Just One Pushup

This month, the craziness is back but in a very different way... The month started up in Tahoe and continued with a nice mountain bike ride in Marin while the kids were at home.  Then the heat wave hit and we found ourselves in a 100 degree weather up in Redwood Forest.  We had no clue what was waiting for us at 3am in the morning - one of the biggest thunderstorms in the Bay Area.  At the time, we were in our tent, on top of our truck, watching the lightening as a mystical nature show.  It was kind of scary to be surrounded by giant redwood trees - pretty much in the mercy of that beautiful nature.  As we were headed back home, we were able to see smoke rising from couple miles away... It was scary.  Just a few days after our return, that mystical nature managed to lock us down, in our homes...  With the bad air quality, the fun of outdoors was (and still is) over.

When it is over 90 degrees hide under the Shade!

Well... how about being locked down with a new kindergarten student who is as clueless as his parents on what to do?!  So, the whole school thing started the craziness.  Schools don’t know what to do, parents do not know what to do and the kids... they are even more confused.  We will all get through these times, I know, so i continue to see the bright side of it. At least, this way, I can spend more time with Kaya and see how he develops with all the new things that he is learning.  My little baby is now in kindergarten! 

FirSt day of school starts at home

With all the craziness in our household and outside, the one thing that I try to keep as a constant, for my body, is the PUSHUP.  Those of you who have been with me in bootcamps, you would know that pushups are my favorite because they work on the ENTIRE body, inclusive of your mind.  For some people, even the word “pushup”  is intimidating.  Therefore it becomes your mind over body to even get started with the move.  There is also the misconception of “knee pushups”, which some people, incorrectly, refer to as “women’s pushups”.  Doing pushups on knees can still be as challenging as doing them on toes.  The key to a pushup is the FORM.  Either on knees or on toes, the back needs to be straight, the lower back should you lifted up and the butt should be down.  Once you get that rigid body, the move is executed with elbows bending to get the body lower to the ground... and THAT is what makes this move a full body champion!

Towards the end of July, I was nominated for a challenge to do 25 pushups for 25 days...  The challenge was to raise awareness for PTSD and other mental illnesses - just a great move to support those suffering from mental illnesses.  The hardest part of the challenge was to video myself and post it on Facebook.  However, by that way, I was able to shoot the below video for you, as a good example for how to do pushups.  

Here are the key things to remember about a pushup: 

• If you cannot do more than one, THAT IS OK

• If you do it on your knees, THAT IS OK

• DO NOT STRETCH in between sets, instead do a SUPERMAN (lay down on your belly and lift both your arms and legs off the ground)

I had one participant who came into my Tuesday Bootcamp with the fear of not being able to make any pushups.  She started with ONLY 1, when we were all doing 10.  We worked hard on her form and finally, she was doing all 10 with us with a PERFECT form.  At some point, she stopped coming to my classes.  Finally one day, I ran into her in the gym.  She told me that she was in a bad traffic accident and she was rear ended.  Her doctor told her that her spine was saved because of her strong back.  She had mentioned that she was thankful to those pushups for developing her back and eventually saving her life!  That is exactly why the title of my blow is JUST ONE PUSHUP - it all starts with one...

Here is my challenge for you: I want you to do 4 pushups a day, 2 in the morning before you change into your day clothes and 2 at night, right before going to bed.  If you are an avid pushup-er than hold your pushups down for 10 seconds. ;). Don’t forget you can be on your knees.  By doing your 4 pushups, you will start your day strong and end it even stronger since your body is usually too tired before going bed.

Let me know how this challenge treats you.  And, who knows, maybe you can get a surprise workout video from me in the middle of the month. ;)

Big high five to you if you can do this challenge for our upcoming month!  Keep it strong... That’s what our bodies do the best.

Frustration into Motivation

This month was like a break during a storm where you get to see the blue sky while the ground is still wet and leaves are flown all over.  We, as a family, stepped out to that break and took a huge deep breath!  It certainly felt good for all of us.  After 2.5 months of home schooling, having the kids home for 10 days during their “summer break” was even a breeze.  We were able to do 2 camping trips in the Redwood Forests and, right at the moment, we are enjoying a mini vacation in Tahoe.

During our Train and Smile sessions, we even focused on similar themes: started with “Celebration”, moved to “Fresh Air”, then to “Warmth” to “Comfort” and summarized it with “Memories”. You can only imagine the household items that we used for each of those themes.

Given that it was such a refreshing feeling month, I kept thinking what my topic should be.  As I watched my kids and thought through some of the recent events in my life, I realized that a topic about the power of frustration might be a good one.

Watching Ela and Kaya learning things that are now second nature to us is a huge eye opener.  The other day, Ela was trying really hard to put on a pair of socks.  She got frustrated because she couldn’t get the toes in right.  She almost started crying...  I offered her my help a little to ease the situation.  She only accepted it for the foot that she had already somewhat put the sock on.  And I showed her how to place her toes comfortable.  She then moved on to the next foot.  Tried... and tried... kept getting frustrated... and then all of a sudden the sock was on and it was on correctly.  She didn’t let her frustration threw her off the course of her goal - to put those socks on “all by herself”.  

Kaya is no different than Ela...  I was riding behind him on a mini mountain bike trail... I could hear in his voice the frustration of trying to ride his bike in between bushes - something he doesn’t like at all.  He was probably frustrated with us and I think we were with him too since he wasn’t moving forward that fast.  However, just on his own he kept pushing himself for moving faster.  By the end of the trip, he was in the front, leading the way because his goal was to get out of the trail! :) It worked!

We all get frustrated... Sometimes on things that are relevant and sometimes on stuff that is totally unnecessary. I do believe that the key is not to let that frustration to move us from our goal.  I will be honest, I have plenty of frustrations about myself.  One of those had been my body after two kids.  For those of you who has seen me pregnant, I hardly had a belly with Kaya until the last month.  With Ela, it was slightly different but still on the small side.  I always believed that my body would be back to its initial shape.  For the most part that was true but without the super active and regimented lifestyle that we had back then I knew that things would be hard.  Well I was right... I couldn’t help myself for not getting frustrated each and every time when I looked at the mirror - i still do :).  However, as the time went by, I let that frustration to motivate me... I set my routines - even in the most difficult days I do not skip.  I also let that frustration to teach me to love what I have.  I am still a work-in-progress but certainly makes me feel good each time when I get frustrated to thing of ways of using that energy to something more useful than anger. :) How about you?  Can you flip your frustration into motivation?

Here are some of the pictures that motivated me this month:

It took many visits to fInally do the jump

Together they can do anything….

When in DouBt give yourself a thumbs up!!!!

How about our 15-min routine? Well... it helps that every Monday I teach a mini session for my co-workers and make sure to keep it to 15 minutes.  So this is one of our sessions:

Warm up: 

1. 100 Jumping Jacks - Make sure to clap your hands at the top

2. Shoulder rolls - Keep your arms parallel to the floor on the sides.  Do counter clockwise mini circles while keeping your elbow straight and arm parallel to the floor - 30 sec

Repeat 1 through 2, total of 2 times

Lower Body:

1. Lunge pulse with back leg kick: Start at a perfect lunge with left foot forward at a 90 degree angle and right foot back with right knee bent. Both feet should be pointing forward. Kick the right heel towards your butt without moving the front leg and the front knee.  Repeat on the right side for total of 10 times.  Switch sides and repeat for 10 counts on the left side.

2. Reverse Table Top with Leg lifts: Come down to your fours - hands right under shoulders and knees right under hips with back as straight as a table. Then LIFT your knees off the ground by 1-2inches - basically now your knees are hovering off of the floor but still under your hips. Then straighten your right leg, while holding your balance and pulse it up.  Repeat each side 8 times

Repeat 3 through 4, total of 2 times

Core: Hold a glute lift position - [lay on the floor on your back, keep your hands next to your hips, lift your butt up]

1. Glute lift with hand reach: While holding the glute lift position, reach your right hand towards the ceiling and then switch to left side.  Repeat for 10 counts per side

2. Glute pulses:  As you are holding the glute lift position, simply bring your butt down and up - without letting your butt touch the ground!.  Repeat for 10 counts

3. Side Twist: Continue to hold the glute lift position.  Open your hands out to the sides on the floor - your hands should be in the same line as your shoulders.  Bring your left hand right on top of your right hand.  Repeat for 8 counts and switch sides to repeat it on the other side

Repeat 5 through 7, total of 3 times....

As I always ask, please let me know how it goes for you or if you have any questions with the moves.  Also, please remember that you are more than welcomed to join my Train and Smile captures.  If you are interested than please send me a personal email or leave a comment for me to know.

I hope you got a break in this crazy storm too... If not yet, then I hope that you will soon... Good job making it through July!

Let’s Be Positive

It feels like every month of this year, so far, has been jaw dropping.  June definitely did it too.  I became a listener of stories and found myself trying to figure out how to act on what I believe - equality for human beings...  Initially, as I was listening to stories, I was furious, angry, relentless...  Color of our skin should not give us the privilege or the curse of life - That is just not fair.  Then I listened to a black colleague talking about her experience in life and her perspective how I can act...  It was the calm in her voice that affected me the most.  The following morning, during breakfast, as we were watching the news, Kaya asked why “the police was hurting the guy”.  We tried to explain it to him the unfairness in the picture and how some policemen do the wrong things.  His immediate response was “I will punch that police if I see him do that again”.  That was THE time to pull out that calm voice of my colleague and be POSITIVE.

It sounds very cliche to say “let’s be positive”.  And I am certainly not trying to sound cliche... What I mean is to have a positive tone even when opposing an idea.  I did NOT tell Kaya that he shouldn’t think about punching the bad policeman (I wanted to do worse things to that policeman than punching).  I just asked him what would punching him would do in return.  My 5 year old looked at me puzzled.  He paused and then said “maybe I should call the good police”...  :) Of course the concept of good and bad police is still up in the air but we are talking about a 5 year old mind.  His thinking shifted from “punching” to “getting more help” to stop the bad.  This one was an easy win on positive thinking.

I am definitely not a Pollyanna - I just believe in the power of positivity...  And I even tried to apply the “let’s be positive” theme at work during some of the toughest conversations.  Most of the time it worked - not always (I admit).  The hardest times are when I am super angry and trying to come up with that positive response so that my opponent will have a chance to think logically.  Trying this strategy on kids, especially 2.5 year olds, really don’t work that well.

That all being said, I am challenging you to be positive during times that you don’t agree with someone - especially when you strongly believe that you are correct. :). Can you act calmly with a positive tone?  Here is a scenario:  You are training with friends...  They tell you that you should now be doing 100 push-ups.  You know that there is always some pain involved in tough workouts but you also know that 100 is way beyond the limit that you would like to push.  Your friends keep pushing you...  Your approach can be “can you please tell me what 100 push-ups that are done haphazardly will do better for me than 20 perfect ones?”  I do think you get your point across with that. Don’t you?

Alright.... Enough of my rambling mind!  Here are some pictures from this month that were important for me. :)

I captured a lot of smiles this month! Thank you…

Pride is in my wardrobe… favorite color is Orange = healing

Masks are not inconvenience. They are our super powers of saving lives

On that note, here is another 15-minute workout.  I am still working on how to get these to you visually - I promise.

Warm up: 

1. Shuffle in Place - Keep your feet shoulder width a part and fast move the feet as if you are doing a basketball drill - 20 sec

2. Squat Pulse - Come down to a quarter squat.  Pulse it up and down - 20 sec

3. Mountain Climbers - hands on the ground, one at a time pull your knee to your chest - 20 sec

Repeat 1 through 3, total of 3 times

Lower Body:

1. Lunges Forward and Backward: Anchor the left foot on the floor.  Right foot moves forward into a lunge position.  Then the right foot goes all the way back to a lunge position without any resting steps in the middle.  Each forward and backward makes 1 count.  Repeat on the right side for total of 10 times.  Switch sides and repeat for 10 counts.

2. “T”: Keep your arms straight up in the air, with arms next to your ears.  As you bent forward, keeping your arms next to your ears, lift right leg up until you can come down to a “T” shape.  Repeat each side 8 times

Repeat 4 through 5, total of 2 times

Core:

1. Table top to dips: Sit on the floor and come to a reverse table position by pushing your butt up in the air.  (Your stomach should be facing the ceiling). As you bring the position down, bring your butt closer to your arms and do one tricep dip - please don’t forget to use your elbows for the dips and not your shoulders. Repeat for 8 counts

2. Nes’s Jane Fonda: Lay on your left side with legs stacked up.  Hold your head up with your left hand - as if you are comfortable watching something.  Then do the following: (once you finish your right side, repeat it on the left side.

   1. Lift your right leg slightly up.  While keeping it up, tap your toes to the front of your left toes. Repeat for 6 times and move to the next move.

   2. Keeping your right leg slightly up, pull your right knee into your chest.  Repeat for 6 times and move to the next move.

   3. Keeping your right leg slightly up, pulse it up and down for 6 times.

Repeat 6 through 7, total of 2 times....

Please do let me know how it goes...  Feel free to use your positive comments on me even when you don’t like the moves. :)

Hi Five to you all for surviving this year.  I feel like 2020 has a lot to teach the human race. Let’s see how my jaw will drop in July!

As a side note, let me know if you would like to join our weekly training sessions...

Emotions as Currency

I can’t believe that May has already come to an end... I wanted to wait until the last day of the month to write this blog to represent May but now it seems like I waited for too long... It is midnight and I couldn’t get this blog out on time.  Well to be honest, trying to make my kids happy kept me away from my computer all day.  And that brings me to the main subject of this month’s topic - Parenthood...

No one ever says that it is easy...  Everyone admits that there is no user manual... Gut feeling becomes the only direction to follow... And emotions are the only currency for all the work that goes into it... 

As we finished our second full month, at home together, we experienced even more ups and downs with the kids!  Some days were unexplainably great while the others were so low that all I wanted to do was to cry all day long.  Derek and I constantly talk about ways to reduce tantrums.  Penalties for wrong doing vs gifts for good work? Losing the calm and yell vs. taking deep breaths to speak more gentle?  Be logical vs be emotional? I feel like whichever way we choose, the kids would learn something but is it the right thing? At the end of the day, our goal is to get them ready for the life ahead while showing them how much we love them and how much we will support them.  As parents, we want them to think before they do something - especially when they are angry... And as parents, sometimes we forget that one of them is just 5 and the other one is 2.5. :). 

We are all aware that parenthood is a full time job that we do not have the option to quit and the only form of payment is via emotions - and NO, there is no option of “contactless” payment.  Getting paid in positive emotions makes you richer than a millionaire while getting paid in negative emotions puts you down lower than a homeless person.  The bummer is that sometimes you know that you will be paid back with those negative emotions but your gut says that this is for the best.  Basically this occupation teaches you how to deal with a super volatile currency but still embrace it with the highest value possible. At the end of the day, I still would like to focus on collecting more of the positive emotions in my Parenthood Piggy Bank because I know that their value grows exponentially over time. (Keep in mind that a cry on your shoulder is also a positive emotion in my book)

Our Wednesday and Saturday training sessions are definitely helping me in filling my bank. All the smiles captured over the last, almost, two months are those positive currencies that I save.  As I mentioned in last month’s blog - one smile at a time!  I hope those who join me in those trainings and those who read my blogs do agree. 

Now that all those emotions are released, here is another glimpse into our training sessions - an abbreviated version of one of the May workouts:

(For the below exercise, you do need a pillow from your sofa)

1. Speedy feet: Put the pillow on the floor.  One foot on the floor, the other foot gently on the pillow. Switch your side.  Keep switching sides as fast as you can. After 30 secs move to #2.

2. Squat Jumps with Overhead Pillow: Start with a squat while holding the pillow with both hands, in front of the knees.  Touch the pillow to the ground and then jump up bringing the pillow overhead. Land back to the starting position.  Continue for 30 seconds.  Then move to #3.

3. Arm openers: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and the pillow parallel to the floor at shoulder height.  Palms facing in and the arms straight, open left arm towards the left side while holding the pillow.  Then bring the left arm back to the middle and grab the pillow with the right hand to open the arm to the right side with the pillow. Continue for 30 seconds.  Rest for 10 seconds.

Repeat #1 through #3 total of 3 times.

1. Lunge Pulses: Get into a perfect lunge position with your front knees behind your front toes, front knee at a 90 degree angle and your back leg bent. Place the pillow right under the back knee and with each pulse gentle come down to the pillow without resting on the pillow.  Pulse 8 times per leg. Then move to #5.

2. Squat sits: Keep the pillow on the floor. Bring your legs CLOSER than hip-width apart and hold a perfect squat, making sure that your knees are behind your toes and your butt is sticking out while your chest is as up-right as possible. Then come down to a low squat where your butt touches the pillow - NOT SITTING. Pulse it for 10 times. Then move to #6.

3. Plank with Pillow Raise: Come down to a plank position - either on your knees or on your toes. Make sure that the pillow is in between your hands.  Grab the pillow with the right hand and reach it forward as if you are passing it to some on in front of you.  Then bring the pillow back to the floor.  Repeat the move for total of 8 times for the right side and then change sides.  Repeat the move on the left side for 8 times too. Then move to #7.

4. Sit ups with Pillow Throw: Lay on your back with knees bent and feet are GLUED to the ground.  Hold the pillow on your chest.  Throw the pillow straight up while coming up to a sit up.  Catch the pillow once you are up or on the way up. Repeat it for total of 10 times. Rest for 20 seconds.

Repeat #4 through #7 for total of 3 times.

Please feel free to ask questions about the move.  I would be more than happy to connect with you and show you the moves either on Zoom or via FaceTime.

Either you are a parent of a pet or a kid, I wish you all good luck in collecting as much  as positive emotions into your Parenthood Piggy Bank.  Let’s grow those savings to spread more of those positive emotions to everyone we interact with. :). We all deserve that virtual high five every day...

One Smile at a Time

Wow!  What a month...  March was all about uncertainty and April became the month of adjustments for us.  

Within all the craziness and constant adjustments, I still had an awesome birthday, even though it was during a week day, was spent completely at home and consisted of some tough work discussions!  My day started with my favorite breakfast, made by Derek, and then followed by an early morning workout with my favorite people all across the world. :). It was at the end of that workout that I realized how powerful a single smile was and how contagious that smile was when shared with loved ones.  Following that workout, I had the courage to start my own virtual training sessions.  Now every Wednesday and Saturday, we “Train and Smile” together.  And that smile makes my day, every single session...  I know that morals are fluctuating almost hourly - at least in our household.  However, “smiling”, even if it is for something silly, helps me cheer up and it transfers that positive energy to anything that I am working on.  Below are some of the smiles that we captured during our sessions.  Maybe these smiles can put smiles on your faces too.  How about in May you try to find things around you, maybe something that you did, that can make you smile when you least expect!

I owe you an apology from last time... I am sorry that I failed in one of my promises from last month, which was to include picture descriptions of my moves.  I was hoping to have a video ready for you this month but I couldn’t get to that either.  For next month, I will try to make a solo video with the workout so be at the look out for the May blog.  Now that being said, here is a fun 15-minute workout from one of our sessions this month.  Our sessions are about 20 minutes so this is an abbreviated version. :). For this workout you need a medium sized beach towel... ;). I will try to be extra descriptive with the moves and I will avoid the typos that I did in last month’s blog.  

Here we go with the FUN APRIL 15-min workout:

1. “Towel” Jacks: This is pretty much Jumping Jacks but with a tight towel over your head.  Bring the towel overhead, keeping it tight the whole time with your hands shoulder width apart.  While the towel is overhead, jump your feet out and in - like doing jumping jacks.  Continue for 30 seconds and move to #2

2. “Frontal Lift” Single leg hop: Bring the towel to shoulder height, parallel to the floor and still tight.  While keeping towel parallel to the floor start hopping on one leg. Continue for 20 seconds then switch sides.  Once both sides are done, move to #3.

3. “Towel Twist”: Continue to keep the towel parallel to the floor.  Open your legs shoulder width apart.  While keeping your LEGS steady, twist to left and then right with the towel constantly parallel to the ground.  Continue for 30 seconds then take a 20 second rest.

Repeat #1 through #3 2 MORE times for total of 3 times.

1. Lunge hold with forward and backward lean: Come to a perfect lunge position (Front leg is at 90 degree angle, front knee is right over the front ankle, back leg is bent, both feet looking forward).  Bring the towel forward just like we did in move #2.  Keep that towel tight and parallel to the floor.  As you are holding the lunge position bend all the way forward towards your front knee to reach the towel as forward as you can.  Then move back up, bring the towel over head and bend backwards as you are still holding the lunge.  That would be your count 1.  Repeat the move for 5 more times and then switch sides.  Repeat it for the other side for total of 6 reps.  Once done move to #5.

2. Squat pulse with narrow towel hold: Come to a perfect squat position (feet are shoulder width apart, knees over ankles, knees behind toes, butt sticking out and of course, knees bent).  Hold the towel in front with a very close grip.  Your hands should be only one hand-length apart.  Keep the towel tight and steady while pulsing your squat up to straight and then back to the squat.  Repeat it for 12 times then move to #6.

3. Wide squat hold with Towel Twist: Come to a wide squat position where the feet are wider than shoulders and feet are facing forward.  Like you did in move #3, keep your towel parallel to the floor (all tight) and twist from one side to the other.  That will be your count 1.  Repeat the move for 11 more times for total of 12 reps.  Once done take a 20 second rest.

Repeat #4 through #6 2 more times for total of 3 times.

As always if you have any questions about any of the moves, please feel free to either leave a comment down below or send me an email.

I hope your beach towels will let you feel the virtual ocean breeze... :) Don’t forget to smile whenever you feel down.  

To all of you adjusting to the new “normal”, a big high five from me for doing a great job!  

Healthy Sheltering

Every month, I try to find a relevant topic. One reason why I picked the topic of “fear” last month was due to all the news I was hearing on Corona Virus and the public fear that it was creating... I had no clue what the next couple of weeks had in store for all of us!

I have been working from home since March 9th.  It started with just me being in the house and it only lasted for couple days with that quietness.  By March 16th, all four of us were in the house and all of a sudden I became a preschool teacher in addition to my full time job...  I admit that the week of the 16th was the toughest work week in my entire career.  The days moved super slow even though there was so much to do: Get the kids ready for school time, dial into the work call, have the kids fill out their diaries, dial into the next work call, prepare morning snack for the kids, dial into the next work call, get the daily activity ready for the kids, present during your call, mix up the smoothie for me and Derek, nurse Ela, get the lunch ready, dial into the next work call, put the kids to nap, more meetings and emails, play with the kids once they are up, prepare dinner, play with the kids, sleep the kids without falling a sleep, log back into work... Of course none of this include cleaning after the kids when they end up coloring the walls or spilling water all over the floors or all the other interruptions...  That all being said, I do think that we are all built in a way that we learn to adapt.  I still haven’t mastered the routine but at least I know what I am up against.  Now I know what to prioritize and what to let go.  Kids are adapting too...  It scares us, a little bit, when they say “we like home school”. :)

I strongly believe that these times will only make us stronger.  It is great to breath the fresh air, not to hear the cars speeding through the streets, to hear how everyone is uniting to help the essential workers, to smell the ocean from miles away... I also think that we will learn how to be more disciplined with our lives.  

With everything going on in our house, I make sure that we all have a good schedule that we can stick with.  I arrange that schedule around our meals.  This way, I can also control for over-eating (for me and Derek).  Here is a typical schedule for us:

7am to 7:45am - Breakfast

10:30 - Morning Snack (generally freshly made smoothie)

12:30 to 1 - Lunch

3pm - Afternoon Snack (generally a small banana with some nuts)

6:30 to 7:30 - Dinner

Once we have this schedule, it is easy to plot things around, especially when it comes to workout time.  I make sure to have 15 minutes every day to do my strength training.  If I get any additional time for a walk then it is a bonus. :). Derek generally gets his bike time once the kids go for nap between 1 and 3pm.  One thing that I try to do with my workouts is to be consistent.  Basically I repeat the same workout for the same day.  For example, if I did a “stair” workout on a Monday afternoon, I do the same workout the next Monday.  I also make sure that I focus mainly on big muscle groups so that my muscles will still be needing the protein in my body while I am comfortably sitting in front of my computer. :) That way my body takes care of the food that I have during the day.

For this month’s workout, I would like to help you with the discipline factor, basically scheduling and food idea, and to provide you with a 15 minute workout that you would not need anything other than a comfortable surface to lay down since the focus is on the “core”.

Here is March’s 15-minute workout:

1. Plank Variations: Elbow plank + Hand Plank + Left Side Plank + Right Side Plank + Superman  + Rest - each move should be done for 30 seconds (including the “rest”).  Repeat for 2 more times for total of 3 sets. 

2. Curls:  With Knees Bent + With Legs Straight + Rest - each more should be done 2 seconds.  Once done move on to move 3.  For perfect curl position, lay flat on the ground, making sure that your lower back is pushed towards to ground. Keep your hands on your check, focus your eyes on your knees (when knees are bent) or on your toes (when legs are straight), lift only the shoulder blades off the ground during the curl keeping your lower back pushed into the ground.

3. Sit-ups: Bend your knees, keep your hands next to your legs and slowly come up to a seated position.  Once up, slowly come back down.  DON’T LET THE GRAVITY PULL YOU DOWN!. Repeat it for 12 times.  Move to move 4.

4. Bicycle: Stay laying on the floor.  Lift your feet off the floor and bring your calves parallel to the ground.  Put your hands behind your head.  Lift your shoulder blades of the ground. Point your right SHOULDER (not elbow) to your LEFT knee as you pull your knees towards your chest.  Keep alternating and repeat for 20 seconds. Once done rest for 10 seconds.

5. Repeat 2 through 4 total of 3 times

For a change, I will be sending a picture of each move in a couple days. Tomorrow, I will also share with you my fresh made smoothie recipe.  During April, I will try to fill out the “recipe” section of my blog per Kat’s request. :) (THANK YOU, KAT)

To everyone of you, I am sending a distant but very sincere high five for doing everything to survive these times and to adapt.  

They are now inseparable…

Fear - friend or enemy?

I feel like fear comes into our lives in so many different forms.  Sometimes it is the push for the next level to achieve, sometimes it is the break that stops me.  I still haven’t decided if I see “fear” as a friend who pushes me for being better or as an enemy who holds me back when I want to move forward.  Maybe it is both...  What do you think?

Since kids, a new type of “fear” appeared - fear of future = What if something bad happens to them? I know that I can’t keep them in a bubble but I can definitely help them in making better decisions like “stay on the sidewalk, don’t step onto the street” :).  Of course, watching the news every morning doesn’t help because we keep hearing the craziness in this world, which makes me feel like I have no control over protecting them.  That is the “fear” I really don’t like.

The “fear” that I keep close to me is the one that makes me a better athlete.  After all, I moved to San Francisco from Turkey all by myself, to make my dream come true - windsurfing under the Golden Gate Bridge. I still remember the day that I went down to Crissy Field to meet some windsurfers and I met a guy who taught only to women how to windsurf.  When I told him that I had been windsurfing since I was 10 and that I didn’t need any lessons, he was ok with lending me some equipment.  My first day in the water was one of the typical days of SF - foggy and windy...  I loved the wind factor but I had no clue about the fog, the strong currents, the frigid waters, the fog horn and all the stuff that I could NOT see under the water...  Sure enough my equipment broke in the middle of the Bay when I couldn’t even see the beach due to the fog.  I was scared. Luckily a windsurfer came by to help me.  He actually gave me his own equipment and he took my broken sail.  Even though he told me to go ahead and get to the beach, I wanted to make sure that he was safe.  So I sailed with him and watched him managing the broken equipment.  We finally made it to the beach.  That experience did scare me but made me even more curious about the joy of sailing in the Bay.  After almost 20 years, I love being in the crazy conditions of the Bay.  And every time when I am out there, I do try to find things that scare me so that I can become a better windsurfer.  Thanks to Derek, we are never short on scary moves to try or more challenging beaches to be. :) At least, I know how to deal with this type of fear.  I become super quiet - for those of you who know me, that is SO NOT me!  It just becomes a mental challenge of assessing risks, understanding potential outcomes and being at peace with all the outcomes.  I wish I would be able to use the same technique for all type of fears. 

This season Ela started to ski, at age 2.  She knows how to go straight and she doesn’t know how to stop.  She enjoys going fast down the hill but if she realizes that she is alone then she starts crying because that is the way she handles her fear.  It is definitely exciting to watch how she deals with that uncomfortable feeling of “fear”.

Now all that being said, one control that I have on my fear in sports is my body.  A stronger body will help me in many ways.  My sports are usually all-body sports so I really cannot prioritize legs over arms or core over limps. :). Therefore overall strength training is very important.  And, as you already know, my theme is 15-minute workouts.  This month I go back to basics to strengthen the foundation.  

Here is February’s 15-minute workout:

1. Move: Jumping Jacks (45 sec) + Stationary Knees-Up-Jog (15 sec) + Stationary Kick-Back Jog (15 Sec) + Jumping Jacks (45 sec) + Stay still aka rest (10sec).  Do the full circuit total of 2 times.

2. Squat Jumps: Start at a quarter squat, bring arms back and jump up with the arms swinging all the way up towards the ceiling.  Make sure to land back with the squat positing with toes behind your knees and knees above your ankles.  Do it for 30 sec and move to the next move.

3. Lunge pulses: Step your right leg back and take a lunge position with front knee at a 90 degree angle and back knee bent.  Both of your toes should be facing forward.  Pulse your lunge up and down for 20 sec.  Switch legs and repeat the pulse on the other leg for 20 sec. Rest for 20sec. 

4. Repeat steps 2&3 for two more times.

5. Plank with Towel Slide on feet: Have two small towels under each foot and make sure to be OFF your carpet.  As you are holding a plank, slide your right leg out to the side towards your hip and then bring it back to the start position.  Slide your left leg out to the side towards your hip and then bring it back.  Continue switching the legs for 30 seconds.  Rest on your knees with your hands above your head for 20 sec.  Repeat the move for two more times.

6. Plank with Towel Slide on arms: Have two small towels under each hand and continue to be OFF your carpet.  As you are holding a plank, slide your right hand straight out to the side while slightly bending your left arm and then bring it back to the start position.  Slide your left hand straight out to the side while slightly bending your right arm and then bring it back.  Continue switching the arms for 30 seconds.  Rest on your knees with your hands above your head for 20 sec.  Repeat the move for two more times.

7. Supine heel touches: Lay down on the floor with your knees bend and feet on the floor.  Lift your shoulder blades off the ground and focus your eyes on your knees.  With your left hand reach to your left heel, switch side.  Continue the move for 30 sec.  Rest for 5 sec.  Repeat the move for one more time.

I think life without fear would be very boring.  Therefore my wish to us all is that we will figure out, if we haven’t already, how to position our fear in a way that it will help us to be better as opposed to holding us back from living our lives.  

A big high five to all of us who have managed to move forward even though it was scary... 

Time is to enjoy…

Kaya turned 5 (on the 24th)!  That means it has been 5 years since I became a mom for the first time. So much has changed in life and it still felt like the years flew by too fast.  When did my little baby boy became one smart kid?  On his birthday, I said “please don’t grow up too fast” and he responded “ but, this is life!”. Really??

Well, he has a point.  This is life and the years will move on no matter what.  I always wished to have the power of pausing time but didn’t get it. :) Therefore the best I can do is to enjoy it as I live it.  However , sometimes it is hard.  For example, when it is close to 3pm on Sundays, I get sad that the weekend is over - even though it is still NOT.  (Unfortunately this was the gift of my Middle School years.).  At least I am much better than my grandma - whenever we arrive to Turkey for a 2-week vacation, she gets happy to see us and then immediately she says how sad she is that we will be leaving in 2 weeks!!!  There are also those super hectic days where I pick up the kids from preschool and daycare, rush home to join a work call and then head to the kitchen to come up with dinner.  In between all that running around, I hear the kids say that they would like to play with me and I feel like I can’t.  

And that’s why I came up with this month’s topic... Time is to enjoy, because it flies by, because we cannot pause it, because it will give us the pleasure of life, because it will bring us closer with our loved ones, because we don’t know how close or far from the end we are...

With all that above said now I have a new rule...  “ 5 minutes to spare”... I will always have 5 minutes to give to my kids if they want to play with me even in the most hectic times (unless we are truly late for a flight!).  I will always have 5 minutes to pause to listen to my husband without reacting to whatever he has to tell or say (I haven’t been so good at that over the last 5 years). 

Since the focus is on enjoying the time and having more time to ourselves, 15-minute workout routines make even more sense.  Don’t you think?  I would like those 15 minutes to be spent well - effectively and in a fun manner.  This month’s routine drills down to your upper body.  And the cool thing is that you only need 15 seconds of jumping jacks to warm up. :) If you would like to incorporate these 15 minutes to your longer workout, please do not do any big cardio work.  Always keep in mind, if you combine an aggressive cardio workout with a strength workout you are actually diminishing the benefits that you are getting from either of the workout.

For this month’s workout you do need some dumbbells.  However you can always be creative if you don’t have any dumbbells.  You can fill ziploc bags with pennies or batteries.  You can also find some rocks if you have a yard. :) Pick weights that you can repeat the move 20 times.  For your reference,  I used a set of 15-pound dumbbells for the first and the third moves.  And I used a single 15-pound weight for the second and the fourth moves.  Do 15 seconds of Jumping Jacks before you start and please make sure to perform all moves with correct form :)

1. Laying down Triceps overhead: For this move, you will need a bench, or a foot part of an ottoman, or a coffee table that can carry your weight. :) Please note that you can’t use a sofa or your bed because your feet will need to be on the floor and your hands will need to be able to drop behind your head.  Move - Lay on the bench facing towards the ceiling, feet on the floor with legs bent at 90 degree angle, butt at the same height as your knees, head rested on the bench.  Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling with your palms facing each other.  Then bend your arms at 90 degree angle while keeping your elbow right over your chest.  You weights should be right over your forehead.  This is your starting position.  From there, keeping your elbow at 90 degree angle, move the dumbbells lower down (passing your head) and then back up to the starting position where the dumbbells will be right over your forehead. Continue the move for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, move to the next move.

2. Chest Pull: Keep the same laying position.  Drop one of your weights and hold on to the single weight with both hands.  Bring your arms to straight position over your head, which means your arms will be parallel to the floor with your upper arms hovering right around your ears.  This is your starting position.  From there, keep your butt squeezed and your arms straight, move your arms from behind your head to all the way over your legs (don’t touch your legs) and bag to the starting position.  Continue the move for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, and back to the first move. Repeat 1&2 2 more times (total of 3 times)

3. Upright Row: You don’t need the bench any more.  Stand up with feet about hip width apart as a comfortable stance.  Hold each dumbbell on each hand.  Palms should be facing towards your upper legs (quads).  This is your starting position.  From there, bring the weights up to your shoulder level, always keeping your palms facing your body and keeping the weights close to your body.  Once the weights are at your shoulder height, your elbows should be pointing up (higher than your shoulders).  Bring the weights back to the starting position.  Continue the move for 1 minute, rest for 10 seconds and then move to the 4th move.

4. Forward Push: Drop one of the weights and hold the single dumbbell from either side.  Keep your starting position from the previous move.  Bring the weight up to your chest (keeping your elbows low) then push the weight out parallel to the floor with your arms straight but not locked.  Bring the weight back to the chest and down.  Continue the move for 1 minute, rest for 10 seconds and then move back to the 3rd move.  Repeat 3&4 2 more times (total of 3 times).

If you have hard time understanding the moves, please feel free to reach out to me via email (hifivenes@gmail.com) and I can clarify whatever is needed.

Let’s all deserve a good high five for sparing 5 minutes for our loved ones!  Looking forward to hearing your stories on enjoying the time...

Be healthy and strong...

Here is how we enjoyed our time last night after school!!! :)

Don't Give Up

Last day of the year and I have been working on this one blog entry since April. As the title suggests, I do NOT give up… I am determined to finally publish what I thought of 8 months ago before we end 2019. :)

I had come up with this title, because I wanted to tell you how I encourage myself in times when I don’t want to lose hope in things that I would like to achieve. Over the last 8 months, this title meant even more to me than my self-encouragement method. For my grandma, it became “do not give up on your energy and joy”… For my parents, it became “do not give up in your hope for a better future”… For someone really special for me, it became “ do not give up in the happiness of life”… For our beloved Big Truck, it became “do not give up on being our strongest car”… And for me, it continued to be “do not give up on becoming as fit as I was prior to kids'“.

As you would all know, working out is a serious commitment. It requires time and energy. Once you set your routine, it definitely becomes easier to follow. And once you fall off of your routine, it gets even harder to get back to it - almost harder than starting from scratch. Therefore the key is to keep up with your routine as much as possible, regardless of how strong the outside forces would be. :) Believe me, I know about those outside forces very well. For me, one of my routines was the Tuesday Boot Camp class. I made sure to keep up with it regardless of the kids. Certain tuesdays, as I am running from work to home to pick up the kids and driving back into the financial district, trying to find parking and making it to the class, feel really difficult. However, the moment I am in the gym, all that craziness becomes the past, and I feel my best to be back in my routine. That being said, I had to adjust my workout routine for the other days. And I should admit, I did fall off of what I truly wanted to do. My workouts became sporatical. I tried to find ways to integrate my everyday life into my workouts. But I lost consistency… However, I never gave up.

I finally followed my own advice that I have been giving you over the years. Just as a recap of what I had been telling you over the years: “you can have a very good workout just in 15 minutes”. As a result, I integrated a “good 15-minute workout” to my life routine. Of course, the key is to have a plan - like which muscles will work for how long and with what weights… Since 15 minutes are still too long for my kids to be without me, I also got them some weights so that they can join me too. :)

Here is one of my 15 minute sets:

1. Increasing step run with chin ups: For this exercise, you do need a set of stairs but you don’t necessarily need a pull up bar. If the stairs you find only have a few steps (under 10), then double the count. If you do not have a pull up bar, use your dinner table to do “feet-on-floor” chin ups.

   Move: Run up and down the stairs one time and do 1 chin-up. Without a rest run up and down the stairs 2 times and do 2 chin-ups. Continue until you complete 5. Give yourself 15 seconds of rest before you move to the 2nd move. (this should take about 4 minutes)

2. Power Jacks to Split Jumps: If you want to make this move slightly harder, find slippery floors and make sure to be wearing socks.

   Move: Start with a regular squat at 45 degree angle. Jump your feet to wide squat without bouncing your head high [keep your upper body not moving]. Then just jump back into the regular squat stand. Continue for 45 seconds. Take a 15 second rest. After your rest get into a perfect lunge position [front knee is at a 90-degree angle, your front knee is over your front ankle, your back toes are facing the same direction as your front toes, your back knee bent but NOT touching the floor]. Jump up to switch your legs. Keep alternating for 45 seconds. Take a 15 second rest. This is your first set. Repeat this set for total of 3 times.

   Slippery Floor Version: Start with a regular squat at 45 degree angle. Slide your feet out to wide squat without bouncing your head high [keep your upper body not moving]. Then slide them back into the regular squat stand. Continue for 45 seconds. Take a 15 second rest. After your rest get into a perfect lunge position [front knee is at a 90-degree angle, your front knee is over your front ankle, your back toes are facing the same direction as your front toes, your back knee bent but NOT touching the floor]. Slide to switch your legs [DO NOT REST IN THE MIDDLE POSITION WHERE YOU STAND UP RIGHT]. Keep alternating for 45 seconds. Take a 15 second rest. This is your first set. Repeat this set for 2 more times (for 3 sets total).

3. Dips to Pushups: For this move you need a bench, or something elevated.

   Move: Start with sitting on the bench with hands are on either side [to get you to the perfect form]. Drop your butt off the bench with your lower back slightly touching the bench. Lift one leg up and do dips for 20 seconds. Switch your leg and continue with dips for 20 seconds. Put both feet on the floor and continue with dips for 20 seconds. Take a 10 second break. Turn around to a push up position. Do pushups for 20 seconds. Take a 10 second break. This is your first set. Repeat this set for 2 more times (for 3 sets total). [IF PUSH-UPS ARE GETTING TOO HARD, PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THEM ON THE WALL. FORM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN COMPLETING THE SET INCORRECTLY]

In 2020, I will reveal more of my 15 minutes workouts. Please do not include any heavy cardio prior to this workout. It is meant to be short and effective. :)

I hope you will enjoy such short routines so that you can still continue with your life but NOT give up on workouts and on getting strong.

Also… THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING UP ON ME and ON MY BLOG. That is another routine that I am trying to figure out how to better integrate into my regular life. I will try different methods in 2020 so please keep believing on this site.

Big high five to 2019… We made it - one way or another. :) Now to a brand new year…

Happy Thanksgiving!

My favorite holiday…

This year it also became my daughter’s 2nd birthday. She had fever since Monday night so I didn’t know what to expect today. Luckily she was feeling more like herself and I was able to get couple minutes without her so that I could cook.

This is my favorite holiday because I love the concept of being thankful for what I have. I have a wonderful family, friends who truly care and a great community at the Y… when I first came to the US, I was constantly confused around this time because everyone would talk about “Turkey”. It took me couple years not to get too excited when I saw my country’s name written all over the place. Guess what, today I learned that the name for that animal actually did come from my country. When English men arrived to this land and saw the big bird, they decided that the bird looked like a bird that they had back in Britain, called “Turkey cock” (rooster from Turkey). They dropped the word cock and that big bird ended up being named after my country. The funny part is that in Turkey that bird is referred to as Hindi, which means Indian.

i hope you all enjoyed a great meal, either with or without turkey… now it is time to think about how to get all that food digested in our body. Given that it is about 10 pm here in San Francisco, clearly my way of digesting is by being in front of my computer. However I have plans for tomorrow. Here is a snippet of how I want my muscles use up all that great food:

1. After an early breakfast, I will have 15 minutes to myself

2. I will start with basic moves to get my muscles firing up

   1. 5 chin ups

   2. 12 weighted squats (weights are on either side, start standing up, come down to a full squat and up)

   3. 10 slow pushups

      repeat 1-3 3 times

   4. [Burpees (20 sec) + fast feet (10 sec) + hold still (10 sec)] x3

   5. 10 Lateral/frontal lift with weights ( one hand front, the other in the side, keep alternating)

   6. 12 dips

   7. 10 Front row (Weights in front, palms facing towards your body, pull the weights up to shoulder height with elbows pointing to the sky)

      repeat 5-7 3 times

3. I will then stretch nice and relaxed. I will actually try to have my full family join me with this quick workout too.

Of course another plan is to walk to the Golden Gate Park at noon so that we will get our steps in.
The biggest thing that I am looking forward for tomorrow’s workout is the fact that I will try to have both my kids and my parents to do it with me.
How about you challenge someone with that quick workout too? More the merrier, don’t you think?

Thank you for your continued support. Knowing that at least some of you still read my blogs make me very happy. My promise to you is: not to have you wait for too long in between entries.
Enjoy your workout and happy Thanksgiving weekend.

Tribute to My Grandpa

Did you know that the earth’s diameter (not circumference) is about 8000 miles? I fly about 7500 miles to get back home to Turkey, which means that my home country is almost on the other side of the world. As interesting of a fact as it is, that also puts me very far away from my family. Over the years I got used to this concept. Thanks to technology, we (my family and I) learned to be closer without physically being together.  However as the years go by ages go up and fear sets in - “what if something happens?”...

It was Monday morning and everything had begun as normal as it could be for a Monday morning. I was in a team meeting when my Fitbit vibrated and I saw a glimpse of a message. I rushed out of the room not knowing where to go. The message was from my dad and it said “your grandpa said goodbye to all of us”...  (writing this blog is not easy)

My grandpa, dedem (in Turkish), was a proud, strong, hard-headed but soft-hearted man. He was also, in his own way, an innovator. He wasn’t scared of trying new things that he believed in. I was his first grandkid. From the moment I was born I became a big part of my grandparents’ life. I started to travel with them when I was 6 months old in many Lions Club tours. From 9 until 21, I spent every summer with my grandparents (3 months at a time). Being the first grandkid came with a big responsibility - being a good example for all other grandkids. It was an unspoken responsibility and sometimes put me at disadvantage over my brother and my cousins. But over the years, I think, we all got used to it. After all, my grandpa always called me “Numero Uno”. 

My passion for windsurfing began at their summer house. He was my front row fan every single time when I was out there. Whenever he would feel the breeze he would get ready to watch.  He even named the summer house after my windsurfer’s brand - Mistral.    

He was not too happy to hear that I had decided to study on the other side of the world but he continued to be my front row fan - watching me grow and asking about all the decisions I made along the way. As traditional as he was, when I told him that I will be moving in with my boyfriend (now my husband), he understood my logic and never even questioned it... He ended up being my witness at our wedding...

When Kaya was born, dedem was very excited to meet him. After all, he was waiting to have his “numbero uno”s kid. He made him giggle like crazy when Kaya was only 4 months old. Even though Kaya was so attached to me, he didn’t mind being hugged by dedem. The funny noises that dedem would make and the tickles were Kaya’s favorite.

Dedem never stopped telling others how I teach classes and get people in shape. He tried to encourage me to start a fitness studio in Istanbul. I think, secretly, his hope was to get me back to Turkey. Luckily, he had the chance to watch me teach about ten years ago. I think he would have been happy to see how 21 strangers celebrated his life one push up at a time...

I did dedicate my class on 5/14 to dedem... He was going to turn 90 next month. We ended up doing quite a few pushups. Everyone worked hard to get them all done. We had few “superman”s (one your belly, hands and feet off the floor), which was great to see. Meanwhile both Kaya and Ela decided to be on my back. I think dedem would have been proud to see me like that and still going.

(At the end of the class)

I couldn’t make it to his funeral but I’ve heard it was just as I expected - 500+ people came to say their goodbyes.

I want to thank the 21 strangers who has never met him but celebrated his life with me. From my point of view, he had a life to celebrate and the moment he was done with it he just closed his eyes. I will make sure that my kids will grow up with his legacy.

Dedem - seni cok hem de cok seviyorum. Nur içinde yat.

Strong Legs = Strong Stance

Who can tell me the largest muscle in our body? If you take my class and cannot answer that question then shame on me for not doing a good job in teaching... it is your gluteus maximus (aka your butt) so that it can help keep your body upright.  Now, even though our butt is the largest muscle, when evaluated by the volume of muscle fibers in a given area, based on a recent study, our quads come in first (the upper leg) - followed by our butt. Meaning, if worked out correctly, our legs can easily become the winner for the “largest” muscle in the body.

Some of the key advantages of strong legs:

1. Due to the large muscle fiber volume, it will require a lot of protein = even when you are not working out, the legs will continue to burn your calories to absorb enough amino acids to maintain the strength

2. Will help your butt in keeping your body upright = most likely, will minimize back injuries since it will be additional support to your butt

3. Will stabilize your knee = will protect your knee from potential injuries

4. Will provide “sudden power” in any action that will require propulsion.  

And the beauty of leg exercises is that you can easily just use your own body weight to challenge your legs.  Below is a quick workout to get those muscle fibers firing.  All you need is a slippery floor and a towel.  You can ultimately do these exercises with socks too, if you can't find towels to clean those slippery floors.  Hardwood floors would be my first recommendation over tile...

1. Regular Squat Pulses (x12) - start at a full squat, pulse up and back down slowly to full squat with both feet on the towel - keep knees behind your toes

2. Wide to Regular Squat (x12) - each feet on a separate towel, slide your feet out to a wide squat, pull your feet back to a regular squat - make sure to move the legs out TOGETHER, not one at a time while HOLDING THE SQUAT

3. Side Lunge Slide (x10 per side) - starting with feet shoulder width apart, slide one foot out and back in, switch sides after 10 slides - sliding knee is bent, standing knee is straight

4. Forward and Backward Lunge Slides (x12) - starting with feet shoulder width apart, each feet on a separate towel, slide one foot forward and the other one back AT THE SAME TIME, come back to the starting position and switch legs - make sure to move the legs TOGETHER

5. Glute Lift with Leg Push (x12) - Lay down on the floor with legs bent at the knees, feet on a single towel, lift your butt of the floor, arms next to your body, push your feet out without your butt touching the ground and pull your feet back in - your butt should never touch the floor, it is ok if you cannot straighten your legs fully.

Repeat 1-5 three times with 5 minute rest in between

If you are wondering how these slides should look, make sure to stop by at my class today at 6pm.  We will be doing a lot of slides - not just for the legs...

On the comments, if you can tell me how you felt and how long it took you to finish, I can always make adjustments to the routine...

Hi five to those strong quads!!! And big thanks to Phat for choosing our workout...

Safety First...

About two weeks ago, out of frustration and desperation I wrote a long blog but afterwards decided that a year should not start on a sour note. Therefore, over the last two weeks I wanted to flip my negative feelings into positive learnings.  Now that it is also Kaya’s 4th birthday today, it is impossible to be negative - added bonus!

This morning at Kaya’s preschool, there was a very special celebration of his birthday, which included Derek and me. The celebration started with Kaya collecting flowers from the Preschool’s garden and then decorating his birthday cake with those flowers. Then all his friends joined him in the playroom, sitting in their usual circle. That’s when the teacher told Kaya’s birth story. The story started with an angel seeing the world and wanting to be a part of it. Once the angel spotted a couple in that world, that’s when he was ready to come down. (Side note: both Derek and I had tears in our eyes while all 4-5 year-olds were watching our faces). The angel had to pick 3 special gifts/personal values prior to go down. He picked: superior attention to detail, resilience to pain, ear for music (Kaya’s 3 gifts). He then arrived with a very earthly name “Kaya”, which means “big boulder/rock”. :)

Kaya decorating his cake

Since the day he was born, I called him my little angel - the teacher had no clue. So the story definitely touched both me and Derek deeply. Thinking about that angel and how I want to be in his life as long as I can brought me to my subject line... Safety First...

It is so easy to be at an autopilot mode in life, especially when we have our daily routines. That makes it easy to forget about the daily risks that we take. Being a regular commute biker in San Francisco, I know the dangers and think about them from time to time. However, when things go smooth year in year out, I don’t realize how close the dangers can be. Sometimes it takes a reminder to re-think about those danger. Our year ended with Derek getting hit by a car when he was on his bike - luckily he was ok, other than an injured hand tendon, some scratches and a damaged bike.  Lesson learned was: “always call the police to file a report”. We learned it the hard way so if you are a biker please keep that in mind: You first call the police regardless how nice the other person might seem.  Our year then started with a very minor accident for me. I slipped on the wet train tracks with my bike. All I had was some bruises and a torn rain jacket. Lesson learned: “on a rainy day, avoid the tracks.” The funny thing was that I was thinking about it being dangerous in the rain but yet I still went over them thinking I would be fine.

At the end of the day, life can be risky even when crossing the street. Why not take the extra second or even minute to reduce that risk? I run everywhere, all the time. I think the few minutes I gain might not be worth the added risks that I take. Therefore I will try hard to slow my legs down - especially if I am NOT trying to get home, to my angels!  What do you guys think?

Now on a separate note, what would you like my next blog’s quick workout to focus on :

1. Strong Legs

2. Strong Heart

3. Strong Abs

Let me know in the comments section.

A big Happy Birthday to my son, my little angel...

Say goodbye to 2018

I cannot let this year go by with only one blog entry... I have 30 minutes left and my eyes are blurred from being sleep deprived but none of that matters. :)

In my last post, I mentioned that I will start my blogs with a reference to some strong women in my life. My very first one was, of course, my mom. My second one is Madam Magdi, my piano teacher. She didn’t only teach me how to play the piano but how to be patient and how to appreciate things around us. I still remember the fear the day I had my first class with her - after 6 years of playing the piano and graduating to her “class”. I thought she would be very strict and hard - a German-Swiss pianist with vibrant red hair, long and strong fingers, super skinny body... She was hard but definitely not scary. She would constantly try to understand what would make me practice more and play better. And somehow she would figure it out without making me realize. I miss her and I hope I will figure out her magic one of these days so that my participants will continue to workout even during the most challenging times of their lives. 

2018 had its own challenges for me as I learned to be a mother of two and push my patience beyond imaginable limits. During this learning phase I had to sacrifice - the concept of “my time” disappeared. I know that it will eventually come back but for the moment I can let it go. 

In 2019, I am hoping to, slowly, regain “my time” and be with you all more often. let’s give a big high five to the departing year and welcome the new one...

Thank you for believing in me and following my very sparse blog!!

New Year’s Eve dinner

#strongwomen

This month, in March, we celebrated the international Women’s Day. This is not one of those Hallmark holidays. Instead it is a day to be dedicated to those strong women who fought/still fights for gender equality. These women are among us: dressed up as our mothers, our mentors, our close or distant relatives, our piano teachers or even as smiling faces in nursing homes. For my next few blogs, I will briefly introduce some of the key strong women in my life, who helped/still helps me becoming who I am.

Of course, I will start my series with the very first strong woman in my life - my mom. She showed me self confidence without being arrogant. She gave me (through her DNA) muscle power and taught me how to use it gently - for good use. :) She shared with me the art of hiding tears behind a huge smile when necessary. And she continues to teach me the power of being positive during the toughest times. Now it is my turn to help my kids become mentally, physically and emotionally strong individuals.

Over the last 9 months, I have actually started 7 different blog entries. Pregnancy, work and then a new addition to our family kept my mind and fingers too busy to complete any of those entries. Going forward, I am hoping to be more on top of my blogs and help you to be physically stronger while sharing with you my life learnings of being a mother of two.

The very first thing I learned over the last four months was that “time” is a very precious gift - especially when it comes to caring for myself. 30 minute workouts are not a possibility any more because continuous 30 minutes are pretty much impossible to find on regular basis. Therefore I had to come up with 15 minute power workout routines to keep me in shape.  I also figured out that having Ela, my 4-month old daughter, watch me is the most fun way so now she is my sole spectator.

I will share with you my primary go-to routine. I do this one if I am tired or feeling unmotivated. Believe it or not, it changes my mood right away. I call it the “power of 20”. All you need is a padded floor and knowing how to count until 20. :)

Power of 20:

1. Elbow plank - 20 slow counts

2. Hand plank - 20 slow counts

3. Right side elbow plank - 10 slow counts

4. Left side elbow plank - 10 slow counts

5. Superman - 20 slow counts

Repeat 1 through 5 three times

6. Curls - 20 reps (ONLY shoulder blades come off the floor)

7. Sit ups - 10 reps (do NOT let the feet come off the ground)

8. Side  (laying supine with knees bent, put one ankle on top of the other knee, put hands behind head, twist towards the leg off the floor)

9. Glute lifts (laying supine with knees bent, lift butt of the floor and then slowly lower)

Repeat 6 through 9 twice

Please let me know if you have any questions on the moves and remember to watch yourself on the mirror. Don’t forget, with all these moves we focus on developing muscles not hurting ourselves.

A huge hi five to you when you find the time for yourself.

We are now 4 of us as of 11/28

flying to Istanbul with two kids and no husband - #strongewoman?

Power of Super Heroes

March has been a crazy month.  I cannot believe that it is already ending.  It started with a week long working-from-home due to sickness, continued with my first business trip since Kaya was born and now quickly coming to a close with tough work schedule. 

Within all this craziness, I try to keep my energy at full force, so that no one in my family senses how tiring a day could be.  When I race home with my bike to pick Kaya up on time, I do feel like somehow I get that super hero power in my legs to push me up the hill while facing the 20 mph winds.  The other day, I made it to Kaya in 20 minutes when it usually takes close to 30 minutes.  While puffing up the hills with my single speed, I was thinking that we all get these super hero powers when needed.  The key thing is to recognize those moments and enjoy them. 

For me those moments happen usually when I focus on the beauty of the end result: Finishing a race, Kaya's happy face, Derek's surprise and excitement on what I can do, etc.  We all have that super hero in us, especially when we are trying to achieve something that we think we cannot do it.  The moment we push ourselves to do it, that's when the super hero comes out. 

Here is a very short super hero routine for you.  Can you do it with no rest when you think you absolutely do not have the energy?

1. 100 Jumping Jacks
2. 10 Pushups
3. 10 Burpeese
4. 10 sec Plank Hold
5. 15 Burpeese
6. 10 Pushups
7. 20 Burpeese
8. 50 Stationary High Knees
9. 50 Stationary Kick Backs
10. 100 Jumping Jacks

As most of my readers know, the key to complete the above set is to have the right form when you are performing the pushups.  Please feel free to be on your knees or perform the pushup on the wall.  On a perfect pushup, the back needs to be straight and the butt needs to be down.  Mirror will be your best friend to make sure that you are making the moves correctly.

Make sure to bring out that Super Hero whenever you need it.  You have it - all you need to do is to call it!

As a kid, I dreamed about having super hero powers.  Now my husband calls me "wonder woman".  My dream did come true but I also realize that everyone else around me has some super powers as well.

High Five to that Super Hero in you!

Beauty of Balance

I cannot believe that the first month of 2017 is already over and that I did not have a single blog entry since the end of November.

Believe it or not, one of my resolutions for the year was being on top of my blog entries. The year still has 11 more months so I think I can still make up for my miss. What do you think? 

I am sure that we all thought about what we want from 2017 and some of us made some resolutions to help the year go by the way we want it. I do see people trying to make drastic changes in life, such as starting to work out 6 days a week when before, not attending the gym at all. On very few occasions, very few, these drastic changes do stick and the individual becomes a "workout addict". Now, as much as I am all about healthy living and keeping the body moving, there should always be a good balance in life so that you can keep that life style for a long time.

Personally, I start with thinking about what I am giving up to make a drastic change. For example, if I am giving up putting bad food into my system then I am on the right path. However, if I am giving up spending 1 hour of quality time with my family then I need to figure out different ways to implement my change.  At the end of the day, that fine line of balance creates the best harmony in life and it requires constant adjustments so that it can become your true life style.

Imagine standing on a BOSU ball with one leg. What does your ankle, leg and arms do constantly? Every millisecond they make adjustments the way they stand so that you can continue to be in balance while you continue to breathe, smile, cough, talk, etc. I feel like balance in life is not that much different.

On that note, here are two fun moves to test that core balance. While you are doing these moves, please try to listen to your body to see how it constantly adjusts itself to keep you standing.

1. Single leg stand - stand on one leg and close your eyes. Hold the position for 20 seconds without touching the ground with your other foot or opening your eyes. Switch sides - if a 20-second hold was too easy go for 1 minute.

2. Single leg stand on bed - do the above move on your bed. Start with a 5 or 10 second hold.

Don't forget to switch sides!

The good balance is there. We just need to make sure to work on it constantly.

Give me a solid Hi Five while holding a one leg stand!!!

Only Takes 15 Minutes

As promised here is another 15-minute quick workout to keep your "wheels turning" even during the holidays:

Warm-up: [need a set of stairs with at least 10 steps] Run up and down the stairs - 10 times

Move 1.

15 squat jumps+10dips+20 squat jumps+10 pushups+15 squat jumps+10 count plank

Move 2.

[need resistance bands or dumbbells] 10 Seated bicep curls+10 Seated Forearm curls (palms facing down)+15 Seated bicep curls+15 Seated forearm curls

Repeat Move 1-2

Move 3.

10 Glute lifts (laying supine)+20 sec hold on the Glute lift+8 Single leg Glute lift (Right leg up)+10 sec hold+8 Single leg Glute lift (Left leg up)+10 sec hold+35 sec Superman hold

Repeat Move 3

Please don't forget that correct "form" is the number one rule if you want good results out of these workouts.  Therefore if you have any questions please make sure to comment on this blog or send me an email.

Enjoy the season of feast and keep your wheels turning! :)

Keep your Wheels Turning

I am going to keep the same theme as last month and talk about another phrase of mine when I am on the trails - Turning wheels are happy wheels.

It can be somewhat of a scary thought when you are going downhill over the rocks and thinking about my phrase. But guess what, the moment you hit the breaks and stop your momentum, it might actually get scarier. Worst case would be that you would fly over your handle bars. Not as bad of a case would be restarting the momentum would be even scarier than holding the momentum so you end up walking down the hill with a bike on your back, hoping not to slip and fall.

To be honest, the reason why I came up with this phrase is to constantly remind myself so that my brain can be trained not to be scared.

Now let's apply this to our day to day life or more importantly to our workouts. Momentum is your best friend. Once you start working out regularly, it makes you feel good. Now as we are approaching to the Holiday season your momentum will be challenged. You will have Christmas parties, travel plans for either Thanksgiving or Christmas or even both, or more happy hours  in the spirit of celebration. Suddenly you might want to hit the breaks with your workout even though it is counter intuitive.

To keep that "wheel turning", here is my recommendation for your. Pick yourself two 15 minute workouts - preferably focusing on strength training so that all the yummy food that you will be eating will be utilized by your muscles. Once you pick those routine. Pick 4 days out of your week and alternate your routines. The key to keeping those wheels turning is being realistic. Wheels still continue to turn even if you break just a little. What's important is to balance that break.

My 15 minute workouts generally focus on 3-4 moves total. Here is an example:

Warmup - 100 jumping jacks

Move 1.

15 sec squat hold + 20 squat pulses + 20 negative squats + 15 sec squat hold

Move 2.

20 split jumps + 10 push-ups + 12 split jumps + 5 push-ups

Move 3. (With dumbbells)

10 frontal lifts + 10 lateral lifts with dumbbells + 10 overhead presses

Repeat Move 1-3

Move 4.

(45 sec plank hold + 10 sec rest) *3

In two weeks, I will publish my second example of 15-min workout. Keep tuned!

Meanwhile watch your form, let me know your questions AND keep your wheels turning!!!! :)

Focus on What's Ahead

I consider myself an intermediate mountain biker. In all my riders, I focus on new things to get better and to build a stronger skill set. Mountain biking is such a sport that it constantly makes your head work too in a way that you can relate to life. In each of my rides, I come up with a new ways of improving myself by creating phrases that I can repeat constantly as I am riding. And in most of the cases, these phrases can be used for life.

Here is my most recent one: "Focus on what's ahead not right in front". If you ride, you probably know why this phrase would be useful but for those of you who might not be riders, let me explain.

The moment you focus on what's in front of your front wheel you are already too late to react to it. As a result it becomes this panic save or knee-jerk reaction or sudden stop in the momentum that you worked so hard to build. However, when you focus on what's ahead along your path, you can create a strategy and plan your reaction when you reach to that rock or when you make it to that tree branch or when you need to cross that super narrow bridge. Now don't you think this is pretty much how we can see it in life too? Without going into too much of a philosophical view, if we focus on what is coming up and not exactly what is happening at the moment, we can definitely be more prepared for "now".  Don't take me wrong, I am totally on board with "living the moment" and be open to surprises of each day. But if we have a way to get ready on what we already know then I kind of don't mind that either. Here is a quick example from my work life - I am booked with meetings from morning to night. If I only focus on getting through the day without knowing what is coming up during the rest of the week, I will probably be more burned out than I am right now. On the contrary, when I know my whole week of meetings I can see which ones are related and strategize accordingly so that I don't get caught off guard.

Well let's apply this to a work out regimen. I actually won't talk about setting a goal. What I will talk about is very similar to my meeting-full week. Look ahead in your calendar to see what you have planned for the week or month. That way you can plan your work outs accordingly, instead of thinking that you can somehow workout once you get home or before you leave for work. That thinking of "I'll workout somehow" then repeats everyday and you might easily end up with a week of no-workout.

When I bike, I know that there will always be obstacles. My goal is to be better prepared for those by looking ahead and pedal strong to get better.

Have fun selecting a smooth path and a big high five once you get through the obstacle! Meanwhile don't hesitate to let me know how I can help you with your workouts so that they actually happen. :)