Hey Ya’ll,

First of all thank you for listening and your replys to my last blog. But lets face it…in the end i’m just a crazy, fun loving, smiley, lovey girl…who really doesnt like to stir trouble unless its something I feel REALLY needs attention. Let me assure you that Richard has been amazing in his response to the issue! So I think maybe some good definatly came from that blog and everyones support and suggestions!! So WAY TO GO EVERYONE!!! Including bb.com admin!

Now remember ya’ll…it does take time to make and see changes…so lets all have some patience with the process…

And in the meantime…I hit an awesome workout yesterday!! Went a little like this:

20 Overhead squats - 55lb bar

20 weighted ab crunches on stability ball

20 Squats with push press - 55lb bar

20 Bench press off the stability ball

5 minutes on the heavy bag

20 Squats

20 hip raises with 25lb plate

20 minute run ~ kids on bikes carrying my water!! lol

This morning I woke up and just totally felt like dancing!! Even dispite having to work until midnight last night doing inventory at the store! But my girls are so awesome that I work with…we had fun and laughed dispite the long hours and tediousness of counting suppliment and vitamin stock!

Anyway, this morning I slipped on the coin scarves and belly danced for an hour! Now if anyone thinks that belly dance isnt one hell of a good workout…I think they should try it!! Your abs work to the extreme…your calves, hips and thighs all get a workout! And I dance with scarves…so that means even my arms are always involved in the dance! I love it!!

Tonight was all about the boxing! I wrapped my wrists and pulled on my gloves. Re hung my heavy bag (apparently I do throw one hell of a punch cause i’ve dropped the bag off some damn huge nails! lmao). My son timed me and I did 5 - 3 minute rounds, WOW is that a workout!! But it was awesome!! The best compliment was when my son went ‘HOLY WOW mom…you hit hard!’ he went on to tell me he thinks anyone dumb enough to get on the other end of my hit would be down fast! lmao

O.k. so I really am a peace loving hippy type…but still…I love that I can rock it with my gloves!! He and I are going to re join the boxing club! It will be SO cool to see if Coach lets me box with the boys again. Its that heavy hit that caused him to let me train with the boys before….so lets see if I still got it!

Well..luv ya all my wonderful, supportive, intelligent and amazing bodyspace peoples!!

In the Eye of the Storm

Because after over a year on bodyspace I have noticed a very sad trend in bodyspace admin’s own ‘discrimination’ where photos are concerned. Now I am not the first person to blog about this. And for the record…I have NO issues with sexy and provocative photos. In fact, I think a lot of them are simply deliscious! lol

What I do have a HUGE issue with and what caused The Storm to get so fired up…is the discrimination on which photos stay up versus which photos get pulled.

Every photo that I have had up this weekend has been pulled at one time or another. This doesnt bother me so much, mostly because I know who went onto my page and complained about them and honestly having my first little jealous hater means I must be doing something right.

BUT…what tipped me over the edge was that  a friend of mine had her photo pulled, a photo not NEARLY as provocative as the girl in the top six who’s nipple is clearly visible (again…I dont have an issue with that photo…she is a pretty girl) BUT….my friend was written by someone at the bb.com admin telling her that ’some women are porches while others are merely volkswagons’.

JAW DROP! Are you kidding me??? I saw and read this pm from bodyspace to my friend and was mortified! Are we really going to go the route of sexism and discrimination to that point where we actually will tell a member that??? SHAME ON YOU BODYSPACE ADMIN!

If you make a policy stating which pictures are appropriate for this site YOU MUST FOLLOW YOUR POLICY FOR ALL PEOPLE ON THE SITE! To refer to women as cars as a reason to remove a picture is sexist beyond belief and not to mention extremely high school! WOW!

In my protest I have had a few other women come forward with shocking words that they have been told by admin over their photos as well. There appears to me to be not only a discrimination over chest size on the site but also ageism.

In the private message from bb.com to my friend it also stated that, ‘They do not have enough moderators to be checking all photos to keep up with this site.’

Now while I could see that that could be an issue AGAIN when the top six girl has a nipple showing I am inclined to call BULLSHIT and look for the issue that REALLY allows one woman on the site to show whatever she wishes over the other women who’s photos get pulled so quickly!

Honestly, I have always avoided blogs on this hot topic for two reasons;

1. I really dont mind the sexy photos

2. It didnt bother me until I saw the pm where we women were compared to cars! Then it became an issue of sexism! When the pm went on to say they cant keep up with all of the pictures on the site….but the top 6 girl…right there in front of their face has a nipple showing….

BODYSPACE ADMIN SHAME ON YOU! You have such a wonderful site where so many people are so totally supportive of one another…so how on earth could you possibly write such and unsupportive and derogatory letter to one of your female members??? And as I have done this open protest, others have come forward with similar stories of your letters to them! Showing that you REALLY do discriminate and are very sexist! Is this really what you want for your site??

I suggest that IF you set a rule for what we can put up as photos THAT RULE APPLY TO EVERYONE! From the housewife and stay at home moms to the models and fitness pro’s! It needs to stand across the board so that you dont wind up in a legal suit against you based on sexism, ageism and discrimination!

And now…I’m done! lol I have said my peace! Hopefully raised a few eyebrows and opened a few minds!! Again, I want to repeat, I am a free - spirited hippy type who really has NO issue at all with the provocative photos and would love to put mine up in my gallery…that is NOT the issue at hand. The issue IS the discrimination! Lets clean that up bb.com Admin!

In the Eye of the Storm

First of all, I cant thank the honesty of wannagetlean’s blogs enough for the heads up on the symptoms related to Adrenal Fatigue! I have been treating it with a product called ‘Adrenal Life’ which is a herbal suppliment that the store I work at has. And its working! I am already starting to feel more myself!

I’m also taking Pantothenic Acid ~ The B vitamin responsible for the production of the adrenal hormones and the formation of antibodies (Nutritional Healing-4th Edition).

Along with the Adrenals i’m also treating a slow thyroid again with herbal natural remedies and after 3 weeks treating the adrenals and 10 days the thyroid…my energy level is back to what I would consider ‘normal’ for me! I’m aching to get back at the crossfit workouts (although I will continue the yoga and keep the crossfit to 3 times a week with 2 old school lifting days and two days of total rest ~ well yoga days! lol)

I’ll keep the cardio to just the crossfit workouts for now. There is enough running usually involved and I want to work the muscles hard for awhile again!

I’m still working on my Nutritional Healing Course! Its a huge course! But i’m learning lots! I started my 12 year old son on E.F.A.’s over a month ago and he is doing fantastic with them!! First of all, I have gotten a call home from the school saying he is like a totally different person! His concentration level is WAY better! He is also loosing some of the small amount of body fat he has gained over the past year! So i’m excited for both!

 Lets see…what else…hmmm….well I will be traveling again soon and I cant wait!! Although not as far away as Japan…just into my native USA! But that is always so awesome!! I love all ya’ll Americans so much!! I love my Canadian family too…seriously I have THE best of both worlds by having the border open to me!! Now if I could just get it open to my kids and like SOON!

Hmmm…this blog is kinda scattered eh! lol Maybe I need more of those EFA’s! lmao

The yoga has been fantastic!! I love it! But I always have!! I confess to having double jointed hips…so many of the poses are very easy for me! But I lack strength in my wrists…so while attempting the crow position the other day I almost fell on my face! (for those of you who arent familiar with that pose…its knees on elbows totally suspended by your hands!) I’ve also discovered that my calves are tight! CRAZY TIGHT! I can barely do the downward facing dog and always have to be on my tip toes while doing this move! Not a huge deal, but I am working on that!

I’m also studying the ‘Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga’ by Deepak Chopra as a prerequisit to taking the Chopra Centres Yoga instructor certification which is high on my list of ‘to do’ for early next spring!!

Well everyone….I hope your all still going hard, smiling lots and loving life!!

Hugs from the House of Storm

I havent done a WOD in a week! And I love it! My body needed the break! So i’ve been doing yoga, belly dance and running!! I put down the weights for a week…and i’m o.k. with that! lol

After reading an awesome blog by a very inspiring woman on the site, I was enlightened to the fact that I too am suffering Adrenal Fatigue. Not quit as severly as the other member…but enough that it is affecting my life. After reading an awesome article in a health magazine also on the same topic, I learned that ’stress’ is the biggest factor that brings on this condition. So lets recap a few things in my life that probably lead to this…lol…I have been a single mom for 12 years who just just barely makes the poverty line. I drive a car that in the winter 2/3 of the time doesnt start or breaks down. When I was getting ready to compete this spring I was working 3 jobs, training clients and welll keeping my house together and being a mom/dad. I’m fighting for a settlement from my ex who makes over 150,000  a year and pays 1/8 of the amount he is supposed to pay….and he HIDES by never giving an address so he cant be served easily (prayers on this are SO welcome!!). I live thousands of miles away from my family and miss my brothers terrible (o.k. tears…shesh) AND on top of all of that…I am BADASS in the gym! lol I think the competition and getting ready for it really ran me down. And its been a struggle to get my energy back on track since. I also went threw a majoy heart break this spring and loosing a job that I loved after 7 years due to gym politics and back stabbing. SOOOOOOOO….

O.k. enough complaining. I’m really a very optimistic person who dispite all of this smiles and laughs lots!! My kids and I have had a blast over the years and I couldnt be more proud of them or more thrilled to be their mom dispite the hardships…we all laugh and do our best! So its all good!! AND I have had some amazing trips this past year (going to Texas twice and Japan…and i’m heading on yet another trip soon!! This might mean picking up a 3rd job again…but I do know how to make things happen!! And if I want something bad enough I have no fear of working super hard to get it!!)

SO…some changes…first of all it is AWESOME to work in a Health and Nutrition store!! We have all sorts of access to herbal and vitamin therapy for different conditions! I am on something called ‘Adrenalife’ and already am feeling SO much more energy!! I gave up meat 2 weeks ago after just NO desire to eat tuna or chicken. So i’m working with a vegetarian diet at the moment. And feeling amazing for it!! I do drink whey protein shakes to help keep my protien levels up!

AND…i’m spending more time doing yoga, meditation and belly dance! Very soothing and at the moment that is exactlly what I need! I will throw in some WOD’s starting next week again..but probably keep it to twice a week for the next month to let my body continue to heal!

AND…in all of this…i’m FINALLY loosing weight again!! YAY! I had stalled out so badly and was putting on weight (another symptom of adrenal fatigue). I would honestly encourage anyone who is just having challenges with energy levels, mild depression, sleep difficulties, low blood pressure and mood swings (the list of symptoms is extensive) to get their adrenals checked out. Especially if ya’ll know that your working out UBER hard and have a lot of stress in your life.

O.k. so some other confessions and pet peeves:

1. I HATE bad drivers and have REALLY crazy road rage! roflmao (Bet ya’ll wouldnt have guessed that eh! But come on…I am Italian/Irish)

2. My kids NEVER put the cap on the toothpaste and it drives me nuts! lmao

3. I miss my brothers BIG TIME!

4. Halloween is MY favorite Holiday!! (I might be in Texas for it this year!! WHOOOHOOOOO)

5. I recycle everything! BUT…cannot stand putting my hands in dirty dishwater so I go threw a TON of dish soap. lol

6. I am a HUGE geek who reads a lot! lol

7. Im going to see Elton John in concert on monday night with my coworker and am SO excited! I LOVE Elton John (I know….not helping the ‘geek’ issue)

8. I love to dance! And dance all the time! Sometimes even getting busted dancing at work!

9. Guys walking past the store will look in and then make up a reason to come into talk to me! Roflmao…HEY that feels good though!

10. Final confession or pet peeve for the day….I CANT STAND GROSS PICK UP LINES! Not even a little! While im not at all conservative…I like men who have some class!! And honestly it totally shows in your pick up lines and pm’s! lmao

Alright Ya’ll! Hope your having an fantastic weekend!! And going hard!! Thank you to all of you who right such real blogs and share your stories and daily life…you never know who you touch or educate by doing so!!

And for all ya’ll Texas friends….hope your all safe right now! Your in my thoughts and prayers!

In the Eye of the Storm

I love contrast! Maybe its my gemini personality…but I liked the idea of ‘Glamourous Mud!’ lol

O.k. so onto todays workout!! First of all…it took like 3 days before my legs would work right after the ‘Murph’ workout! HOLY that was brutal!

First part of workout:

20 Overhead squats - 55lb bar

20 Bench press off the ball - 55lb bar

30 Front bar Squats - 55lb bar

30 Pushups

40 Back Squats - 55lb bar

40 Bicep curls - 1st 15 with the 55lb bar then switched to 10lb dumbbells

I did this in 7 minutes 34 seconds. Took a little break…long enough to switch my bar plates so that I had a 90lb bar and then did 10 Cleans!

Then I did the WOD from Saturday which consisted of 4 - 400 metre runs for time with 2 minute breaks. They were supposed to be sprints…but I can only sprint about half the 400 metres then have to go into a run.

Its 6C in Canada today which is about 14F! And it is pouring rain! But I still headed to the track and did 3 of the 4 runs. The first run time was 2 minutes 34 seconds. My second time was actually a little faster by 12 seconds…and my third time SUCKED! 3 minutes 10 seconds…I had to walk the last 100 metres because I had a ‘runners cramp’ in my side! So with a sore ear from the cold and rain and a cramp…I wussed out of the 4th run (blushing). I hate wussing out of anything! AGHRRRR

Well all my wonderful, bubbly, crazy workout friends! Hope ya’ll had an awesome weekend!! Didnt let the carb bugs grab you too bad!! But still lived, danced and had fun!!

In the Eye of the Storm

That muddy chick!

30 Squat with Press ~ 55lb bar

20 Chest press ~ 55lb bar off the ball!

20 Sumo Squats ~ 55 lb bar (I need to buy some more plates for my bar on payday! lol

15 bicep curls with…you guessed it the 55lb bar

then I did 15 more Squat press!!

An hour and a half later I jumped on my mtn bike and headed to the park for the WOD from Crossfit which today was ‘Murph’! A workout in tribute of a fallen soldier…so with much determination….I got threw it! (except  that i took out the pull ups altogether) This is how I did:

1 mile run  on the track ~ 8 minutes 31 seconds!! (Flag football team playing in the middle of the field was GREAT motivation as well!! lol)

200 pushups and 300 squats which I broke into 10 sets of 20 and 30 and did them all! HOLY at the end of that my legs were shaking SO badly…but push on…

1 more mile run! But the second run took me 11 minutes! I had to walk a few times and I REAAAALY had to talk my legs into continuing on for me! Once I finished up I got back on my bike and did the 6 minute bike ride home! Crawwwled up the stairs to the shower and now here I sit! What an awesome workout!! My stomach….almost met pukey a few times during the last run!

I’m determined to keep pushing on and pressing forward!! The kids go back to school on Thursday and then get a long weekend. But i’m so excited!! September always means I get to get back into a good routine and hit the gym steadily! So it will be awesome to see what a full fall and winter of crossfit workouts produces!!

Well ya’ll, hope your pressing on threw your workouts and staying motivated!!

In the Eye of the Storm

After buying a bar and some weights for it two days ago I’m finding it easier to get back into the irons! I did a crossfit workout at home today with some changes to the routine to fit the equipment I have at home!!

20 Overhead Squats - 55lbs

20 Ball Crunches

30 Squat with press - 55lbs (these turned into squats with thrusts by 15 as my arms were burning big time…but I made it threw!)

30  Chest press on the ball with 55lb bar (had to stop once but got them all in!)

40 Squats with 55lb bar behind neck

40 bicep curls with 10lb dumbbells

50 air squats

50 full sit ups

I’m dead and done! lol I’m taking the naNOx9 and seeing how my body responds to it while lifting trying to get a bit more pump in my arms! Veins are definatly popping especially in my shoulders! I want to see what I can do over the fall and winter and keep the idea of competing again in the spring in mind! At least by that time I will be moved and settled in well and with much luck and imagination…hopefully starting my own gym!!

I have been working on finishing up my I.S.S.A. and have about 5 more chapters until I write the exam!!! Then I will be able to work as a trainer in the US as well as Canada!! And i’m also doing a photo shoot FOR a girlfriend of mine I used to work with at the gym next week!! My next photo shoot is about 10 days away….i’m waiting to order and recieve a specific pair of boots for what I have in mind!! Like Trish Stratus said in her video…I’m always looking to tell a story with my photos!!

Well all my beautiful friends who read my blogs….that catches me up for today!! Hope you all hit the irons or the roads hard today!!

Cyber kisses and hugs

In the Eye of the Storm

Im so hoping that I managed to embed this video!! Trish Stratus is one of the women that I have always idealized! She is gorgeous! Sexy as hell and tough as nails!! I love it!! I needed a little extra inspiration tonight to get my bootay shakin threw a good workout…so I was on youtube scouting out Trish and David Beckham…lol Two of my favorite athletes in the world and SO day and night! lol (There’s that yin/yang personality again eh! So if this worked…I also added my own ‘WWE Diva’ look from a photo shoot that I did at the gym a year ago!

Well…with lots of inspiration I powered threw a tough home workout tonight. I purchased a barbell and some weights today to add to my home collection. And did two rounds of:

20 squat press

15 bench press off the ball

15 db incline press off the ball

20 ball crunches

20 side ball crunches

20 back extensions off the ball

15 straight leg dead lifts

15 tricep extensions

15 bicep curls

I went threw this twice and it felt GREEEAT!! I only took 2 minutes between rounds for a break and just powered threw! My arms are a bit shaky and uber pumped! I love it! Its been awhile since i’ve touched the irons and I was honestly starting to miss it!! Love the boxing and the belly dance….but wow…I do love to lift to!!

I have no news on my move just yet…hopefully very soon! Hope everyone is enjoying the end of summer to its fullest! I cant believe in two weeks my little girl (cough cough…who is now a full inch taller than me) becomes a junior in highschool (grade 9 in Canada…its different than the US)!! CRAZY!

Well all ya’ll (thanks to a fellow crossfitter i’m learning ‘Texanese’ lol) hope ya’ll have an awesome week! I’m fixin to hit a hot bath now and soak some tired muscles right after I eat my last meal which is a deliscious Pina Colada frozen Protein treat!! WHOOOOHOOOO!!

Later babes

In the Eye of the Storm

Anyway, moving onto workouts!

Ahhh…yes the Yin and Yang of workouts….this is how I have decided my workout life is at the moment!! One minute going hard boxing and kick boxing my heavy bag and tearing up my feet (HAVE to buy kickboxing shoes/boots soon) and the next belly dancing to arabic and tantric drum music!! Last night it was belly dance….ohhh what a wonderful way to get in touch with the Goddess that lays deep inside of each one of us women!! So ready to be sensual and delight in music, jingly shiny coin scarves that feel amazing as they shake and play with the skin on your thighs and hips…playing in an exotic energy that transforms you back in time to far off lands and mmmm…o.k. I LOVE to belly dance! I own 15 hip scarves and 2 full outfits and have designed two of my own as well! (ummm…yes this IS my girlie side guys! lol)

THEN…tonight…DA DA DA….hands wrapped and slide into my red gloves, down into my dirty dungeon of a basement….music cranked loud….and its GO TIME! That heavy bag did not see it coming! I jabbed, punched, round house kicked, side boxed, upper cut, scissor kicked and killed the damn thing! Knocked it off its hinges twice! And kept going back for more for over an hour! (ummm…so yeah when Fergie’s song ‘Glamorous’ came on I actually broke down laughing and started wiggling my hips again! lol)

I finished the workout off after deciding the top of my right foot (I kick with my right more and punch more with my left…go figure!) was so raw that I HAD to stop…and then I hit the floor and did 100 pushups and 100 full sit ups! Then 40 side crunches each side! AND I’m done……unless I decide to belly dance later….lol

Eating clean is going great!! I have had my one allowed cheat and had ice cream with my kids on sunday night. Mmmmm…with hemp protein seeds sprinkled on top! They are GREAT on rolled oats too! And so much omega and nutritional value (I can see all my american friends shaking their heads ‘Damn Canadians eh!’ lmao No worries…there is no ‘fun’ value in eating hemp BUT tons of protein!!)

Well ya’ll…til soon

In the Eye of the Storm

Keep thunderin on!! And find your yin and your yang!! Dont neglect either side boys and girls!

I worked up a sweat til I was drenched! Soooo lady like…roflmao I am definatly thinking its time to go back into boxing and maybe kick boxing! I mean…with legs that can press 865lbs…that is some major collatoral damage waiting to happen! lol And since I DEFINATLY dont punch like a girl…I mean…with two brothers how on earth could I ever have learned to punch like a girl!??? lol

Ok i’m still charged from that workout!! And very excited that I was able to keep my hands in front of my face quit well! When I was in boxing 3 winters ago the coach wanted me to drop weight training a bit because my lats were not allowing me to block punches properly. At that time….with the goal still to compete in Figure I decided to give up boxing. Now…just like the mtn biking is definatly back on…i’m rethinking the boxing too!!

What I love most about the crossfit workouts is that they support these types of sports!! My cardio is in way better shape than ever before!! My strength is dead on!! And i’m quick as a cat (well in my mind….roflmao)

Diet has been going good but I definatly miss carbs. Mostly for the energy they bring. I dont have the kind of energy to power threw the intense strength moves that crossfit requires…so i’m mostly biking and doing plyo’s and well…that heavy bag provided THE best workout in a week!!

I’ve also been doing a lot of writing lately and have been in a very creative place!! I love it!! So ya’ll ‘Mind/Body/Spirit….LETS GO!! Have a fantabulous week!!

In The Eye of the Storm