spring training was going so well, and then came my birthday.

homemade macaroons!

a dozen cupcakes!

not just one…A dozen.

brownies, homemade vanilla frosting, boxes of candy, the gifts of confection were abundant and i did not hold back.

it was, after all, my birthday.

but this year apparently my birthday is taking on some sort of lent quality.

what is supposed to happen once a year, has now stretched into a two-week celebration; i’m still receiving pastries and bon bons.

last friday a piece of key lime pie, the size of key west, was delivered to spin class accompanied with an equally substantial amount of whipped cream.

as i’ve stated before, i don’t want to be rude…

but i my holiday pants from thanksgiving and christmas are now un-affectionately addressed as my birthday pants.

so here i am publicly announcing the end of my birthday wonderful.

as much i enjoyed the merrymaking, i do not enjoy the idea of diabetes.

from here on out it’s kale smoothies, salads and sundaes.

sweeter tasting than my girl spinach, kale is now believed help lower cancers in bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate.

kale’s detoxifying properties is why she’s the darling of juicing, smoothies and cleansing regimes.

according to new research, certain components and traits of kale can help us detox at a genetic level.

avocados will be in every stinking one of these said meals. people are so afraid of avocados because of their high fat content, but their fat is exactly why we should be eating them. the physterols- which account for the major amount of the avocado fat- is what helps fight off inflammation. avocados are also high in oleic acid {a fatty acid} which staves off heart disease and helps produce anti-oxidants. {anti-oxidants fight off unstable molecules known as free radicals, and free radical damage may lead to cancer}. the high fiber content of an avocado makes it a winning choice as well.

so there it is m’loves. out for all to see. i’m off the sauce….{frosting, cups of cake, roons of mac, pies of key lime}. my birthday was magnificent, but i’d like to see another. at least in the same size jeans.

today mr. sunshine stalks me like an undeniable 8th grade crush. he won’t leave me alone, and i LOVE it.

peeping in through my windows, spying on me early in the morning as i try to bathe, following me to and from my car at the gym, this guy means business; sunny days are here to stay: bring on the happy, the jaunt in your step, it’s a grand journey, this roller coaster ride of a world.

albeit exhausting, my weekend was a crock pot of all the ingredients in my life that make it full and delicious: work, family, friends & beasts.

saturday began with two intense classes. first an early morning equinox spin where we rang up watts and rpms that got the facebook and twitter status’ all a-flutter. then i hurried off to yogaworks where i taught my last pilates fusion class after 8 years. a bittersweet hour indeed, for i’ve come to love many, dear people there.

but i’m moving on to a new studio…..more on that to come.

the race to never slow down continued in saturday’s on-going pilates training. we worked the cuckoo-clock out of double-leg kick, and then broke out into an impromptu let’s see why all of us pilates/yoga instructors are always in so much pain.

lisa, our trainer, concluded me: overworked.

{ba dum bump}

reinforcements are always important for these types of trainings. i feel like room mom. i make sure to repeatedly stock the studio with chocolate for my girls. it just keeps for an overall mood of silly and light during these long, tiresome days.

sunday morning was for mother. we brunched hard!

i go ladylike in dress only……truck driving, foul-mouthed, hip-checking, elbow throwing linebacker is how i typically like to work my buffet. the heels provide for a nice disguise.

i went downward dog deep into the cheese station. this morning i was still finding remnants of humboldt fog in my hair, and i’m pretty sure there’s a housewifenursing a bruised shin today; sorry, but when tater tots are on the line, i go for blood. i don’t care if they are for your kids.

after my 5 plate binge i had to go right back to pilates….here’s priscilla showing her protest.

i felt her pain. the last thing i wanted to do after eating for 12 was rocking swan dive. i miss my family, but the always-have-to-be-working-psycho in me won yesterday’s battle between beast and mommy. i think it was my first victory ever with priscilla.

after hours of neutral spine, low belly engagement, and knitting my ribs so shut i had to call a locksmith to open them back up, i finally retreated to my bath.

i’m convinced a 2 hour bath can do more than any drink, pill and ice cream sundae to soothe a tired, stressed girl’s soul. using salts and oils from my belovedmelissa, i drifted into a drowsy, bliss of dreams sweet.

a weekend happy indeed.

tell me m’loves about your weekend. please share with me your adventures and smiles.

i have on good authority that wheatgrass will take my vitamix juices to a whole new level of health.

in addition to detoxifying the liver, fighting off tumors and neutralizing toxins, wheatgrass is healing for stomach problems: peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and other complaints of the gastrointestinal tract..

sign me up….

i have never been able to drink an actual wheatgrass shot, but i’m thinking the wheatgrass in a smoothie will be doable.

tell me m’loves…do you wheatgrass? what are your favorite ways to down it?

are you sticking true to all your goals you set at the beginning of the year?

are you spring training? getting ready for summer?

in my efforts to stay healthy, not exactly fit, but hale, i have a few non-negotiables i will share with you today.

although i’ll never be able to forsake my 24 hour coffee fix…think brokeback mountain—”i wish i knew how to quit you,” i start my day with warm water, organic lemon and manuka honey.

beginning first thing in the morning with lemon and warm {not boiling} water balances your body’s ph levels {too much acidity-which most of us amass- is what corrodes your body internally}. water and lemon also kick starts the digestive system, and the vitamin c supports immunity and helps keep skin clear.

i add manuka honey not only because it makes my AM cup taste delicious, but also because of the numerous health benefits of the this tiny pot of gold.

manuka honey houses special enzymes which give it natural antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties. i noticed when i started taking manuka honey it helped keep my voice strong {from all the yelling/talking in class} and my throat less strained.

when i do move on to that 2nd, 3rd, 4th cup of coffee it’s usually as i’m leaving the house. i love my s’well bottle. in a beautiful kelly green, this eco-friendly baby keeps my hot drinks steaming and my cold drinks icey. not only is it a great product, but it makes you feel good when you purchase: 10% of every bottle sold goes to wateraid, a charity bringing sustainable, safe water to the poorest communities in the world.

now, 9 times out of 10, my s’well bottle is filled with coffee. i know. terrible. but i just hate drinking water.

yet when i do drink water, this is what i have to mix in it.

in addition to prescription magnesium, i like to take this powder a couple of times a day to keep me hydrated and energized. yes, yes, i’m aware maybe if i stopped drinking the coffee i could negate many of these steps, i’m not four you know?!

i notice a marked difference when i don’t have my magnesium powder. my feet cramp from just walking and i feel overly grouchy.

again because i just don’t like the taste or sport of water drinking i jump at any alternative that will get the “juice” in me.

trader joe’s sparkling mineral water supplies that potion. i can guzzle these babies down like it’s a competition.

BUT

i hate the fact they’re in plastic bottles. i don’t have an alternative…..the glass substitutes are teeny and crazy expensive.

thoughts?

and my absolute, hands down, have-to-have for my overall health are my green drinks.

while i love to mix my own concoctions in my lady vitamix, nothing beats aritual cleanse green juice.

one bottle down, and i feel as if i’ve given my internal organs a rinse in well-being.

so i showed you mine….what are you healthy imperatives?

how was your weekend m’loves?

here’s a pictoral interpretation of mine:

here is hunkiest dragging me to my pilates training on saturday and sunday afternoon.

what always seems like a great idea when i enroll or commit, when it actually comes down to showing up, dragging, kicking, screaming and tantrum throwing usually ensues.

i forget how vital sleep and rest is to my weekend happiness, also my time with that man i married never seems to be enough either.

 but nevertheless i punched in the clock at the ol’ pilates studio.

the certification is phenomenal. i am learning so much. it’s a small group who seem to already know a ton about pilates so we are able to get into advanced teaching material.

these girls can move and groove. there are only 5 of us, and the majority expect a workout.

so much for me wanting to hide out anonymously in the back of the room.

aaah!

we worked hundreds prep, rollover, single leg stretch and also our gifts of gab. this is also a VERY funny group.

hysterics ensued often.

….saturday afternoon, an off-color joke made me laugh so hard my twitch came back for 24 hours.

but, i repeat, much to my lazy girl’s dismay, we did work.

5 reps of 3 inches of movement felt like we had erected the golden gate bridge, single-handedly, and all with our lower abdominals.

welcome to pilates.

 hunkiest alternated between carrying and dragging my tired, sore self up the stairs each evening.

week 1 down….10 to go.

so tell me m’loves, did you have an active weekend too? or did you relax, indulge, and relish in some time off?

spring training woo to the hoo!.

tuesday morning sunshine to you m’loves!

i’m loving the uptake in class attendance throughout the various gyms and studios where i teach.

the new year’s resolutions haven’t dropped off, and there seems to be an influx of new springtime moxie with people’s fitness goals.

sign me up.

well this is the perfect week, if you’re in the orange county area, to come see me and try a new class or two.

this week i am adding two new classes to my schedule.

tomorrow, wednesday, i am adding a 7am pilates reformer class at Villa Pilates and Yoga. this is a drop in, no membership needed studio down on the balboa peninsula.

then at 12:30pm i am adding another new class at Equinox Irvine {formerly Sport’s Club Irvine}. a super fun, total package class: 30 minutes of indoor cycling, followed by 30 minutes of coreplay®.

while equinox is a membership only gym, i am allowed to bring in guests. the more the merrier.

so please send me a message if you’d like to come.

let’s get moving the fun way, in a way that sticks and produces results, laughs and smiles.

see you in the gym.

last week it finally hit me, these thanksgiving and christmas pounds have over stayed their welcome. my holiday pants have slowly become the go-to reach.

six pounds since november have made permanent residence on my body, mostly in the lower hemisphere, which kinda crimps my jill stuart s/s 2012 bubble-gum pink, short shorts intentions.

how do i intend to get these grizzly, extra six begone?

my fitness level is pretty much that: level.

i am not improving and i am not digressing. i can bang out the push ups, and i can hit my same numbers in spin class.

but i can also throw down the matching bubble-gum pink, creme filled cookies like it’s a contest.

the last few months have been particularly stressful, and i’ve been eating to cope, tack on my inability to get 8 essential hours of sleep, which is more important to me than ANY lick of frosting, piece of cheese, or donut hole, and come 6:30pm i’m a walking, snarling, snack on anything and everything that’s not chained down, grouchy bear.

hello extra weight.

starting last week, spring training began for me: get your sleep katie!

yesterday i slept in until 7am, something i hadn’t done since my last vacation.

i did some work for a couple of hours around the house, worked out a bit {those jill stuart short shorts aren’t going to fit on their own}, and then took a 5 hour nap. hunkiest woke me up for dinner, and i was sound asleep by 8pm.

sleep is my crack, and when i’m well-rested {i.e. on vacation} my desire to overeat is non-existent.

it’s well documented that people who are sleep deprived have a higher increase of hunger and body weight.

also when i’m fortified with deep, solid rest i’m more inspired to create new choreography for my workouts. last week we did a bunch of new stuff with my coreplay ® class and there’s buckets more in my mental rolodex.

i was sore for days, and i definitely heard it from the troops.

so in the starting blocks i stand, mostly with the intention just to make sleep! sleep! sleep! my biggest priority.

how intend to get that sleep?…..well, that’s another post.

how do you spring train m’loves?

this year i won’t even be cross as she takes an hour away from my sunday morning slumber. so long as she brings the juicy, fragrant sweet of my jasmine plants swirling throughout the house, high and low, the birdsong of newborn chicks chirping sweetly in the wee hours of the day, and that micro bump in temperature; although not a giant leap in change, but just a smidge enough to the right can equal nirvana to the perpetually cold-goosebumps be gone; you give me this ms. spring? and i’ll be a girl happy through the month of june.

spring also brings out the bodies. people are finally getting ’round to those holiday resolutions {yes, those nasty intentions take time to get to—i STILL haven’t made my way to learning mandarin chinese or mastering the 7-layer coconut cream cake-baking it THAT is, i’ve mowed my way down through several tastings}. i love seeing the upswing in the group exercise class participation. this time of year provides a excuse to birth something new physically or maybe re-ignite an exercise regime.

it’s warmer, therefore it’s a great time to get outside and move {wearing sunscreen of course}.

if you’re in the area, come play with me. i have two, new wonderful studios which don’t require memberships to come take class.

at villa pilates and yoga, i teach a wednesday 8am class which is a hybrid of my coreplay® and reformer class. next week i’m subbing the monday night group reformer class 5pm & 6pm class; you can sign up online if you want to come in…..

another new class i’m happy to be teaching is jabu-fusion fit at jabulani yoga. jabulani means “creating happiness together” in zulu. happiness indeed is what we create at jabulani. jabu-fusion fit is a class which blends elements of pilates, yoga, lotte berk and barre. i developed this class and i change it daily {you never get the same class twice} so that the muscles are constantly challenged, stretched and conditioned safely, intelligently and organically so that it feels good and is fun. results are achieved fo’sure!

here is my updated spring schedule. i would LOVE to see you in either spin or one of my pilates/yoga classes. hit me up for a guest pass, and i can see what magic i can work to get you in.

what are your favorite ways to bounce into spring?

let’s leap into spring more healthfully.

weekend happy to you m’loves.

those two syllables could be the glummest two combinations in the dictionary.

who hasn’t been personally affected with the evil of cancer?

the insidiousness of the disease, the frustration with lags in treatments and cures, and the devastating toll this beast takes on bodies, minds and souls; cancer knows no boundaries in its methods to rip your heart wide open.

i’ve shared my personal heartbreak watching my dear aunt bravely fight and BEAT cancer this past year.

two other, beautiful friends, battled just as fierce, but unfortunately lost their crusades against this menace a few months ago.

and of course my truman.

it’s easy to feel helpless and bitter; tears of fury form now as i try to type. but i know it’s best to put my energy into more productive, contributive uses.

this coming saturday an amazing event is taking place across the united states: cycle for survival.

an indoor cycling relay event held in equinox fitness clubs across the country, and in some satellite locations around the world, cycle for survival was created to generate money for rare cancer research at memorial sloan-kettering cancer center, the largest cancer center worldwide.

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the funds go directly to rare cancer research.

we have an incredible group of riders representing the best of orange county’s equinox, many of them are my beloved students from spin class.

i am so sad i will not be able to ride in person, but i will be there in spirit and donation.

so often i am moved to help with various causes and issues, but never know where to turn or what organizations to trust. and this is the first time i think i’ve written about a charity on “the blog”…i feel rather washy about that kind of thing….

but this is a cause i back with both feet, legs, heart & soul, and i invite you to check it out.

and if you’re so inclined to donate to the amazing team on saturday…..here is their link.

 i definitely encourage you to read about the amazing work happening at memorial sloan-kettering cancer center.

go team. keep up the fight.

all my love,

katie

wednesday morning kisses to you m’loves.

ironic i’m sharing my latest health tip whilst in the trenches of a {should be} bedridden cold/flu; my body waxes and wanes ‘tween the chills of a flu, and the fuzziness of a head cold.

thank you all for your well wishes and various remedies; i especially love miss teri’s wellness shot {delicious}.

and while on the subject of delicious, let me tell you about my new obsession: cinnamon.

study after study shows this sweet, pleasing, piquant spice to be an arbiter of innumerable health benefits.

a great boon to our metabolisms, cinnamon helps to regulate blood sugar. this is important for diabetics, hypoglycemics, and anyone else who is looking to stabilize their moods {drama queens}.

cinnamon also helps to lower LDL cholesterol levels {the rotten kind}, reduce arthritis pain, and this powerhouse spice is also effective in staving off ulcers.

 researchers in alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors and meningitis are using cinnamon in their hunts for treatments, cures & prevention because of its effective ability to reduce inflammation.

done, and DONE!

every morning, before i pour my coffee, i first sprinkle my cup with a smattering of cinnamon. it makes for a simple, homemade, gourmet-tasting mug of yum. now, when bopping into my local, coffee shop for a latté; instead of lamenting the days of yore when i {ignorantly} sweetened with splenda, i gladly grab that cinnamon shaker {they’re always there with the cream & sugar} and shake away.

easy to do with fantastic benefits…..

have a healthy wednesday m’loves.

yesterday, i had bushels of fun debuting my new “band practice” section in my coreplay ™ class at villa pilates & yoga.

although still the same lively class, heavily influenced by my pilates, lotte berk & yoga background, i added suspended therabands to blend just an extra edge of core, balance, and eccentric resistance training.

here are some shots of our fun:

true, in living color, fly-girls.

single leg & single arm barre work {dallas & carly are using barres}.

whittling away our holiday indulgence.

about to dive down into water ski….i’m using the theraband….carly using her barre. we’re all saying our last set of prayers and invocations to the gods and goddesses of thigh work.

this is such my drug of choice; i love creating new ways to work and shape the body.

it’s a new year and i have many more ideas brewing which i can’t wait to share.

i hope if you live in southern california you’re able to come visit me in class.

here’s my schedule…..let’s tuck, squeeze, hold & look fabulous while doing it!

love,

katie

i finally found the magic playlist for my vitamix. the grass is definitely greener ’round her m’loves.

happy new year to you!

 during my yoga teacher training i’ve opened my eyes, jupiter-wide, to the different styles of teachers out there {not just yoga}. i’ve observed at various studios and gyms where i take classes and i have witnessed the vast differences in carriage and care among teachers and studio owners.

i’m often asked what i think makes a good teacher.

the best teachers i know, especially in my industry, are the ones who completely understand that they, themselves did NOT invent the wheel. they don’t hoard their ideas and interpretations, as if they’ve been holed up in some MIT lab choreographing a leg lift or formulating a bicep curl. and the notion of guruship turns their stomach foul. unfortunately, lately i see more of the former-let me awe you with my brilliance!!!, than the latter who prefers to stay out his student’s way to allow the real beauty unfold.

in my opinion, teachers should instruct and disappear. they should never be the “center” of the room. sure we have to be there to cue and coach, but we are NOT the story. the students are the story. there needs to be ample space for the students to shine.

on another note, there’s a stinginess permeating the fitness air: there are contracts and waivers signed forbidding fellow teachers from taking certain classes, etc. for fear of thieving “choreography” and knowledge. i was once asked to leave a class i had helped promote in the community, a format i’d been teaching for nearly 8 years, because the owner was concerned with me “copying” her “moves”.

you can’t steal cognizance. it’s nobody’s to own. there is no patent on squats and curls. and again, isn’t this all supposed to be in the name of health?

this isn’t good for fitness, and it’s terrible for our clients and students. teachers should share every nook and cranny of information they have with fellow peers. it will only make the field stronger, thus strengthening and empowering those we work the hardest to help: our clients and students.

i love sharing my cues, choreography, mistakes/mishaps with teachers all the time. my theory is: happier students at the gyms and studios make for nicer people on the roads, kinder neighbors, and better citizens.

right?

also, there is no one size fits all when it comes to moving and breathing in one’s body. it is not a method which can be stolen. cavemen were tucking their pelvis’ and finding “neutral” way before we werecurling up & under in our pre-shrunk, lululemon wunder unders. there are many, many different highways to feeling and looking healthier, teachers shouldn’t exclude or freeze out a student if their cup of masala tea doesn’t wash down delightfully.

 teachers need to remember why they are teaching; hopefully to raise someone else to a higher level mentally, emotionally and physically. if it’s not the case, my local peet’s coffee is hiring.

if a student comes to my class, breathes deep & intentionally, and somewhere finds a smile-i feel like i’ve done my job. that is a healthier place.

sure i’ll give you the tools to have your ass kicked, but it’s always going to be YOUR class.

wednesday happy m’loves.

it’s that time of year! my favorite time of year. time to get the body back in its natural flow, time to get the muck and the mire out, and the green and goodness in.

it’s time to ritual cleanse.

delivered directly to your doorstep, ritual cleanse is a unique daily, organic juice cleanse designed to reset your body by “flooding the cells with vitamins and minerals that gently cleanse and detox your body without the harsh symptoms associated with other cleanses.”

although you may customize days and juices, hunkiest and i always go for the 3 day cleanse. we feel three days gives us the best benefits for the body {his sugar addictions} and for the mind {my food obsessions}.

the mental clarity and mood lifting are my favorite remnants of ritual cleanse.

because we both workout so much we opt for the extra pre & post shred juices.

we’re silly excited over the seasonal juice of pear ginger. YUM!!!

already, he’s done with his green-lemon of the day.

i love everything about this company. their bottles are all biodegradable. so are their delivery bags which i now predominantly use as my grocery bags {and to be honest sometimes my purse}. the cold packs used to keep the juices cool also are non-toxic and re-usable.

i have to emphasize the organic, raw nature of these juices; pure, unadulterated fruits and vegetables only!!

there are other juice companies promoting similar cleanses, but ritual cleanse is the ONLY one in town with 100% organic produce.

side note, if you ever want to buy single juices {like me}, villa pilates and yoga sells them. you can come, take a class with me, and share a ritual cleanse juice after!

i pretty much spend my paycheck on ritual cleanses and stuff in the cute boutique at villa pilates and yoga. {worth every penny.}

this is not lip service m’loves. i’m an addict for these juices. please feel free to message me if you’re thinking about the cleanse, but a bit hesitant because it may be a new adventure for you.

healthy monday to you!