Stretch and TONE

My friend TJ took ballet classes growing up and she still has a passionate energy and fluid graceful movement. We are so grateful to have a corporate work gym where we can blast some music and move-move-MOVE!

Today TJ’s workout needs are different than her teen years-although she doesn’t look a day over twenty. She is a wife, a mother and a caregiver for her father. She needs to have energy when she gets home from work as well as make time for her spirit. Her advice for fitting in workouts? Do what makes your heart smile!

Here is a snippet of our stretch and tone workout inspired by dance technique. My focus for TJ was :

• Fluid movements from the ground up

• Body alignment of hips and ribcage

• Stabilization of hips and core

• FUN

• A little bit of vanity toning: waist and glutes

Check out our workout under 10 mins with the video below!

Bring your Vacation Home with You!

SUN FUN YOU

Mediterranean Voyages

What good is a recharge vacation if you come home tangled or stressed? I like to think that each time I travel I come back with a reset button. My vacation euphoria lingers with refreshment and also challenges me to think outside the box. Can I return home and see things beyond the three mile radius of Chicago where I live my life? I love traveling and exploring new places, setting aside time to unwind and just BE!

There is something about getting on an airplane and having a forced technology break that makes me go super inward. My childhood prayers and daydreams come to mind as the plane takes off and I text my I love you’s to my family while heading into the clouds with a sense of gratitude for life- a curiosity for the unknown adventure!

My friend Cindy pushes me out of my comfort zone-in a good way. We have partied in Vegas, celebrated the new year in Bahamas winning games of black jack against the HIGHEST of high rollers. We have met Shamans in Mexico and Costa Rica- maybe reaching enlightenment and a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-ly reaching nirvana -somewhere between sampling tequila and ancient Mayan rituals in a stone tent called a temazcal.

Yes, my friend Cindy knows how to LIVE. She’s also an incredible host- adventurer and friend. The kind of friend that lives in the moment and doesn’t hold a grudge. Pure open heart! Like the time she let me take her flight upgrade to Costa Rica when our flights were delayed and I accidentally grabbed HER passport along with mine, which meant she couldn’t get on the next fight but instead flew to NewYork to get a temporary passport and met the group of us in Costa Rica a DAY later. That’s another story……..

Being the live in the moment- adventurer -hostess EXTRAORDINAIRE that Cindy is- I wasn’t surprised when she started Sun Fun You a Mediterranean boutique vacation experience. She wanted to share all of the joys she experienced with others: yachting through the Mediterranean enjoying food, fitness, hiking and pampering! Most of all, sharing this experience with others while meeting new people.

Would I like to teach yoga on a yacht in the Mediterranean she asked me one day over lunch -perhaps still captivated by a vacation bliss with a wink of magic in her eye having just returned home from a trip.

Ummmmmmm- yes please! Sign me up!

So off I was to Istanbul then another flight to Fethyie to teach yoga and meet the beautiful blue Mediterranean sea!

We awoke with sunrise yoga, sometimes on land others other days our wooden gullet with fresh coffee brewing and unlimited amounts of feta, cucumbers and tomatoes awaiting our consumption. Each day we journeyed on a new hike exploring marvelous heights of what I can only describe as heaven on earth. City girl as I am, it took a few days to get adjusted to the magnificent heights peering closer to the edge- but not TOO close! It’s amazing how much you can walk when you aren’t counting time and simply breathing in nature!

Afternoons we met back on the yacht for lunch, swim, relaxation and optional recovery yoga, before dinner to gear us up for the next day. Some days we mixed things up with belly dancing or sips of wine and pilates!

Each day was so unique! One day we stopped on an island for a beer and crab lunch, another day we pampered in mud and suds experiencing a Turkish bath called Hammam. We enjoyed freshly caught fish and wine and FETA-FETA-FETA! Oh, how I love feta and olive oil!

As we approached the end of the trip, I got to thinking-how will I go back to my three mile radius of high rises and cement? I love Chicago for our food and people and architecture- but there was something about the sea and the sun and the art of BEING that I wanted to bottle up!

I decided I would bring a few things home with me to keep my vacation RECHARGE!

WALK-WALK-WALK

Yes, high-rises are NOT the same as mountains, but that does not mean I can’t get some miles in and look up at the sun and see something new every day! Instead of rushing to the gym or squeezing in a yoga class-what if I added some walking miles in?

Wishing Stone

One day we saw a pile of stones hikers made as a sort of wishing stone mountain. There were so many beautiful stones to marvel at. I found a beautiful heart stone that made me smile and make a wish. Hey- I can do this back home! I decided I would take time to see something new every day-pause and make a wish and send it out! This I could do ANYWHERE!

Pamper

Ohhhhhh how I loved the HAMMAM! Why not make a sanctuary at home with bath salts and mud masks and fresh flowers or an orchid! Make time to pause and pamper!

Community

What made this voyage so special was sharing experiences with other like minded friends and meeting new people. In this Chicago cold it’s easy to stay indoors and hibernate. Making a bit of an extra effort to bundle up and get outside of hibernation to be a part of community is so important!

PLAN ANOTHER RECHARGE!

Most important-plan ANOTHER vacation! If that means making coffee at home or eating PB and J a couple days a week to save money -it is WAY worth it!

Is food TRACKING for you?

Does anyone see RESULTS from food tracking?

 15 MIN SHORT TERM FOOD LOG

 Across top of your page, make a list of no more than FOUR columns, offering the different roles and lifestyle habits that will effect your eating choices

Typical week day: work or school week, Mon-Fri

EXTRA day: when you have that extra cookie,  add chips at lunch, SUPER size that meal

FUN day: date night, happy hour, birthday party, Netflix night

Going down the side of your page make a column for time of day. You may choose to break your day up in 3-4 hour increments or Morning Midday Evening based on how many times you eat per day. 

6am-12:00pm

12pm-3pm

3pm-6:00pm

6:00pm-9:00pm

9:00pm-12:00am

12:00am-6:00am 

GUIDED AUDIO FOR SHORT TERM FOOD LOG

PACE yourself PUSH yourself!

Every day is different and every body is different. Knowing when to PUSH yourself and when to slow down and PACE yourself is very important to prevent injuries and gain benefits from a regular workout program. Here are some tips to PACE and PUSH yourself!

• Don’t ignore nagging injuries and consult a doctor with any concerns before beginning a workout program. Ignoring an injury may allow you to PUSH through a workout, however healing will take longer and can even exacerbate.
•  Take time to survey your body before a workout. Notice how you are standing, if you are favoring the right or left side, if you have any tightness. Only you know how your body is feeling so take time to be aware so you can PUSH safely.
• Start incrementally and build. Unless you are a professional athlete and being paid to workout there is no reason to start out full force. Start with 50 percent of what you think you can do and each repetition build to find your PUSH level of exertion or maximum intensity  while listening and respecting your body.
•  If you are working out with a trainer or attending a group class be sure to communicate any injuries or concerns. If modifications are not given in a group class ask the instructor to give you one. Don’t be afraid to sit out a set that does not feel right for you.
•  Be honest with yourself. Are you unmotivated, tired, sore or injured? Sometimes movement feels better when sore however be aware of any pulling or gripping sensations. If you are unmotivated treat yourself to a RECOVERY treat such as an epson bath, massage, or nap-AFTER the workout!
• Make daily movement a part of your life and your body will thank you. Take time for yourself and know when to PUSH yourself and when to PACE yourself during workouts!

Weight Loss Surprise !

My friend Bellyn had a SURPRISE weight loss. On a recent physical she found that “without trying” she had lost thirty pounds in one year. By not obsessing or following an extreme diet,  she found a middle place of making small lifestyle changes that were realistic and sustainable.

Now Bellyn and I are working to sculpt and tone by  adding  daily movement to her routine with exercises that can be done at home or office.

What are some of Bellyn’s lifestyle changes?

Add fuel that nourishes! 

Bellyn has added lots of veggies to her diet by juicing. She brings her hand held juicer to work and blends beets, cucumbers and other veggies.

Notice how your body FEELS after eating.

Bellyn noticed that certain food choices lead to a headache or fatigue. Pausing to notice how the  body FEELS may help with choosing snacks and meals.

Positive self talk.

Bellyn gives herself her own pep talk using positive, kind language reinforcing habits and reminding herself of her goal: improved health. “You can have money or a nice home, but really my health is the most important thing to me.”

Drink more water.

Pure and simple. Hydrate and drink water over non-beneficial beverages with added sugar, preservatives or other ingredients.

I am so happy for Bellyn and her health journey! Incorporating lifestyle and habit changes little by little really pays off!