Exciting News

Hi Everyone! As promised, here is an update as to what has been going on in my life. In addition to moving, I have started another blog! Since we are no longer living Downtown, Downtown Chic, just didn't seem appropriate any longer. Furthermore, I've decided to focus on what I'm passionate about, and coincidentally, which posts are the most popular. My apologies for not posting on a regular basis recently, but I am proud to introduce, Beach Babe Fitness! 

I found a great designer, who has been helping me put together my vision. It is still a work in progress, but I'd love for you to check it out and follow along! I promise to be diligent on my posts :) Check-in for Tips & Motivation, Workouts & Exercises, and Diet & Recipes. Love you, babes! Thank you for following along on my journey through Downtown and click here to visit my new site! 

10 Day Detox

I've just come off of a 10 day detox and I feel absolutely FANTASTIC!!! This detox is one that I've done before through a company called Metagenics. I try to do this detox about once every year. After the holidays, I was really feeling sluggish and this is exactly what I needed to clean out the junk and get back on track. Contrary to popular belief, this was not a "cleanse" or a "fast." Unlike a juice cleanse (like ones I've done before by Pressed Juicery) on the Metagenics detox, I am able to eat as much food as I want and part of the process includes drinking a shake (sometimes four shakes a day!). It's also not a weight-loss program, although this is a common side-effect :) For me, it helps to "re-set" my healthy diet when I start having incessant sugar cravings!

After the 10 day detox, studies have shown a 50 percent reduction in toxicity levels, which is huge! The contents of the shake, in conjunction with a supplement, actually pull the toxins from the cells. This results in a few days of feeling a bit crummy... that plus the fact that I have to give up my daily cup of coffee. I must admit, this is always the hardest part for me. I try to start weening myself off of caffeine a few days before the detox, so that by the time I cut out dairy, sugar, gluten and most meats (yes, this is for a whole ten days), I don't have to also deal with caffeine withdrawals!

So now that I've told you a little bit about the detox diet, you might be wondering what I did eat. Lucky for me, I enjoy the shakes, so drinking up to four of them a day was not only a bit of a treat, but they really filled me up. I also ate a lot of legumes (beans) and vegetables. One of my new favorite dishes has become roasted brussel sprouts! I cut the brussels length wise and sprinkle with lemon pepper, salt, garlic, and toss with olive oil. Sometimes I'll add a little amino acids. I then bake on a tray at 350 degrees for 20 mins. Yum!

If you're interested in doing a detox, I highly recommend the one from Metagenics. Click here for the full day-by-day breakdown. Since I've re-incorporated some of my normal dietary foods, I have been feeling so good, my skin is glowing, and I've even lost a few pounds (buh-bye bloating!). It really puts a spring in my step! I'd love to hear your comments if you have any questions! Have you ever tried cleansing or a detox? xo

Barre Fly

In a bit of a brag post, I am so proud to say that I have been nominated the top 20 Best Barre instructors  of 2012 in all of LA! 

I came to class one morning last week and the instructor finishing up his class before mine came over and said, "Congratulations"! At this point, I had no idea what he was talking about until he showed me this article stating that I was nominated as one of the top best Barre instructors in LA. How fabulous! I am honored to be a part of such an amazing group of people.

If you live in the LA area and have not taken one of my Barre Fly classes yet, you better get your booty to Rock It workouts in Pasadena. For more information visit their website... click here to view the schedule. XO

Guilt-Free Milkshake

If you've got a never ending sweet tooth (like me), dieting can be a tricky battle. Heres my fix that I like to eat in between meals or as a meal replacement. Tastes like the real thing but it's actually good for you! To make, blend a hand full of ice cubes, half of a banana, a scoop full of peanut butter (or almond butter), your favorite protein powder (my favorites are Jay Robb or the vegan friendly Sun Warrior) and chocolate almond milk. 

Viola! You've got a chocolate milkshake that will make even the pickiest eaters say Yummmm! The benefits of almond milk is that it's super low in calories (even compared to non-fat milk). The protein powder makes the shake a complete meal -- providing nourishment for your muscles and giving you the energy you need to go about your day. 

A few additional tips: 

If you're on a regular workout routine, try a shake as an after workout snack. But, if you're trying to lose weight, a large shake can replace a meal. If you're calorie conscious consider original almond milk and skipping the peanut butter. 

Make sure you have a good protein powder like the ones I mentioned above -- a bad tasting protein powder will ruin the taste and a bad quality will ruin the health benefits.

Try adding a boost like aloe, greens or spirulina -- they won't affect the taste but they'll pack in some additional nutrients! 

New Year, Better You!

I'm so sick of hearing New Year, New You. I like myself. I don't want a new me. I've spent the last 26 years learning who I am and accepting that person, so why would I want to change it all up and start over? Rather, how about a better me? Now that's something I can get on board with!  I know what areas I want to work on in my life in 2013 and I challenge you to examine what areas of your life you'd like to improve too. To give you some motivation to make goals for yourself this year, I refer you to my sister's blog, God & Boobs. Earlier this week, I read her post titled, 15 New Years Resolution Ideas and it really got me thinking. You can read her words of wisdom by clicking, here. Like years past, many of you will make weight loss and fitness goals. Lets make 2013 the year to finally achieve those goals! Below, you can find my top five tips: 
1. Find something you love. First of all, it's important that you enjoy your workout. If you enjoy the outdoors, consider picking up a sport like tennis. Pleasure in the job puts success in the work. Try a new class or hiring a personal trainer to keep you accountable. Also, make sure that your instructor is knowledgeable and motivating. So many times, the instructor can make or break the workout! 

2. Commitment. It's important to schedule your workout as much as you would schedule a hair appointment or work meeting. Especially if you like to work out at nighttime, a better opportunity will always present itself. It's important to write it in your schedule. That way, when something else comes up you can say, "Sorry best friend that I haven't seen in a long time, I'd love to do happy hour with you tonight, but on Tuesdays I work out from 5:30-6:30. How about tomorrow night?"

3. Consistency. It's important to be consistent with your workout if you want to have consistent results. There are so many times that women come to my class every day for a week and then disappear. They reappear three weeks later and repeat the cycle all over again. They then ask me, “Why aren't I seeing any results?” In order to see results, it's important to be consistent. Don't burn yourself out by trying to come every day but make a realistic schedule for yourself.

4. Drink Water. Did you know that you are supposed to drink half your body-weight in ounces of water a day? That's a ton of water! Almost all of us walk around dehydrated from day to day and we wonder why we are tired, fatigued, unsatisfied and have aches and pains. If you're like me, you have those days you'll eat a great lunch but still are not quite satisfied. Almost always it's because I'm thirsty! Keeping yourself hydrated will help you to lose weight. It will combat bloating and hunger and prevent injuries such as sprains and cramps. 

5. Numbers don't lie! Remember, calories in vs. calories out. If you are trying to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in. Wearing a heart monitor during your exercise will show you exactly how many calories your burning. Using this in conjunction with a weight loss application like, "Lose It!" (my favorite for iPhone and iPad users), might be the scientific breakthrough you were looking for to attain your goal weight. However, I should note that while strict cardio does help to burn calories, if you want to change the shape of your body you need to do some weight training. A pear shape will remain a pear shape unless you burn out that behind! 

For additional motivation, buy yourself a cute outfit. While Lululemon can be quite pricey, places like Old Navy and Target have great options for a cute fitness outfit.  You can do it! 

Nothing like a little neon Nike to keep you motivated! 

Don't Give Up

2012 is coming to an end... we've reached December! What were your goals for this year? Have you accomplished them? If not, there's good news. The year isn't over yet. So...

What can you do in this final month of 2012 to launch you into 2013?

Excuses, Excuses

Once you quit, it's hard to start again. I know. It's hard for everyone. This is especially true when it comes to exercise. Like you, I had every excuse in the book. I'm too busy, I'm too tired, I'll eat healthy instead.... blah blah blah. I get it. Luckily, since I started teaching, I don't have an excuse. I can't  have an excuse -- If I don't show, there will be a group of people waiting for me. For most people, there won't be anyone holding you accountable, but here's the good news...

Today is a new day and if you hate starting over, then stop quitting! After all, today is yesterday's tomorrow and good habits are just as addicting as bad habits. Where would you be today if you started six months ago?

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Strong is the New Skinny

Have you ever started a new workout regime only to discover that after a week or two you've actually GAINED weight? This seems like a bad thing, right? Wrong! I have clients (usually the "skinny" ones) who approach me all the time and say, "I've gained two pounds since I started this workout." While no one likes to gain weight , it's really not about the number on the scale, is it? It's about how we look and even more importantly, how we feel. 

People really don't believe me when I tell them how much I weigh (a lot). Most people know that muscle weighs more than fat. But, did you know that muscle also burns more calories than fat? Granted, most of us don't want to bulk up (me included), but trust me people, using five pound weights during your workout will not make you look like a body builder! However, heavier weights will burn more calories and change the shape of that body faster. Don't be afraid to build muscle and weigh MORE. In turn, you can EAT more. And lets be honest, who doesn't love to eat? 

Sweat Like a Pig, Look Like a Fox

It's important to find an exercise that gets your heart rate up. If you like to eat (like me), then this will burn calories and shred fat. Make sure you're working up a good sweat at least 3-4x a week. Sweating ensures that your body is reaching it's max heart rate for calorie burning and helps to release toxins.

Let's get "foxy" this fall! xo

No Regrets

 Lady Lux recently interviewed me for a blogger spotlight. My interview focused on health and fitness and I realized perhaps my readers would like to hear more about what I think on the subject. After all, I am a professional!

A very wise woman once told me, "You never regret working out." This is so true. Have you ever had a busy day and thought to yourself, "Well, at least I didn't work out today"? Never. Even on the busiest day we never regret the time we invested in our health. I find that my most productive days come when I've had a good workout in the morning. Getting the heart rate up will increase circulation and stimulate your brain power!  We not only release endorphins that help us feel better, but we sweat out toxins. It's time to start feeling and looking better, people!

For more tips, check out the full article by Lady Lux.

It's my job to stay fit!

I am so lucky to have a husband who supports me. However, as I pursue my career in acting, I help to bring in some cash flow by teaching Barre classes. This is the absolute BEST job because it forces me to stay fit.  I started teaching in Newport Coast at a studio called Fitbar, and now I am teaching at an amazing place called Rock it Workouts!  I am thrilled to be heading the "Barre Fly" program there. They offer tons of classes with a live DJ in every class. They also have an amazing juice bar and a full salon called VIP Beauty , where I was lucky enough to get my hair done by celebrity stylists Tomas and Christian. The founder, Nicole Winnaman, is such an inspiring woman. This is just one of her many business endeavors and she continues to expand (literally on a monthly basis). She is opening a retail shop this month featuring her own designs. It isn't hard to appreciate her amazing taste just by looking at these photos...very chic :)

A live DJ in every class!

Beautiful Space

Tomas the stylist and Christian for color and my hair has never looked better!

Rock it has become my one stop shop for all things to look and feel my best. Did I mention I have completely fallen in love with Pasadena? If you're ever in the area, come take my class!