Exercising for mommy

I have two amazing daughters, Cecelia and Sienna. I have been blessed with my mother's physique, petite. Even as a small woman, my body needs regular maintenance

. I have not been to the gym regularly in about 6 months. Everything in me wants to return but my fiancee has been in school during each night for the last year and a half, so it has been challenging. My body is craving it each day while I lose each ounce of muscle mass. I am a whopping 110 lbs, yes thats right, underweight. Now I cannot use the excuse of breastfeeding because I have weaned my little one finally. I have decided to share a few tricks that I have used over the last few months to stay semi active in my quest to a beautifully maintained body, as a mom.

Sticking with the 3Method, Mind, Movement and Muscle; I needed to program my thinking to motivate myself to care enough to act! Feeling bad about myself was not enough. Spite often works but I am a firm believer that negative feelings waste away our spiritual being, having a sour effect on us in the long run. That only leaves empowerment, if only the pharmacy sold bottles of it, we'd be off and running. So, one morning after having breakfast, i was getting dressed and I switched the radio on, some song came drifting through the speakers, pummling through my subconscious and switching the light on, I think it was "Pop Champaign" and I started to dance a little, then a lot. I don't care who you are, what you look like, when you start to dance, catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you will catch yourself smiling(or crying) but if your anything like me; I feel so dam sexy when i dance, even if it is to Barney at music time!:)

Our bodies are temples and it is exhilarating to give them exactly what they want, to move to be free! After the initial high of dancing for a few, I went down the LIST-we all have one, eww, my legs are so short, my butt has melted into my thighs, where are those milk filled boobs, why am i left with these little flaps with lines on them?!After that ended I was left only with enpowerment!

I would do what was best for my body, regardless of what I had going on in my life. I love who I am and I did not want to drown in sorrow and pity. I had accomplished the first M of the 3Method, I got my mind right!

Next I had to get moving! Movement! The key to inaction, that that paralyzes us! I decided that i would keep moving;

1. Instead of complaining to myself in the middle of the night running relays between toddler bed and my bed to get water, rub backs and rock baby, I would welcome the task on my tippy toes, giving my calves a little burn.

2. First thing in the morning, after immediate snack and curious george, I would sit on my bedroom floor, thank god for my sleep and do 20 squats in front of the mirror, allow my girls to join in on the fun.

3. Be sure to get girls out for our snowy adventure across the street at the park filled with 4 feet of snow. The girls walked on the beaten path as I beat my own. Oh i could feel my butt perking up already!

4. Remind myself that every meal needs preparation, no meals on the fly. I would also remind myself that although numerous snacks throughout the day are better for me, food raises the acidity level in our teeth so it is important to brush and choose healthy foods, carrots(dip), wholefoods chips, guacamole, olives, pickles, penutbutter, fruit, spinach salads and so on...

5. Involve kids in a yoga class on the kids channel, yoga is amazing for toning and sanity.

6. Allow myself a 20 minute power nap but no more, or the guilt sets in and I am scrambling later to get things done, plus that is my precious me time!

7. During girls naps, turn on some upbeat music, do some simple cardio, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, crunches, then finish with a great Pilates workout, avail on fitness channel or of the internet, they really do work and they are free!

8.Before dinner or anytime you take your shower, some days I don't:) but before you do, do as many push ups as you can without straining and the next day do one more.

9. After dinner, for a mental pick me up, pop in sing it from WII and sing along to one of the songs on the game, if your shy, keep doing it, everyone has a voice and I believe when we let it out, it is the act of emptying all of the impurities from our spirit and inhaling the power and spirit from the air!

10. Try to go somewhere on your own(or together), walking, even if it is around the block. Walking is excellent, we all know that but more importantly, it signifies the end of the day and another goal accomplished. We all need defining moments, make this one yours before bed.Your muscles may thank you at first by aching but they'll get used to it and before you know it, they'll be showing off.

Tips: Do not strain to do all of these things in one day, work up to it. The best thing about the 3Method is it's flexibility. If you need structure, follow it but feel free to tweak it however you wish. After all it is all about you!

I have begun this process again. The hardest thing I find myself battling is my guilt for not being a good enough, woman, mother, wife, yogi, person, dancer, gymnast, volunteer, soul. My partner Erik always said to me when i was angry, are you wasting your time again? What is that anger/guilt going to do for you?Are you getting something done by doing it? The answer is NO. I use this as a reminder. I am a work in progress and I will embrace the process because someday all we'll have is memories..

The Importance of any exercise; article.

Apart from making you mentally fresh and emotionally strong, it also has many benefits regarding your health. It is quite helpful in minimizing the ratio of heart problems, diabetes and obesity. It also enhances the levels of blood pressure, prevents osteoporosis, provide balance to your body while climbing stairs or walking. Lastly, the one thing, which every woman in the world wants to maintain, is her beauty. Exercising regularly will bring glow and freshness at your face. The cause of this radiant complexion is the inner freshness that you are experiencing.

Read more here on making a plan to exercise.

Use your pity to motivate you!

My family and I were searching for parking along the strip at the ocean this afternoon as I mentioned how many amazing women there were at the beaches.

Being who I am I can say that aloud with confidence, pretending that I wouldn't mind if my boyfriend said, yeah there are( which he did not). Inside I am feeling so delicate and un-pretty in comparison to these other beauties that I forget that I usually love who I am and admire how I look most days.

This is where I remember to use the pity that I believe all women cast upon themselves, as a huge wave of motivation to do better, to feel better and to stick to that goal we have!

This is an absolutely amazing bathing suit I came across. It runs around $130 and i am usually buying Dora suits for my daughters and TJMAXX for myself but thats not the point...

I can use this hot chick's bod in this beautiful suit to motivate me to work a little harder at the gym this next month, actually lets not jump the gun:Just for this week, i will work a little harder on my abs at the gym.

A little at a time is a great goal:it seems possible and that is the first step to completing a goal,believing that you can do it!

AND YOU CAN,

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO!

That

Brittany's Got it!

Britney Spears
Britney put on weight during her pregnancy, but soon after the birth, Britney cut out all the Southern fried food that she was brought up on and instead ate meals full of vegetables and low calorie leafy greens.
The best exercise tip that Britney can give us though, is dancing. Britney's body transforms every time she goes on tour, as her energetic dance routines bounce her back into shape.

She is absolutely correct! Dancing burns calories like maddd and rocks your muscles into model like condition!

A letter to my spirit

Christmas music has always brightened my spirit. As a child, my sister , brother and I joined our small cluster of neighbors at the garden lady’s house; which happened to be painted pink, and practiced Christmas carols to the tune of the piano and sometimes the saxophone. We pranced around the neighborhood and beyond ,smiling and snapping to the happy melodies before finishing the evening with caramel popcorn and hot chocolate.
My grandmother made sure to let us know at what cost she had bartered our ski passes for the year. We appeared on the slope but twice a year. I spent most of my time in the ski lodge checking out hot boys near the enchanted fireplace and the plush square cushions that made up an enormous square seating area. The times I did hit the slope I was overly concerned with how my hair looked scrunched up in the wool hat with a pom pom on the top that meme forced me to wear. I have always lived watching myself live and watching others watch me live.
Everything has been a performance, even when I write. I think to myself, will someone understand that? Do I need to tell the whole story . I write as if someone is reading over my shoulder. I want someone to say someday,” What a beautiful mind she had.” As of today it is only a curse to me, a burden. The only time I feel authentic is when I am loving, deeply.
I love my girls, my sister, Bobby, all of my family and others, some that are not here I do love still. I want to bask in the growth of my girls and my spirit, my love. I am comforted when I feel a barrier lifted, a resentment squashed, a truth revealed. Its exciting to learn.I want my girls to have warm lives. I want them to go caroling.
I want them to share my love. I am realistic in the sense that I accept that they will feel some pain. I want them to learn from their pain and more importantly I want them to pass on the cure to their sores. I wish for them to be sympathetic and driven. I hope they have strength but not so much that they push the ones who try to share burdens for them. We all need someone to care for us. My sister said to me” Everyone needs someone Nor”.
The most amazing lessons that I have learned follow extreme pain in some fashion. Human nature is wanting; also wanting connection; or to feel connected at least. If only people could delight in their thoughts as some of us do, dreams ; connection would come. Self reflection is important. My trouble is in the extreme. I watch everything, judging and guessing what will come next. I do not live in the now until I am loving. Then everything stops. I see. I love, and then the time is spattered with judgments.
I complained once that it was one thing after another in my days, the car, the kids, boyfriend, drugs, family. Someone said to me quite simply; “That is what life is.”Now, I had heard the phrase,”that’s life” before but this was different. This meant that this ongoing series of events and thoughts, emotions and people IS what happens. This smashed my ongoing theory that as soon as this or that happens, I will be able to live and happily at that.
It dawned on me that If I were to get any satisfaction out of this life ,I would have to start implementing thoughtfulness, sharing, selfless actions: all of the traits I am teaching my 2 year old. I would have to stop wasting time and start reaching for the very things that I feared. If I could find a way to love more frequently, my problem of inadequacy may fall away. I could try to make my dreams come true.
I plan to dance with my sister at Thanksgiving. I will send my thank-you notes today and I will give away something I like. Tomorrow I will give my day to my girls and give Bobby a loveletter.
I will do great things in this lifetime. I will be good to myself and to others. Thanks Mom, I will think good thoughts.

Exercise Ball Workouts

The exercise balls of the workout world have become very popular. I have never been a fan.I did a workout the other day using one of the large blue balls and found it to be extremely affective. I did mainly crunches and cross crunches which really worked my obliques. I was doing leg lifts in the photo.

These girls did a great job. Watch their video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVNrngvYuhc.

ॐ Free Fitness workshop at Together in Motion

Whole Body Forte invites you to ...


Join us at Together in Motion for a three week workshop for a sneak peak into the Whole Body Forte Program.
This event will be a combination course including workouts designed to stimulate and satisfy everybody! Event includes dance routines: yoga postures: breathing and hardcore working out. Come alone or with your girlfriends for a night of fun.

45 minute session
November 5
This event is free! Wear comfortable clothing.
Call Together in Motion for more details. (781) 643-1377 or email info@togetherinmotion.com