Inspo.

You really don't need it.  Park on the street and walk..it's good exercise for your legs anyway.   (You see what I did there?)

Inspo.

I woke up to this thought today.

I said to myself that I can either let my worries control me, or I can simply do the small things that it takes to handle situations.   Take things one step at a time and do it with style!

I hope you ladies and gents take down your goes and do it on fleek!

*"Fleek" is my new fave slang term. And it's all thanks to Amber Rose.

Twinkle twinkle, baby!

Melissa

BETTER WORLD: REPRESENT

Do you ever feel like you're not being represented?  Sometimes you think 'not accurately', and sometimes you realize that you are 'not at all'.

That's how I feel a lot of the time, and that's why I blog.

I'm a female, black, tall, Christian, attractive, smart, athletic, funny, and happy person. 

I don't see me very often.

I see:

• Female, Black, short, attractive, smart, inquisitive, sarcastic, and happy
• Female, Black, short, okay-looking, well-educated, know-it-all, boring, and desperate for a man
• Female, white, medium-height (which maybe I am more than I am TALL), stay-at-home mom, crafty, married at 20 years-old in the middle of bible college
• Female, white, tall, attractive, party-girl, w/ a mind for business, 'typical', and shackin'!
• Female, African-American, short, big butt, weaved-out, smart, seeing a few guys, funny?, and confident

...but never myself.

I had this conversation with my best friend a while ago about how I feel like I'm missing from the media.  I remember realizing how much I actually look up to Michelle Obama, even at 23 (at the time), because of her skin complexion.  I look up to her, hope to meet & work with her, but still feel like she's not me.

The only people I know who I have anything in common with are my friends, sister, and mother.  Still, we are not perfect reflections of each other (THANK GOD)...

I don't see me in my work environments, and honestly, I don't see me in my play environments either!  (Sometimes on purpose.)

It's the strangest thing.

But that's why you should blog, go insty crazy, twitter, Facebook, pin, and tumbl, TOO!

We're missing your voice.  We haven't heard your story.  We don't know what we're missing, yet!

What do you have to say and how often do you want to say it?

I'm not a full-time/professional blogger, yet, but it's definitely something that I know for sure...  There is no such thing as too many bloggers or social media personalities.  Get up on YouTube!  Reboot your Wordpress.

WHY?

Because I need you.  The blogger that you look up to needs you.  The WORLD needs you!

How can you be used?  Who can you speak up for?

YES, some of us like to prepare more than others, but is your SEO more important that lighting someone else up and inspiring them to be great, proud, and encouraged??????

Think about that.

WHO CAN YOU REPRESENT?

with love,

Melissa.

xox! :)

I better 'go ahead' w/ my black, tall, athletic, smart, cute, funny SELF!!  Finished the Soldier Field 10 a few weeks ago!  #PROUD

POTENTIAL

Yesterday I posted this image to my personal FB wall...

It's very very true.

With that said I'm excited to announce that I sent out my first fitness newsletter today!  :  )  I will open it up more and more over time.  I am very excited to get the feedback and for the base to grow.

I'm very nervous, but pursuing a career in the fitness industry is very important to me and I know that the internet is a great avenue.

Besides that, I'm on a new workout schedule and already seeing some great side-effects.  Thanks for reading the posts, so far!

How can you act out your potential today?  Start a blog, start crunching numbers for that raise you want to ask for, call that friend that you admire and talk collaborations...  A closed mouth doesn't get fed, child!  Get a move on!!

P.S.  You can join the newsletter below and get in on the action next month!

Lots & lots of love,

MB

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THIS I KNOW FOR SURE (I THINK): ACTION

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” -- Pablo Picasso

So I am very blessed to be a part of this awesome run club in Chicago.  Almost every day of the week I meet up with some fabulous women at the butt-crack of dawn to run around a track for three to five miles.  Now that it is fall and daylight is shorter than night, most mornings, the girls and I are busting moves before the sun has risen over the city and lit up the sky.  Let me tell you, it's one of the main reasons I even make it outdoors because I know that each sunrise is so different and that each run is not like the one before.  Oftentimes, I find myself stopping in the middle of a run to snap a picture of the sky because I just know that I'll never see anything like it again.

*whispers*  THIS where the important part of this post begins!  *done whispering*

There have been some mornings where I see the sky at the 150 meter mark and I think, "That's pretty, I'll take a picture on the next lap when I get back to this point."  What usually happens, is that the entire picturesque moment is GONE because in that time it took me to get back, the sun has moved up and on from its last position!  (And I'm not that slow!)

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Well... Just like the sunrise, time, and miles... things pass and move on with or without you.  Knowing this helps me to realize that--although I am very confident in myself--I am so insignificant!  My intentions don't matter, my hopes and dreams and positive thoughts don't count as long as they remain an idea and not an item of action!

Sometimes we have the best intentions set out for ourselves but because we think, "I'll get back to that on the next lap," we miss it and it usually gets added to our high pile of disappointments, failures and short-comings.  So what can you do about it?  You can start by doing it now!  What point does starting your new workout plan on Monday make in the statement of your life?  Why wait to start your business after you save up $10,000 to quit your sucky, depressing, job?  Why promise to resolve a relationship with someone "before you die" versus tonight or tomorrow?  Why put off 'til tomorrow what you can do today?

My biggest suggestion would be to not let another second go by without making some kind of dent in your vision.  This could mean that you write, "research gym prices", on your to-do list, right now.  It could mean that you make a PROs and CONs list about the sucky, depressing job.  It could also mean that you call up a good friend to at least talk through your feelings about a certain relationship and what you may or may not do to reconcile it in the future.  Whatever it is, it's something to capture the moment so that the sun isn't casting a new shadow on it on the next pass that you make in a few hours, months, years.  (By that I mean... suddenly, it's not so bad to be overweight OR it's not so bad that I am very underpaid for all of my experience in my position OR it's not so bad that I completely stop coming to family functions if I know this person is going to be there.)

There will be other days, more time, and some blog posts (by me) about what to do after this step but this is the first one that will help you to achieve the dream that you have of a healthy lifestyle, a career that you thrive in, and having a positive life.  Action is one of the things we are so blessed to have control over.  How we play it is all up to us!  The catch is that the reaction is not ever in our control.

'Tis true... We have no say in how people respond to us and whether or not the meter maid will ticket you when you're down to  your last dollar as a budding entrepreneur.  You will make some mistakes and you will wish you could take some words or monies back.  This is a part of life.  But, if you ask me, it's so much easier to create a better and more tolerable version of something you had before than it is to make something that makes you completely miserable, better.  I have a lot of theory to back that up and will use that in another post as well.

I hope that after reading all of these words, that you have taken some amount of action towards leading the great life that you feel called to lead.  Baby-steps still get you to wear you're going and action-by-action, you'll fool around and find that you've completely taken down this amazing goal that you once believed to be too lofty and foolish to even imagine!  A life of health, peace and prosperity is just a few crossed-off to-do list items away!  YAY!!

Thanks for reading my blog today.  My blog that is one of the things that I just took action on rather than putting off for another day, month and year.  I really appreciate it.  ;  )

Sunrise from 11/14/2012

xoxo

M.B.

HAVE SOME CLASS. 11 Ways to Get The Most Out of Your Group Fitness Classes

So, if you don't know, over the span of the last year or so, I've lost ±30 lbs through diet and exercise.  I believe that Summer 2012 is the first time that I hit my hard goal weight and the rest has been history.

I don't think that I've been concerning myself with keeping the weight off but more about keeping up the habit over a lifetime.  Lately I have been participating in a lot of class challenges and I feel like this is going to be the secret to my success of making it through the holiday/one year weight-loss "curse".  Even though I am a fitness instructor, not until these past two months have I really taken advantage of the team/class dynamic to working out!

Being in a room full of health nuts, enthusiasts, novices, conscious people (usually women) has a lot of perks!  Suddenly, this person who you probably made a few assumptions about as they stood across the room from you becomes your 'teammate' and your 'partner' at the third round and you're both doubled-over on the ground with hardly any steam left in you.  It's in those moments where you find yourself rooting for someone other than you and something bigger than you both!

Despite my LOVE for instructing fitness classes, I always thought that it was more beneficial to workout alone, amongst the weights, and really get all Rocky Balboa on 'em so that when my life became a movie, this could be a part of the montage...  I have been SO wrong.  So, so, wrong.

Classes add a great new dynamic, they give great ideas on techniques, you basically get to see a personal trainer for like $20 (give-or-take), you make friends AND you don't really have to think much about your workout!  The only downside is finding a place you like, correct variety, having to get over yourself and really utilize your instructor by asking questions, and not over or under doing it.

A love note on the steamy windows at the 'stairs' circuit in class yesterday.  We're doing a 30 Day/Class Challenge.  It reads, "I (heart) OYM" He-he-HELL!  That class was TOUGH!!

My advice to the class-head or the girl who has a little performance anxiety because of the group is this:

1.)  If your muscles are sore after the first day, don't take three weeks off until you come back for more!  If your muscles hurt after a straight run of classes for 90 days then it's time for you to sit down somewhere.

2.)  If your goal is to lose weight or 'tone', do at max THREE strength training classes per week (leaving ±24 hrs rest in between), at least THREE cardio classes per week, ONE stretching (think yoga) class per week, and at least ONE/at max TWO rest days per week.

3.)  If you are not going to take a yoga class and you're not going to stretch on your own, stay through the entire stretching portion of the class!  Stretching is probably one of the top five ways to succeed at life.

4.)  Ask questions.  Give your instructor a shout before, during, or after class.  They work for you.

5.)  It's your workout, not mine!  You pay to be here and I get paid to be here so taking it easy only effects one person in this relationship... YOU!  If you quit, do a half-ass crunch or insist on keeping bad form then that's on you, not me.  GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH, CHILD!!

6.)  The modified version is your friend.  The modified version does not mean easy.  Never sacrifice good form for anything.  If you like it, you'll keep taking the class so you will get stronger by default.  Bad form actually puts you at risk so if you're not sure, you know your limits or you're just madd tired... USE THE MODIFIED VERSION (PLEASE)!

7.)  Show up on time.  We warm you up and if you run in late (every time) and just start doing a stiff-legged deadlift w/o giving those hamies (hamstrings) a good warm-up, it could get real ugly for you.

8.)  Have water on your water break.  Drinking water every 15 minutes during a workout is great for your performance.  If there is no scheduled water break, just stop and get a sippy poo when you need it.

9.)  HAVE FUN!  Someone in that room is judging you and someone in that room is inspired by you.  Sometimes you're actually performing a lot better than you think and if you're not then  your instructor will tell you.  Loosen up a bit, doll.

10.)  Make friends.  Talk to people.  Bring friends/co-workers/crushes/husbands with you.  I read that you are only as successful as the five people you hang around most (?) and health is a big part of being alive so being SURROUNDED and acquainted with a few like-minded people is definitely going to boost your odds of being more amazing.

11 + randoms.)  Read the class description before you go.  If you're going somewhere for the first time, arrive 20 mins early so you can sign your life away, take gym tours & change clothes, etc.  Take a post-workout (protein-rich) snack for the ride home 'til your next meal.  BREATHE!  In through the nose and out through the mouth.

BONUS:  IF you do invite a friend to a class, be honest with yourself about this combination.  If your friend is going to slow you down or chat you up the whole time, workout with different people and then come together to compare notes at the end.  You'll know in your gut what you should do but definitely don't just throw them into something without a little confidence boost or something, first.

My BFF E.J. & I turkey trottin' on Thanksgiving Day

Finally, you don't ever have to take a class in your whole entire life!  Don't feel like because it's the latest trend that you have to join a single studio if that's not your thing.  Find what you love and if that means you love running alone, great!  At the same time, I feel like it's just a great benefit to have at least one person in your life and/or online who you can just sweat with or talk to about sweating and they don't give you that 'psycho' glare 'cause they can't relate. (**I think it's more important to have a real life friend over a cyber friend when it comes to this.)  Open yourself up!  It may not happen now, but as you grow more confident and in love with a certain style, you'll find yourself wanting to share this part of your life with someone and it will happen naturally.

GOOD LUCK! :)

Melissa