1000 Burpees Spring Break Challenge

 I love doing fitness challenges . 

Its a great feeling to accomplish something that seems daunting.

It's also a great way to win new fitness products if you have luck on your side.

This challenge is being hosted by FitFluential and UnderArmour from

JAN 27th - FEB 28th 2014

I will be participating in the challenge but probably will not post on instagram and twitter everyday.

If you are interested, join me on social media so we can support each other

We have roughly 31 days! to do it

1000/31  = 33 Burpees a day! (I rounded)

Goodluck!

The Struggle: Eating Healthy versus Exercising

Like most runners, I save my long runs for the weekend.  Its a great strategy if you're not working because you can spend the rest of the day coach surfing in recovery.

I tried going for a long run today but failed. I only did 4 miles then started a new workout on map my run (Power walking).Power walks help when am distracted by mental cobwebs.

People assume that those who work in  the exercise industry don't have body weight struggles and issues.We do.

I struggle with my weight. I struggle with my eating habits. 

I struggle with getting motivated to workout.

I have days that running a mile feels impossible.

I wish I was one of those people who loose their appetite and consequently loose weight because of stress. 

Am the opposite.

 I stress I eat. Even things I hate or am allergic to.

Some of the things am struggling with lately is the lack of change in my body despite how hard I think am working.

I spent 365 days outside a gym doing all sorts of workouts.

This year am going back to the gym.

I cant wait to start trying out new weight lifting workout routines to help sculpture my thighs.

What do YOU struggle with? Eating Healthy or Exercising? Or Both?

Birthday + Reflections of 2013

               Click Here for  Reflections of 2012    Reflections of 2011  

Cheers to being 1 year older but feeling 10 years younger.

Every now and then I find myself panicking that there's still a lot I want to do but time is against me. I use my age to gauge the feasibility of accomplishing my goals. This is a common conversation among my female friends especially those of us who are not yet "married" or have kids.

But then I noticed something. I have similar conversations with my male friends. We talk about the same goals but the subject of age/marriage never comes up with them. I guess because the reality is, a 40 year old man can always marry a 25yrs old girl  and start a family with her after he's dedicated the first part of his life following his career ambitions and etc....

However it seems women are indirectly "punished" (how society responses to them) for making the same choices.

2013 was all about researching, planning routes A-B-C-D-E. Now its time to execute those plans.

                          My word for 2014 is Action

                      My motto for 2014 " Its not by force"

         My attitude for 2014 is "Kanye Shrug"...and I don;t even like the guy

Yoga For Sore Legs

This week I've been unable to work out because of my work schedule.Time was the least of my problems. Every day included standing or walking for a total of 9+ hours. By today I was limping home from the train due to sore feet and a bruised toe.

I decided to switch things up and do yoga poses that are great for sore legs.  When done probably, these poses will;

• Relieve stress from the feet 
• Redirect blood flow back to the heart
• Reduce tension in the lower body
• Increase circulation in the muscles

ZEN - VAJRASANA

LEGS UP THE WALL 

***Easiest and the BEST pose for quick relief***

SHOULDER STAND - SARVANGASANA

Fitness Friday - Wall Sits

Here's the full body workout routine I did this evening.

I substituted the jump ropes with other cardio options and performed some of the exercises for more than one minute because I felt that 60 seconds was too short of a time.

This workout routine is a repost from the instagram accounts of 

@Eightsnweights and @Yemikola

My favourite exercises from this routine are;

WoodChoppers

WallSits

African Soccer Trafficking: A Personal Tale

I always knew about these stories.

Am glad someone is doing something to shed more media attention to it.

Any type of exploitation is wrong.

______________________________________________________________________

African Soccer Trafficking: A Personal Tale from Storyhunter on Vimeo.
Malian Alassane Diakite is one of an estimated 20,000 African soccer players stranded in Europe, lured by men posing as agents who falsely promise tryouts and contracts with top clubs. Watch Alassane as he continues to work towards his dream of becoming an international soccer star.

Produced By Paolo Bernardi and Kike Diaz
Executive Producer: Storyhunter

Storyhunter helps the world's top video journalists and documentary filmmakers produce video stories that matter.
Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/StoryHunterTV. Or Twitter at twitter.com/Storyhunter. Learn more and become a Storyhunter at www.storyhunter.tv

RIP Eusébio - Moçambique

So many deaths this new year. 

From the young, to the old.

No one can escape death when it's your time to go.

Eusébio is known as a famous Portuguese footballer but he was actually originally from Mozambique. He was one of the best players of the game.

New Year 2014 Fitness resolutions

It's that time of the year - AGAIN

New Year = The New-ER.......Fitt-ER.....Healthi-ER YOU.

Good for you but before you spend the reminder of the year watching your hard earned $$$ flush down the drain because of weight loss gimmicks consider the following.

1. The Fancy Gym Membership $$$$$

It includes swimming pools, saunas, tanning booths, wifi, locker rooms and  a cafe to get a to go all vegan all natural gluten free super shake.

Unless you plan to use ALL the amenities it has to offer, don't sign up for them.

- Go to a gym that has the basics at a lower cost $10-$20 /month. Yes they exist. And most are opened 24/7

-Sign up for a class that's held about 3 times a week and manage your fitness outside the gym like running or doing plyometrics at home. Change classes as your needs and interests change without the commitment of a gym membership

- Join a local community sports club team. You get to have fun while working out and meeting new people.

- Do a gym membership or class trial package. If you can't go when its free you will not be going just because you are paying for it.

2. The abs machines and Co
You know what am talking about. The 3 am commercials you see on tv when there's nothing good to watch. Don't buy them. 

90% are false advertisement......

....I digress....make that 99%.

If there's one thing that's true about exercise and life in general its that....YOU have to DO THE WORK.

No machine is going to magically give you abs.

The models in the commercials had been prepping for months before that video shoot. They did not get their abs with the machines they are demonstrating. They've been working out and eating right before that "job".

3. Time
I don't believe in 5 minutes workouts. No matter what the magazines tell you.
A 5 minutes stretch? Yes. A workout? No.
If you're not sweating, if your muscles are not converting fat into energy for use, if your cardiovascular system is not under a slight strain, its not a workout.

If you want it bad enough, make the time for it. 

30 mins at least 3 times a week.

4. Pills.
Be careful with them. 
Most are not FDA approved.
And once again you still have to do the work. 
No amount of appetite curving pill is going to help you if you're still making wrong food choices.
Performance pills give you extra energy so that you can DO MORE WORK. See? You still have to do the work.

And if you don't what ends up happening is you have a build up of all these chemicals that was suppose to have been converted into energy and be used in your work out but now its stuck in your body and has to go somewhere.....and that, madame et monsieur is how some side effects are born.

The moral of the post?
As you hunt for gym memberships or browse the juice smoothie blender aisle at Target, or the supplements counter at GNC remember there are no shortcuts to "permanent" results.

You have to Do the Work.

Don't be penny wise, pound foolish.

Happy New Year and bon courage on all your resolutions.