Single Leg Barbell Step-Ups Followed by Box Jumps

Duo-Sets

Sculpt leaner legs and a firmer butt with this two-part set.

Using a barbell, find a weight that is comfortable to lift with your legs.

Place the barbell along your shoulders, take a single step up on a box, making sure to raise the opposite knee to a 90 degree.  Repeat this for 10 complete step ups on one single leg.  After the 10 have been completed switch to the other leg and repeat for 10 repetitions.  The single barbell step ups help to build tighter calves, leaner hamstrings and quadriceps as well as building a firmer butt.


 

 

Without resting in between the next set, perform 20 box jumps on a comfortable height.  The most important part of box jumps is to raise the legs engaging the lower abdominal muscles.  Box jumps not only help to build a better butt but to also help builder tighter abs.

Perform this duo-set 4 times.

 

Degree Your Feet

Okay, I don’t know if you’re like me but I love shoes! High heels, flats, flip-flops, tennis shoes, boots any new fun and unique shoes that grabs my attention and will go with my style, I love to put them on my feet.  The only thing I don’t love is breaking in the new shoes.  The soreness and blisters that come with wearing the new pair of shoes makes for a very unhappy next couple of days as I walk and reminisce of how I was super excited to wear them prior to the agony of when I was able to take them, hoping that they made the full length of time I had planned wearing them.

Over and over, I find myself talking to my shoes like a kid who just got in trouble, “Why oh why did you have to ruin my night?  I was having such a great time until you had to act up and ruin things.  You’re getting a much needed time out.”

I started rethinking my purchases, playing a shoe scientist as I would factor in the event, the shoe height, the shoe restrictions on my feet and the amount of time I would be in the shoes until I was able to take them off.  Some shoes sat on the shelves as I gave them a despairing stare, knowing that I could not purchase them because they would not be able to live up to my plans for them.  I started feeling like a shoe retiree and it was cramping my style until I came across this brilliant skincare tip;

*Using an antiperspirant will help to keep feet from blistering.

I went out and purchased these fun, high-heel, open-toed booties and a Men’s Degree fresh deodorant, antiperspirant.

Not just any kind of antiperspirant can be used.  It has to be a non-powder, smooth, antiperspirant stick.  A stick that is solely deodorant will not work because deodorants are used to help with the pungent odors leaving the skin.  An antiperspirant helps to treat perspiration, sweat.  Some sticks offer both, a deodorant and an antiperspirant and that is what I chose with the Men’s Degree deodorant/antiperspirant stick, the scent is entirely a personal choice.

I applied a generous amount of the Men’s Degree all over the top, bottom, side, toes, and heel of my foot, reapplied a few more times and repeated the same application process on my other foot.  As I slipped my feet into my shoes, it felt like how I’d imagine a snake’s skin would feel moving along objects, with a fluid motion and slimy.  Granted, I did just apply 50 shades of Men’s degree on my feet, well, so it seemed.

I attended my son’s navy boot camp graduation in the Great Lakes of Illinois, just outside of Chicago, with these new bootie high-heels, a true testament to see if this antiperspirant was a theory or an actual fact.  Walking around on the naval base was no small feat for my feet, there were many steps involved with stairs and long standing times.  When I was able to take my shoes off after four hours of wear, I was happy to see no blisters, a little bit of redness but they were not extremely sore, they were soft and smelt super fresh.  At that moment, I was able to declare that the antiperspirant use for the help in prevention of blistering the feet, is indeed, a fact.

 

Since then, I have used the Men’s Degree on my feet when needed and found that if I don’t lubricate my feet enough, I have acquired blisters.  It is important to make sure the feet have a very generous amount of the antiperspirant on the feet and if necessary, reapply.  Just think of the snake’s skin, it wouldn’t be able to move so easily over grass, dirt, roads, etc., if it didn’t have enough lubrication itself.

Next time you’re out shopping and you think your feet won’t be able to wear those shoes you can’t stop staring, think again with the use of an antiperspirant.

*Skincare tip, apply antiperspirant on the palms of the hands to help with excessive sweating.

 

 

Afternoon Hike in the Red Rock Canyon

Yesterday morning started with cold winds blowing from the west, moving the branches of the trees with its natural force.  I had already planned to hike in the Red Rock Canyon and postponed it to the afternoon when the winds would be mild and lessen the chill factor of the cool air.  When mid-afternoon came, the winds had subdued, the temperature rose by a few degrees and I, along with my brother, his wife and their three beautiful daughters, made our way to Red Rock for a hike on the Ice Box Canyon.

The weather could not have been more perfect.  The sun shone down on the slated walls of the canyon, creating shadows upon the cliffs, bounded by minerals, weathered by years of earth’s environmental wear and tear.  I had hiked this trail at least a dozen times since I have moved to Las Vegas in 1999 and the trail has evolved into less and less of a trail and more into a boulder highway with Juniper tree branches reaching out to leave their mark on your skin with a scratch.

The dirt was red and soft as powder that dusted the rocks, making my feet slip and slide when I moved along them.  As much as I would’ve liked to see the glory of nature surrounding me, I was more focused on where my next step would land so I would not find myself laying amongst the gravels of Ice Box Canyon.  Time was escaping me as it seemed only minutes had passed since I first started hiking when I came into the opening of a small watering hole in a cove of rocks.  The trail continued onward into the depths of the canyon but this was where I stopped to take a picture, soak in the serene elements of where I came to blanket myself with the warm hugs of mother earth.  A recharge was what I was desiring.  A step away from the mundane and a walk with the divine imagery what I call heaven here on earth.

After soaking in the sounds of the trickling water pouring into the tiny pond below and birds serenading their palace, I headed back to where the trail began.  Goodness filled my spirit, my body, although jilted from the stabbing rocks into the soles of my shoes, was surprisingly calm.  The afternoon hike in the Red Rock Canyon fed my spirit with wellness to my being and drifted my mind to solace.

 

 

Train Like a Bikini Athlete

Front Pose (Photo by Mark Mason)

Transitional Pose (Photo by Mark Mason)

A year ago on March 26th, 2016, I participated in my first Bikini Competition, NPC’s Jay Cutler Las Vegas Desert Classic.  A four month, 16 week preparation of training and dieting transformed my body to a muscular frame I knew I had but never trained it to its potential until then.

When I first started my competition, I weighed in at 158 pounds, on stage I was 141 pounds.  I lost 17 pounds of fat and water off of my body within the 16 weeks.  Had I been true to my diet, I would have lost a few more pounds and would’ve been leaner and tighter on stage.

Back Pose (Photo by Mark Mason)

Waking up early to do fasted cardio and evening weight training took up much of my time besides work and spending time with my kids.  Training 6 days out of the week become second nature.  The wear and tear my muscles took made me exhausted and I found myself needing a good straight 7 hours of sleep with a 20 minute power nap during the day before my weight training session.

I trained at Phase 1 Sports, an elite training center with top of the line trainers that build athletes.  I soon found myself being called a Bikini Athlete.  I’ve never trained my muscles as hard as I did training at Phase 1 Sports.  They had ingenuity when it came to pushing my body past its limits with valuable knowledge of breaking from the norm of using only weights and adding natural body resistance with multiple techniques.  Mike Waters and Royce Boone opened my mind to fun in the gym!  Although it was tough, I was never bored working out and I believe that is what made me continue training.

I never thought I would ever step on stage in a bikini, yet compete against other women in one being judged off of the muscular development of my body.  I’ve done triathlons, played basketball, baseball, volleyball and was a sprinter in track and training my body to be stage presentable does deserve the title of Bikini Athlete.  “Athletes are people who train in or are good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength” (Merriam Webster).  The physical skill and strength are required to develop my body where it needs to be for competing.

I’d like to share my Fitness with you and even if you may not chose to step on stage, your body can still be worked hard to where your strength and physical skill could let you perform any fitness task.  I’m making my Fridays on my blog, #FitnessFridays, where I will show ways of training your body like a fitness bikini athlete.

Exotic Escape by Perfectly Posh

I regretfully admit that I am ashamed to have delayed a most tantalizing, skincare, tropical retreat.  Perfectly Posh, a quite lamb amongst the roar of the lions, is a fierce to be reckon with.  Who would’ve known that such products with great integrity for the skin could be affordable and effective?!?  I was literally blown away by the deliverance of each and every product I tried.

I decided one evening I needed a vacation for my skin.  I needed to let my skin venture to a place it’s never been, somewhere tropical, somewhere where I could taste the savory cocktails, hear the whistling of the palm tree’s leaves sifting in the air and feel the warm rays from the sun dance on my skin.  I turned to the Perfectly Posh collection that sat on my counter and as I gazed upon each product it was as if they were whispering to me, it’s about time.

IMG_0110I picked up the Best Face Forever cleanser and began my exotic escape.  At first glance, I thought this cleanser was actually a thick moisturizer.  I reread the product and confirmed that it was indeed a facial cleanser.  I removed the BFF from the container and immediately felt little particles of beads on my fingertips, I got a little excited, for this was an exfoliating cleanser.  I do like exfoliating cleansers, the minute removing of dead skin cells is always a nice addition to the skin along with cleansing it.  I applied it on my skin and instantly felt a tingling sensation.

Perfectly Posh surprised me twice and I loved it!  The aroma of a refreshing minty-smell filtered through my nose as I continued with my facial cleanse.  Wow! The cooling on my skin was sensational.  My skin felt smooth and ever so clean.  Even after I finished the cleanse on my face I could still feel the lingering effects of the peppermint on my skin for a small while which made the cleansing experience even more fantastic.

bff perfectly posh    BFF Best Face Forever is a gentle exfoliating face wash that can be used daily.  The moisturizing properties of the aloe vera and glycerin will not dry out the skin but aid in keeping the natural oils of your skin to remain after cleansing.  The cooling sensation from the peppermint oil entices the senses to soothe and comfort tired and overworked skin.  The citrus scent of grapefruit allows a refreshing synergism among receptors to uplift the spirits while cleansing.  Perfectly Posh’s BFF is the new form of products you can count on to deliver the best cleanse each and every day.

BFF Best Face Forever Exfoliating Face Wash Receives 5 Stars!

5stars1My exotic skincare escapism continued on with the Hoku Kukui bath bar chunk.  Kukui nut is one of my favorite tropical scents and when I read this body bar’s name, I could not wait to start washing the day’s wear off my skin.

The body bar was a nice, colorful, earth blend of beige, tan and brown. IMG_0112 I allowed the cascading shower to prep my skin with water and began rubbing the Hoku Kukui bar on my body.  The combination of the water and the bath bar created a nice cream-colored lather on my skin.  I could feel the moisture on my skin as I continued to lather the bath bar all over my body.  I kept waiting for the scent of the Kukui nut to kick in but to my disappointment, it was faint almost non-existent.  The smell was rather bland and reminded me of an overcompensating organic health extremist making sure no synthetic chemicals were in it.  The bar crumbled away in some of the areas where the colors bordered each other and left little pieces on the floor beneath my feet and the shower drain, waiting for me to pick them up after I finished cleansing my body.

 

hoku kukuiThe Hoku Kukui Bath Bar left my skin with that squeaky-clean feel yet also very moisturized.  To be able to create such a complex satisfactory blend on the skin is a job well done.  Perfectly Posh was able to incorporate a proportioned mix of ingredients to execute a great cleanser for the body.  If the scent of the Kukui nut was more in existence, immediately registered by the olfactory system and some of the bar didn’t crumble upon washing, this would be a 5.0 star rating.

Hoku Kukui Nut Bath Bar receives 3.o stars!

3 stars

 

 

IMG_9978The Stripper worked its magic on me next, seduced me with its tingling sensation when it touched my skin, enchanted me when it started to tighten on my face.  I fell in love with the stripper!  A clarifying detox mud for the skin, The Stripper, is a genuis play on words as it is a sultry purplish color, applies smoothly on the skin with a fan brush and truly strips the impurities off of the skin without drying out the skin when its done.  Rich in detoxifying elements of clays and muds, the skin rests easy in the hands of The Stripper as it sits on the skin, drawing out environmental pollutants, ridding the pores of undesirable deposits of product debris (makeup, oxygenated serums, physical sunscreen, etc.).

The menthol in the D-Tox mud is exhilarating!  I felt as though my skin was on a pleasurable experience of its exotic inhabitants.  As the mud dried, my skin tightened and the purplish color morphed into a reddish-brown clay appearance.  The scent was subtle which was perfect.  Some detox masks have an unbearable scent that reek like nature’s worst scents and I was very happy that this one did neither, it stayed neutral.

the stripper d-tox mudAfter I took The Stripper off of my skin, my skin no longer had any areas of red showing on my skin, the pores were deeply cleansed, my skin was not extremely dry and the best part, I could still feel the menthol on my skin, that wonderful tingling and cooling sensation which lasted for about 10 minutes after I removed the mask.  This detox mask worked wonderfully and was easy to apply and remove.

The Stripper D*Tox Body Mud Receives 5.o Stars!5stars1

 

 

 

IMG_0111My face was receiving so much attention, I thought I’d make my feet happy with a little Rio Rumba, an exfoliating sand scrub.  A natural pedicure-grade foot treatment, my feet danced in my hands as white sand and sugar scrubbed away any mild dryness.  The exotic fruit and amazon rose were beyond intoxicating to my senses.  I felt like I was punch drunk in love because I kept sniffing the air like a new scent had just been birthed from the exotic fruits.  Delicious!

rio rumba sand scrubThe sand scrub was well mixed, the exfoliating ingredients stayed on my feet and didn’t fly all over the place or leave a pile of leftovers on the ground as I scrubbed.  Easy to rinse off, my feet were smooth and soft, even lightly moisturized when I was done.  I was saddened to have to stop scrubbing because I wanted to continue inhaling its thrilling exotic-scented wonders.  I’d have to admit that this scrub is on my top 5 scrubs for the feet.

Rio Rumba Sand Scrub receives 5.0 Stars!5stars1

 

 

 

IMG_0113Now that my feet received a titillating treatment, my body was ready to become a Brazilian Bombshell, at least that is what I imagined as I read, Skindelicious Brazilian Bombshell.  Excited to rub the combination of a brazil nut and babassu oil infused body butter onto my skin, I envisioned myself as a Brazilian Bombshell, skin kissed with the mysterious grandeur of the Amazon. brazilian bombshell

The scent was not strong like what I would imagine a bombshell to be wearing, it smelt more of baby lotion with a hint of coconut.  The butter was more like a lotion, not thick enough to be deemed either a cream or a butter.  There needed to be more moisture adhering to the skin.  If I’m going to be a Brazilian Bombshell, my skin needs to radiate beauty from the natural glow of the exotic oils and drenched in exotic scents from its natural surroundings.

Brazilian Bombshell Body Butter Receives 3.0 Stars!

3 stars

IMG_0114Last but not least, my exotic escape ends with the finishing touch of a Big, Fat, Yummy, Key Lime Pie dessert for the hands.  Every time I hear the words, Key Lime Pie, I think of my mom, it is one of her favorite desserts.  She is very picky about her Key Lime Pie, it has to smell pleasingly fragrant of lime and taste just as good as it smells.  I’d have to say that this hand cream would satisfy my mom’s strict guidelines to her savory dessert.

key lime pie hand cremeSmelling just like a scrumptious Key Lime Pie, I applied the hand crème onto my hands.  It was an effortless application onto my skin.  Absorbing nicely the ingredients of coconut oil, apricot kernel oil and vitamin E into my hands, I was impressed with no oily residue.  Usually hand creme’s tend to leave an oily residue that rubs off on everything you touch after application but I found this not to be the case with this product.  A very nourishing hand crème that will keep your skin soft and supple.

Key Lime Pie Hand Crème Receives 5.0 Stars!5stars1Perfectly Posh delivered a close to perfect exotic skincare escape.  I am mad at myself for not enjoying such wonderful products sooner.  Please forgive me for putting baby in the corner, for it needs to be dancing in the center of a ballroom, a full spectacle for others to witness its wondrous works.

Ann Dalton, CEO and Founder of Perfectly Posh deserves a standing ovation.  The creative mind that cultivated such great products and playfully dubbed each product a memorable name, has delivered a truly effective product line that consumers skin should be devouring.

According to their website, Perfectly Posh is founded off of four principles:

We Simply Pamper.

The Best Ingredients.

Made in the USA.

You Deserve It!

No fillers are used in any Perfectly Posh product which means you get quality ingredients delivered directly to the skin.  Some products are vegan for those who want to avoid using products with animal ingredients and no animal testing is performed during creation of the products.

Enjoy an exotic escape yourself with the pampering of Perfectly Posh and let one of their Perfectly Posh consultants, Janeen Ellis customize your journey.

 

 

Exhale

Just breathe…

IMG_0109

Oxygen.

Our life source.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Free to our force,

the most invaluable gift from nature.

A natural existence,

fought by our spirit’s environment.

Clothed in transparency,

it enters every atom of our being.

Embrace its deliverance,

let it swell within your soul.

Let go of worry.

Let go of stress.

Let go of the uncontrollable.

Just breathe…

Exhale.