WRITE IT DOWN

Lately I've been all about planning. I've always been an organized person, but there's just something about having a list of things to complete that makes me feel so powerful. 

This summer, I wrote in one of my posts that I wanted to expand fitness-wise. I wanted to venture out and become a representative of other gyms, following my passion of teaching fitness classes. It was just a goal. A goal that I wrote down. A goal that I thought about. A goal that I accomplished.

Since that post, I've gotten a job teaching at Gold's Gym and Prana Yoga Studio. It doesn't sound like such a big deal, but let me tell you, it is. I am so blessed to have been welcomed with open arms by such loving individuals that make me ecstatic to come to work. I've met so many new people, learned so many new exercises and styles of teaching, and my confidence levels have soared through the roof. I am SO happy. 

I don't believe that I would have followed my goal in that short amount of time had I not announced it to the public. There was just something about having written it down that motivated me to complete this goal of expanding. 

So, I invite you to write down a goal of yours. It can be realistic. It can be grandiose. It can be small. It can be huge. It can be simple. It can be nearly impossible. Whatever your goal may be, write it down, because it brings you one step closer to completion. 

Remember that anything is possible if you just breathe strength. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

BUTT

The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the human body. Let's work it.

Ready to feel the burn? Put on Trey Songs' "Oh Nana" and do these moves to the beat. Complete sixteen repetitions of each exercise. Start with the right leg, and complete three rounds of this circuit before switching to the left leg:

Fire hydrants:

On your hands and knees, abduct your bent leg. Pause for a moment, and return it back to the starting position. Keep your back straight and core tight. Kind of like a dog marking his territory!

Kick up pulses:

On your hands and knees, raise your bent leg as high as you can while maintaining proper alignment. Flex your foot, and pulse it up and down. This is a very little movement. Challenge yourself to keep your leg as high as you can.

Kick ins:

On your hands and knees, point your right toes and bring your foot to the bottom right corner. Keep your leg straight as you bring your right leg up towards the top left corner. Return the leg and tap your pointed toes where you began.

Kick outs:

On your hands and knees, point your right toes and bring your foot to the bottom left corner, crossing your stationary left leg. Keep your leg straight as you bring your right leg up towards the top right corner. Return the leg and tap your pointed toes where you began.

If this circuit is too difficult, complete eight repetitions of each exercise. If it's too easy, add some ankle weights, baby!

POWER

Russ got me a pull-up bar in February 2013. I couldn't do a single pull-up.

I'd hang on the bar and try to pull myself up. I'd fail. 

I'd jump up and slowly lower myself down. 

I'd repeat. 

I'd statically hold myself up for 5 seconds. 

I'd repeat. 

I'd do this every single time I entered and exited my room. 

Two weeks later I was doing a complete pull-up. 

Two months later I was doing six in a row.

For those of you who've never attempted pull-ups, they're hard. 

The average amount that a woman can do is zero.
I never expected that in such a short amount of time, my body could develop the muscular strength and endurance to pull myself completely up from a hanging position. Multiple times.
I experimented this with my a few of my clients, using the assisted pull-up machine. Before I knew it, they were doing unassisted pull-ups as well.

Our bodies are amazing. Truly amazing. We have the power to become so strong and fit, and all it takes is a little determination, repetition, and hard work.
Let this be your Sunday motivation.
Don't give up on your body; it is capable of amazing things.

SUNDAY WORKOUT

It's Sunday. It's a beautiful day. Start it off right.

For me, working out in the morning makes my whole day better. I feel so strong, energized and happy, and it sets the tone for a positive, eventful day. The endorphins that are released as you exercise instantly change your mood, taking your mind off stress and worries. You feel on top of the world after pushing yourself to your limits and challenging your body. Let's start this Sunday off right.

Whatever you do, get moving. Put on your sneakers and go.
Walk.
Jog.
Run.
Sprint.
Hop, skip, lunge around your yard.
Go to the gym.
Take a spin class.

Or, you can do my workout. Challenge yourself. Try this.

40 high knees
10 burpees
10 push ups
50 bicycle crunches
repeat.

20 squat jacks
10 squat jumps
20 curtsy lunges
40 kick backs
repeat.

20 plank jacks
20 mountain climbers
20 double crunches
20 reverse crunches
repeat.

Happy Sunday!

NATURAL BEAUTY

Natural beauty is everywhere. 

Natural beauty is often overlooked.

Living in the moment is tough, especially with the mental stresses of everyday life. School, jobs, relationships and responsibilities hinder our abilities to simply just be. Our minds wander instead of observe our surroundings, and it's difficult to appreciate the beauty around us unless we are completely invested in it. 

For seventeen years, I was surrounded with my mom's breathtaking creations. She spent countless hours in her garden, tending to each plant, to each flower, to each pedal. She made sure our yard brought happiness and peace, herbs, tomatoes and pea pods. We were constantly visited by beautiful butterflies, dragonflies, tree frogs, turtles and other little, adorable creatures. Looking back at the pictures of her gardens brings me so much joy. She truly enhanced the natural beauty of my first seventeen years of life.
Two years ago we moved three houses down the street from my mom's dream home. The same pond that was once in my backyard is now in my front yard. The pond brings memories of my previous house. I used to look out my bedroom window and see my parents in the rowboat, my mom's feet dangled in the fresh water as my dad navigated throughout the pond. I see the same pond when I look out the window of my current bedroom, but my mom is not in the rowboat this time, her ashes are in the water. It's beautiful.

This summer, I have began to create my own natural beauty. I'm finally grasping the art of gardening, and it's very rewarding. I love seeing my flowers bloom and displaying them in vases around my house. I love dragging the hose around my property, not only because I get to water my plants and fill my bird baths, but also because dragging that hose around gets my heart rate up faster than burpees do!  I've also created a miniature pond in my yard, complete with lilly pads, a water lilly, 5 goldfish and a koi fish! Sitting next to my pond, looking at my beautiful creations while drinking green juice is certainly one of my favorite ways to start a summer morning. Next stop: growing baby tomatoes!

Remember to see, don't just look at, the beauty that surrounds you everywhere. You can create your own happiness by allowing yourself to observe and appreciate the nature that is so easily overlooked.

HAPPINESS

This summer is magical. I dedicate a lot of time to me. I surround myself with positive, happy people. I spend time in nature, exploring, relaxing, and working out. I nourish my body with healthy food, and still allow myself to indulge in my favorites. I don't dread working, because I love my jobs.

It's all about happiness.

As I'm getting older, I'm learning a lot about myself. I watch people stress over issues that they create, and I naturally want to help them. I want to explain to them that life doesn't have to be hard. I see life differently than most. This quality is hereditary, but can be passed on to all.

My mom used to say, "You're as happy as you want to be." I understand it now.

You decide how to handle each situation.
You create the life you want to live.
You choose who you associate with.
If something doesn't feel right, you have the power to change it.

Because the future is unpredictable, it is important to live the life you deserve. Nobody deserves to be unhappy, unhealthy, or unsuccessful. Make time for yourself. Discover your aspiration. Chase it. Work towards your goals, and enjoy every step it takes to get there. There will be setbacks, but you must overcome them with a smile. If you do not invest in yourself, in your happiness, nobody will.

My aspiration? I plan to own my own gym.
But that's a while from now. I am working towards it, taking baby steps and enjoying every second of it. I have gotten myself into the fitness industry, and will use this coming year to achieve more certifications. I plan to expand my services to a few more gyms, teaching an array of classes and meeting individuals who will help me grow in many ways. I plan to continue my beach boot camp into the fall. I plan to smile the entire time.

Whatever dream you have, you will get there. All it takes is a good attitude, a great support system, positivity, and perseverance. You will get there.

AERIAL

Last Monday was Russ' 22nd birthday. 

As his girlfriend, it's my job to make sure his day is absolutely spectacular. 

After four years, there's not much we haven't done together, and I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to come up with something that would top his previous birthdays (Splish Splash, private safari ride, ballroom dancing, surprise party in NYC). Then, his wonderful mama suggested zip lining at Adventure Park in Wheatley Heights. I knew he'd love it.

Adventure Park opened on June 21st, only nine days before we went, so we were thrilled that it wasn't crowded. We got harnessed up and began our journey into the trees. As personal trainers and fitness enthusiasts, we were excited to push ourselves to see if we could complete each course. There are eight courses that are set up like ski slopes, ranging from least difficult to most difficult. We had a 3.5 hour time slot to complete as many as we could. 

Each course took about one hour. The obstacles required a lot of core strength (thank you, bosu ball!) and upper body strength (thank you, pull-up bar!). We encouraged each other and strategized the best and fastest way to get to each platform. After two hours of hard work and depleting energy, the birthday boy was ready to tackle the double black diamond.

Just looking at the course made me nervous, but Russ encouraged me to try it. I knew I'd regret not attempting it, so I followed my 22-year-old on to double black diamond. The second obstacle required you to walk on spinning, wooden wheels. I took two steps and instantly fell onto the wire. My arms were scraped and slightly bleeding, but I followed Russ' voice and finally met him to continue onto the next one. After he completed it, he coached me through. That one was even worse. I don't even remember doing it. I couldn't feel my hands, and didn't know if my bruising arms could handle any more pressure. They said the course gets harder as you go, and that freaked me out. Russ calmed me down and looked ahead, we decided that there wasn't a shot I could complete the course with aching hands, so he called for one of the employees to come rescue me. What a guy.

I watched my superman complete the double black diamond. I have no idea how he did it; the obstacles were insanely difficult. They said this course was used for military and police training, and half of the guys couldn't even complete it. I was so impressed with and proud of Russ!

After using up all the energy that our 10 a.m. egg sandwiches gave us, we traveled to Hempstead to get Russ his favorite sandwich: The Coyote. I'm talking chicken cutlet, melted mozzarella, bacon, waffle fries, and ranch on a garlic hero. CHEAT DAY! We ended his birthday celebration with a present (a new bike which deserves its own blog post), seeing Transformers, and eating homemade fruit pie. It was a beautiful day.

Give Adventure Park a try!