Motivation Monday #4

Welcome to the start of another exceptional week friends!

While my family has been in town we’ve been keeping busy with long walks around the city, bike rides over Golden Gate Bridge, Paint Nite, rooftop dinners, and awesome city meals! I feel like Phil and I took a mini vacation even though we never left the Bay Area.We have one more day until Mom & Dad fly home which isn’t keeping us from staying committed to kicking butt and keeping healthy for the 4th of our 16 exceptionally motivated weeks. My day started bright and early with a bike ride, yoga class, and some meditation. Then its a little more family time and crossing my fingers the weather holds out for my parents. I also have to squeeze in some work because there are some great projects in the works this week that I am super excited to share with you…soon!For now, you’ll have to be satisfied with another week of healthy eats and awesome exercises to stay healthy, motivated and feeling like your best! There is nothing quite like time with family to leave you feeling full of energy and ready to tackle another week!

Week 4

“Life doesn’t get easier, you just get stronger!” 

Weekly Exercise: Yoga Daily, 45 minutes cycling 2x week, and HIIT 2xweek

Routine: Pyramid Style  (2x week)                                                                                                                     (10sec, 20 sec, 30sec, 40sec,30sec,20sec,10sec rounds w/15sec rest btwn)

• burpees
• lunges
• mountain climbers
• skaters
• plank

Breakfast: scrambled eggs whites with cheddar cheese & spinach on sprouted toast and orange juice OR oatmeal with banana and walnuts

Lunch: tuna salad with mixed greens OR tofu bowl with veggies and quinoa

Dinner: cauliflower pizza, fish tacos with zesty slaw, OR whole wheat pasta w/roasted veggies & marinara.

Snacks: Health Warrior Chia Bars, Trail Mix, Hummus w/cucumbers, carrots & pita chips, and apple w/peanut butter

 

’til next time, keep smiling 🙂

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Myofascial Monday

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone had a marvelous weekend! I don’t know if it was riding bikes with Phil, teaching multiple classes, stress from the wedding, or a combination of everything, but I am all sorts of tight in my glutes after this weekend. To help, I have a myofascial release session planned during the Eagles game tonight…GO BIRDS!!!!

I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with myofascial release but just in case, MFR is a soft tissue therapy used to relieve pain and immobility in the muscles. The goal is to release tension in the musculature and allow better circulation by loading the tissue with direct force until the muscular contraction releases. There are a ton of different options for the ‘application of direct force’ but I use a tennis ball or something similar. The idea is to find a specific part of the body that is sore, locate the trigger point (or super sore spot) and settle in to see if you can relieve some tension. Today’s focus is on glut med which presents as pain in the outer hip, top of your butt, or as centralized back pain. Above is an image of some of the common pain stops and trigger points associated tension in these muscles.

SO, what do to….

Rest your foot on the floor and arm where it’s comfortable on your side…I’m moving into position here 😉 

Take a few minutes in each position, allow the tennis ball to sink into the muscles, and try to soften/relax (it helps to breath deeply). Once you feel a release there, roll the ball a little up and down or side to side, find another trigger point, and repeat!

I should warn anyone who hasn’t tried this before, it can be uncomfortable! However, you should not experience any shooting pain, numbness, tingling, etc… if you do, back off and find a new spot, haha, you’re likely on a nerve – no need to be alarmed, you’ll be fine, the body is very resilient!

My goal is to share more myofascial release tips each Monday leading up to the wedding, so any questions, requests, etc.., please leave them in the comments section!

’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

Thursday Thoughts

Today officially begins the one month countdown until Phil and I say ‘I Do’ and we’re both so excited! We got a lot of the little details decided over the weekend and we’re moving full steam ahead! We did manage some leisure time too – I love spending casual time with friends, enjoying the outdoors, and sharing delicious food/wine. We had such a great time at Vie playing bocce and tasting the new vintages, rooftop grilling in SOMA with friends, and enjoying the sunshine that we almost didn’t fit in our ride over the Golden Gate Bridge…but I wasn’t going to let that happen!!Sharing some private time, just Phil and I, that didn’t revolve around work, the wedding, our finances, the future etc.. was so special!! We were able to take in the majesty of the mountains and the sweeping views of San Francisco, which was nothing short of magical…plus, feeling the wind blowing against my face and getting some great cardio didn’t hurt either!While it may seem trivial to some, time together is invaluable for us – both as individuals and as a couple. Inner peace is a difficult thing to achieve when you exist in this fast paced world of ours but often its the most important thing we need. Having time to decompress from life’s obligations, and do so with your partner, is one of the best ways I inch closer to that internal state of peace. Maybe for others it’s time alone with a good book, a stroll in the woods, sharing a meal, etc… the possibilities are endless and around every corner, you just have to find yours.

’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

Wedding Rings and Yoga Things

Happy Hump Day!

Phil and I went wedding band shopping the other day…totally crazy! I know our wedding is like a month away so it shouldn’t be so surprising BUT there was suddenly this feeling of “WOW, this is really happening!” There was something about putting that band on that made things feel REAL…I can’t wait to be Colleen April! Anyway, we’re working towards the wedding day by day and last week I shared our skin prep secret – Lush face masks, so totally amazing! This week I’m sharing a little about how we’re working towards our wedding ready bods! Coupled with regular yoga (duh!) I am keeping things interesting with different forms of cardio – cycling, interval training, light jogging, and today I’m jumping into The November Project. I am not sure what to expect but I’m looking forward to the adventure!In other news, I have been enjoying teaching yoga in San Francisco and can’t wait to teach more and more. I get so nervous each time I teach – questioning my flows, beating myself up if I stumble over my words, worrying if people hate it – but the more I put myself out there the less I question, beat myself up and worry. Tonight I am teaching my first corporate yoga class and I hope it’s the first of many! I know if I keep putting myself out there and takings steps forward, good things will continue to unfold!As a fun little yogi motivation this month, I’m doing an Instachallenge! Chicago Yoga Lab’s September Splits Bits Info Challenge to be exact…day 1 is in the books and I would love it if you’d follow along this month on my Instagram!!

’till next time, keep smiling!! 🙂

April Beginnings!

Happy Easter Monday Friends! Life has been a little bit hectic the last two weeks so I haven’t been able to post, sorry guys 😦 Phil and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Philadelphia – seeing family was great and of course it felt too short – we were both sad to leave, but know the weeks until our trip back in May will fly by!

We have also started, albeit slowly, our wedding restart diet! We have been trying to eat smarter and do a little cardio everyday! Since we’re both trying to get back to our healthier selves, and have seven months until the wedding, we’re going to slowly build a healthy habits. It’s never easy coming back from a period of indulgence, but it’s always good to take it slow so that the healthy changes stick!

‘Til next time, keep smiling! 🙂

Guess what…

Hey Friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Phil and I had a lot of fun doing Paddle Board Yoga, BBQing with friends and family, and making plans for our wedding…Oh yea, I’M ENGAGED! I’ve been so MIA lately because Phil and I got engaged June 28th & its just been a whirlwind! On top of our exciting news, my sister is pregnant so I am going to be an AUNT! Who is more blessed than me, right?!?!?! I can’t believe I am going to be a wife and an aunt…Holy Moly!

The next year is going to be a busy one with planning a wedding, doing my yoga teacher training, continuing to build my health coaching expertise, working full time, helping my sister & taking care of our new home since Phil and I will be moving into our very own place next month!I promise I will do my best not to talk about weddings all the time but I know I will be adding little tidbits along the way to chronicle my wedding planning process! More exciting is going to be my wedding work out/diet routine. Phil and I have agreed once we move into our place Aug. 1 we go into ‘sweating for the wedding’ mode & getting back to our healthiest selves!

We’ve both been maintaining pretty healthy diet and exercise routines but definitely find excuses to slack on the cardio and indulge in the vino, haha, but that’s life, right?!?! Tomorrow I’ll be sharing my most recent bulubox review & plans for the coming weeks in terms of yoga routine, so until next time…SMILE!

Summer Solstice & Weekend Fun!

Hello WordPress Family! I hope everyone is officially enjoying their summer!! Saturday marked the Summer Solstice & like a good little yogi I honored the occasion with 108 sun salutations. There was much internal debate about joining a group or class but I personally enjoy doing my 108 practice privately – knowing there are a number of like minded souls globally participating in the same tradition makes me feel much more connected to the yoga community anyway!

I did three sets of 36, dedicated to the past, present and future. My past meditation was focused on letting go with gratitude – acknowledging everything up to this point as a blessing that has helped shape the person I am. My present meditation was focused on celebrating each moment without judgement – not labeling an experience positive or negative but receiving it as it comes with openness & excitement. My future meditation was focused on honoring my inner light – remaining true to my inner self and continuing to follow my heart along my path to happiness.

Phil & I enjoyed a long ride on Sunday – about 40 miles – but we broke it up with some swim lessons & lunch @ Zakes in Fort Washington. We enjoyed a peaceful night in Sunday that was only slightly saddened by the tie that should have been a win for the US against Portugal in the World Cup. I was admittedly more frustrated that I should have been but we’re still in the tournament and have a shot against Germany….

Let’s go USA!!

 

Bulu Review

We’ve made it over the hump & before you know it, it’ll be the weekend!!! I don’t know about any of you but I am looking forward to a leisurely weekend – for the first time since the beginning of May I don’t have a weekend jam packed with plans! Phil & I are just excited to keep it simple, take it easy & enjoy being around the city.

My newest BuluBox came last night, so I figured it was time to share my thoughts on last month’s awesome goodies! One of my favorite parts about BuluBox is they adapt – they’re always giving me fun samples based on reviews I’ve placed over the last few months. I enjoyed my May box and might even be incorporating an item or two into my daily regime.

• Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar: Both the flavor and effects of this yummy little morsel were amazing! I’m going to grab a box from the site and give them a try on long rides or before intense workouts.
• Smarty Pants Gummy Vitamins: I was super excited to try these but a bit bummed they sent me kiddie vitamins, haha! BuluBox included two samples of the adult version in my most recent vitamin delivery so I am excited to give them a try – the kids flavor is great though!
• Amino Active: I really enjoyed these as a pain reliever because it had the same effects as NSAIDs/Ibuprofen but I didn’t feel like I was putting chemicals in my body.
• Pump Igniter: This stuff definitely isn’t for me but I could picture big muscly men shaking this stuff up in their water pre-workout…it definitely gives you a kick in the pants.
• Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein 70: I have used a few of their products & was very pleased with the protein – I actually baked with it & the banana bread was delicious!
• FitMiss Burn: I would consider switching my BurnBlend (Shapelogy) for this product because they’re very similar but its hard to say from a single sample…might have to do a little more research first.

I have my June & July box to go until my subscription lapses & I can’t decide if I want to renew for a few months or try another brand. I know there are a ton of subscription boxes out there, so if anyone has any favorites, let me know! Also, if you’re interesting in trying BuluBox for yourself, feel free to click anywhere you see their name in the post!

 

Next Chapter!

Happy Tuesday Friends!

I hope everyone had a lovely Father’s Day weekend! My Dad’s Birthday happened to fall on Sunday this year, so we had a double celebration! The good times continued last night with the US win over Ghana (FINALLY) in the first round of the World Cup! Anyone who follows soccer knows this win is HUGE & to win in such a well played game is especially sweet!

As the title suggests, I am starting a new chapter in my holistic health and wellness journey! I enrolled in Tiffany Cruikshank’s Yoga Medicine 200Hr teacher training program for this coming fall. I applied awhile back, it was one of my action steps following the Yoga Conference in March, but I didn’t get my acceptance email until a few weeks ago! I am both excited and nervous to be starting this next chapter but I am confident if I follow my heart things will fall into place!

I am definitely stepping up my yoga game in the coming months to prepare for this fall, but that won’t keep me from open water swims, long bike rides & the interval training my body needs to stay balanced! Tonight I will be joining a client for an open water swim through French Creek Racing but not before sneaking in an interval workout in the park…wish us luck!!

 

Wonderful Wanderlust!

Happy Tuesday Friends!

The weather was so gorgeous this weekend & I took full advantage Saturday with an afternoon @ Wanderlust Philly! The inspirational Kristin Ritter of Nourishing Storm joined me for an afternoon of live music, yoga & awesomeness! It’s always so much fun coming together with a large group of yogis and realizing how many people out there share the same passions as me!

There were vendors like Lululemon, Health Magazine, Kashi, etc.. set up around the perimeter with fun games, giveaways, chair massages, and other yummies! They also had some silks set up to help introduce folks to acro-yoga..so much fun!!

All and All it was an awesome afternoon and I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend the day!

I hope everyone was able to take full advantage of the weekend!