Links I Love

Every once in a while I like to share some stories, ideas, and products that I’ve come across recently. Here’s what I’m liking lately…

INSPIRATION

We Got This.

This cause is near and dear to my heart. Alex, a former client of mine, was unexpectedly diagnosed with lung cancer last year. He’s an amazing, positive, and friendly guy with an incredible and inspiring story. Click here to read all about it and support his journey.

Eat to Perform

Getting Bulky? Sheri Stiles hits close to home with this post at Eat to Perform.

“In the simplest terms, muscle is what people are referring to when they talk about bulk. Want to be ‘toned?’ You want lean arms? That’s ‘bulk.’ You want flat abs? That’s technically ‘bulk’ too. There is nothing wrong with putting on muscle, whether you’re a woman or a man.”

I can understand the concern that women have about “getting bulky”, but I really believe that this is entirely a matter of perception and goals. I have the kind of body that puts on muscle (bulk) really easily. I’m not leggy, I’m solid. I have a long beautiful torso (actually, my chiropractor told me that I have an “extra” vertebrae… pretty rad) Which means I have a relatively lean back and core. My legs are shorter and I suppose some might call them “bulky”. In yoga, I have trouble getting a full stretch in ‘cow face’ pose because my thighs get in the way. My butt sticks out in ‘warrior two’ no matter how much I tuck my pelvis under. My arms, in the same way, tend to have a “hulk-like” effect in some shirts. Shirts that fit my body, but yet fill out the sleeves in a sometimes not-so-comfortable way.

lean back. thick arms. beauty. — long back. thick arms. beauty and strength.

So to hear people say that as a women, lifting weights won’t make you bulky, kind of hits a nerve. And why? Is bulk bad? As Sheri so beautifully points out, HECK NO! Bulk is muscle. Muscle is strength. Strength is beautiful.

Eat, Lift, and Be Happy

Neghar Fonooni. This post. All of it.

“Perfect is something altogether unattainable and nonexistent, but it’s something that many of us think we need to obtain and maintain. Through constant media and social media influence, we’re led to believe that some people have it all figured out–and unless we figure it out too, we’ll never be good enough/fit enough/successful enough. But here’s the thing…

No one has it all together. No one.”

Miss Neghar has been an inspirational and empowering voice during my self-love journey and her 2014 wrap-up post will show you why.

Summer Innanen

Are you on Paleo and not losing any weight? Well, Summer has some insights for you. And they are ON POINT.

“I’m eating 100% ‘strict’, sleeping 8 hours every night, exercising ‘intelligently’, healing my gut…what the F is wrong with me? Why can’t I lose weight?”