BE REAL

I have a new found love for JESSIE J boy this girl can bring it home!

I really needed this song for the past few weeks.

There are times when we can feel as if we are the only one in the world struggling

Let's find a new perspective & stop judging ourselves for having off days

As long as you know who you are and what your rules are for life

LIVE AND LET LIVE

We need to all accept that we are where we are
in life, in love, in our journey
We just need to be kind to ourselves & support each other

There is a common thread......
No on ever thinks that they are ready, something always has to be different
"If I can change this, then I will deserve___________!"

The time is NOW
to love ourselves
to believe in ourselves
to feel that we are acting out our truth
BE REAL
AUTHENTIC
Whether it is sad or happy, feel it
Surf your emotional waves to serenity

Surfing Your Inner Sea........a book by Raphael Cushnir

EPIC BOOK I highly recommend it!

Each chapter can be a great morning mantra

I choose to take my 5 minutes every morning to check in with these pages

Allow yourself to be true & own your emotional response

Then, ride it out, take the time to know what you are feeling & why

Once you can acknowledge, you move past it & learn

My awareness at the moment has been brought to BEING REAL.....and all that it entailes.
I am a people pleaser, a competitive ALPHA to the core, but where has my softer side gone?
When you try to please others or decide how you think they want you to be,
A part of you has to be suppressed & you lose a sliver of your happiness

It is ok to rock the boat
It is ok to have an opposing opinion
And it is ok to decide a situation is not right for you

It's ok to not be ok

Honestly is how you find happiness....how you find what works for you

Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart

We are taught that there are places that we should be by a certain time in our lives
What is right for you might not be what is right, or what worked for someone else
Our journeys are all different BUT we are all in this together.

We weren't meant to go through life without the support of a loved one.  

Soulmates: we have all different types; best friends, spiritual teachers, lovers, pets etc.  

Accept the connection & know that it is ok to reach out to ask for help (my biggest lesson)  

There are road bumps & blocks all along the way, sometimes another perspective or even a set of arms to hug makes the biggest difference.

Be true to you

and be there for others

that is where happiness lies.

HEAT UP your everyday workouts!

We all get into our routines.
The same machines at the gym EVERY TIME!
It is common to get comfortable & want to stick with what you know.

Here are some ideas to kick it up a notch without straying too far from the "comfort zone"

From my extensive research people watching at GOLDS GYM VENICE.....
Most gym goers tend to super set in the world of exercise machines.
Let's add a cardio challenge to each round shall we? Why not get some cardio intervals in?

Each round should have:
1 machine, 1 free weight exercise & choose 1 of my KICK IT UP CARDIO choices.

jump rope

cardio plank

box jumps

mountain climbers

You can use one exercise for each round of 1+1+ 1 OR you can use the same #KIUC for your entire workout. Do you follow?

Example Workout adding your KICK IT UP CARDIO

Overhead Press Machine
DB/Chest Press
JUMP ROPE

Lat Pull Down Machine
Bent Over Row w/DB
JUMP ROPE

Preacher Curl
Step Back Lunge to Hammer Curl w/DB
JUMP ROPE

Bodyweight Tricep Dip
Single Leg Airplane Tri Kickback w/DB
other leg
JUMP ROPE

Butt Blaster Machine
Alternating Curtsy Lunge w/DB
JUMP ROPE

Inner/Outter Thigh Machine
Side Lunge w/DB
other side
JUMP ROPE

Rope Crunch Machine
Straight Leg Crunch Toe Touch w/DB
JUMP ROPE

OR

Overhead Press Machine

DB/Chest Press

JUMP ROPE

Lat Pull Down Machine

Bent Over Row w/DB

BOX JUMP

Preacher Curl

Step Back Lunge to Hammer Curl w/DB

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Bodyweight Tricep Dip 

Single Leg Airplane Tri Kickback w/DB

other leg

JUMP ROPE

Butt Blaster Machine

Alternating Curtsy Lunge w/DB

CARDIO PLANK

Inner/Outter Thigh Machine

Side Lunge w/DB

other side

BOX JUMP

Rope Crunch Machine

Straight Leg Crunch Toe Touch w/DB

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Consistency Contagiousness Courageousness

the topic of CONSISTENCY has come up a lot over this past week
and I realized.....

I often say that I want it, but when I have it, I have no idea how to sit in it peacefully
In other words, I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop
"Comfortable in CHAOS"

What HAS been consistent in my life has been my drive,
my passion to make something more w/myself.
I am always reaching for something

But when do I celebrate my achievements?
When will I allow myself to settle into a consistent life without the climb?
With my business I don't see that happening,
I live for my passion, my driving force,
the ever changing fitness industry, staying current, staying relevant.
The work will be in celebrating the achievements & taking a beat to sit back

What I need to do is to differentiate what part of my brain am I struggling with?
Business or Personal?
I know what my future looks like as a Fitness Entrepreneur, so much so that I don't need to anticipate it.
The question remains...
Is it possible to have a ever climbing career & be able to relax into a relationship?
To be comfortable with consistency?
Can I let those that care about me HELP me, can I learn to ask?
Growth for me will come from trusting and breathing together through the little moments.

CONTAGIOUSNESS in yawning, is like contagiousness in inspiration!

Don't you love when someone is so inspired that their excitement bubbles over & you all of the sudden feel lighter? Ready to take on the world?

While guest teaching at CSUN I was re-energized. Sharing with inquisitive students filled me with excitement & joy.  The more I spoke of dedication & persistence, the more brightly they lit up.  I could even feel them lean in towards me as I spoke. How amazing is it that we can add fuel to that fire that is their FUTURE?! This is what I have been working toward.  Being a persistent, consistent student that will eventually become an active teacher, leader & role model.

What was contagious in this experience was how our energies ping-ponged off of each other.  I brought in my approach, it was well received & they were hungry.  In there hunger I was reminded of how I felt when I was starting out.  How much hearing I wasn't good enough pushed me to work harder.....not to give up.  I WILL MAKE SURE that I am going to do the opposite to those that look to me for the answers.  I will encourage & support anyone who is willing to put in the work.  I will always be here to inspire those who will go above & beyond to make this their life.  You must eat, sleep & breathe your passion.  One day you will wake up & see that you have become one of those teachers that you so admired.  But, in life we must always be willing to be a student.  The humble warriors who have open minds & hearts will share what I have taught them & pass it on. 

COURAGEOUSNESS is venturing into the unknown. 

Simply taking on each day.  

Walking forward & tall, ready to except with is, without worry about what will be.  

The willingness to make your own rules, do what you love 

& not let what someone thinks of you matter.  

Ask questions, do things you will not be recognized for, 

cause ultimately what is it all for? 

YOU.....you wake up & go to bed with yourself every night.  

Make the choice to be proud & aware of the person you are in each conversation & decision. 

The way you treat others, is a telling tale of how you treat yourself.

It is brave to give first, even second chances, it is cowardly to judge someone for things that you have no idea about. Do what you love & everything will fall into place.

When you are consistently courageous, it is contagious.......PASS IT ON

Thank you to the students of CSUN for making me feel like a total bad ass that can have a positive impact on those that will come after me.  To Shabnam for having me as a guest teacher in her class. And to my clients & friends for always challenging me & those in my heart for feeling like home whether it is chaotic or not.

1. 
   

   1. 
      

Dynamic Warm up

On Tuesday March 11th I participated in a
Physical Therapy & Athlete Training Panel
for SANTA MONICA HIGH CAREER DAY 2014!

A question was asked,
"What stretches to you recommend for your groin?"

I kind of went off on a tangent about there being very different concepts of stretching.  More importantly my thoughts on never stretching a cold muscle.  You can stretch as a cool down but your body should ALWAYS be warmed up DYNAMICALLY.  This means consistent movement in functional patterns that will build heat and allow a resting muscle to come alive and perform.
In order to answer that question, I need to ask more questions.

BUT HERE AS GENERAL & INFORMATIVE AS I CAN BE.....

dynamic warm up

Web definitions

1. A series of movements (including bouncing and skipping) that are designed to actively prepare the muscles for performance and are performed in a safe and controlled fashion
   
   
    EXAMPLE
   
   
   
   When warming up, you should maybe not so obviously, be targeting the main muscles that you will be using as well as range of motion.  
   
   
   Any sport that requires agility: rapid changing direction, will light up the groin. 
   Any sport that requires agility: also requires that you prep off the field on multiple planes of motion.
   This is why there are so many ACL MCL injuries, because not enough young athletes prep these bodies laterally or transversely. 
   MOST INJURIES HAPPEN IN THE DECELERATION PHASE
   When the athlete makes a quick decision to change direction, 
   & the knee or groin is the last one to find out. #OUCH
   
   
   
   
   To answer this young athlete's question:
   Here are a list of groin/inner thigh warm up exercises
   
   
   1. PLIE SQUAT
   
   up & down starting shallow and as you progress get closer to 90 degrees pressing the knees open
   heals never leave the ground
   
   
   2. RUNNER'S LUNGE
    
   start with you back knee on the ground and alternate stepping up
   progress to extending the back leg
   
   
   3.SPIDERMAN
   
   hands remain on the floor you are moving side to side through your pile lunge
   if you cannot reach the found put your forearms on your thighs/elbows on the knees
   
   
   REPEAT ALL THESE EXERCISES 10 REPS FOR 3 ROUNDS 
   
   
   A cool down would be different, 
   since you are warm and have already exerted the muscle.
   Stretches for the inner thighs can/will look similar you would just hold them for longer intervals.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   Be nice to your groin, it is responsible for a lot of your quick decisions!
   
   

What are you reading?

NOW is the time for self exploration!
While mapping out the many different parts of my brain,
I found out that all of the different facets of my life!
Everything that I am passionate about, I have someone working into my career
I DO WHAT I LOVE FOR A LIVING.....AND LOVE WHAT I DO!

I have learned to NOT be afraid of saying "I don't know". 
When admitting an #IDK I am more than willing to go off on a researching tailspin to find the answers...............it leads to a messy dining table, but more knowledge in my noodle.

The stack of books on my above mentioned dining table 

cover most of the THANGS I just can't get enough of

MY HOT READING LIST OF THE MOMENT :

"COOKING LIGHT 200-Calorie East Smart Guide": I have decided that I need to add to my cooking repertoire.  Healthy, quick & satisfying is the way to go COOKING LIGHT's book will get me through the next 30 days. 

"The Concise Book of Muscles": While working toward my yoga certification, I am loving this as a  musculature vocab review.  Yoga, though I have practiced for years, is a totally new skill set & approach to the human body.  All forms for physical movement are the same but the approach is entirely different.  As my teacher says, circumstances change but principals say the same.   The human body's alignment & structure is really mind blowing. *GEEK OUT

"Blog Inc." Joy Deangdeelert: This book is helping me to refocus my attention to alphaWHAT. This blog has has been up and running since Feb 23rd 2010? There is a science to networking and taking over the WORLD WIDE WEB.  I need to harness my inner Doogie Howser...did you get what i did there, connected this book and the last? Moving on..... 
*HELPFUL & A QUICK READ

"Smart Girls Finish Rich" David Bach: Get your finances TOGETHER.  I am EEK in my 30s, and would love to be on top of my game.  This book is teaching me how to invest, and how to save.  Where my money should go & smart decisions to make for my future. It seems to be written in Mandarin so lets see how this one goes...

"It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be" Paul Arden: How to be good/great/outstanding in business.  Get motivated to steer your way through the road less traveled to entrepreneurship.  Set backs are not ultimately considered "fails", but a reboot/change direction to lead you back on track. Everything is within your reach especially if you are willing to look at & work through the uncomfy difficult parts. 
*AMAZINGLY MOTIVATING & A QUICK READ

"Veterinarians's Guide to Natural Dog Remedies for Dogs" One of my besties gave me this book cause she loves my pup(now pups) as much as I do.  It has come in very handy since Mraz has had tummy problems all week! "Medication" is not the only way.  Holistic and preventative measures are always the best way to lead a healthy life, even for our furry four legged friends.

Explore, learn, spark a new interest, spend your time wisely.

take a hard look at MY ADDICTION

I am sure that some of you know me pretty well
& that there are many of you that have just gotten to know me recently

Over the past 2 months I have withdrawn from a problem that I have had since a very young age
It started due to years of dance competitions, auditions & basically, let's be honest, where I grew up 

What I have recognized in this short period of time is that
without it, I am no less whole.....
with it I might THINK I look better & feel as though I act more confidently
but that does NOT mean that I need it

As I sit here with my computer open I am wondering whether or not to jump the gun
This cold turkey approach has worked for me, but now that I know it is available online 
& can be delivered right to my door..............OH GOD give me the strength!

One might think that I was from TEXAS, but JERSEY is just as bad........Amazon carries my 
Sheer Blonde John Frieda HAIRSPRAY

The think layers of stick that are no longer covering my bathroom make me happy.....
My dogs no longer run from the bathroom coughing and blinking frantically.....
I have just gotten over the panic of reaching for the cold aerosol can and feeling it empty
(the thought makes me tear up a bit)
.....so do i pull the plug, shall i go back to my big hair days?

You can take the girl outta JERSEY...........maybe I should get a spray tan while I'm at it?

OUCH!

Have you ever had that painful little spot in your mouth

that was so sensitive to...EVERYTHING?!
They can make your eyes tear,
your modes change,
even turn down food!

Canker Sores- aphthous ulcers
Little ulcers in the inside of the mouth that usually resolve within 7-21 days

Most likely they are caused by:

stress

trauma 

impaired immune system:

nutrient deficiency (vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, or iron)

food sensitivities (mostly dairy & gluten) or

nutritional problems, such as Celiacs & Crohn's Disease

Let it be known that they are not contagious AT ALL!
The pain is sufficient so you can use ....
Home remedy: dissolve 1 tsp salt in 1 cup of warm water & swish for 30-60 sec
Home remedy: dab honey on the spot or lime & rock salt
OTC: topical numbing cream
OTC: anti-inflammatory

You should remove citrus, lemons, oranges, pineapples, apples, figs, coffee, chocolate, spicy or salty foods, nuts, seeds, tomatoes, strawberries from your diet as well as keep the gum chewing to a minimum. 

BUT instead of suppressing the symptoms after they occur,
lets look at how to prevent them, shall we?

The most apparent way to find out if these little buggers are caused by a food allergy,

is to notice the reaction to the lining of the mouth.

Foods can cause a swollen or/and discolored tongue and....canker sores.
The tongue will tell you so many things!
 If you have ever been to a Dr that practices Chinese Medicine the first thing they do 
.......is look inside your mouth.
LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR MOUTH IS TRYING TO TELL YOU.

Stress increases the development of food allergies.

Times of stress are the most important times to watch your food intake.

A Multi Vitamin will help to balance your nutritional deficiencies.

Lysine supplements will support imbalances in your immune system that cause these painful little guys.

Canker Sores usually can show up as well as fever, physical sluggishness & swollen lymph nodes
all of which are signs of stress, imunne system fatigue.  

How do we prevent this from happening? 
Adequate water intake, proper nutrition, exercise & SLEEP.  
Sleep deprivation can be the main cause of stress on the body!

Take these little pains in the asses as signs 

that you need to slow your roll.  

Calm down, sit down and breathe.  

Rest solves a LOT of problems!