Thanks so much to the London Times for sharing why the jump rope trend is on absolute FIRE. Give it a read and let’s get jumping! #TheCutJumpRope

 

Thanks SHAPE for the opportunity to give your readers a sneak peek of THE CUT: Jump Rope. Check out this months issue (on newsstands now!) and find out how to burn a ton of calories wile having a ton of fun. Now let’s get jumping AND “Cut!” #EquinoxMadeMeJump 

When I was a kid I was always told to stand up straight. Did I listen? Of course not! But now that I’m an adult I realize the importance of posture and learning to stand up correctly. Not only is it better for your spine to stand tall, but with my petite frame (I’m nicely calling myself vertically challenged) it helps me feel just a little bit more elevated. For you tall folks out there, consider yourself lucky and don’t sell yourself short (HA, see what I did there?) by hunching over!

Working on correct posture will help alleviate stress and strain on your spine. Take it from me, I have two herniated discs in my neck (C5-6 & C6-7 to be exact) and it’s CRUCIAL for me to be conscientious of the way I sit, stand, sleep and more importantly, how I work out. During your next sweat sesh, make it a point to be aware of your posture as you perform your exercises. This will not only help you attain an effective workout but will also keep you injury free. Sign me up!

So let’s try this together – take a deep breath, relax your shoulders and let any unwanted tension dissipate. Lengthen your neck, open your chest and pull your belly to the spine to complete the perfect posture package. You’ll feel better about yourself (BTW – good posture exudes confidence!) and you might notice that your body feels lighter and more rejuvenated throughout the day. Implementing these tiny tweaks go a long way.

Cheers to lengthening your spine and radiating a more confident YOU! xx

Let’s get personal. It’s a hard thing for me to do, but I want you all to know the real me. After all, that’s what this is all about, right? I’ll start by prefacing this piece by saying that I’m really uncomfortable sharing details of my personal life. But exercise is all about stepping it up and getting out of your comfort zone… how hard can you push yourself; can you do just one more set; can you hold this squat for 15 more seconds even though your legs are on fire??? How can I expect you to push your limits if I don’t push mine? So here I am, writing about me, stepping out of my comfort zone, facing my fears, being honest, feeling vulnerable and hoping to be an inspiration to others.

I am afraid. I am afraid of so many things. I am so afraid that my stress level goes through the roof and sends me into full blown panic mode. I’m talking about the kind of panic mode where it’s hard to breathe, time gets frozen, my body literally shuts down and I can’t move. It would make for a cool movie scene (I’m thinking gun fights with slow motion bullet action), but in a real life scenario it’s quite scary. So why do I panic? What am I so afraid of? Why is my stress uncontrollable? The answer is simple: FEAR OF FAILING!

I stress myself out! Lately, I have been putting so much pressure on myself to meet deadlines that I created, start a program that I created, perfect a logo, pick the right music, portray the right image, etc. It’s overwhelming. There’s so much going on that I feel like I am losing myself. I’m second guessing all the decisions I’ve made. I’m wondering if all of this was a good idea. Is it worth it? Will people like it? Will it be understood? Will my concepts be laughed at? Will I be taken seriously? The list goes on and on and on and on…. And with all that building up inside me, I cracked. I stressed myself out. I panicked. I spent a day in bed doubting myself. I felt like I had failed before I even began.

Then something happened. I got over it! I was browsing Instagram and saw this meme:

It was just what I needed. I started to feel OK. A simple image changed my mind set. Things started coming back together just as easily as they fell apart. I instantly knew that even though I was feeling incredibly vulnerable and maybe making the biggest mistake of my career (and life) that I was in fact growing and becoming better. I’m learning to learn from my mistakes and move on. I don’t know what I can accomplish until I put myself out there. I have to take this risk and realize that I might not be everyone’s cup of tea. AND THAT’S OK! As long as I believe in myself and stay confident I can tackle anything – even a stress induced panic attack that sent me to the ER.

And I’m here to tell you that you are OK too. Whatever challenge you may be facing, be it work related; dealing with your kids; suffering a loss; problems with a pet; or you just can’t decide what to make for dinner, know that I believe in you! Let’s dive into this experience together! (And I might possibly dive into a bubble bath with a glass of bubbly).

Cheers to kicking that stress to the curb! xx

It was so much fun showing The Today Show’s Donna Farizan how jumping rope is not only fun but seriously effective. Want to spice up your cardio for the New Year? I have you covered! Check out the link and let’s make 2018 a total knockout! xx

During Art Basel 2017, Well+Good took over the American Express Platinum House to give fitness lovers the chance to take next-level workout classes…including The Cut! We worked out beachside at the Miami Beach Edition Hotel and even had some celebrities stop by to get “Cut” including Michael B. Jordan & Olivia Culpo! What a sweaty good time! xx