Just when you think you are fit...: Ab-solutely!

Just when you think you are fit...: Ab-solutely!: These last few days have been so beautiful! It makes me anticipate summer and all the wonderful things that come with it, especially all the...

Ab-solutely!

These last few days have been so beautiful! It makes me anticipate summer and all the wonderful things that come with it, especially all the days I plan on spending on the beach. But lets be honest, most of us get a little freaky and weird when we think of getting in a bathing suit. It's only March. There is plenty of time to get our asses in motion! There is no butts about it, crunching the Ab issue will give us a little peace of mind at the edge of that ocean blue. There is this abdominal routine that is said to itty bitty our bellies. Remember that Spartan movie that came out a few years back? The one with all those perfectly buff men and women? Well, I suppose they may have done this routine. It's called 'Spartan 300'. There is no deciphering this one. The name stands for what it means. 300 abdominal moves to bring out that spartan in you! It's not for the faint of heart. It's some serious moves for that serious person who can stick with all that serious pain for a seriously cool mid-section. I've done this routine several times over the last few months in a class that specifically targets abs. I did it yesterday and I'm sure to do it next week. It's not easy and if you haven't worked on your abs for awhile, and actually get through it, you may not be able to belly laugh for a few days. But, you will be well on your way to a leaner stomach. The video below is by my favorite personal trainer, Robin Shean. She has killer abs! Check it out. Tell me what you think. Try it and then also, tell me what you think. The first three exercises uses a bench but you can modify if you don't have one. Do it all on the floor. The first set can be crunches instead of The Hanging Bench Abs. Why am I trying to sell you this routine? It's simple. It targets every part of your mid-section and if you are faithful and do this once or twice a week... You will look f-ab-ulous! Aside from looking great and feeling confident, there are other benefits to having great abs. Strong abdominal muscles improves your stability and balance. Your Basal Metabolic Rate will also be higher and that will increase the amount of fat you burn. And more importantly, low fat percentages will keep your cholesterol level and blood pressure level fairly low. You'll also be less prone to depression or suffer from heart disease. Should you try this even once? Ab-solutely.

It's B time!

I'm just hours away from leaving to a land far far away, where the sand is white, the ocean is turquoise and the frozen strawberry daiquiris are bottomless! My bags are packed, got my pedicure and I've been spray tanned (insert smiley emoticon here). This mama is ready to hit the beach! These last few days, I've been reminiscing about the last few weeks; where I was physically and where I am mentally today. I feel stronger. I went from working out hard one day and then not being able to walk normal for a few days... To now... Where I can run 2 miles on the treadmill and still have energy to burn after. Yes, I feel strong. Last week, I ran 8 miles in total. I hardly ever run. But over the last few weeks I've developed this insane stamina and energy. It's crazy what a little commitment will do for you. I finally weighed myself this week. I was really dreading it. I don't know why. But I made it on the scale and what do you know. I didn't gain or lose a pound. Those three numbers made me so happy! This experience made me realize that unless you are extremely overweight, numbers are just numbers. Even if I were 5 or 10 pounds heavier, I'd still feel great. I build up my 'fitness' confidence over the last few weeks and have a positive outlook in life. Now it's 'B' time! Bahama Mamas, Bikinis and Beach time! This week, I missed my training session and didn't go to the gym for 2 days. But I had a great reason. I was present at the birth of my lovely little niece. Her name is Isabella Maria and she is as beautiful as her name. My sister, Marina, inspires me every day. She is so strong and hard working and is going to be a wonderful mama. I've decided to continue my blogs but not as personal. I will post some delicious healthy recipes, maybe some fitness tips and anything fitness related. My trainer also agreed to do some video blogs with me. We'll see what we can come up with! In the meantime, enjoy your weekend. I know I will!

Making it count...

It's been a week since my last blog. I am not slacking but life took over this mama. With school vacation and the stomach bug running amuck in the Papaporfiriou household, writing or taping a blog just seemed wrong. This brings me to something I really want to talk about; balance. I don't mean on a beam or on one foot but juggling a household, children, work and still have time for ourselves? I was talking to a very good friend today who seemed at wits end trying to figure out the complexity of adding health and fitness to her everyday life. I can tell you first hand. It's not easy. In fact, it's sometimes ridiculously difficult. There are times when you wake up in the morning and you just know its going to be a good day. You get dressed and notice your bum seems perky from all those squats. The kids are cooperating. Your hair and make-up are flawless. You go out, find a $20 bill on the ground and you get your nails done courtesy of the person who had a really bad day and lost that $20. And sometimes, you wake up and feel you don't have your shit together. Your child is screaming bloody murder, you are scrambling to get her dressed but you realize her clothes are still in the washing machine. You ran out of your favorite K-cups and you have no lunch for your 8-year old. So, you hop in your gas less car with 20 bucks in your pocket hoping to grab one of those Lunchables at the market. But you lose that 20 bucks somewhere between the gas station and the supermarket. It's not going to be a good day. At this point, working out seems worlds away. How do you do it and still maintain some sort of balance in your life? Men will likely disagree with me. But I really, truly believe women have it harder. We feel that men want us to look great, have a squeaky clean house, no laundry, perfect children and a 3 or 4 course meal on the table when he gets home. In theory, the 1960's barbie doll trophy wife is not far fetched. But in reality, it isn't reality. We are too hard on ourselves. So what if your bed isn't fixed. Does that make you messy? Big whoop if there is a dish in the sink or a couple loads of laundry in the family room. Does that mean you are dirty? And what if there is only Mac and Cheese on the table once in awhile. Does that mean you are not Giada? After my second child, I quickly learned that we can't have it all. But on those really great days, make it count. You make sure it's memorable. End dinner with a little massage for your hard working man and give your kids some treats because they were good. And remember that stash of Godiva chocolate no one knows about? Have one. Life is short. Those really great days will make you a star in their eyes and in your heart. The bad days can bite us. Simply laugh it off like its the opening act for a headlining comedian. Shrug your shoulders and smile. For every bad day, there are several good ones. Moral of the story: you can lose 20 but make sure you lose it working out. Its guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Working out & Sex

Week 3

Pre-Workout

Post-Workout

Boy, was I wrong. Heavy weights? Try 8 pounds! I never thought 8 pound weights would put me through a beating like the one I got today. I expected to go out there and hit the machines for weights. Jokes on me! Robin put my ass through a grilling. I don't think I ever worked this hard in the gym. Gone are the days of the elliptical and circuit training. This is a different animal! And let me add, I felt like one on the floor today grunting involuntarily, like those 300 pound meat heads lifting massive weights and dropping them like hotcakes, shaking the ground! Do you have a visual yet? It was a mere 8 pounds. I sound like a wimp, right? For this first time in 3 weeks, I was ready for my session to end. Don't get me wrong. I love working with my trainer. She is definitely a motivator and fun to work out with. But halfway through, I felt as though my lower body was a 5 alarm fire. If there was a puddle of water somewhere inside the gym, I would only need to sit on it so it could sizzle and evaporate. That's the type of burn I'm talking about. Looking forward to limping tomorrow. But tonight, its Red Velvet Cupcake time from 'Treat'! Happy Valentine's day!



Just when you think you are fit...: Weighty woe's...

Just when you think you are fit...: Weighty woe's...: I made a pact with myself. I will not step on a scale for 6 weeks! Its been 8 days and I'm still going strong. It's not that I want to see t...

Weighty woe's...

I made a pact with myself. I will not step on a scale for 6 weeks! Its been 8 days and I'm still going strong. It's not that I want to see the scale go down or that I don't want to see it go up, I just don't want to obsess. We judge ourselves more than we should with one little step onto that big scary scale. What if those numbers went down? Does it mean that I will look too skinny, anorexic or even a preteen? What if my weight went up? Does it mean that I'm slowly becoming a heavy weight in training? Am I doing something wrong? Am I eating too much? Will I look like a man? I simply want to avoid over analyzing the answers to any of these questions. Weight is such a touchy subject for many people. We constantly talk about it. I talk about it. And chances are, so do you. Let's try a little experiment. For 24 hours, try not to mention your weight or talk about gaining or losing weight to others. Let's go a little further. Can you stop *thinking* about your weight situation? Sounds easy, right? Try it and let me know how it goes. My point is, on any given day, we likely think more about how fat our thighs look or feel in those skinny jeans or whether anyone will notice the muffin top, than planning our next brisk walk. We've inadvertently made our weighty woe's second nature. During today's training session with Robin, she stopped and asked me if I weighed myself because I was looking lean. Part of me was excited to hear that and couldn't wait to get back to the locker room to weigh myself. But, I didn't. What if that scale went up? I would feel terrible even though I know better. My workout today was very different from anything I've ever done in the gym. It was hard work but so much fun! At one point, Robin placed the largest rubber band I've ever seen, around both our hips. I had to sprint across the gym as fast as I could while she tried to hold me back with that band. It was challenging but so much fun! I even ran backwards! I was actually a little sad when our session came to an end. Despite the sleepless nights and the sick children, today was a refreshingly good day. Later, I decided that whether the scale goes up or down, I will judge myself on how I feel and not on ridiculous numbers. I won't let 3 numbers define who I am and how I *should* feel. I will be happy that I'm challenging my mind and my body. I will allow myself a treat once in awhile. No matter what, mind over matter always wins! Peace...

From Spaghetti to Fettuccine!

Pumped up to deflated... Ugh!! Maybe next year Pats?

I hate to say this on the heels of the Pats defeat. But, shouldn't it feel wrong to feel this good? I walked into the house tonight, slowly, knowing the morale would be low. I was right. Peter's friends took off, likely in a hurry because a decent looking chocolate cake was just sitting there, lonely and untouched. Hmmm... I walked toward it, opened the box and the scent just came pouring out. That was enough to make me walk away. Funny how the smell of something so sinful makes you feel so satisfied. I approached the family room, cautiously. I saw my husband sitting there with a forced smile on his face. I knew he was bummed but at that moment all I can think of was how great my butt and hamstrings felt.  Seriously, that was my exact thought. I felt so guilty. It's sick.

I tried to liven the mood and to cover the fact that I was feeling good. Before I got home, Katerina asked me for another word meaning small and I said 'pee wee'. Katerina paused and then said, "The Pats will always be the best and the Giants should be called The Pee Wees". I thought it was funny for an 8 year old to say that. Peter smiled after hearing that. Mission accomplished!

Today, my legs went from feeling like 'spaghetti' to feeling like fettuccine. What does that mean? Well, spaghetti legs are wobbly, unstable and ready to collapse at any given moment. Fettuccine legs are somewhat wobbly but they are sturdier and stronger than its sickly competitor. And yes, I totally pulled that out of my ass but it makes sense, right?

Tomorrow is upper body day. I don't concentrate on one muscle/body part per session. I'm not looking to gain size. I am planning on working my bi's, tri's and shoulders and then maybe some abs. But tomorrow is also a special day, another good friend has decided to join the gym! Looking forward to our workouts my friend! Lights out...

"I've been thinking" Day 3

It's been a very difficult week, to say the least. Three days after starting an intense work-out, I'm asking myself if this seemingly never ending pain will go away. It's affecting my daily routine like doing laundry and having a carefree afternoon at TJ Maxx or Home Goods. How badly do I want this? I was feeling like this until I got two very inspiring phone calls in the last 24 hours. The first was from one of my BFF's. She called and proudly told me she went back to the gym yesterday and joined "Body Pump". This is my most favorite class. I squealed with excitement as though I won the lottery! I was happy she decided to do something good for herself. My
mouth was running miles a minute, giving her the rundown, the pros and con's and reassuring her that what she is doing for herself was inspirational. Filanada (my friend) be proud of yourself and spread the word! But, beware, I will be on you like white on rice. I will make you feel bad when you skip classes. Just saying...

The second call was from a friend/colleague. He inspired me to get back to the gym after my first daughter was born. He even designed a program to get me started. I was feeling skeptical before I got his call today. He told me he saw my blog and asked me where I got this renewed energy from. I didn't know how to answer. At that moment, I truly believed he was sent from a higher power to remind me not to give up. And it hit me, my drive comes from all the strong people around me. Whether its a simple phone call from a friend, a bear hug from my husband, kisses from my girls and even a good filinada (friend) who decided to take a leap of faith; I give you alla big THANK YOU!

I decided to take my own leap of faith. I hit the gym again, jumped on the treadmill for 45 minutes and then stretched my achy muscles for about 20 minutes. It didn't take the pain away but I decided to be proactive and to move forward confidently. At home, I made a protein shake, grabbed 2 bags of ice and hit the couch. At that moment, I felt as though something was missing. I got it! I jumped off the couch, put on my new designer shoes for the spring and got back into position, ice on the thighs and all! The next 15 minutes were the best! I got to stare at my new shoes while healing my painful thighs. Life is once again good! What's the moral of this blog, you ask? Two good friends and a pair of designer shoes heals all wounds! I'm ready for tomorrow's grueling work-out! Bring it...

Painfully Day 2

Yes, I was chewing gum. My mom would be so proud! I ended up doing an hour and 5 minutes on the treadmill and at a pretty good pace, somewhere between a turtle and a hare! Not bad, right? I felt a lot more pain. But, it was the good kind. The kind that you know, if you are feeling it, then you did something right. I have a friend, who sadly moved away from me, who would always say that she didn't want to work out because of the pain she felt the next day. And, I've always told her that for the most part, it means you did something right! So this is a BIG SHOUT-OUT to post workout muscle pain! The bad part of today is that my jeans are feeling a little tight. This is after just one day of intense training. I know enough to say that my muscles have retained water and that they are a little more 'bloated' than usual. If this happens, don't stop working out! You are *not* getting humongous. On the contrary, do more cardio and drink more water to flush it out. Eventually, you will see them get tighter. Do I believe this? Yes? Kinda? Sure, why not? Its happened to me on several occasions and it was fine after. I typically go back to 'normal' size and sometimes I see an improvement. 


I had a 'good' eating day, so far: a small bowl of oatmeal, a cup of coffee, 2 bottles of water, an apple and a chocolate peanut butter protein shake with a blended banana. But, I know tonight will be a 'bad' dinner night. It's Peter's birthday and he's requested a Party Favors cake and Chinese Food. It's okay, though. It's Peter's birthday and he's also training, so he deserves it. As for me? All aboard the choo choo train! Happy Birthday Baby!

Background of crazy me...

I'd like to think I have an active lifestyle. I'm a mother of two girls and a wife to a wonderful man. Like most moms, I start my days early in the morning; making breakfast, lunch, snacks and getting everyone ready including myself. I'm typically at the gym about 9am, taking classes, doing free-weights and at least 45 minutes of cardio everyday. And I  don't need to tell anyone who cares for kids, running after a 2 1/2 year old all day is a workout in itself! Nevertheless, I love the daily grind and consider it a challenge that I need to champion by 8pm. That's when the kids are in bed and I'm about to hit the couch for the first time on any given day.


Let's get this out of the way. I don't think I need to lose weight. In fact, I don't object to gaining a couple pounds of muscle. I wear a small size in clothing and I eat rather well. I don't deprive myself. If there is a cupcake in the house, many times I'll hide it from my kids so I can enjoy it later. And don't get me started on my most favorite type of food, pasta! I can inhale 2 bowls in less than 5 minutes and sometimes, I try to convince myself a third bowl is needed. Yes, this girl can eat, and I do!


On a fitness level, I've come to a transitional phase. I am at a point where I can either flat line or bump it up a few notches. And anyone who knows me, knows I love a challenge! So, I hired a trainer to change it up. This is no ordinary trainer. Robin is the bomb! She is a "no guts, no glory" type of trainer. She is not for the faint of heart. I anticipate her ab class all week. When Fridays roll around, I'm geared up for the Spartan 300 or whatever grueling abdominal exercises she has in store. I'm ready to sweat and puke for that 6 pack I've never, ever had. My exact words to Robin, "Kick my ass!" And she promised. 


In 5 weeks, I will be heading to the Caribbean. This is a perfect way to mentally and physically challenge myself. I will do it. I will rise to the occasion and work my ass off for 5 weeks so I can wear those Brazilian bikinis that arrived today, for 5 days. Bring it Baby!


Check out my video blog... enjoy... laughing is completely acceptable and encouraged. I have "before" pictures. I may post them. Stay tuned...