Fit Friday | Creating a Beautiful, Toned Back

Warmer weather means exposing a bit more than normal.  So naturally we start to eat healthier, drink more water and even work out a little harder to tighten up.  Most often we're assessing our progress by standing in front of the mirror or seeing how our clothes fit. But, most of the time, we're checking ourselves out from the front.

But what about the back?  I, for one, know the dangers on only focusing on what you can see.  I'm currently nursing sections of hair back to health, suffering because I don't see that area on a daily basis.  From the front, things look great, but the the back of my hair isn't as strong as it could be.  The same thing could happen if I don't pay attention to my back.

That's why I'm now creating ritual that creates a sexy and toned back.  First step is to make sure the skin on our back is smooth & even toned so it appears healthy when the light strikes it.  When I conduct my all over body exfoliation, I place the most focus on my back back and chest.  As we sweat on our bodies, the first place we notice perspiration is under the arms. Then, as it continues, sweat starts to run down our backs.  So it's super critical to scrub the back incessantly.   And this should be done daily, especially during the warmer months.

As you work on your back beautification regimen, you should also be thinking about how to exercise your back muscles.  For the sake of the conversation, I'll narrow down the areas to the shoulders (upper back), the latissimus dorci (middle back) and the back of our obliques (waist).

When I work out, I tend to focus on shoulders, but don't do much for my middle and lower back. Which is why I wrote this post to explore what other exercises I could incorporate to get a more complete workout.    This first workout video I'd like to share is focused on the latissmus dorci and helps to get rid of the dreaded bra bulge.  What I like about this workout is that she essentially does a full back routine in just a few minutes.

Don't have an excercise ball?  No worries, I absolutely love this back workout done completely on the floor and set to calming yoga music.  Again, like the first video, she has you engaging the entire back.
Lastly I have to, once again, share my favorite lower back workout of all time. This Tiffany Rothe workout feels fun and easy while you're dancing to your favorite tunes.  But the next day, you'll feel your lower back oblique muscles come alive.  The fact that Tiffany's Waist Workout has been viewed over 20 million times speaks to the amazingness of this workout.

Update | The benefits I experienced when I consistently rebounded.

You may remember a post I did a while back after first getting my rebounder.  The plethora of benefits was the motivator for my investment.  But after I had it for a while, the novelty wore off which put my mini-trampoline in danger of becoming one of those long forgotten pieces of exercise equipment.

Bellicon Trampoline

Sometime last month, I decided to really put my rebounder to work, especially since I didn't have as much time to make it to the gym.  When I came consistent, I started noticing a some really wonderful benefits, so I thought I'd share.

We all know that the main benefit of rebounding is to the lymphatic system.  This system help the immune system by removing waste, dead blood cells, cancer cells and toxins from the body.  Our lymph fluid, unlike our blood, only moves in one direction through our body.  Since the lymphatic system has no pump to move it upwards, it requires motions of the muscles and joints to pump the liquid upwards.  Since we have 3X more lymph fluid in our body than blood, it's important that we pay careful attention to make sure our lymph system doesn't become stagnant.

Whenever I rebound, I find it necessary to take my hair down.  That's because I always sense a small movement of my scalp as I bounce up and down on the trampoline.  They say rebounding exercises every muscle in the body.  I like to think that I'm strengthening my scalp muscles whenever I rebound so I focus my attention and intention to increasing blood flow to that area.  It also helps me relieve tension from wearing tight hairstyles.

Most times, I only jumped on the trampoline for short sessions of a couple of minutes each, but when I started using it for longer duration, I started noticing interesting results.  First benefit was improved digestion.  There's no doubt that jumping up and down on a trampoline sparks full body circulation.  It stimulates all of your internal organs, including the digestive system through the stimulation and contraction of the digestive track.

Beyond digestion, I experienced a deeper level detoxification.   I noticed that my sweat from rebounding differed from doing other exercises.  The rebounding sweat seemed stronger,  like it was a true detoxification.  It was a interesting experience to say the least.  That's when I knew the power of actively working out the lymphatic system.  Another benefit I'm now noticing is a reduction of cellulite in the back of my legs.  Rebounding and regular massages are the perfect combination for smooth, flawless legs.

Then I learned about therapeutic rebounding which involves jumping on the rebounder for 1-3 minutes every hour.  This method is used by cancer patients to super charge their immune system.  Since our white blood cell count increases short a short period of time, while rounding, it makes sense to bring our body to this place of elevated immunity 10-12 times a day.  I'm definitely going to rebound much more frequently now that I'm hip to therapeutic rebounding.

Unlike my weighted hola hoop and other random exercise equipment I have lying around, the rebounder gets used regularly.  It's so easy to do that it hardly ever feels like working out.  The benefits have been phenomenal.  When I think about the elements that promote youth, the first things that come to mind are oxygen, water, and detoxification.  On a cellular level, water and oxygen are nutrition. Without them, the cell dies.  Cells also need an efficient way to get rid of waste otherwise, it can not survive.  The mini-trampoline takes care of two of the three.  Drinking adequate amounts of water is up to you.

Fit Friday | Don't allow your thirst cravings to make you fat.

I'm home throughout the day and often move around the house from one room to another.  The kitchen is the center point of the home and I find myself frequently crossing through the kitchen to grab a handful of snacks, on the way back to the office.  It's been like that for a while now.  I'll work for a while, then suddenly, I have a snack attack and rush to the kitchen for a handful of nuts or chips, or whatever's handy.

As you would imagine, I'm not pleased with this newfound habit.  So I asked myself, "what else can I do besides constantly running into the kitchen for a snack?"  In an instant, the answer came to me "drink water!"  Ok, I thought, I'll try that.  Actually, before filling my water bottle, I reached into the fridge for some coconut water.  Within moments, the coconut water was consumed and instantly, I felt a level of satisfaction that I could never experience by devouring a serving of chips and salsa.

I then proceed to fix a cup of fruit infused bamboo-chai tea and refilled my water bottle.   Throughout the day, I feasted on healthy liquids each time I took a work break.  My body felt great!  Energy levels were high and suddenly, I even found the motivation to conduct an impromptu declutter session using the Marie Kondo method from her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  It was like I had been awakened.  What I'm really excited about was how my hunger cravings were pretty much gone.  I could walk through the kitchen without feeling the need to reach for something.  And by dinner time, I was able to enjoy a smaller meal with complete satisfaction.

Without realizing I fell into the trap of mistaking thirst for hunger. I'd heard of the theory of thirst disguised as hunger before but dismissed it because, to me, these were two different sensations.  But, if I'm honest with myself, my body was producing natural cravings and I my first action was to appease it with food.

  Today, I awoke full of energy which I used to fit in a brief workout first thing. If I continue to feel as good as I did yesterday, I hope to get a lot more decluttering in.    Don't get me wrong, I'm not replacing food with water, but I completely underestimated how often my body required additional water intake.  Now I'm keeping the office is stocked with coconut water, fruit (bamboo) tea, water and lemon water. My advice for you is this, whenever you feel cravings setting in,  address it first with liquid.  Not only could you experience amazing benefits but you could save yourself a couple of unnecessary pounds in the process.

Is wheat belly standing in the way of your flat abs?

The last few weeks, I haven't been myself.  My energy levels are not where they used to be and I even caught a small cold for the first time in years.  I've also noticed a reduction in my sharpness & focus.  Worst of all, my belly is protruding more than normal.  Sure, I might have gained a little weight while taking a mini-vaycay recently. And I didn't do much moving around while I was sick, but that still doesn't explain the extra weight (bloat) that I was carrying in my midsection.

So I thought about it for a while and, like a flash of lightning, the answer came to me. Wheat gluten!  Years ago, my face was plagued with cystic acne, my scalp was in a constant state of inflammation and I carried extra weight in my midsection.  It was a bad time.  Then I was reminded of how food sensitivities show up on our skin.  After a little research and reflection, I came to the conclusion that eliminating wheat from my diet might make a difference.

So I did it.  Then everything changed.  My skin cleared, the dermatitis on my scalp subsided, I lost weight easily, and my stomach was flatter than it had ever been.  I couldn't believe how great this new diet was. So I went without gluten and reaped the benefits.  Then, years later, gluten crept into my life in small amounts. For example, most sushi restaurants don't carry gluten free versions of soy sauce.  I realized that my body could tolerate it in small amounts without adverse effects.

One thing led to another and somehow wheat products came back into my life.  Not on a full scale but enough to make an impact.  The itchy scalp came back, my skin is still calm but I can tell there's something going on beneath the surface.  Now that I've realized the error in my ways, it's time to take immediate action.  For those of you wondering about what's so bad about wheat. Long story short, it can be hard to digest. Gluten, they say, acts like a glue in the intestines messing with the integrity of our digestive system.  It's also said that wheat increases our appetite causing weight gain.  And when you eat it, your blood sugar spikes quickly.  When I removed wheat completely from my life, I became less hungry even though my diet was loaded with fruits and vegetables.  Those insane hunger cravings just left me.  Now I'm bombarded with cravings of gluten rich foods on a daily basis.

Not everyone reacts to wheat the same.  You might be one of those people who have no issues with wheat whatsoever.   But even if you feel fine consuming gluten on a daily basis, I invite you to try reducing/eliminating wheat for a couple of weeks and see if you experience even better results.  I look forward to seeing my stomach go down again, experiencing an increase in energy levels.

To kick start recovery, I'm focusing on fortifying my intestinal flora.  For instance, I want to increase my prebiotics levels.  Prebiotics are different from probiotics.  Prebiotics are essentially the food for probiotics.  One good source of prebiotics is with apple cider vinegar and coconut vinegar.  Luckily, I have some coconut vinegar on hand which I decided to mix with a cup of bamboo tea because I can not stand the tasted of coconut vinegar alone.  But coconut vinegar and tea is a wonderful combination.  I found myself enjoying every sip.

I'm not saying that I'll never eat wheat again. But I do know how it affects me and I'll go in with my eyes open.  I'll counteract my actions with measure that rebuild what wheat destroys.   I won't fool myself into thinking I'm free of negative side effects because it doesn't happen right away.  But that's how life is. We do (or don't do) something, and nothing bad happens, so we assume our actions have no repercussions.  But the good news is that everything is pretty much reversible.  So in a few weeks from now, I'll be a different person.  And best of all, I'll be a bit wiser because of having gone through this experience.

Fit Friday | Three Ways to a flatter tummy

Today's post is inspired a by recent review of Beautifully Bamboo Tea.  In her review, the happy customer shared this:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great product!, March 8, 2015

By 

Nadine - 

Great product!!! If I'm not mistaken the tea has kept my stomach from being bloated. My co-workers noticed the difference. I got them interested in purchasing the tea, also my daughter has purchased it. 

Her experience has me thinking about summer preparations and how achieving a toned, flat stomach is an absolute must.  My biggest problem area is my midsection.  I wish I was one of those people with a naturally flat tummy, but that just isn't the case.  If I want to appear like I have any semblance of abs, I've got to take deliberate action. Now that summer is approaching, it's time to get serious again and employ the tree strategies that have worked for me in the past.

My midsection often appears bloated and expanded.  In my opinion, the biggest contributor is the way I eat.  My meals ware pretty much scarfed down as quickly as possible.  This allows me to fit in as much food as I can before the feelings of being full start to set in.  I'm also confessing that I don't chew my food as thoroughly as I should.  Again, this has everything to do with consuming as much food as I can within a short amount of time (what can I say, I love to eat).

Once I realized the error of my ways, I began practicing conscious eating.  Basically, it's when you remain present while you eat.  Instead of eating in front of a tv/phone/computer, or while driving, I eat with a single-minded focus and no distractions.  Then I fulfilled the recommended amount of chews per bite.  For optimal digestion, it's best to chew 20-30 times before swallowing.  This is especially hard  for me because I HATE swallowing liquified food (HATE!).  But, I bit the bullet and did it anyway.

But, you know what happened?  With mindful chewing, I reached the time threshold where the mind and stomach communicate and tell you that you're full.  The more consistent I was with conscious eating and thorough chewing, the less food was needed to fill me up.  Soon my stomach, which was once over-expanded, regained its elasticity and began to naturally shrink.  Before, I could down several slices of pizza before my mind even noticed.  Now, I was full from eating a home made sandwich.  Turns out that my stomach was much smaller than I thought.  It wasn't long before I was enjoying the flat stomach that I always longer for.  It also took away my issue with a sluggish stomach.  Overall, the benefits were very much worth it so I'm willing to try it again.

The other time I had a small midsection was when I first gave up gluten.  At the time, I was really gong ho about it so I also gave up starches as well.  So, in essence, I was following a low carb diet.  They say that "abs are made in the kitchen."  Well they're right.  It wasn't long before stubborn pounds melted off.  Eating all those wonderful salads game me the belly of my dreams.  No to mention how quickly my skin cleared up.  And, to be honest, it was easier than conscious eating because I didn't have to keep a running total of how many times I chewed my last bite.  Even if my belly did expand slightly after eating a large salad, it was easily digested so the bloated feeling was short lived.

The last trick up my sleeve is running.  Once upon a time, I was required to run a 3 mile race in under a certain amount of minutes.  I'm one of those people who never ran so I had to get in a lot of practice to build up my endurance.   After weeks of running 9-15 miles a week, I had the flattest tummy of my life.  If I recall correctly,  I even enjoyed some wonderful ab definition in the process. No change in eating habits, nothing else but burning off a ton of calories.  My gluted toned up as well.  Then I reached my goal and stopped running regularly. The rest is history.

These three strategies have worked well for me in the past so I'm going to use a blended approach to get back on track.  On the agenda for today is to pick up some organic leafy greens for salad making.  Although I don't plan on going full low carb, I will increase the number of times I eat a salad per week. When I'm not having a salad, I'm use conscious eating to manage portion size.  Lastly, I began to incorporate brief jogging sessions in my long walks to burn extra calories.

But that's only half the battle.  A flat belly is one thing, but a flat, toned stomach is what's hot in these streets.  In phase two of my plan we talk about how to tone up, while keeping the waist as defined as possible.

The Thirst Is Real | The true reasons why you should drink your water.

We're back with another important discussion about staying hydrated.  We've gone in detail, in the past regarding how many benefits are possible if you regularly drink lots of water.  We've studied the regimens of the greats who proclaim that they consume up to a gallon or more a day.

Let's discuss this water drinking thing on a new level.  As your resident "Eternal Youth" specialist,  I feel it is my obligation to do so.  There have been times when I've severely neglected my water intake.  If this goes on too long, I start to experience negative side effects such as flaking scalp, splitting nails and rough dry skin.  But, truthfully, by the time I notice the external results, it's too late.  Why?  Because other, more serious consequences of inadequate water intake are happening on the inside.

Water is a nutrient to our bodies.  Our cells need it to survive.  The most important thing our bodies need for survival is oxygen.  The second most important is water.  Interestingly enough, water contains oxygen.  In fact, water is a secondary supplier of oxygen to our cells.  Water doesn't only hydrate, it oxygenates.  I should also mention that most of us aren't breathing "properly."  Ideally, the body prefers deep breaths to properly oxygenate. But many of us don't unconsciously breathe that way.  I've read that we only utilize only 30% of our breathing capacity.  That means we are taking in less oxygen than we are capable of.  The whole topic of optimal oxygen is something I may discuss in a future post.

Beyond oxygenation, water cleanses.  Without it, our cells can not transport nutrients and eliminate waste.  Things become stagnant and we, essentially, start to wallow in our own waste.  Oh, and guess what else happens when you become dehydrate?  Your cortisol levels increase.  Cortisol is a hormone your body releases during stress.  I consider stress hormones highly destructive as they essentially work to break down the body.

You remember how I talked about maintaining bone density via resistance exercise as a method to combat aging.  Well, if you're walking around dehydrated, weight training won't save you from the gradual eating away of the bones that happens when you shun your water intake.  Cortisol interferes with the bone building process which eventually decreases your bone density.  Strong, healthy bones are a sign of youth.  As a matter of fact, experts can tell how old a person was at time of death simply by examining the condition and density of the bones.  You want to extend your youth?  Pay attention to what's happening to your bones.

The glowing, soft skin are a tell tale sign of the level of health we experience inside.  If you aren't consistent with your water intake,  I urge you to think about the bigger picture.  Think of how much your body NEEDS it to stay alive and function properly.   When you choose to go without water, think of the price you pay when body to become hydrated.  It's not worth it.

V Day

Happy V day.  No, I'm not referring to Valentine's day although it's somewhat related to the topic at hand.  I'm referring to the other V and how to promote all around vaginal health and happiness.

By focusing on your internal health, your V will benefit.

Probiotics
The first priority is to make sure your bacterial balance is on par.  If it isn't you allow the opportunity for unfriendly bacteria to grow.  The unsavory outcome of this scenario can lead to bacteria vaginosis and possibly yeast infections.  It's a good idea to supplement your diet with Lactobacilli will help shift your vaginal microflora from pathogen friendly to pathogen resistant.  Who wouldn't want that? For highest potency, try keeping your probiotics refrigerated.  Another good habit is to add a quality yogurt to your diet loaded with healthy bacteria.  

Lemon Water 
We've talked about the wonderful benefits of drinking lemon water in the past.  Lemon water keeps our internal environment alkaline.  Which is extremely important when we're talking about the health of the "V".  Although the preferred vaginal pH is acidic, an alkaline internal environment is absolutely necessary otherwise everything will be thrown off.  Think of lemon water as a preventative measure to keep everything in the right balance.  While we're on the topic of water, you should always strive to drink as much water as possible.  You've seen the difference in your urine when you're dehydrated vs. when you drink plenty of water.  There's a wonderful cleansing and purifying effect from drinking adequate amounts of water.  Since the vagina is self cleaning, why not give it a hand by equipping it with the tools needed to do it's job.

Once you have the basics covered, then you can move on to the fancy stuff.  I don't know any woman who wouldn't want to make sure their lady parts are as pleasant as possible.  With Valentine's day is coming up, you might be picking out your outfit and deciding your hair style.  Might I also interest you in adjusting your diet over the next couple of days to include lots of veggies and fruits.  Not only will help your skin glow and your dress fit better, but it can also positively influence your scent and taste.

So load up on pineapples, natural cranberry juice, citrus fruits, celery (high water content), watermelon, strawberries and the like.  Make it a part of your regular diet.

Exercise
Last but not least, we need to talk about strengthening the vaginal muscles.  Just like your abs, the muscles of your scalp, your face, and your vaginal walls are all subject to atrophy.  If we neglect to exercise those muscles, we will find ourselves having to purchase adult diapers because of incontinence.  Kegal exercises are so easy to do and really don't require any extra effort.  They're super easy to do and very effective.  Think of your vaginal walls as part of your internal core.  It's just as important to have strong internal muscles as it is to make sure your stomach looks flat.  I find the most of the time we are in a resting position where our muscles aren't contracted/engaged.  This allows the muscles to weaken.  When we contract our muscles (especially against resistance) blood flow to the area increases and the muscles strengthen.  Strong muscles are a indicator of youth so it's important to exercise everything.

Four Success Lessons learned from my Fitness Coach

After years of contemplating , I finally decided to work with a personal trainer fitness coach.  Actually, he approached me while I was haphazardly working out and asked me about my fitness goals.  After sharing my intentions, we discussed how he can help me achieve my desired outcome.  Taking my own advice, I decided to say "yes!"

I'm so glad I did because our very first session working together has taught me several life lessons.

#notme // FitnessGoal // Don't know her instagram //

LESSON 1: Have a written plan
The biggest difference between my typical workouts and the one with my fitness coach was his structured approach.  When I go to the gym, I wander around until I find the machine(s) that catch my fancy.  After working on it for a little while, I get bored and move on to something else.  My coach, on the other hand, had a clear, well written plan that he'd hold closely and refer back to on a regular basis.

There are times when I approach my day like my fitness coach, with a documented plan of action for the day.  Then there are times when I just "wing it."  The difference, in outcome, between the two are like night and day.  Because of my coach's written plan, I was able to accomplish much more in less time.  My sore muscles are a testament to the level of effectiveness from just 1 hour of focused, planned activity.

LESSON 2: You can accomplish much more than you give yourself credit for
One of the exercises on the list were dead lifts.  I've done dead lifts in the past but with much less weight than coach recommended.  On my first run, he requested that I  dead lift 50 lbs.  Even before my first lift attempt, I automatically told myself that 50 lbs was too much.  Coach, on the other hand, expected me to do a total of 45 dead lifts (3 sets of 15) using 50 lbs.  I'm 5 feet tall with puny arms. I would never challenge myself to dead lift 50 lbs.  But coach never relented and I successfully completed all the sets.

Now I'm wondering where else in my life am I carrying self limiting beliefs.  I can think of a couple instances where I've put things off because I don't think I'm fully capable.  Now, instead of listening to my self defeating thoughts, I can think of the dead lift exercise and remember what I'm capable of.

LESSON 3:  Get out of your comfort zone
The biggest difference between working out on my own and my first real session with my fitness coach, is that he took me completely out of my comfort zone.  Most of the work out took place in a part of the gym where I never venture.  He doesn't really like using machines. Instead he prefers using motions that utilize the full range of the major muscle groups.  This raises the intensity of the exercise and will bring greater results.

That entire work out took me completely outside of my comfort zone. Honestly, I couldn't wait for that hour to be over so I could go back to being comfortable again.  Heck, there was even a split second where I regretted my decision to hire him.  But he continued to remind me that the hard work will all pay off for me in the end.

LESSON 4:  Don't stop until you've reached your goal
After doing some excruciating dead lifts and other lower body exercises, coach had the nerve to lead me to the squat hack machine.   I could feel my muscles screaming for mercy with every lift.  It took everything inside for me to reach 15 reps.  Once done, I quickly dismounted the machine.  Confused, coached informed me that I had another set of 15 to accomplish.  Since I knew I couldn't do another 15, I decided to negotiate.  "Can we do the second set later?" I asked hoping that he'd somehow forget.  Smiling, he replied "sure."  

Then we moved on to Bulgarian split squats.  While suffering through a total of 90 split squats (45 per side), I secretly cursed myself for having putting off the second set of hack squats.  There was no way I could push out one more set on that machine.  I tried talking my way out of it but coach was not having it.  His only response was to repeatedly chant "last set, BEST SET!"  Reluctantly, I positioned myself once again in the squat hack machine and blurted out "this machine hates me!"  Unphased, coach responded, " the squat hack hates everyone."

Eyes shut, I took a deep breath and completed an amazing set of hack squats.  Heck the second set even felt easier than the first.

 If I were working out on my own, there was no way I would go back on the machine after my first experience.  Coach, on the other hand, had a written down goal and never bended to allow me an out even when I pretty much begged for mercy.  Sometimes I challenge myself to accomplish something but, if I don't feel like doing it, I don't.  I don't hold myself accountable to work my plans until completion.  As a result, I never fully realize what I'm capable of.

This first session was eye opening.  Not only did I learn the proper form for many of the exercises, I've been doing (wrong) for years, I also learned several lessons that can bring success.  Long after these sore muscles heal, the life lessons I learned from him will have a lasting impact.

Speaking of coaching.  If you would like to connect with me 1 on 1 to help you achieve breakthroughs in your life, drop me a note via my contact form.

Black Ginger Lemonade | Your ultimate detox drink

This weekend, I feel in love with a new detox tonic.  So simple and easy to make.  All it took was a couple of ingredients + my juicer, and I was good to go.  The first version of the drink was perfection.  A little ginger and fresh lemons sweetened, with a little agave nectar, diluted with water 

 Then I wondered, what can I do to take the detoxing power of the ginger lemonade to the next level.  Suddenly, my mind was taken back to the time I first tried blk water.  Although the water was completely black, it actually was virtually tasteless and odorless like any other bottle of water.   I also remembered about the detoxing qualities of activated charcoal.  We've discussed, in previous posts, the adsorption power is contained within the smallest particles of activated charcoal. Adsorption is different from absorption.  Adsorption means that it binds toxins to itself thereby making it extremely effective at cleansing and detox.

When you consume activated charcoal, your body doesn't actually digest it.  Instead, the charcoal travels through the digestive track, picking up toxins along the way.  The thing to take note is that charcoal doesn't discriminate, so it may interfere with absorption of prescription medication which charcoal might identify as a "poison."  Hospitals use activated charcoal on patients admitted for chemical poisoning and drug overdose.

 Although the this ginger lemon tonic is pretty easy to drink, I'll probably include the charcoal 1-2 times a week as a special treat (on an empty stomach).  As, as always, whenever conducting any type of detox, it's imperative to drink plenty of water to help move the toxins out of the body.

In the gym bag.

Faux Leather Drawstring Backpack

Once upon a time, I kept a bag in the back of my car.  The contents of the bag included a set of exercise clothes, lotion, a head wrap and a few other random items.  Not much thought was put into putting the items together but, just having the bag in trunk of my car kept me on consistent with my workouts. 

That bag meant that I was workout ready at anytime of day.  It didn't matter if it was after work or before, I could easily drive to the gym, get in a good workout, and leave.  It was as simple as that.  That was the time of my life when I was at my fittest.  That bag made it so easy for me to truly live a healthy lifestyle.  

Somehow, between all of my traveling and other life events, I completely forgot about the workout bag which was now buried under a myriad of other items hiding deep in my trunk.  I recently reunited with my old gym bag, looked at it, and immediately decided that it needed an upgrade.  Within days I stumbled upon a vegan leather version of the original while at Forever 21.  This one was much better because it included a large zipper compartment on the outside and a couple zippered pockets inside.

Then I asked myself, "what would I include in this new, upgraded version of this bag?"  Some of the essentials included these lovely little Dove Everyday Body Mists.  Perfect for freshening up after a workout.  

Also in my bag is a travel size bottle of Aveda's Botenical Kinetics Exfoliant.  Not only is the scent intoxicating, this toner does a pretty decent job of removing dirt and oil from the surface of the skin.  Great for a quick purifying-pre workout.  And of course, I'll keep a travel size bottle of Gleau and Aveda Damage Remedy to rehydrate my hair after a relaxing session in the sauna.

For the days when I stop into the gym after work, I'll have make up wipes in hand in the even that I have to remove any excess makeup.  I'm almost never without a bottle of water in hand.  This 11 oz water bottle pretty much fits in any purse/bag.  I'll keep one in my gym bag at all times.

Voss Plastic Water Bottle // Tom's All Natural Deodorant // Neutrogena Makeup Wipes

A gym bag would not be complete without a carryon size of coconut oil.  As you know, coconut oil serves every purpose known to man so it's absolutely essential to keep Capriclear on hand at all times.

Capriclear Coconut Oil

The last couple of things I'll include is the original Clarisonic facial brush which doesn't get as much use ever since the Clarisonic Pro came to town.  Add a set of workout clothes and a headscarf and I'm good to go.  Nothing like being gym ready at all times to keep you on track and consistent with working out.

Fitness | Your Key to Eternal Youth

Hi, I'm Nadege, your new anti-aging eternal youth consultant.   I'm here to engage you in a series of conversations that revolve around feeling and looking as youthful as possible for the rest of your glorious days.

The topic of anti-aging truly interests me and I plan on sharing as much as possible as I learn more about it.  Basically, my methodology to eternal youth is this:  learn what the body is missing as it ages and add whatever's missing back in.  Pretty simple right?  Our body is in constant transition from birth until death.  The early days of the transition, our body goes through the building phase. Then somewhere in our thirties, it enters the decline. Things change.  Perhaps if we reincorporate some of "what's missing" back into your bodies/lives, then we can promote youthful vitality once again.

Since it's Fit Friday.  I'll start with the physical.  Typically, when I share images of amazingly fit women, I'm encouraging you to think of your goal to have the body you desire by summer.  But today, I'd like you to have a longer term vision in mind.  Think about the type of person you want to become as you age.  If you lose your breath when climbing a few flight of stairs now, imagine how hard it will be for your to move around as you get older.

I don't know about you, but I want to be physically able to do anything I want at any age so I'm ready to put in the work now.  When I think about a youthful body, two things immediately come to mind--  MUSCLE TONE + FLEXIBILITY.   In fact, those were the first two changes I noticed in my body once I entered my thirties.  Fat just seemed to creep in where I once maintained muscle.  And suddenly, I could feel slight tension my back when I bent over to pick things up.  I'm not saying that I'm old, but I am very aware that these changes were a peek into what my future holds if I don't do anything about it.

As your eternal youth consultant, I advise you to incorporate movement in your daily life that improves muscle tone and flexibility.  Daily exercise is more important than you realize. It goes beyond fitting into the perfect pair of skinny jeans.  Exercise keeps muscle on your body.  You need muscle tone for energy, strength, and a youthful appearance.  If you do nothing about it, you will loose 50% of your muscle tone between the ages of 20 and 90.  If you're a woman over the age of 40, you might be losing 1% of your muscle mass each year.  Lack of physical activity only accelerates the loss of muscle.  When you give up any form of physical exercise, you're practically allowing the inevitable loss of muscle to take place.  Even if you're in your twenties, I want you  to think about how to stay active.  By the time you're 30, regular exercise is a habit and you would have prevented some of the muscle loss before it occurs.

@chynnyco

Next let's talk about your flexibility.  As I child my body could do pretty much anything.  Backbends, splits, weird contortions.  Nowadays, I feel a slight bit of strain when I bend over to pick something up. What happened?!  The level of flexibility I once had is now fleeing.  Stiffness leads to pain and injuries.  We lead stressful lives, the stress builds in our muscles making the stiffness even worse.  That's why I'm going back to the simple practice of doing yoga stretches each morning.  Once upon a time, I did these daily.  My flexibility went from non-existent to pretty darn good.  In fact, I even took a 1 hour yoga class at the gym and was able to keep up with the class.  I made the decision one day after feeling stiff from just getting out of the bed. I went straight to the computer and searched yoga stretching videos on Youtube.  Weeks later, my body adapted and much of the lost flexibility returned to me.  Stiffness takes away your mobility. Don't let that happen to you. Try comfortably bending to grab your ankles, touch our toes or even the floor. Do you feel strain in your back, shoulders or the back of your thighs?  You can change that.

I'll end our conversation here.  I just want to leave you with two focuses to incorporate in your routine.  If you add ways to improve your muscle tone and flexibility into your daily life, you are well on your way to eternal youth.  Think about how children are in a constant state of movement and compare that to the elderly who live a sedentary life.  Are you more like the child who's always running around or the older person that sits in the same place for most of the day?

Chose who you want to be.

Fitness Inspiration

Inspiration found on my Pinterest Boards

It's been colder than normal lately.  How has that impacted your fitness goals?  Are you still as determined as you were on January 1, 2015?  We all know this cold weather won't be around for that much longer.  In two months spring will be upon us.  You have the power make an unbelievable amount of  progress in two months.  But it requires a bit of steadfastness. It's about wanting to enjoy the future you've envisioned more so than the present promise of comfort.   If a toned, fit body is something you desire, you owe it to yourself to achieve that.

Stay committed.

Rebounding | The all over beauty work out that bans cellulite, tones muscles, and detoxifies.

At the start of the new year, I made the decision to buy a quality mini trampoline.  I heard a couple of celebrities who used theirs on a daily basis including former supermodel Linda Evangelista and actress Sanaa Lathan.  Then I went and did my research.  The more I learned of the benefits, the more I wanted one.

My aunt has a full size trampoline in her back yard, purchased for her now growing children who aren't as smitten with it as they used to be.  Whenever I paid her a visit, I'd always make it a point to play on it.  No crazy backflips or anything, I just enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness as I jumped up and down.  But when I heard that people were buying smaller versions of a trampoline for health benefits, I had to learn more.

The claims are that bouncing on a mini trampoline is one of the best workouts one can do.  Why, because the act of jumping up and down on the trampoline surface ignites & strengthens EVERY CELL in the body.  Rather than pushing against gravity, as with typical weight bearing exercise, you increase the weight of gravity on every cell and muscle in the body.  This comes from being weightless at the top of the bounce and experiencing G-force, when you land on the trampoline.  But unlike jumping up and down on a flat surface, the G-force pressure is not concentrated on the ankles and knees (as discovered in a NASA study).  With a trampoline, the weighted pressure is equally distributed in the ankles all the way to the forehead (meaning your facial muscles are also being exercised & toned).

Bellicon Mini Trampoline

Not only are you engaging in a resistance workout, you also stimulate your lymphatic system in a major way.  Unlike our circulatory system, which moves things along through the pumping action of our heart, the lymphatic system needs our help to eliminate toxins.  That's why we are encouraged to dry brush, drink a lot of water, and do lymphatic massage.  When or lymphatic system is sluggish we experience a buildup of toxins that would otherwise be eliminated.  Rebounding (jumping on a mini trampoline) is especially effective at jumpstarting the lymphatic system due to the up and down rhythmic jumping action that cause the lymph's system to open and close, increasing lymph flow.

Word on the street is that rebounding is exceptional for eliminating cellulite because of how well it stimulates the lymph.  They say that rebounding is pretty much a total body exercise that even has the ability to improve eye health.  How?  They claim the EVERY cell is stimulated via rebounding--even those in our eyes.  No other exercise claims to impact every area in the body like rebounding does.  Shoot, I'm hoping to positively impact my scalp muscles as well.  Which may not be too far fetched considering how NASA was able to measure activity in the forehead through rebounding.  I read on a men's hair regrowth forum to do scalp massages after rebounding since blood flow was already increased.  I may have to try that.

I made the purchase for so many reasons.  For one, they claim that jumping on this trampoline is a full body exercise.  They say that 10 minutes on the trampoline is like running for 30 minutes. This is perfect for when I don't have time to go to the gym.  So far I've tried it a couple of times and really noticed a sensation in the back of my thighs and in my glutes.  Hopefully, that's a sign that I'll have ultra smooth, firm thighs before summer hits.  Not only do I feel the burn, I also get a feeling of euphoria from jumping up and down so it doesn't feel like I'm working out.

I'll have to do an update post after 30 days but so far I'm loving my trampoline. Before making my purchase I researched different brands from some that cost under $50.00 to higher end brands.  I decided to invest in a quality rebounder because I didn't want to have to buy another one later down the road and I intended to use it daily.  I also learned that quality rebounders may help in preventing injury from repeated use.

Every time I get on that thing, I feel like a kid again. Plus, my entire body is being stimulated.  I've always wanted to get full body massages on a weekly basis to help stimulate my lymph and keep cellulite at bay. This may be the next best thing.

IV Vitamin Infusion & why celebrities love this treatment.

I have this reoccurring fantasy where I live a life consisting of regular pamper treatments such as weekly massages and regular visit to my skin care practitioner to receive oxygen facials.  Well now I'm adding one more treatment to the list.  The IV Vitamin Infusion.

You may have heard me talk about how I prefer to take my supplements in liquid form whenever possible because little to no digestion is involved which allows the nutrients to better enter the blood stream. Well, the IV Infusion is the definition of nutrients entering the bloodstream.  The solution is delivered intravenously through the vein ensuring 100% absorption by the body. 100% absorption.

@Iamjesswhite | Shares her experiences with IV Infusion via her instagram

I first became hip to this technique via instagram when @iamjesswhite shared a couple of pics of herself receiving the treatment.  Then I learned of other celebrities like Simon Cowell, Madonna, Cindy Crawford and Rihanna who also enjoy this treatment.

The most common concoction helps to rehydrate the body but fancier blends have been developed to help stimulate weight loss, promote anti-aging, boost energy + immune functions. There are even formulations for great hair, skin and nails.  I would have loved to experience one of these after a long week of extensive travel and not so healthy eating.  I've been told by coworkers that I look visibly tired after enduring unusually long work days.  Imagine how quickly I'd recover from stressful weeks with just one IV Vitamin appointment.

I want badly to try a hair, skin and nail blend for multiple sessions to see what the long term results are like. The treatment ranges in price depending on the formula, starting at just over $100.00 and can climb up to several hundred depending on the blend you choose.

If you're not quite ready to take the plunge yet on IV treatments, you can opt for a nutrient dense smoothie.  But smoothies contain fiber and require the help of stomach acids to digest.  Not that fiber is bad but sometimes we just want direct access to the nutrients.  That's why juicing may be a better option.  Other nutrient dense liquids like silica rich bamboo tea, mineral rich, or other liquid vitamins are also a great choice.

I'm putting IV Vitamin Infusion on my bucket list to enjoy sometime in the future.  For now, I'll continue indulge in my fantasy life where bi-weekly vitamin infusions are a normal part of my make believe pampering routine.

Nightly Ritual | Beauty Tea + Hair Tonic

Sunday nights used to cause a bit of anxiety as the weekend came to an end, meaning I'd have to mentally prepare for the start of a new and hectic week.  The Sunday night blues are not a way to complete an otherwise perfect weekend.  So I've decided to do something about it.

Last week I visited my dad who put me on to this wonderful concoction of ginger, lemon and cayenne that he blended in water and pleaded for me to drink.  As he put everything together in a cup of room temp water, I looked at the blend not at all excited about what the final product would taste like.

Boy was I completely wrong.  Not only did it taste amazing, it's super good for you.  I've since then, I've adopted this tonic as my own.  Except that I've stepped it up a notch by turning it into a beauty tea + hair tonic.

It's winter and internal circulation is at an all time low.  What are we going to do about it? Promote increased blood flow by consuming healthy foods that stir things up.  Ginger has the amazing ability to jump start our circulation which can help promote healthy hair growth.  Of course you can also use ginger topically to warm the scalp and stimulate it directly.  For now, I'll stick to using it internally so my entire body can experience the benefits.

What circulation conversation would be complete without the inclusion of cayenne pepper.  When my dad was mixing the concoction, he put ample amounts of cayenne because he knew just how effective it is for internal circulation.  Remember that circulation = life.  Babies and children have high circulation.  As we get older, circulation slows.  The poorer the circulation, the more the body is prone to ailments.  When it's cold out, our bodies want to preserve internal heat to keep our organs warm so it restricts blood flow to extremities.  Could this be the reason why our hair grows slower this time of year?  Either way, taking cayenne pepper, in either pill form or adding it directly to your tonic, is an amazing way to stir things back up again.

Without lemon, our beauty tonic would not reach its full potential.  When stress builds in our body, it takes on an acid pH.  Adding an alkalizing ingredient, like lemon, is perfect way to end a stressful day/weekend.    Did I mention the fact that adding lemon increases the vitamin C content of your beauty tonic which makes it even more powerful.  Lemon water also detoxifies and purifies. I like to think of lemon water as an aid to help mitigate the potential consequences of eating greasy, fattening foods over the weekend.

Instead of plain water like my daddy made, I decided to take it one level up by brewing bamboo tea as the base for this tonic.  Ever since offering bamboo tea on Amazon, I've had the pleasure of reading the various accounts of how many of you are experiencing longer hair, stronger nails, beautiful skin, joint pain relief and even weight loss!  With every review I read, it makes me want to be even more consistent with drinking my tea.  Thank you all for the inspiration.

I drink this hair + beauty tonic unsweetened but if I wanted to add a little sweetness, I'd probably add some manuka honey because of its antimicrobial properties and many other benefits.

I'm gonna go on a limb and say that this nightcap is darn near flawless.  Perhaps I may add a little powdered collagen to it to make it just a tad better.  The collagen works synergistically with silica in the bamboo tea and the vitamin C from the lemon to really promote healthy skin.

What a perfect way to unwind after a long and wonderful weekend.

Countdown to New Year | Time for a mini makeover

Normally, when New Years Eve rolls around, I'm probably lounging around in my house clothes, trying to stay awake until midnight.  Most times I don't make it but then I'm awaken by the fireworks in the neighborhood, I send out a few text messages, give hubby a kiss and go back to bed.  This year, I'd love to go out and celebrate the new year.

With only two weeks or so left, I'm mapping out a mini makeover strategy to have me looking my best by the time the new year rolls in.   Check it out.

My first priority will be on creating bright/glowy skin.  This is a multi-step process that involves heavy exfoliation. Clear skin is one thing, but fresh, exfoliated skin takes it to a whole 'nother level. I want my skin to have a slight reflective property like in the image above.   For this reason, I'm breaking out my Riiviva Microderm kit the next couple of weekends and will make sure to exfoliate daily using Dr. Dennis Gross' exfoliation pads or Fresh Sugar Face Scrub.

That will take care of the external appearance of my skin but to make the most impact, I've also got to do some internal work.  The plan is do drink plenty of water + lemon water.  I'm also popping a couple of fermented cod liver oil pills after each meal to lubricate from within.

glo teeth whitening system

I currently do nothing to whiten my teeth other than brushing with the obligatory whitening toothpaste. I want to change all that by pairing my toothpaste with baking soda or activated charcoal. If that doesn't work then my next choice would be to try out the glo teeth whitening system that everyone has been raving about.

Taking a bunch of extra steps each day has helped shed some of the unwanted weight that crept up on my over the last few months.  Now I want to focus on reintroducing resistance bearing exercises so I can quickly tone up.  While everyone is feasting on holiday meals and carb loaded snacks, I'll be dining on delicious salads and building muscle tone.  Last month I made a deal with myself that if I lost the extra pounds by the new year,  I could reward myself by straightening my hair using my Redken Professional Steam iron.  I've got two intense weeks left so now it's time to get really focused.

Ahi tuna lunch

Speaking to straightening my hair.  The whole thing is still up in the air because I will only use heat if my hair is in good condition.  Which means making sure to moisturize and seal daily while focusing heavily on the ends.  It also means no skimping on the extras like using the steamer on wash days and breaking out my Infrared Conditioning Iron.  I didn't using it the last two wash days and I can really tell the difference in my hair.  I may also try some last minute growth stimulating strategies like daily scalp massages and going back to my ultra green smoothies.


Two weeks may not seem like a long time but, believe me, a lot of ground can be covered in two weeks as long as I'm focused and consistent.  Truth be told, I love using an approaching deadline as motivation to see how much I can accomplish in a short period of time.  The two week timeline creates the right amount of urgency. Every day counts.

Let's get started!