Forget Cloud 9 - this is Cloud 2620!

So I just had probably one of the most AMAZING weekends of my life!

Saturday...

So I signed up to become a Turbo Kick Instructor - and with the sign up, I got to go to a VIP workout with Chalene Johnson!  She's one of my heros and I was SOOO stoked to get this opportunity!!!

The workout was KILLER - I had so much fun - I've never been so sweaty in my life!  Words can't describe how great it was!!!  We did the new Round 37 followed by a little Hip Hop Hustle.  If you haven't heard of Turbo Kick or Hip Hop Hustle - you should - everyone needs something this great in their lives!!!  www.turbokick.com 

So at the end of the workout, Chalene's husband, Brett, and Mike Karpenko walk in - 

(side note...Mike is a personal trainer extraordinaire!!!  He helps create test groups for new workout programs and is just a ball of energy - he could literally talk about fitness ALL DAY LONG - he's a wealth of knowledge - I worked with him to come up with the female/beginner version of the Minute 2 Minute Challenge - and this was my first time meeting him...great first impression - I looked like a drowned rat - and I probably smelled like hard work!!!)

So the guys come in and wanted to see our Hip Hop Hustle and then the Turbo section for Round 37 (which we'd already done about half a dozen times)...so we crank both out - trying not to collapse from exhaustion - they were videoing up - so we HAD to step it up!!!

After the workout - Chalene was so gracious with her time - she took pics and talked with everyone - I was able to talk to her and Brett - they are great people...some of the most genuine people I've ever met.  It was such a treat to get to start my day (and this incredible weekend) with them.  I just wish they lived closer!  I would LOVE to be in her workout class every day - she is such a ball of energy - and that's an understatement - she went 90 to nothin' from the very first shoulder roll of the warm up - and just brought up the energy level of the room - it was amazing to see one woman get so many people to push themselves - and all have smiles on their faces!!!

And the cool thing was that she realized who I was before I even said hello.  I tagged her in a pic of Kasey and me from Kasey's wedding - we were flexing - showing off our ChaLEAN Extreme results!  And she and Brett both brought it up.  These people meet SO many people - and I was so awe-struck (if that's even a word) - that they remembered ME....wow....

After the workout, I was in such a fog, I was randomly walking around the streets of New York trying to figure out what I had to do next!!!  Finally figured that I needed to go to Whole Foods!

So I went grocery shopping and got the makings of a feast!  Jimmy and the gang were on their way in - and Adrian and I were going to make them a welcome home dinner.  They wouldn't be home til later in the afternoon - which ended up being really late because they got a flat tire on the way - so I had lots of time to kill.  I tried to take a nap...twice, but I was still so excited from my workout with Chalene that I couldn't sleep!!!  So I cooked!  

My part of dinner was this AWESOME vegan (and healthy) spinach artichoke dip, pico de gallo, veggie fajitas, and a take off on Tony Horton's Stick Roll recipe - I'll post the recipe at the end of this if I remember!!!  Adrian was making skirt steak for peeps that wanted meaty fajitas and this mango, red onion salad and these great little cucumber and hummus sandwich things.  He's gourmet all the way - I'm like I made dip!!  And he's like I made homemade hummus and put it between two thinly sliced pieces of cucumber and topped with a dash of cumin!  (They were incredible!!!)

So they finally arrive close to 10:30 - exhausted and starving!!!  We chowed down!  And then all passed out.  Well...we laid in the bed - I don't think I slept - my mind was going a million miles a minute processing the events of the day - and having Jimmy back in the bed and getting used to him tossing and turning!  

SUNDAY...

The day started at 6:30 - woke up to sun shine and pigeons cooing (they camp out on our fire escape!) - we all got ready and drove into the city.  It was my first time being in a car in the city that wasn't a cab.  It was kinda fun, but I was so nervous about the crazy cabbies swerving!!  Luckily it was Sunday morning, so traffic wasn't bad!

We got to Chelsea Studios - had a great set up - 3 rooms - one for checkin and product set up - and the two rooms for workouts.

Mike and Shaun T arrived along with a slew of people for the day's workouts.  We did 4 workouts and had full rooms each time - SO great that so many people came out to support us and workout with Shaun and Mike!

I didn't get to workout since I was helping facilitate the event, but man, it was intense!!!  After the workout, I finally got to meet Shaun - he's so warm and friendly - I just wanted to hug him!!!  

The guys from Bar Master Extreme came out too.  These guys are ridiculous - google them and look them up on You Tube.  The things that they do blow my mind!  So it was nice to talk with them and show them what we do - and they showed us a little of what they do.  

After the workout, we were all starving.  So we went to one of our FAV spots - Blockheads for burritos!  So nice to sit outside in the sun - although it was pretty chilly with the wind - no complaints...it was SUNNY!!!!  Mike came with us - and so it was great to pick his brain about different things.  He's AWESOME.  

So during the walk to Blockheads, he said his friend Brett Hoebel might be joining us.  Brett Hoebel is the creator of the HIGHLY anticipated REV ABS - it's a capoeria based workout that is ridiculous.  I drool every time I see the promo clip!  So when he showed up, that was the icing on the cake.  

Wow - talk about a guy that knows his stuff.  Brett really is the total package of trainers.  He's not just a pretty face hocking some DVD that he shot.  He really knows his stuff - and listening to him talk not just about REV ABS, but just about personal training and stuff - made me want to go get my PT certification TONIGHT!   Mike is the same way.  Sitting next to them after lunch was such a treat - I was like a little sponge trying to absorb as much as possible (without letting my mouth hang open!!!)

It really made me realize how fortunate I am.  And it's thanks to Jimmy...among other things.  4 1/2 years ago, Jimmy wanted to get Power 90.  I wasn't too keen on it because he had a gym membership, so I didn't really see the point.  But that first step opened SO many doors for us.  I look back on the last 4 1/2 years and of all the turns our path has taken.  And I'm so excited to see what the next turns will be.  I am so thankful that fitness has worked its way into my life.  I was the little Cajun who ate fried fried and didn't workout - and now I crave a good sweat and healthy food!  And now, as a coach, I want to help SO many other people change for the better.   Getting Turbo Kick certified will be my first step in this next chapter.  And I'm stoked!!!  My friend, Diane, is going to start coming over on Fridays to work on stuff.  She got certified in April and is trying to learn the rounds to be able to teach - and I want help with form and getting prepped for the certification!

And also to be able to meet all these celebrity trainers - these people are my heroes - and I got to meet them all in one weekend!  It was truly an amazing weekend.  When I think back on it, it seems like a dream.  A VERY VERY GOOD DREAM!!!!  

Oh - here's the "sticky bar" recipe:

1/2 cup dry oats

1/4 cup nut butter

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology

1/2 banana

Cook the oats according to the package (I got organic instant oats and made them in the microwave)

Let the oats cool.

While the oats are cooling - mix the nut butter, Shakeology & banana (I mashed up the bananas with my hands) in a bowl.  Add the oats when they're cooled.

Stir - it will make a pasty-puddingy consistency.

You can form it into a little brick either on wax paper or foil.  I put mine in a glass cassarole dish (I quadrupled the recipe) and covered it with foil.

Freeze for about 90 minutes.

I left mine in the freezer for half the day - so it needed to thaw a little before serving - it was hard as a rock!  A good rock!!

Enjoy!!

In the words of Michelle Tanner...how rude!!!!

I just don't get it - maybe I've just lived a sheltered life surrounded by positive people? Maybe my parents and the parents of my friends taught us right? Maybe it's stress, being overworked, lack of sleep...whatever - there's just no excuse for rudeness.

Lately - I guess in the past month or so - I've encountered some REALLY RUDE people on Facebook. People who I don't really know, making rude comments about pictures that I never asked their opinion of (and I don't really care what it is) or making uncalled for comments about my status messages. And not just on my pics or status messages - I've seen it on other people's status messages. Mainly, friends who are posting good, positive messages about changing their lives and becoming better people - they're shot down by rude, sometimes hurtful, comments from others.

I would love to know what provokes people to do these things - to deliberately write something mean or nasty or hurtful or just plain rude to someone - when that person is just trying to do the right thing.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive - I've already blogged about trying to overcome physical issues and the downright hurtful things that people say (still dealing with it...maybe people didn't read my blog about it!!) - and it just feels like whenever I read something like that (either on my page or someone elses page), I just feel like I've been punched in the stomach. The hurtful things that have been slung my way are from people that don't know me - or my situation - and haven't bothered to ask - they just sling their negative words my way thinking that they're intervening and saving me....and part of me wants to write back (as I'm sitting there crying) - but on the other hand...they're not worth it. I've tried explaining myself - and instead of apologies, I get "well, my friend had an eating disorder and you show the classic signs of it - and so many people are in denial about it" I'M FINE...I'M HEALTHY (probably a lot healthier than the people leaving the nasty comments) Don't these people think that I have a family that loves me and if I was in some sort of danger, they'd look after me?!?!

The people writing these hurtful things just need to stop and think about what they're getting ready to write before they write it.

I've read a couple of places that you should clean house of all the negative influences in your life.

I have my Facebook page for personal reasons - and also to share about being a Beachbody Coach and helping people become healthier and more fit. So I have lots of people that I'm not personally close with as "friends" on my page. Part of me thinks - just delete the rude people - but at the same time, they probably need a little positivity in their lives. And if I can break thru to them (even if it means taking some rude comments now and then from them) - then so be it...maybe they're not getting any positive vibes from anyone else. Maybe I can help change them?

Realization

So my Uncle Tony (he was my godfather - I call him Parren) passed away - it was a very hard thing - he was a man full of energy and life - always had a smile on his face and never met a stranger.  He lived "on the bayou" - meaning in South Louisiana - Galliano - it's Cajun country - people who love their red beans, etoufee, jambalaya, anything fried and beer to name a few.  Needless to say, the health of the average person there is probably average to poor (and that's probably being conservative).  Many people have cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, on dialysis, going through chemo, and so many other things.  The more I've learned about healthy eating and healthy lifestyles, there's one thing that I've learned - most of these conditions are preventable or reversible - with a little bit of effort and simple lifestyle changes.

Yesterday was the funeral - it was tough - very touching - I'd never seen that many people at a funeral before.  The line was out the door and down the street - one man said that he waited 2 hours to get in (they stopped the line at one point to say the rosary) - another couple said they tried to come in the first time and couldn't get in, so they came back a second time and were able to come in.  And another couple tried 3 times!  He was an amazing man to touch that many lives.

It was weird though - as a health conscious person - to be down there - and to see all of the food (you can't even begin to imagine all the stuff that was brought) - all creamy ,buttery, fatty, starchy foods - and eating all that stuff was what killed my Parren - and these people were stuffing themselves full of it - not caring about their health (I heard 2 people say that they were fat and they didn't care - and they would eat what they wanted and died when they did) - it really opened my eyes.  To me, that was just as sad as losing my Parren - these are all people that I care about - and you'd think that after my Parren died, people would have a real wakeup call.  And there were tons of excuses - it's stress eating, I need comfort food, all this has to be eaten...........  sigh...

When my Parren was in the hospital in Mobile, he told my Nannie that they needed to clean up their lifestyle - they needed to start eating better and they needed to start exercising.  So I was hoping to see a little bit of an effort.  But I'm hoping that in the weeks and months to come that they can babystep to that - and that maybe Jimmy and I can help them.  It's just a little disheartening when I make myself a piece of salmon and a salad and people grimace, look at me like I have 5 heads and say "what's that" (and not in a curious way - more like a "that's gross" way).  Or if I decide to have a little indulgence - I had a little mac and cheese and a couple of beers - EVERYONE jumps down my throat "you can't have that" - or - "Kelly - you drink beer?!" - or - the one I always hate "Ella, you need to eat or you're going to be skinny like Kelly"  - a)I did this out of my own choosing b)it's not a cult or a religion - it's clean, healthy eating c) if I choose to indulge, that's my choosing and my problem - I don't need comments from the peanut gallery.  d)let's take a look in the mirror - I eat healthy and workout and I am healthy and full of energy...you eat like shit, are obese, don't workout and are always tired, irritable and feel like shit - YOU figure out which is a better lifestyle.

Like I said, my heart is saddened and my eyes were opened to what I saw and experienced.  I do what I do because I love to help people - but sometimes people make it so hard....

Thankful...

So I'm flying home tomorrow to be with my family. My Parren Tony (my Mom's only brother and my godfather) is in critical condition. He suffered a massive heart attack a week and a half ago - and as a result, the right side of his heart is not working and he's got a myriad of other things that have gone wrong. My heart is very sad.

He's lived a hard life - Vietnam veteran (suffers post traumatic stress disorder), likes Cajun Food, beer and doing the cay-ee-mon (it's a dance)! He's one of the kindest, most generous people you'll ever meet. And that's not an exaggeration. He would give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar in his wallet if you needed it - and without hestitation or wanting anything in return. He never knew a stranger and is always the first to step in to lend a hand. He never likes to see people angry or sad. And while at times it drives you nuts that he's always saying "why are you mad?" "what's wrong - don't be mad" and things like that - it usually did help break the tension and helped to make things better.

Unfortunately - this hard lifestyle of fried food, alcohol and stress is catching up with him. And I just hope that, because of this, the rest of my family will get a little wake up call and start making changes in their lives too.

Jimmy and I are health nuts - gym rats - whatever the label is that you want to put on it. And we've tried introducing healthier lifestyle options to our family. Some are taking notice and making baby step changes. Others make comments and continue on with the fried fried. I hope that through this process, we can help teach them little things to become healthier.

You can't blame yourself for other's lifestyles - but you take their hard lessons learned and use them to make good changes in your own lives so you don't end up down the same path.

Virgin Blog

Well...where to begin...

Not sure why I decided to start this - but I did. Figured it'd be a good way to get things off my chest. And let other people in on the adventures of Kel that normally just Jimmy gets to see (he thinks it's high dollar entertainment!)

So we'll see where this goes. No big plans for it. And I have to admit it makes me a little nervous - I feel like i have to live up to the wit and humor of my other friends that blog. Or write something thoughtful like Doogie Houser, MD....

So bear with me as I endure the growing pains of blogging!!!!