Jillian's my girl!

I'd much rather go to a gym than workout at home, but with an almost 3 year old, sometimes timing is challenging. So, I hired Jillian Michaels, well, I enlisted the help of YouTube. 

The words, 30 day and shred, work for me! Jillian pushes you through a 30 minute, interval training workout that incorporates strength, cardio and lots of positive affirmations.  I notice my body shifting right away, it's amazing how quickly your body will respond when your clear on your intention and your committed to results.

As I write this I'm chowing down on egg whites and spinach with some siracha, I'm focused on leaning out, increasing strength (even though genetically my family is freakishly strong), and I love being able to eat and cleanse and workout, after a few days it becomes religious, my body craves it.

Your body wants to be in alignment, it's actually more work to keep it out of alignment.

I'd like to share what I've found in the last three years of coaching clients:

You're not eating enough protein, drinking enough water, and usually your choosing too much starch.

We get to love ourselves first, wherever you are at, embrace it, honor it and set an intention to move forward. Mindset is everything.

Commitment and consistency! Period.

Staying connected with your coach, doing the things you may not want to do now, stretching outside your comfort zone, THAT IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS. 

Trust the process. 

You deserve health!

I'm in it right along side you... Here are some progression pictures!

Mommy Muscles

Working out with a 2 year old, as a single mom can be challenging, but we make it work! 

I do some leg lifts while she lays on my shins, I bench press her while I lay on the floor, and we have full out dance parties bouncing around the house! It's not pretty, but it gets the heart rate up and the job done!

Pop in a DVD and have your toddler "work out" with you! Even on the days I'm tired, I remember WHY I started this journey, it's to be around for a long time, as a healthy mom that can run around and set a great example for my daughter! That's BIGGER than an excuse I could ever come up with! 

Get it done! You deserve it! 

Back...by popular demand!

My journey didn't stop, my blog did! So here I am, back to share it all, be vulnerable and put it all on the table and let you know what's been happening. 

Over the past few months I've shifted my health, my fitness and I'm mind into alignment with what I want to create in the world, MY VISION. 

Leaving behind relationships that no longer energetically fit within that has opened up so much abundance for my daughter and I. I've learned even more about myself, connected with ME AGAIN! ...I've never felt better. It's amazing that when we LET GO of what's not working, all the good stuff comes in!

So, here I am, back to serve you, inspire you, create a space for you to laugh, be challenged, feel connected and most of all spread some authentic love around this world!

Christmas kicked my...

So I fell off the perfectly measured and prepared 6 meal a day along side killer cardio routine for three days.  I'm back on today, and I've learned its important not to let a few "non approved" eating choices throw it ALL off.

I'm from a big, loud, Italian family, we eat, tell inappropriate stories and live for holidays where the food is prepared for days in advance. Christmas Eve starts with my fathers Antipasto, not just a tray of some prepared meats you would find at the local grocery, but the finest meats, cheeses, (all imported of course) olives, roasted veggies you can eat, slathered in olive oil, accompanied by warm semolina Italian bread, stuffed bread filled with spinach, eggplant, cheese, arranged in the most perfect way. Oh, and the fish....we will get there. So I had to "pick",a little of this and that. Maybe a little too much this and that. Damn!

Next course, fish sauce, calamari, scungilli, shrimp in my moms delicious sauce, you're kidding right? Nope. Tomato is a fruit, not allowed after meal 4, but I ate it, and more than 1/4 cup. Opps. Over pasta. Just enough though, I didn't overdo it, but in my mind, it's less than perfect so it mine as well screw the whole process up. We skipped the after dinner treats, course three, clams, mussels, stuffed shrimp all prepared by my Dad is better than any restaurant could offer and it put us well over the edge of glory.

I hosted Christmas, so after cooking all day I didn't feel much like eating. So although I didn't eat much, I didn't follow the guidelines to the T. I did have my shake both days, it was my saving grace, it usually is when I bend the rules. 

As I write this, from my iPhone in the parking lot, because my sleeping toddler has the stuffies and wouldn't nap at home, I'm pondering how I'll make it to the gym today? Maybe I'll put her in the ergo carrier on my back and do the elliptical? Ha! Wonder if they would allow that? I'll figure it out, I always do!  All in all I'm proud that I'm back on track, meals already on point and I'll get that workout in somehow!

Staying on track. 

Half a cupcake

I ate half a cupcake today- a sugar loaded, non organic cupcake, and it was delicious. 

This is to prove that no one is perfect, and that when you see my result pictures in a few months, you'll remember that I ate a cupcake, well, half a cupcake.  Sometimes you just have to, give in to a little craving so you don't binge out. 

I actually felt an overwhelming sense of guilt after I ate it. Not good. Just eat the cupcake and be done with it, hmmmm? I get to take a look deeper into that, clearly it's not "just" about the cupcake. 

...then I remembered I sweat my ass off at Bikram this morning. I improved in many of the postures, and today was double hot because of the humidity. Not that this earns me a cupcake, but it made me feel a bit better about it. 

Sunday 7:30am does not sound like a perfect time to stretch in a 110 degree room, but there never is a "perfect time". I've learned you get to lean into the uncomfortable, do it, feel it, get results! 

This journey is certainly teaching me a lot about "leaning into it." Someone gave me an incredible compliment today "Raina, your my hero when it comes to the definition of commitment, you say you're going to do something and you do it, life doesn't get in the way...you're clear."

WOW. Life is always giving us feedback, it's not positive or negative, it just "is". Take it in. 

How are you showing up in the world? How are other people experiencing you? I've discovered so much of these little/big nuggets of knowledge, life tools in a workshop called Synergy Education.  I'm a graduate of their Basic, Advanced and Leadership Programs and it has had a profound impact on every aspect of my life. www.SynergyEducationinc.com

How did I go from a cupcake to this? Ha!

However it happened, I hope your enjoying reading my blog and I'm committed to continuing to divulge my inside voice to you!

Stay Focused

In the face of adversity is when you shine or crumble. It's circumstances that you can handle or have them handle you! One of my favorite books is the Adversity Advantage by Erik Wienmeyer, the blind man who climbed all 7 summits!

What's your excuse? 

Crazy right? Not really...he is an example of using Adversity to ignite himself.

My rest day was Monday, I over did it a bit on Sunday with my free meal, still had protein, but a few glasses of wine and some delicious Italian bread! Yum. Had I known the Tuesday would battle me to get to the gym I may have left the third glass of wine alone with the extra piece of bread.

Tuesday morning was challenging and I had no one to watch my little one during my workout, so I missed it! My first missed workout! Damn it!  I also managed to screw up my meals, starch after 3pm, nibbling on things not approved by my coach. Get a frickin grip Raina.

Back on track Wednesday, actually had the best workout, felt amazing! This is why I go to the gym, the feeling afterwards, it's immediate gratification when it comes to working out and endorphins, and I like immediate gratification.

Staying focused is key, there will be ups, downs, roadblocks, naysayers, or I like to call them, dream stealers, rainy days, brick walls, and all of it is a lesson in commitment, keeping your WORD to yourself. YOU MATTER. 

Do it anyway. 

Results are Sexy

The tag line for a leadership team I was blessed to be a part of with Synergy Education in NYC was "Results are Sexy". They are, the results of smart work, in the gym, at the office, in your community, with your friends, your family, all of it. We don't do things to spin our wheels, we do things for results! 

We set our course with intention, speaking life into declarations.

What are you declaring? 

How are you declaring it? 

What I mean is, if you really want results in different domains of your life, you get to be rigorous around your language, it's powerful. Speak as if! I am a fitness competitor. I am 6 pounds closer to my goal weight. I am .... I am... I am.... Go ahead and declare something, outloud to the universe, now write it down, now move ahead, action! Go! 

Remembering that you don't need to know HOW to get to the end result we only need to know where we want to end up. 

You can drive all the way across the country only seeing 5 feet ahead of you. If we ever meet in person I'll prove this by doing my "arm exercise" with you.

Your mind is powerful, set it in motion, what do you want? Where do you want to be? Be specific and put a date on these declarations. 

I am 6 pounds closer to my goal weight by Dec 25, 2013. 

Get comfortable being uncomfortable and I promise you your results WILL BE sexy!