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!

how did miss weekend treat your tender hearts?

i popped back and forth across the emotional ping-pong table of my precious aunt’s latest hospital stay.

we yo-yo’ed between tears of hysterics, like on friday when we listened for hours to patient, in bed #4, hold the nurses hostage with her “diaper” in exchange for more oxycontin; to sunday where tears of frustration poured over her white blood cell count.

i pity the yoga mat, spin bike, and in this weekend’s case, the water rower, who bared the brunt of my unleashed sadness.

led by master trainers, jay blahnik and josh crosby, yesterday i took the fantastic teacher training for indo-row, a crazy-fun, group fitness class that gives you a killer cardio workout AND strength and flexibility training. you can’t say the same for spinning, treadmill classes, etc.

it’s a team spirit atmosphere, building community and camaraderie; which i think we can all use in these divisive times, no?

it was definitely a new fitness experience for me and challenged me to the point where i hadn’t gone to in a long, long time. i had scary flashes back to running “the apple” in junior high, coming in last, looking silly, etc. indo-row is NOT like that, yet it does inspire a youthful, competitive spirit. that post race feeling with my team felt exhilarating, and the longest stretches of hard work never lasted more than 90 seconds…..if that. you can bet each paddle, each stroke was for my aunt charla.

i’m so excited indo-row is coming to my club.

tell me, m’loves, what gave you goosebumps this weekend?

i’ve been running lately.

there. it’s out in printed word. i guess i finally have to admit: i’m becoming a runner.

{melodramatic-think drew barrymore-sigh}

this is meaningful only to those who know me well. there are two things i detest: beets and running. and i’m not quiet on either of these opinions, nor respectful of those who differ from mine.

i used to think a lit bonfire in my pants {now don’t get naughty, i’m talking a literal fire you scamps} would be the only thing to get these feet skipping faster than a 1.5 m.p.h. speed on a treadmonster. zero incline of course.

but something happened when i was in mexico this summer, in an effort to lose the rest of the world and its problems, i found my gait.

a stride which steadies my breath, narrows my focus, and reigns in my anxiety.

i can’t run for very long. pain sets into my usual spots.

but those minutes are precious. preferably without distraction, just me, my headphones and my monster.

the music varies according to my mood and what i need, but without fail lissie is always somewhere on my playlist.

Click here to view the embedded video.

wednesday happy to you m’loves.

tuesday i got pound™-ed, and hard.

a new fitness class, using just 1lb drum sticks {ripstix™} and your own body weight, pound™ is a total body workout, designed to “put the fun back into fitness.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

the music, loud and heart-thumping, kicks you into a doable choreographed routine of banging floors, rapping ripstix™, shaking your bum, and oh yes…..lunging, squatting, bridging, twisting, and jumping {hello hamstrings!!!}.

created by drummers and fitness aficionados, kirsten potenza and cristina peerenboom, pound™ is a high energy, kick-ass class where you truly unleash your inner rock star. give the girl a set a sticks and our typically, yogic, bambi-eyed instructor, angela leigh, morphed into a rockin’, groovin’ gwen stefani looking for bambi’s mother!

Click here to view the embedded video.

i’m not lying. ten minutes into class, i was sheila-effing-E, glamorous life’ing all OVER that gym floor.

mmm. hmm. snap, SNAP bitches.

although today i feel more like sheila e’s crippled grandmother. i’m not very big on the cross-training. spin, yoga, pilates,coreplay™,  a little run here and there….those are my go-to’s. pound™ definitely taught me i need to branch out of my exercise bucket.

pound™ is offered at the west hollywood equinox and starting this month will debut at the newport beach equinox.

the class is will soon throughout the country.

keep updated on their happenings here.

thursday happy m’loves.

i destroy my enemies when i make them my friends.
~abraham lincoln

hostility is such a bad color on me.

kindness brings out the green in my eyes, the broad of my shoulders, the glossy of my lashes.

in 5th grade kristy holdburg told me i was fat.

i retaliated by buying her the prettiest barbie i could find on her birthday.

at said birthday party, krystal des los reyes ratted to kristy’s mom i’d been looking at a dirty magazine.

i wasn’t.

krystal had been the one perving it up in the back bathroom with a playgirl.

but i made sure to give her the skittles from my goody bag.

my beasts and i may not speak the same language, but we understand each other precisely.

i love them fierce, they worship me without strings.

different creatures bringing our own messes and art into the world.

where others see dangerous drinking holes and snarly fangs,

i see nooks of opportunity and a sibling in the school of suffer.

go ahead bite. i’ll just hug back.

mind you, she had been crushing coreplay™ classes, and as a result had lost 12lbs over the last 3 months.

fantastic doesn’t even begin to describe how she looks.

not only is she diligent about her workouts, she also has been eating clean and healthy, thus furthering her weight loss.

but these four stinking, rotten pounds that weren’t there yesterday, were shattering her day and self-esteem.

holding her chin up through most of our workout, i explained the ins and outs of why weight can fluctuate as much as 10lbs in one day. i’m friends with a rail-thin, size 2, weight trainer, who, just through water retention and eating outside her normal menu, not necessarily unhealthy, but alien to her usual diet, can boost her weight up 1 to 2 sizes.

confidence restored, not only had my client dropped her tear-inducing 4lbs the following day, another pound disappeared as well.

are you schooled in how and why your weight fluctuates {beyond making smart food choices, ie an orange over m&m’s}?

did you know that even in as little as 4 hours your weight can change up to 5lbs….up or down?

how much or how little water you drink, your elimination/digestive processes, prior workout timing, sodium consumption {there’s sodium even in strawberries}; all these factors temporarily affect your weight at a given hour.

i’m curious. how many of you actually weigh yourselves? if so, how often?

jillian michaels, who has struggled with body image issues, says she doesn’t weigh herself. rather she uses her clothes {jeans} as the arbiters of whether or not she needs to step it up in the gym, or keep an eye on what she eats.

jennifer hudson, has lost a total of 80lbs. she started this weight loss journey in the face of a family tragedy in which she lost her mother, brother and nephew in a brutal murder. 5 days after the birth of her son david, jennifer re-ignited her campaign to health, and battled back 60lbs post-partum. this determination and commitment in contrast to such adversity blows my mind. jennifer says weighing herself everyday is one of the tools which has helped her lose and maintain her weight.

two different approaches. there’s no right answer. some clients of mine say weighing themselves everyday is daily motivation to keep them on track. others have said if the scale is up even a ½ of a pound they feel sabotaged and defeated; therefore won’t feel motivated to exercise or eat healthy.

i weigh myself everyday. i typically will know what the number is before i step on the scale. rarely am i surprised at what i see. i like to stay within a three pound window. if i’m up, i’ll just increase my exercise a bit. adjusting my food intake is not an option for me. i love to eat way too much.

this is what works for me. this might sound hideous for you. does it? what currently moves you to stay on track with either your weight loss programs or maintaining your healthy weight?

Click here to view the embedded video.

saturday, i stumbled on this visual bouquet of blogosphere sweet.

always a sucker for quinoa, a video tutorial was just the inspiration i needed to get my stove out its dusty doldrums.

quinoa {pronounced keen-wah} is known as a ‘super food’.

a favorite among vegetarians for its high protein and 8 amino acid content, a favorite among masses for its delicious taste and versatility.

high in fiber, quinoa scores very low on the glycemic index, provides 30% of daily magnesium {good for migraine sufferers and digestive disorders}, supplies 20% of daily folate, 15% iron, 18% copper {good for cell tissue rejuvenation and helps to fight infections}, 28% phosphorous {bone health}, and 60% manganese {free radical fighter}.

quinoa is also gluten and wheat free.

a ‘super’ food indeed.

happy cooking m’loves.

the number 1 reason is i’m a sick, sappy, sprawled-out on the floor, squirting tears during purina commercials, animal lover.

the mention of animal mistreatment and i’m suddenly a happy hunter myself; hunting down those who’d abuse a voiceless, right-less, vote-less, defense-less creature.

this creates much heartbreak because i have family members who love to hunt and wear fur.

{pause to vomit}

the movie earthlings was scarier than any wes craven or ‘exorcist’ i’ve ever seen. i couldn’t even finish the film.

i try to buy only cruelty free products….yes including froufrou shoes…stella mccartney makes beautiful shoes. some of the prettiest stompers come in non-leather options these days.

but things like my prius {leather seats} and all handbags {vintage leather} i admit i’m not perfect.

i also haven’t been able to forgo cheese and eggs. but i make sure i buy the caged free, humanely-raised brands.

this is my personal choice. it’s difficult. trust me. i LOVE the taste of meat, chicken and pork. fish i can give or take.

yet when an article like this comes out, the commitment to meat free is easy-peasy.

talk to me. do you love your meat? could you give it up maybe for 1 day?

meatless mondays are a great way to improve your health and our environment.

the results of eating a vegetarian or low in meat diet are staggering compared with one that is regurlaly stapled with meat.

tell me your thoughts.

i once told the owner of Veggie Grill, a student of mine, she should keep her gift certificate. i couldn’t imagine going one single meal without pork, beef or chicken.

i literally have had to eat my words. at least once a week i MUST have their all hail kale salad.

this dog has learned some fancy, new tricks.

p.s. coffee detox is going ok…..wouldn’t really call it a detox. still hanging out. just not night and day. more like morning, day, and afternoon. baby steps.

me and coffee cup.

it’s that time again.

my annual break-up.

as with every tenuous, co-dependent, abusive relationship, one party eventually reaches their threshold with the highs and lows, ups and downs, happy-happys and tired-tireds.

coffee supplies me with morning warmth and wakeup, aromatic steam for a worn out tired engine, ritualistic comfort to my o.c.d. fantasy land, calorie free, delicious, toe-tingling energy, and is my ever-soothing, security blanket, thumb sucker i never carried or sucked as i child.

according to google…and friends, coffee also could be giving me a waxing thyroid, irritable sleep {although have zero sleep issues so far}, a cracked up metabolism, and hormonal imbalances.

as with everything, in excess, toll will be taken.

but my body seems to have cried uncle. actually my eye.

while my twitch isn’t directly related to my coffee consumption {a silly, stressful conversation involving big words and numbers actually brought it on} i know my continued main-lining of caffeine isn’t helping it go away.

thank you m’loves for all the words of support and suggestions.

i do already take a toxic dosage of magnesium.

and as far as the B-supplements…..i do them all biotin, b-6, b-12, b3, i’d bee-hive my hair if i thought it would help.

so teapot here i come. again. i hope you’ll take me back.

coffee and i will never completely cease and desist. i will merely see other people. sort of like taking a sister-wife. preferably something perky and sweet.

yes, i’d like a venti ginnifer goodwin-ish tea please, extra hot, double cupped.

updates to follow.