Be Happy :)

“Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it.”

William Feather 1889-1981, Publisher and Author

Take the time to stop and “smell the roses”.  In this fast paced life we get so caught up in our daily business that we forget to live. Stop, feel the present moment and breathe.  Live in the now and be happy.  Focus on and give thanks for the many blessings you have.  Don’t stress about all the things in life you want or wish you had. Everything happens in good time.  Having a positive vision of your desires and faith will surely attract the physical things, relationships and optimal health that you desire.

Each day is another chance to live it right.  Don’t miss your share of happiness.

Have a wonderful, prosperous day everyone

Wonderful Team Member Readership Award

Thanks so much to Ellie, a true Woman of God at New Creations Ministries, for this nomination.  I was delighted to receive the nomination and I am honoured.  Thank you Ellie

The rules for accepting the nomination are as follows:

1. The nominee of the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award shall display the logo on his/her blog.
2. The nominee shall nominate 14 readers they appreciate over a period of seven days. This can be done at any rate during the week. It can be ALL on one day or a few on one day and a few on another day, etc.
3. The nominee shall name his/her Wonderful Team Member Readership Award nominees on a post, or on posts, during the 7 day (1 week) period;
4. The nominee shall make these rules known to each reader s/he nominates;
5. The nominee must finish this sentence and post, “A Great reader is….”

My nominations for this award are:

We Are 2Fit2 Quit -The road to Transformation starts with a Dream…

DREAMBIG Magazine

Uberbeastmode

The Happsters -Like Hipsters, But Happier.

She’s Losing it! -A Fitness Blog – My Bikini Project

GlutenFreeGus.com

Lean Fit and Healthy -A regular guy trying to make healthy choices and live an active life

Little Blog of Letting Go -Suicide Prevention. Support for Depression and Grief. Encouragement for Everyone.

My Everyday Power Blog-Power tips for Success, Inspiration, Love, Motivation & Personal Development. Everyday!

The River Walk- Daily Thoughts and Meditations as we journey together with our Lord.

Craftedincarhartt- Carhartt Women’s Blog

Recovery Health- A Perfect Balance of Health /// Beauty

Grass, Roots & Grains-Low fat, plant-based, whole foods, yummy recipes & healthy living tips

at350degrees-A blog to feed the hungry nerd.

A reader is someone who finds passion in reading, has a love for learning, has a creative mind and respects and appreciates various styles of writing.

Congratulations!  You all have such wonderful team spirit which is evident in the quality of your writing and the information you share.  I wish you continued success on you blogging journey

Nutrition Tips

Fill your daily diet with as many nutrient dense foods as possible and you’ll feel great!

Some tips on how to do this:

1.  Consume at least one dark leafy green everyday such as spinach, chard and kale.  These leafy greens contain:

• Vitamin A- for healthy eyes and skin
• Vitamin C- helps protect cells and keeps them healthy; is necessary for the maintenance of healthy connective tissue; helps wound healing
• Vitamin K- helps your body heal wounds; maintains your blood vessels and keep your bones healthy; helps in preventing fractures (especially in women after menopause).

Dark leafy greens are also a great source of calcium and iron.  They can be added to protein shakes, sautéed with olive oil and garlic or thrown into soups and stews.

2.  Include fibre in your diet not only to keep you regular but to also make you feel full longer and to maintain a healthy weight.  Be sure to consume both soluble fibre (found in oat bran, nuts, seeds and legumes) and insoluble fibre (found in veggies, wheat bran and whole grains).

3.  Since our bodies cannot make Omega-3 fatty acids we must get them through our diet.  We need these healthy fats for our cardiovascular system, brain function, joint health and mood. They reduce inflammation and lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and are important for brain memory and performance and behavioral function. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in foods like fatty fish such as salmon, and some nuts and seeds such as flax and walnuts.

Success

I absolutely love these words of advice from Michael Josephson, noted radio commentator and the founder and president of the non-profit Josephson Institute of Ethics and CHARACTER COUNTS!

There is a lesson to be learned in these words not only for our children but also for us adults.  It’s imperative that we pursue our dreams and to never give up in the face of adversity.  The same lesson applies to our health and fitness goals.

We tend to get discouraged when we don’t see results or we don’t see results in the time period that we expect.  When we don’t see results, it’s easy to feel that we have failed and give up. Failures shouldn’t be seen as failures.  They should be seen as one option that didn’t work and an opportunity to try something else.

Take this opportunity to take a step back, re-evaluate and come up with a new plan.  That plan may be to make slight or major diet modifications, change up your exercise routine, change your supplements or to even try a detox or body cleanse.  Enlist the assistance of a trainer, friend or family member.  Monitor your habits by recording what you eat and drink, when you exercise and how much rest you’re getting.

When pursuing your fitness goals, stay focused and maintain a positive attitude.  When your goals seem so far from reach, don’t be discouraged. Persevere and keep your eye on the prize.

Failing Forward

“The best way to teach our children to succeed is to teach them to fail.

After all, if getting everything you want on the first try is success, and everything else is failure, we all fail much more often than we succeed.

People who learn how to grow from unsuccessful efforts succeed more often and at higher levels because they become wiser and tougher.

Two great American inventors, Thomas Edison and Charles Kettering mastered the art of building success on a foundation of what others might call failure.

Edison liked to say he “failed his way to success,” noting that every time he tried something that didn’t work he moved closer to what did. “Now I know one more thing that doesn’t work.”, he would say.

The lesser known Kettering (head of research for General Motors from 1920-1947) talked about “failing forward,” calling every wrong attempt a “practice shot.”

The strength of both men was that their creativity and confidence was undiminished by setbacks and unsuccessful efforts. They accepted that trial and error is an essential strategy for breakthrough innovation and simply rejected the notion of failure.  Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM, cautioned his leaders from being so careful that they never failed. He went so far as to say, ‎”The way to succeed is to double your failure rate.”

Of course, failure is never desirable, but it is inevitable and, with a proper attitude, can be quite useful.

The only way to avoid failure is to avoid the risks and challenges and that probably is a case of real failure. The great hockey player Wayne Gretzky used to say, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Whatever your goal, whether it’s to get something, do something, or improve yourself as a person or professional, the secret of success is learning to transform unsuccessful experiences from stumbling blocks to stepping stones.

Three qualities can turn adversity into advantage: a positive perspective, reflection, and perseverance.

First, learn from the inventors. Don’t allow yourself to think of any failure as final, and never allow unsuccessful efforts to discourage you or cause you to give up. Remember, failure is an event, not a person. Even failing repeatedly can’t defeat you unless you start thinking of yourself as a failure. The way you think about your experiences shapes the experience in ways that either stimulate or stymie further efforts.

Second, don’t waste the experience. Unsuccessful efforts are wasted and debilitating only if you don’t learn from them. Reflect on your actions, attitudes and the results to discover the lesson within the experience and use that knowledge to guide future efforts.

Third, persevere. Try and try again. Just be smarter each time.

And finally, learn to enjoy the process. Simply being absorbed in the pursuit of any change that will improve your life or the lives of others is a blessing.

Remember, character counts.”

Michael Josephson www.whatwillmatter.com

Foam Roller Exercises

Despite its simple appearance, a foam roller is an extremely valuable and inexpensive piece of equipment.   They can cost anywhere from $15-$50.  It really depends on the type and quality.  Using the pressure of your own body weight you can perform self -massages to release tension and knots in sore muscles.  This is comparable to myofascial release or deep tissue massage, a technique often used in massage therapy.  They are also effective in breaking down soft tissue adhesions as well as scar tissue.  Another benefit that a foam roller provides is the increased blood flow and circulation to soft tissue.  Foam rollers are also effective in increasing balance, core strength and flexibility.

How to Choose a Foam Roller

Foam rollers are available at sport supply stores in different in sizes, shapes, foam types and cost. Determine what you will be using the foam roller for and buy one that suits your needs.

If you need a foam roller mainly for tissue massage, the half-round foam roller is sufficient.  Simply applying body weight pressure on the tight muscle will release tension.  Half-round rollers are also great for the elderly or persons with little strength or muscle tone because it offers stability and won’t move out from under the person.

When choosing the firmness of a foam roller, consider the colour which determines its firmness:

• White foam rollers are the softest or least firm and will allow movement between the muscles, bones and the roller. It also produces less pressure and pain. If you do purchase a white foam roller ensure that you’re buying a good quality one that will last.  White foam rollers tend not to be too durable.
• Blue or Green foam rollers (or any light colour) provides medium pressure and is used for advanced core-stabilization or a medium amount of massage pressure.
• Black foam rollers are the most firm. These are good for the experienced user and effective in applying hard pressure for self-massage. Also good for durability.  If you plan on using the roller a lot, a more firm roller will last a lot longer

With the exception of the half-round, foam rollers are generally 6 inches in diameter.  The size difference is in the length.  Rollers can range anywhere from 12 inches to 36 inches.  The longer roller is best for doing total body exercises giving you sufficient surface to roll on without falling off the ends.  The shorter rollers are ideal for transporting. So, if you’re the type of person that likes to travel with a small gym, the smaller foam roller will fit nicely into a suitcase.

The cost of a foam roller varies depending on the material it’s made from, the density of the foam and it’s durability. Before purchasing a foam roller, do some research, ask questions then make a decision.

Foam Roller Exercises

In the below video I demonstrate a few basic foam rolling exercises that can be done anywhere.  A good routine to start with is 1-2 sets, 10 repetitions, 3-5 times per week.  This should effectively release any tension in the muscles and give you a good self-massage. In the video you will see that I start from my neck and work my way down to my calves.

Exercises demonstrated

• Neck
• Upper back
• Lower back
• Lats (left and right)
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• IT Band (Iliotibial band)
• Calves

If you feel any discomfort it should only be slight.  Stop rolling if you feel any sharp pain. Your muscles may just need some time to get used to the applied pressure.  Try it again in a few days. Always start with light, quick motions and progress to slow, deep rolls. If you hit a really tight spot, using your body weight apply pressure to the muscle and hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

Any questions, please feel free to ask.  Happy rolling

300 Rep Spartan Workout

Yesterday’s workout was this intense workout inspired by ’300′, the 2007 action movie which illustrates the epic account of an ancient battle between the Spartans  and Persians.  The workout consists of six different exercises for a total of 300 repetitions. ’300′ is an older movie but if you haven’t seen it, you must. Not only did I think it was a great movie but I was amazed at how ripped and chiseled these men were.

In addition to a strict diet, the cast of ’300′ was challenged with this gruelling workout to shed those last few inches of fat, build muscle and increase strength to get them ready for the big screen.

This is the original 300 workout:

Pullups – 25 reps
Barbell Deadlift with 135 lbs. – 50 reps
Pushups – 50 reps
24-inch Box Jumps – 50 reps
Floor Wipers – 50 reps
Single-Arm Clean-and-Press with 36 lbs Kettlebell – 50 reps
Pullups – 25 reps

My 300 workout is slightly modified. Complete each exercise with no rest between:

25 Assisted Pullups
50 Barbell Deadlift
50 Pushups
50 Box Jumps
50 Floor Wipers
50 Barbell Clean-and-Press
25 Assisted Pullups

For each exercise I just use a weight challenging enough to complete the required amount of reps.

After trying this make sure you get a good stretch! Enjoy

Liebster Award

A couple of weeks ago I was nominated by Carrie, from the Little Blog of Letting Go @ http://littleblogoflettinggo.com/, for the Liebster Award. I am absolutely honoured and I thank you, Carrie, from the bottom of my heart for recognizing my blog as worthy reading  material.

If you’ve been blogging for a while you probably already know what the Liebster Award is about.  For those of you who don’t the Liebster Award is given to rising bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The word Liebster is German and has a variety of meanings such as sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The purpose of the Liebster Blog Award is to recognize those who are new to blogging and to help promote their blog to other bloggers.

The rules are as follows; I must:

1. List 11 random facts about myself
2. Answer the 11 questions that Carrie created for me to answer.
3. Pass the torch by nominating 11 new bloggers.
4. Create 11 questions for my nominees
5. Display the Liebster Award logo.

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I am the luckiest woman in the world because I have the best husband in the world.
2. I am the luckiest mom in the world (next to my mom,lol ) because I have the best, most beautiful daughter in the world.
3. I have a strong love for all creatures great and small which is why I have 3 cats, 3 snakes, 2 turtles, 1 Savannah monitor, 1 bearded dragon, 1 scorpion and about 30 tarantulas.  The weird creatures are my husband’s hobby.  I learned to love them when I fell in love with him.  Now I can’t imagine not having them around
4. I am a clean freak and a neat freak.  Everything has to be spotless and in it’s place.  Otherwise, I feel unsettled and unbalanced.
5. I am a true Libra: balanced; love peace, harmony and justice; natural-born leader
6. I am a perfectionist which can sometimes cause undue stress but it keeps me continuously striving.
7. I am a fitness freak and love everything health and fitness related. I do martial arts, workout like a machine and play soccer like I’m competing for the FIFA World Cup.
8. I LOVE chocolate!!!! However, if I have a certain health or fitness goal in mind I have the discipline to say no to chocolate or any other junk food because I’m determined to be successful.
9. I am very spiritual and have a strong faith in God.
10. I love reading books that have anything to do with spirituality, personal development and psychology.
11. I believe in angels because I believe they guide and protect me.  I also believe it’s important to  treat everyone with love and respect because you just never know when you could be talking to an angel

My Answers to the 11 Questions Carrie Created for Me:

1) What are you most afraid of?

Funny enough, I’m afraid of mice which is weird because I have to feed them to my snakes.  I don’t understand the fear.  They just kinda make my skin crawl!

2) Do you have a favorite quote or personal motto? If so, what is it?

I have two:

• Dream Big…Make it happen
• If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough !

3) What is the most difficult life event you have experienced?

I would have to say that going through a divorce about four years ago was difficult.  It was very life changing but, I’m grateful for the experience because it strengthened my character and I have now been blessed with the best husband in the world.

4) What is the most joyful life event you have experienced?

I am very blessed because I have many but, the most joyful was the birth of my princess 18 years ago.

5) Who are your heroes?

My mom and dad, the two people I look up to the most.  They have raised 3 great children who are all successful and made many sacrifices in doing so. Despite their health issues which would have most people giving up, they face each day with a smile, thank God for another day of life and keep a positive attitude.

6) What is your favorite “thing” in all the world? People don’t count, and it does not have to be a material “thing”. For example, my favorite “thing” is Star Trek.

My most favourite thing is long socks. I have tons of pairs with different patterns and funky colours.  I wear them only in the winter, of course, but I love them because they keep me all warm and cozy.

7) Do you believe in life on other planets?

Absolutely!! I believe there is so much more to this world than we can even begin to imagine!

8) If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

I would break down all the barriers that have been built by and that are the cause of all pain, suffering and hatred.  I would love to be able to wave a magic wand that would cause an awakening and raise levels of consciousness to reduce greed and conflict and create more love and compassion.

9) If you answered the phone and a voice on the other end said, “I have a loaded gun to my head. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t pull the trigger?” How would you respond?

My response would be: You shouldn’t pull the trigger because I am here for you.  I care and I want to help you end the pain. You matter and your feelings matter.  Your life is as significant and as valuable as anyone else’s life and you deserve love and happiness.  Please talk to me and help me understand your pain so we can get through this together.

10) What do you think the most important words in the English language are?

• Perseverance
• Courage
• Strength
• Faith
• Warrior

And I have six more that I’ll put into two phrases:

• Love thy neighbour
• Do unto others

11) How do you plan to make the world a better place?

I plan to reach out to as many people as possible to lead and inspire towards living clean and healthy lives creating a mind, body and spirit balance.

I now pass the torch to my fellow bloggers who deserve some recognition for their great writings and hard work.  My nominees are as follows (in no particular order):

Danabolic- All Things Health and Fitness

Diamonds With Flaws- Self-Love.Encouragement.Motivation.Advice.Change.

Fit & Busy- There’s No Such Thing As Too Busy

Gracie’s Greens-Documenting the life of an aspiring dancer, fitness maniac, and crazy health nut one bowl of greens at a time.

Italian Curly- A new(ish) CrossFitter just trying to live in a lovelier light!

JSResults’s Blog-Chasing The Top One Day At A Time!

pFIT pFUN- Fitness tips, workouts and motivation.

Project Eat Me- Tasty, Healthy, Fun Food

Stefanya- Natural Living, Natural Skin Care

The Iron Cheftress- Life & Kitchen of a Personal Trainer

Yvie Sismee-Fitness, Exhilaration, and Nutrition

Congratulations!  You all have wonderful blogs with a lot of valuable information and experiences to share.  Keep striving and making your dreams come true.

My Questions for you are as follows:

1. What is your favourite past time?
2. What sign of the zodiac are you and does your personality/character fit the description?
3. Where is your most favourite vacation spot?
4. What’s your favourite colour?
5. What movie could you watch a million times and it never gets old?
6. What’s your favourite piece of clothing?
7. What’s your most favourite thing to eat, good or bad?
8. What is your most favourite sport to play or watch?
9. If you could have one wish, what would it be?
10. If someone had the power to look into your future and tell you how your life is going to unfold, would you want to know? Why?
11. What do you think is the most valuable lesson we could teach our youth today?

I wish you all much success on your blogging journey

You ARE Beautiful

Reblogged from Simple Tom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk

Please share this on your blog and with everyone. This is such a POWERFUL message and everyone needs to hear this! Its so incredibly powerful in shaping the way that we see ourselves.

- So that you TRULY see yourself as the beautiful person you are.

Please share this.

Very powerful, must watch video. A message that needs to get out to all women, especially young girls. They need to know that they are beautiful both inside and out. This will build and maintain a high self esteem and self confidence.

Crossfit 20 Rep Workout

Another one of my Crossfit faves is this 20 rep workout.  It consists of 20 different exercises at 20 reps each.  That’s 400 reps!!  Insane, but a good feeling when you’re done.  If you’re not familiar with some or all of the exercises, have a look at Crossfit’s website for the exercise demos. It goes as follows:

• 20 Wall-ball shots
• 20 Sit-ups
• 20 Box jumps
• 20 Push-ups
• 20 Cleans
• 20 Double unders
• 20 Thrusters
• 20 Pull-ups
• 20 Overhead squats
• 20 Kettle bell swings
• 20 Push presses
• 20 Dips
• 20 Sumo deadlift high pulls
• 20 Burpees
• 20 Back squats
• 20 GHD (glute-ham developer) sit-ups
• 20 Walking lunges
• 20 Deadlifts
• 20 Knees to elbows
• 20 Front Squats

Again, very intense workout but very effective.  It’ll make your body beg for mercy!  Give it a try and let me know how you like it

Live Your Dreams…Make it Happen!!

I love quotes because I find that they can be so motivating and inspirational.   I really like this quote because it can be applied to so many areas of life: fitness, health, spirituality, wellness, career, finances, family and relationships.  The list is endless.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Dale Carnegie 1888-1955, Author and Speaker

Live your dreams, transform your life.  Never settle for less.  Believe you can achieve. Know that you matter.  Love yourself a lot so that you’ll have lots of love to give. Never be afraid to take action. Never be afraid to dream or believe.  You can accomplish and achieve anything you want in life.  All you need is a dream, a plan and action.