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Now that I have been in the 50 zone for a few months, I can honestly say that I actually like it! Here are a few reasons why I am completely comfortable with being 50 years old…
* I still get carded. In fact, I have been asked for ID when purchasing alcohol more frequently now than a year ago. And it’s not because I am purchasing booze with more frequency either. I have even gotten carded while with younger friends who did NOT get carded. It’s bizarre and very cool.
* I can still rock an outfit and not only be a head-turner, but a neck-BREAKER. Gotta have goals!
* I can take care of myself and don’t panic if I am faced with a challenge. However, I am completely grateful when someone comes to my aid or shows concern for my welfare. I am so blessed to have wonderful, true friends who have my back as much as I have theirs!
* I can usually discern very quickly which opportunities and situations are legit and which ones are a waste of my time. With age comes wisdom, and my gut instinct has proven consistently to be a foolproof guardian.
* I don’t wait for things to happen…I MAKE them happen. When I was younger, I had a tendency to put more faith in others coming through for me. Over the past few years, I have adopted the attitude that I can only depend on myself, so I have pushed myself to become a solo mover and shaker. It’s pretty tough navigating alone, but at least I trust the person at the helm!
* I trust that time will always makes things unfold organically. This makes struggling through difficult times much more manageable. I know that situations will always come to a resolution eventually. Whenever I have any doubt, I think of what my grandmother used to tell my mom and her siblings when times were rough: “Don’t worry, after bad comes good.” What a wise woman.
* I no longer care if someone has a problem with me sporting a miniskirt, a bikini, or a curve-hugging dress. My thought is, I still have it, and I have every intention of flaunting it. Sorry if that offends some people, but the folks who have a problem with such attire can’t take away my resolve to celebrate what I have worked so hard to maintain.
* I realize that life isn’t over just because I hit a certain chronological marker. If anything, I am just getting started!
The following 8×10 images are available for purchase, and can be autographed with a personal message. All photographs are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED by the respective photographers. Each image is 8″ X 10″ in format, and will be mailed to you in a rigid photo mailer.
Each image is $15.00 USD which includes autograph and shipping costs.
Please email me STACEY@STACEYNAITO.COM with your requested images and your mailing address, and I will provide payment info at that time.
WHITE CROP TANK – Taken by Trudge Photo in June 2014:
BLUE MALIBU – Taken by LHGFX Photography in March 2014:
KIMONO WARRIORESS – Taken by Second Focus Photography in March 2013:
WHITE TROPICS – Taken by LHGFX Photography in July 2013:
SILVER STANDOUT – Taken by Chaz Photographics in August 2013:
**NEW**
GREEN MICRO BIKINI- Taken by Chaz Photographics in 2015:
You’re sitting with friends, and you reach for something next to you, when you hear a pop in your shoulder. There’s no pain, yet that popping sound has you concerned that something is wrong. Should you worry?
Popping or cracking sensations and sounds can occur just about anywhere in the body and, if they aren’t expected or commonplace for an individual, can be alarming. Scientists can’t agree on what it is exactly that causes all those strange noises, but one theory is that as tendons and ligaments tighten around or move over a joint, the result is snapping, popping or cracking. As for popping knuckles, one popular idea is that air bubbles within joint fluid escape, causing a popping sound, while another belief is that a vacuum is formed when the joint is adjusted, causing synovial fluid to rush into the space. It’s a different scenario with arthritic joints, which may creak and grind as a result of bone moving across bone.
Just because your body might make those strange sounds when you move, such noises and movements don’t necessarily mean bad news. However, any time those noises or movements are accompanied by pain or restriction of movement in the body part moved, it’s time to have it evaluated by a physician.
If you have always wanted to do Smith Machine squats but weren’t sure exactly how to do them, read on. This description of squats on the Smith Machine will help you maximize recruitment of your glutes, hamstrings and quads.
Your torso should be in line with the Smith machine rack during the squat movement. A good way to check your form is by looking in the mirror from a side view to check your alignment. Tuck your tailbone in slightly but make sure to keep your back neutral. In order to keep everything in line with your upper body, you need to make sure that your feet are far enough forward. You can place your feet close together, shoulder width apart, or at a wide stance.
Keep in mind that if there is a slant to the Smith Machine apparatus that you will have a tougher time keeping your back in line with the slant, in which case you will favor keeping your upper body completely perpendicular to the floor instead. Make sure to keep your back NEUTRAL the entire time.
When you push the bar up, you will only go up halfway. Concentrate on squeezing your glutes and pushing through your HEELS. On the down phase, you will come down beyond 90 degrees (around 60 degrees at the knees). Move slowly and deliberately. If you are doing these correctly, you will feel a stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.
Please check out my review of Steel Fit Nutrition’s Buns Of Steel and Abs Of Steel, two awesome topical products designed to tighten up the skin, reduce fat and excess water, and improve the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks.
Originally published in March 2014 on RxMuscle.com:
http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-news-the-newest-in-mp/10329-sleep-deficit-and-muscle-loss.html?hitcount=0
Those of you who insist on burning the midnight oil and carving into time during which you should be sleeping are doing yourselves a disservice. When you build up a sleep deficit, not only do you adversely affect your attention and overall energy, you also diminish the potential muscle gains you would obtain if you consistently got a good night’s rest.
A good portion of the slump in muscle repair and growth which occurs from inadequate sleep is due to inadequate secretion of growth hormone (GH). GH is only secreted during deep sleep, so people who don’t sleep for more than a few hours will spend less time in deep sleep and cause GH secretion to drop. In addition, there is some evidence that testosterone secretion also drops, creating a double whammy which cripples the body’s ability to utilize fat and build muscle.
Cravings can also become a significant issue with sleep deficits as a result of hormonal effects. Leptin, a hormone which signals that you are full from a meal, is inhibited during sleep deprivation, resulting in increased food cravings (especially for carbohydrates). Conversely, ghrelin, a hormone which signals hunger, increases by as much as 30 percent after only a two night sleep deficit.
The body also produces more cortisol during the late afternoon, which is exactly when the body’s production should be tapering down to prepare the body for sleep. Higher cortisol levels promote deposition of more fat and utilization of muscle for energy during a sleep-deprived state.
When you cheat yourself out of a full night’s sleep, you also deplete neurotransmitters in the brain which are in charge of regulating mood. The result is irritability and, over the long term, depression, both of which can impact the intensity of your workouts and hinder your efforts to pack on muscle.
Sleep deficits also result in a decrease in alertness and concentration which often translates into submaximal workouts. And Sleep deficit affects strength. A study in Ergonomics examined the effects of sleep deprivation on weightlifting, with compelling results. As expected, there was a significant decrease in maximal lift for bench press, leg press, and dead lift after a three-day sleep deficit was established.
If you are in the habit of cutting into your sleep time, or you practice erratic sleeping patterns which are creating a sleep deficit, try to get into a rhythm in which you get enough sleep every night, especially if you are hitting a plateau with your training. Once you start getting adequate sleep, you will notice a big difference in your strength and muscle gains.
This is video footage from my second Lyra class, earlier this year. I was given an hour to learn this routine with other partners, and ended up performing the routine with the blonde in this video only once. I think we nailed it pretty well!
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