I’m in love with ALEX AND ANI…

May 28, 2013

I’m in love…

with ALEX AND ANI…

With the exception of wearing my Garmin when I run, I use to never wear anything on my wrists. Two years ago, I bought my first Michael Kors oversize boyfriend watch in rose gold. I loved it so much that I rarely went a day with out it (being a hairstylist this kept me on time for all of my clients.)

A couple years ago my sister became pretty obsessed with Pandora. I love the idea of wearing a charm bracelet, but never took the plunge – those Pandora charms can be really pricey.

Being introduced to ALEX AND ANI…

I was first introduced to ALEX AND ANI from E who had received it as a gift. Later, on Instagram my cousin has posted a pic of her ALEX AND ANI collection. I was really loving the way ALEX AND ANI looked, and the idea behind it as well.

The day we first met…

Back in April, while heading down to the GT waterfront, for the NWM expo, I noticed ALEX AND ANI, located on M street. I told L, that after the expo we have to take a mandatory stop at ALEX AND ANI. L wears tons of bracelets and I knew she would fall in love too.

What is ALEX AND ANI…

ALEX AND ANI is a company that sells charm bracelets. However, these are different from you traditional charm bracelet. Instead of having a bracelet that you had charms to, ALEX AND ANI are bracelets that have a charm on them already. You never add more charms to the bracelet, but rather buy another whole bracelet with another different charm. The idea is to have a collection of bracelets that end up being charm bangles. They come in silver or gold. You can choose to have all silver, all gold, or a mixture of both. Each charm represents the vibe or energy you give off, and helps reveal your true identity. They have a variety of different charms, including tons of yoga inspired charms.

So below are the ALEX AND ANI I have…

Sometimes I wear all of them. Sometimes I switch up the order. The possibilities are endless.

This brand being from New England, now has 2 locations in the DC area. One is located on M street in GT, the other in National Harbor.

Questions fro You…

What brand do you love?
What accessory do you wear everyday?
Do you have any ALEX AND ANI?

Planking- while hanging from the Ceiling!

May 23, 2013

Hi Lovelies,

If you’ve read my previous post, you should know that I am participating in the Under Armour What’s Beautiful Competition. If you haven’t joined yet, register NOW… you will not be disappointed! The three participants who tell the most epic journey wins a trip to Costa Rica for surf and yoga lessons. That would be totally awesome if I won ( I mean anything is possible,) however, at this moment I am not even thinking about the winning prize. Instead, I am using the What’s Beautiful community to find inspiration and learn new things.

One of the knew things I have discovered is the TRX. And this is how…

While searching for inspiration, for something new and different. I noticed that everyone has been doing different types of planks and setting new PRs. Why? Because there has been a plank challenge going on among the What’s Beautiful community. Because I love challenges, I had to get in on this one.

I came across the most fabulous plank done by Veronica D. This plank was by far was the most new, different, unique, creative plank I had ever seen. She was planking while hanging from a TRX.

I had seen a TRX before, but never used it. Turns out this morning at my gym, I saw one hanging from the ceiling. I immediately wanted to play on it. So here I am doing my plank using the TRX.

I also posted a video of me doing this plank to my What’s Beautiful profile. And this plank video is my first video I uploaded to youtube. So head over there and check it out! BTW I held this plank for over a minute. My planks are getting stronger and stronger. Practice makes perfect.

In the end, I love finding new and different ways to accomplish old exercises. Shocking your body and switching things up is the best way to strengthen and get results. I can’t wait to get on the TRX again.

Questions for You…

Have you used the TRX?
What is your favorite most creative way to plank?
What is you plank PR? How long can you hold it for?

Want to be inspired? Join Under Armour What’s Beautiful 3.0 campaign

May 20, 2013

“The Artist is the Creator of beautiful things.” – Oscar Wilde.

… and this is true, but so is the athlete.

Under Armour is doing something beautiful. They have created the Under Armour What’s Beautiful 3.0 campaign/competition… and guess what? You can be a part it!

The Details

Under Armour wants you to define What’s beautiful. They want you to define what it means to be the ultimate female athlete. They have created this competition so you can set goals and show the world how you accomplish them. Become a Goal Setter. Have a game plan. Accomplish the unthinkable. Because the unthinkable is possible. Why? Because you are beautiful. You are an athlete. You can and will.

Step to Join

Go to http://whatsbeautiful.ua.com
Create a user name and password.
Upload a photo to your newly created profile page.
Write a short paragraph declaring your goals.
To share your journey upload photos and videos of your progress, accomplishing and achieving each goal.
Also share your photos on Instagram. Hashtag photos using #Iwill #whatsbeautiful
To keep me inspired and motivated and connected to your progress and success, tag me on Instagram @dorseyml

The Prize

By mid July, Under Armour will choose three women, who went above and beyond, and send them to Costa Rica for yoga and surf lessons. But along the way, through out this competition, Under Armour will be giving away swag weekly.

What I have learned since joining What’s Beautiful…

This has become more than a competition it has become a community of women, empowering each other. Through this competition, I am able to connect with people and share my knowledge while motivating others. In return I continue to be inspired, and learn new things regarding health and fitness.

So join today. Click here to see my profile page, and follow me, and I’ll follow you back!

Don’t Forget...

Also when you record progress, successfully accomplish a goal or complete a challenge, not only upload your photo to your profile page with in the What’s Beautiful community, but also to Instagram. So I can stay inspired and motivated, please tag me, @dorseyml. Also use hashtags #Iwill #whatsbeautiful.

I am excited for all of you to join! Can’t wait to share knowledge, inspire, and motivate each other. Lets do this Ladies!! Lets kick some serious Ass!!

Questions for You…

What inspires you?
Are you going to join What’s Beautiful? let me know so I can follow your journey!!

Transformation Tuesday

May 15, 2013

There are a lot of different themes on Instagram. To name a few, there is Throwback Thursday aka TBT, or on Friday, Flex Friday. All of the themes on Instagram are really fun to participate in. However, out of all of them Transformation Tuesday is my favorite.

I love Transformation Tuesday because this theme is the most inspiring. It is extremely motivating seeing people’s transformations. How far they have come. How much weight they have lost. How much muscle they have gained. It is the ultimate proof, that if you make a lifestyle change of eating clean organic food and dedicate time to training hard, you will see results.

Because you are seeing yourself every day, sometimes it is hard to notice the positive change. I find it helpful to take progress pics and I label them with the date they were taken, that way I can really compare, and appreciate my hard work.

So here it is my progress pic, my Transformation Tuesday.

I am hoping my progress pics will inspire you, as much as other people’s have inspired me.

I also came across this amazing blog post,

This Trendy “Strong is the New Skinny” Thing (and what it could mean for the next generation of girls).

This is a must read so click here and read it now. It basically talks about the American tragedy of how and why a large majority of young girls spend their time obsessing over their weight. Devoting endless hours, energy, emotions, and effort into being skinny.

This is my favorite pic from the blog.

The author claims that her new goal has changed from “be a size zero to do a motherfucking pull up.”

In the blog post she reveals how painfully awful it was to be 104 pounds- all skin and bones, and how amazing she feels now strong and fit. Wishing someone would have told her sooner that Strong is the new Skinny, she is now trying to encourage girls to be strong, fit, healthy.

I love everything about this post and honestly couldn’t agree more – Strong is the new Skinny! And as you can tell from my progress pic, I was never fat, trying to loose weight, but rather I was just skinny, scrawny, (even though I was running everyday) Now, after adding weight lifting to the mix, I not only look stronger, but I actually am…

oh and p.s. I can do a motherfucking pull up.

Firedaughter Clothing- tees for women who are too fabulous to wear! tees

April 3, 2013

So my last post was all about being a fashionista and the importance of having the proper gear for whatever sport you participate in. The right clothing/gear will not only improve your game, but also bring you confidence.

With that being said… I want to share with you my new favorite workout clothing company, Firedaughter Clothing.

Firedaughter Clothing is a company on etsy that makes tees for women who are too fabulous to wear tees. My favorite thing about this company is the fun, creative, motivational phrases found on each piece. Finding the perfect tee/tank, that you can totally relate to, wont take long. There is a color, size, and phrase for everyone.

One of my favorite shirts is the one that says, Eat Clean Train Dirty!

And… here is a picture of me wearing the tank! Progress Pic. Keep in mind I just completed week 8 of the Livefit trainer.

And look at those guns… haha. Thanks to the Livefit Trainer!

Livefit trainer update…

I have always had a weak skinny arms, shoulders, upper body, which always looked out of proportion compared to my strong running legs. But thanks to the Livefit trainer, I have now developed some major strength in my upper body. I love feeling stronger and looking more toned. Tomorrow will be day 57, my first day in phase 3. I am really excited because in phase 3 there are some changes to the program. This is no longer a phase focused on building muscle, but rather one focused on burning fat! I also am going to be paying even closer attention to clean eating. In a week I will be carb cycling! Can’t wait!! I love a challenge!

I was in a Sweet and Spicy kinda mood!

March 24, 2013

Today…

I ran.

I bought groceries.

I gardened.

Today…

Although, I did all of the above, I will admit, I spent most of my day playing in my kitchen…

I was in a Sweet and Spicy kind of mood…

so I baked these…

These are homemade Ginger Cookies, from my favorite cookbook, Super Natural Every Day, by Heidi Swanson. If you have been following my blog, then this book will be familiar to you, for I have shared with you several of her recipes. She’s the best!

Sweet Tooth

Because I am an endurance athlete, I normally crave healthy fats and salty food. However, sometimes, I desperately desire something sweet – I am human.

Ginger and Cacao

Along with sweet, my all time favorite ingredient is ginger! I love, love, love ginger – can’t even express how much. Ginger also has many health benefits, including being an anti-inflammatory, and improving digestive health. Lately, I have been cooking with it quite a bit. So when I came across this recipe, I just had to try it. This recipe also includes Cacao, which is known for being rich with disease fighting antioxidants. I am a chocolate lover, so this was definitely a plus. I mean, if I am going to indulge in something sweet, I want to go all out, and have a pastry made from high quality ingredients. I also think everything taste better when you cook or bake it yourself. It is true, give it a try.

So here we go…

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70 percent cacao)
2 cups spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
2/3 sugar
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 large egg beaten
1 cup dried apricots chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Shave chocolate into large bowl.

In another large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt.
Heat butter, molasses, sugar and fresh ginger in a pan on medium heat.
beat egg, mix into warm mixture in pan. Note: The yolk is very deep in color, because they are organic and from a local east coast farm. It makes a big difference in flavor.
Chop dried apricots.
Pour mixture from stove over flour mixture. Add apricots. Stir.
Stir in chocolate.
Scoop dough with a spoon and roll into little balls. I dipped every other dough ball into sugar. Place each dough ball onto parchment paper cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy!

These Ginger Cookies definitely met all of my standards. They are made from all of the highest quality organic ingredients. They not only taste amazing because I made them from scratch myself, but they also made my whole house smell sweet and spicy.

So if you are in a sweet and spicy kinda mood… these are a must try!

What Sweet and Spicy combos are your favorite?

LiveFit Trainer Update

March 22, 2013

I haven’t written a post on the Livefit trainer in over 2 weeks…

So here we go…

Today is day 48, which will also be my last day of week 7. I am more than half way through phase 2.

The differences between phase 1 and phase 2 is…

Basically, the program progressed by adding cardio into the mix during phase 2, weeks 5, 6, 7, 8. This cardio consisted of a moderate 30 minute cardio session at a constant pace. Because phase 2 is still considered a building phase the weight I lift has gotten heavier, the reps increased, while the sets decreased. I am normally still resting for 1 minute in between each set, unless it is a superset. Some sets I lift to failure, while other sets are a dropped set.

Lets get that run on…

I am very happy that I am able to run again, however adding running along with the weight training has been very time consuming. If I complete my run on the treadmill, I normally spend between 1.5 – 2 hours in the gym. If I run outside then I am in the gym for 1 – 1.5 hours and then I hit the pavement running. So as you can see, I am in the gym a lot… and I hate the gym.

When I run on a treadmill, I feel like a hamster on a wheel…

To be totally honest, in the last 4 years, I have probably run on the treadmill 5 times each year, when it is a heat wave summer, and too dangerous to run outside. (I will not be one of those crazy runners, running in 110 degrees 90 percent humidity. Trust me I have done that before, and ended up in and out of the doctor’s for 3 months.)

But now, I am running on the treadmill, 1-2 times a week, and I hate it. The only reasons, I put myself through this treadmill running torture is because it saves me time, and I’m sick of the cold. It is the end of March and it has been in the 30s with gusty winds.

Anyway, I have been trying to make my treadmill runs interesting by putting up the incline slightly (1-2), and running at faster speeds, normally 8:30 min mile. I can deal with this because it is only 1-2 times a week. Hopefully, the sun will come out soon and I will be able to forget the treadmill for good.

As for outdoor running and half marathon training…

I have been doing hill repeats, short easy runs, and some long runs on my weekends. But that is just another reason why the Livefit trainer seems time consuming. Along with trying to complete this trainer to the best of my ability, I am also training for 3 races, but the one I am really focused on is the NIKE WOMEN’S 13.1. This races is scheduled for the last weekend of April. So I have 6 weeks to get some serious running in. (I will write a separate post, and go in more detail about my training plan.)

Weight training and results…

I will not post my progress pics quite yet. However, I will tell you this… In phase 2, I am lifting heavier because it is a requirement, but also because I am capable of it. I started this program with strong lean runners legs, but no upper body strength what-so-ever. During phase 1, I was lifting 5 lb dumbbells, now I am lifting 15 lb dumbbells. I was lifting a 20 lb bar, now I am lifting 30-40 lb bar. I was deadlifting with a 40 lb bar, now I am with a 60 lb bar. I am not only feeling stronger, but looking stronger too. I am not seeing bulky muscles, but rather a lot of lean muscle definition, which was my ultimate goal.

Abs, I knew you were there, but never saw you before… it is so nice to finally meet you!

What I am probably most excited about, is that I am finally seeing a flatter stomach which is revealing some abs. This makes me excited, because the weakest part of my body has always been my core. Every expert runner has always told me a stronger core will help improve your running, and that is what I am hoping for.

The whole point of me doing the Livefit Trainer, was to get stronger, so I would improve my running, by being able to run stronger, further, faster.

When I am out on the running trail, that is exactly how I feel, stronger and faster.

I also trust Jamie Eason. She has a video, that I posted earlier on my blog, about how you should train your abs like any other muscle group – not every day. She also said that while lifting free weights, most of the exercises engage your abs anyway. I have found this to be soooo true!

Clean Eating…

In phase, 1 I struggled with clean eating, because I was having a hard time packing enough meals for the day. Now I have this…

Above is a picture of my lunch box. I found it at MOM’s Organic Market. I like it because it fits all of my meals for the day, and it keeps everything cold. It is like carrying around a mini fridge.

Calorie Counting

In phase 2, it is required to start calorie counting. I am not very good at this, and I don’t do it all the time. But I am aware of how many calories I need. It is less on days that I lift upper-body. It is more when I lift lower-body, or go on longer runs.

A clean eating tip, that is introduced in phase 2, is measuring all ingredients. Because of this, it is suggested to purchase a kitchen scale.

I really don’t see myself getting to particular about measuring and counting calories, but I will try my best while I am doing the Livefit trainer. So I purchased this Cuisinart kitchen scale. My food processor is a Cuisinart. I really like this brand. I haven’t used it yet, but I think it is going to be a good thing to have on hand in the kitchen. Plus all fitness models, and fitness competitors have their leanest results when the measure everything. So if you are trying to loose weight, or lean out, it might be a good thing to look into or purchase.

Supplements

In phase 2, it is suggested to take a digestive enzyme, in addition to Protein powder, BCAAs, Glutamine, multivitamin, and fish oil/flax oil . So I purchased…

(I just bought these yesterday, so I will write a more detailed post about what the are and how they work, so stay tuned. )

So that is an overview of what I have been doing for the last 2 weeks, with the Livefit trainer, and my half marathon training… Stay tuned for shorter but more detailed posts, on long runs, and supplements.

Questions for You…

Do you ever run on the treadmill?
What is your favorite way to run on the treadmill?

Funeral for My Fat

March 19, 2013

INSPIRE

My desire to seek knowledge is constant. Along with this knowledge seeking desire, I am on a never-ending quest to find inspiration. This is how and why my addiction to reading blogs developed in the first place. Which then later led to creating my very own blog(s).

I just can’t help myself…

I want to learn more…

I want to be inspired…

I want to inspire others…

With that being said, let me tell you who inspires me…

Let me introduce you to Sharee! We have never met face to face, but she has an inspiring story. Sooo inspiring, that I find her worthy enough to write a blog post about her. She is the writer and owner of the blog, Funeral for My Fat.

Sharee is a 23 year old female, who in the last five years, has lost 118 lbs. She changed her life around, by becoming vegan, and working hard, sweating in the gym. She wears black when she works out because it is a funeral for her fat, hence her blog name.

She is 5’8. Her highest weight was 256 lbs and now she is down to 138 lbs. Earlier this month, she had surgery to remove loose skin in her midsection and upper thighs. It will take her two months to recover, which means no working out.

In her honor, a lot of her blog followers are wearing black in the gym.

So if you are looking for inspiration, check out her blog, Funeral for My Fat. And wear black in the gym, in honor of a fast and speedy recovery for Sharee! Also try Sharee’s Starbucks drink, Iced Hazelnut Soy Latte, great for post work out.

Be Inspired…

Inspire others….

Sweat daily…

Questions for you…

Who has made your blog roll?
Who inspires you?

I love these words…

March 16, 2013

Don’t worry about what others think… it’s a waste of your time. Just be FEARLESS!

Happy Friday!

Mental Strategies for Runnners

March 14, 2013

There are several different types of runners…

While reading, Eat and Run, Scott Jurek compares himself to his hero Chuck Jones and Ron Nicholl. He also discovers bushido, which is a code of honor and morals developed by the Japanese.

Bushido means letting go of the past and future, and focusing on the moment. Do you bushido while running? Or is your mind in constant thought? Do you run better when your mind is empty or do you run better when you are focused on your running?

When you have been consistently running, or have properly trained for a race, you are physically capable to run the speed and distance you have trained for… But are you mentally strong enough?

What mental strategies do you have, if any at all?

“The mountain reminded me that races are not run all at once, that the only way to survive an ultra was piece by piece. So I ran Mount Si piece by piece.”

Scott Jurek used a mental strategy in order to run the distance of Mount Si. He broke his ultra into 3 parts. I do this often while running the marathon distance. During my training my two longest runs are 21 milers. My easy runs during the week are 5.2 mile runs. This becomes a mental strategy for me because when I hit mile 21 in my marathon, I am able to tell myself, “Oh Yay! Just hit mile 21, now it is just my 5 mile easy run.”

A lot of runners have tricks like this. When my dad use to run marathons, he use to break the marathon distance into 4 different 10K parts.

Hal Higdon, a marathon coach, states in his marathon training guide, that he wears a rubber band on his wrist, that every odd mile he switches it to the other wrist.

“According to Bushido, the best mind for the battlefield-or the race- is that of emptiness, or an empty mind. “

I use to just let go, and run (bad form and all.) I wouldn’t really think of anything, my mind was empty. It was my quiet time during my day, my time to myself. But, I wasn’t becoming faster. I wasn’t becoming a better runner, having no goals.

“My craft was running, and as I climb those northwest mountains, I tried to do so with extreme focus. It’s easy to shut your brain off when you’re running long distances, and sometimes it’s necessary, but I stayed plugged in.”

When I decided to change my shoe to Newtons, and really focus on improving my stride. I had to stay focused. During that time, when I was transitioning my stride from a heel striker to a more natural barefoot runner, there were definitely days when I missed the times when I could just go out there and run., with an empty mind. It was very exhausting physically running, and then mentally thinking about how to run properly, but I had to, I was invested in becoming a better runner.

“In my two months training in Seattle, my endurance improved all by itself. Dusty and all the other tough guys were right about that. Just do the distance and that will usually save you. “

I totally agree, it is as simple as that… practice running the distance, and it will save you.

“I stood in icy rivers to strengthen my mind’s control over my body.”

However, Scott Jurek prepared his mind by standing in icy water. Sometimes running isn’t enough. Sometimes your need more. So in addition to the distance, mentally preparing for your race can take you to a different level of running, maybe even a new PR. Focusing on running while you run, can keep you injury free, and a stronger faster runner.

“I concentrated on running a particular section harder, on picking up speeds downhill while I rested my heart and lungs.”

You would be surprised how the mind can play tricks on you and actually turn a good race into a nightmare. Using mental strategies when you have approached that unbearable distance is just a SMARTER way to run.

There are several different runners, some that empty their minds, others that use their minds just as much as their bodies, but we can all agree on this…

Questions for You…

Do you just run? Letting your mind empty?
Do you have any good mental strategies? Please share them!

previous 1 2 3 4 5 next