This is a saying that I heard often during my short stint on Active Duty Army. I never really thought too much about until this past weekend when I was "drilling" with the Washington Army National Guard. I had so much to do that I was doing the whole chicken-with-the-head-cut-off thing. I was forgetting things left and right, rushing around, sweating and speaking in half sentences. Very un-badass. As you know by now, the Badass Woman (BAW) is in control; she remains cool, calm and collected at all times.
Luckily I caught myself early. See, as a BAW it is also highly important to be self aware. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own head and outside circumstances that it happens... we get swept away in a flurry. The key, however, is to examine yourself at regular intervals throughout the day. Take a deep breath every hour or so and ask yourself, "In this moment, am I being the person I want to be? Am I portraying the right image, taking the right actions, and thinking the right thoughts?" If there are any "no's" in your responses, then fix it! Immediately!!
Now, sometimes it can be hard to snap yourself out of the world inside your head. That is why it is helpful to have real-life triggers to bring you back to the present and aware of the person you are portraying. For me, some of my triggers are as follows:
-If anyone asks me if I'm okay, I know that I am not coming across as the strong and powerful woman that I am.
-If my heart rate is accelerated even though I'm not in the middle of physical training or any nerve-racking challenge, I take a few breaths and focus on moving calmly and deliberately.
-If I forget simple things, I make sure to take a few moments to organize my priorities in writing and reexamine my to-do list.
-If I am harried and rushing, and it's only 10:00 in the morning, I take the time to plan my day out step by step instead of trying to do ten things at once. If something new comes up, I take the time to re-prioritize and then move on from there.
Like I said, it's all about self-awareness. If at anytime throughout the day you realize that you do not feel good, figure out the problem and fix it! Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. If you are so rushed that you can't think straight, whatever you are doing is going to get screwed up one way or another. So slow down, move deliberately, and blow the competition away through the power of sheer focus and determination.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
What is Badass?: A List
1) First and foremost is confidence. If you have confidence, it doesn't matter what
you look like, what you wear, or how much you weigh. If you are confident in
yourself, nothing else really matters. That confidence will shine through whatever
you do, and everyone will know that you are awesome! For some of us though, all
that extra stuff might boost our confidence, and that's okay too.
2) Know how to protect yourself, physically and emotionally. That being said,
know when to trust somebody, when to fall in love, and when to ask for help.
That's the one thing that I've never liked about the traditional movie/TV badass
chick. They are always emotionally closed off and hard. Not cool. Friends and
family are your greatest assets.
3) Know your talents and use them to your advantage.
4) Know your weaknesses and continuously work to improve on them.
5) Don't be scared to try new things.
6) Own your sexuality. Live it, love it, use it.
7) Know that you always have a choice and that your choices will create your
future.
8) Learn that some people are just assholes. Forget them.
9) Face your fears. One of my favorite pieces of advice is to "Do one thing
everyday that scares you." Seriously, what better way is there to grow than to
push your limits daily?
10) Know your style and embrace it. If you can rock sweatpants and still feel sexy
then you do what you do, girlfriend.
11) Do your best or don't bother.
12) Stand up straight, hold your head up, and look people in the eye.
13) Learn to strut in heals.
14) Be ruthless in pursuing your dreams.
15) Know what you want.
16) Trust your instincts.
17) Take care of your friends and family; expect them to do the same.
18) Know when to say no.
19) Learn that trust is earned.
20) Take care of your body.
21) Have at least one signature accessory.
22) Be an enigma.
To be continued another day...
you look like, what you wear, or how much you weigh. If you are confident in
yourself, nothing else really matters. That confidence will shine through whatever
you do, and everyone will know that you are awesome! For some of us though, all
that extra stuff might boost our confidence, and that's okay too.
2) Know how to protect yourself, physically and emotionally. That being said,
know when to trust somebody, when to fall in love, and when to ask for help.
That's the one thing that I've never liked about the traditional movie/TV badass
chick. They are always emotionally closed off and hard. Not cool. Friends and
family are your greatest assets.
3) Know your talents and use them to your advantage.
4) Know your weaknesses and continuously work to improve on them.
5) Don't be scared to try new things.
6) Own your sexuality. Live it, love it, use it.
7) Know that you always have a choice and that your choices will create your
future.
8) Learn that some people are just assholes. Forget them.
9) Face your fears. One of my favorite pieces of advice is to "Do one thing
everyday that scares you." Seriously, what better way is there to grow than to
push your limits daily?
10) Know your style and embrace it. If you can rock sweatpants and still feel sexy
then you do what you do, girlfriend.
11) Do your best or don't bother.
12) Stand up straight, hold your head up, and look people in the eye.
13) Learn to strut in heals.
14) Be ruthless in pursuing your dreams.
15) Know what you want.
16) Trust your instincts.
17) Take care of your friends and family; expect them to do the same.
18) Know when to say no.
19) Learn that trust is earned.
20) Take care of your body.
21) Have at least one signature accessory.
22) Be an enigma.
To be continued another day...
Friday, August 3, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Spotlight on "Six Weeks to OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends"
This book is written by Venice A. Fulton (an alias) and is soooo unusual. I've literally been reading every diet book I can get my hands on for the past decade, and this blows them all out of the water. It is very different, as in most of his principles laugh in the face of everything we've been taught up to this point. His suggestions seem to be backed by sound scientific principles, which he describes in very easy to understand terms. I have to say that the whole book really made sense to me, but is that an indication that it will work? Well, only you and I can be the judge of that. Warning: some of the suggestions in here are PAINFUL. How badly do you want to lose the weight?
So here they are, the main points:
Do everything as described and you could lose 20 pounds of fat in 6 weeks.
1) Don't eat breakfast until at least three hours after you wake up and preferrably three hours after you exercise.
2) Take a 15 minute cold bath first thing in the morning to get your metabolism burning all day.
3) Drink BLACK coffee first thing in the morning, or take caffeine pills. But do not put anything in the coffee. Not even artificial sugars. Apparently your brain will taste the fake sugar and think that food is coming, thereby preventing the body from eating itself.
4) Before breakfast do some sort of exercise for at least 30 minutes, preferrably 45. Then wait at least one hour, preferrably three, before eating anything.
5) Have three meals and NO snacks. Your body will burn fat in between meals.
6) Fill half of your plate with protein at each meal.
7) Do not eat more than 120 grams of carbs a day. For fastest results, do not eat more than 60 grams a day. Do not count carbs from fibrous vegetables.
8) Those carbs should come from whole grains. No candy, soda, or other fake and addictive crap!
9) Don't eat more than three pieces of fruit per day. For best results, don't eat more than one.
10) Do some sort of exercise before every meal, for a minimum of 15 minutes. For best results, shoot for 30. Then wait at least 15 mins before you eat, preferrably 30 minutes.
11) Do an intense, allover weight training session 3 times a month to maintain muscle. You can do more of course, but three times is enough apparently.
12) Work your abs by blowing up balloons. This one weirds me out, but hey! Give it a try. See the book for the how-tos.
13) If your going to drink, try to stick with the hard liquors, and don't forget to count the carbs!
14) Sleep long and sleep well!
15) Stay hydrated.
16) Don't eat for at least two hours before going to bed.
17) Try skin brushing to reduce cellulite.
18) After your morning coffee, drink green tea throughout the day.
19) Eat a variety of vegetables.
20) Use smaller plates.
Yes, so that's it!! If the above has piqued your interest, make sure you read the whole book to get the important details. I'm about to start the Master Cleanse for 10 days, but when I'm done with that, I'm going to try this OMG stuff. For me it's all about breaking my damn addiction to sugar. In my opinion you can't be badass if your a slave to something as simple as sugar. But that's a lesson for another day.
So here they are, the main points:
Do everything as described and you could lose 20 pounds of fat in 6 weeks.
1) Don't eat breakfast until at least three hours after you wake up and preferrably three hours after you exercise.
2) Take a 15 minute cold bath first thing in the morning to get your metabolism burning all day.
3) Drink BLACK coffee first thing in the morning, or take caffeine pills. But do not put anything in the coffee. Not even artificial sugars. Apparently your brain will taste the fake sugar and think that food is coming, thereby preventing the body from eating itself.
4) Before breakfast do some sort of exercise for at least 30 minutes, preferrably 45. Then wait at least one hour, preferrably three, before eating anything.
5) Have three meals and NO snacks. Your body will burn fat in between meals.
6) Fill half of your plate with protein at each meal.
7) Do not eat more than 120 grams of carbs a day. For fastest results, do not eat more than 60 grams a day. Do not count carbs from fibrous vegetables.
8) Those carbs should come from whole grains. No candy, soda, or other fake and addictive crap!
9) Don't eat more than three pieces of fruit per day. For best results, don't eat more than one.
10) Do some sort of exercise before every meal, for a minimum of 15 minutes. For best results, shoot for 30. Then wait at least 15 mins before you eat, preferrably 30 minutes.
11) Do an intense, allover weight training session 3 times a month to maintain muscle. You can do more of course, but three times is enough apparently.
12) Work your abs by blowing up balloons. This one weirds me out, but hey! Give it a try. See the book for the how-tos.
13) If your going to drink, try to stick with the hard liquors, and don't forget to count the carbs!
14) Sleep long and sleep well!
15) Stay hydrated.
16) Don't eat for at least two hours before going to bed.
17) Try skin brushing to reduce cellulite.
18) After your morning coffee, drink green tea throughout the day.
19) Eat a variety of vegetables.
20) Use smaller plates.
Yes, so that's it!! If the above has piqued your interest, make sure you read the whole book to get the important details. I'm about to start the Master Cleanse for 10 days, but when I'm done with that, I'm going to try this OMG stuff. For me it's all about breaking my damn addiction to sugar. In my opinion you can't be badass if your a slave to something as simple as sugar. But that's a lesson for another day.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Embrace the Rain and other advice that every Badass Chick should follow
My older sister came to visit me last week and it was great. While she is super strong and confident in some ways, she is also a prissy bitch in many ways. I honestly don't mean that in any derogatory way. We all have our thing, and she is simply not a Badass, nor does she want to be. The great part is that she showed me some very important examples of what NOT to do when you want to be Badass. (Again, I love you Big Sis!)
1) Don't be afraid to get wet!
I mean for Christ's sake, are we the wicked witches of the west? Are the droplets that penetrate our clothes during the dash from the house to the car going to make us melt? No. Seriously, no. And unless you are just standing in a downpour, you won't even smudge your makeup. So this is just prissy bitch stuff. The Badass Woman (BW) needs to move confidently and deliberately in any situation. The BW oozes panache and infallible infallibility. Always be prepared. Wear waterproof makeup.
2) Flip-flops are not sexy. Or Badass.
Plus, they slip, slide and fall off in the rain. As I mentioned above, always be prepared. That means no flip-flops. Ever. If you have to run from a predator, can you do that in flippers? Can you chase the bad guys? Can you walk sexily for the hot chick on the other side of the room? My God, you can't even run in the rain! The same goes for most heels. Choose carefully. Choose functional yet amazingly sexy heels. I recommend boots or booties. With practice you can do anything in these babies that you would do in sneakers and look damn good while you do it!
3) Dirt happens. Suck it up and enjoy the adventure.
I am totally guilty of this myself. I take a walk through the park and keep constantly looking down at my ensemble to make sure there are no dirt smudges. I mean, seriously? I'm at a freakin park! You know, the place where dirt and nature live? Plus, thank the gods that we have showers and running water. Why not have FUN, FORGET the dirt, and just live in the moment? Plus, what's sexier than a woman that isn't afraid to get dirty, whose confidence shines through and just radiates sex appeal. Anyone seen the show "Lost"? Goddess those people are hot, and who knows when they last had a decent shower?
Well, that's it for now, but remember... be prepared, live in the moment, and look HOT!
1) Don't be afraid to get wet!
I mean for Christ's sake, are we the wicked witches of the west? Are the droplets that penetrate our clothes during the dash from the house to the car going to make us melt? No. Seriously, no. And unless you are just standing in a downpour, you won't even smudge your makeup. So this is just prissy bitch stuff. The Badass Woman (BW) needs to move confidently and deliberately in any situation. The BW oozes panache and infallible infallibility. Always be prepared. Wear waterproof makeup.
2) Flip-flops are not sexy. Or Badass.
Plus, they slip, slide and fall off in the rain. As I mentioned above, always be prepared. That means no flip-flops. Ever. If you have to run from a predator, can you do that in flippers? Can you chase the bad guys? Can you walk sexily for the hot chick on the other side of the room? My God, you can't even run in the rain! The same goes for most heels. Choose carefully. Choose functional yet amazingly sexy heels. I recommend boots or booties. With practice you can do anything in these babies that you would do in sneakers and look damn good while you do it!
3) Dirt happens. Suck it up and enjoy the adventure.
I am totally guilty of this myself. I take a walk through the park and keep constantly looking down at my ensemble to make sure there are no dirt smudges. I mean, seriously? I'm at a freakin park! You know, the place where dirt and nature live? Plus, thank the gods that we have showers and running water. Why not have FUN, FORGET the dirt, and just live in the moment? Plus, what's sexier than a woman that isn't afraid to get dirty, whose confidence shines through and just radiates sex appeal. Anyone seen the show "Lost"? Goddess those people are hot, and who knows when they last had a decent shower?
Well, that's it for now, but remember... be prepared, live in the moment, and look HOT!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Challenge Your Fears
One of the hardest decisions I ever made was to join the Army. The reason it was
so hard was because I was scared shitless! I mean, God! Who wants to give up
their cozy life of freedom and take a job that basically takes that all away? My
worst fear was basic training. Back then I used to cry whenever someone yelled
at me, so I was convinced that I'd spend the entire three months blubbering like
an idiot. It turns out that I surprised myself.
I was yelled at constantly of course, but I didn't take it personal, so I didn't cry. I
grew a tougher skin. I faced many, many challenges that I didn't think I could
handle, but I got through them all (sometimes with secret tears). I thought about
quitting more than once but pushed through anyway.
I hiked ten miles with 30 lbs of gear on my back.
I low crawled half a mile while bullets flew over my head and my knees and
elbows were rubbed raw and bleeding.
I slept in the rain.
I barely slept at all.
I learned to be hated for my decisions.
I ran so hard that I threw up.
I did more pushups and sit-ups than I'd ever done in my life, and then I did even
more!
I jumped out of a five-story building in a simulated air-jump exercise.
I left my husband and kids behind for months and months.
And that was just in training.
During Active Duty, I learned a whole new set of lessons that focused more on
my mental rather than my physical fortitude. But combining it all, I finally became
as close as I've ever been to being the badass I've always dreamed of. I'm strong,
but I want to be stronger. The best lesson I've learned from the military is that
growth happens when you ignore your fears and just do it anyway! Those were
the hardest and most important years of my life.
My new goal is to challenge myself to do one thing everyday that scares me. You
can do it too! Start off small and work your way up, but just do it! You'll be
surprised at the person you can become.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Your Badass Body, Part II
This segment will focus on the most effective exercises (in combination with that
clean diet from Part I!) to get the body of your dreams. But guess what!
Remember how everything you believed about nutrition was wrong? Well,
everything you know about fitness is wrong too! The good thing is that in this
case, less is more.
Most of us have been taught throughout our lives that endurance exercises are
the most effective in burning fat. And while endurance exercises such as jogging
do have benefits, it's not necessary to get the results you crave.
Numerous studies have proven that 20 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training
(HIIT) is just as, if not more, effective than 60 minutes of steady endurance
exercise. HIIT involves alternating bursts of extreme effort with easier recovery
periods. You can use any machine (treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike or stepper)
and be out of the gym quicker than it takes to watch an episode of How I Met
Your Mother!
For more information and workout plans, check out the following resources:
http://oxygenmag.com/Training/Articles/HIIT-Blast-fat-in-no-time.aspx
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=HIIT
http://experiencelife.com/article/hiit-it/
FYI, I hate cardio whether it's endurance training or HIIT. Unfortunately it's a
necessary evil for a badass body. So pick your evil... A longer bout of exercise
where you sweat through an hour of boredom or an extremely high intensity
bout where you feel like death for twenty minutes before it's over?
I shouldn't talk like that, I know. What you need to focus on is that amazing high
you get when it's over. Plus your fabulous bod, of course!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Spotlight on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Anyone that knows me at all will be in shock that it has taken me this long to
write an entry on Buffy. After all, she is my idol, my goddess, my imaginary lover...
Haha! Joking. But I do really like, ok love, Buffy. I've pretty much idolized her since
my second year of high school. She was my original BA inspiration girl. She's
gorgeous, she's smart, sexy, funny, unique, interesting... Everything I have always
wanted to be myself.
So yes, even to this day I idolize Buffy. (Note: this has nothing to do Sarah
Michelle Gellar. I appreciate her role in bringing the character to life, but this is
about the character of Buffy, not the actress. I am not an SMG fan). All of these
years later I still study the shows. I pick out all of the little Buffyisms that I want
to make my own. You know, the things she says and does that seem to add power
to her character. At one point I actually took notes while I watched!
Luckily, Joss Whedon (or "God") continues to gratify his fans in comic book form,
although we all still pray for a movie that will never come. They are nearly as
satisfying as the show. Somehow the same spirit manages to shine through the
pages. It must have something to do with the fact that Joss is amazing, thank the
Gods.
If you don't get the hint by now, I highly recommend Buffy the Vampire Slayer
even these many years later and following their 10 year anniversary. Actually
anything from Joss Whedon comes highly recommended from me, but you can
just start off with Buffy for now.
In the mean time, some Buffyisms to get you craving more:
1) The dictionary is for losers. Feel free to make up your own words if they will
help you communicate your point better.
2) Always appreciate the normalness in your life. You never know when normal
will become just a dream.
3) Looking good is a 24-hour must. There's no excuse for bad hair or hygiene. No,
not ever. It's part of your BA self!
4) Close friends are important. They act as your wing-people and partners in
crime.
5) Mochas qualify as a sugar binge.
6) Love hurts. It's up to you whether or not it's worth it.
7) Kicking ass is an awesome stress reliever.
8) Monsters exist in many different shapes and sizes.
9) When you can't run away from your problems, have a bunch of sex instead.
10) Smile and laugh in the midst of unfathomable problems.
write an entry on Buffy. After all, she is my idol, my goddess, my imaginary lover...
Haha! Joking. But I do really like, ok love, Buffy. I've pretty much idolized her since
my second year of high school. She was my original BA inspiration girl. She's
gorgeous, she's smart, sexy, funny, unique, interesting... Everything I have always
wanted to be myself.
So yes, even to this day I idolize Buffy. (Note: this has nothing to do Sarah
Michelle Gellar. I appreciate her role in bringing the character to life, but this is
about the character of Buffy, not the actress. I am not an SMG fan). All of these
years later I still study the shows. I pick out all of the little Buffyisms that I want
to make my own. You know, the things she says and does that seem to add power
to her character. At one point I actually took notes while I watched!
Luckily, Joss Whedon (or "God") continues to gratify his fans in comic book form,
although we all still pray for a movie that will never come. They are nearly as
satisfying as the show. Somehow the same spirit manages to shine through the
pages. It must have something to do with the fact that Joss is amazing, thank the
Gods.
If you don't get the hint by now, I highly recommend Buffy the Vampire Slayer
even these many years later and following their 10 year anniversary. Actually
anything from Joss Whedon comes highly recommended from me, but you can
just start off with Buffy for now.
In the mean time, some Buffyisms to get you craving more:
1) The dictionary is for losers. Feel free to make up your own words if they will
help you communicate your point better.
2) Always appreciate the normalness in your life. You never know when normal
will become just a dream.
3) Looking good is a 24-hour must. There's no excuse for bad hair or hygiene. No,
not ever. It's part of your BA self!
4) Close friends are important. They act as your wing-people and partners in
crime.
5) Mochas qualify as a sugar binge.
6) Love hurts. It's up to you whether or not it's worth it.
7) Kicking ass is an awesome stress reliever.
8) Monsters exist in many different shapes and sizes.
9) When you can't run away from your problems, have a bunch of sex instead.
10) Smile and laugh in the midst of unfathomable problems.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Your Badass Guide to Fashion
Fashion can be one of the biggest challenges on your quest for badness. I mean
think about it. Every season we feel pressured to keep up with the latest trends.
To some of us this can be kind of fun, but to others (like me), it's just an
annoyance. I love my black boots. Why can't I just wear those every year for the
whole year until they fall apart or something?
Don't get me wrong, I like shopping as much as the next girl, but until I figured
out the true secret to fashion, I spent many tortuous hours trying to figure out
the trendiest and sexiest choices. Hey, some people have that knack and some
people don't. I fall decidedly into the DON'T category.
So here is the secret. It comes from a source you would never expect... My
mother. Haha! Just joking. No, I got this golden bit of information from a fantastic
book called The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Girl Sex by Barbara Keesling. This book
has helped me in tons of ways, but it's advice on fashion is arguably the most
important.
Chapter 3 is called "Bad Girls Dress the Part." Need I say more? But here's the
real kicker, the bit of information that makes this advice different than you've ever
heard before... what the "Part" looks like is completely up to you. The only
requirement is that whatever you choose must make you feel totally and
completely sexy.
It may seem easier than it actually is. Most of us are used to buying clothes that
are supposed to be trendy and not paying attention to how we truly look and feel
in them. But that's about to change. You need to start shopping with purpose!
So first, close your eyes and take some time imaging yourself feeling utterly
powerful. What are you wearing? What does your makeup look like? Your shoes?
Purse? Hair? Try imagining yourself in different scenarios and picture what the
Bad You would wear. Think about how you feel in these visualizations. That feeling
is what you should be looking for when you shop. Your clothes should add to
your sense of power and self. They should accentuate your best attributes. "This
is about dressing like a woman who knows who she is, knows what she wants,
knows what she needs, knows what she has to offer, and knows how to send a
clear message." Even your underwear can add to your sense of badness, just by
knowing you're the sexiest thing around, clothes on or off!
So there are three important pieces of homework for this lesson:
1. Go through your panty drawer and throw out anything with holes or stains.
Throw out anything that doesn't fit. Finally, throw out anything that doesn't make
you feel like a sexy badass!
2. Go through your wardrobe. Try on everything. If it does not make you feel sexy,
powerful and BAD, give it to Goodwill! This includes pajamas, lounge clothes,
workout clothes, everything. I don't care if you're left with one shirt and one pair
of pants. It's better to feel powerful every day in the same clothes than so-so in a
different outfit every day.
3. Go shopping and replace what you tossed. Try on EVERYTHING, and don't buy
anything unless it makes you feel like the baddest of bad.
Make this a permanent change in your life and you are well on your way in your
quest for badness.
think about it. Every season we feel pressured to keep up with the latest trends.
To some of us this can be kind of fun, but to others (like me), it's just an
annoyance. I love my black boots. Why can't I just wear those every year for the
whole year until they fall apart or something?
Don't get me wrong, I like shopping as much as the next girl, but until I figured
out the true secret to fashion, I spent many tortuous hours trying to figure out
the trendiest and sexiest choices. Hey, some people have that knack and some
people don't. I fall decidedly into the DON'T category.
So here is the secret. It comes from a source you would never expect... My
mother. Haha! Just joking. No, I got this golden bit of information from a fantastic
book called The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Girl Sex by Barbara Keesling. This book
has helped me in tons of ways, but it's advice on fashion is arguably the most
important.
Chapter 3 is called "Bad Girls Dress the Part." Need I say more? But here's the
real kicker, the bit of information that makes this advice different than you've ever
heard before... what the "Part" looks like is completely up to you. The only
requirement is that whatever you choose must make you feel totally and
completely sexy.
It may seem easier than it actually is. Most of us are used to buying clothes that
are supposed to be trendy and not paying attention to how we truly look and feel
in them. But that's about to change. You need to start shopping with purpose!
So first, close your eyes and take some time imaging yourself feeling utterly
powerful. What are you wearing? What does your makeup look like? Your shoes?
Purse? Hair? Try imagining yourself in different scenarios and picture what the
Bad You would wear. Think about how you feel in these visualizations. That feeling
is what you should be looking for when you shop. Your clothes should add to
your sense of power and self. They should accentuate your best attributes. "This
is about dressing like a woman who knows who she is, knows what she wants,
knows what she needs, knows what she has to offer, and knows how to send a
clear message." Even your underwear can add to your sense of badness, just by
knowing you're the sexiest thing around, clothes on or off!
So there are three important pieces of homework for this lesson:
1. Go through your panty drawer and throw out anything with holes or stains.
Throw out anything that doesn't fit. Finally, throw out anything that doesn't make
you feel like a sexy badass!
2. Go through your wardrobe. Try on everything. If it does not make you feel sexy,
powerful and BAD, give it to Goodwill! This includes pajamas, lounge clothes,
workout clothes, everything. I don't care if you're left with one shirt and one pair
of pants. It's better to feel powerful every day in the same clothes than so-so in a
different outfit every day.
3. Go shopping and replace what you tossed. Try on EVERYTHING, and don't buy
anything unless it makes you feel like the baddest of bad.
Make this a permanent change in your life and you are well on your way in your
quest for badness.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Your Badass Body, Part 1
This is only the first part of my badass body ("BB") blogs because we all know
that a BB is made through a combination of several extremely important factors
to include (but of course never limited to): a ripped physique; a clean diet; über
confidence; and near superhuman immunity. I will cover each of these topics
separately since each topic has thousands of books worth of information on the
market. Lucky for you though, I have spent my whole life on the search for
badassishness, so I have already read all of the books for you and figured out the
FASTEST and HEALTHIEST ways to get the body you've always dreamed of.
So today's lesson is on diet. I start with diet only because no matter how many
crunches you do, your abs will never show if you have a layer of diet-induced flab
covering those abs. Exercise is about 20% of the battle. The rest is all based on
your diet. I know! It's hard to believe. When I was a teen I spent hours doing
crunches and then wondered why I didn't have abs of steel while I ate ice cream
out of the carton and watched Buffy kick ass on the WB. I was thin by the
standards of the time, but I still had that layer of abdominal fat that hid the six
pack abs underneath.
So, for that buff super-bod you have always craved, here is the hard truth. It's not
about calories; it's not about how much you work out. It's about nutrition. The
rules are simple, but first you have to get past your addictions to certain foods. If
you are eating processed foods, then your body is laced with sugar, preservatives,
and other poisons that are making you fat and flabby! And I'm not just referring
to the "bad" processed foods such as cookies, cake, pizza and all the stuff that
tastes good. Bread? Not good. Even the whole grain stuff is full of sugar and
preservatives. Cereal? Again, it's a no-go.
When it comes to your diet there are several seemingly simple rules. Do not buy
any food that contains more than one ingredient. Yes, I am serious. One. So you
want a meal? Make it yourself from your cupboards full of single ingredients.
Second, skip the sugar. Eliminate the sugar from your diet until it's gone for good.
Instead of sugar in your coffee, use Stevia or Truvia. Learn to appreciate the tastes
of real food. Finally, embrace protein in all of its forms. It will keep you full and
build up muscle as you lose fat.
So here's an example... You can't have cereal or bread for breakfast, so what do
you eat? How about oatmeal and two scrambled eggs? But here's the kicker. I bet
you're used to putting some sort of sweetener in that oatmeal. Well, not this
time. You can sweeten it with fruit, or if you must, a stevia-based sweetener.
To really accomplish any of this, you need to detox. You need to go cold turkey
and eat nothing but whole, single-ingredient foods. I will not kid you on this, it is
HARD, and this is not a diet; it is a lifestyle change. However, after about a week,
the intense cravings will subside. After two weeks, sugar will be nothing but a bad
dream.
One final word of advice. After awhile off of sugar, you may feel like you are
strong enough to have a dessert "just this once." Let me warn you, THIS IS A
VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE. One taste is all it takes for the cravings to begin again.
I still struggle with this diet. I love sugar and I love alcohol. I tend to have one or
the other every day. Even though the rest of my diet is nearly flawless, that daily
cheat is causing me to hang on to these last 10 pounds that are hiding my
gorgeous abs! However, I still lost 30 pounds, even with that daily cheat! Now I'm
just stalled.
So there it is. Follow the above and you will lose weight! Once I finally kick the
daily cheat I'll give you an update on my status. Give me two weeks. I'm going to
do it! For real.
For more information on Clean Eating, try Oxygen magazine, Muscle & Fitness Hers,
and the Eat Clean Diet series by Tosca Reno.
that a BB is made through a combination of several extremely important factors
to include (but of course never limited to): a ripped physique; a clean diet; über
confidence; and near superhuman immunity. I will cover each of these topics
separately since each topic has thousands of books worth of information on the
market. Lucky for you though, I have spent my whole life on the search for
badassishness, so I have already read all of the books for you and figured out the
FASTEST and HEALTHIEST ways to get the body you've always dreamed of.
So today's lesson is on diet. I start with diet only because no matter how many
crunches you do, your abs will never show if you have a layer of diet-induced flab
covering those abs. Exercise is about 20% of the battle. The rest is all based on
your diet. I know! It's hard to believe. When I was a teen I spent hours doing
crunches and then wondered why I didn't have abs of steel while I ate ice cream
out of the carton and watched Buffy kick ass on the WB. I was thin by the
standards of the time, but I still had that layer of abdominal fat that hid the six
pack abs underneath.
So, for that buff super-bod you have always craved, here is the hard truth. It's not
about calories; it's not about how much you work out. It's about nutrition. The
rules are simple, but first you have to get past your addictions to certain foods. If
you are eating processed foods, then your body is laced with sugar, preservatives,
and other poisons that are making you fat and flabby! And I'm not just referring
to the "bad" processed foods such as cookies, cake, pizza and all the stuff that
tastes good. Bread? Not good. Even the whole grain stuff is full of sugar and
preservatives. Cereal? Again, it's a no-go.
When it comes to your diet there are several seemingly simple rules. Do not buy
any food that contains more than one ingredient. Yes, I am serious. One. So you
want a meal? Make it yourself from your cupboards full of single ingredients.
Second, skip the sugar. Eliminate the sugar from your diet until it's gone for good.
Instead of sugar in your coffee, use Stevia or Truvia. Learn to appreciate the tastes
of real food. Finally, embrace protein in all of its forms. It will keep you full and
build up muscle as you lose fat.
So here's an example... You can't have cereal or bread for breakfast, so what do
you eat? How about oatmeal and two scrambled eggs? But here's the kicker. I bet
you're used to putting some sort of sweetener in that oatmeal. Well, not this
time. You can sweeten it with fruit, or if you must, a stevia-based sweetener.
To really accomplish any of this, you need to detox. You need to go cold turkey
and eat nothing but whole, single-ingredient foods. I will not kid you on this, it is
HARD, and this is not a diet; it is a lifestyle change. However, after about a week,
the intense cravings will subside. After two weeks, sugar will be nothing but a bad
dream.
One final word of advice. After awhile off of sugar, you may feel like you are
strong enough to have a dessert "just this once." Let me warn you, THIS IS A
VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE. One taste is all it takes for the cravings to begin again.
I still struggle with this diet. I love sugar and I love alcohol. I tend to have one or
the other every day. Even though the rest of my diet is nearly flawless, that daily
cheat is causing me to hang on to these last 10 pounds that are hiding my
gorgeous abs! However, I still lost 30 pounds, even with that daily cheat! Now I'm
just stalled.
So there it is. Follow the above and you will lose weight! Once I finally kick the
daily cheat I'll give you an update on my status. Give me two weeks. I'm going to
do it! For real.
For more information on Clean Eating, try Oxygen magazine, Muscle & Fitness Hers,
and the Eat Clean Diet series by Tosca Reno.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Good "Guy," Bad "Guy"... Both Sexy
Snow White and the Huntsman. It's been quite awhile since I've seen a movie that speaks to me on the badass, sexy level.
Firstly, the Witch (Charlize Theron, but for the record, I usually don't know actor/actress names. I'm all about the powerful characters that they play), is HOT. She is so deep and dark, something I have always related to at some level. While she does not have any specific characteristics I'm looking to emulate, she definitely has some attractive accessories that I need to get my hands on! Her wardrobe was phenomenally, again I say, DARK. I could see myself wearing every piece. Specifically though, this is what I'm obsessed with from her wardrobe.
While this entire outfit is just AWESOME, look at her pointer fingers. She uses
these beautiful contraptions to eat the hearts of sparrows. Gruesome, I know, but
goddess, how can you not want to live on the dark side after looking at this
picture? Ok, here is one more picture for your badass pleasure.
So next we move on to the heroine, none other than Snow White herself. Now
this girl (who played Bella in the Twilight series, can't remember her real name),
gives the badass woman (BW) something more to aspire towards. Despite being
unfairly imprisoned for many years, she somehow maintains a pure heart. Ah, that
we could all maintain such innocence. On my best days my expectation of the
worse in everything reduces to about 50/50. This has been a constant struggle in
my life. The best part about Snow White though is that even with her pure heart and desire to help everyone, she does what she must to accomplish what she believes in. This soft hearted beauty is a damn sexy warrior woman.
Plus that outfit she wears with the tights and boots is pretty sexy too.
All I have to say is BADASS!
Overall I highly recommend this movie for the BW. Enjoy! I know I'll be buying it
on DVD.
Go here for more suggestions on movie-inspired fashion:
http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/961875/steal-the-style-snow-white-and-the-huntsman
Firstly, the Witch (Charlize Theron, but for the record, I usually don't know actor/actress names. I'm all about the powerful characters that they play), is HOT. She is so deep and dark, something I have always related to at some level. While she does not have any specific characteristics I'm looking to emulate, she definitely has some attractive accessories that I need to get my hands on! Her wardrobe was phenomenally, again I say, DARK. I could see myself wearing every piece. Specifically though, this is what I'm obsessed with from her wardrobe.
While this entire outfit is just AWESOME, look at her pointer fingers. She uses
these beautiful contraptions to eat the hearts of sparrows. Gruesome, I know, but
goddess, how can you not want to live on the dark side after looking at this
picture? Ok, here is one more picture for your badass pleasure.
So next we move on to the heroine, none other than Snow White herself. Now
this girl (who played Bella in the Twilight series, can't remember her real name),
gives the badass woman (BW) something more to aspire towards. Despite being
unfairly imprisoned for many years, she somehow maintains a pure heart. Ah, that
we could all maintain such innocence. On my best days my expectation of the
worse in everything reduces to about 50/50. This has been a constant struggle in
my life. The best part about Snow White though is that even with her pure heart and desire to help everyone, she does what she must to accomplish what she believes in. This soft hearted beauty is a damn sexy warrior woman.
Plus that outfit she wears with the tights and boots is pretty sexy too.
All I have to say is BADASS!
Overall I highly recommend this movie for the BW. Enjoy! I know I'll be buying it
on DVD.
Go here for more suggestions on movie-inspired fashion:
http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/961875/steal-the-style-snow-white-and-the-huntsman
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Be yourself... kinda
When I was growing up, I always had someone that I did my best to emulate. I
was many people over the years, most of them not the typical idol: Ramona
Quimby (yeah I know. Who?); Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Little House series;
the various American girls; the various Babysitter Club girls; and Lucille Ball. I'm
sure there's more.
I certainly learned a lot of useful things by living this way. Gradually I began to
incorporate the characteristics of many characters in an attempt to build the best
"me." Unfortunately, as I grew older and actually began to care about what people
thought of me, I found that I was lost when it came to the real world. My idols
tended to be of the old fashioned/slightly nerdy variety. They did nothing for me
in my very predictable pursuit of boys and popularity.
So next I tried reading about popular (fictional) high school girls, namely the
Sweet Valley High girls. I'm not gonna deny that those books were helpful! I
continued to study similar fictions and also the typical teen magazines. However,
after studying those sources so closely, I began to obsess over doing everything
right. I just had to say the right thing, wear the right cloths, kiss the right way... I
remember my first kiss. I ran away covering my face, shamed at my obvious
ineptitude for kissing. I avoided my boyfriend's phone calls for two days after that.
You can only imagine what my first time having sex must've been like.
Eventually I just cracked under the pressure. Something finally clicked in me and I
realized that I mostly just had to be me. My life got a lot less stressful after that. I
still tended to obsess a little over the wrong things, and I'll admit that I regressed
to my old ways during my first lesbianic experience, but overall, my approach to
life changed dramatically.
My choice of role models changed dramatically too. My initiation into teenhood
brought about the strong desire to be sexy, witty, sexy, strong, sexy, and popular.
Oh, and sexy. My focus shifted to strong, kickass, badass, SEXY women.
Since that change in my life I've pretty much remained the same and used the
same approach in improving myself as a woman. Rather than idolizing my various
role models, I examine their characters and determine the characteristics that I
most want to incorporate into my own self. Also, it's not always female fictional
women. Sometimes it is real women; sometimes it is magical creatures;
sometimes it's amazing writers or actors; sometimes it's knowledge I come
across; and sometimes it's children or animals. The list goes on and on. The point
is that I find things throughout my life, everyday even, and I incorporate those
things into my life to make me a better person and the person I've always wanted
to be.
So this is my journey in becoming a BADASS WOMAN.
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