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Equipment Needed

  • dumbbell (optional)

Weekly Wednesday Workout

In today’s workout, you will do three rounds of 12 reps of six movements. Rest as needed in between each round.

Movements for each round:

  • 12 squats
  • 12 squat pulses
  • 12 sumo squats
  • 12 sumo squat pulses
  • 12 cossack squats right leg
  • 12 cossack squats left leg

How to Do the Moves

For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

 

“The American Psychological Association reports that insecurity is multifaceted. It pertains to an overall sense of uncertainty or anxiety about your worth, abilities, skills, and value as a person, conveying the message that you’re at risk or in danger of something or someone. That negative impact of insecurity could be physical, mental, or emotional. Without security, you can’t accomplish full trust or function to your fullest potential.”

Why do we have insecurity? Are we influenced by outside factors? Is there a way to feel more confident about relationships, our looks, our bodies, our talents, our jobs, and our material goods? Why are we so negative to ourselves? And how do we overcome it? Check out this website.

I try to be a positive person, and I try to count my blessings for all that I have in life and for all the amazing people I have met. But sometimes insecurity creeps in, and I feel anxious, sad, hopeless, or depressed. And that’s when I need to check myself and find ways to overcome it. I feel if you don’t deal with the insecurity it can really pull you into a deep dark place. Because I don’t want to stay in that place of insecurity, I take action to cope with it by talking to my husband, my therapist, or reading some self-help books. One of my favorite authors is SARK. Just picking up one of her books makes me smile. Her website is filled with positive thoughts and reinforcements as well. Two of my favorite books are Succulent Wild Woman and Transformation Soup.

 

It’s so hard when you see insecurity in others whether it be friends or family members. You want to tell them they have no reason to be insecure because you see all of their amazing qualities even when they don’t see it in themselves. They are smart or beautiful or talented. But when you feel it yourself you understand why others feel that way, too. Sometimes it’s so hard to believe that the most beautiful, famous, successful woman is insecure. We think how can she be insecure when she has it all (or what we think is “all”). But guess what? Insecurities are there for everyone. We just need to figure out how to deal with them in a healthy way.

“Insecurity is a universal experience, but not all people experience insecurity so intensely that it disrupts their life and ability to function. If insecurity is creating unwanted impacts in your mental, social, or physical health, it could be time to take action and address the issue with professional support and assistance” (written by Eric Patterson, LPC).

Somehow we need to figure out how to be more confident and count our blessings. No matter who we are, we have so much. We have our lives, our health, our families, and our friends. We have roofs over our heads, food to eat, and freedom to explore. We need to remember that every situation is just that, a situation. We need to form our response to that situation and that can be in a positive or a negative way. We create our own happiness and security. Positive self-talk, pushing away negative feelings, looking forward to the future, and focusing on the good in this world can make a huge difference.

Photo by Melanie Wasser on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

Equipment Needed

  • dumbbells
  • ab mat

Weekly Wednesday Workout

In today’s workout, you will do four rounds of 15 reps of 4 movements. Rest as needed in between each round.

Movements for each round:

  • 15  Thrusters
  • 15  Abs of your choice
  • 15  Jumping Jacks
  • 15  Dumbbell Rows

How to Do the Moves

For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

Photo by John Arano on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

 

Jeff and I headed out west to visit some really good friends prior to our ski week in Taos. Although it took us seven hours to get there because of the weather and traffic, it was well worth it. As soon as we pulled into the little town of Glenwood Springs I loved it.

glenwood springs

Upon our arrival, our friends had a delicious feast waiting for us. They knew we would be hungry after our long drive. We had some amazing homemade pizza, pesto-filled mushrooms, marinated chicken, Greek pepper salad, wine, and great conversation. The next morning, we got to see the beautiful mountain views from their deck in Glenwood Springs.

glenwood springs

That day we went skiing at a local ski resort called Sunlight. I really enjoyed it. It was a beautiful bluebird day. We started on the green runs, and Jeff even gave me a few ski tips. I started feeling a little more comfortable. Clearly, he’s a better skier 🙂 Watch this video!

The resort had a great vibe. It was customer appreciation day so they had a costume contest and donut eating contest sponsored by Sweet Coloradough. They also had a DJ and everyone was dancing and playing cornhole. It became my second favorite ski resort behind Deer Valley.

Later that evening, we went downtown Glenwood Springs for dinner and drinks. We went to Riveria Supper Club. We sat at the bar until our table was ready. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.  The table before us stayed longer than expected so they treated us with a free appetizer and round of champagne. We didn’t mind waiting and loved the freebies! The four of us split salmon, beef stroganoff, a burger, salad, and bone marrow. We were all a bit tired so we just headed back to the house for a nightcap.

glenwood springs

Instead of skiing the next day, we decided to go on a snowmobiling tour. We woke up to a downpour of snow.  It was a blast! Jeff and I rode together. The guide led us through the trees and up and down the trails. Then we stopped in a wide-open field, and they let us free ride for 30 minutes or so. I took the sled for a few spins and had so much fun. It was a snowy day so we didn’t get to see the majestic views from the summit, but eventually, the clouds broke up, and it turned into a beautiful sunny day. We continued on our journey, and they took us on a new trail. We had a group of about 10 snowmobiles and everyone was riding pretty good so they kept us out about an hour longer than normal, which was awesome but by the end of the ride, By the end, I was frozen to the bone.

glenwood springs sled

Our trip to Glenwood Springs was short but very sweet. I really enjoyed the mountain town and the beautiful views. Check out the bighorn sheep we saw on our way out of town. Sunlight was a really fun and cute local ski resort that I can’t wait to visit again.

glenwood springs sheep

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

Equipment Needed

  • kettlebell or dumbbell

Weekly Wednesday Workout

In today’s workout, you will do 5 rounds of 5 reps of 5 movements. Do each movement as fast as possible to get a good cardio burn.

Movements for each round:

  • 5 jumping jacks
  • 5 kettlebell swings
  • 5 jumping lunges (each leg)
  • 5 up/downs
  • mountain climbers (each leg)

How to Do the Moves

For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

Photo by Gabin Vallet on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

 

It seems every January, people make resolutions that they don’t keep. They think it’s a new year, it should be a new me. Instead of being realistic they go for the gold and end up quitting before they even get started. This year, make your resolution mindful and realistic. Reread the post Eat Better and Move Better and focus on becoming 1% better every day. What baby steps can you make to meet your goal? The more steps you take and the more progress you see the more likely you will be to keep going.

It’s hard because, after the holidays and all of the parties and gatherings, you want to be a new you in the new year. But try to evaluate where you are now and where you want to go. Then be realistic about the amount of work you will need to put in. I am not trying to discourage you. I just want you to be honest with yourself. Whatever your new year goals are…what does it take to get there?

Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Run a race? Quit drinking? Quit smoking? Eat at home more often? Eat less fast food? Travel more? Do a Spartan Race or a mud run? Hike a mountain? Ride a bike? Whatever you decide, write it down, and determine your short-term goals. Remember the end goals are like marathons, not sprints. You are not going to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. It takes time. So start small. Start with two pounds a month and by next year the new you will be 24 pounds lighter! And next year, you can continue and soon you are down 48 pounds, and you can keep it off because you have changed your lifestyle and not gone on some fad diet.

I talk a lot in this blog about how we eat and how we move. I first learned to eat healthily at Bill Lawrencen’s Personal Fitness in Meadville, PA. If you are in the area, go now, and start Dream Team. You won’t be sorry. He gets some serious results. You can also participate virtually. Check out the website. To this day, Jeff and I continue eating a lean protein, the right carb, and a healthy fat at every meal. When we eat out, we make as healthy of a choice as we can, and usually, we order fish or lean meat and veggies.

If your goal is to travel more then decide how often do you want to go? How much do you want to spend on each trip? Then make it happen. Do a little each week or month to get you there. Look for deals on airlines. Look at the low-cost carriers. Try to pack minimally and don’t pay for a seat or luggage. There are many ways to travel inexpensively. Also, look at credit cards that give you miles.

Whatever your goals, it’s a new year for a new you. Start small and take baby steps. Jeff and I had our two-year wedding anniversary on December 31st. One of our new year’s commitments to each other is that every month we will do one of the Five Love Languages. We did them the first two years of our relationship but haven’t made a conscious effort on them for the last two years. Each month we will pick a language and make a day of it. To find out your love language and that of your partner or even a family member, click here.

new year new you

Whatever your goals, I wish you a safe, happy, and healthy new year and new you! Stay strong and be inspired each and every day!

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

Equipment Needed

  • 1 dumbbell (light to medium weight) optional

Weekly Wednesday Workout

In today’s workout, you will do 10 reps down to one rep of six different ab movements. You will do 10 reps, then 9 reps, then 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. If you need to modify you can always just do the even-numbered reps.

Movements for each round:

  • Russian twists
  • Crunches
  • Bicycles
  • Leg raises
  • Legs to the left
  • Legs to the right

How to Do the Moves

For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

Photo by dusan jovic on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

 

2021. Our first Christmas without Gram, our matriarch, our Babcia, our sweet little lady. In her younger days, she was the baker. She made everything from spaghetti sauce, to pumpkin rolls, to vanilla cream pie, to pierogis. She was the last to sit down and the first to get back up and make sure everyone had what they needed.

christmas without gram

Christmas without Gram was different. Even though we continued on with many of Gram’s traditions, we missed her smiling face at the end of the table. We missed telling her to sit down and eat. We missed her telling us to put more filling in the pierogis. We missed taking pictures with her in front of the tree. We missed everything about her.

We tried to be present this Christmas without Gram, and we tried to honor and cherish her. We talked about her as we rolled the pierogi dough and decided what to fill it with. We talked about her as we shopped, knowing she would have loved the HUGE Christmas tree at the mall. We asked her to watch over us as we did our traditional “happy thought” on Christmas Eve.

Gram had such an impact on all of those who were lucky enough to have met her. The students from Alliance College still send cards and letters. They share stories with us of both my grandparents. The friends we have from Pennsylvania talk about how much they miss Gram. Friends from Florida talk about how much they enjoyed meeting her and loved seeing her on the boat so many times.

Even though we had Christmas without Gram, I realized how much she is there in all that we do. I realized how much of an impact she had and continues to have on my niece and nephew. Gram’s heart was huge, and I see her light shining through those little ones every day. They smile, they giggle, they laugh. They love making pierogis and baking cookies. This Christmas, we made gingerbread cookies, and they had a blast cutting out the shapes and decorating them. Gram would have loved it. I see Gram’s spirit, as well as my sister’s, shining through in them.

My goal is to keep Gram’s spirit alive by passing down our Polish traditions. I want to show the kids Christmas is not about the presents but about being present in the moment and enjoying each other’s company. It is about Jesus, his birthday, and all that he gave up for us. It is about the Polish tradition of Wigilia. It is about Christmas Eve Mass. It is about waiting all week to open your presents. It is about making pierogis and cookies. It is about spending quality time together with those that you love. It is about driving around and looking at the beautiful and “tacky” Christmas lights.

christmas without gram

Although we have several old traditions, we also have new traditions that we are passing on to the kids. They get a gift from their mom every Christmas. My mom has continued her parents’ tradition of getting Lladro for the grandchildren. Gram and Gramps got them for us for 15 years. My mom has started that tradition for her little ones. Jeff and I started the tradition last year of the Christmas snowmen. Jeff built them a cardboard snowman and the kids get presents for each part of the snowman. We try to get them an activity, some clothes, and a toy or game.

christmas without gram

In the end, Christmas without Gram was still beautiful and wonderful. We enjoyed the time with the family and the kids. We loved making the pierogis and the mess in the kitchen with our holiday baking. We loved having a family game night. Even though Gram wasn’t with us on Earth we know she was with us in spirit.

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Equipment Needed

  • kettlebell or dumbbell
  • set of dumbbells
  • step

Weekly Wednesday Workout

You will do today’s workout, you will do the moves like the song of 12 Days of Christmas. You will start with 1 rep. Then do two then one. Then three then two then one. Work all the way up to 12 and down to 1.

Movements:

  • 1 burpee
  • 2 push-ups
  • 3 thrusters
  • 4 sumo squats
  • 5 kettlebell swings
  • 6 lunges
  • 7 rows
  • 8 abs of your choice
  • 9 squats
  • 10 step-ups
  • 11 curls
  • 12 kickbacks

How to Do the Moves

For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy

 

Equipment Needed

  • two dumbbells

Weekly Wednesday Workout

In today’s workout, you will do 10 reps down to one rep of five different tricep movements. You will do 10 reps, then 9 reps, then 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. If you need to modify you can always just do the even-numbered reps.

Movements for each round:

  • close grip dumbbell press
  • dips
  • overhead tricep extension
  • kickbacks

Rest as needed in between each round.

How to Do the Moves

For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!

Photo by Daniel Apodaca on Unsplash

Stay Strong & Be Inspired, Stacy