO IS CONSUMING THESE LOVELY LITTLE DELIGHTS. ALPHA SWEETS ARE MADE PER ORDER, JUST HOW YOU LIKE EM!

Always freed food labels if you have allergies &ask questions!  

Just say YES to weight training

Incase you haven't been schooled on some of the benefits of resistance training.....

and lifting weights doesn't make you bulky.

-increases muscles mass that naturally starts to decrease after 30

-decreases your risk of osteoporosis

-reduces signs of depression

-helps you work toward better heart health

-eliminates pain from your body by increasing your functionality

-increases the strength of connective tissues, muscles & tendons

-a pound of muscle weighs the same as fat, but it half the size

-being active lowers high blood pressure

I don't need many more reasons than that,

but if you do....do the research.

A healthy, functional body is much better than the alternative.

Trust me, the skinny ones AREN'T the ones that look amazing with their clothes off.

-LIFT WEIGHTS

-PACE YOURSELF

-WORK AT YOUR OWN LEVEL

-TREAT YOUR BODY WITH KINDNESS

#EverythingIsAwesome

#IHopeYouAllSawTheLegoMovie

#TrainSmart

BE the change

The flaws we see in others,

 are generally what we cannot see in ourselves.

If we can start acting not reacting,

I do believe that there would be a shift, a domino effect.

Decide how you want to make a difference, and find a way.

Be that person that is always there to be of service.

Learn how to hear what makes you uncomfortable without letting it ruin your day.

Take what you want....and leave the rest.

BUT NOT BEFORE YOU LEARN FROM IT.

Change the World....or the the way you see it.

Be open

Be honest

Be gentle

Be strong

IT STARTS WITH YOU.