Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Photo Challenge - Weekly Recap
Day 17 - the last thing you bought
new floor mats for the Super Car
Day 18 - happened this weekend
Magic at Body Blitz photoshoot. It is such a joy to watch you all gain confidence and strength and develop not only as individuals but also as a team. Everyone worked together to ensure that each person looked their best. The honesty, helpfulness and genuine concern you had for each others' photos warms my heart. I love to hear you all compliment each other knowing how hard the work is and that every ounce of result has been earned. I am endlessly proud of you.
Day 19 - something awesome
#strongbods #bodyblitz #:)
Day 20 - work/play
Clearly TW never allows time for fun.
Day 21 - what you wore
sequins, rhinestones and a pinwheel. Kim does sequins, pearls and a hair flower. We're classy and shit.
Day 22 - grateful
Thanksgiving tradition of being grateful for Spanish coffees.
Day 23 - black
Little Black Kitty, aka LBK, was the sweetest little soul that you ever met. Also, for fun I liked to vacuum her.
new floor mats for the Super Car
Day 18 - happened this weekend
Magic at Body Blitz photoshoot. It is such a joy to watch you all gain confidence and strength and develop not only as individuals but also as a team. Everyone worked together to ensure that each person looked their best. The honesty, helpfulness and genuine concern you had for each others' photos warms my heart. I love to hear you all compliment each other knowing how hard the work is and that every ounce of result has been earned. I am endlessly proud of you.
Day 19 - something awesome
#strongbods #bodyblitz #:)
Day 20 - work/play
Clearly TW never allows time for fun.
Day 21 - what you wore
sequins, rhinestones and a pinwheel. Kim does sequins, pearls and a hair flower. We're classy and shit.
Day 22 - grateful
Thanksgiving tradition of being grateful for Spanish coffees.
Day 23 - black
Little Black Kitty, aka LBK, was the sweetest little soul that you ever met. Also, for fun I liked to vacuum her.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Photo Challenge - Weekly Recap
Day 10 - can (won't) live without
music.
Day 11 - night
Norm MacDonald!
Day 12 - drink
tea. stupid detox week.
Day 13 - where you slept
zzzzzzzzzzz
Day 14 - man-made
awesome giant wagon made by Dad. Shown here pulling his 50 year class reunion.
Day 15 - in your bag
wallet, food, gum, comb, hair tie, quarters, 2 lipsticks, lip gloss and chapstick. pretty standard issue girl bag.
Day 16 - the view from your window
I've posted plenty of shots looking out through my window, this is what it actually looks like from my window.
music.
Day 11 - night
Norm MacDonald!
Day 12 - drink
tea. stupid detox week.
Day 13 - where you slept
zzzzzzzzzzz
Day 14 - man-made
awesome giant wagon made by Dad. Shown here pulling his 50 year class reunion.
Day 15 - in your bag
wallet, food, gum, comb, hair tie, quarters, 2 lipsticks, lip gloss and chapstick. pretty standard issue girl bag.
Day 16 - the view from your window
I've posted plenty of shots looking out through my window, this is what it actually looks like from my window.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Holiday tips and tricks!
This time of year, I get a lot of questions and general concern from students and friends regarding the holidays and their weight and/or workout schedules. Here's what I think:
Exercise:
It's important to keep at your workouts during the holidays for a couple reasons. First, obviously, is to help keep your weight in check. Exercise helps to keep you centered and focused on your priorities and goals. Knowing that you have taken time for yourself and your body helps feelings of guilt around food (although this isn't a free pass to eat everything!) and also helps keep you calm if there is that one certain family member that always drives you crazy.
You'll be surprised how much even a little bit of exercise helps. If you have an event or series of events, plan your day to include 15-20 minutes to work out. Even if you don't have your workout clothes/shoes/etc., you can do a series of jumping jacks, running in place, pushups, situps, burpees wherever you are. Before you go, make yourself a playlist of workout music (make a new one so that you are excited about it) for the amount of time you want to commit each day and run yourself through some cardio and toning exercises each day. You might also want to find the other fitness person/people in the family and do a run together or simply walk around the block one afternoon with your brother. PS: Snowball fights count as cardio!
I have recently found that I love keeping a workout calendar. Some of my students are finding success in this as well. I write down what I do each day after I do it. Note that this isn't a calendar of goals, but of accomplishments. If I set out for a 9 mile run but only make it 7 miles, I write down 7. When I look at the calendar, I'll see that I did 7 awesome miles rather than remembering that I had planned to do 9. The other great thing about this is that it holds you accountable to yourself. You know when you look at it if you have been slacking.
Food:
Oh, the food! I am not going to tell you it's OK to go nuts just because you ran a couple miles. If you are concerned about gaining weight, you have to pay attention to what you are eating. Snacking throughout the day and having a big meal will add up very quickly. If you are the cook, don't eat a whole meal in bites before everything is ready. Think about putting everything that you eat on a plate rather than directly into your mouth. This means that you will have to look at it and acknowledge that you are choosing to eat it rather than just grabbing it as you walk by. Remember that dinner plates are bigger than stomachs. Think about that as you dish out your servings. Eat the things that you like. Just because you are watching your weight doesn't mean that you can only eat veggies. If you love those butter drenched sweet potatoes, eat some of them! You don't have to deny yourself the things that you want, you just have to be smart about it. Don't fill up your plate with things you don't like and then end up eating them out of guilt. I feel dessert is a time where it is OK to legitimately be full and pass. However if you want a piece of pie, have it! You don't have to take the biggest piece. Lastly, be realistic. If you want to have a day where you eat anything you want, do it. One day will not ruin everything and send you into a sinking spiral. Simply acknowledge what you are doing and get back on your diet and fitness plan the next day.
Drinks:
I'll go ahead right now and say that this is the one that gets me. I love winter drinks: pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate, mochas... I also like non-holiday drinks like wine and beer. I probably won't turn down a glass of champagne. On Thanksgiving, I always find myself thankful for Spanish Coffees. I can easily drink my holiday calories and I know I'm not alone in this. But if you want to drink, you need to eat. There are far too many potential backfires if you employ the reasoning of drinking calories over food calories. Be mindful of when you start drinking. If you start your day with mimosas, know that there are a lot of hours to go and you don't want to be drunk before the party even starts (in most cases :)). Speaking of getting drunk, know whether or not that is going to be acceptable in your crowd if you choose to do it. Know how you are getting home (please don't drink and drive) and whether or not you are risking having to write Aunt Edna an apology if you do get drunk and tell her that her eyebrows are crooked. There are also a lot of sugary drinks around, boozy and non-boozy alike. You can end up overdoing it on sugar very quickly (especially if a lot of sugar isn't in your regular daily diet). A good rule of thumb for any holiday festivity is to drink a glass of water every hour and/or alternate water with your other beverages (1 drink/1 water or 1 drink/2 water).
Mental State:
This is actually the most important. The holidays can be stressful and hard on emotions, waistlines and fitness goals. Know which things will be your biggest challenges. This can be as simple as food or not wanting to run outside when the weather is bad. It can be the stress of knowing the pesky aunt will inevitably ask about why you are still single/don't have kids/have gained weight. It might be the financial strain of the holiday. Acknowledge what bothers you and make a plan around it. If you are afraid of overeating, pick a couple things that you know you will like and enjoy them. When Aunt Edna asks you about why you are single, have a confident response ready and then maybe go grab 15 minutes for a walk around the block and let it go. If holiday spending stresses you out, make a budget. You also don't have to go to everything that you are invited to. If you have friends that like to go to expensive dinners and you can't do it, you can say no. Going into the season with a plan that you can commit to can help avoid compensating for it in other areas (drinking/eating too much, not working out, making choices you wouldn't normally make). The only person who can control what you do is you. Don't forget about the progress you've made, be confident that you will continue to focus and work toward your goals, and be proud of yourself.
Lastly, if this all goes to shit and you eat too much and don't workout, resolution time is right around the corner. I can help with that too :)
Hit me up if you need workout ideas.
Exercise:
It's important to keep at your workouts during the holidays for a couple reasons. First, obviously, is to help keep your weight in check. Exercise helps to keep you centered and focused on your priorities and goals. Knowing that you have taken time for yourself and your body helps feelings of guilt around food (although this isn't a free pass to eat everything!) and also helps keep you calm if there is that one certain family member that always drives you crazy.
You'll be surprised how much even a little bit of exercise helps. If you have an event or series of events, plan your day to include 15-20 minutes to work out. Even if you don't have your workout clothes/shoes/etc., you can do a series of jumping jacks, running in place, pushups, situps, burpees wherever you are. Before you go, make yourself a playlist of workout music (make a new one so that you are excited about it) for the amount of time you want to commit each day and run yourself through some cardio and toning exercises each day. You might also want to find the other fitness person/people in the family and do a run together or simply walk around the block one afternoon with your brother. PS: Snowball fights count as cardio!
I have recently found that I love keeping a workout calendar. Some of my students are finding success in this as well. I write down what I do each day after I do it. Note that this isn't a calendar of goals, but of accomplishments. If I set out for a 9 mile run but only make it 7 miles, I write down 7. When I look at the calendar, I'll see that I did 7 awesome miles rather than remembering that I had planned to do 9. The other great thing about this is that it holds you accountable to yourself. You know when you look at it if you have been slacking.
Food:
Oh, the food! I am not going to tell you it's OK to go nuts just because you ran a couple miles. If you are concerned about gaining weight, you have to pay attention to what you are eating. Snacking throughout the day and having a big meal will add up very quickly. If you are the cook, don't eat a whole meal in bites before everything is ready. Think about putting everything that you eat on a plate rather than directly into your mouth. This means that you will have to look at it and acknowledge that you are choosing to eat it rather than just grabbing it as you walk by. Remember that dinner plates are bigger than stomachs. Think about that as you dish out your servings. Eat the things that you like. Just because you are watching your weight doesn't mean that you can only eat veggies. If you love those butter drenched sweet potatoes, eat some of them! You don't have to deny yourself the things that you want, you just have to be smart about it. Don't fill up your plate with things you don't like and then end up eating them out of guilt. I feel dessert is a time where it is OK to legitimately be full and pass. However if you want a piece of pie, have it! You don't have to take the biggest piece. Lastly, be realistic. If you want to have a day where you eat anything you want, do it. One day will not ruin everything and send you into a sinking spiral. Simply acknowledge what you are doing and get back on your diet and fitness plan the next day.
Drinks:
I'll go ahead right now and say that this is the one that gets me. I love winter drinks: pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate, mochas... I also like non-holiday drinks like wine and beer. I probably won't turn down a glass of champagne. On Thanksgiving, I always find myself thankful for Spanish Coffees. I can easily drink my holiday calories and I know I'm not alone in this. But if you want to drink, you need to eat. There are far too many potential backfires if you employ the reasoning of drinking calories over food calories. Be mindful of when you start drinking. If you start your day with mimosas, know that there are a lot of hours to go and you don't want to be drunk before the party even starts (in most cases :)). Speaking of getting drunk, know whether or not that is going to be acceptable in your crowd if you choose to do it. Know how you are getting home (please don't drink and drive) and whether or not you are risking having to write Aunt Edna an apology if you do get drunk and tell her that her eyebrows are crooked. There are also a lot of sugary drinks around, boozy and non-boozy alike. You can end up overdoing it on sugar very quickly (especially if a lot of sugar isn't in your regular daily diet). A good rule of thumb for any holiday festivity is to drink a glass of water every hour and/or alternate water with your other beverages (1 drink/1 water or 1 drink/2 water).
Mental State:
This is actually the most important. The holidays can be stressful and hard on emotions, waistlines and fitness goals. Know which things will be your biggest challenges. This can be as simple as food or not wanting to run outside when the weather is bad. It can be the stress of knowing
Lastly, if this all goes to shit and you eat too much and don't workout, resolution time is right around the corner. I can help with that too :)
Hit me up if you need workout ideas.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Photo Challenge - Weekly Recap
Day 3 - breakfast
4.5 miles and Cardio Funk. In between I took a break for a coffee and a chocolate chip scone.
Day 4 - tv
Tokes is a sucker for girlie movie night.
Day 5 - 5 o'clock
ready, set, go! New routine night!
Day 6 - a favorite thing
These are a few of my favorite things: early morning smiles, extra jumping jacks, special requests, "Hey Shannon - fuck you" and sweat hearts.
Day 7 - reflection
Tabor is gorgeous whether you are standing on your feet or your hands.
Day 8 - something you do every day
Wish that I had a bunny on my picnic table!
Day 9 - small
"...makin' everybody look like ants" Damn those gypsies and their catchy song.
4.5 miles and Cardio Funk. In between I took a break for a coffee and a chocolate chip scone.
Day 4 - tv
Tokes is a sucker for girlie movie night.
Day 5 - 5 o'clock
ready, set, go! New routine night!
Day 6 - a favorite thing
These are a few of my favorite things: early morning smiles, extra jumping jacks, special requests, "Hey Shannon - fuck you" and sweat hearts.
Day 7 - reflection
Tabor is gorgeous whether you are standing on your feet or your hands.
Day 8 - something you do every day
Wish that I had a bunny on my picnic table!
Day 9 - small
"...makin' everybody look like ants" Damn those gypsies and their catchy song.
Gypsies :)
We were lucky enough to have a couple of Rob's friends stop by on their epic journey around the nation. I saw their pretty faces at beet harvest while they were working at the piler and as the harvest went on, Rob made fast friends with adorable Amanda Lee and so I was happy to volunteer a night of laundry and showers and a giant pile of Thai food when they passed through PTown. They are just delightfully fun ladies and we had an awesome night of cards, a little dancing and a lot of laughing. It started innocently enough...
Katie and Eely bonded.
At the suggestion of card games, John and I busted out our trusty "10,000 Blank Cards" deck and introduced something new to the travelers.
They caught on right away.
I just happen to know their favorite song, which I slipped into my play list hoping when it came on, something like this would happen.
The gypsies did not disappoint.
and then this happened.
I had such a fun time with these adorable gals. I love when life delivers new friends to your doorstep.
Katie and Eely bonded.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Photo Challenge - Weekly Recap
Day 27 - morning
This morning my dressing room was transformed into a video studio :)
Day 28 - looking back
...from Casey's boat, at our beloved bridge, after Funday.
Day 29 - moon
Morning run by the river. Moon on one side, sun on the other.
Day 30 - clothes
Dance laundry.
Day 31 - whatever you please (that's pretty lame for a photo challenge, imho)
It pleases me to caption this awesome pic of Nic and me every time I see it.
Day 1 - something beginning with 'C'
CUT! Because Crystal Gayle hair is not Cool. I was mortified when I saw my hair was below my waist in the Thriller video and grabbed a handful and chopped it off as soon as I got home.
Day 2 - color
Portland's gray backdrop makes it's fall color change beautiful.
This morning my dressing room was transformed into a video studio :)
Day 28 - looking back
...from Casey's boat, at our beloved bridge, after Funday.
Day 29 - moon
Morning run by the river. Moon on one side, sun on the other.
Day 30 - clothes
Dance laundry.
Day 31 - whatever you please (that's pretty lame for a photo challenge, imho)
It pleases me to caption this awesome pic of Nic and me every time I see it.
Day 1 - something beginning with 'C'
CUT! Because Crystal Gayle hair is not Cool. I was mortified when I saw my hair was below my waist in the Thriller video and grabbed a handful and chopped it off as soon as I got home.
Day 2 - color
Portland's gray backdrop makes it's fall color change beautiful.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Thriller!
I mentioned before that I broke my longstanding tradition of teaching Thriller in Tease and Tone, but I did get recruited by the Marketing Department to help them with a little flash mob performance they wanted to do so in the spirit of the season, the zombie dance rose from the dead yet again.
http://vimeo.com/52579876
It was really cool to be a part of this. I got to team build with people I don't normally work closely with as well as watch the team building that took place amongst their group as we snuck around to practice.
On a related note, Tripwire is awesome.
http://vimeo.com/52579876
It was really cool to be a part of this. I got to team build with people I don't normally work closely with as well as watch the team building that took place amongst their group as we snuck around to practice.
On a related note, Tripwire is awesome.
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