Link to them on your blog to spread the word!

Head to HangryPants for all the details on how you can help!

Post from: EveryJoe

HangryPants’ Helping Hand

The main difference? Its going to be all Kelly, all the time.

Try and keep the tears to a minimum.

I’m still post the same way I have been, and I will also be going a little more personal with my day to day stuff, and most exciting for me, and hopefully you, too, I am going to make a big jump to video.  But I’ll need your help. The focus of the blog is going to shift more towards ME being YOUR personal trainer.  A huge part of training is visual- so when you come to me with questions about form or pain or anything else, its hard for me to make help without seeing what you are actually doing.

So! I call for your videos: your questions, your exercises asking for form critiques,  videos of your favorite exercises you would like to share, or just anything you think other Grounded Fitness readers would enjoy.

Other changes:

• I will be posting multiple times a day so keep checking back often
• I will be holding more contests in addition to the weekly giveaways
• Expect a lot more guest posts. If you want to guest post or would like me to guest post on your blog, email me

Most importantly, I want to include you guys a lot more. I want this to be a community, so anything you want to send my way and have me post (recipes, exercises, workouts schedules, questions, etc) please do so. No need to be shy.  You all can email me anytime at kelly.turner@b5media.com.

If there is anything you guys would like from me, feel free to ask.  If there is something you feel the blog is missing, you want more of, or would like to see, drop me a line.

I also want to thank everyone for all your support and faithful reading. I’ve been sort of MIA the past few days, with work being nuts, me being sick and the holidays, but I really appreciate all the comments everytime I check in. I will get back to my regular commenting soon, so don’t feel like I forgot about ya :)

grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog, video, changes,

Post from: EveryJoe

A New Beginning for Grounded Fitness

Hard for me to believe that the holidays are already here. For northeast Ohio, the weather is a bit off.  No snow, no snow drifts (at least on the west side of the river), just wet pavement coated with a light sprinkling of rain.  I’m sure that’s bound to change very soon.  The only thing that can be guaranteed at this point are the grey days that dominate this time of year. But even the grey clouds make a nice backdrop for the holiday lights and candles I see lighting many windows and porches.

Still have lots to do to prepare for the holidays. At Grounded Fitness, my main focus tends to be yoga, meditation, Pilates and a healthier, more peaceful lifestyle.

Because I want to share with all of the people who have commented and shared their ideas since we launched this summer, I’ve done some scouting for all of you, and have come up with some lifestyle-focused goodies that include bargains for you this holiday.

Here’s the list:

I happen to really enjoy and covet the products at Gaiam.com.  They are diverse, fun, useful and thoughtful.  The folks at Gaiam have graciously offered my readers a discount on merchandise for the holiday season.  Here’s how it works:

If you make a purchase of $50 or more, just enter coupon code GEB50 at checkout.  In return you’ll get $10 off your purchase!  You can also enter to win great prizes by playing their online yoga pose game at:

http://life.gaiam.com/gaiam/ecs/contest/contestGate.html .

Check it out!

Give to the Future this Holiday Season

What better way to change the present, than to do what you can to change it?  And what better time than the holidays?

I contacted the team at ChangingThePresent.org, with the theme of helping the environment in mind.  Here are organizations/links they suggest and encourage for gifts to your friends who are hoping to make a difference:

Adopt a Penguin

Save a Cloud Forest

Restore Kenyan Land

Clear the Air

Adopt a Tiger

4 Fluorescent Bulbs

Generations United (environmental education)

Natural Resources Defense Council Permanent Land Protection

Check them out, see which one fits, and sign up for a gift in a friend or family member’s name today.

Enter to Win a Comfy New Pair of Yoga Pants!

To add to the fun, I am also raffling off a pair of Agility Pants (pictured above) from bepresent.com. These normally retail for $63.00, so a nice gift for someone you love who loves yoga, or a lovely treat for yourself.

The pants sit on the hips and feature back slits. an adjustable drawstring waist, darted knees and patch pockets.  Color and size will be based on availability.

Here’s how to enter:

Check out the yoga wear at www.bepresent.com.

Leave a comment for me at GroundedFitness on how yoga and meditation have changed your life, and how you think the agility pant would help you enjoy your practice more.

Go ahead and offer up a link exchange between your blog and GroundedFitness to increase your chances to win!

More Yoga for the Holidays

Our friends at MyYogaOnline.com are opening their hearts and resources once again to people who want to try yoga.

Beginning December 1, just follow this link, and enter promo code RY097381 to activate your free two-week trial.  What a great way to relax through the holidays.  Looking for a gift for a close friend or loved one who loves yoga or is interested in getting started? You’ll find their affordable $9.95 month fee would make a great gift all ‘year round!

Now that the free offers are out of the way, thought I’d share a few of the fun, sustainable shopping places I plan to frequent this holiday season.

Katwise.com

Kat O’Sullivan has built her business on looking inward and using what is available instead of needlessly consuming.  She is the creator of Katwise, behind a business that repurposes previously worn clothing into new and quite cool pieces.  Part of a growing number of designers that are bringing new life to recycled materials, her work is fun, unexpected and good.

Lulu Frost

Founded by Lisa Salzer in NYC, the Lulu Frost label adorns repurposed  materials like antique door hinges, old game pieces and hotel room numbers that she has transformed into eclectic new accessories. Really cool. As Salzer says “gratitude is a central theme of my mission.” Check it out at lulufrost.com.

Lululemon.com

I am in love with Lululemon’s gear, too.  Comfy, hot, cute, and so many other adjectives describe the yoga wear you’ll find at Lululemon.  Check it out, great gifts abound for your favorite yoga lover.

Peacekeeper Cosmetics

The colors and products are great, the cause is magnificent.  PeaceKeeper is the first cosmetic line to donate all of its after-tax and distributable profits to Women’s Health Advocacy and Human Rights issues.  Makes you feel kind of good for indulging in a little nail color and lipstick ;-).  Shop to your heart’s content for yourselves, family or friends this holiday season and truly help make the world a more beautiful place.

Well those are some of my holiday wishes and treats, for me and for you!  Hope you holidays are bountiful, peaceful and filled with joy.

For Your Favorite Foodies

I love my trips to the West Side Market here in Cleveland. A huge, wonderful ethnic marketplace located on our near west side.  But in truth, I do love the Whole Foods.  The folks at Whole Foods offer these tips for shopping for your favorite “foodies” over the holidays:

-Looking for a gift for for the food lover in your life?  Maybe a stocking stuffer? Whole Foods recommends these gifts for all budgets, including some under $5 and $10. Click here to learn more

-Make quick gift-wrapping a breeze with the Better Bag, only .79 for a small, .99 for the large size

-Like they say, “wrap up your gifts for the holidays without ever leaving the house.”  Find gift ideas, recipes and create printable gift tags from your very own kitchen this holiday season on the Whole Foods site, too!

Now that you’ve got a few ideas to work with, don’t forget to take the time to give thanks, and meditate about your life and its greater purpose as you navigate your way through this busy time of year.  Here’s hoping the universe blesses all of you with happiness, love and unending joy this holiday season.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Peace and Really Good Stuff for Your Holidays

GoTrybe.com, a company devoted to fighting childhood obesity, wants you to give them the blues.
 

GoTrybe.com is spreading awareness for World Diabetes Day, November 14th, by holding a blue picture contest.  GoTrybe.com is working very hard to spread this effort and hopes that it will help parents talk to their children about the role of proper diet and exercise in the prevention of diabetes.

To read their press release, click here.

Encourage others, especially youngsters, to take part and submit their blue photo to photos@gotrybe.com.  Not only will you be supporting a great cause, but all photos will be added to GoTrybe.com’s Flickr, and the most creative photo will be posted on GoTrybe’s blog for all to see. 

To find out more on how you can get involved, check out GoTrybe.com or World Diabetes Day 

grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog,

Post from: EveryJoe

Give GoTrybe.com the Blues

Fat Talk Free Week

grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog, fat acceptance, End Fat Talk, campaign

Post from: EveryJoe

This Made Me Cry

I believe, and research supports, that eating disorders are a disease. People that develop eating disorders are genetically predisposed to them. That being said, just because you are genetically predisposed doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to have an eating disorder; it means you have the ABILITY to develop one. Something has to bring it to a head, and its a conscious choice to engage in negative behaviors.

I was a Type A personality. Everything I did, I did full tilt, and that’s the way I liked it. I couldn’t do anything half way. After years of therapy I realized I was constantly looking for some recognition from my alcoholic mother (how’s that for stereotypical introspection?), but at the time I just wanted to be SKINNY! I never thought I was fat, but why be skinny, when you can be the skinniest? So I started to diet. If I was going to diet, I was going to go full out. Diet to me was as few calories as humanly possible: diet coke, water, and cucumbers. Eat to live, right? It felt good to lose weight. And I was GOOD at it. I was special.

I thought when I hit my goal weights, which seemed to get lower and lower as I neared them, I would finally be perfect. But, alas, I was never content. There was always more weight to lose. I looked in the mirror and saw how disgusting I was- boney, grey, sunken and bitchy (Oh Lord, the bitchieness) but still not perfect enough. I incessantly counted calories, day in and day out. Counting and recounting those few hundred calories, I knew the total could always be lower. It could always be ZERO. It wasn’t about the weight anymore- it was about me being weak and a failure. I would tell myself today was a fasting day, no eating whatsoever, but then fat, stupid, weak, lazy me would eat a few carrots or drink a glass of milk when I started to feel the room spin. I always failed.

The more I deprived myself, the more I would binge. At first, the “binges” were normal sized meals for a healthy person, but eventually they turned into bags of chips, cookies, candy, pizza, mac and cheese. If there was no food in the house, I would eat condiments. If I didn’t have money, I would steal food from the store. If I was going to mess up and be a big, fat, failure the rest of my life, I might as well be the best at it, right?

That’s when bulimia entered my life.

At first, I thought bulimia was my way to gain control. I could eat whatever I wanted and never have to worry about getting fat. I was in control of what went into and came out of my body. Again, I was wrong. Soon, that short-lived calm feeling after a huge binge when I was too full to eat another bite, and before I went into the bathroom to purge it all away was my reason for waking up in the morning. It was the only time I didn’t want food- I was sick I was so full and I didn’t have to worry about gaining any weight because I knew soon it would be flushed away. It was the only time I could relax my racing mind. I was constantly chasing that calm feeling.

I was addicted.

Like a drug addict, I lived for that fix. All day long, it was all I thought about. I would starve myself at work, come home, lock myself in my apartment and binge and purge until I barely had enough energy to crawl to my bedroom: sometimes 6-7 times a day. I looked like a drug addict, too: underweight, blotchy skin, swollen glands, thinning hair, rotting teeth. I was a junkie.

After a long, hard recovery, I am a completely different person. Not only in terms of health and attitude, but in personality, as well. I am no longer a Type A personality. i may joke about it sometimes, but honestly, i don’t consider myself Type A anymore. Not everything has to be perfect, not everything has to get done and I don’t give a damn what other people think about me. And most importantly I AM HAPPY.

I broke the addiction by learning what I am worth, and focusing my energy on my health, and onto productive things, like work and writing, where I can help people. Addicts are the most selfish people you will ever come across, and when I think of all the tiome and energy I wasted on killing myself, it makes me want to cry.

People hear personal trainer and think I’m up at the crack of dawn running a million miles a day, perfectly weighing all my food and never letting a cheeseburger or piece of candy pass my perfectly motivated lips.

In actuality, you guys work out a lot more and eat a lot healthier than I do. I wasted so many years obsessing about calories and food and my body, that I don’t have the energy to do it anymore. I don’t have the mental energy to plan out every meal and workout constantly. Health is an amazing thing, it saved my life and brought me to where I am today, but I will not let another thing take over my life. To be healthy, you don’t have to obsess or count or make rules. I will not let one more thing cause me to feel guilty, cause me to feel like I’m not good enough or that I have failed.

I read food blogs. You guys know that. I read them for ideas on how to eat healthy, meal and snack suggestions and I read them because I love you guys! and I want to support you.

The obsessiveness of food bloggers was discussed at The Weighting Game, and no matter what your opinion is, I, personally, could never keep a food blog. I don’t have the attention span because food does not rule my life anymore. I read in these blogs, and fitness blogs for that matter, about people feeling guilty for eating an extra helping of dinner, or for skipping a run and my heart breaks. I can’t claim to know what’s going on their head, perhaps they are flippant remarks, but life is too short to feel guilty about ANYTHING.

So I pose this question to you: can something be an addiction, even if its technically good for you? Can something that is good for your physical health, negatively effect your mental and emotional health?

grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog, bulimia, eating disorders, diet, Type A personality, addiction

Post from: EveryJoe

Bulimic To Personal Trainer: Can Too Much of a Good Thing Be Bad?

Today is Blog Action Day, and our goal–unite and educate the world about poverty.  Who it affects, what it means, how we are all touched by it.

If there’s one topic that impacts all of us, it is the pain and suffering of people who cannot afford to eat, can barely afford to live.  I write a lot about meditation and its benefits.  What I hope to encourage people to do is to stop–and think–and meditate–about what life is like for someone who cannot afford to feed themselves or take care of themselves or their families. 

Really look at the people we’re blogging about today.  Don’t just pass them by on the street as though they’re invisible or an uncomfortable reminder.  Stop.  Speak to them.  Offer to help.  Actually help.  My meditation and yoga practice is all about teaching myself to be in the present, to own every moment.  I can’t think of a better moment to own than one in which you perform an act of kindness that while it may seem simple or trivial to many of us, can make a tremendous difference in the life of someone who is struggling each day to survive.

No matter where you live, you can find people living in poverty.  Unfortunately in some cities these people can often become human wallpaper–you see them every day on your way to work, to the store, wherever, and their presence becomes almost acceptable.  It is not.  What I have learned from my yoga and meditation practices is this–you need to be aware of the world and the people around you.  You get back what you give to the universe.

I’ve meditated a lot on this today.  Even more important, I have made myself think–in real time–what life is like for the people I pass by on the way to my office.  Today it was a different walk into work.  I stopped and got to know a few of the men who quite literally live under the “Free Stamp” sculpture in downtown Cleveland.  They talked about the sculpture with me.  They told me they stay in that park, their only place to live, because nothing is free.  Not for them. 

So let’s all think–and do.  Meditation is a wonderful way to start.  Get thinking about it.  But don’t just stop there.  Do something.  Make it real. If it is nothing more than acknowledging that the people we see living in the grips of poverty have dignity and value, too, then that’s a great place to start.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Blog Action Day: Meditation–It’s Time to Think about Poverty

It’s harvest time in many parts of the world.  Today, Canada gave thanks for it’s blessings. For me, harvest is a time to think about how I’ve “grown” during the year, and how I hope to grow even more.  And when I make a list of what I’d like to work on, my yoga and meditation practices almost always top, or hover near the top of the list. 

There are countless reasons to get involved with yoga and meditation.  More than I can list here.  

But the single best reason to get involved in a well-rounded practice that encompasses both yoga and meditation is the sense of peace you gain from every move, every breath. 

Think about it. You increase your peace of mind.  You feel more at peace with the universe and nature.  You extend that sense of peace and mindfulness to others. 

At its core, yoga is all about achieving harmony with yourself, others and the universe.  The physical practice of yoga creates a natural realignment of your body, which leads to a natural realignment of your perception of life, and of who you are.

The act of meditation speaks for itself.  The central goal of meditation is to bring inner peace within ourselves in a positive and spiritual way.  Both complex and pure, a focused meditation practice will reap you the rewards of mindfulness and feeling present every day of your life.   

There are many organizations and individuals who believe that if you practice yoga or meditation in pursuit of world peace, the positive energy you produce from your practices will yield a global sense of well-being.  I don’t think they’re wrong. Think about it. If we all took a deep breath, were fully present and mindful before we acted, and took the time to become more centered through our yoga practices, wouldn’t the world be a more peaceful place?

Hard to believe (well, not really :-)), but I have “harvested” a few more wonderful reasons to build and grow my practice.  I hope I’ve given you a few more, too.

Peace. 

Post from: EveryJoe

What Yoga Teaches You: Harvest Peace for Yourself and the Planet

Its theme day here at the Health and Wellness channel, and the theme this month is harvest: the fruits of your labor.

We work out. A lot. Everyday (usually). Why?

Most of the time its habit, but if you really think about it- why do you work out? 

For the rewards. 

Lets harvest the rewards of our hard work.

Everyone’s are different. What’s your reward for working out?

Let’s gather a big ol’ harvest of the best things about living a healthy lifestyle.

grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog, pumpkin, Halloween, harvest, b5media, theme day

Post from: EveryJoe

Harvesting the Benefits of Your Hard Work

 In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Diets in Review, (who’s dietician will be guest posting here at the end of the month and needs your questions) is holding a huge donation drive.

If you sign up for Diets in Review’s newletter anyday in October, they will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen charity. 

Great diet and exercise info and saving lives.  Sounds like a win win to me.

grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog, DietsInReview, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Susan G. Komen, pink ribbon, newsletter, charity

Post from: EveryJoe

Have You Saved a Boobie Today?