Have you ever had that thought in your head that you heart will explode and will collapse before the finish line – aka your goal target distance? If answer is yes – don’t worry, you are not alone. I have had it several times, especially when I restart running after long time, like after injury or for several other obstacles that prevents me for running for longer periods. Every single time after couple of kilometers I am thinking, “OMG, I am old. I will die” How long I still have to go? (looks to the watch) Seriously? it’s been 9 min, ONLY? I will never make it. Why I am doing this to myself?”, but than in the end I go ahead and finish my distance anyway. You would ask me how? And my answer is simple – dedication and goal reaching and knowing my limits. When I set a goal, whatever field, I always evaluate my possibilities and weapons in order to achieve them and I try to be as realistic as possible, and also honest with myself – can I make it? Read More
Inspiration
Your daily dose of inspiration and motivation to keep going
Mornings are getting fresher and air is getting chillier and you can definitely feel that today is the first day of autumn. Even though the sun is still shining it is not as hot as it used to be a month ago and we will not manage to blink our eyes that the colorful leaves and fall rains will arrive so it is last opportunity to make the best out of this wonderful weather and enjoy the last sunny days by spending them outdoors!
I actually do enjoy this weather a lot because you still can dress light but mornings asks for some scarf/ poncho perfectly pairing with a tumbler filled with a good, green tea you to warm you up.
So the first thing to embrace the outdoor wellness is to get yourself a good cup of a green tea to start morning right, boost your immune system and detox your body. Read More
Last 10 days has been a wild roller coaster during my business trip in Japan. When I am travelling it is really hard to maintain my physical form as well as stick to my diet. Luckily for me I was staying in a wonderful hotel at Tokyo which had a great gym with several exercise machines, so were using that to stay in shape and get adopted to the new time zone faster. (Having a good weight training or a run always helps me to get over the jet lag faster).
As a person who is quite shy than getting acquainted with a new gym, it’s equipment, courses, timings and make new friends is quite challenging for me. (Not even mentioning how strange for me is to go around a skyscraper to search for it’s gym, dressed in workout clothes. Not my preferred activity at all. Especially when my colleagues and clients are staying the same place). However I always try to not think about what others think and just concentrate on my goals and reason why I am hitting the gym. And trust me – it helps!
As I believe that I am not the only one that has some intimidation issues with gym than will try to list some things that might make things easier also for you. (Works for me).
Past couple of days has been so emotional and filled with mixed feelings – joy, stress, love, friendship, fatigue, thrill, adrenaline all because one of my dearest friends were getting married and I was doing my best to make this day beautiful and memorable to her. I believe I lost couple of kilos in last 2 days by running to manage everything on time, to help with surprise decorations at her house, the party place and organizing some fun activities after the ceremony. Of course the day after I was exhausted because went to be bed only at 6 am, but was definitely worth it (and as says my friends grandmother :” who is coming to wedding to sleep?!”, so no complaining about lack of my beauty sleep.
All the event, kind words and the whole atmosphere made me pensive the day after making me think of several things, like friends, family, attitudes and comments, surroundings and food as well as personal life and the way I have chosen to live it. I realized that so many people want everyone to be the same, to stick to the same social norms, standards and have the same lifestyle and interests that’s hard for them to accept that someone has chosen to live their lives as they wish them to and as they find it better for themselves. This is where so many people does not see the line of things that can be discussed and said and when it’s better not to cross it. Read More
It’s another Monday, but unlike other Milan Monday’s this one started with a heavy thunderstorms that cooled down the hot streets of the city. Much needed especially during this hot summer. I believe this is all time hottest summer I have ever had and not only because of the heat but also because it’s been so fast, so full, so vivid that days are just flying by. Sometimes I wish I could have 30 hours a day and 8 days a week (which there would be one more extra day at weekend to manage to do everything I have in my mind, but unfortunately or luckily it is not like that so all left to do is to prioritize and do my best to manage everything.) However we are yet in first half of the moment and there are still time to manage to do, see and experience things and add some nice memories to Summer 2015 list.
My second part of August seems pretty tough as well, because will be travelling every week starting this week till October, so all the writing, dieting, working out and blogging will be from the road. BUT determined to manage all and even make improvements because I know I can and will. So here comes my monthly visual board based on talented illustrator Kerrie Hess monthly calendar. (without that planning would be much more difficult). Read More
Buongiorno Milano! I am back from my one week (seems-like-one-month) getaway to Latvia and ready to get back on track with my training and clean eating lifestyle. Also I expect this to be an exciting week as well as going to switch up my gym workout schedule for a new one and implement some new exercises and techniques to give some extra boost to my progress and of course also to lose that extra kilos taken from all the barbecues, gatherings, wedding and lack of exercises(hit the gym just twice, BUT did it properly with my friend Martins and fitness mentor. Here is a sneak-a-peak from our Leg day – did not walk the next 2 days properly).
Recently I have been asked what I am doing to switch up my workout/ exercise routines to stay motivated and the answer is simple – variation and not letting yourself to get too comfortable. I constantly try to challenge myself to push harder, if the weights getting “lighter” I am adding some extra kilos therefore constantly trying to beat my own best and not letting those muscles get too comfortable. Read More
Labrīt! This means Good Morning in Latvian! Greetings from my week off from Milan’s heat. As each of my Latvia’s trip it’s always planned and organized till last minute, BUT that doesn’t mean that I have forgot about my training schedule and clean eating. And so shouldn’t you! Just because it is vacations doesn’t mean you can let yourself go completely and forget about your fitness objectives and ruin all your progress with screw-everything-I-want-to-eat-everything! and let’s-work-out-when-I-am-back-home kind of attitude! Sure it’s ok time to time not be hard on yourself and let you enjoy some sweets, traditional-typical food and skip some workout. That’s all fine and understandable – that’s why the vacations are for – to enjoy them and rest your body and soul. The same is for me, but with some limitations – I do enjoy some traditional food and some dessert and time to time skip workout but still keep my eyes on my goals and fitness objectives and not lose all progress, as starting from beginning is always harder than maintaining your progress. After all it’s all about balance and knowing what you want for the moment and what’s your long term goals. Read More
Happy 1st of July, hope it’s every where as sunny and lovely as it is now in Milan. well, actually maybe a little bit too so instead I would rather prefer to be at beach in beautiful Liguria, but still – not complaining, enjoying sunny Milan Summer days that are still full with things to do, see and experience. especially because here is held World Expo 2015, so city is buzzing with events, attractions, tastings, activities on every corner.
For me beginning of each month is new goal setting and things to look after. July for me is taking up and accepting new challenges, mostly fitness ones. Already mentioned that joined Nike Training Club Milano and did my first competition last Sunday, now taking second challenge tomorrow – So fast Day Milan to have a 1 mile run. (Wish me luck! Haven’t been competing and speed running since high school so feeling a little bit nervous but excited at the same time! )
Than on Monday I saw another wonderful challenge by Blogilates – 30 Days & 30 Stretches to Splits! That Read More
Time indeed flies and feels like just yesterday was 1st of June while it’s almost over and it means that has left just 1 month to my second part of my fitness challenge with myself – to burn fat and increase muscles. First par has closed pretty successful – 2kg but looks like 5! Proud of that. Second part – should go for just giving more definition to muscles as shredding is going hand-in-hand with that. (Remember, the more muscles you have, the faster you burn fat), so this week is all about speeding up the rhythm and trying also some new things.
Last week I joined Nike Training Club Milano and re-download N+TC app to take part in their challenges (first one was yesterday – to track your workout or run with Nike apps and afterwards share on their social networks with the #BetterForIt (about this project you can read here.) I must say I have pretty hooked with this new challenge and joining the Nike club that already looked up for the next challenge (this 2nd July, Milan) there will be So Fast day. You can still register and come to run a mile and try the new Nike Air Zoom Elite 8 e Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 32 shoes. So if you are in Milan, come and join the challenge. Subscriptions here. Read More
Another weekend has gone by and here we are on Monday, making lists and plans for the week ahead of us, well at least that’s me and how I start every week – with a reflection of the previous one and planning the things that have to be done, obtained and achieved this week. Of course there comes also motivation and inspiration dose, which is absolutely necessary to give the right tune to the week. The amount of it depends on results and sum up of the previous week. As last week was spent trying to lose that extra kg taken during my Sicily getaway. Must say I am half way there and this week motivating myself to lose the other half and a little bit more so today I need some extra fitspiration, motivation and maybe some evil sarcastic gym humor to get me going and if you are like me – keep reading. Read More
happy girl, dancer, photographer, gym-goer, Herc., traveler, dreamer, explorer, color and moment collector, healthy food and recipe discoverer and tester