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.