Traveling? Just get to a WALL

Here's a workout you can do as long as you have a wall nearby:


Facing the wall:
12 - Wall push-ups (hands on wall, do a push up)

12 - handstand kick-ups (hands on floor, kick legs up to vertical, alternating lead leg)
12 - volley ball blocks (jump up and touch wall with fingertips)





Get down:
12 - bridge hip raises (facing wall with feet on wall, back to floor, raise hips up)


12 - reach for the sky (facing wall, legs vertical against wall, reaching up for feet)
12 - single leg bridge hip raises Right leg
12 - single leg bridge hip raises Left leg



Going into plank:
12 - plank push-ups (facing away from wall, feet against wall, hands on the ground)
 

12 - plank to handstands (in plank, facing away from wall, feet against wall, walk feet up so your body becomes vertical)


12 - side plank (in plank but on one forearm in side plank)


1 minute - plank hold (facing away from wall, feet against wall, hands on the ground)





Face away from Wall:
12 - Right leg lift in wall sit (R leg lifts, L leg is 90 degrees, butt & back against wall)
12 - Left leg lift in wall sit (L leg lifts, R leg is 90 degrees, butt & back against wall)
1 minute - figure 4 Left leg in wall sit
1 minute - figure 4 Right leg in wall sit
12 - R leg lunges (Left foot against wall, Right knee lunging)
12 - L leg lunges (Right foot against wall, Left knee lunging)
1 minute wall sit (both knees 90 degrees, butt & back against wall)


figure 4 @top left picture, wall sit @top right, and single leg lifts @bottom left (single leg lift hold @bottom right)


wall lunges






repeat whole workout x2

Tea for your sickness

I noticed that a lot of people are sick as of late... Well I've got something for you.



Try this awesome tea - specifically for colds. Got from my fitness buddy Adil:

• 1 cup of boiled water
• 1/4 tsp ground tumeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2-1 tsp honey
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Vegetarian Paella with Red Peppers & Chickpeas

Serves 4



1 cup short-grain brown rice (See Recipe Note)
Hefty pinch saffron (about 8 strands)
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes, fresh or canned
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon hot paprika
1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
3 artichoke hearts, sliced (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Salt and pepper

Bring 3 cups of water and a hefty pinch of salt to a boil, add the rice, and cook for about about 20 minutes, or until the rice begins to soften. Drain and set aside. (Par-boiling the brown rice speeds up the overall cooking time.)

Combine saffron threads and 3 tablespoons of warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Bring the broth to a simmer, then reduce the heat and keep at a low simmer until needed.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, and sauté the onions until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic slices and peppers. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Mix in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, hot paprika, saffron threads (along with the water), and season generously with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Let it cook for a few minutes.

Make sure to have your vegetable broth simmering nearby. Fold in the green beans, artichoke slices, and chickpeas. Then stir in the par-boiled, drained rice. Ladle the simmering broth over the rice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has evaporated. A few minutes before the rice is fully cooked, scatter the peas over top. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Recipe Notes
Paella with Traditional White Rice: If you'd prefer, use a traditional short-grain white rice for this dish, like Bomba or Valencia. If using white rice, there's no need to par-boil and you only need 3 cups of broth.

the Avodilla (avocado instead of queso)

Avodilla
Serves 1
A Vegan Snack



1/2 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
1 medium lavash wrap

1/2 medium avocado, sliced
1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave syrup

Pinch sea salt




1. Melt the coconut oil in a skillet over high heat. 

2. Place the lavash wrap in the skillet and let it soften and warm for a minute. 

3. Layer the sliced avocado down the middle of the warm lavash and fold over into third to seal in the avocado.

4. Drizzle the sweetener over the lavash as it toasts on the hot pan. 

5. Flip once. The lavash is ready when the edges start to brown and bubble.


6. Add a pinch of sea salt over top and slice to serve.

Foot Soak Recipes

Sometimes our feet hurt from work, or workouts.. Here are a few foot soak ideas when your feet have had a long day.


Each of these recipes is for use with one gallon of water. You can also add some marbles or small rocks to rub your feet over to provide a light massaging sensation.



Recipe 1:1 part Epsom salts
1 part baking soda
2 drops essential oil of choice



Recipe 2:4 bags of chamomile tea
1/8 cup of dried parsley
4 drops essential oil of choice
Note: Steep ingredients in hot water for 10 minutes before soaking.



Recipe 3:
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup Epsom salts
2 drops essential oil of choice



Recipe 4:
1 ¼ cups Epsom salts
1 ¼ cups kosher salt
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup cornstarch



Recipe 5:
1 cup lemon juice
3 Tblsp olive oil
¼ cup milk



Essential oil ideas: peppermint, lavender, mint, orange, lemon, eucalyptus

10 Benefits of Cardio Kickboxing

I love it but let me tell you why you might love it too:

1. It helps with self-defense skills. Maybe not with total application but at least you'll know how to kick and punch.
2. It's a total body workout. I come of class drenched in sweat. Kicking and punching is great for you and your hot bod.
3. It combines an aerobic workout to resistance training. It not only works your heart but builds muscles too! 
4. It actually incorporates five components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, and flexibility.
5. Its a confidence booster!
6. Creates stamina.
7. It helps relieves stress. Just picture someone you really want to punch on that bag.
8. I learn to have better hand eye coordination during partner drills.
9. It increases your energy.
10. I think it's a blast!

Fat Shaming versus Fat Acceptance.

We need to stop the fat shaming. It simply doesn't work, and it's very hurtful.

I say we need to have "Fat Acceptance" which does not mean Obesity is okay.

It means we need to stop all the negative judgement associated to our thought process when we think or talk about being fat.

Let me break it down. Obesity in America is a major health crisis. Having a BMI of over 30 puts someone in the Obese category. It also brings about other health issues that are possibly preventable if that obese person would lose the weight. Health issues like high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea (breathing problems while trying to sleep), and many more. 

Obesity affects all of us. You might not be obese yourself, but things like the economy, insurance costs, social norms of exercising, eating, and body image - it all affects all of us - so we need to work together to get this in check.

So how do we go about fat "accepting"? We need to look at our thought processes. We need a shift in how we perceive things and find a NON-JUDGMENTAL view of things.

Let's pretend that you don't have a car, and you needed to go to your doctor and you had your friend Amy volunteer to bring you to that doctor. You had an appointment and was told that the appointment was only going to last 15 minutes at most. So your friend Amy stays because that's not long enough for her to go drive home or go shopping and come back. So you and your friend Amy are waiting in the waiting room - and instead of getting in to see your doctor, it took 30 minutes longer in the waiting room.

You can either say to your friend Amy

"The doctor is 30 minutes late. You could have gone home, or gone shopping, and come back. Doctor is wasting my time."

or 

"It is 30 minutes that I get to spend with you enjoying your company."

or 

"It will take 30 minutes to get in to see my doctor."

The first statement is negative, the second is positive, and the last is neutral. It is the way it is, no judgment included. 

We need to adopt this neutral way of thinking when it comes to thinking about our bodies. We need to stop calling ourselves fat and ugly, and "can't do this" or "can't do that". We just need to call it what it is, and move on from there - sans the judgments. 

A neutral statement: "I have fat around my waist." 

instead of a negative statement: "I can't wear that shirt, I have a muffin top."

Once we have a clear assessment without any judgments, we can decide what to do from there. We can keep on track with what we've been doing - not changing a thing - if you're happy with what you've got, then awesome! Or if you want something different, then decide what you are going to do about it.

Placing a negative thought or cloud around your assessment, will not change that fact. Calling myself fat and ugly will not change the fact that I have adipose (fat tissue) around my waist. If anything, it will hurt my self esteem, and make me want to do less. Fat shaming is hurtful. Accept the facts and move on. Decide what to do from there. And that starts with leaving out any negative judgments.

5 Life Altering Mantras We Need to Embrace

1. There is No One Miracle Pill, Fad Diet or Perfect Cure-All. There is just you, hard work, and the WANT to better yourself from yesterday. It took years to get to this point in your life, it will take a little bit of time to undo all those bad habits and nuances.

2. I am more than just a number. I am more than just a number on the scale - which is solely dependent on the gravitation pull of only this planet alone. I am more than just my body weight composition - a man-made number to ill-compare my muscle percentage to my fat percentage. I am more than just my age, my pants size, or the number of pull-up reps I can do. None of these define the person I am, nor my self worth.

3. We are not dogs - food is not a treat. Food is not a punishment either. Don't feel bad if you ate like crap. Just do better next time. On the other hand, don't do a double day of working out, then "treat" yourself to a tub of ice cream.

4.  Love Yourself for you True Self. Love your body and don't apologize! We are all born with different bodies - thin, curvy, tall, pig nose, tiger stripes - (Confession: I have tiger stripes on my butt - as I call stretch marks even though I have not had a child or gone through childbirth). Love your body for what it is. God only made one of you (unless you're an identical twin). One and only. Too many haters out there. You can't be one of those haters. Love yourself because if you don't, no one will.

5. Life's too Short to Not Enjoy. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Working out is supposed to be hard work, but it can also be fun. Not all workouts are at the gym. Ever raced a friend to the top of the stairs? Ever gone rollerskating with your kids? Mother nature can provide a cheap(er) jungle gym if you let her. Hiking, exploring, fishing, gardening, swimming in Lake Tahoe, building a snow fort up at Mt. Rose when there's snow, taking your dog for a walk, kayaking, stand up paddle-boarding, going over to Lawlor Events Center and running up and down their stairs, ice blocking (also near Lawlor), jump roping with your kids, heck, just power-walking in the neighborhood - whatever the activity is, it doesn't have to be mundane and it doesn't have to be conventional - like in a gym. My motto: Work hard, Play harder.

Healthy Eggnog Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups soy milk (options: milk, unsweetened rice milk, almond or hazelnut milk)
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon + extra to sprinkle on top

DIRECTIONS:

1. Let’s take a moment to talk about your options here first. If you don’t want the eggs in your eggnog, simply omit them. But you will have to reduce the milk by about half to get it to thicken properly.

2. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for about 2-3 minutes ( I used the pot I was going to cook it in and my hand blender).

3. Pour the eggnog into a pot and warm over medium-low heat for 15 minutes to cook the egg. You want this to get hot, but you do NOT want to boil it. Towards the end, it will want to simmer. Whisk constantly to avoid it.

4. Remove from heat and set the pot in the fridge when it’s cooled enough to do so. Chill overnight.

5. If you made this with the exact listed ingredients (no substitutions), you will see that when it’s cold, it becomes very thick. Blend with a whisk.

6. If you find that it’s far too thick, simply add a bit more milk until you reach the consistency you enjoy.

7. Pour into cups and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Here's another one that's technically "banana-nog"

New Years Resolution

My New Year's Resolution is to stop eating crap and get healthier. My fitness goals are to show up to TRX more, get TRX certified eventually, and stop eating junk I don't need. I have the workout portion down. I can show up, I have no problems motivating myself to workout - I love to workout! I love Kaia! I need to love to eat better. Fuel my body with nutritious foods that are healthy and good for my body. Love my body by fueling it better. I have such a hard time with nutrition so that's what I want to focus in on for 2016. Maybe by the end of next year, I can see some abs? Not seeing my abs isn't the end of the world, because I know I'm pretty healthy. But seeing abdominal muscles does not come from working out; it comes from eating healthy.

I will definitely need my hubby's help on this one. If he's on board, we can stop eating out as much, eat more prepared meals and more greens. This will be the year that I buckle down in the kitchen. The kitchen will NOT defeat me this year!

Snow games are afoot!

With snow on the ground, getting outside is a great way to have some fun while burning some calories. You also don't need to have children to enjoy the winter activities. Go play outside! Just make sure to bundle up!

- go snowboarding ($$)

- go skiing ($$)

- sledding ($)

- snow-mobiling ($$)

- snow-shoeing ($)

- walk dogs in said snow (free)

- shovel your driveway (mostly free)

- build a snowman (free)

- make a snow-angel (free)

- build a snow fort (free)

- build a snow doghouse 

- have a snowball fight with friends or family (free)

- make a snow sculpture (mostly free)

- crush snow sculpture (free)

- have a snowball fight w friends using snow-forts and crushing each other's snowmen (priceless)

Kaia ladies: involve your family

Kaia lifestyle is not a solo journey you take in the middle of the desert while taking drugs and hallucinating. (I think that's finding your spirit animal?)

Kaia life has to involve your family members because they are part of your life. How can you be successful if your partner/husband/children are not on the same page as you?

Are you going to eat a separate meal from your family? I hope not. Including your family in your fitness lifestyle can be tough, but doable. Slowly introducing healthy and nutritious meals is the way to go unless your family is already there with you. Education is key. Let them know what's up, why you are doing this, and what it means to you. They are going to be more receptive if you explain things rather just surprise them with a whole new way to eat. Maybe explain that they may not look unhealthy now (if children are younger), but if they continue on this path (of eating junk food), they may have lots of health issues later, and may have lots of problems down the road.


Don't let it just be nutrition either. Including your family in your journey will help you reach your fitness goal faster. You can include your family in your fitness routines: start walking your dogs as a family, go ice skating together, try stand up paddle-boarding as a family, take a group dance class together, walk around the marina and invite friends and family - it's a great way to catch up while also burning calories! Instead of inviting your friends to dinner, go out and go rollerskating? When was the last time you roller-skated? I think roller-kingdom is still open? When your family knows that you are trying to lose weight, or fit into that size ___ whatever__ dress, or just be healthier, they will help you in your efforts once you are on the same page.

When Ryan (my husband) and I got together, he wasn't really healthy. He would drink beer during the week after work, binge drink on the weekends, and played video games a lot. At that time, I would occasionally workout, but I wasn't very active otherwise. We were going down a dangerous path. We both came down to Las Vegas one Christmas and our families were brutally honest with both of us, since we had both gained some weight. That definitely hurt my feelings but I also found that to be an eye opener. Who else is going to be honest with you besides your tribe? I joined Kaia later. Later Ryan started doing his own P90X workouts after work. We have also now found something together. We like kickboxing together. We drink less often, just special occasions and are a lot healthier than when we started. The point is, I told him, that I wanted to be healthier and he got on board. I didn't force him to do any of it. He has to be ready to allow that change to happen. So ladies, don't force it, but explain to your family that this is something important to you.


Life changes made Kaia aren't just for 6 weeks, it's made for a lifetime.

Be adventurous - try new things: Rooibos Tea anyone?

I meant to write about this awhile back since this happened a while ago, but here it is:

I was being adventurous one morning and I ordered something I had never tried before. This could go either way, I could totally hate it, or I could totally love it. Luckily for me, I enjoyed trying rooibos tea (pronounced: roy-boss). So I read up on what I was drinking.

It is also known as red tea, or red bush tea. It is in fact, more an herb than a tea. It's the national drink of South Africa. It comes from the branches and twigs of a tree called Aspalathus linearis.


Pros:

- naturally CAFFEINE FREE!! score for me!
- low in tannins so it helps with insomnia
- high in antioxidants (37 natural kinds)
- has calcium, manganese, and flouride for stronger bones and teeth
- has flavonoids which act as bronchodilator, and anti-spasmodic (helps people breathe better)
- has vitamins and minerals including

• vitamin C

• zinc 

• copper 

• manganese 

• magnesium 

• potassium 

- has alpha-hydroxy acid which helps with skin and nail renewal
- can be applied directly to skin to help with eczema, sunburns, acne, etc.
- can be given to babies with colic, sleeping problems, or stomach cramps
- has been used to help suppress HIV virus
- has polyphenols which has been shown to be

• anti-cancer 
• anti-mutagenic 
• anti-inflammatory 
• anti-viral 

- it tastes pretty good




Cons:
- low level of tannin which slows iron absorption - if you're anemic watch out!
- can demonstrate estrogenic activities which if you have hormone sensitive cancer like breast cancer -check with the doctor before taking

Balancing Half Moon Pose

ARDHA CHANDRASANA

I LOVE FLOW!






Starting with Crescent Lunge, all toes facing forward, nice deep lunge, a 90 degree angle to Left knee, back Right heel is lifted. Arms up, biceps by ears.











1. With the Left foot forward, inhale and step forward into the Left foot, straightening the Left leg (don't lock knees - have slight bend so you're not passing out).



At the same time lifting up and straightening the Right leg parallel to the floor. Flex that Right foot - meaning have it flat so that the bottom of your foot is facing the back wall.

This picture has the lady on her Right foot, lifting Left leg

2. Staring at a point on the floor, place the Left palm directly under the Left shoulder (Modification: if you are not reaching the ground, place a yoga block here) and carefully bring the Right hand to the Right hip. Roll or open the Right hip up and back so the hips face the side wall.


3. Inhale the Right fingertips up towards the ceiling. Arms should be aligned into one straight line. If you have neck injuries, gaze/head is to face the side wall. If no injuries, and WHEN you have your balance and steady, try having gaze towards the ceiling past Right hand.  Work on turning the whole torso to face the side wall.












Modify by doing this pose near a wall so your back is neatly against the wall.






4. Breathe and hold for 3-5 breaths.


5. To release: exhale and slowly bring both hands back to the floor and step the foot back into Crescent Lunge.


6. Repeat on other side.








Benefits: Half Moon pose improves balance, focus, concentration, digestion, and confidence. This posture opens the hips and strengthens the ankles, knees and lower body. Helps with anxiety, back pain, osteoporosis, sciatica, fatigue, constipation, gastritis, indigestion, menstrual pain and I'm sure many more. This pose also helps relieves stress.


Contraindications: Recent or chronic injury to the legs, hips, shoulders, neck or back. Head should be lower than heart in optimal form of this pose, so please don't attempt if you have low blood pressure, or currently experiencing headaches.

Burn calories! Just stand up!

Recent survey shows the average person is on their butts for 12 hours a day - either at work, on the computer, or watching TV/relaxing at home. Add that to the 6-8 hours we spend sleeping. That's a whopping 18-20 hours either on our butts or laying down.

Did you know that just by standing, a person's heart rate is 10 beats faster than a person sitting. That measures out to about 0.7 calories per minute. That's between 40-50 calories per hour, depending on how active one is standing. If you stand 3 hours a day for 5 days, you've burned anywhere from 600-750 calories. Added up over a year, that's 30,000 extra calories burnt which is about 8 pounds of fat. Just from standing. 

We can't all stand up at work, but small adjustments will increase this amount. If you have a desk job, maybe walking over to your co-worker's cube instead of emailing them? Standing while talking on the phone.

We've had research done on this subject since that 1950's. So why, are we only now making this a priority? Did you know that some elementary schools are actually taking out sitting desks and replacing them with desks where children are able to stand? It stimulates better blood flow and better focus. Better focus means better learning.

This could be you at work! Better blood flow means better focus to your work which means more efficiency at the workplace!

Even if you're not a fitness buff, or just trying out Kaia, keep this in mind for at home. Something as simple as standing could help you shed some pounds as compared to being sitting.

Here is a list of standing activities (waiting in line, getting dressed) and a calorie calculator for these activies for 30 minutes.

How you can avoid sitting a bunch. What the cool video with fun music.

You can also read up on standing student desks here.

Be present

Be present. A piece of advice I heard but never understood. In a world full of technological advances, it's funny that we lose the ability to be present and in the moment. Our digital age dictates that we have information at the touch of our fingertips. We can connect to each other globally with just our smart phones. But does that hinder or retard our ability to connect face to face?

I see it all the time. Just go to any restaurant or eat-in place. People could be having lunch with a friend they haven't seen in a while, maybe even having a heart-to-heart, but some people choose to be stare into their phones throughout their meals. Yes, you can talk and Facebook at the same time, but are you really present in the conversation? As compared to when you aren't staring at a screen?

Be in the moment. In all things in life. In all instances where you can connect with someone.

Be here and now.


That goes for dinner at the dinner table, and for our work outs. When you are working out, be working out. Don't let your mind wander to your grocery lists. Listen, that list will still be after your one hour workout. Be present in body and in mind. That time you were spending thinking about that outfit for your holiday party, you could have easily transitioned into your next exercise and done one, maybe two more sets. That adds up in your hour. Be in the now. I used to hate hearing that in yoga back in college. I didn't get it back then. I always thought, What the heck am I doing?! I am in the now, I wouldn't be physically here if I wasn't in the now. But your body can be in one place and your mind another. You might have heard me in Kaia Flow say this before but please leave everything at the door. I'm not saying, never talk to your neighbor during our workouts, but I am saying, focus your attention to the matter in front of you. If you're at work, be at work. If you're having lunch with a friend, spend that time with your friend (not on Facebook or Twitter). If you're in your workout, be there in your workout, focused, and ready to work it out! Your body will appreciate it in the end and you'll decrease your chances for injury if your paying attention.

Whatever happens .. Just finish

So it was a blundering 25 degrees out. Why would anyone want to be running 6 plus miles? At 8:30 in the morning nonetheless! 

I already had to pee before the race started so I had to use port-a-pottys! Whoa gross! Someone already had their morning poo pre-race!

The trot began and my toes were numb for the first few miles! What's up with that? I already switched shoes. I think I might have a pinched nerve. I'll have to get that checked out. But I didn't stop to walk until after mile 4. This is good! Progress! I struggle with running. I always have. But even if you struggle, even if you walk part of the trot, guess what? You are outside kicking your own butt! I struggle with that question every time I run - I ask myself, "why am I doing this?! This is crazy!" I might not be able to answer this question on my run but I know that I place one foot in front of the other and then again other foot in front of the other because I want to get better!

I don't race to get medals, I don't race to show off to my husband (who beat me this year because he started working out with me!), I do it because the next time, hopefully, I'll be faster and stronger and a better version of me. Even if you walk the whole trot, the main thing is you finished! Even if you didn't beat your time, you got out here, put yourself out there, and finished something that you started. Which is more than I can say for a lot of people.

Even if your lungs burn, and your legs are ready to collapse, and after the race you feel like you're going to vomit, just know that you did it. You finished!

Oh by the way, I need a new goal because I beat my turkey trot time!

Readiness to learn/change

My boss at work just had a half hour conversation with his daughter who happens to also work at the same place. She had stubbed her toe getting out of the bathtub and the toe looks gray/black with her slightly limping. My boss wants her to go get it checked out directly after work but she wants to sleep and go after her 1pm class  (We are all working night shift and eating lunch at this moment). My boss talks in circles about how this needs to be done "now now now!", how she doesn't need to learn the hard way, and how she might have a broken or at least infected toe. His daughter is just as stubborn and will not budge.

I'm telling you this story because fitness can be the same way. You may want your spouse, partner, friend, family member(s) or even yourself to get in shape but until that person is truly ready to commit, then it will be an uphill battle.

A person needs a readiness of mind and body in order to commit to a fitness/lifestyle change in order for the weight loss or the change to be permanent. I'm not saying drop your day job and just workout! I'm saying there needs to be open mind to learning or re-learning what you have been doing in order to be successful in weight loss, or muscle building, or whatever your fitness goal may be.

If my husband only workouts when I nag him, what will happen when I'm on vacation without him? Will he workout on his own? Probably not. We need to realize that this might be why we are failing sometime. If the readiness is not there, we might be setting ourselves up for failure. Ask yourself, "Am I ready for some change?"

Let's not be another yo-yo diet or fitness fad. Let's commit to showing up each and every day, fully applying ourselves 110% in everything we do. This includes our workouts, our runs, our flow, our nutrition, even on the weekends when we think no one is looking. At work, I can educate a smoker until I am blue in the face, but until that person is ready to quit smoking for themselves, then I will not be an effective educator. Let's not be that smoker who tries to quit 10 times, OR that person with the infected toe because they weren't ready to learn from their father. Let's the be the change that we want to see in the world, as Ghandi beautifully put it.

Nutrition goal: Take the white stuff out

Think about it: what are foods that are white? 

- white rice

- cream cheese

- cheese

- flour

- sugar 

Of course, there are exceptions (egg whites are super healthy and nutrient packed). But this list is a really good start. To start working out, and working on that six pack abs, one must stay away from these white foods. Replace white rice with quinoa, or brown rice. Replace dairy with more leafy greens. Flour can sound healthy on the package label, but what "enriched white flour" really means is that the company, stripped the flour of nutrients, then added unnatural nutrients of its own, which is still not as healthy as whole wheat flour (or if the company just left the flour alone in the first place).

And of course, sugar. Our goal is to eat less than 10 grams of it, or none at all. That's pretty hard unless you have the time to cook everything yourself or have a personal chef. But just be cognizant when you read labels. A lot of things that seem healthy, have a lot of sugar in them: flavored yogurt (also white), canned spaghetti sauces, BBQ sauces, instant oatmeal, bottled teas, Gatorade, vitamin drinks, canned or packaged fruits, and the list goes on and on!

Read up on specific brands 

http://www.m.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/sugar-shockers-foods-surprisingly-high-in-sugar

http://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/high-sugar-foods-youre-probably-eating-every-day/

So main point here: read your labels and try to stay away from white foods.

No shortcuts

What do we achieve when we take shortcuts in fitness? Not as much as when we take the time to master proper form of each exercise. Speeding through the workout not only hurts the outcome (not burning as much calories - hence not losing as much weight, or not creating as much strength/flexibility/power/etc.), it can also increase the risk for injury. So just a heads up: take your time to master your balance level. When you've done that, then take it up to strength level. When you don't hear your coaches correcting your form on either one of those, then take it up the Kaia level. We tend to see greater results when we don't take shortcuts!

Is that kosher?

So last night, I went on a run. 2.15 miles and used the Nike app. No real preference. I think it came with my iPhone already installed? I'm not sure. 

My dilemma was to tag my new shoes or not. It is the Nike app. But I did not buy Nike shoes. Is that Kosher? It wouldn't automatically let me me choose other brands so I manually put it in? Has anyone else done this? Just curios. #firstworldproblems

Runners - you might already know

In the fitness world, there are things you can go cheap on, but trust me on this:  

Don't skimp on your running shoes! Buying inexpensive shoes might work for a little while, but if you're truly going to get serious on running, might want to spend the money on some high quality kicks. First of all, going cheap might mean injuries to your feet, which will eventually travel up the body. First it will just be the feet, but after the initial injury, anything above the injury will try to compensate. That will mean knees will go next, and then hips, then your back. Don't let it get this far!

In Reno, we have the Reno Running Company. They perform a free gait analysis (you run 20 seconds on a treadmill with one of their neutral support shoes) to see what type of support your feet might need. It checks if you pronate your feet while running. It's not totally comprehensive as there are other things to look at, but if you're starting out, it's a great place to do so. 

And with that said.. I'll leave you with this note from my new kicks: 

To use Ankle Weights or Not to use Ankle Weights?

As with everything, there are pros and cons to using ankle weights.

Pros:

• Higher energy expenditure
• Increase in strength
• Greater Weight loss
• Great for water/pool use to increase resistance

Cons:

• Joint loading
• Can alter your gait
• Can create muscle imbalances
• Limited use

A few things to consider: Ankle weights should not be used by people who already have joint problems - knees, hips, etc. or are extremely overweight, as it can cause more damage than good. They're great for increasing resistance to your work out but make sure you've mastered the exercises without the ankle weights first - with your own body weight. Other options to amp up your work out is to add incline or speed (ie: on a treadmill, add hill climb or increase speed, instead of ankle weights). Also, it's not for every single exercise you do. Limit your use of ankle weights, as it will create strain, sprain, and injury if used ALL THE TIME. They're great for water aerobics (all the intensity without the joint problems),  Jane Fondas - fire hydrants, or donkey kicks - adding resistance to your workout, and any other leg workouts that you've mastered already!

Bird of Paradise

Okay. So you might have been in my Flow class before and have had to try 'Bird of Paradise' pose before. I'm going to TRY to break it down for you. Although, very funny and definitely amusing, giving yourselves handshakes under your crotch is simply NOT how it's done. :)

We can start in 'Extended Side Angle' pose, where we are in a deep lunge with Right foot in front, Left hand up and over. You are creating one straight line from Left hand to Left foot.

We're going to place that hand that's on top - Left hand to behind your low back for the bind. Left hand to low back will be our BALANCE version. This will work on your leg strength. 

If you want to step up a level, you can reach that Left hand (it's still behind you) towards the lateral or outside your Right hip. At the same time, you will bring your Right hand under Right knee (in front then under). Give yourself a handshake under your thigh (not your crotch!) closer to your Right knee. It can be just fingertips hooking on to each other, or a full handshake. This will be STRENGTH version and will work on leg strength and flexibility.

If you want to step up even further, you can step your back Left foot forward. Root your Left foot into the ground, then lift your Right leg into the air while you are still giving yourself that handshake. When you are steady and ready, straighten your Right leg, with the ultimate goal of pointing your Right foot toes. This will be your KAIA version which will challenge your leg strength, flexibility AND balance!

That's our ultimate goal! It may come as a surprise, but when I started doing yoga (in college, 10+ years ago), I could NOT do this pose! But with time and practice, and definitely patience, I'm working on the Kaia level of this attempting to totally straighten up my leg and point my toes! Practice practice practice! Or in our case, just show up to Flow class!

Be kinder to yourself

One day, after a class I had taught, someone was showing me pictures of their trip they took with another Kaia friend. This Kaia sister of mine was complimenting how beautiful our other Kaia sister was, but when I said, "You look beautiful too. See." She responded, "No, I look fat and terrible." I don't understand how some of us can see beauty in everything/everyone else except in ourselves. I see it all the time in Kaia, where one lady will compliment compliment compliment their Kaia sister, and in the same breath, turn around, say the complete opposite about themselves. 

I'd like to say that I'm immune to this twisted mentality but I'm not. We need to stop being negative, unkind, and hating ourselves ladies. This is good advice to everyone. 

I believe this stems from what we, in a society, value as a whole. As a society, we value thin waists, thin thighs, and big breasts - just look at our celebrities. Just because our society values these things, doesn't mean WE have to value these things. Being thin and weighing like a waifer does not equate to being healthy. Half the things in Hollywood are fake. Anyone can get lipo-suction, or a stomach reduction surgery, or pec muscle implants. Can these people do a pull up? Ten pull ups? Maybe. Probably not. 

I challenge you to turn those negative thoughts around. Instead of projecting those positive comments to others/your Kaia sisters, I want you to radiate all around. This means inside and out. This means that you also give those kudos to yourself for the awesome things you do. How are we ever going to reach our goals if we don't believe in ourselves? We believe in our Kaia sisters - most of you, tell your Kaia sister something positive every day. We believe the words we say to the lady next to us, but how is it, that we don't believe in those same words for ourselves? Why is our self image so skewed that our own words will bounce off us, like we are made of rubber? I'm here to tell you ladies, we are not made of rubber. We are beautiful creations, each unique in this journey called life. Each of us will have different skill sets, and abilities and flaws. This means, no two people are ever going to be the same, so stop comparing yourself to that person next to you. We might compete in Kaia Kup or athletic games every now and then, but don't use that to gauge your self worth. You are more than just your weight on the scale, you are more than your dress size, you are more than how many push-ups or pull-ups you can do. YOU ARE MORE!

Radiate that positive energy inside and out, be kinder to yourself, and you'll see what I mean. Oh and PS:

Write your goals down

When I dream, I don't remember them unless I write it down as soon as I wake up. It may seem like you will remember because the dream is very vivid and very life-like, but when you're awake, it's gone. So, unless I make a note to myself, they're just floating around in my subconscious. Goals are almost the same. They're just ideas floating around in your head until you write them down and solidify that you want to go after this thing - whatever it may be. Write it down! With our lives being so busy, how are you going to remember them 3 months from now? Get a sticky note - I know most everyone has one - this is America after all, and a pen, and write it down and write "by _____" when. When do you want to accomplish this goal? Do yourself a favor, and place it in a high visual area. When I say, high visual, I mean somewhere you look at/in often. It could be your bathroom mirror (we all have to get ready at some point?), your fridge door, your door frame that you pass to get out the garage door, or in your car. I placed my goal in my car, by the speedometer, covering up the total mileage but not the speedometer (don't speed ladies!).

I don't have a "By _____" this time, but I know the Turkey Trot only comes on Thanksgiving, so it's an assumed "by this date" sort of thing! Good luck in your goals ladies!

Detox Week Tricks & Tips

Sometimes detox can be difficult. In my mindset, it actually feels harder because we do focus on it so much - it's like telling yourself not to look at something - it makes you want to look harder! Nutrition is a lot harder than just working out 5 days a week. It's a 24 hour battle of what I place in my mouth and what I eat. Reading labels in the grocery store, takes time and effort. A good fitness routine has to include fueling your body for performance with healthy, nutritious food.

Here are my few tricks that I employ to have a better Detox week:

1. Out of Sight, out of mind. Cutting out alcohol and soda are the two easiest do because, well, I simply don't buy these things so they are not being seen. If it's not in the fridge, it's not a problem. Get those trouble items out of sight and out of mind! It can be whatever food you have trouble with (not just alcohol and soda). Remove them from your pantry if you have to.

2. Mind over matter. Be conscientious of why you're stuffing another chip in your mouth. Are you actually hungry? Or is it just a habit that you eat, just because you are bored? Or at your desk and that's what you've always done? Break those bad habits! I used to eat the whole apple chips bag which is 2.5 servings when I watch my TV shows, not because I was hungry but because that was my routine. Change that up! For me, I've been munching on a plum or some kind of fruit instead!

3. Grab the water instead! This trick also goes along with tip 2. As an overeater, I used to snack all day long. I wasn't necessarily hungry and it was not necessarily always healthy snacks either. So now, instead of grabbing for those snacks, I grab my water jug. Find a good substitution for those unhealthy snacks! Whether they be a burpee or herbal mint tea - something else to do/drink instead of all those snacks. I'm not saying to starve yourself, but don't snack all afternoon.

4. Include your family. It's so much easier to have my husband Ryan on board than not. Have a chat with your family member(s) so you're not making separate meals for each of you. Trust me! It'll be so much easier to stay on track!

5. Try different salads. When I first started Kaia, I hated eating salads. I asked myself why and came to the realization that it was only one type. So I started ordering different types and found that I liked certain salads and not others. This can be miserable at first but when you like your greens, you will more likely to eat them! Same tip goes for vegetables that maybe you've never tried. How do you know you don't like it? My tip is to 6. try things at least twice. First time you try something might be circumstances - you've had a bad day or there was something else that didn't mix well with it. Second time you try something, maybe try cooking it differently? You should definitely know if you still dislike this specific item. I'm not talking about trying meth twice now - I'm speaking of good healthy greens, veggies and nutritious items. Open up your world of food. It doesn't have to be chicken and asparagus for the rest of your life!