Operation Alison or Where the f@$k have you been!??

Oh, blogosphere! Is that what you are still called?

So, I said in 2013 I was going to blog MORE. Then I didn't write at all and now it's 2015. So much has happened! But, long story short. . .

I was a manager for Equinox West LA for two years and I got to conceive a baby via IVF. If you are familiar with any of those things you will know that those are time suckers. But I never forgot about my love of writing and all things fitness and pop culture.

This year, something amazing happened.

This kid! This is my daughter, Gemma. She was born in January. She is seriously awesome and my husband and I are so in love with her. 

She RUINED my body. Correction: IVF medications plus pregnancy ruined my body.

I've some weight to lose. Like the same amount that I lost when I became a fitness enthusiast. Like the weight I was for 10 years. 

Come on the journey with me! And let's have some fun along the way. And now I can talk about mummy stuff too!

With love and science,

Alison

Taking time to enjoy the miracle

I have been putting in many hours at the new job.  Yesterday I was out of my apartment for over 18 hours, only to come home and fall asleep within 30 minutes, wake up at 4:30 am, and do it again. 


I have become very familiar with the sound of my alarm clock.  I know what it is like to walk down the street before anyone else is there.  I regularly see the sun rise through the windows of the gym.  And I know what it feels like to be achingly, unbelievably tired.

The other day, though, after a long and trying week, I received my first box of professional business cards.  They were so slick and I loved the way my name looked in the print.  I felt established.  Professional, even.  I had to stop for a minute and think through my sleep deprived brain that I had to be thankful because I had actually made my dreams come true.  I am doing what I love to do.

Sure, there are the little day to day hiccups that aren't as fun or as glamorous.  But when I am working with a client one on one and helping them to achieve their goals it all is worthwhile.

So even though I don't have as much time for outside activities like I used to, or time with the boyfriend, or time to get a really awesome FULL night's sleep with no alarm clock attached, at the end of the day I am thankful.  Sometimes that is the biggest miracle of all.

New Discoveries!

1.) Did you know that the little fruit cup on the Fage yogurt can be tilted up and POURED into the yogurt compartment?  It's true!  I was really annoyed  that I didn't have any spoons small enough to fit into the little fruit cup.  Then I saw this ad that totally blew the lid off this exciting new discovery.

2.) There is a whole department of organic coffees at my Whole Foods that I did not know about.  I now have bought the organic coffee that was on my list of things to always buy organic.

3.) I love going out to eat, but finding organic or farm fresh products in restaurants is actually a lot tougher than I imagined.  Now that the bf's parents have returned home, I can return back to my tasty lunch salads and organic foods!

4.) If you are taking the ACE personal training certification test or are recently certified, I HIGHLY recommend taking the ACE Personal Training in Practice:  Effective Tools and Techniques course (find it on http://www.acefitness.org/ ).  I took it this past weekend to get a little more experience under my Personal Trainer Belt and now I feel 100% comfortable talking to clients and creating a plan for their future health and well being.  Thanks ACE and to my teacher Dan Hogan!

5.) I will someday be able to catch up on all of my blogs.  I just feel it.

Speed Bump

I don't usually talk about my personal life on my blog. Why would anyone want to read about my daily life when I can write about funny things or encouraging things or things that make you as a reader feel good so that you can carry on, spreading your seed of happiness to everyone you meet.

That's what I like about writing this blog. It is my way of trying to pay it forward and help people. Currently, I work at a job where I don't really help anyone. If you had fun eating at my restaurant and I was a part of that fun then great! But you came there for the food, not me.

The idea of becoming a personal trainer seems to me to be the perfect mix of helping others, helping myself, and the creativity that I don't get in my day to day life as a non working actor. I knew when I was embarking on getting my ACE certification that it was going to lead me down an entirely new path that is both exciting and frightening: Exciting because I am living my dreams and frightening because it is all so new to me. I don't like being bad at things, as I am sure most people don't. That is why we stop. Getting myself in the right head space to embark on a whole new career from the waitress/actress path that I have been living for the past 15 years is challenging.

Today I received the news that I didn't get a job I was seeking in the fitness field. I lost out to another candidate. Rejection is always hard, especially if you don't know what is wrong. I allowed myself to wallow in it for a while, got in a good cry, and now I am sitting here in the aftermath trying to figure out how to pull myself up by the bootstraps.

How do I dust myself off and start the whole process over again? It boggles the mind. I offer words of encouragement all the time to friends, family, fellow bloggers and tweeters, but can I follow that advice myself? It is hard not to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head and let the day pass. But it is only 3:30 in the afternoon. Incredibly unproductive and certainly not like myself.

I pride myself in always trying my hardest and putting my best foot forward in every situation. I didn't realize how challenging this whole process was going to be because I have never attempted it before. There was a voice in my brain today that tld me it would just be easier to stop, or who do I think I am trying to do something new? I remembered that voice when I was thinking of losing weight, when I was moving to New York, when I went to college. It is the voice of fear.

I don't live in fear.

So, I will take my own advice. I won't give up. I know that the universe has great plans for me that I am just waiting to discover. I am a worthwhile person. I am not a loser. I know I can accomplish great things.

Tomorrow is another day.

Everyone deserves to feel better- take a moment out of your day to tell yourself that you are great. We are all winners! Make some lemonade out of those lemons. And then pay it forward.

I feel better already.

Back from vacation!

Hello blog world! I just got back from my 4th of July weekend in South Carolina- it was so nice! I tried to take a real break: No tweeting or blog posting, but I hope you enjoyed my weekend treats. Fridays post was my favorite!

Anyhoo, I did engage in some healthy behaviors, even though I was out of town. I went biking and now I want a bicycle now more than ever. I did some dog walking on the beach.

And I definitely got some mental health breakage, which may be the most important part of taking some time for yourself! I felt great inside and out and was ready to head back to NYC on the hottest day in over 30 years.

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekends, and please remember to take care of your body while it is SO very hot out there. My tips?

1.) Drink your lion's share of water- 8 glasses as a minimum!

2.) Workout indoors where it is cool! I love DVDs for this, or go to the gym. DUST OFF THAT MEMBERSHIP CARD!

3.) Work out early in the day or at night. I love to get my workout done early so I feel awesome all day long.

Have a great day and stayed tuned this week for posts on Losing It, Dance Your Ass Off, Bridal Boot Camp, Huge, and the Kettlebell Convention this weekend!

Guest Postin'!

Hey y'all! May I invite you to swing by my pal Carly's blog to read my guest post today? And while you are there, check out the other great guest posts this week and, of course, Carly's posts!
http://livelaughandgrow.wordpress.com/

Happy hump day!

Giveaways are fun!

I read a lot of my fellow health bloggers bloggy goodness, and many of them have delightful giveaways of food items, clothes, DVDs, etc. If you are reading this, go to my blog roll on the side of my page and check out this goods! Who doesn't like free stuff?

On this note, I want to win this particular giveaway: My friend Missy of Missy Maintains (http://www.missymantains.com/) is giving away a bathroom scale. I want it. And if you want it too, check out her contest!

And while you are there, sign up for her blog feed and her twitter. She is a great resource of all that is good and healthy here in the NYC.