No matter how you feel, keep calm and workout!

Posted on 2 April 2012 | No responses

Sometimes, finding the ‘why’ isn’t the important part.  Thinking too much about the why can spiral one into a internal debate and can be seriously DEmotivating.  Each day is not always going to be a bouquet of flowers.  Hopefully more days will than not.  Today, was another day where I just felt ‘fat’, bloated and pregnant…Not pregs, just when I get so bloated it looks like I swallowed a balloon.  What’s interesting is when I am feeling this way for some reason I feel like I need to eat heavy, large meals.  Maybe to fill the space with something real instead of air? I dunno.  Of course I am trying to figure out ‘why’ I am feeling this way today. Was it the fiber one bar this morning? Did I eat something that my system can’t process? Why, Why, Why?  While sitting on the couch after work watching an always entertaining episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta, I decided to browse Facebook.  My lovely trainers Tone it Up popped up on my feed and they were featuring before and after pictures of one of the member’s Brianna Sky.  Now, if this doesn’t motivate you to get off your butt, your helpless.  I couldn’t just continue to sit there in my bloated body listening to Nene Leakes run her gawd awful mouth. I had to get up.  Got into some comfy clothes, jumped into my sneakers and I was almost ready to go.  I opened up my Youtube channel and went right to my favorites and chose two of my favorite videos by Tone It Up.  Both, from the 2011 Bikini Series.  First up I chose the Sandcastle workout followed by the Bikini Strap workout. Let me tell you, by the time I completed the Sandcastle workout (15 mins) I was sweating!!! NO JOKE. These girls get you working quickly!

You don’t need a lot of space to work out.  And, you don’t need a lot of time. So, you see there are no real reasons why you cannot fit in a workout.  Only self sabotaging excuses.   Below are a couple quick pics I took to show you how I quickly and easily rigged up my laptop on the coffee table so I could workout to the video.

Here’s to getting off the couch..cheers.

Carpe Diem…..Stephanie

Weight Watchers Day 4

Posted on 1 February 2012 | 1 response

Have you noticed when you begin your weight loss efforts/diet, etc. you feel lighter?  Such a great feeling.  Eating light = feeling light. And, on the other side of the coin, eat a heavy meal, say fettuccine alfredo or a calzone you feel heavy and like a log.  Yukkk….I do not miss that feeling and will remember how good I DO feel now for when I find myself in a moment of weakness I can draw on those feelings to pull me through. Today’s gym session was day 2 of weight lifting.  Reality sets in when you pick up some weights and realize just how much you need to build that upper body strength.  I love working the lower body and feel it’s my stronger area, as I imagine most people do considering we use our legs constantly.  The body is a powerful thing.  Watching the transformation in progress is what is really inspiring to me.

Off to visit the Sandman and let me poor muscles do their best at recovery.  Until next time, laugh more & hug a friend!

Weight Watchers day 2

Posted on 30 January 2012 | No responses

I am sipping some lovely Chamomile tea w/cinnamon reflecting on this day.  Today was an extremely busy day. In the weight loss world to me that means I don’t overeat. I’m too busy. I usually find myself over eating or eating when it’s not necessary when I am bored, anxious or unsettled. It’s 9:15pm and by golly I still have 4 points remaining.  Granted, I did lift weights today which awarded me 6 activity points. Not bad eh?  Today began my weight lifting mission. My husband and I went to the gym and he showed me an all over body routine so I know how to work the machines and how many reps to do, how many sets etc.  I’m fired up, adios softness, there is muscle moving in!!!

Here’s to tomorrow a day of soreness…. .

Stephanie

Friends~N~Fitness

Posted on 10 July 2011 | No responses

Sunday’s are a fabulous day. When you exercise right after waking you have soo much energy and the day seems incredibly long.  Today was another Yoga Sunday with my girl Cynthia at Lululemon in the 90210.  Today’s class was INSANE..in a very good way. It was another instructor from Equinox/Westwood (don’t remember the name, long blonde curly hair).  She taught a Vinyasa flow class that was very arm/shoulder intensive. I liked this chick.  She did a nice warm up to remind us that it is ‘our’ practice and we are the boss of our bodies and know what level we’re at.  She also reminded us to relax our eyebrows and jaw; common to squish your face up and hold on tight while trying different poses.  I did a bunch of poses I have never been exposed to.  Like the crow..That was exciting. There were introductions to hand stands and how to begin building the strength and focus to accomplish this.  While walking around instructing us, she reminded us that in Yoga you have to be willing to do two things.  1. Do it 2. Be willing to fall.  Kind of like life right? Can’t succeed at anything unless you try and keep trying until it works. So, I decided to go for mine.  She set us up in a bunch of poses that led to a head stand. I tried a head stand and got all the way up. And, toppled right over on top of Cynthia. Thankfully she didn’t hit the deck and hurt herself.  It was super funny.  Then I tried again, and again.  What I learned today about Yoga from the instructor – Yoga is not about strength, it’s about balance.  So true…..well I kind of think it’s about strength too, but I get her point. After all the sweaty, hard work and balance, we popped next door and had breakfast with a new found friend that was next to us in the class (thanks for taking the pics Angela) and had a great meal.  So, here’s to Friends, fitness & food!

Here is Cynthia and I doing a back bend. Our goal is to perfect it.  Bring the legs in closer so they are in line with our hips and not splayed out to the side.  I’m wearing the red Tone it Up tank and Cynthia is wearing the blue tank.

Paying it forward – and the winner is…

Posted on 5 July 2011 | No responses

Heather of The Raw Journalist is the winner of my DVD giveaway . Yay!!! What a synchronicity that Heather would win..did you see the name of her website? Wow…I have been thinking about and dabbling in the idea of going vegan – and raw vegan.  The universe connects people purposely.  Perhaps Heather is my teacher and I her student of RAWNESS..I’m intrigued!~ In fact, I was led to her Youtube channel which she recommended the The Raw Divas .  I am thinking about doing the free 7 day cleanse…so, thank you Heather for connecting.

Go check out Heather’s blog  – she’s got great info, recipes like Raw Bubble Gum Pudding?? Say what? Yep, all kinds of cool stuff going on over there.

Until next time… go get your sweat on~!

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