Todays Sunrise

Todays sunrise was amazing!
Lucky me I got to see it since I am working early to cover a dentist appointment today. I get my crown put on! Not really looking forward to it, but I am looking forward to getting the temporary removed so I can eat again...woo woo!

I also caught a better picture of the blue wild flowers in the early light with the tall grass in the back, it was so pretty. I wanted to get out of the car, but I think cars would have started honking.

The catails also were all a glow in the early morning light, this was at 6.45am and I would rather have been running then heading to work.....just sayin.

Last these rocks with white flowers on them, I just love the rough look and it makes me want to hike!

Just wanted to snap a few pictures for motivation of how beautiful the day it..........enjoy!

Lantern Festival 2012

I went to the Lantern Festival over the weekend it was just amazing, here are a few pictures.............taken at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, known to us as Shaw's Garden.
Enjoy.........the magic!

It was about 7pm when I got there and as the sun set, the lanterns were lit at 8pm. It ended at 10pm so by the time you leave it was just all a glow with beauty and peace.

If you have never seen this before it is worth the $22 admission to get in. Plus your supporting the garden and I love the gift shop!
The weather was absolutely perfect!!!

This is what it was like when I left.........as I walked away.

I love the balloon glow but this was so much more amazing, if you get a chance you should see it.

Workouts and Calories

Hello Cinderella!
One of my clients gave me a pair of Antonio Melani shoes that were too small for her, and she only wore them once...they fit me perfect!

I put them on right after we finished working out, and love them so much I wore them to the office today yay! This weekend will be fun, remember I told you about the other part of my facial...woo woo! I will be getting a facial on Saturday afternoon right after my 9-10am yoga session with my girlfriend, and then teaching the 11.15am class at the studio I work at.

With the Susan G. Koman race this Saturday I don't expect many to be there, as a matter of fact lots of people will be downtown for the good cause.

Its been a while since I posted some workouts, or food pictures for that matter so I guess I need to get busy with that so....... Here are this weeks workouts:

Monday:
Workout - Client training
Time of workout - 30 min
Cals burned = 198 Step - 8 min w/db
x2
Side plank ladder leg lifts
Ball push ups Bosu bent over rows
x2
Bosu planks Bosu jumps
Bench chest press
x1
Bosu pull up pants
Bosu triceps kick back Bicep curl to shoulder press
x1
Bench climbs
Reverse crunch w/pilates ball
Reg crunch reach up w/pilates ball
Ankle to ankle w/pilates ball

Tuesday:
Workout - Client training ST
Time of workout - 20 min
Cals burned = 132

Step - 8 min
Push up on Bosu
Bent over row on Bosu
Decline db chest press

Bosu jogs

Plank on Bosu w/right left leans
Pull up pants
Bicep curl to shoulder press

Bench dips w/leg touches
Med ball squat w/overhead lift
Tricep kick backs
Bosu core

Wednesday:
Workout - 2 Client training back to back
Time of workout - 45 min (2hr session)
Cals burned = 297
Client 1:
x2
Sandbag cleans Plank on Bosu
Bosu push ups w/tilts
Jumpless rope - 2 min
Bent over body bar rows
Body bar shoulder rowing
Bosu squats w/upright row and toe lift
Bosu lunge w/kettlebell thrust

Jumping Jacks - 2 min
Boxing 3 rounds x 50
Yoga

Client 2:
x2
Bosu step Bosu alt forward lunge
Bosu squat w/db 2lb
Bosu jump over

Bosu step sumos
Bosu hops
Bosu push ups

Bosu plank w/leg raise
Bosu tilts Bosu crunches
Bosu knee ins

Bosu straight leg scissors
Bench dips w/toe touches

Thursday:
Workout - Client training
Time of workout - 45 min
Cals burned = 297
x2
Resistance band overhead tricep
Plank pikes on stability ball
Stability ball push ups

Shuffles w/ circle ring- 2 min

Banded side abductor
Stability ball chest press
Stablity ball straight arm overhead
Stability ball skull crushers

Shuffles w/circle ring- 2 min
Banded side abductor
Mountain climber on towel
Med ball roman twists
Med ball roll ups

Cals burned for the week = 1056
Fitness Minutes = 160
Calories in = 8687

I Got Mail.......ROYAL Mail!!!

Its a birthday card from my dear friend Mandy xoxox I was so surprised to get it yesterday!!! Check out that Royal seal..........very impressive to me. I'm sure this may not be a big deal to some, but to me I was jumping with joy not only because of the loving gesture, or the thought, or the fact I got a card from a good friend, but that it somehow made me feel like ROYALTY. I love watching the
 royal weddings, and seeing all the fabulous castles and now I feel a bit like a princess. I haven't even opened it and I am so thrilled about it, just knowing I got it makes me feel teary eyed really it does. Thank you Mandy, it made my 50th birthday year so much more special! I'm super proud to call you my friend, and I will cherish this when I open it on my birthday......and it will be kept with my special memory box. Life is good, 50 will be my year to shine.....thank you to all my friends for the love and spark you send my way. It has been a rough year, losing my mother and selling off everything she ever worked hard for. But this, just keeps me going knowing someone cares enough to send a card all the way from the UK to little o'le me. As tears fall from my eyes as I type this, I get an overwhelming feeling of how a moment of one thing can make you feel ok again.
Have you ever got a gift that made you feel special or a favorite gift?
Blessings xoxox

Amazing Facial!

I got to get a facial over the weekend, a chemical peel and the results were AMAZING!

Have you ever had one? Cattrena who did my facial said that celebs do 70% of this mild acid,  this facial was 30% and it didn't hurt at all and made such a difference. It did kinda smell like rotton eggs lol. OH Check out my skin
Some big bumps I had are COMPLETELY gone!!! When the girl at Massage Luxe said it would take quite a few facials to get rid of them at $60 a pop! I am so glad I didn't waste my money on that.

I get to go back next Saturday for the actual facial part, I can't wait to see my skin. And then I got a FREE shellac nail polish, included in the Groupon deal woo woo! Then I got these products 2 new for my face and the free gift, which also included a tote that is beach worthy  Lifting cream, 2 lipsticks, a comb and mascara Even though I missed my dad, I still had fun being a girl.


Blessings.......

New Fitness Toys!

Image: Target.com

Woo woo, I got new fitness toys! Thanks to my clients for making my biz profitable I was able to add a few more things. (I don't want to post this on my Facebook fan page so my clients will be surprised shhhhhh)

Here they are........and I actually got these cheaper retail then if I would order them wholesale.

#1
Bosu, Bosu, Bosu!
www.target.com/p/bosu-balance-trainer/-/A-530738
Just youtube bosu workouts and check out what you can do with this bad boy! This was on my list last year, and this year I got it.

#2
Rubber mat
www.target.com/p/gaiam-rubber-yoga-mat-black/-/A-13561592
Great for mountain climbers and things where you want to "stick" or if your hands get sweaty. I love rubber for that and my other Zoba mat was $80 this is almost the same for 1/2 the price!

#3
(Gift to me...Pocket outside and inside to hold keys, water, change of bottoms and towel I love it!)
www.target.com/p/gaiam-gaiam-tree-of-life-tote-bag/-/A-10967723

#4
Core-a-rama and check out the price drop!
www.walmart.com/ip/Core-Tech-Pilates-Machine/10737828

#5
Check out the action of this little toy, and reviews. Fierce!
www.walmart.com/ip/Everlast-Pilates-Rowing-Action-Exerciser/11996069

I am not sure what my favorite will be, but I have some that are already close to number one like the kettlebell and mini yoga balls.
So what is your favorite fitness toy?

Guest Post: Looking for Inspiration: Pumped-up Dance Playlist 2012

Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

 Wow, I just love guest posts and I have another one for you that is going to help MOTIVATE you for your workouts.  This one is from Barbara Jolie, so enjoy!



Looking for Inspiration: Pumped-up Dance Playlist 2012


I really didn't start focusing too much on my health and fitness until my senior year in college. By the end of the third month of transforming into a "fitness freak," I started losing steam. The gym was boring! I wanted to give up, that is until my dear friend set me straight: "you aren't doing it right, man," she said. "The gym is where I multitask and catch up on shows, reading, and music all at the same time!" I laughed, but she did have one valid point—music was missing from my workouts.

Music definitely has a way of inspiring and motivating—no wonder so many instructors make sure that they have the perfect playlist for their pupils while teaching a Zumba, cycling, or weight training class for example. Music truly has the power to take your workouts to a completely different level. That's why you need to constantly update your iPod and bring it with you to the gym or when doing your daily walk in the park. Below I've compiled a list of songs that inspire me. Dance tracks are usually my favorite, only because they help me reach my target heart rate and make me push harder when I feel like stopping. Hopefully they'll be able to do the same for you too.

Where Have You Been, Rihanna

Let’s Go, Calvin Harris featuring Ne-yo

Too Close, Alex Clare

Tongue Tied, Grouplove

Wild Ones, Flo Rida

We are Young, Fun

Scream, Usher

Turn Up the Music, Chris Brown

Dance Again, Jennifer Lopez

Back in Time, Pit Bull

Chasing the Sun, The Wanted

These are songs that can be heard on the radio right now, but there are tons of other songs that can get you pumped, new and old. Would you like to share your thoughts on what/who would make it on to your favorite workout playlist?

This guest post is contributed by Barbara Jolie, who writes for the online classes blog. Barbara Jolie is an avid writer and blogger, interested in all things education. For questions or comments email her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.

Plan Of The Week

I got 2 new swim covers and I love them both!

The skirt can be used as a dress and the pants are gauze and they have the fold over waist and are super duper comfy!

Now all I need is a beach :-) ha check out this dove I caught just checking things out on my neighbors roof.....he was perfect on the roof pitch, how could I resist?

I really need to scale back on the cars, I hardly have room for them but I love them all so much......check it out looks like a race ready to take off, VAROOM!!!

My workouts have been a bit lame this week, and its only Tuesday but my nutrition has been totally on target. I should get bonus points this week, with some body fat loss and maybe even weight.....sweet!
Good news is that I get to have dairy this week, wowza hello Greek yogurt!

Here is the plan of the week:
Monday  - off day
Tuesday - cardio at lunch/ ST after work
Wednesday - ST/ cardio
Thursday - cardio at lunch/ ST after work
Friday - ST heavy/ cardio after work
Saturday - Power Yoga
Sunday - ST

I need 4 days cardio and 4 days ST and one cardio as HITT, that will be Sunday.  Hopefully this will bring those numbers down.

Vacation Fashion!

So this is the RED suit I am taking on my trip this summer. I love everything about it, and even had "stay up" trim put in the top so I can take off the strap. (walmart.com)

Last night I started putting together some outfits with my new necklaces that I got but for some reason this suit look pink.

With the short pheasant skirt then I added my shrug and necklace

and my green twisted tank style top with my necklace called "dreamy"

Of course I had to take a picture with my outfit today, with the necklace called "rich and famous" don't ya just love these names???

I love how long and "blinggy" it is.
Now on to dinner......so yum! I took onion, mushrooms and bell peppers and grilled them topped it on the white fish. Added some green beans it was d-lish!



Starbucks New Natural Energy Drink

I got some new cushions for my front porch chairs...I love'um! They

Just adorable...and comfy too....and then I also tried a new product

Starbucks natural energy drink is nummy, have you tried this stuff???? You don't get the jitter bugs from this just pure sweet extra zing!

.......read more about it here:
www.examiner.com/article/starbucks-refreshers-boost-your-workout

I went to a Yoga class last night that was so darn hard, even though I love this teacher the hard part is wrapping my arms! So afterwards I was talking to her and she said because my shoulders are so muscular, (*insert ego boost) that it can hinder my rotators cup from bending in such a way.

Yay! That made me feel so much better......

My lunch walking workouts have been de-railed by vacation shopping! I think I have everything I need for the trip......

I got:

Birthday dress pink, melon and black - so adorable!

Orange sun dress

Dark blue tie-dye knee length pheasant skirt

Lime green twisted sleeveless tank style shirt

Black sweater shrug

Black and silver necklace

Pink and orange necklace

Black flip flops

Added to what I already had bought for trip:

Back pack

Red swimsuit

Black swimsuit

Black twisted sleeveless tank style shirt

White gauze lined beach pants

Black wedge sandals

Low heel brown walking sandals

Yoga wear for plane and Yoga at hotel

Tonight's workout, hitting the weights!

Circuit Training: Get Your Sweat On!

Meet Cindy, after a workout at Trainer T. Fitness. NOTE the head band, sweat and a B.I.G. smile. Why? She has lost 37 pounds and is getting healthier each and every day with her new lifestyle fitness. Look at those curves baby!

She was kind enough to let me post a picture of her, in all her sweaty glory! How are we getting great results in a short amount of time?

Circuit. Training.

Bringing the heart rate up and down just blast calories, plus it is never boring and just down right out F.U.N. see the smile ;-)

Last nights workout - 1 hour of calorie blasting strength training, boxing and yoga.....sweeeeet!

The moves:

Push up w/db row

Bicep curl-decline chest press/shoulder press

Stability ball skull crusher


Mountain climber on towel

Sandbag swings

Sandbag rows


Push up w/boxer

Dips w/leg reach opposite leg

Overhead triceps curl


Boxing:

Jab w/knee ins

Jab w/twist

Up down jab


Yoga:

Forward bend series

Down dog to 1/2 sun salutation

Pigeon

Thread the needle

Cobra to extended puppy

Dolphin

Happy baby

Savasana w/foam roller

Cardio, strength, cardio, strength.....its just that simple!

Guest Post: 10 Reasons Every Dieter Seems to Freak Out Over Carbs

Oh boy.....I have another guest post for you!
This one really seems to hit home with me, because I hear this all the time from my clients.

Check out this blog courtesy of Suzanne Cullen from www.aupair.org/

10 Reasons Every Dieter Seems to Freak Out Over Carbs
Obesity is a big problem in this country, so some people are obsessed with appearance and weight. Those who want to lose pounds are continually looking for a fast easy way to do it, so for years we’ve been hearing about low-carbohydrate diets and how effective they are. However, is all this hoopla justified? There are certainly many arguments both for and against low-carb diets for people who want to lose weight. If you’re tired of all the hype, here are 10 reasons every dieter seems to freak out over carbs.


1.Latest fad – Dieters have always been susceptible to fads and the low-carb diet is no exception. Even though this concept has been around for decades, it’s still getting a lot of attention with scientific studies and different diet variations.

2.Peer pressure – People trying to lose weight often succumb to peer pressure. When all your friends are telling you how bad carbs are and what foods you need to avoid, they’re hard to ignore.

3.Info overload – The emphasis on carbohydrates is everywhere you look. Dieters can’t help but be influenced by low-carb claims on packaging and in advertising. This info overload gets everyone freaking out about carbs.

4.Quick results – There’s no question that limiting carbohydrates in your diet will produce quick and dramatic results. This is your body’s main form of fuel, so eliminating it is going to make you lose weight quickly. However, you’re losing water and not fat so this is very deceiving.

5.Ketosis – The whole idea behind limiting carbs is to produce ketosis in the body. This is where your body burns fat for fuel instead of calories. Proponents of the low-carb diets claim it’s a quick way to get to this process.

6.Easy target – The reason carbs are the villain is because they’re so easy to metabolize. Your body can quickly turn the calories from carbs into fuel to burn and if there’s excess fuel it turns into fat. This makes high carbohydrate foods an easy target.

7.Naughty foods – Foods that are high in carbs are generally already on the naughty list for most dieters. Pastries, cookies, white bread and such are foods high in sugar and calories that dieters want to avoid anyway.

8.Pre-history – There are claims that the low-carb diet has genetic significance. They say that the foods advocated in their diets more closely resemble that of prehistoric man and our bodies aren’t genetically disposed to consuming large quantities of carbohydrates.

9.Misinformation – Unfortunately, a lot of this freaking out over carbs is because of so much misinformation. Many dieters will believe what they hear without checking out the voracity of the claims.

10.Carbs = calories – Every dieter needs to watch their calorie intake and carbohydrates are equivalent to calories. To many people the two terms are synonymous so what’s the difference? Yikes, that cookie is so high in carbs/calories! Don’t eat it!

The reality is that a low-carb diet may help you lose weight fast, but once you go back to your normal routine the pounds will come back just as quickly. Eliminating or severely restricting carbohydrates in your diet for too long is not healthy and could even be dangerous. Dieters will always be looking for shortcuts, but the facts remain that the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less and exercise more. This often requires a lifestyle change that most people just don’t want to deal with. Meanwhile they will continue to freak out over carbs or whatever the current diet villain is instead of just trying to burn more calories than they consume.


Article credits - Suzanne Cullen http://www.aupair.org/

New SASSY Hair-Do

I finally got my new hair cut! I am super happy about it. It took a long time to get with the girl I wanted but it was worth the wait.

My before hair

My new sassy lighter, shorter do

Close up

Getting ready for the big "50"

New hair cut

Teeth whitening day 4

Lifting heavy

Nutritionist week 9


Whatcha think?
I love this workout:
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/brett-hoebels-30day-flat-belly-plan?page=2#copy

Weekend workouts:
Friday -
Workout - Client training (step class)

Time of workout - 30 min
Cals burned = 173

Step w/3lb db:

Basic w/mambo

Step kick

V step

In and outs

I step

Turn step

Pendulum

Saturday:
Workout - Yoga
Time of workout - 75 min

Cals burned = 332
Sunday:
Workout - 2.5 mile walk + Cleaning/vacuum basement

Time of workout - 1hr 45 min
Cals burned = 251

Guest Post: Roughing It—The Basics of the Paleo Diet

Yay, I have a guest post for you today!

Who isn't doing the Paleo Diet right now? As it gains more and more attention, I have this fabulous post by Susan so you can learn more about it........enjoy!!!

Roughing It—The Basics of the Paleo Diet


As we all know, diet and exercise play a vital role in our overall wellbeing. That being said, it's no surprise that diet and exercise play a huge role in our overall medical expenses as well. The better we care for our minds and bodies, the less likely we are to become ill and wrack up serious health bills and insurance payments. Our society has a long history of hoping on the bandwagon for the latest dieting fad or fitness trend. And, of course, there are many times that these fads and trends fall short of their promises. The Paleolithic diet (also called Paleo or the Caveman diet) and crossfit workouts are the latest trends in the health and fitness world. As with any hot new thing, there are many skeptics. But, as strange as the Paleo diet may sound, there are hundreds and hundreds of people who swear by it. Not just a diet focused on losing weight, the Paleo diet seems to become more of a way of life for its devotees.
The Concept Behind Paleo

The idea behind the Paleo diet is not necessarily a new one. For many years, people have been creating diets and swearing by them that follow along the same basic lines. With Paleo, people commit to only consuming items that were around for our early ancestors (hence, Caveman diet). After the industrial revolution, the food we consumed took a major shift within our society. Much of the food we consumed became processed and readily available in mass quantities. While this was a huge success in many ways, it also caused the diets of our hunter-gatherer ancestors to change severely.

The Paleo diet is about going back to the diets of our prehistoric ancestors during the Paleolithic age. At this time, humans either hunted or gathered the food they ate. This meant that they performed heavy manual labor in order to produce the food they needed to eat—today, we don't do this. We drive to the store, walk a few yards, and buy our bag of potato chips. It should come as no surprise at all that we are living in a way that is significantly more challenging and unnatural for our bodies today. When dedicated to the Paleo diet, individuals only eat foods that would have been available to humans before the age of technology. You eat like the cavemen ate—relying on means and produce that would naturally occur in the environment without manmade artificial processes.

What the Actual Diet Consists of

While this all may sound pretty far-fetched, the Paleo diet isn't as difficult to grasp as I may be making it out to be. Dieters would eliminate any grains or carbohydrates because those are foods that humans only consumed after their hunter-gatherer phase. Paleo dieters eat things that can either be hunted or gathered, such as red meats, fish, chicken, eggs, certain vegetables, and certain nuts and seeds. These are items of our diet that would have either been hunted or naturally growing in the environment without any agricultural advances in place. Anything that we consume with the help of agricultural advances—grains, beans, dairy, sugar, salt, legumes, flour—are not permitted in the Paleo diet. While the diet itself does sound somewhat extreme, it might not be as restrictive as it first sounds.

The Health Benefits

With the Paleo diet we are remove all aspects of our diet that are highly processed. Processed foods play a large role in diet related illnesses like they two diabetes and heart disease. Protein plays a large role in the Paleo diet. By eating more protein on a regular basis your appetite decreases and your metabolism goes up. Also, more protein in one's diet can also prevent the loss of lean muscle. Of course, the benefits of eating red meat regularly can only be fully met with regular exercise and an otherwise well rounded diet. Furthermore, the Paleo diet promotes eating several necessary and beneficial fatty acids. Overall, the Paleo diet is very successful in eliminating some of the most problematic food items in an individual's diet. With things like carbs and sugars extracted from one's diet, risk of obesity, heart disease, and other diet related health issues is significantly lowered. In recent years, obesity has become the number one cause of health related deaths and is one of the most costly diseases for sufferers and our health system. Educate yourself on the Paleo diet and see if it can be beneficial for you.

Susan is a freelance blogger