Happy Hump Day Y'all! It's late! Go figure. But anyway, here I am. I went for a massage tonight at my Aveda salon and OOHHHHHHHHH it was good to be back. Yummy hot stone bliss. Anyway- earlier I did my Bikini Body Express workout- the Malibu workout. Um. Holy Crapballs. I did shoot a sweaty post-workout vlog, which I'll publish tomorrow. But, I thought this workout looked a little "easy".
I was seriously mistaken. I was trembling, shaking, gasping for air and praying for the next 5 reps to be over. Seriously, Valerie Waters has shaken me to the core.
I'm looking forward to my results people. I'm sticking to my diet plan and my workout plan. Yesterday was cardio- I did Cathe HIIT and then last night I did one of my new yoga DVDS-- I LOVE THIS WOMAN!
Janet Stone. This was nice to do at home and I also had a nice sweat going on. Just got her four other DVDS today. I like the vibe and it's different moves/poses than I do in my local hot yoga class, all good.
The photo above -- and those below are some of the COOL HAUTE FASHIONS from Lorna Jane. I was fortunate enough to notice they followed me on Twitter and we bonded, and they were kind enough to send me some of their incredible saucy apparel. I was wearing the jacket in my vlog below. Tomorrow I will shoot a more specific video about their stuff but seriously- check this:
Oh and I love all the great posters they have out there:
Move. Nourish. Believe. I love that. ;-) They are just now finally in the U.S. and have stores in LA. And um, y'all know we'll be doing some fun FitFluential events out there-- so if you are in the area, leave me a note in the comments so I can include you! I love this Fitness Fashion....I'm digging it! ;-)
Question: Do you wear workout clothes outside of the gym?
One of my favorite quotes has always been, "To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done." And this picture illustrates that, although many of us at varying phases in our life think "Nothing works, it's clearly too late for me"-- that is not true. The universe, our bodies, God-- whatever it is that you think is out to get you, or prevent you from reaching your goals, it's just not true.
More often than not, the problem lies within us. And we have to toughen up to be brutally frank with ourselves, and call it like it is, or we will NEVER get past the hurdles that have stopped up until now.
It's not easy to think hard about your diet and your workouts and BE HONEST with yourself and go "Wow. I really thought I was working out more than I was." or "Wow. I thought for sure I was at 1500 calories a day and dang, I've really been at like 2000 or so." And some of you have NOT had the up and down history that I am interested in overcoming. It doesn't please me at all to realize that I've gone from being a person so set in my ways with great habits and consistency to a person that just let this perimenopause thing run me over and then back up and run me over again. I'm a strong person but I became weak. I gave up repeatedly again and again over the course of two years---- every time things didn't seem to change in two weeks, I'd get angry and embarrassed and upset and I'd throw in the towel.
We are what we repeatedly do. Dear heavens, that is why what I've repeatedly done the past 2+ years has put me in this spot where I have a LOT to accomplish.
I got on the scale this morning to weigh myself and take measurements for Val's program. It showed that I am 7lbs heavier than the last time I weighed. I about jumped off my deck. But......I have to toughen up. I have to realize that the above poster is true. It's true for me. I cannot get mad at the number on my scale, unless I can say with 1000% honesty that I have for at least 90 days been 1000% on with workouts and diet. I can whine and complain and feel sorry for my 43-year old self and bitch about perimenopause and hormones, or I can say, "It is what it is. Adjust what is needed and DO NOT STOP. DO NOT GET DOWN. DO NOT GIVE UP. DO NOT DO WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR 2 YEARS THAT KEPT YOU HERE. YOU DON'T BURN CALORIES BY CRYING. YOU DON'T LOSE INCHES BY BEING SAD OR EMBARRASSED. YOU DON'T GET ANYWHERE BY FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF."
So. I am doing the first tough thing. I'm getting over it. Then the second tough thing, I'm sharing it here. I'm horrified to share that my scale shows another 7lbs I must lose. Yea yea, it could be water weight or muscle, since my measurements don't show a gain but show slight losses. But I'm OVER IT. I'm using my disappointment to fuel my focus. Period. I'm sharing this with you because sharing it with you means I won't hide from it anymore. Sharing it with you means those of you that are going through similar situations can do what I'm doing. Toughen Up. Make a difference.
I forgot to post this vlog yesterday. Oops. But I did Val's program spot on. Recorded all of my food in FitDay.com. Did my circuit workout yesterday afternoon and I'm heading out now for cardio. ;-)
I intend to change myself. I intend to never share bad news here again. I intend to make this year the one that turns everything around for me. I intend to turn my talk into action. I intend to not give up ever again. I intend to stop whenever I start feeling sorry for myself and instead use that to focus more. I intend to BELIEVE that this is achievable. God didn't make me to be the only woman on the planet that is stuck at the same weight. That's absurd.
Now. I'm off to go tanning and then kick some cardio ass. What's your plan?
I'm taking some time for me tonight so it's quickie blog post. I'm home. I'm home for SEVERAL weeks which is exciting for many reasons and will really allow me to focus hard on my new program with Valerie Waters. I am giddy with excitement. I'm doing this 1000%. No shiny object syndrome. No trying something else after Friday. It's on. I'm weighing myself and taking measurements tomorrow and will take photos daily and weekly.
Bikini Body Express is what Val is starting me on-- take a peek:
That's a sample of the type of workouts she does and I will tell you-- don't be fooled if for one second you think this is light fare. No way. And Val said I can do yoga a few times a week in the evening without veering into overtraining land. This is good-- because another thing I'm focusing on is some OM time for my mind. Yoga is when I really tune out the world and slow down a bit. And clearly-- clearly--- I need to do this to balance the insanity of this business I'm building.
Of course going to hot yoga is my favorite first thing to do for yoga but if not, I have these DVDS on the way, and they seem to be just my style:
If you want to check out Valerie's Bikini Body Express Workout to see how she got Poppy Montgomery in this kind of shape:
and of course Jen Garner into this kind of shape over the past 10+ years:
Well-- click here and watch her videos to learn more. (No I don't earn any money if you purchase her workouts, she is my BFF). I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend that you buy yourself some Valslides too as there are about 900 moves you can do for your BUTT and your CORE with these bad boys. Y'all know I take them with me (plus the valbands) every time I travel. It's seriously one of my must have fitness tools.
#BikiniBodyExpress, 
