Stepping it up for National Fitness Month

This month we've embarked on a Fitness Challenge. It's National Fitness Month and as owner of a fitness studio, I thought it time that we step it up a bit.

Here's the challenge: Thirty crunches, thirty push-ups, holding a plank for thirty seconds and holding a v-sit for thirty seconds - every day for thirty days! It's more of a challenge for some than others, but we're giving it the good college try and having lots of fun in the process.
Challenge and novelty are key elements of happiness. People who do new things, whether it's learning a new skill, traveling to a new place, or trying a new restaurant, are happier than people who stick to familiar activities that they already do well.

With our fitness challenge, the real key is not whether someone can complete it, but rather that the effort is there. Simply trying 10 push-ups is an accomplishment. Remember that anything worth doing is worth doing badly. Sometimes it's simply enjoying the fun of failure and tackling some daunting goal.

I've been thinking about that lately since I'm toying with the idea of training for a triathalon (just in the thinking stage at this point!)...... While I'm excited by working towards an ambitious goal, I'm also considering choosing something a little less time consuming.

In the meantime while I mull it over, it's time to start on those push ups!

K


PS If you try our challenge or any of your own, please post and let us know how it's going!

Finding the Faith

"Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into."
Mahatma Gandhi

Most of my blog posts are about the happenings in my business, with an emphasis on how to live a healthy balanced life, and an occasional personal tidbit thrown in for good measure.

I was reminded recently that the real key to whole, healthful living, is not only what we snack on or how many crunches we do, but rather a more intangible practice, one that has always been central in my life. Faith.

Faith seems to be popping up a lot lately in my life. Many people are facing big challenges with health, finances and relationships. It seems I'm having daily conversations with customers, coworkers, friends or family about how essential faith is, not just during trying times, but always.

Faith is truly an act of courage. It isn't a decision of the mind, but a practice of the heart.

As grace becomes a familiar companion we recognize that we must do what we can, and then surrender the outcome. We must trust that with faith we can handle whatever comes our way.

Last weekend I have the honor of being on the team of the Women's 64th Cursillo Weekend for the Diocese of Bridgeport. Wow. The faithfulness of these women was almost overwhelming. Everyone has a story and faith has helped these women grow in their faith and become more whole.

Just like other healthy habits, strengthening our faith is not a destination, but an ongoing journey.

Here are a few of the faith filled women I had the privilege of serving with - our Kitchen Team ("the chas) Jeannette, Yvonne, me, Patty, & Dolores.

I thank all of these women for helping me grow in faith!

DeColores!

Retreat Before You Move Forward!

Do you sometimes feel you are on the hamster wheel?

It may be time for a retreat.

Sometimes it's important that there be not just a psychological separation but also a physical separation from all the hooks we have in us from our family, friends and work/life commitments.

Taking a retreat is about creating the sacred time and space - described by the Greek word Kairos - to hear your own voice, your True voice deep inside.

As author Joan Borysenko, author of Your Soul's Compass put it, "To get clarity of vision on your life, you have to get away from it". If clarity is what you seek, Retreats are the answer.

This week I'm heading to Kirpalu in the Berkshires for a personal retreat. I look forward to this every year....time to be quiet, write in my journal, hike, do lots of yoga, eat amazing food and just see what unfolds. It's amazing that 48 hours can be so powerful in restoring your energy! I highly recommend the R&R program.

Of course you don't have to drive two hours and spend two days to retreat.

Here are a few resources to check out:

20-Minute Retreats: Review Your Spirits in Just Minutes a Day with Simple Self-Led Exercises by Rachel Harris.


Woman's Retreat Book: A Guide to Restoring, Rediscovering and Reawakening Your True Self -- In a Moment, An Hour or a Weekend by Jennifer Louden

However or wherever you do it, just do it!

And enjoy,
K



PS What are your best tips for retreating?

Take Time to Smell the Flowers

This month marks not only my father's birthday, but the 16th anniversary of his death. I thought it fitting to write a blog post honoring him. My father was, among many things, a prolific writer and published widely throughout the world, although most of his writing was geared toward insurance and risk management (yep, a real yawn!).

"Take Time to Smell the Flowers" is a personal story of his journey through open heart surgery. It is an example of how so many factors affecting our health are within our control, shaped by our daily choices. It is up to US to make the difference.

While he maintained many of these lifestyle changes for several years, he ultimately died on March 20th of a heart attack. He was enjoying life fully on the dance floor at a St. Patrick's Day Dinner Dance - just the way he would want it.

My current path, which I see as not only a career path, but a life journey, is both entrepreneurial and committed toward improving the health and well being of others. In both respects, I believe he is the influence behind those choices.

I hope that this article impacts you in some small way, that perhaps you share it with someone you love, and most of all that you Take Time to Smell the Flowers.............

Love you Dad!
K



(Click on each page individually to enlarge)

Kicking it Up a Notch

How often do you really challenge yourself? This could be career, personal or physical challenges, or any combination.Every now and then it's important to raise the bar and surprise yourself and there's never a better time than the present.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't want my life to be monotone, so I make it a point to look for ways to challenge myself -- physically, intellectually and even spiritually.

To give you an idea, let me share the most recent example of how I have been kicking my fitness level up a notch.

While I've been dabbling in yoga for awhile, I decided the best way for me to stretch myself physically, was to LITERALLY STRETCH myself. I already do a lot of cardio and strength training so this seemed to make a lot of sense. I began taking a yoga class , which was a bit more difficult than I had bargained for. Over the past three months I've pushed the boundaries of my physical abilities to do headstands, handstands and backbends. Aside from the headstand (which I do ocassionally on my own) , I really suprised myself with the other poses. Backbends? Who know at 42 I'd be doing backbends.

Currently the yoga pose called "bird of paradise" is still eluding me. But I am going to keep working on it

My challenge to you: Stretch Yourself - do a little more, work a little harder, GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.....Open yourself to learning and growing beyond what you know today. This will open you to discovering and embracing the opportunities that you attract.

And let me know how it goes...

K

PS At Jazzercise we're kicking off a new format for the month of March called Jazz to the Max. It's a way to take your workout (and your body) to the next level -- so if you're looking for that extra edge email me at khallett@optonline.net for details.

Lt. Daniel visits while on leave

On his very brief visit home, Lt. Daniel Merritt took time to visit the Jazzercise Fitness Center to thank those who participated in Operation Soccer Ball.

Click here to see a clip of his arrival

He spoke of how this initiative has grown in leaps & bounds and has made a difference in the lives of children in Iraq and how it has positively impacted the forging of relationships.

He thanked everyone for their support, especially his Aunt Eleanor (Jazzercise instructor!) who was so instrumental in spreading the word. He assured everyone that his replacement would carry on the work and that his plans were to expand the initiative to South Africa.

To read more about Operation Soccer Ball scroll back to the blog post on October 13, 2008.

And to find out more and how you can help, go to OPERATIONSOCCERBALL.ORG

Detox: Body & Mind

You know when it’s time to clear out clutter and streamline your closets, but what about your body and your mind? Detox seems to be the buzz word these days. It's NOT, however, a solution to weight loss, and there are a lot of sketchy products out there, so beware.

There are lots of ways to simple, healthy ways to "cleanse" by changing a few habits for a week, or even a day.

I recently finished a book called Give it Up: My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less In the book the author, Mary Carlomagno, gave up something different each month for a whole year. She became aware of the role various things like chocolate, alcohol, cell phones, shopping and more played in her life, and she Three detox ideas:

1) Media Cleanse -- consider curtailing (or going cold turkey) from Web surfing, TV watching, newspaper reading, and maybe even emailing. The media has a powerful effect on us and going on a media fast, especially these days, can be a wonderful way to PURGE your mind. Plus, you might be surprised at how you fill that extra time away from Facebook. Perhaps you'll finish knitting that sweater, read a good book, or write an old fashioned letter.

2) Clean Eating- Try a simple detox such as eliminating caffeine, sugar and alcohol and tune in to how you feel. And if you're feeling especially motivated, why not "detox" from processed foods altogether and try eating only whole, natural foods. This is a pure and easy way for physical detoxing, especially considering all the toxins and chemicals we are surrounded by. Plus, this is a safe an healthy approach to cleansing.

3) Finally, if you still need help to make it happen --- consider trying the NutriClean® 7-Day Cleaning System:

The NutriClean® Digestive, Liver and Colon Maintenance System found at www.marketamerica.com/khrfitness is a seven-day, three-step cleansing and detoxification system designed to optimize your digestive tract health by providing select nutrients and botanicals that cleanse and mildly purge the body of accumulated and potential toxins. It is an excellent cleansing tool that should be used twice a year for optimal digestive, liver and colon health and also promotes peristalsis. I am using NutriClean for the second time (tried it last January as well after holiday indulging). It's simple, mild and safe. It's inexpensive, you won't be in the bathroom all day and it tastes pretty good! I challenge you to try one of these cleansing approaches for a week (but even a day or two of 1 or 2 will make a difference!) . Don't fall for lots of gimmicks or expensive products. You can feel refreshed and lighter with simple changes. Be sure to post to let me know how it goes OR if you have another detox idea to share!

Community is part of health

The Annual Think Pink Fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Foundation went without a hitch on Friday night.

We team taught a packed high energy class....

Followed by a beautiful party......

Delicious food & pink drinks.........

Handsome bartenders...............

And a raffle to knock your socks off. ....over sixty gorgeous baskets were donated....

With Tressa as the raffle "MC"................

And a lot of happy winners.......

And plenty of friends to enjoy the evening with.........

A HUGE thank you to EVERYONE who participated and donated, but especially Peggy (below right) & Beth (above center), our hostesses for the event.


The results were not only almost $8,000 raised for the cause, but also a profound sense that health is about more than your workout. Of course being in the fitness field, you'll never hear me advising someone against exercise, but I am continually realizing how much being a part of something bigger than yourself is key to optimal health.

When we become part of a community and surround ourselves with positive people, we clear away the negativity that exists around us and create more room uplifting energy and magical things to happen.

The evening finished with a goose bump performance of "Amazing Grace" by Christine Sinclair.

And as I listened, there was no doubt in my mind, that being part of THIS community is TRULY amazing!



FOR more photos check out my Facebook page...

Happy New Year!

Holiday hoopla is behind us now and it's back to a full work week. Hope your celebration was glorious. My New Year's Eve was quiet and relaxing - a movie marathon with my husband, Thai takeout, good wine and flannel pj;s!


Last night at my prayer group, my friend Lynne mentioned that her family made a list of the top 25 people who most impacted their family (she's got 5 kids!) in 2008....sort of like Time or People's list of most influential people of the year. Now when they see any of these people they are sure to let them know they made the Briody's Top 25 List.



I loved the idea and it got my wheels turning about my own list.



But first I began reflecting back on 2008. I decided to start with my 2008 Highlights.



In no particular order........


1. Finishing all 42 miles of the Five Boro Bike Tour and still being able to walk the next day.


2. Attending Tres Jazz in New Orleans with my mom and Jazzer-pals & the honor of teaching in the East Coast class.


3. Ten glorious days in Aruba with my hubby.


4. Finally resolving the floor issues at the Center and happily dancing on (and loving) our third floor.


5. The Jersey shore with my family and the first overnight babysitting adventure with Landon.


6. Coming out of surgery and seeing my husband waiting.


7. The honor of being one of the entrepreneurs featured in the new book "Sixteen Weeks to Your Dream Business."


8. The 5 pm call from the insurance company


9. A beautiful summer day and group of cool women for our Staff Outing - Accomplice in NYC.


10. Strengthening my faith during not only the "highlight" times, but the tough ones too.

Here's to a year of BOLD OPTIMISM!

Holidays in 2008

This year Tressa & Becky kicked off the holidays with the first-ever Thanksgiving Day class. It was full of energy and fun and we were ready to dig into the stuffing and pumpkin pie. Don't you love their matching camo?
Erika, Eleanor & I followed up the next day with our Annual Turkey Work Off.

The following week I hosted our Holiday Staff Brunch

We enjoyed a tasty menu (see above) and creative Secret Santa gifts, and a game to get to know a few secrets about one another......Beth was the big winner!

Joan opens a festive Secret Santa gift (above) and Pina gets a scarf that is 'so Pina!'

Meg checks out her gift, and Peggy's receives the perfect party gift.

The following day the Rzasa clan took a holiday adventure to NYC to see the Radio City Christmas Show. The tree is looking as beautiful as ever.

The following week we gathered at The Loft for martinis to celebrate
Becky (one of our newest instructors) & the BIG 3-0!

Obviously she didn't enjoy it much.

Many of our Jazzercise friends were on hand to celebrate plus our My Time for Me buddies, Tracy & Andrea (above). As a side note, the following week I went to a great Wine Party at Tracy's where I had the BEST ever mac & cheese. Let me know if you need a good mac & cheese recipe, she was willing to share it.

Pina, Mindy & I pose after working up quite a sweat on the dancefloor.
Mindy, another one of our fabulous instructors, also celebrated her 3-0 milestone this month.

Finally, on a personal note, along with several other holiday gatherings, I was able to spend time with one of my dearest friends, Melissa, on Christmas Eve day who was home from Raleigh before hosting our usual Christmas Eve dinner at our home.

I also made a visit to Princeton to my adorable nephew Landon on Christmas Day (oh and my brother and sister-in-law too of course :)!

It was a blessing to be with our family & dear friends during this special season.

Looking forward to a peaceful and joyful New Year!

29 Day Give

The holidays are always looked upon as the "season of giving". So I thought it would be a great way to begin the New Year with a GIVING challenge, in order to keep the momentum going.

I'm naming January the month for giving!

I have experimented with similar ideas and then I heard about Cami Walker and read her story on her site www.29gifts.org

And that's how it began.

The concept is simple.

"Give one thing away each day for 29 days.
Share your stories about how it impacts your life to focus on giving.

Why? Because to see the world change, we have to do something to change the world.
Plus, the best way to attract abundance into your life is to be in a perpetual state of giving and gratitude. Be an important part of the global giving movement that inspires more generosity on our planet. "

The "rules" can be found on Cami's site.

Be sure to register there (I promised her you'd all check out her site and give your feedback).

You'll also find a cool calendar to keep you on track and gift cards to share & inspire others
(hey, there you go -- give someone a gift card/calendar as your 1st "give"). I've already printed mine and am ready to go. I'm planning to start on Jan. 3rd.

Don't forget to post your comments and amazing results here and on www.29gifts.org.

Happy Giving!

Kristen

PS Now isn't this more fun than yet another resolution to lose 10 lbs?!