We Are the Newest Mavens in Town

 

Dunwello’s newest Mavens: Barre Instructor, Jessica Diaz and Stylist, Alisa Kapinos

 

 

One of our favorite women about town and most recent featured Ms Fit, Tonya Mezrich recently approached us with an enticing offer… to join her in her newest venture, Dunwello.com in a program that she’s triumphantly spearheading, the Maven Campaign. Mavens are hand-picked by Tonya, they are the movers and shakers of the city, highly respected Bostonians who contribute reviews of their go-to professionals in Boston.

We were thrilled when Tonya approached us about getting involved with Dunwello as their newest Mavens! We absolutely loved the concept – sharing about individuals that ROCK! This was one of our founding goals when we started Ms Fit For Society. Dunwello is making this type of information accessible to all, by allowing people to be able to search for the “best” in this city. This is awesome!

Ms Fit For Society was basically created through our joy of inspiring each other to “do life better.” What we found is that even though we were having a great time doing it together, we realized the more people we connected with, the more fun it was, and wow, did we learn a lot from everyone. Through Ms Fit For Society, we have met and worked with so many amazing people. And, the more we seek inspiration from others, the faster it seems to come. What we mean by inspiration is not just that spark that makes you want to do something new, but also the awe of meeting someone who works so hard and gets so much joy out of what they do, in perfecting what they do, and going above and beyond in helping others. What we also found is that there seems to be a common thread in these types of people; the ones that inspire, and the ones that are succeeding. It is that they all share a BIG passion for life and what they do. A passion that is contagious, that no matter what it is your interacting with them for (nails, styling, fitness, hair, etc.) they make you just have fun and walk away feeling a little happier.

There are many of these people around Boston, many whom we hope to meet and work with in the future. But for now, here is our short list of those that inspire us and are just awesome at what they do:

 

JESSICA’S LIST:

Nathan Alan – Blowouts and updos for Blo Blow Dry Bar

Jen Opeka – Makeup artist at Sarra

Lisa at Glitters  Nail Salon in Charlestown

Chad Schnairsohn –Personal Trainer/Kickboxing Trainer at Equinox

Alisa Kapinos  — Personal Stylist

Nikki Tedesco – Freelance hair stylist

Santosh Karmacharya – Bodywork/Massage at Om Namo Center in Cambridge.

 

Our go-to “Glam Squad” Nathan Allen and Dani Noel

ALISA’S LIST:

Dani Noel – Blowouts and updos for Blo Blow Dry Bar

Ikram Guebenlian – Makeup artist for NARS

Jessica Diaz – Barre instructor

Michael Souza – Freelance Interior Decorator

Dana Markos – Floral Designer

Lola – Hairdresser for kids at Beaucage Salon

Jenna Darcy Stebbins – Freelance Photographer

DJ RobertsSounds – Freelance DJ

 

Dunwello is for everyone! If you have someone you have worked with or workout with that you love,  thank them by going to Dunwello and writing up a fabulous review for them! Don’t forget to go to Dunwello for more information on our amazing crew of talent or to find a professional in whatever keeps you looking and feeling your happiest!

xoA&J

New Ms Fit Feature: Tonya Mezrich

Tonya Mezrich, CEO of Mike&Ton, Principal Fashion Expert and Style Correspondent for StyleBoston, & Principal Brand Ambassador and Executive Advisor for Dunwello.com.

 

Tonya in the gown she wore to the Oscars for Social Network. This stunning gown by             Michael De Paulo.

 

What is keeping you busy these days?

Recently I am extremely busy launching the Maven Campaign for Dunwello.com. I was brought into Dunwello on the heels of the tech startup getting funding from Twitter execs as announced in Bostinno.com.

A little background about Dunwello: Dunwello is a young, hip tech startup with powerhouse “it boys” Matt squared (Lauzon and Brand) at the helm. I was beyond thrilled to come on board with Dunwello, and revved up to spearhead the Maven Campaign. After having partnered up for several Mike&Ton fashion shows with Gemvara (the online jewelry company started by Lauzon in his dormroom at Babson), I knew Matt Lauzon was someone to keep my eye on. The idea of individuals being able to brand and market themselves online is a natural progression from Yelp and Angie’s list, and Dunwello has the slick, easy way for pros to accomplish this, with none of the hassle or negative energy. When you go to some of the current reviewer sites, you are looking at businesses, not individuals, but the real information you are digging for is the name of the actual pros. Matt and Matt came up with the idea to quantify this on a user friendly platform where SEO for Dunwello profiles is easily bumped up. When Lauzon asked me to join the team, it was a no brainer–I was honored to be a part of this ground breaking company. I’m very thrilled about my role as Principal Brand Ambassador, because I get to hang out with my friends and tell them about the cool things we are doing at Dunwello. I am in charge of making sure we have highly respected Bostonians contributing reviews of the best professionals in Boston—aka The Maven Campaign. When asked to explain what a Maven is, you could best describe it as the same as the “verified check mark” prominent individuals get with Twitter. Becoming Maven #1 was supremely cool for me. I am looking forward to adding a top roster of Mavens to join me in helping promote and give a shout out to their “team” of pros who make life easier and better for them. I personally always want to tell people about how great my hairdresser, Violet Furxhi is. Or how Tavi Delarosa or Nelse Kairini  create beautiful makeup on me or my models for mike&ton. So naturally it is a great feeling to be able to help local individuals brand and market themselves. Most individuals don’t have the time or budget to hire or do their own PR. This functions as a way of getting the word out about what you do best.

 

Tonya Mezrich and Michael De Paulo  of mike&ton at the City Lights themed Gemvara Fashion Show.

 

 What are you loving in fitness and fashion right now?

I’m loving Flywheel. It is quick and a great workout. In 45 minutes I can burn 400 calories. I know it’s only one cookie, but the amount of sweating you are doing, you really feel great when you leave the studio.

For fashion, I am digging digging in my own closet! I have found that re-purposing different outfits in different ways has been very satisfying, and my wallet also appreciates it! For example, I have been “all seasoning” some of my dresses. Adding leather leggings under a spring or fall dress, instantly turns it into a winter safe outfit. It also makes them a bit more edgy, and I finish the look by pulling the leggings over my pumps. I also love little socks with pumps. It’s another way of carrying shoes that wouldn’t necessarily be worn in the winter into winter. I found these cute foot panties at Daniela Corte Boutique, and have gotten many compliments on them. I also like little fishnet ankle socks from American Apparel. I can wear them with pumps and it gives the pumps a “bootie” look.

Tonya’s ankle socks paired with pumps to create “faux booties.” Also pictured, business partner, Michael DePaulo. This was shot for a photo spread in the Boston Herald debuting the mike&ton partnership with Rumba at The Intercontinental Hotel. Under the mike&ton label, we designed the uniforms of the servers and bartenders.

 

 How do we keep in touch and learn more about you? 

Twitter.com/tonyamezrich

Instagram.com/tonyamezrich

www.tonyamezrich.com

 

We asked Tonya to share how she got started in the world of fashion:

I have always had a love for fashion. Even at a young age, to my mother’s chagrin, I remember insisting on wearing a certain pink dress every single day. I think my daughter has a little of that in her. At 2.5 she’s already insisting on choosing an outfit on her own every morning, even if that means wearing Toms shoes in the dead of winter.

 

My fashion profile grew shortly after Ben and I were married. I got named one of Boston Globe’s Top 25 Most Stylish People by Carol Beggy. I think I was actually #4 right after Tom Brady. It was from this moment on, that my love for fashion really began to blossom and turn into something entirely cool, on it’s own path. I could no longer leave the house looking like a slob, wearing lululemon sweats and not brushing my hair. (which in my husband’s opinion, was not such a bad thing—I think he was growing tired of my “comfy attire.”)

It was about this time that I met my close friend, Michael DePaulo. He was, at the time, designing couture gowns and wanted to get further exposure for them. We were introduced by a mutual friend, and hit it off immediately. I wore his creations to the Sony Columbia Pictures “21” red carpet premiere, and began to regularly wear his fashions to many of the national and local events we attended. 

 

The Movie 21 Premier, Dana Brunetti, Ben Mezrich, Tonya Mezrich, Jim Sturgess, Jeff Ma

Soon thereafter, we decided to open mike&ton. We started with a full collection which consisted of dresses, skirts, tops, jackets and pants. Into our fourth collection, we decided to pare down to our signature pencil skirt—The Travel Skirt—so named because it is made with a luggage zipper and is perfect for the jetsetting mike&ton woman.

 

mike&ton’s Travel Skirt

Along my path, I helped launch the TV show StyleBoston, a half hour lifestyle TV show. I served as host of the show and developed and produced my own segment titled Fashion Forward.

Shortly thereafter I was tapped by NECN’s The Morning Show to produce and star in my own TV segment, Tagged By Tonya, a weekly style and fashion segment that educated New England viewers on anything from how to tie a summer scarf to what were the most effective and fashionable winter parkas for the slopes. I now remain the go-to Fashion Expert for NECN.

Recently I have returned to StyleBoston and have taken on the role of Principal Fashion Expert and Style Correspondent. With my fashion expertise and contact with the fashion community it was a natural role for me to fill. I am looking forward to covering events, giving backstage peeks at fashion shows, and teaching my audience about anything and everything in the fashion/style arena as I myself learn more and more about the ever evolving world of fashion.

 

Ms Fit Feature: Sofia Celeste

Sofia Celeste, Fashion Journalist, Correspondent for NOWFASHION, Contributor to Women’s Wear Daily and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of BACO Luxury

What is keeping you busy these days?

In addition to raising my two daughters (one 2 yrs old and the other, 4 months old), I have been really busy with the launch of http://www.bacoluxury.com – an online magazine that is dedicated to fashion’s artisans, small businesses and emerging designers, which launched today, December 17th! While I was pregnant with my daughter Vittoria, I was busier than ever with fashion shows and presentations. I was so tired, but it was a great moment in my career. After I gave birth to Vittoria, I was overwhelmed with having two small children, and in the midst of all the domestic mania, the idea to start BACO just hit me.I like to think Vittoria inspired me!

What are you loving in fitness and fashion right now? 

I love the capsule collections and collaborations between fashion and athletic wear companies, like Adidas Originals with Italia Independent. I think it is an exciting moment for fitness wear companies. E-commerce companies like Net-a-Porter are really shining a spotlight on sports wear and dance wear. Designers are really focusing on catering to women with hectic schedules and are making more looks that work for many facets of a busy woman’s lifestyle – the barre, leisure and evening.

How do we keep in touch and learn more about you? 
Twitter: SofiaCelesteIT, BACOLuxury
Instagram: FiaCeleste, BACO Luxury
Google: https://plus.google.com/+SofiaCeleste, BACO Luxury
LinkedIn: http://it.linkedin.com/in/sofiaceleste
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sofiacelesteIT, https://www.facebook.com/bacolux
Website: http://www.sofiaceleste.com, http://www.bacoluxury.com

 

We just love the imprint Sofia is making in the fashion world and think you will too! With today being the official launch date of BACO, read more about it here:

How did you get started in fashion? While I was at USC in Los Angeles, I was an intern at Footwear News in Los Angeles. After graduation in 2001, I went to Milan for an internship with Women’s Wear Daily, and after assisting on a front page cover photo shoot and attending my first fashion show, I was completely hooked. In 2007, I was hired by Dow Jones and Wall Street Journal to cover the Italian luxury and retail beat. In 2011, I left because I really wanted to write more about style, rather than the financial side of fashion. I think BACO really combines both business and style. It’s the perfect mix for me.

Tell us more about BACO and how it was born…  I have covered fashion and the Italian luxury sector for nearly a decade. The best part of my job is working on the profiles and feature pieces on the many artisans and family businesses that represent the backbone of Italy’s fashion industry. After the financial crisis, I wrote a lot about these small brands and their struggle to survive in a competitive, globalized market. The crisis really made consumers contemplate their purchases and demand more of an explanation as to where these products are made and who is making them.

It soon became evident that high-end luxury consumers are tired of the same old big brands and are really yearning for products that are even more exclusive, handmade and personalized. One day it hit me that there was really no coverage of micro yet super exclusive luxury brands. I truly think that a site like BACO represents the future of the fashion industry. It’s not just a blog. It really provides an education and an in-depth background of the brands we cover. We aren’t against the Guccis or Ferragamos out there — we are actually looking for the next Guccio Gucci and the next Salvatore Ferragamo.

BACO suppports young designers, craftsmen and family-run companies that represent the best hidden secrets of the industry. There is so much left to discover!

Ms Fit Kiddos Invade Davio’s Restaurant

If anything makes kids happy it’s sticking candy onto giant cookies with even more candy and even more sugar. If anything makes parents happy is finding that perfect activity on a Sunday afternoon that keeps the kids out of trouble, even if that means while on a sugar rush. This past Sunday, we hosted the first annual Gingerbread House Workshop with one of our favorite restaurants in town, Davio’s in Chestnut Hill.

The Ms Fits and our kiddos

Being silly before decorating

Pastry Chef Michelle Boland rolling out the gingerbread houses

After being served a delicious Davio’s lunch, the super talented Pastry Chef, Michelle Boland created the most holiday-perfect assembly line of architecturally exquisite gingerbread houses, a king’s ransom of candy and enough sticky frosting to insulate an actual house. The dads kept one eye on the Sunday football game and the other on their little creative geniuses. The moms made sure the sugar intake was kept to a minimum while proudly announcing, “wow! good job honey!” while the kiddos, so excited about the fact that they were actually encouraged to play with their food, couldn’t possibly appreciate the special time they were spending with their little friends and their families creating their one of a kind masterpieces.

We can’t thank Davio’s enough for gathering all of these fun kiddos for such a special holiday treat while also donating some amazing gifts to the Toys for Tots! This year’s event was a hit, selling out before we knew it, with a wait list to boot. We cannot wait for next year’s workshop and we know you can’t either! And in the meantime, maybe you’ll catch us with our kiddos enjoying some delicious culinary creations at Davio’s.

Collecting candy

Cute little hands in the candy bowl

Let the fun begin!

Jessica with her daughter, Chloe

Creative concentration

Wow! Good job honey!

The Ms Fits’ finished masterpiece… jk, this is Davio’s work 🙂

 

Happy Holidays!

xoA&J

 

Check us out in the Boston Globe here…

Fit-Inspired Gift Ideas… Must-Haves for the Fitness, Wellness Lovers

Fitness, wellness, fit-fashion, has never been more popular…which means there are just so many amazing things to buy to be workout ready.  I am sharing a list of some of my favorites fitness things. Here are a few great gift ideas for the fitness lovers or just great items to get for yourself to help you get ready to spring into a healthy 2015:

 

I fell in love with this Barrewear top and tunic from gwenyth last Christmas and since then have accumulated a small collection. Not only is this top fabulous, the owner, Michelle, has been so wonderful to work with and has been so supportive of Ms Fit For Society and everything I am doing in Barre. Even so much so, she is offering 20% off of her Modern Classic for our MsFits as well as donating $5 of the purchase to the American Stroke Association and Teddy’s Team, a charity near and dear to our hearts. Click here to access this special offer link and then use promotion code: musejessicaholiday2014 (offer good through the end of December).

 

The Modern Classic in Mocha Grey, $88

 

Hands down, Splits59 is one of my favorite activewear lines. Not only because for a workout line, their clothes have such awesome style, but also because the company is made up of such a wonderful group of people.   Splits59 is always inspiring us to be healthier and “cooler”.  I wear a ton from them, so it’s hard to pick my favorites. But, these capri pants are what I’m really loving right now (use my name jessicadiaz at chekcout for 15% off your purchases at Splits59).

 

 

Nova Racer Performance Capri by Splits59 $98

 

I love anytime I see someone who can rock a one-piece:

Without Walls High Shine Romper, $98

 

 

Loving this really cool holiday Fit-Fashion Kit for Women and Men from Outdoor Voices. These gift kits includes sweatpants, warm-up leggings, hoodie, sports bra, tote bag, and more:

 

Outdoor Voices Holiday Kit, $300

 

A favorite of my yoga friends:

 

Maduka Go Free Yoga Backpack, $108-$120

 

 

Fitsporation – Need a little fitness-inspiration in your wardrobe. Here are a few of my favorites:

No Limits. Wide Shoulder Girly Sweatshirt, Firedaughter Clothing $38

 

 

Passion is Everything pullover by GoodhYouman, $68

 

 

With All Your Heart, inspirational Barre Socks, on Etsy $20

 

For those of you that like to stand-out and shine at the gym:

 

Leatherback Leggins in Chrome Gloss by Carbon38, $135

 

LuLu Lemon Shine shorts, $48

Keeping the shine going…these are number one on my Christmas list. I need these and I am going to add the sparkle accessories piece that can be mix and matched:

 

Oil Slick and Black Headphones from We Are Frends, $199

 

Bauble Bar Gold and Black Cap accessory, $49

 

For head-to-toe sparkle:

Nike Free Flash 5.0, $150

 

On the sweeter side:

Ballet Beautiful Belle Wrap, Net-a-porter, $108

 

Ballet Beautiful Classic Leg Warmer, $54

 

Sweet and local to Boston:

 

 

Crane & Lion Original Tight in Quicksilver, $90

 

 

Crane & Lion Wrap Sweater in Wan Blue, $100

 

Healthy and local:

I am loving the idea of a gift certificate to our favorite juicery in town, Mother Juice, to add some extra health to your diet. Also a  great gift idea for yourself or someone you know that might love to give juice detox a try!

Mother Juice, 100% organic, cold-pressed juice & raw vegan snacks. Gift Certificates available

 

Lastly, give the gift of health  awareness by donating to the American Stroke Association. I am sharing my personal donation page here . The money raised for the Stroke Association goes directly to fund research, education, advocacy both locally and nationally to help reduce disability and death from stroke.  The Stroke Association has been such a wonderful support for me and I am so happy to be a part of helping to raise awareness about the importance of knowing the signs, symptoms and ways to reduce your risks of stroke and heart disease. To learn more about why I am such a supporter of the Stroke Association you can read my story at www.heart.org

 

 

Happy and Healthy Holidays!

xJessica

A Holiday Craft…For the “Un-Crafty”

 

Holiday Stocking Made From Vintage European Grain Sacks, Made by “Moi”

 

This is going to sound crazy, but if I was honest about the number of hours (days) that I spent looking for the perfect holiday stocking for my home, you would think I was nuts. It’s not like me to be that much of a perfectionist about things either, but I really wanted a nice holiday stocking that did not look over-commercial or had any kind of character, puff paint, animals, etc., or anything.

I wanted something  more rustic/natural and personalized looking. After spending way too much time online, in-stores, etsy, everywhere (I did find a few that were OK, but were way over priced – to purchase four I was going to spend over $400. I don’t love Christmas stockings that much!!) I stopped into one of my favorite home furnishing stores in Newburyport, MA The Red Bird Trading Co.   And happened to approach the owner, Kerry Vaughn, and asked her if she sold any holiday stockings. Her store is filled with beautiful and unique items from all of the world, and she has such a great selection of holiday decorations… I was sure she’d have something. I asked if the store had stockings and Kerry said, “no, I don’t because I couldn’t find any that I liked!” I thought, Oh thank God, I am not crazy, even the experts can’t find a good stocking, ha! We discussed this problem for a few minutes, and she gave me a great suggestion. She recommended that I buy an antique European Grain Sack that she sold, and make it myself. Amazing! Just one problem. I hate crafts, I am terrible at them, and I don’t think I remember how to sew. Well, after thinking it over a little while, my crazy desire to have just the right stocking gave me that extra push to buy the vintage sack and give it a try. How hard could it be?

 

 

Turns out it wasn’t too hard, and the stockings turned out exactly how I wanted.. perfectly, un-perfect ;). I am sure there is a more sophisticated way of doing this, but I just pretty much cut the shape out of the grain sack and sewed it. Here is my step-by step to making these stockings.

1) Step 1- Create the pattern. Kerry from Red Bird gave me a nice long piece of brown paper. I drew the shape of the stocking that I wanted on the paper. Then just cut it out. Very simple. I’m positive there are fancy patterns out there, if one would prefer to use those. I just decided to wing it.

Stocking pattern cut from brown wrapping paper

 

Step 2 – I lined my stocking pattern on the grain sack. I used the side with the wide seam as the top, to give my stockings the appearance of having a finished edge on top. Because it is a sack, you only have to cut the shape out once (if you have sharp enough scissors to go through both sides of the grain sack).

 

The seam I used for the top of the stocking

I then placed some tape  in between the paper stocking and grain sack to help it stay in place while I cut around the shape. I cut the shape out but left the seam on top  held together. That helped keep both sides of the stocking in place while I sewed it. I liked the rough cut, frayed edges, so I decided to leave that on the outside (as opposed to sewing it and then flipping inside out).

Step 3- Sew. I had planned to use a red thread to sew the fabric together. I thought that little bit of color would be cute. However, because I am not a great sewer, I matched a thread to the grain sack, to hide my not so great stitching skills. The frayed edges were also great at helping blend my stitches in:). I started below the red line on the right side. I sewed half way around the bottom of the “foot”. I then cut the seam on top. And then sewed up the rest of the sides.

Step- 4. The Hook Loop.  You need the hook loop on top to hang the stocking. Once both sides of the stocking were all sewed together. I cut a piece out of the seam to use as the hook. I cut about a 6 inch piece out of the seam. Folded that in half, then sewed both sides of the loop into the inside right corner of the back side of the stocking. And voila, you have a stocking! The next two steps are optional.

Step 5 – Stencil. I bought a 3 inch letter stencil from the craft store. I wanted to make my stockings a little more personalized. I bought silver fabric paint and small paint brushes. I then painted the letters on to the stockings and let them dry for a few hours.

Step 6- Pom-Pom Tassle. I saw something similar to these in a high-end catalog. I went to buy them and there were not only sold out, but again, more than I wanted to pay for a tassel for a stocking. So I searched Etsy for Peruvian pom-pom tassels, and found these for $12 a piece. All together, I spend about $100 for the 4 stockings.  I am so happy with the outcome and the price! And the fact that me, the most un-crafty person could make such beautiful, timeless stockings for my family, well, that’s just priceless.

 

Happy Holidays!

xJessica

 

Alisa’s Edit – Kid’s Edition – H&M

So what did you ladies think of my TOP 20 picks from H&M?

Since I was doing the “research” anyway, I figured I’d help all of our Ms Fit Mamas out there too. A request I’ve been getting more and more is, “can you help me pick out clothes for my kids?” As a mom of two myself, I know there is nothing that we wouldn’t do for our kids, and there is definitely nothing we wouldn’t do to save ourselves some precious time. I’ve gone shopping for a few of my mini-fashionistas (FFF’s as I call them)  and the smiles I get from both kids and moms are bigger than I could have ever imagined. The mini divas who “hate everything you pick out” have an inexplicable liking to the pieces only “my stylist picked out,” making dressing an achievement worthy of a gold medal. And for the moms, I become their Knight in sequined armor galloping around town, doing all the leg-work and saving them from the tragedy that can be shopping with kids.

Maybe these 20 picks will make it onto your shopping list…

FOR THE LADIES….

Pattern-knit Dress

Faux Fur Vest

Knit Hat

Hairband with Flowers

Slim-fit Pants

Chelsea-style Boots

Jacquard-knit Skirt Set

Floral Lined Boots

Textured Hooded Jacket

Tulle Dress

 

FOR THE GENTS~

Jeans

Suit Vest

Navy Blue Suit Jacket

Fine-Knit Sweater

Canvas Pants with Suspenders

Denim High Tops

Chambray Shirt

Velour Snuggle Suit

Brogues

Star Patterned Hat

Happy shopping MsFits! Would love to see pics of your little ones in any of these pieces… don’t forget to hashtag #msfitforsociety!

December is the New January… Why Wait?

This year I am going to start in December! As of today, I am starting my plan to take it to that next level now instead of waiting for January 1^st. I want to start 2015 already in-progress. For me, health and fitness these past six months (post-surgery) have been pretty up and down.  I had to take some “time off” because of recovering and some health issues and have since let myself use “recovering” as excuses to let myself  ease up on the routines that I know make me feel my best, eg. keeping a regular exercise schedule, trying new things here and there (which I love to do), and eating the ways that make me feel my best.

I am not being hard on myself, I took the break I needed.  I took the necessary time to recover and get healthy again, but now it is time to kick things up a notch and get back to the point where I felt I had more strength and energy. One of the biggest things I am feeling since slowing down on workouts and healthier routines is my endurance levels. I have noticed even after a moderate/slow paced workout that I tire easy and get out of breath. I also don’t recover as well. And something that has a huge impact on me, I am not sleeping as well either.

I am not even going to mention my jeans! I try not to let gaining a few pounds bother me, but if I am being honest.. IT TOTALLY DOES! Haha.

Not feeling my best has a spiraling effect on me. Working out and eating healthy go hand and hand for me. Post-surgery, I started to let the foods I ate in moderation ( 80/20) sneak into more of everyday, every-other day (50/50) type arrangement. This equals, not feeling great!

Typically, I would  say that I pretty much take December off of exercise. I just end up not exercising and telling myself I don’t need to because I am going to start January 1^st. Obviously! So that means I get to eat and celebrate and take a break for December. But not this year!  My challenge to myself, as of the beginning of this month, is to start to get my health and fitness routines on track now. How am I going to do this?  I have a strategy!!

My strategy for doing this is.. plan, plan, plan. I am not very good at planning more than a week ahead of time. But the good thing about December is that people know how busy this time of year is, so they tend to make plans ahead of time. So as of today, I pretty much know exactly what I am doing for the next 21 days. Totally perfect for me for my “taking it to the next level now” commitment.

Phase 1 of my strategy:  I sat down with my calendar, put in all the commitments I had, and then added in my exercise as appointments around those (in red, meaning I cannot miss it).

Phase 2 of my strategy: More planning. Food planning. I went to the grocery store and stocked up on all the things I know I need to keep myself on track. And also, partly in my head, and partly in my phone notes, I scheduled what I am going to eat for the next couple of days.  Food planning and having the right foods in my home really helps me resist those last minute easy/quick solutions that usually aren’t as healthy. If I over indulge, no problem, I know I have all my exercises scheduled for that week as “damage control”

Phase 3 of my strategy: Keep it fun. The easiest way I find to take it to that next level, is to keep it fun. Maybe this means, trying new things. Or scheduling a workout with a friend or both.  I never stray far from Barre. It is my foundation. But I do love to try new things. So today, I took a Soul Cycle class by myself, and just booked another class this time with a friend. SO fun! If you already have a class/routine you love, challenge yourself to give it even more in your next class. We all know the difference between how we feel (and how we look) when we’ve left a workout; giving it our all versus just getting through it.

Phase 4 of my strategy: Visual and Audio Motivation.

Audio: I love making my workout playlists for myself and for my classes. Sometimes great music can be the greatest motivations. If you don’t have your own, you can listen to mine on Spotify, here is my latest: Dec. is the new Jan.

Visual motivation: This might sound silly, and it is, a little bit, but I find having a visual motivation also helps as a reminder to keep myself on track. Maybe it’s a picture of where you are going on vacation and need to be in a  bikini, maybe it’s a picture of an outfit you want to fit in to, or maybe of your good friend  who just posted a picture of herself today with insane abs ( Karly Treacy). Or maybe it’s a picture of yourself when you felt in a healthier place. Here is mine pre-surgery:

Me Pre-Surgery. I am so going to rock these white Splits59 Raquel tights again!

 

I just shared my challenge for myself. Now, my challenge to all of you MsFits is to do the same!

Make December the new January. For the next month, hashtag #msfitforsociety or send us a photo on Facebook. A  photo of you “taking it to the next level”. This is so individual, it can be of you working out. It can be of you making a healthy recipe, a sports activity, an exciting new outfit, goal setting. Anything at all!

To motivate our amazing MsFits, we’re going to be giving away one of my favorite pieces from Splits59, The Ashby Tank. Send us those photos and you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing to win!!! 

In the New Year, I will post a gallery of our collective efforts so we can see how great it is for us to be starting 2015 “already in-progress.”

HASHTAGS:

#DecemberisthenewJanuary    #msfitforsociety

 

Happy December MsFits!

~Jessica

 

 

 

 

It Is Officially Holiday Party Season! Get Ready For It With the “Party Girl Dip”

 

The Party Girl Dip

 

The Party Girl Dip, illustration by Victor Hernandez

 

 

Happy December!!!! A sure way to feel party ready this holiday season is to get those arms ready for any sleeve style, even a fitted long sleeve looks better with shapely triceps.  The “tricep-dip” or “reverse push-up” is easy to do at home and requires no equipment. This is a foundation exercise in Barre and can be really effective if done consistently and with the correct form.

To set up:

Take a seated position on the floor. Bend your knees and keep feet flat on the floor. Bring your arms right below shoulders. Your fingertips will be facing your toes. Make sure to keep your wrists turned forwards toward your feet and slightly outwards. Do not let your fingers face behind you. If your wrists are backwards, you’re going to be putting too much pressure on the wrist joints and will not be able to control the movement in your arms. To get into the proper alignment, you need to make sure that your shoulders are directly above your wrists.  If you allow your shoulders to come forward of the wrists, you will loose the work in the back of the arm.

Once your arms and wrists are in the right alignment. Lift your hips off the floor. Pull your abs in, and the lift your hips a bit higher. Then shift your weight back. Imagine you are trying to get your ribs in between your forearms. The more you can shift your weight towards your fingers, the more challenging and effective this will be.

Now you are ready to start to move! Start to bend your elbows directly behind you. Really important, do not let your elbows rotate out to the side… at all. Make sure your elbows are bending directly behind you. Do not move your hips. Your hips stay still. You want all the work happening in the back of the arms. Start to bend and stretch behind the elbows. Start with 15 repetitions.  Bend and stretch. Try not to fully extend behind the elbows. You don’t want to hyper-extend the arms.

Be mindful to not let your hips drop towards the floor or travel away from your fingertips.  Stay in your challenge zone. Hips stay high and ribs stay as close to your forearms as you can.

Once you have completed your 15 reps, bend your elbows deeply. And start to pulse. 10-15 pulses, staying deep in that muscle (do not straighten those arms). You can repeat this sequence 2-3 more times. If you want even more challenge. Try lifting one leg straight into the air. Bend your right knee, draw it in towards your chest, and then straighten it. Try to get the ankle directly above the hip. Continue your arm repetitions and then switch to your left leg half-way through.

 

 Stretch 

Lengthen the muscles you just strengthened. Sit cross legged on the floor. Sit tall, long neck and a long spine. Lift your right arm up and behind you until your right palm is touching your right shoulder blade. To deepen the stretch, with your left hand gently guide your elbow in towards your self and back. Then switch sides.

Party arms ready to shine this holiday season!

If you have any questions about this exercise or any others, please feel free to send me a note!

~Jess