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Please read my latest article for Sports Nutrition Supplement Guide!
Original post can be found at:
http://www.sportsnutritionsupplementguide.com/training/agility-drills/item/1567-try-a-new-sport-to-break-fitness-plateaus#.VsJ6RvkrLIV
If you are a dedicated weightlifter, you have probably had to struggle with fitness plateaus at some point. What most lifters do when they reach a sticking point with their progress is they switch up the rep range or lifting technique in order to activate the muscles differently, but they usually won’t step outside the gym to explore other activities.
However, perhaps the best way to break through a stubborn plateau, especially if you have already tried with the weights to no avail, is to train in a sport which will address your areas of weakness in a novel way, and in many cases, produce the results you seek. Though I am a big proponent of weight training, I also promote training in other sports as a means of changing things up and challenging the body.
One of the most common laments I hear is that the shoulders often lag behind development of the back and arms. So if you have deltoid muscles which won’t respond to iron therapy no matter how you switch up your training, you might want to consider giving tennis or basketball a try. People who regularly engage in these sports tend to have some of the shapeliest shoulders and arms around, because the body mechanics which characterize them incorporate a lot of movement around the shoulder joints. If the region of your body which is lagging behind is your lower extremities, you can engage in sports such as soccer or cycling to ramp up your training efforts and shape up your legs rapidly. If team sports aren’t your thing, you could take up a martial art or boxing to improve your strength and agility while also making your physique appear more balanced.
On a personal note, I took a few flying trapeze classes last fall and was amazed at how much back recruitment occurred during those classes. Though I didn’t sign up for flying trapeze classes with a goal of widening my lats, they indeed became wider as a result of all the static hanging I did from the trapeze pole. I also noticed that after every class, I was sore in places where I never felt sore when I lifted weights. It was a great challenge for me which also enabled me to confront a mild fear of heights. I also found it challenging to refrain from shrugging my shoulders or pulling my body up as I would do during a pullup at the gym. I began to use my body in different ways, and it rewarded me with an improved back silhouette.
In essence, practicing a sport can often break people out of a weightlifting rut and force them to use their bodies differently. You can still adopt the “Gym Is Life” mentality, but by broadening your horizons, you’ll have fun in the process, improve your athletic prowess, and if you choose your sport wisely, may be rewarded with a more balanced and conditioned physique.
I love the look of lush eyelashes. Whenever I see someone who is blessed with a full, dark, thick fringe of lashes, I become quite envious, because although I have a head of hair which inspires envy in others, my lashes are skimpy and sparse. I was even more cursed when I was younger, because every time I would wear mascara, my lashes would fall out in clumps. Only in the last year or so have I been able to wear mascara regularly without my lashes jumping ship.
My Japanese heritage has asserted itself by making my lashes stick straight, yet oddly, I don’t have thick, glossy, dark lashes. The color is dark, but the hair shaft on my lashes is positively anorexic. Because of this, I need to do SOMETHING to beef up the appearance of my lashes. I have tried lash primers, mascara with fibers, professional lash extensions, and Latisse. Oh, and a lash curler is a MUST. I am hoping to find a long-term solution which works best for me, and I think the answer may be with Latisse.
I had tried Latisse a few years back, using it for about eight months, and I absolutely loved the results. Then I got lazy, and no longer wanted to continue applying the magical solution, so I stopped using it. My lashes quickly returned to their pathetic, wimpy state. Though I love the effects of Latisse, it is definitely not cheap, and I am reluctant to budget a lash booster into my regular pampering budget.
Before and After images of Latisse Treatment
This year, I tried lash extensions, which I loved…for two weeks. After that short period of time, the extensions began to orient themselves in a haphazard pattern, splaying in all directions despite all the brushing I did to try to keep them in place. The extensions suddenly fell out in clumps, and in the process pulled out my natural lashes, leaving unsightly bald spots on my lash line. What a disaster. This wasn’t what I wanted! I also grew very tired of the fact that I could not rub my eyes (not like I do this, but just saying…), wear mascara, false lashes, or waterproof makeup. What was initially liberating became cumbersome. Once I saw that the extensions were pulling out my precious little lashes, I snapped. Now I have to deal with the agony of patchy lashes until my body grows out new lashes.
Before and After images of Lash Extensions
I guess it’s back to Latisse. Once the lash extensions are removed, I will continue to use Latisse, and I will also use RapidLash® Eyelash & Eyebrow Enhancing Serum. I mean business this time!
Don’t you love how social media platforms like Instagram pander to our urge to post images of ourselves for the world to see? It’s a veritable paradise for exhibitionists and voyeurs alike. Yes, I know that many of us use social media to share our interests, advertise products or services, or build our personal brands. But there are enough scandalous images which make it onto the news feed that I wonder what they are really trying to sell.
There are evenings when I will peruse the Explore page on Instagram. The vast majority of featured posts which show up on my phone are of cute animals, which is completely appropriate, since I am such a huge animal lover. However, I will often be in the process of scrolling down, when a random, bare-assed image shows up.
I’m not talking about images in which a woman is showing off her conditioned glutes in a sexy bikini or a snug pair of workout pants. I’m not even talking about a professional aesthetic nude shot which is tasteful. I am talking about a bare-assed, naked, in a slutty bent-over pose selfie. How does an image like that show off a woman’s gains at the gym? Something like that only shows that she has no self-respect, and is willing to show the world her goodies and contribute to an online spank bank. My reaction is always to shake my head in disgust, then keep scrolling down.
What blows my mind is that many of the people who are posting these images are fitness people who want to expand their following. I’ve got news for every single person who does this: you are only making yourself look like a slut! Sure, some sex-crazed jerks will click on your “look at my ASS!” pic, like it, and possibly follow you, but do you really want someone to follow you because he saw your bare bottom and wants to tap it? Those followers can even be downright dangerous if they are mentally unbalanced.
The queen of the slutty butt pics has got to be Kim Kardashian, whose bold butt photo blew up the internet in 2014:
Do you really want to be known as a spectacle, someone who is only known for having a hot body or for being willing to bare all on a regular basis? A good filter to use when you are thinking of posting an image on social media is to ask yourself, “Would I be okay with my dad/mom/daughter/son/brother/sister/grandpa/grandma seeing this image?” Try not to rationalize the response, but really pay attention to what the image conveys, as well as what kind of audience it will draw in. Another good filter is to ask yourself, “Will I be proud or embarrassed about this image in 5/10/1/20/25/30 years?” Don’t forget that everything will follow you, whether you like it or not!
Valentine’s Day is one of the most retail-driven events in the United States, and for good reason. Savvy business owners have figured out how to capitalize on desperate men everywhere who want to please their women. The women, in turn, have been heavily influenced by clever advertising. Most women know about Jared (no, he isn’t the neighbor two doors down), and the Robbins Brothers have also exerted a powerful influence on the fantasies of ladies everywhere.
However, it seems like more and more couples have become aware of the fact that the big day of love is filled with hype and commercialism. After all, it’s supposed to be about the love, lust, or shared interest between two people, isn’t it? However, I still think a fella can’t go wrong with a beautiful bouquet of flowers (I know I love them!) for his lovely lady. If he wants to go the extra mile, he can get a nice trinket of jewelry (no, it doesn’t have to be diamonds), a stuffed teddy bear (if she’s into that kind of thing), or a sexy undergarment from Victoria’s Secret, but those are very predictable gifts on Valentine’s Day.
Then there are the chocolates and candy hearts. Heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolates have become increasingly more dreaded, since more ladies than ever are concerned about the sugar rush which comes from consuming them. Don’t be surprised if you buy a box of cheap chocolates and your woman refuses to eat them because they have high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors or colors. Perhaps it’s time to get more creative and pick up a few gluten-free, vegan cupcakes?
A popular outing for couples is to go out to dinner, but restaurants have become far too opportunistic in recent years. Typical Prix Fixe menus for February 14th are so outrageously expensive that you almost have to take out a second mortgage just to afford the meal. I have gotten to the point that I have no desire to pay three times the amount of money I would usually pay for a meal at the same restaurant, simply because I was foolish enough to go there on Valentine’s Day. Besides, the restaurants are always packed, always noisy, and there’s a good chance that your table might be right next to the men’s restroom or in a drafty corner of the patio. Never mind that you made reservations three months ago and specified that you wanted a booth inside the restaurant.
What I enjoy the most, and am planning to do this year, is to cook a nice meal at home, open a good bottle (or two) of wine, and enjoy the comforts of home. That holds much more value for me than surrounding myself with red heart cutouts, chocolates I can’t eat, or spending a king’s ransom for a meal. I also don’t have to yell over the din of the other patrons blabbing.
Though I like the colors featured in cosmetic lines like MAC, and have a massive collection of makeup which includes over 80 pro eyeshadow pans, I am really not a makeup person. Those rainbow hues sit in my giant train case, and are rarely used. I admit that the artist in me was drawn to those shades, and when I get a creative itch, I can create some lovely makeup looks. The problem is that the itch only strikes about once a year.
For the most part, I think daily application of full makeup is totally unnecessary. It looks phony, it’s a waste of time, it clogs and irritates the skin, and it can get pretty pricey.
I LIKE the look of clean skin with no makeup on it, even if the lack of contour makes my face and nose look wider. I don’t really wish to obsess over how perfectly applied my highlighter is, or if my blush will clash with my handbag.
I appreciate the power of contour, but as this image illustrates, this seems awfully extreme and mask-like:
I cannot let go of the notion that black eyeliner and berry lipstick are the only important color cosmetics for me to have access to on a daily basis. It’s not that I walk out the door looking like I just rolled out of bed…though most mornings I literally roll out, quickly apply translucent powder and a thin line of eyeliner, throw on gym clothes and am out the door.
But you won’t see me rock ten tons of makeup to go to the gym, the grocery store, work, meetings, or even a nice dinner with friends. If I grab more exotic colors, that means a fancy event is coming up, and my five minute makeup routine suddenly expands to fifteen to thirty minutes, every minute of which I can’t stand. If false lashes are involved, you can be sure that I will be cussing up a storm at some point as the glue refuses to set or the lashes are applied unevenly. Not fun.
I hate the feeling of being encumbered by makeup, and I certainly don’t want to look “different” when I apply more than usual. I am a huge believer in allowing a woman’s natural beauty to come through, and think that makeup should ENHANCE a woman’s beauty instead of being corrective or somehow creating a mask which makes her look like someone else.
If you don’t believe that makeup can make people look very different, check out this video:
I love the freedom of light or no makeup. I love the fact that I never have to worry about smearing something during the day, since I really don’t pack on the paint.
What’s weird is that I can apply a small amount of eye shadow, and it looks like I have a ton on. It stems from the fact that I have large eyes, with a lot of lid. I have also noticed that if I apply black liner to the waterline, I get an instant super sultry eye look, so I have to be careful.
During a recent fitness expo, I had lash extensions on, so I didn’t even wear mascara or false lashes. Despite skipping those steps, my makeup ended up looking rather glam, all because I applied a small amount of eyeshadow and eyeliner.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually enjoy having my makeup done for photo shoots and events. It’s fun for me, because I get to be a living doll. But I will never sign up for a daily makeup routine that enslaves me to my bathroom and has me gazing into my makeup mirror for lengthy periods of time.
I apologize for the poor audio quality. It was shot with my Android phone. You can still see how cute my cat Kazu is though!
The past several months have been fun for me with respect to my personal style, because I have been changing things up. However, everything I do with respect to putting outfits together tends to be a bit more understated, with neutral colors favored over bright colors, and solids over prints. I reserve the wilder expressions in smaller elements like jewelry and nails.
After getting French manicures for six years straight, I got completely sick of the look, despite the fact that it photographs well. I guess you could say I got a bit tired of being constrained by a certain look, even though the work I do requires it. I have been rebelling completely, turning to dark polish shades like eggplant, espresso, navy, black. I was a bit concerned when I got a last minute call for a cover shoot a couple of weeks ago, but it turned out that the look was dark, sultry, Goth-inspired, which meant that my black and pewter nails lent themselves quite nicely to the whole vibe of the project. Phew!
I have never been comfortable with the idea of changing things up on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, which is why I have no tattoos or pierces (nope, not even my ears). That’s why I prefer the idea of changing the look of my nails, wearing different pieces of jewelry, exploring a different color in a cosmetic (maybe deep eggplant and black in a lip look?), or maybe even wearing small clip-in hair extensions in a wild color.
My wardrobe has also undergone a bit of a shift. I just got so bored with items which had been in my collection for so long that I had to shake it up a bit with a few new tops. I also was so fortunate to get two pairs of SquatPants from Beleza Brazil Fitness, which makes the most amazing pants ever! I cannot stop wearing them, because they are so comfortable, the colors are vibrant and distinctive and work well with other wardrobe items, I can work out in them or wear them for my day to day activities, and they make my booty and legs look AMAZING! I am not kidding when I say that I am completely obsessed with these pants.
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I recently took my 83-year old mother to visit a dear friend whom she had not seen for 20 years. On our way to see our friend, I had a moment of panic, because I hadn’t factored in the flight of stairs which we had to ascend in order to enter our friend’s apartment. Even getting my mom out of my car was quite a process, since her severe arthritis and lack of strength in her lower extremities always makes getting out of a seat a major challenge.
Once we reached the stairs to our friend’s place, I asked my mom which side she felt stronger on (her right), and had her take hold of the stair rail on the right. She lifted her left foot and planted it on the first step, and we made our slow climb. At step number eight, my mom blurted out, “I can’t do it”, in a voice filled with desperation and fear. I told her, “Mom, just rest for a second. You’re almost halfway there!” But there was no beast mode, no dogged determination in my mom. She just stood there, clinging to the stair rail for dear life, and I could see that she had given up. Thankfully, a male neighbor offered to help, and essentially hoisted her up each step until they reached the top.
After we settled into our friend’s place, we had a nice lunch and wonderful conversation, and my mom forgot about the stair-climbing incident. When we were ready to leave, another very nice man helped my mother descend the stairs, a task which was much easier since gravity was on her side, and also since it didn’t require the lower body strength that going up the stairs did.
It was pretty agonizing for me to watch my mom go up those stairs. I know she has slowed down a lot, and I know that physical challenges like stairs are massive for her. For this reason, I unfortunately cannot bring her to my place for a visit, because there are stairs everywhere in my residence. I also find the idea of decreased strength and mobility completely terrifying.
If only we could all enjoy sprightly motion throughout our twilight years! This is even more motivation for me to keep training every day like I do.
I never realized how few people have bonding experiences with cuddly cats. I also guess I am lucky to have had several of the most affectionate cats. My blue Burmese absolutely loves to be hugged, and he adores kisses. It is rather common for me to pepper his cute little forehead with a barrage of kisses, which I know most cats would never tolerate.
Tenshi has gotten to the point that he expects and demands hugs and kisses from his humans. If I don’t hug and kiss him hello, he gets grumpy! Check out my video of him getting kisses.
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