This Week in Workouts: The Time I Did Side Crow

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So, this week was a pretty big week. Not only did I complete me first Side Crow pose as the title suggests, I have also been running around like a crazy person asking companies for money. Why, you may ask? Easy. The All Children's Hospital Guild that I work with is hosting their 18th annual Fashion Luncheon and I have found myself co-chairing the auction. Turns out, asking businesses for money/goods for free is, pretty much, the most. fun. thing. ever. The auction is looking like it will be super great and I am starting to get ridiculously excited about it. If you are in the area want to go, let me know and I will get you all the info!!

Other than that bit of cardio/best retail therapy ever created, there have been some super fun workouts, a few friendly competitions started, and some seriously sore abs. I may not be able to laugh for a week. Oh, but before we move past All Children's, I should also say that I am officially slated to be the 2014/2015 vice president of the All Children's Hospital Sarasota Guild. Ahhhhhh!!! This is crazy and something I never thought I would be capable of considering at the age of 27, but my inability to say "no" and my husband pushing me to accept it have made it so. Crazy. Also, a bit scary. And now to the workouts!

Sunday: Shape Magazine's Naomi Campbell Yoga Flow. I really do like this and was for sure sore the next day. It does not help that the day before this was my hardest fitness day of the week. Arms so sore. 

Monday: 3-mile jog

Tuesday: Rest day

Wednesday: Yoga flow that I cannot remember for the life of me. Wednesday was yoga for sure, just not so sure on what I did. Did I mention this week was a bit crazy?

Thursday: 10-minute Ballet Fusion for Arms and sushi with my niece and nephew. Nom nom nom.

Friday: 2-mile jog

Saturday: Are you ready for this dose of crazy? Advanced Hot Power Flow where I accomplished my first ever side crow (whaaat?!) followed by a 3-mile jog (also, whaat?!). Followed by a nap. 

After that awesome side crow experience, I am hoping to get some of my  instructor's tips on the blog very soon! She has also promised to take some pictas once we get a little more practice in, so look forward to that!

Shape Magazine Workout Review: Naomi Campbell's Yoga Flow

The April issue of Shape magazine has Naomi Campbell as their first-time cover girl. Most of us remember Naomi from our childhood, looking at magazines and runway shows with her face everywhere. My step-sister's and I use to pretend to be models and I always chose Naomi Campbell or Tyra Banks... My sisters were always Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss. As we got older, we heard more about Naomi's temper than anything else. Now, she seems to have taken her temper out of the public eye. Well, except for those little hints of we we get from The Face- but I would be upset if my girls got voted off too...

For those that do not know, Naomi Campbell is turning 44 this year. First off, that is ca-razy considering she is still one of the highest paid models. The Shape interview promised lots of info about how Naomi has been so successful and stayed looking so young. Yes, I would happily take a detailed list of every workout and piece of food she has ever eaten and maul over it like the crazy person I am definitely not. 

Sadly, most of the interview sounded very rehearsed and not too real at all. Most answers were exactly what you would expect from any publicist and made Naomi out to be the saint we all wish we were. Thankfully, there were some bits of realism hidden throughout, like the fact that Naomi does juice cleanses and that she did not get all the hype of yoga at first. Funny, considering that she is now a massive yogi doing an average of 1-hour of yoga a day. That being said, it is no wonder that her workout is a yoga flow for the morning that will take about 10-minutes. It looks super fun, so let's get to talking about it! 

The Workout

First things first, massive props to Naomi for doing her own workout. She looks fantastic in every pose and I can completely see her doing this every morning; unlike the cover girls who have a fitness model show their workouts. I'm sure they do that workout all. the. time. 

Naomi's workout is comprised of six yoga flows done for anywhere from five breaths to twenty-five. There is also an inversion at the end to keep things interesting! Of course, a 10-minute yoga session is not going to burn massive calories, so don't expect anything fantastic there. The really question is if it helps tone and if you feel more energized afterwards. 

For 10-minutes, this is a fantastic yoga flow! I was seriously surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The length you hold each pose gives you enough time to really work on form and to get all those muscles (from the usual big ones down to the tiniest) all fired up. My already sore muscles are going to be ridiculously sore tomorrow after this. Everything gets worked from the core to the arms to your legs. 

I will also say that the person who wrote the directions did a fantastic job. Yoga directions can be very difficult to get a flow with, but these are great! Very simple to understand and super easy to remember. The entire workout took about 11-minutes and left me sweating by the end! 

Also, I am dying to know where she got those yoga pants from. Swoon. 

Favorite Reads of the Week

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Goodness, there have been some good articles and posts written this week! It seems that one of the good parts about still (still!?!!) being under the weather is that I have been able to read a bunch of interesting things or watch some uselessly good TV. On that note, did you know that PLL has started up again? Well, it has! But, I promise, there has been more swimming in this head than what's going on with Ezra- although I do seriously wonder that as well...

A great and very personal article I read this week was over at Design Love Fest. Bri talked very candidly about guilt, anxiety, and insecurities. I also completely loved the quote!

Next up was Emily Henderson's Lulu and Georgia Furniture Wish List. I did not even know that this shop existed and am so grateful to know about it. They have gorgeous things and are not as expensive as most the shops recommended by designers. Swoon.

I must be having an EH week because this DIY copper and leather table is another article of her's that I cannot get enough of. But, I am considering elongating it to make a bench for the end of our bed. 

This Shape article talks a bit about added and natural sugars. It's pretty interesting and I am still a bit on the fence about it.

This Shape article about 20 great wines under $20 has become a favorite of mine. If you like wine and budgets, it just might be yours as well!

This one from Emily Henderson is one that almost every Mom out there will love.