Haute Body: Elevate Fitness Zumba

As you all know, I'm really into trying out new health foods and fitness classes as often as possible, so imagine my delight when the lovely Steven from Elevate Fitness got in touch inviting me to a complementary Zumba class!

Zumba in a nutshell:

1) Latin beats
2) High-impact aerobic cardio
3) Shimmying and shaking your jiggly bits in such a way that you actually feel sexy rather than obese

Naturally, Zumba is hence right up my alley. I've been wanting to try it since the January before last when I first heard about it, probably because I adore dancing for fitness, my mom is Latin American so the sassy style of dancing really appealed to me and I love working my body hard.

So how did my experience go? Well, let's just say I was not at all disappointed. The beautiful instructor, Amy, led the mixed-gender group of about twenty of us in a blood-pumping warm-up to some awesome throbbing beat with brass instruments thrown over it. I was exhausted after the warm-up and realized that I really should have gone for a wee before the session started as I was now desperate. I dashed off for a couple of minutes and rejoined the group later. Throughout the hour-long class, we worked through a handful of songs to which Amy gave us a few counts of aerobic choreography which involved jumps, box steps, grapevines, hip thrusts, body rolls and more. The atmosphere was very relaxed with everyone laughing and smiling, also, we were allowed to grab a few mouthfuls of water and were encouraged to work at our own pace. I never felt uncomfortable in the group or bullied by the instructor which I have at exercise classes in the past so I was really happy!

*Isn't Amy pretty???*

Elevate Fitness offers a range of classes including Bokwa, Boxfit, Kettlebells and more so they're definitely worth checking out. Zumba runs on Tuesdays at 8pm and Thursdays at 7pm at the Quality Hotel in Hanley, and on Wednesdays in Northwood at 7.30pm. One of the best things about Elevate Fitness is that you can pay as you go, which makes the £4-an-hour lesson really flexible if you know that one week you won't be able to make it, or another week you want to go twice.

I just wanted to say a great big 'Thank You' to Steven, Amy and Elevate Fitness for the free lesson which they kindly gave me. I must also say that all of my opinions expressed in this post are totally my own and nothing to do with the fact that I was gifted the lesson.

Have you ever been to a Zumba class? What's your favorite type of dance for fitness? Have you ever been to an exercise class where you've felt uncomfortable?

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

Haute Body: Jog On, Loser.

Weight loser, that is. Before we get started on my who youshouldtotallystartjoggingifyouwantahautebody story, let me give you the background to my hate-hate relationship with running, jogging and, well, all fast versions of walking.

My earliest memory of running was during cross-country chaos at primary school. I started crying because I thought I might die, so my best friend at the time jumped in the filthy brook to make me laugh before pretending to have a asthma attack succeeded by having an actual asthma attack. He was fine, but more importantly, we didn't have to finish the run. Great success.

Then I remember being about fourteen years old at high school when the school forced us to do what was known as the 'school run'. This is how schools which don't have a big budget for PE lessons torture their students. They make you run non-stop for an hour, around the school, over the road, across the field. Five times. We used to run through the school as a short-cut and consequently got in a lot of trouble.

Finally, two years ago I decided I'd start running for fitness and 'pleasure'. HA. I totally overestimated my abilities and decided to run as far as I could. So I did just that, running running running. By the time I'd realized I couldn't support my body weight with my legs anymore, I was just two miles from home but was completely unable even to walk home. I burst into tears and called my mom to collect me after vomiting on some old couple's gardenias.

So as you can see, running has never been something I've liked AT ALL. And yet, my name's GabriellaSofia and I'm a runner. Well, sort of. Not a professional or anything, but I go out running every now and then. Maybe once or twice a week. Anyway, let's not get caught up on the practicalities of it all, how about I tell you how I managed to make it from being sat on my fat posterior all day everyday to jogging gaily with the hugest smile on my face (which is usually bright red, sweating and has unfocused eyes because of my faintness after a hard run...):

1) I run around my block. Ten times. I know what you're thinking, 'Why does she do that, why doesn't she run somewhere then run back?' Well, I don't want to get stuck knackered the other side of town for one. But for another, I like the fact that running around the block ten times means I run past my house every three minutes and can change my mind and head inside if I feel like I might keel over. Also, I put a bottle full of water right outside my house, so I can spray it all over myself (usually aiming for my mouth) at the end of my 'marathon sprint'. Also, ten times around the block means I run for about 30 minutes, but focus less on the time I run for an more on making all ten laps. I find this gives me a greater sense of achievement each time I pass my house.

2) I listen to musicals on my iPod. Ok, call me crazy, but my most hated thing about running is the incessant sound of my feet slapping against the floor with every stride I take. How to fix it? Music of course. Only, when I listen to normal music I feel like I'm counting each song and trying to work out how many minutes I've been running for so far. And then you have the problem of a song you don't like coming up so you have to take out your iPod, stop running, fumble with it in your shaky hands as you try to change the track, then drop it. So I choose my favourite musicals, Wicked or Les Miserables, and play them from the start. It really takes your mind off the agony you're putting your poor body through.

3) I go in the morning. If I don't then I put it off all day for a variety of reasons, so its better to get the suffering over and done with.

4) I stretch before I go. Because I'm so unfit, I get really bad stitch if I don't stretch properly, so I do a couple of simple Reach Up, Leg Lunges and Back Bends to make sure my body is ready for a run. It really works as I usually don't suffer from stitch any more.

5) I eat half and hour before I go. If I didn't I would DEFINITELY collapse. I usually choose something energizing like a banana and a cereal bar and it literally acts as fuel. I also make sure I'm hydrated by sipping water for half an hour before I head out. Then, when I get back in I tend to treat myself to a really juicy fruit to put some of the sugar back into my body and water my mouth a bit more.

6) I don't wear my contact lenses. My theory is, if I can't see other people, they can't see me. Or at least I can't see the looks of disgust on their faces as they see what I look like huffing and puffing my way through my run.

7) I pace myself. Having been in a position where I thought I was Kelly Holmes and was sorely disappointed in my abilities, I've since learnt to take it slow. Really slow. Like, you could probably walk as fast as I run if you were rushing to get somewhere. However, it gets me good and out of breath and since that's a good way to judge how effective your cardio work is I often assume I'm doing enough for me. Take your time, its not a race (regardless of the pre-placed scars which primary school sports days have imprinted on us.)

8) I walk round the block one last time to cool down before letting my legs give way on my back lawn. I'm not a scientist, so I don't remember why it is important, but it IS important not to just fall to the floor at the end of an exercise session. You're supposed to cool down slowly, so I really try to walk at a normal speed once more around my block before chilling out in the fresh air after I'm done.

9) I brag about how much exercise I've done and how achy my body is for about a week after I've finished my session. It just makes me feel better about completing what I believe is a great work-out. I like to brag in a collection of different ways, verbally or via facebook and Twitter.

So there you go! That's how I managed to tackle my trauma with running. I'm going to the United States in just under a month for the summer and I'm trying to eat right and exercise enough so I can be as sexy as I was last summer (even if I do say so myself). I've been trying to run every other day for half an hour, go for a forty five minute walk with my mom five times a week and do a half hour aerobics session on the days I don't run. Also, I'm going to try and get back to Pole Dancing because I so much enjoyed the sessions which I attended at the British Pole Dance Academy which I reviewed here. I'd also like to get in the odd bootcamp class, but I'm not sure I'll have time! As ever, I only really want to lose perhaps half a stone (which I know sounds like a lot for a month, but I tend to lose weight RAPIDLY when I'm eating right and exercising too) and tone up, so don't worry that I'm going exercise mad or anything like that. I'm going to keep trying my best with my running though, as a bare minimum, so please help me if you have any running tips to share...

Do you go running? If not, what exercise do you do? Or do you have more horrendous exercise memories than enjoyable ones like me? If so, please share them, I'd love to know I'm not in the minority!

Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

HauteFuture Needs You!

Hey guys!

So I'm writing this post because if you've been reading recently then you'll see that I've recently had to decide to take a big long blog-break which is really sad for me :( If you didn't know, please check out this post: http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/02/we-are-on-break.html. Anyways, it is for this reason that I have decided to accept guests posts during my break. What I hope to gain by doing this is: 

1) To make sure my poor blog doesn't look barren and unloved

2) To give some of my fellow bloggers access to my followers

3) To get bloggers who like my page (and their followers) to be more interactive with me

Basically there are only a few 'requirements' of guesting on my page. Firstly, I try and make HauteFuture seem as professional as physically possible. This means using only original photos (none 'borrowed' from other websites and blogs unless approved and accredited), I like photos in virtually every post as they catch people's eye on the News Feed and I like the photos to be quite clear although they obviously don't need to look like a photography expert took them haha. The quality of the writing style and language used means a lot to me on my page. I literally do not tolerate swearing practically at all. Sometimes I'll put a naughty word with asterixes in the middle eg. 's**t'. However, I try not to use these words hardly ever, and when I do they're in a kind of flippant or off-hand way as a joke rather than aggressively. Ideally I'd prefer for my guests to avoid these words completely if at all possible. As for the quality and style of the piece, check out my page: http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/ to see the sort of 'standard' I work at. Obviously, there are always a couple of rascally typos that slip through the net, but generally I tend to draft then proof-read my posts to make sure that they read as well as they can. This means not using sentences that are too long, words that are too long/in the wrong context, punctuation errors etc. I will obviously proof-read and perhaps slightly edit if necessary the pieces you send to me but I will send you any editions that I make to confirm that you feel like you're still being truly represented. I will hopefully not have to make too many changes though, as explained in my WE ARE ON A BREAK post, I don't have a lot of spare time at the moment!

Now enough of the 'rules' haha, I want this to be fun! So what am I looking for? What do I hope to achieve by having guests on my blog? Well, I've noticed that a lot of people run 'interview' posts while others just allow the guests to write whatever they want. I don't want my guest posts to be cliche and I also want them to have some kind of structure. So I was brain-storming a bit and then I though YES that's the point... Bloggers have brains. I'm so sick of the stereotypes that bloggers are just dumb bimbos who don't care about anything bar mascara, mini-skirts and macaroons (because cupcakes are sooooo out!) A couple of times I've had hater comments telling me how 'shallow', 'unintelligent' and 'spoilt' we are, and how if we only opened our beautifully made-up eyes for two seconds we'd see a world of pain around us blablabla. So I want to do something to prove that bloggers have brains AND hearts, by giving them a platform to express their social conscience. Sound complicated? Well, it's really not... let me explain how we can translate beauty, fashion and lifestyle to things that 'matter'. 

Here are some examples of posts which I'd like to see... if you can think of other ideas then I really welcome them! The more the merrier...

Beauty

- Human hair extentions

- Animal testing

- Animal hair in make-up brushes

- Tanning 

- Children being beautified eg. Toddlers and Tiaras/salons for kiddies

Health

- Fad diets

- Supplements/diet pills 

- Body image

Fashion

- Sweat shops

- Real fur versus faux fur

Lifestyle

- Non-mainstream interests (in music, film, books)

- Self-improvement

- Making money go further in the recession

- Bisexuality

- Home-made gifts versus shop-bought

Like I say, these are just some ideas and anyone is welcome to run with them! I want the blogger to be passionate about the piece she chooses and I want her to know her topic inside out. What I mean here is, if you've never used hair extensions before then don't write about the humans versus synthetic hair topic. Similarly, although I wouldn't want the gory details of a bisexual experience you've indulged in (although more power to you sister!), if you've never considered your sexuality in depth then please don't write about bisexuality.

I don't want these pieces to be telling people, 'Don't do that' or 'Do do this'. I want them to look like a sensible argument which takes into consideration both sides of the story, but ends with your personal opinion. I'd like the pieces to be quite short (less than 500 words) so you don't have A LOT of space to work with, but as intelligent young women I'm sure you'll be able to put across your points eloquently :) I don't mind the pieces being 'controversial' perhaps one of you out there believes that animal testing has numerous benefits. However, I don't want any of the pieces to discriminate or be prejudiced towards anyone... For example, if you choose to run with with 'home-made versus shop-bought' gift idea, please don't say something like, 'Shop bought gifts are thoughtless and impersonal and anyone that does this has not imagination.' Instead, say 'Home-made gifts are thoughtful, more personal and show that your imaginative and creative side.'

I know these points are kind of obvious to everyone out there, but I thought I should say them as I know that some bloggers out there have a different tack with things like this than I do. I don't want my page to be biased (even if I don't agree with your stance but you've argued your point well, I'll feature it!) and I don't want my readers to think that I'm handing my blog over to a bunch of guests who have no idea what HauteFuture is all about. 

In terms of photos, it's pretty easy really. If you want to write about animal testing put a picture of you and your pet, and you wearing a face full of make-up (whether from anti or pro animal testing brands depending on your stance). If you are posting about faux versus real fur, post a picture with your wearing your fave fur coat. If you're posting about body image, perhaps draw a picture of a 'perfect' body, or if you're feeling really brave, post a bikini picture of your own (class is important though!)

Finally, I would like any guests to my blog to do a mini post on their own site saying something like 'Check out my fab guest post over at HauteFuture' with a link to my blog, and also to tweet and post on Facebook (if you have a Facebook page for your blog) about it too, all complete with links. In return for this, I will of course link your blog and write a sentence or two about why I love it at the beginning or end of your post. 

So where do we go from here? I would like to schedule one guest post per week, so I'd like you all to email me to show that you're interested with a few little details...

1) Your name

2) Your Twitter

3) Your blog Facebook (if you have one)

4) Your blog link

5) Your top two favorite topics to write about from the list or from your own imagination :) 

6) A deadline for when you think you can have the piece written by

My email address is: hautefuture@gmail.com

Once again thank you for all of the support I've had recently from everyone out there. I know this post has been an absolute essay, but things are really hard since I've decided to take my break and kind of 'handing over the mic' on my page is a big deal and I'd like to make sure that my faithful followers are seeing guest posts which are true to the image which I've given HauteFuture. I hope that makes sense! Thank you so much for agreeing to help me, it means so much!

Hope to hear from your all soon...

Love

GabriellaSofia

x

ps. Even if you've NEVER blogger before, I still want to hear from you!

Haute Body: Jenny Craig First Week Weigh-In...

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed my first Jenny Craig post which can be read here with a full video haul of all of the diet food goodies I was so kindly sent by the fit people on the Jenny Craig PR team. Before I speak any more about the diet, I must say that I have accepted free food from the company. However, I am not posting in order to repay them for the food and I will always give a balanced and honest review of anything I am sent, whether paid for or gifted.

Now, enough of that boring stuff! Here is a bit of Jenny Craig 'Food Porn' (as I like to call photographs of delicious looking food which makes your mouth water...) just so you can see what some of the meals look like.

This is a bowl of yummy raisin and hazelnut muesli. I put half a cup of semi-skimmed milk in and a handful of grapes cut in half. Nom.

These are three of the delicious lunches which I've been sent. A Mediterranean tuna-pasta salad, carrot and coriander soup with a bit too much half fat cheddar cheese (sorry Jenny!) and a couple of crackers and finally, a mashed potato pot complete with rosemary and croutons... plus a random carrot on the side haha. I'm kind of addicted to these mash pots.







Now here we have three mouth-watering dinners. First up, we have a chicken curry with rice, creamy mushroom stroganoff with some added chicken and a naughty splodge of ketchup on the side, and finally my favorite, a dish of chicken chasseur with some gherkins. You can tell I like mixing random foods together. Nomnomnom.

Also, can I just say I know these dinner photos are very chicken-heavy but I promise that's just a coincidence. I've also had beef and lamb dindins so far also, just forgot to photograph them!

So, the question everyone wants the answer to... Does the Jenny Craig diet work? My answer? YES. I've been on it for just a week and have cheated a little bit here and there and I've managed to lose a pound. Now, I know that's not a huge weight loss. However, the Jenny Craig diet is not supposed to be a quick fix diet where stones drop off you in seconds only to be packed right back on (and then some) the day you come back off it. Jenny Craig is about making healthy lifestyle choices and most importantly LEARNING about the way food works and how it affects your body. This means that the weight will come off in healthy, gradual amounts and when you begin to phase yourself back into regular eating (if you even want to after feasting on such yummy dishes...) you will be educated enough to know how to keep that weight off. This is why I love the Jenny Craig diet.

Now, let me tell you something exciting. A bit of an 'insider tip'... Starting tomorrow, Jenny Craig are offering two weeks of their diet at half price which averages out at just £5.50 per day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks every day. So for those of you who want to try out the diet which allows you to get diet food delivered to your door for a similar price to that which most people spend on their usual weekly shop which doesn't include supportive consultants calling one to two times a week, a folder telling you everything you need to know about food and how to work with it and a community of people in the same position as you are. So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to sign up for Jenny Craig!

So what do you reckon, fab discount right? What are your reasons for considering the Jenny Craig diet? What are your current eating habits?

Love

gabriellasofia

x 

Haute Body: British Pole Dance Academy Part 2...

Hey guys!

Hoping you checked out Part 1 of my British Pole Dance Academy Review because this is Part 2 and you'll be all lost if you didn't... only joking :) I'll catch you up; 1) I'm starting a new feature called 'HauteBody' 2) I've started Pole Dancing Classes (!) 3) This is Part 2 of my review of said Pole Dancing Classes. Up to speed? Good.

So, lesson two was even more fab than lesson one! Thankfully I knew exactly where I was going this time and managed to make it about five minutes early. This allowed me to chat to some of the ladies before I threw myself (literally) into the warm up lead by a sexy brunette lady whose name escapes me... so rude :( I did feel slightly odd as fellow blogger Victoria's Vintage was there watching me shake my booty and strut my stuff, but I soon got into it and managed to build up a sweat before I even hit the pole! The warm up consisted of a variety of muscle stretches (mostly on the upper body as obviously it's all don't to your arms to carry your fat a*s up the pole later on...), there was also bouncing from side to side using the hips and then a couple of floor exercises.

Once this was over, I headed to Hollie who was the beginners instructor who I was taught by in my previous lesson and happily was approached by the lovely Deb... Despite this only being my second lesson, it seemed that Deb noticed I wasn't struggling too much with the moves and she asked if I was confident to move up a level! Whilst flattered I was a bit apprehensive and said to her, 'I'm not sure... I don't want to fail then be sent back...' Deb simply laughed and effectively told me to man up, but with much kinder words of course.

Turns out I needn't have worried, whilst the intermediate moves were more of a challenge, I seemed to cope quite well! My pole-partner insisted this must be because on my 'gymnastic-induced bendiness' as she waved her arms around in the air. Deb and I laughed so hard. Seriously, that's something you don't expect... the British Pole Academy is a fab workout for the abs, not only because of the core strength required to support your body weight, but also because of the laughing you do! When a girl gets a move right, everyone stops and claps, and when someone suffers a pole-injury everyone is either A) very sympathetic or B) wetting themselves laughing depending on which is the appropriate response of course. For example, when a certain lady managed to break the WHOLE NAIL off her baby toe we all applauded her as we looked at the injured toe... luckily she was fine so naturally we all rolled about laughing, shocked at her fantastic recovery!

Before I knew it, it was time for the cool down and my body was glad for it. My muscles had been shaking for the last five minutes of the class, so I was happy to sit on the floor and fold in half.

One thing that I love so much about The British Pole Academy is the fact that it all feels like one great big happy family, and why shouldn't it? These ladies (led by Deb) virtually built the studio and the business from scratch so it means a lot to them. If you don't believe me, check the scrapbook in the lounge area of the room and see the photographs showing the shell the studio started off as. The care for customers in terms of safety, fun, and even finance by offering such cheap classes, are just three examples where this care is shown. The British Pole Academy is personal and professional all at once, and this is why I love it so much.

Just a couple of tips for anyone wishing to try pole-dancing for fitness...

1) Wear something inconspicuous. If you show up wearing jogging bottoms, you'll be noticed more than if you have tiny shorts on baring the thighs you've grown to hate. Trust me!

2) Make sure you complete both the warm-up and cool-down to the best of your ability. Your body will thank you because if you don't you're likely to injure yourself during the class and be aching for much longer for the next couple of days.

3) Make sure you hunt around for the best dance school. Most of the best ones will allow you a free trial, and don't pay in a block before knowing that you definitely want to attend lessons on a regular basis.

4) Don't take yourself too seriously. If you want to strut around the pole super-slutty or do huge outrageous over-exaggerated moves just because you saw them on Burlesque then go for it! Pole is very personal to everyone, with each student being there for a different reason... you're paying for it, so make sure you get what you want out of the class.

5) Find your style. Everyone has one. My style is more ballet than anything else although I do have a burlesque-esque vision in my head of how I'd like to look. Others wish to have a more athletic stance whilst some girls clearly want to bring out their inner-ho and you know what, that's all fine!  

To conclude, the class was absolutely awesome and I will be going back later on this week. My first two lessons were gifted by Deb, however, from now onwards I will be attempting to attend The British Pole Academy at least once a week at a detriment to my own wallet which proves I find this to be a perfectly worth-while spend... At just £6 an hour how could it not be? To book with the BPA call Deb on 07884423234.

Have you ever tried pole dancing classes? What do you think about exploring sexuality whilst getting in a good exercise? Have you heard of any other fun ways of getting a good work-out?


Thanks for reading guys :) Stay tuned for more HauteBody posts, one of which I'm planning right now...
On that mystery, I'll leave you :P
Love
gabriellasofia
 x

Haute Body: British Pole Dance Academy Part 1...

This post marks the first in a new blog series which I hope to keep up from now on... The series is called Haute Body and it's all about getting the hottest body possible, whilst having fun, trying new activities and most importantly, living a healthy lifestyle. The feature will encompass everything from diet and body inspiration right the way through to exercise and health trends. I decided that I would start this series back in December, but obviously that's a terrible time to begin a diet and exercise regime (what with the Christmas pud and sherry...) Then I was going to start it at the beginning of January as a 'fresh start' to a healthy lifestyle, but we all know how depressing January is and the only thing that offered any kind of comfort to me was all the remaining selection boxes lying around my house... This is why I resolved to properly launch this feature now, just in time for February when I hope to inspire everyone out there to enjoy diet and exercise for a change!

The fact that the beautiful Deb from British Pole Dance Academy (based in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent) invited me to review her Pole Classes was a clear-cut sign in my opinion that this was a feature worth pursuing.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no prude by any stretch of the imagination and I've actually dabbled in the past in a couple of Birmingham-based pole lessons. As an ex-gymnast and ballerina, pole dancing always seemed like the 'grown-up version' which allowed me to work out my body, improve flexibility and explore my sexuality all at the same time. However, driving to a new pole-school in an area you've never been to before wearing a tiny pair of purple booty shorts and your Kiss band t-shirt is enough to make anyone's originally steely nerves quake in their boots... I'm pleased to say that my unreasonable nervousness was completely unfounded!

I arrived twenty minutes late (which is embarrassing enough as I'm usually super-punctual but got lost on the way), and yet Deb was very understanding and paired me with another girl in the beginners group before I could even take in the amazing studio. I was welcomed by all of the girls and the lovely instructor Hollie and now I had my chance to really take a look around the gorgeous surroundings.

Deb's studio is breath-taking. No exaggeration. It kind of reminds me of a girly boudoir, decorated with hanging curtains of pink and purple. Having been to classes with another company in the past, I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of the floor, the sultriness of the lighting and the glamour of the stage. This place is sexy not seedy and trust me, there is a big difference where dance lessons are concerned!

Next, I had a closer look at the ladies around me. Packed full of about twenty lush ladies of varying ages, shapes and sizes, the studio was large enough, and so well-equipped that almost every girl had their own pole, a benefit which not many pole classes can boast. Perhaps the most obvious thing that stood out to me was that every woman there had a huge smile on her face. Right, I thought, I was after a fun new exercise to try... this seems about right!

Before I knew it, it was my turn to have a go at the 'Fireman' a simple spin with legs bent. AOK! I even got a couple of compliments from the other girls for my 'gentle' landing, pointed toes and all (that's the ballet in me I guess...)

As we were taught a couple more of the basics, I couldn't help but notice that almost every ten minutes Deb herself made a quick 'visit' to each of the girls, providing tips, mini-demonstrations and words of congratulations. I loved this hands-on approach and found that she possesses the perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism, not letting anyone give up, but gently encouraging us to try until we got each move right.

Before I knew it, it was time for the cool-down which Deb clearly considered of very high importance. The cool-down lasted for about five minutes and involved a variety of stretches. Apparently the warm up is quite extensive too, but we know I missed that, so I had that to look forward to next lesson. This reassured me that each of the instructors at British Pole Dance Academy and Deb herself truly care about the well-being of their students.

In conclusion, my first lesson (though short lived...) was absolutely fab. British Pole Dance Academy is a great place for women of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes to learn a couple of death-defying tricks, get in a fun work-out and gain some extra self-confidence. I would recommend the classes to everyone out there, and for just £6 per lesson, you've got nothing to lose! Even after just forty minutes, my body was aching like I'd worked hard, and I'm almost positive I'll be going back after my PR lessons are over. To book, call Deb on 07884423234.

In Part 2 I will be posting about my second lesson at BPA, a bit of history on the company and some of my own tips in terms of showing up as a Pole-Newbie.

Have you ever tried pole dancing classes? What do you think about exploring sexuality whilst getting in a good exercise? Have you heard of any other fun ways of getting a good work-out?

Until next time ladies!
Love
GabriellaSofia

The Importance of a Balanced Diet and Frequent Exercise...

Ok, so we've all done it right? Taken a slutty 'Standing-in-the-Mirror-in-my-Bikini-to-see-how-I-Look-so-I-don't-Inflict-my-Bodily-Hideous-ness-to-the-Poor-Unsuspecting-Public' photo... right? Oh, just me then? I think not, but I'm not going to labor the matter.

So despite the fact that my mom went mad when I uploaded this to facebook as she automatically assumed I'd be signing up for some double-page spread in Zoo magazine within the hour (they never called (!)) I actually felt great about my body for the first time in ages. Sure, there's a bit of a curve to my waist, my arms could do with some work and I can often attract crickets with the sound of my thighs chafing together... what was my point again??? Oh, yeah, I love my body :D

You know, my first tip to 'Getting Healthy' (which many a woman use as a euphemism for 'Getting Thin') is to have a healthy relationship with food. So many people eat when they are sad, or bored, or even horny (post-coital kebab anyone?) But it shouldn't be that way. Similarly, it's not natural for a human to wait for meal times. You think that cavewomen hollered at their offspring, '*grunt groan moan* dinner. 6.30pm. *grunt groan moan.*' No. No, they didn't. This is not to say that we should allow ourselves to go hungry either, because that just leads to accidental bingeing, indigestion, and more importantly, excess fat.

So what am I saying? I'm saying that grazing throughout the day worked the best for me. Each food group is part of a balanced diet, which means that we really shouldn't be depriving ourselves of anything. If you go three days on a diet without a bite of chocolate or bread or something else which you might love eating but isn't technically known as 'Good for You', your body will crave it, again, making it more likely that you will over-eat on it and get that horrible guilty sickness which gurgles in the pit of your stomach forcing you to starve yourself for the next three days... again, ridiculously unhealthy. So my third tip, after having a healthy relationship with food and grazing throughout the day, is that moderation is key. Treat yourself to a bite-sized Kit Kat, or a slice of brown bread with fresh jam. It's not going to kill you and in the long-run will teach you how not to go overboard with the more calorific food items.

What's next? Well, tip number four is simple, make sure you eat at least five portions

of fruit and veg a day. Duh. It sounds like a cliche, but it really works in terms of giving you enough sugar to keep you going for the day, enough sweetness to fight off those Starburst cravings. It genuinely makes you feel more energetic, have nicer skin and just generally be a happier person. What's not to love? I always said during my pre-summer diet, 'You can have a treat when you've had all your portions of fruit and veg for the day and if your body still wants it at that stage.' Worked for me! And it doesn't matter whether the fruit is fresh, dry or tinned, but if it is tinned, go for the 'In juice' variety rather than 'In syrup' as those ones can be so much worse for you than you'd originally anticipated.

Tip 5: H2O. Our body is made up of at least 70% water, so it's not exactly an outrageous idea that if we don't drink enough then our bodies will suffer. They say that we should have about 8 glasses of water a day, but I tried not to think of it like that as everyone is different, plus it's not really healthy to get to 1am and realize you only had five glasses so you need to down another three before bed. This can actually lead to drowning. The way I did it was to have a bottle at my side at all times and take frequent sips throughout the day, filling up whenever necessary. I had way less headaches than usual, my skin massively improved and I pretty much never felt hungry. Result!

As for tip number six, it really is a case of understanding food and not fearing it. Atkins hype has convinced us to believe that carbs are the enemy. And yet carbohydrates are one of the biggest sources of energy in food, allowing us to push our bodies to the limits during exercise, without them we don't get a good workout and most of the time we do spend exercising is wasted. One of my rules is to try and avoid carbs after 4pm (I'm likely to have eaten them and already exercised them off by then, so I don't end up sleeping on a belly full of carbs) and the other is to stick to wholewheat, wholegrain or just anything 'brown' if I can help it. These are especially good for us.

Tip number seven is kind of a personal one for me... Don't eat too much cheese. Actually, I guess it could work for dairy in general really apart from live yogurt and low-fat milk... but I think it's for the best that these are taken in moderation and usually further towards the beginning off the day. Cheese is my favorite food ever, but I couldn't quite resist having a small chunk every day. But then as my Mom would say, everything is fine in moderation!

Avoiding sauces was a difficult one for number eight. Have you any idea how much sugar is in a spoonful of ketchup? Lots. That's how much. Salad dressings are the same and some stir-fry and pasta sauces have hidden calories too.

Now, everyone is going to hate number nine... yes, it's that dirty 'e' word... EXERCISE.

It's grim and I hate it. It makes me sweaty and out of breath and have a stitch. And yet, there is no

way on God's earth that someone who is looking to get into shape can do so, without committing themselves to this absolute torture. Some ways of doing it are easier than others. For example, I was putting my iTunes of with a half hour playlist of upbeat songs, then dancing my butt off really energetically to it. Even if you can't dance, just jump up and down or run about the room like a loon for half an hour. This is cardio, and it works. Trust me. As for toning up, it's simple. Just get in 20 press-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, and about 20 breaths of plank and you'll be fit in no time :)

Honestly, I know it sounds dull and I would never have believed it myself but it's true; a balanced diet and frequent exercise ACTUALLY works. Outrageous, I know...

Now I just need to follow my own advice and get on a post-Orlando diet... mmm... I'll start next week. NOT.

Thanks for reading

gabriellasofia

My First Tentative Steps Towards A Bikini-Fit Body...

It's that time of year where body image becomes quite the Hot Topic. Am I thin enough? Toned enough? Will I be confused with a sea mammal if caught laying on the beach this year? Eeek. The responses? No. No. And perhaps not, but only because I wont let myself lay out in the state I'm in at the moment.

At least I'm not in denial right? Working towards a goal always gives someone a purpose, so what exactly is my goal? Well, in a dream world my double chin would be gone, my upper arms would be toned, my breasts would be more pert and a cup size smaller, my stomach would be flatter with nothing to grope at and it would be toned although not too chiseled, my ass would be firmer, my inner thighs would ideally be none existent and... well, I think that's it. Not a lot to ask right? Wrong. Without going under the knife many of these fantasies will ever happen, and since I'm a student living on a students budget, I can just about afford to accept the fact that this is my body and I'd better get used to it.

However, some of these aims might be within reach, if I work really hard. So, the deadline is the 18th of June. This gives me eight weeks in order the make the best out of a bad situation.

Also, I apologize for being a little overly-critical of myself. I'm by no means a Fat Pig. And yet I'm not happy, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. When we force ourselves to think really rationally, most people know that there is really nothing majorly wrong with them. You know that honesty is the best policy and that's what I always strive for in this blog, so I'm going to go ahead and call us all out on committing one of seven deadly sins... Pride and hence Vanity. We know we are fine. But we don't want people to go about their daily business when we walk past because we are nothing disgusting to point and laugh at. We want them to turn their heads and think, 'Dang it, bitch is HOT.' We want people to be jealous of us. We want it all.

I am fully aware of this. In fact, I embrace it, because it's one of those almost unreachable goals which means that I will forever be working towards it which can only be a good thing. You can never be too healthy.

So what steps am I taking towards getting this 'Turn-Heads-In-The-Street-Envy-Inducing' beach body? Well, let me tell you.

1) I'm going to be giving some things up. These things will include red meat, any white carbs apart from healthily cooked potatoes once a week, drinks which aren't water or pure tea (although I will allow three spirit measures a week and a very weak glass of squash a day just to keep my life worth living), chocolate, non-low fat sauces and dressings (yes, this includes my two biggest weaknesses; ketchup and mayonnaise) and excessive amounts of cheese... a maximum of one small cube per day will be imposed without exception.

2) I will be drinking one mug of Herbalife weight-loss-boosting tea a day. It's really good but tastes like... well, I'm not even going to go there. HINT: it is known as Mingy Tea in my household.

3) A minimum of a half hour high-impact cardiovascular exercise and the same of low-impact will be done a day. I have already been running for half an hour a day for the past five days. Win :-)

4) 500 sit-ups are to be done each day.

5) I must use my Slendertone belt for half an hour twice a day.

6) I will have five mini-meals a day with my first at 10am every two hours until 6pm. If I'm having any basic carbs like bread, rice or pasta then they must be eaten at or before 2pm.

That's all I can think of so far! Oh and I'm going to try to limit my daytime naps to just once a week and a lie in past 10am just once a week too. This should mean my body is more active and hence constantly burning fat. Hopefully that should work wonders for my revision also as I wont be able to take one of my colossal 3hour afternoon sleeps. Everyone's a winner.

The only hitch is that I won't be able to properly start all this until Monday the 2nd when I return to university, as my parents constantly want to feed me up. I feel a bit like perhaps they are trying to fatten me up so there's more of me to go around when cannibalism is made legal... Seriously, all I hear is, 'And the chocolate cake is going out of date so we have to eat it right now', 'Will you cut the bread for with dinner and butter it? Yeah, the chips are ready' and 'Who wants a McFlurry???' Bah. It's not a bad life.

Anyways, if any of you out there have any tips for me or want to share your bikini body plans please let me know. Wish me luck!

gabriellasofia