Life Trials

Some things in life simply don't make any sense.  They're just not fair.  Whether they be something that's impacted us that another person has done, health issues, or something you may have done yourself without fully thinking about the consequences.  We're human.  There are some things we just have absolutely no control over.  What separates us?  How we handle our lives when we are going through those trials.  Recognizing that you are the only one who controls your feelings, emotions, stress levels, happiness, etc etc is when you can set yourself free from the "control cycle". 
"Falling out of a posture means you are human; getting back into the posture means you are a yogi." - Bikram Choudhury

The Road Home

The Road Home

Hydration (it really is key)

Last Friday night I decided to do bikram, followed by an hour bouldering (like rock climbing, just on smaller walls, with no ropes and slightly harder in my opinion). Pretty intense work outs alone, but together it wasn't as exhausting as I had thought. Well I made a mistake. A big mistake. (Yes I'm human). I didn't properly hydrate between, during, before, or after these activities. I know better than this, however for some reason I didn't drink near enough water. Needless to say, my arms hurt more than they ever have. It took FOUR days for me to recover and be able to continue work on my arms and climb again. I knew it had to be the whole not enough hydration thing. So last night I did the same regime. Bikram at 4:30, downed a bottle of water during and right after, had a premier protein shake, and went climbing, drank another bottle of water throughout climbing. When I got home, oh there was another bottle of water downed (I drink from 24 oz water bottles). I forgot to mention that while at work, I consumed 3 full water bottles as well. (144 oz total that day). Ya know what? I'm not sore today. Well, my back is slightly sore, but that's because I climbed a 5.10 last night (the highest difficulty I've done yet).
Moral of the story: HYDRATE!!!!!
PS, it is difficult at first to get used to drinking that much water, and frequent bathroom breaks become annoying. My trick is I keep a water bottle with me wherever I go. I also try to eat foods that are high in water content (watermelon is a whopping 92% water!)
Here's the "science" behind it:
Two-thirds of the human body is made up of water. Although it is possible to go for a long time without food, people cannot live without water for more than a few days. Every cell and organ depends on water to perform essential functions. The water in your body performs the following functions:
Removes waste and toxins
Transports nutrients and oxygen
Controls heart rate and blood pressure
Regulates body temperature
Lubricates joints
Protects organs and tissue, including the eyes, ears, and heart
Creates saliva
Why it's important to athletes (I consider myself pretty athletic)
Hydration is essential to peak athletic performance. When you do not consume enough liquid or fresh fruits and vegetables to stay properly hydrated, you end up thirsty and light headed. Insufficient hydration fatigues your muscles, reduces your coordination and causes muscle cramps. While working out or playing sports, dehydration compromises the body's ability to cool itself through sweating. This leads to heat exhaustion and in extreme cases a potentially life-threatening condition called heat stroke.
Why it's important for weight loss:
Consume part of the water required for proper daily hydration before your meals to control your appetite according to a study by researchers from Virginia Tech and reported at the 2010 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Drinking 16 oz. of water before meals three times a day over a 12-week period increased average weight loss by about 5 lbs., compared with those who did not increase water intake. Researchers could not definitively say what caused the additional weight loss but speculate it fills up the stomach making you feel fuller.

Sexy underwear creates confidence

This one is dedicated to my sister Lara

According to research, when women wear the right underwear, they are more confident about their bodies and about their overall appearance.
Underwear comprises the most intimate part of our clothing but still has great social importance. It can stimulate different feelings on different occasions. Underwear can make you feel more womanly and they generate sensations and feelings of confidence.
So underwear, bras, camisoles and so on do become a tool of expression and a carrier of feelings. Feelings regarding your personal view of your body and sexuality. This has a lot to do with the fitting and the size of the lingerie. The key to what really makes lingerie look sexy is choosing the right size. If you don't you can feel miserable all day and it will even affect your confidence level througout the day.
Underwear can really add to you feeling good or bad. So when choosing you "women's intimates"; making sure that the fabric is soft and elegant is not the only factor, but also make sure you have the right size to make you feel sexy and self confident all day long.
At the end of the day if you felt confident that would have glowed off you, making other people interact more positively toward you as well. So choose your lingerie wisely!

Vegetarian Chili

Made this last night.... oh my heavens it's so yummy. The only modifications I made were adding lots more veggies, I added carrots, brocolli, green beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, more corn, more garlic, and peas. (Could make it even easier by adding frozen veggies) I also added just a tiny amount of water to make it a little less thick since I added so many more veggies. I'm so stoked for the left overs too!


Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 2 Hours
Ready In: 2 Hours 10 Minutes
Servings: 8
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 260 Total Fat: 2g Cholesterol: < 1mg
"Grab your slow cooker and the ingredients for this wonderful chili and you have a party in the making. Everything goes into the cooker and emerges two hours later as vegetarian chili."
Ingredients:
1 (19 ounce) can black bean soup
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed
and drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed
and drained
1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian baked
beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes in
puree
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn,
drained
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
Directions:
1.
In a slow cooker, combine black bean soup, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, baked beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, bell pepper and celery. Season with garlic, chili powder, parsley, oregano and basil. Cook for at least two hours on High

Why do you exercise?

Really, ask yourself this question. Is it because you want to lose weight? So you can eat whatever you want? So you don't feel bad about eating something? Because that's what you were told to do? If you answered yes to any of these questions (and I'm in the "yes" boat), I think these may not be the best motivators. I've lately been trying to change my mindset on why I do certain things. Why I eat healthy. Why I sleep. Why I spend time at the gym. Why I pick up new hobbies. Quite honestly the motivator behind most of these has been "to lose weight". Sure there are other motivators like it makes me feel good, but the main one has ALWAYS been "to lose weight". Well I'm stopping that cycle. Stopping it right in it's tracks. I'm going to yoga tonight to make myself feel better, to help with my knee, and try to flush out the cold I've had. I'm going to spend time with my good friend Brooke, to meet more people, and to see if I can push myself to hold that last pose longer. I'm going to my other gym before yoga because I wanna see how strong I can get my arms. I want to be able to climb outside and go on some awesome camping trips this summer. I'm working my legs so that they can stay strong for two days of snowboarding straight. These will be my motivators of why I'm active. Toning my body up is just a consequence- an awesome consequence. I'm sick of my weight controlling EVERYTHING in my life. I want to be fit so that I can enjoy everything this life has to offer-- and to keep up.

How to lose weight the Sparkly Self Love way…through glittery platforms, burlesque and good champagne!

You MUST go here to see this article. Such beautiful truths :)

Recipe to get over a cold.

It always seems as if there will be some slight road block in the way to fitness. This week's culprit? A stinkin cold.... After two days straight of snowboarding (and some sore legs) I fell asleep before trying to go to yoga-- woke up with my body saying "not so fast". Well here's the deal. I find if you LET yourself feel sick, you're going to feel sick. If you acknowledge that you're body isn't feeling the greatest, and start to take care of it, and yet basically IGNORE the fact you're sick, you can still get many things accomplished. I'm not letting this cold get in my way of doing what I love, staying active, however I'm also not going to let my active lifestyle make this cold stay longer than it should. Here's my tips on taking care of yourself with a cold.
1. VITAMIN C, I take 1,000mg every day, but when I have a cold, I double that (plus what's found in my other multi-vitamins I take.)
2. Echinacea, as soon as I start feeling those symptoms, I add a pill of echinacea to my daily vitamins, and make sure to sip echinacea tea as my bed-time ritual.
3. Orange juice! Except I drink Tropicana 50, less calories and sugar. I get hydration, AND vitamin C, and yummy yummy juice.
4. Hydrate! I always am sipping liquids when I start getting sick, I try to avoid coffee, and stick to herbal tea. My main hydration is soup, OJ, water, and herbal tea.
5. REST. This means I try to get around 9 hours of sleep a night when I'm sick, gotta let that body recover.
6. Harry Potter..... yep, I always watch Harry Potter when I'm sick, and it ALWAYS helps :)
7. If my symptoms are too bad (sinus pressure) I'll take Tylenol cold and sinus, I swear by that stuff!
8. Finally I try to not let my silly cold get in the way too much of my life. I still go to the gym, however I lesson my work outs intensely. I'll cut out cardio completely and focus on a lighter regime. I like to also do more yoga when I'm sick, I'm excited to see how Bikram helps me feel better.
I find if you focus on the fact you're sick, you're going to feel sick. Go about your life, get stuff done, and make sure you're taking care of your body at the same time! When you get better, make sure you acknowledge the hard work your body has done at fighting off that crap, and show your appreciation.
That's my recipe for getting over a cold :)

Women, running into trouble

By
John KieferPublished: November 7, 2011

Women: Running into Trouble


When I look at the fat guy in the gym wasting his time on forearm curls to lose weight, I don’t feel sympathy. The big tough guy getting stapled to the bench by 365 pounds, when just a second ago he couldn’t even handle 315 pounds — nope, no sympathy there either. The girl who spends thirty minutes bouncing between the yes-no machines (abductor and adductor machines), who is going to have trouble walking the next day — I can’t muster even an iota of pathos. Nobody told them to do these things. But then I watch my friend, Jessica, running on the treadmill, day after day, year after year, running like a madwoman and going nowhere. Her body seems to get softer with every mile and the softer she gets the more she runs. I do feel pity for her because everybody, everywhere has convinced her that running is the way to stay slim and toned.
There’s a Jessica in every gym and spotting one is easy. The woman that runs for an hour or more every day on the treadmill, who every month or so sets a new distance or time goal. Maybe the goal encompasses the treadmill workouts; maybe it will be her fifth fund-raising marathon; or maybe she’s competing with runners in Finland via Nike®. The goal doesn’t matter, because years of seeing her on the treadmill exposes the results: she’s still — I’m not going to sugar coat this — fat. Or worse, she’s fatter.
I tried to rescue my Jessica from the clutches of the cardio contingent, but to no avail until a month ago when she called to tell me that a blood test had confirmed her doctor’s suspicion: she had hypothyroidism — her body no longer made enough thyroid hormone. Her metabolism slowed to a snail’s pace and the fat was accumulating. Now she had a culprit to blame, it wasn’t the cardio causing her problems, it was her body rebelling. When Jessica asked my advice, I told her to do two things: schedule a second test for two weeks later and until then, stop all the goddamn running.
Don’t assume I’m picking on women or making fun. There are men out there who do the same, thinking cardio wipes away the gut resulting from regular weekend beer binges, but they are, in comparison, rare. I am targeting women for three very good reasons:
They are often intensely recruited for fund-raisers like Team-In-Training, lured by the promise of slim, trim health resulting from the month of cardio training leading to a marathon in addition to helping the charity in question
Some physique coaches prescribe 20-plus hours per week of pre-contest cardio for women (that’s a part-time job)
Steady-state endurance activities like this devastate a woman’s metabolism. It will devastate a man’s too, but in different ways.
There’s not much I hate in the fitness world — well, that’s not true, I hate most things about its present state, but at the top of the list is over-prescribed cardio. I’m not talking about walking or even appropriate HIIT cardio, but the running, cycling, stair climbing or elliptical variety done for hours at or above 65 percent of max heart rate, actually anaerobic threshold is a better measure, but not practical for day-to-day use.
Trashing steady-state cardio is nothing new and the better of the physique gurus figured this out a long time ago, but even then, they only apply the no-steady-state-cardio rule to contest preparation. The non-cardio coaches fail to state the most detrimental effect, one that applies specifically to women and is a primary reason many first-time or second-time figure and bikini competitors explode in weight when returning to their normal diet. It’s the same reason the Jessicas of the world run for hours per week with negative results. Studies demonstrate beyond any doubt that in women, cardio chronically shuts down the production of the thyroid hormone, T3.1-11
T3 is the body’s preeminent regulator of metabolism by throttling the efficiency of cells.12-19 T3 acts in various ways to increase heat production.20-21 As I pointed out, in Logic Does Not Apply: A Calorie Is A Calorie, this is one reason using static equations to perform calorie-in, calorie-out weight loss calculations doesn’t work—well, that’s why it’s stupid, actually. When T3 levels are normal, the body burns enough energy to stay warm and muscles function at moderate efficiency. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) and the body becomes inefficient making weight gain almost impossible. Too little T3 (hypothyroidism) and the body accumulates body fat with ease, almost regardless of physical activity level.
Women unknowingly put themselves into the hypothyroid condition because they perform so much steady-state cardio. In the quest to lose body fat, T3 levels can grant success or a miserable failure because of how it influences other fat-regulating hormones.22-31 In addition, women get all the other negative effects, which I’ll get to. Don’t be surprised or aghast. It’s a simple, sensible adaption of the body, especially a body equipped to bear the full brunt of reproducing.
Think about it this way: the body is a responsive, adaptive machine evolved for survival. If running on a regular basis, the body senses excessive energy expenditure and adjusts to compensate. Remember, no matter what dreamy nonsense we invent about how we hope the body works, its endgame is always survival. Start wasting energy running and the body reacts by slowing the metabolism to conserve energy. Decreasing energy output is biologically savvy for the body: survive longer while doing this stressful, useless activity — as the body views it. Decreasing T3 production, increases efficiency and adjusts metabolism to preserves energy quickly.
Nothing exemplifies this increasing efficiency better than how the body starts burning fuel. Training at a consistently plus-65 percent heart rate adapts the body to save as much body fat as possible. That’s right, after regular training, fat cells stop releasing fat during moderate-intensity activities like they once did.32-33 Energy from body fat stores decreases by a whopping 30 percent. 34-35 To this end, the body even sets into motion a series of reactions that make it difficult for muscle to burn fat at all.36-41 Instead of burning body fat, the body is taking extraordinary measures to hold on to it. Still believe cardio is the fast track to fat loss?
But wait. By acting now, you too can lose muscle mass. That’s right. No more muscle because too much steady-state cardio triggers the loss of muscle.42-45 This seems to be a two-fold mechanism, with heightened and sustained cortisol levels triggering muscle loss,46-56 which upregulates myostatin, a potent destroyer of muscle tissue.57 Oh yeah — say good bye to bone density too — it declines with the muscle mass and strength.58-64 And long-term health? Out the window as well. The percentage of muscle mass is an independent indicator of health.65 Lose muscle, lose bone, lose health—all in this nifty little package.
When sewn together, these phenomena coordinate a symphony of fat gain for most female competitors post-figure contest. After a month—or three—of cardio surpassing the 20 hours-per-week mark, fat-burning is at an astonishing low, and fat cells await an onslaught of calories to store.66-72 The worst thing imaginable in this state would be to eat whatever you wanted as much as you wanted. The combination of elevated insulin and cortisol would not only make you fat, but creates new fat cells so that you can become fatter than ever.73-80
I won’t name names, but I have seen amazing displays of gluttony from the smallest, trimmest women. Entire pizzas disappear leaving only the flotsam of toppings that fell during the feeding frenzy; appetizer, meal, cocktails, dessert—a paltry 4000 calories at The Cheesecake Factory vanish as the wait staff delivers each. A clean plate for each return to the buffet — hell with that, the only thing they’re taking to the food bar is a spoon and they’re not coming back. There are no leftovers; there are no crumbs. Some women catch it in time and stop the devastation, but others quickly swell and realize that the supposed off-season look has become their every-season look. And guess what they do to fix it: cardio for an hour every morning and another in the evening to hasten things…
The “cardio craze” — and it is a form of insanity — is on my hit list and I’m determined to kill it. I don’t know what else I can say. There are better ways to lose fat, be sexy and skinny for life, better ways to prepare for the stage. Women, you need to get off the damn treadmill; I don’t care what you’re preparing for. Stop thinking a bikini-body is at the end of the next marathon or on the other side of that stage. It’s not if you use steady-state cardio to get there — quite the opposite. The show may be over, the finish line might be crossed, but the damage to your metabolism is just starting.
Don’t want to stop running, fine. At the very least stop complaining about how the fat won’t come off the hips and thighs or the ass. You’re keeping it there.
What about Jessica, my friend who’s dilemma spawned this article? Luckily she took my suggestion and cut the cardio. Two weeks later, her T3 count was normal. Who would have guessed?
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Cabbage Fat-Burning Soup

I've heard of several forms of this "diet" where all you do is eat this soup..... well I'm not feelin up to a diet of just soup, however this soup does look like it'd be quite tasty. Add beans or chick peas or lean meat for protein. Can be made vegetarian by exchanging beef broth for veggie broth (make sure your onion soup is vegetarian as well, if not, leave it out and add a few extra spices of your choice!)

"A package of onion soup mix flavors the tomato broth in which six different vegetables are combined with shredded cabbage in this fat free, low-calorie soup."

Ingredients:
5 carrots, chopped
3 onions, chopped
2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled
tomatoes, with liquid
1 large head cabbage, chopped
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans,
drained
2 quarts tomato juice
2 green bell peppers, diced
10 stalks celery, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth

Directions:
1.
Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery in a large pot. Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days

White Chili with Ground Turkey

White Chili with Ground Turkey

Amount Per Serving Calories: 396 Total Fat: 17.3g Cholesterol: 92mg (recipe as listed, including cheese)

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 8

"Browned ground turkey and cannellini beans are combined with green chilies, onion and garlic in this chicken stock based soup seasoned with cumin, oregano and cinnamon. Serve with grated jack cheese."

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile
peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
ground cayenne pepper to taste
ground white pepper to taste
3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
5 cups chicken broth (reduce for less sodium and less "soupy" texture)
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions:
1.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until turkey is well browned. Add the chile peppers, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper to taste and white pepper to taste and saute for 5 more minutes.
2.
Add two cans of the beans and the chicken broth to the pot. Take the third can of beans and puree them in a blender or food processor. Add this to the pot along with the cheese. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt. (serve cheese on side if eating with others to add to their own bowls)

Bikram Yoga

As a yoga enthusiast, I've tried quite a few different forms of yoga, but my newest adventure has been with BIKRAM YOGA in particular. I've had a pretty wicked (alright, maybe I'm just a baby) knee injury from snowboarding, and have been itching to get into something that will help my injury heal. A local bikram studio offers a new studen special of just $39.00 a month for unlimited classes. This is exactly what my knee needs right now. I've done my first session and have already seen great results, was able to achieve more than I thought, and have a revised sense of "wellness". I still will continue to work upper body, but can now engage some muscles I haven't been able to use for the last two weeks and see about getting my body back on track to continue training. Before I began Bikram, I did my normal research of something I'm unfamiliar in, here's what I found:
Wikipedia says:
Bikram Yoga's goal is general health and Bikram Choudhury says that the heated studio helps deeper stretching and injury prevention, while reducing stress and tension. Bikram claims that his system stimulates and restores health to every muscle, joint, and organ of the body. Bikram's Yoga claims to increase circulation to all organs in the body, and that this helps in the prevention of heart disease and organ failure. According to Choudhury, many people only use up to 50 percent of their lung capacity and thus the lungs must be stretched in order to withstand holding more oxygen. In a 2007 interview, Choudhury stated that when one is practicing pranayama she or he will eventually be able to enhance oxygen conversion and absorption, as well as improve blood circulation, as in many other forms of cardiovascular activity.
Choudhury claims that blood circulation is affected immensely during Bikram Yoga because of two processes called extension and compression. These two dynamics are said to work together to deliver fresh blood to every joint, muscle, and organ within the body. While performing a specific asana (pose), the practitioner stretches or compresses a certain part of the body, thus cutting off circulation temporarily. This restriction of circulation is believed to cause the heart to pump more blood in reaction to the shortage. The pumping of excess, fresh blood is called extension. Once the asana is complete and the individual comes out of the posture, it is claimed that the new oxygenated blood is able to rejuvenate the arteries that were being compressed. Many of the postures massage the lymphatic system and aid in lymphatic drainage, assisting to eliminate infection, bacteria, and toxins. Other styles of yoga also promote this theory (cf: B.K.S. Iyengar's "squeeze and soak" analogy regarding the effects of deep twists on the internal organs).
Benefits
Weight loss: the amount of calories burned per session varies from person to person, but estimates range between 500 and 1250 depending upon intensity of practice and other factors.

This seems a little bare on the benefits right?! Right. Hooray for calories burned, but I really care about what other benefits I'm getting, here's more of what I found.
BENEFITS:
Reshapes your body
Restores flexibility
Tones, strengthens, and lengthens your muscles
Strengthens your spine
Improves circulation
Reduces risk of sports injury
Achieves relief from pain
Reduces your weight – lose pounds by balancing your metabolism
Raises energy level
Diminishes the effects of stress
Increases balance, coordination, focus and discipline
Clears your mind
Calms your soul
Ensures healthy and balanced functioning of the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, digestive, elimination, respiratory, endocrine, and mental systems of the body
BENEFITS OF THE HEAT:
Warms the muscles for greater flexibility
Helps achieve a deeper stretch
Flushes toxins from the body
Improves efficiency of the immune system
Creates a cardiovascular workout
Burns calories
Builds endurance

Yep, pretty sure I need all of this in my life. On a personal note, I'll be doing about 5 bikram sessions a week for the next four weeks, and I'll continue to work on my goal of climbing, and training for the Spartan. (which means before bikram I'll be at the gym, and when I'm not at bikram, I'll be snowboarding) I've decided that my social life may become a little bare, however the benefits my BODY, MIND, AND SOUL will be gaining far outweigh the late nights out and feeling less than 100%.