Posts Tagged ‘Fitness’

A few months ago, I met Matthew Rich. Although we’ve only hung out two times, I consider him a good friend. In fact, I’d call him my inspiration. He’s taught me so much about life.

How we met
It was interesting how we came to know each other. See, I have this Fit Friends fan page on Facebook and one of my friends suggested that Matthew fan the page. Right away, I noticed him. He was really enthusiastic about the health and fitness information I was posting, and was adding a lot of interesting comments. He really loved the purpose of the fan page — to motivate others to be happy and healthy.

We decided to chat on the phone — we were both interested in creating a video with workout moves and other fun stuff. After a little while, I had to go, but we made plans to keep in touch and get together to do more brainstorming. I’ll never forget what Matthew said before we hung up … he told me that there was a lot more he still had to tell me. Matthew told me he has cerebral palsy and is in wheelchair. That really caught me off guard because I knew he was a personal trainer, loved karate and just started dance classes. He uses his crutches whenever possible.

The key here is that I didn’t know he had any physical challenges. With his attitude, his accomplishments and his goals — you’d never know it. That’s how he lives his life. He doesn’t let things hold him back or feel saddened by what he can’t do. Matthew pushes ahead and does the things that people wouldn’t expect. He does it for himself, but he does it for other people too. He’s an example of how with hard work and determination, anything is possible. He says his place in life is to inspire others. I LOVE IT.

Appreciating the small things
After we hung up the phone, I got emotional immediately. I never told Matt this, but I called our mutual friend right away and cried. “Meeting” Matthew really put things into perspective. At the time, I was really stressed out with work, managing my time and meeting my personal and professional goals. I’m often really hard on myself … looking ahead to the next big thing … but Matthew’s influence has helped remember the little things.

It’s easy to forget how fast and easy it is to tie my shoes, go out for groceries or make myself a meal. For him, it’s more challenging. It takes more time, or maybe he needs help. Read the rest of this entry »

Billy and I are like night and day — sometimes. I’m really out there and adventurous. I’ll do just about anything once. I talk too much and I wear my heart on my sleeve. Billy’s reserved. He’s private at times and not boastful, and likes to do his own thing. I like creative stuff like dance shows and plays — and he’s a horseshoe tournament champion and loves his Yankees and Giants. When we decided to do something together — he wasn’t into my mud runs, rock climbing, etc. — we picked tai chi. We had the special shoes and all.

What is tai chi? My definition = a slow, peaceful karate-dance.

Tai Chi promotes the circulation of chi — or life energy — within the body, encouraging wellness and vitality. Basically, you do a series of flowing movements and your body is in constant motion. The exercise is not strenuous — your feet are always planted, and your move your torso and arms in graceful, deliberate, and sequenced movements. They say tai chi can: reduce anxiety and depression; improve balance, flexibility and muscle strength; improve sleep quality; lower blood pressure; relieve chronic pain; increase energy, endurance and agility; and improve overall feelings of well-being.

It was a pretty cool experience. I’m not going to lie though — it was challenging! I’m very high energy, so I have a hard time being quiet and just calming my mind, moving slowly and measuring my breaths. Some of the moves were difficult to follow, but I think that’s with any new type of exercise until you get used to it. At the end of six weeks, I still didn’t think I was any good though. (Billy wasn’t any better! )

I really liked calm and gentle energy in the room …

If you’re looking to try a class, just do a quick search online. You might find that your local karate studio, gym or wellness center offers a tai chi program. You may even find a tai chi studio — TRY IT!

Photo by Diana bella computer is in hospital’s.

Hello, Friends! I’m wishing you an awesomely healthy and energized week. Hope you like this “mixed tape” I put together — just for you! Feel free to comment or add your own suggestions. I have more mixes coming soon.

1. “BOYZ” – MIA
2. “American Boy” – Estelle
3. “Boom Boom Pow” – Black Eyed Peas
4. “Make it Clap” – Busta Rhymes
5. “I’m a Hustla” – Cassidy
6. “Do it to It” – Cherish
7. “Love Lockdown” – Kanye West
8. “Bonafied Lovin’” – Chromeo
9. “Shawty Get Loose” – Lil’ Mama
10. “King of the Dancehall” – Beenie Man
11. “Jook Gal” – Elephant Man, etc.
12. “Calabria” – Enur
13. “Get Me Bodied” – Beyonce
14. “Long Way to Go” – Cassie
15. “D.A.N.C.E.” – Justice

Photo by massdistraction.

Sometimes, I’ll be sitting in the same position at my desk for hours. Usually, I’m pounding away at the keyboard with my heart racing because of deadlines. I’ll look at the clock and realize I didn’t stop to drink water, eat a snack or go to the bathroom — and it’s noon! Ugh, there goes my diet plan of eating small meals throughout the day, and my goal of staying hydrated. On top of that, my back and shoulders are tense and achy. This is all bad!

Well, besides getting a manicure or pedicure, one of my favorite “treats” for myself is massage! Yeah, it’s $59 (plus a tip), but it’s well worth every penny, especially with my lifestyle. I have long days, teach fitness classes and workout a lot and tend to over-commit to everything. I’m beat up. I’m constantly running around trying to save the world and inspire others that I just need an hour dedicated to me.  

So how else do I justify getting a massage? The health benefits! My masseuse and friend, Mandy Urena from The English Touch, in Mount Laurel, NJ, explains how massage is good for you and your body:

Massage …

• Calms the nervous system and promotes a sense of relaxaion and well being.
• Reduces tension and anxiety.
• Improves blood circulation, which delivers oxygen and nutirients to the cells.
• Stimulates the lymphatic system, which carries away the body’s waste products.
• Prevents and relieves muscle cramps and spasms.
• Can help with pain management in conditions such as a arthritis, sciatica and muscle spasms.

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Since I’m 30 now … here’s a list of 30 things what I’m thankful for:
1. My fiancée, Sweet William! He loves me for my craziness, randomness, dreams and goals.
2. Gabby and Sofia — my beautiful and fun nieces.
3. My brother, Mike, and his wife, Kim. They give so much to the community …
4. Hardworking parents. They’ve given me so much!
5. Front-row friends.
6. Cousins by the truck-load.
7. Loving and supportive “in-laws.” They are so generous!
8. My SUV. I can drive in the snow!
9. A set of new, sharp knives. I love cutting stuff now.
10. Inspirational books.
11. People that challenge me.
12. My Fit Friends, my workout partners and students.
13. Writing mentors — Holly and Greta, who really helped develop me and encourage me as a writer.
14. My Twitter friends.
15. People who give me blog love.
16. My favorite aunts — Auntie Evelyn, Auntie Alice and Aunt Diane.
17. Danielle — my maid of honor/BFF.
18. My education. No one can take that away.
19. My job at Amerikick. I’ve been teaching there for almost nine years.
20. Private jokes that make me laugh, even when I’m by myself.
Read the rest of this entry »

From research scientist to full-time traveler, Sarah’s life is one of adventure, optimism, challenge and change. Read about my cousin …

ATG: Describe yourself – using five adjectives only.
Sarah: Petite, adventurous, minimal, healthy, inquisitive

ATG: How would others describe you?
Sarah: Tenacious, brave, open-minded, determined, persistent

ATG: What do you do “for a living?”
Sarah: I was a research scientist working in a neuroscience lab at McGill University in Montreal. We were researching protein-protein interactions in the hippocampus relating to memory and learning.

More recently, I’ve been a full time traveler for the last two years! I started off travelling alone for six months in South East Asia, then I met my partner/boyfriend Inigo Arza (he’s Spanish) in Vietnam and we have been together since. There are many soils that we have walked on: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Australia, China, Myanmar, Nepal and now back to India. Our goal is to travel west to Europe by land from India. Pakistan and Iran will be our next countries.

ATG: Describe your idea of a “perfect” day.
Sarah: A perfect day would be what we experienced in Dharamshala (home of the Dalai Lama). I woke up at 7 am and immediately did yoga asanas on the terrace. Then I made a trekker’s breakfast of oatmeal, honey, dates, bananas and flaxseeds. We started our climb at 9 am. It was a glorious sunny day, around 17 degrees Celsius under the sun. It took 2.5 hours to hike from 1750m to 2842m up a steep mountain. It was well worth the breathtaking view of the mountain range (4600m). We had a light snack of cashews, raisins and peanuts on our yak-wool blanket facing the white peaks. After lunch, we had a siesta! Then we hiked down using a different path. We were famished when we arrived to the town at 5 pm and we treated ourselves to a dinner at a local Tibetan restaurant. I had Masala tofu with spinach on rice. The night ended with a hot shower and I fell asleep reading Lord of the Rings. That was my “perfect” day.
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Check out this sample workout and create a program that fits your fitness level.

DAY ONE
Upper body – Do three sets of 15 and use household items or light weights for resistance
Bicep curls
Tricep dips using a kitchen chair
Chest press laying down

Cardio
Jump as high as you can 10 times and land in a squat position
March in place for 30 seconds run up and down your set of stairs
Jump as high as you can three times
March in place for one minute
Jump as high as you can 10 times and land in a squat position

Upper body – Do three sets of 15 and use household items or light weights for resistance
Bent over row
Lateral raise

Cardio – Jump as high as you can 10 times and land in a squat position
March in place for 30 seconds run up and down your set of stairs
Jump as high as you can three times
March in place for one minute

Abs – Do two sets of ten in each position and hold the final crunch in each position for ten seconds
Feet on the ground
Knees to the right
Knees to the left
Criss-cross reach
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I always wanted to go rock climbing. My cousins told me I’d love it. I did!! I gathered a bunch of my “Fit Friends” and we went one day to Elite Climbing in Maple Shade, NJ. I felt like an expert wearing the harness. It was the same thing we wore during my aerials class at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts.

When we were there, I said a bunch of times that I could get addicted to this!

It was really cool to get all the way to the top! Of course, I could do the beginner walls no problem. It was awesome. The other walls … woah hard, especially the kind that are not completely flat. I was too short to reach sometimes … and I think that’s how I got hurt. I ended up messing up my shoulder. I felt it two days later after rock climbing and kickboxing the next day. Apparently my scapula got stuck to my rib cage. I couldn’t reach for anything, it felt funky. Luckily my friend, Amanda, an occupational therapist, manipulated my shoulder and literally separated it for me. I liked getting the stem treatment. I liked being hooked up to the machine with the sensor pads? it was a good pain. After some treatments and rest, I feel better. I just am hesitant to go back there right away …

So what’s my advice? Bring friends! Try it. STRETCH before — we are not spring chickens anymore!!! Do some arm circles, shoulder shrugs, squats, etc!

A friend asked me for a suggested workout. Below is what I sent him. I thought you’d enjoy it too. As I told him, pick and choose what you want to do, and do the best you can. These are just ideas! You can modify whatever you want, but this workout is designed to give you a full-body challenge. It’s cardio, toning, lifting and sports-specific.

Please feel free to share your feedback, ideas, comments, etc!

You’ll need:

• A long stretch of space — about the size of half a bball court
• A magazine, a flat piece of foam, or something to stand on that’s 2”
• A medicine ball
• A bosu ball
• Dumbells

Here goes:

Jumping Jacks – 30

Walking Lunges – 2 times – Take the lunge all the way through, don’t stop to have your feet meet in the middle. Hold the medicine ball or a set of weights.

Straight-Leg Hamstring Dead Lifts – 15 – Stand with your heels on something about two inches off the ground. Lean forward and push your butt back as far as you can. When you stand up, squeeze your abs and butt.

Forward/Backward Jog – 5 times – Jog forward, jog backwards. Vary up your speed each time however you want. Slower jog, faster backwards, etc.

Four-Count Push-ups – 15 – Count in your head > down one, two, three … push-up on four.

Squat Jumps – 15 – Squat down with thighs parallel to the ground, knees in line with your ankles, push through the ground and jump as high as you can. Land soft and into the squat. Point your toes as you jump and reach up to the ceiling with a medicine ball in your hand. 

Walk – 2 times

Squat shoulder-press – 15 on each side – Put one foot on the bosu, flat side down. Squat down with thighs parallel to the ground, knees in line with your ankles. Push up and press up. Don’t stop up or down, keep the movement fluid.

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How well do you know yourself? How well do people know you? What are you passionate about?

Below are some questions. Just some things to think about … Feel free to leave a comment and share a little bit about yourself!

• Describe yourself – using five adjectives only. How would others describe you?
• What do you do “for a living?”
• Describe your idea of a “perfect” day.
• What’s your favorite childhood memory?
• What “small” things make you happy?
• What does “family” mean to you?
• Have you ever been discriminated against or treated poorly for being who you are? How has that affected you?
• What’s your biggest challenge right now? What are you doing to make change?
• What was your biggest challenge in the past? How did you overcome it?

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