"I thank God for my Life, for the stars and stripes, let freedom ring. Salute the ones who died, the ones that give their lives, so we don't have to sacrifice all the things we love..." ~ Zac Brown Band

8am class Memorial Day but no afternoon class

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." — General George S. Patton

Enjoy your Memorial Day! Be safe in all you do!

Class at 8:00am but NO afternoon class!

Be sure to check out the new schedule for the summer!

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found in not finishing an activity, but in doing it.

Remember this.

When we create harmony in our minds and hearts, we will find it in our lives. The inner creates the outer. Always.

What a great morning crowd! Thank you for joining me and starting your day in such a wonderful way. You inspire me to do more, be more creative in our rides, and be thankful for the healthy lives we lead.

As always, make today harmonious. Let something take you away today!

Keep a food journal.

What is any easy way to self monitor and access what we are eating? Keep a food journal and do not cheat! We may say "Oh, I had a good day, I only had..., " but you did not consider the handful of goldfish or cleaning your child's plate. If you are serious about losing weight, keep track of what you are eating and when you are eating. Look over it at the end of each day or every couple of days and see what may not be the best choices and start fresh the next day. Chart how you feel each day and see what foods provide the most energy and make you feel most satisfied.

Learning and establishing a relationship with eating and the food choices we make can make a difference in our overall well being. Be good to yourself and eat well.

"There is no such thing in any one's life as a unimportant day." Alexander Woollcott

How lucky are we to get to start fresh each morning, each day! I am a morning person and love waking up before everyone else in a quiet house, coffee brewing. It is my chance to set my intentions for the day. What do I have to get done, what do I want to get done, and what will get done? It is amazing how when you start your day with a good positive attitude, everything is more enjoyable - work, exercise, even chores.
We have the chance to make each a great one, why waste that opportunity?

"I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of the telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities." ~ Dr. Suess

Finding our passion is something one may search forever. I love teaching spin class and get excited each time I hop on the bike. My dear friend from childhood is a travel guide and we compared our passions to create a memorable or rather remarkable experience for his travelers and for my bikers. Though different in many ways, there was a common ground. He wrote and found this excerpt from Bruce Springsteen on his feelings before performing.

My friend writes, "Bruce Springsteen once wrote something that perfectly expresses the artistic challenge that we both seek in our respective mediums. We both walk onto our “stages” and what he seeks to create with music and human experience, I seek to mold out of stories and landscape, and human experience. We both are searching to create with the same end in mind. Here is what Springsteen wrote,

“That first step onstage is an unusual feeling. You have a very sober feeling in your gut that tells you that something is at stake, something that matters. You’re taking a risk. It’s not an entirely comfortable feeling but it’s a necessary one. What I am searching for from the moment I put my foot on stage until I walk off, is the invisible thread of energy and inspiration or soul or whatever you want to call it that is going to take me to that place where a song can explode to life. That thread is between me and the audience every night. Always. I’ve got to grab it out of the air and physicalize it into something they can hear. Sometimes it’s like catching a wave that can take you through all twenty five songs. Sometimes it will take you through ten and then you have to re-find it. Sometimes you’re looking for it again after one. A big part of what I’m experiencing when I’m performing is that search.”"

When we find our passion and choose to share it with others, there are lots of similarities. Are you living your passion? Do what you can to find it, embrace it and live it each day. You will find happiness that is true and a spark you can't wait to share with others.

Lending some helping hair...

Local hair salons are saving hair clippings to help soak up oil in the Gulf. What a great idea! The hair is placed in hosiery and helps to soak up the oil forming a blanket of sorts. Though this will not be enough to eliminate the spill, everything we can do to help makes a difference.

Know if any others way to help? Blog here. It takes all of us doing a little something to make a big something happen.

The frangrance of flowers spread only in one direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all directions. ~ Chanakya

Share your goodness in all directions. It is contagious!

Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Graduations are happening in GA this weekend, colleges all around - what a wonderful time filled with a potpourri of emotions. Tears of joy, maybe a little sadness of what leaving behind or fear of what lives ahead. What to do, where to go? Think of graduation as a new beginning, start over and be and do everything you have ever thought about doing. Enjoy your new freedom and explore options that may not have been available in your home town or college town. Be proud of you accomplishment and enjoy the celebration!

Above all, remember the most important thing you can take with you anywhere is not a Gucci bag or french cut jeans - it's an open mind. ~ Gail Rubin Bereny

In everything you do this weekend, keep an OPEN MIND! Enjoy!

Remember Bike to work today (spinning counts), the Amelia Island Nature Festival and the MS 150 this weekend. Be safe and have fun in all you do! Classes at 8:30 and 5:00 today!

National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety

Goal #1 Motorists Will Share the Road
Goal #2 Bicyclists Will Ride Safely
Goal #3 Bicyclists Will Wear Helmets
Goal #4 The Legal System Will Support Safe Bicycling
Goal #5 Roads and Paths Will Safely Accommodate Bicycling"

Friday May 21st is National Bike to Work Day.

We live on a small island, put your helmet on and bike to work or to spin class on Friday. It's fun, safe and makes you a more alert and healthier employee.

Music is one of the best ways to enjoy the present. It's not much fun to look forward to hearing music or to remember what a song sounded like last week, but music right now absorbs you and places you in the moment. ~Terri Guillemets

I really love music. All kinds fast, slow, country, rock, hiphop, singer songwriter. It makes me happy to share my love for music each day in class with all of you. To see you smile and sing along or tap your handle bars lets me know I too have made you happy. Maybe it takes you to a place you visited, a date you had, just some special moment in time. Music has the ability to make us remember and forget all at the same time.

What are some of your favorites? Please comment below or on Facebook. I take requests...

Sol Pedal and Go Yoga share their passions with you!

June, July and August only $99

Stay in shape this summer!

Feel alive and well everyday!

Life is partly what we make it and partly what is made by the friends we choose. ~ Tennessee Williams

A good friend is one who thinks you are a good egg even though he knows you are slightly cracked. ~ Bernard Meltzer

Isn't it great to be around your friends? Someone you can truly let go with and just laugh and be yourself? I love that feeling. There is true comfort in being around people that make you smile, make you laugh and somehow forget the everyday stressors that can bring us down. Say thanks to your friends today; for they make us smile and know we are all in this great big crazy world together.

As Klosterman realizes late at night, in the moment before he falls asleep, "In and of itself, nothing really matters. What matters is that nothing is ever "in and of itself.'" ~ Chuck Klosterman

Hmmm, think about it.

Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh. ~ W.H. Auden

It’s not always easy to fit in exercise every day. But if there is one simple thing that you can do to improve the way you look, feel and function, it’s exercising.

“Other than quitting smoking, there is nothing more powerful you can do to promote healthy living than leading a physically active life,” says Dr. Tim Church, director of the preventive medicine laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. Official recommendations suggest that every American should get in at least 30 and, for weight management, up to 90 minutes of activity on most days of the week."

A few ways to sneak in a little more physical activity into your day:

1. Plant exercise cues: Leave your clothes out for your workout the night before. Write it down in your calendar as part of your daily schedule.

2. Change your exercise mentality. go the extra mile...park as far from your door at work pr when shopping as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Ride your bike to work. These movements count as exercise and add up over the course of the day.

3. Walk your dog...on a short leash so you have to pick up your pace.

4. Walk while you talk. Not just on cell phone calls, but at home too. Just don't sit and gab, move around.

5. Rethink your social life. All you and your friend do is sit around and eat and drink? Find a sport or new hobby - tennis, golf, surfing. Go dancing! Instead of going to a movie and sitting, take the kids and dogs to the beach and walk, shell seek, dig in the sand.

6. Scrub, sweep, push, and pull. Clean your house with fewer electronic devices. Sweep and vacuum rugs and floors. Scrubbing bathrooms and kitchen sinks use all of your arm muscles.

7. Give yourself 10. 10 deep breaths when you feel stressed. 10 situps, squats and pushups to start your day, 10 minutes of solitude, 10 heel raises in line at the grocery store, 10 jumping jacks during commercials of your shows.

exerpts from http://www.msn.com/ Picture: Charlotte Knight at the Shrimp Festival Parade

"If you don't think every day is a good day - just try missing one." ~ Cavett Robert

Ever been sick all day or have a child sick and you miss a complete day of your normal activities? It stinks! Why is it we don't really appreciate how great it is to be alive and healthy until we are not feeling well?

Be thankful and appreciate how good it feels to wake and be healthy, have energy and strength to make it to work, to school, to exercise. It is a gift and one that needs to be greatly appreciated. Exercise and eating right consistently and you will reap the health benefits. Maybe you are thinner, have more energy, but above all, you will not be as sickly.

Be thankful for each and every day that you wake up feeling good. and be thankful for friends.

Keep your face always toward the sun -

the shadows will fall behind you. ~ Walt Whitman

Be happy today and smile every chance you get!

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change." ~ Buddha

I am not much of a gardener, but each spring I get so inspired and love the thought of a beautiful garden. So, I load up my cart when the weather seems safe and set out to plant beautiful flower beds in my yard. Boy, do they look great the first couple of weeks and then out of nowhere, a couple start to wither away. I fertilize and water and try to bring them back to life. Some recover, some not so fortunate. Hey, I try and enjoy the process.

This spring in particular, I have noticed the beautiful rose bushes growing next door. I am not a traditional red rose fan, but love the peachy pinks and yellows. As I leave my house each day, I have watched the tiny buds burst into the most gorgeous flowers. What a amazing process! Nature's elements occur in harmony to bring us this art show of color, smell and texture.

Watch something grow. Behold a miracle.

Crushing Cravings

Most people have a few foods that they find hard to resist. It is natural, but if you are watching what you eat, it can really to be to resist our cravings.

What do you do? Give in and chow down and then feel guilty afterwards? Eat whatever you want the rest of the day because you gave in anyway?

Look for patterns in your binge eating or snacking. Stressed, sad, frustrated, nervous, happy make you eat more or less? Go for salty or sweet when needing a food fix? All these factors are interesting and can tell you lots about your food you desire.





Tips to Avoid Cravings

It's important that you not feel defeated if you occasionally give in to a food craving. Cravings can affect even the most determined dieter. But luckily, you can arm yourself against them:

1. Stop demonizing foods or food groups. Don't label foods 'bad,' 'illegal,' or 'forbidden.' It's not the food that counts so much as it is the portion size.
2. Don't starve yourself. Keep healthy snacks, like fruit or veggie sticks handy.
3. Don't skip meals as this will make you more likely to crave other foods and snack because you are hungry.
4. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger. Water will also make you feel full, so you'll feel less hungry.
5. Don't keep foods you crave in the house, and don't go shopping when you're hungry. You're more likely to buy temptation foods.
6. Indulge once in a while so that you don't feel deprived. Have a small portion of the food you crave -- a fun size chocolate bar, for example.
7. Exercise regularly. In addition to burning calories, regular exercise may relieve anxiety that can lead to the craving for comfort foods.

list above taken from http://www.lhj.com/

"A Mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." ~ Washington Irving

Say thank you to your Mom and to all my fellow Mom friends - thank you for being you, have a wonderful day!

New class starts Sunday morning..9am.

The story of Mother's Day:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36969170/ns/today-mothers_day_guide?Gt1=43001

This is a great song and an even better message by Tim McGraw. We may choose to spend our day a little differently if we thought it were our last. Be in the moment at work, at home, with friends, with family, wherever you are.

In my ripe old age of 36, I have decided life is too short to: drink bad coffee, drink cheap wine, eat milk chocolate instead of dark and have bad seats at a concert. This is just a running list I have started of things that I really appreciate. Start your own list of things that really speak to you.

A dear friend shared tickets to the Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum concert Thursday night. Picture above are from the show. Needless to say we had fantastic seats! Live today!

Shoo Fly!

Fresh Basil! What a great flavor, but did you know houseflies do not find it that appealing? Use potted basil in your kitchen and elsewhere to ward off pesky flies. Then while cooking, pinch some off and season your delicious dinner!

Prepare a light and fresh meal this weekend. Use an ingredient that you have never used before.

Don't forget Mother's Day is Sunday - just think where would we be without our moms? Gift Cards available! Classes today at 6am, 8:30am and 5pm. Saturday 8am and NEW class Sunday 9am.

9 ‘harmless’ habits that age you - Aging- msnbc.com

9 ‘harmless’ habits that age you - Aging- msnbc.com:

"You only exercise when trying to lose weight"

Exercise is one of the best turn-back-the-clock agents around, but too many of us don’t reap its full benefits because we only associate physical activity with weight loss. If you tend to hit the gym in 2-week stints to shed a few pounds, but then take a few months off from physical activity, you’re missing out on some major health perks. Research shows that vigorous exercisers have longer telomeres — cellular biomarkers that shorten as we age — compared with healthy adults who rarely work out. Being active consistently can help fight brain fog, reduce inflammation, and prevent type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions that crop up over time.

Act your age: Don’t let your sneakers get dusty. Choose any activity you enjoy — be it walking, cycling, or dancing — and aim for a minimum of 20 to 25 minutes a day. Break it down, if you have to, into two 10-minute sessions. Slowly increase the frequency, duration, and intensity in small increments. If you miss a day, don’t let it become a habit; just pick up again the next day."

New class on the schedule and it starts Sunday at 9am, Mother's Day! - what a great day to start your exercise commitment. Well moms, it's ok if you don't start Sunday...there's always Monday!

10 reasons to spin according to Wendy Dawn, a spin-aholic.

www.associatedcontent.com/article/928615/ten_benefits_of_spinning_exercises.html?cat=5

1. Burn calories

2. Cardiovascular Health

3. Progress at your own pace

4. Time flies

5. Low Impact

6. Shapely legs

7. Lower your breaking point

8. Get an Ab workout while you spin

9. Ride Together

10. Mental strength

Share some of the same reasons? What brings you to spin each week? Would love to hear!

Fashion fades, only style remains the same. ~ Coco Chanel

We all have our own style. I can see clothes, shoes and even jewelry and have certain friends in mind - she would look great in this, she would wear these, etc. Play with your style today, come see and feel the summer Kokoon collection at Sol Pedal. Great fabrics, awesome prints, all at affordable prices. You have been spinning hard...summer is here, treat yourself.

11 o'clock until 5 o'clock today

also, new class starting this Sunday at 9am

and

stay in shape this summer - June, July August for only $99

Life is short, dress cute everday!

Don't forget!

tomorrow: Tuesday, May 4th Kokoon trunk show

11am until 5pm

reasonably priced

sizes XS to XL
preview online at http://www.kokoon.net/

Please stop by and see the spring collection of Kokoon. Kassy Sjuggerud and I will be hosting the trunk show here at Sol Pedal. Many of you have seen, purchased and are familiar with the line of clothing. It is easy, relaxed, fun to wear and great for our weather. So come by, bring a friend and see what's new...

Life is short, dress cute everyday!

Great architecture is more than a physical thing, it is a spiritual thing. Great architecture, like great art, does something to the soul, it touches the heart in some deep and profound way. ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

the Robie House at the University of Chicago, taken by Russ Head

April 2010

As a child I loved designing and decorating Barbie houses. I then would sketch my dream house(s). What the outside might look like and then the inside and draw the furniture placement. In the back of my mind, I thought about being an architect or an interior designer. Then in college, I soon realized algebra and and geometry were not my favorite subjects. My love for the elements of design are still felt. Sitting with the kids and building with Lincoln Logs or Legos is great and sometimes surprising what you can create. I can get lost in a great home magazine too!

Our homes, our businesses should reflect us and make us feel good when we walk inside. Achieving this can be hard, but so rewarding. Styles come and go, but the core elements of your personality remain the same. Make your home, your office, your life reflect you. Trust your style.

Bike Safety Month

Did you know that today is the beginning of Bike Safety Month! This month promotes the various aspects of bicycling, including bike safety. Quick tips: wear brightly colored clothes and close fitting clothes. Tie your shoes, secure long laces and loose pants legs. Do not wear headphones. Always wear a properly fitted helmet. (except when you are on a spin bike, haha). Ride a bike that fits and be SAFE!

Shrimp Festival tip: Ride your bike downtown - easy way to avoid traffic! Enjoy your day! Class at 8am this morning.