Sassy Girl Starts Fresh

About 10 years ago I decided that making a New Year's resolution was a waste of time. January 1st means I drive myself nuts for a few days to make myself a sassy, new and better me. But, I always end up abandoning my fabulous resolution somewhere around January 3rd. My resolutions never lasted very long and I have a pretty good idea why.... most of my resolutions contain too many changes at one time and they were very vague.
Your goal has to be realistic and well thought out.  Give yourself achievable tasks and continue to work on it the ENTIRE year. Try to have just one single goal and not a whole lot of small resolutions. And most importantly don't take yourself too seriously. You are human and humans mess up and make mistakes. You will probably mess up but don't let a small slip up throw you off balance. Don't punish yourself and have a little chuckle at your mistake.
This year I plan to do a 30 day yoga challenge. That is 30 consecutive days of yoga. I've wanted to do this for awhile and doing something that I have never done before is exciting. I invite you to join me on this challenge and together we can do something awesome for ourselves.
Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

To all my sassy readers:
 I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!

Sassy Fitness Challenge week 3

Here is your fitness challenge for week 3
How was week 2? Did you give up? You better not have! Recommit to exercise and remember what it was that made you decide to workout. There was some reason that made you get out of bed and use your body. Reconnect to that reason and push on through. You are doing great and it's only going to get better.


Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Upper Body
Push Ups on Knees or Full Form 12- 15 repetitions, 2 sets Kneel on a mat and walk your hands out until they are directly under your shoulders, keeping your knees together. Keeping your back straight and knees on the mat, press your chest down toward the mat, bending your elbows and inhaling as you go. Exhale as you slowly press your body back up to the starting position.
Reverse Flys  5lbs Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and back straight. Slightly hinge forward at the knees and waist so that you are leaning forward approximately 45 degrees with arms extended toward the floor. Exhale while pulling your arms back and hands up toward your stomach, keeping elbows close to your body; inhale as you return your arms to the starting position.  Try changing the range of motion. Pulse in for about 8 reps and then try full range for about 10-12 reps. Also varying the position of the hands is great too.
Cat/Cow Stretch 60 seconds Kneel on hands and knees with hands directly below shoulders. With a forward pushing motion, arch your back; hold position for 5 seconds. Then allow your back to sag, forming a concave shape; hold for 5 seconds. Breathe normally throughout the entire stretch.
Alternating Hammer Curls 5-8lbs, 20 repitions Sit in a chair or stand with feet hip width apart with a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your elbows close to your sides and your wrists in a straight, neutral position, curl the dumbbells upward one at a time, exhaling as you flex. Inhale as you lower your arms back to the starting position.
Chair Dips Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your hands holding the front of the seat. Carefully walk your feet out so that you have a slight bend in the knees and are supported by your heels and arms. Inhale and slowly lower your body down, then exhale while pressing back up into the starting position. Keeping your back straight and the edge of the chair close to your body

Lower Body
Squats with Band Stand on elastic fitness band with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the ends of the band firmly in your hands. Inhale and slowly bend at the knees and hips until your body is at chair height, being sure to keep head up and back straight. Slightly curl elbows as you bend to maintain resistance on legs. Return to the starting position, exhaling as you go.
Side Steps Stand with legs together. Step to the side with your right foot, bending both knees to assume a small squat position as the foot lands on the floor. Straighten your knees while bringing your right foot back to center. Repeat in the opposite direction. Breathe normally throughout the exercise; do not hold your breath.
Front Leg Crosses Stand with both feet together. Slowly and carefully, balance on one leg and bring the other leg out to the side. Cross the outside leg in front of your planted leg, exhaling as you go. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Core Body
Raised Head Crunches  Lie back on a mat with your knees bent and cross your arms above your chest. Crunch forward by pushing your lower back into the mat and squeezing your abdominal muscles, exhaling as you go; your shoulders should lift up off the mat and your head should go straight up toward the ceiling (do not let your chin roll forward). Inhale as you return to the starting position.
Cobra Stretch Lie on your stomach on a mat and position your hands just beneath your shoulders. Gently push up while arching your back, keeping your hips on the mat at all times. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally.

Post-Workout Stretches
C-Curve Stretch Stand with feet slightly apart and arms out in front of you at shoulder level. Clasp hands together, drop your chin toward your chest and push arms as far out as possible, forming a C-curve with your upper back. You should feel the stretch in the middle of your upper back, near your shoulder blades. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally.
Chest Expansion Stand with your hands clasped behind your back and gently lift them up and back as far as possible. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally.
Overhead Triceps Stretch  Stand with feet together and hold one arm straight out in front of you at shoulder level; bend elbow to touch your shoulder. Grasp your elbow with your opposite hand and gently push your arm up. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally. Repeat on the other side.
Rear Bicep Stretch Stand with hands clasped behind your back and gently lift them up as far as possible. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally.
Butterfly Stretch Sit on a mat with the heels of your feet pressed together, letting your knees drop to the side as far as is comfortable. Rest your hands on your ankles and gently lean forward. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally.
Seated Angled-Leg Stretch Sit on a mat with the heels of your feet pressed together, letting your knees drop to the side as far as is comfortable. Rest your hands on your ankles and gently lean forward. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, breathing normally.

Cardiovascular Goal: 75 min.
This week, aim for 75 minutes total of aerobic activity; each session should last at least 25 minutes and should safely elevate your heart rate.

I know it's a super busy week but make sure you are doing your workouts.

Eating Well Will Keep You Sassy!

All the cool kids are doing it and this time you should be doing it too. Eat Organic! The pros far outweigh the cons. To be honest I can't think of any cons. I know that eating organic and local food can be expensive but eating foods that are organic will help you eliminate harmful toxins from your body. Foods that contain artificial ingredients come from a farm that uses tons of chemicals in their fertilizers and pesticides. Do you really want to put unnatural ingredients into your body? Your body needs preservative and chemical free foods to enhance your overall health. If you don’t eat quality foods your body won’t functions well and your looks will suffer. Boo!

The meat you eat should be grass fed and antibiotic free and chicken should always be free range. If you are wondering why the cut of your meat is so important check out the movie Food Inc. Truly disgusting and an eye opener.

Most grocery stores offer Organic food and it’s not too expensive! Sometimes the natural foods are more affordable! How awesome is that? Who doesn’t love a sale?

Make smart choices now to ensure you stay sassy in your Golden Years.

Sassy Starts at Seven

To be a Sassy Girl you have to start early.  Here are some ways to make sure your kids grow up to be as sassy as possible. 

Let's face it veggies and kids don't mix. Most kids refuse to eat anything healthy and usually want something that comes from a box ie. Mac and cheese and cooking two separate meals is too time consuming. Who has time for that? How do you make sure the kids in your life eat less fast food and prepackaged meals? Making the enitre family change their lives is hard but there are some very simple ways to make eating vegetable appealing. 

You can't just hand kids baby carrots without hearing "YUCKIE" or "I don't like it." You have to make the food look good. You expect your food to be visually attractive. Your kids think the same way.

What exactly defines healthy foods? 

• 100% whole grains (pasta, bread, etc.)

• Organic foods

• Hormone-free meats

• Raw produce

You want the food you feed yourself and your kids to be as natural as possible but the trick is to make it healthy without making a big deal of it. Example: Grilled cheese made with 100% whole grain (make sure it has no high fructose corn syrup...you might have to spend .20 more for a quality loaf but the pros far outweigh the cons), no processed cheese (no Kraft Singles), and instead of using butter to make sure the bread doesn't stick to the pan use just a few drops of all natural olive oil.

You are in control. Make sure you think outside the box by trying to "sneak" in fruits and veggies where your kids won't expect it. Like to sweeten a smoothie add fruit or make a veggie smoothie. They can get almost 3-4 servings in one sitting. Awesome!

Fitness Challenge

Hi Sassy Ones,

I've been crazy busy this week and I apologize for not posting sooner.  I will post your next fitness challenge and then give you a real blog entry in another post.

Sass it up Challenge

When using weights for your upperbody try starting a few pounds heavier than you usually go. Don't worry you won't bulk up! Women don't produce enough testerone to become huge. Challenge yourself and don't get comfortable

Step Ups:

This is the best exercise to lift your backside. No droopy butt here! Grab a chair and go. You will get some cardio because when you step onto something your heart rate climbs. Try them between sets of arm or ab work.

1. ·       Stand, feet shoulder-width apart, in front of the chair with the seat-side facing you

2. ·       Raise your right foot onto the chair seat with your left foot on the floor only for balance.

3. ·       Push off your right foot, springing your body straight up into the air.

4. ·      Land with your left foot on the chair seat and your right on the floor for balance

5. ·       Push off your left foot, springing your body straight up into the air

6. ·       Land with your right foot on the chair seat and your left on the floor for balance

Repeat steps 3 through 6 several times adding more repetitions as your legs strengthen over time.

Add this to what you are already doing (from the previous challenge posts) and do at least 3-4 intense cardio workouts 30-45 minutes

Sassy Fitness Challenge 2

Let’s face it changing how you live is hard. With running around shopping for sassy holiday gifts, attending holiday parties and finding time to exercise there doesn’t seem like enough hours in the day. Don’t let old habits derail you from making smart food and exercise choices. To keep yourself on track for the next few days pay attention to what you put in your mouth and add these exercises to the mix.


I'll be back in a few days to give you your next challenge

Nutritional Challenge:  Eat at least one serving of veggies with every meal.

Fitness Challenge:

In addition to 2 sets of 10-15 full form pushups

1.     3 sets of Forearm Plank hold 20-60 seconds

2.     2 sets of 12-15 body weight squats

3.     1 intense cardio session for 30-45 minutes  (ie. spinning, running, power walk, whatever you like to do to get your heart rate up)




I

25 Days Of Fitness

It's officially Christmas time. I can start celebrating in public instead of secretly listening to holiday tunes quietly in my living room while my hubby is sleeping. This time of year is super stressful with parties, family obligations, work deadlines, travel, the list goes on and on but making sure you make some time for yourself aka working out will help you get through the season with sass and style

I'm going to help you through this one. I will post a fitness challenge (homework) for you 2x a week. I want you to do them and see how making a fun challenge will help you keep you fitting into your fun party dress all season long. 

The Challenge

Try to complete these challenges by the next time I post (I'll post again in a few days)

•                2 sets of 12-15 Full Form Push ups

•                2 intense cardio sessions (spinning, running, aerobics class....whatever you like to do to get your heart rate up.) 

•                For a total of 10 flights take the stairs instead of the elevator. 

Be a good girl and do your workouts so can end up on Santa's good list.

 If you already workout, you can simply add the challenges to your current routine…no problem!

It's time to sass it up girl!