KellyOlexa.com

Gabrielle Reece is all that. Period. How can you not watch her and be inspired? Also, two snaps! I just found her blog: CLICK HERE and bookmark it!!

Kids, I have to tell you, I don't know why, but as I have jumped into running, and into doing something that I'd built up such a fear around- and conquering it (yes, I've just started and I am a wee beginner but I've stuck with it, done it right, conquered the cramp issue and I'm LOVING it!), I'm realizing a couple new things about myself. 

I AM FAR MORE COMPETITIVE THAN I THOUGHT. 

Now that I'm reading Runner's World, and reading the blogs of fabulous runner chicks, and watching my BFF Amy excel (after she just did her first 1/2 marathon! YOU GO GIRL!) I see what they are doing and I want to get there. Not just get there, I want to surpass them. Is this wrong? I don't think so. It's friendly but intense competition and I think it is GOOD FOR US. It keeps you pushing to get better and better.

I AM NO LONGER INTERESTED IN JUST "LOSING WEIGHT". I AM INTERESTED IN PUSHING THIS BODY THAT GOD GAVE ME TO THE LIMITS TO SEE WHAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH. RAISING THE BAR HIGHER THAN EVER BEFORE AND JUMPING WAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY OVER IT. 

When I was at the More Magazine Reinvention Convention (please note, the company I work for, NMS is owned by Meredith Corporation, who runs More Magazine, FYI.) in Chicago, and got to hear Dara Torres speak, I remember thinking, "Wow she is like another LEVEL of athlete....". And when I think of Gaby Reece I think the same thing. These are simply two examples but do you know what I mean? These are women that are CRUSHING IT. And that's the only way to roll. IMO. 

I read in my recent Runner's World magazine something to the effect that "...when you branch out from just running into running your first 5K, then your first 1/2 marathon, you ARE an athlete. You train like an athlete, you eat like an athlete, you think like an athlete...." etc. It WOWED me to think that this could be me. I've always been Kelly that just loves working out but hasn't ever said "THERE! I MADE IT!" yet. 

It is so on. 

I am inspired and amped and I don't want to just play. I want to PLAY HARD. I want to KICK ASS. I want to blow my own expectations out of the water. I could care less that I'm only getting THIS amped when I'm 41. I have more energy and more knowledge NOW (and I know, I know, I look fabulous too>>>) than ever. It's time to BRING IT. Go BIG or Go HOME. And I'm not going home. 

I don't want to watch others and say "Wow they are so incredible, how did they DO that?". I want to think to myself, "Holy COW, that was so incredible! How did YOU do that??"

And of course, yes, I'd love to be that tall. It would help in my Badasseryness. But that's why I simply invest in 5 inch heels. 

There are 5 months left in this year. What are your plans? Do you plan to look back at 2010 and think, "HOLY COW, I amazed myself!!"? I know I do. 

Question of the Day: What do you want to do differently or better in the next 5 months so you wow yourself?? 

Today's workout was a mini-workout since I had my friend's daughter at my house overnight. She "works out" with me as I do Cathe's Core Cardio Circuit. 35 minutes only (I stopped about 5 minutes early) and I burned 370 calories. I am hoping I Have time enough tonight after packing for NYC to go for my run. This is week 2 of my training for a 5k!! And I am on day FOUR of no soda!! YAYA!! I'm totally down with it. Sherry and I are working on chugging 4 Qts of water a day. I tend to chug 2 Qts then on the 4th one I add the Arbonne Fizzy Tabs I told you about. Kids, they make water taste like soda-ish with the fizz but they are GOOD FOR YOU. Some of you emailed me asking for ingredients list and stats and I'm happy to do so. Then I'm going to get that Chlorophyll stuff from my BFF Amy- who should be on the vlog/blog next week. She is in NYC now, coming home tomorrow as I arrive.

WHO IS GOING TO BE AT BLOGHER?? LET'S HANG!!! LET ME KNOW!!

Below is a snippet from Cathe's Cardio Core Circuit. Love me some Cathe. Order from Cathe.com. 

Ok, I already did today's blog post (below this one) but I wanted to share a peek of the workout combo I did today. I know that I personally have discovered a LOT or most of my favorite home workout DVDs or types of workouts (i.e. kettlebells or Tabata) from other bloggers. So hopefully by sharing my "reviews" many of you can discover some new favorites.

Cathe has ALWAYS been a favorite. This woman knows her stuff. Her latest workout DVDs are killer, offering a ton of high intensity cardio. So I did Core Cardio Circuit first- stopping before the cooldown and then going right into Legs & Glutes, skipping the warmup for that and doing probably 80% of the video.

SWEATFEST. I CRUSHED IT. 925 CALORIES BURNED! WOOT!

Here are the previews of the two workouts:

I'm starting to feel the ab love. I'm starting to actually feel that by summer, with my diet efforts and training efforts, I will be sporting some lovely abs. Seriously. It has been a while since I've been able to say that. It rocks. 

Just had a killer workout: P90X Shoulders/Arms followed by Cathe's Cardio Core Circuit; Sweet Mother of God that's a hard cardio workout. SERIOUS STUFF. Lots of swearing and gasping! ;-)

Here is a peek. I must run, haircut today! Finally! And I believe I see some sushi and massage in my future.....and a movie? YUM.

Speaking of the abs/core focus, I just ordered this box of toys:

WHAT IS YOUR WORKOUT TODAY? 

....AND I am 50% closer to my goal of doing my entire workouts first thing in the morning. This is a really big goal for me, so I can be most effective in my work and my training. Both are important and I don't want to "wing it" with my schedule anymore. Today, I woke up, had some coffee, did some work, then did my workout- kick butt cardio, so much kicking butt that when I went to do my Bar Method "toning", my quads were shaking too much (from all the plyo) that I literally could not do it. (Will do this evening while I watch Mad Men. Yummy.)

So.....by next Monday, I will be at it where I'm totally FINISHED with my workouts by 8am! WOOT! 

The other thing I am REALLY going to focus on kids- and I think this may sound Dr. Phil but who cares. TALK NICE to yourself. I get so ticked off about this belly bulge that I have inherited recently (and did I mention that yes, I went up ANOTHER BRA SIZE- hormones & meds, good times! WTH??) I find myself like cursing myself out during my workout, like, "You are SO DISGUSTING!! You'll never get anywhere unless you starve!" Seriously. I hear myself saying this in my mind. That's not good. I need to ENCOURAGE MYSELF. I wouldn't say that crap to stranger or to any of YOU! Why say it to ME?? 

Kelly O, you KICK BUTT. Kelly O, you ROCKED IT. Kelly O, you get a little more buff EVERY SINGLE DAY. Kelly O, Huge Jackman is right outside your door BEGGING YOU for......OH WAIT WHAT?

UPDATED: Also, I want to work on COOKING NEW RECIPES- check out my girl Kelly at Fitting Back In who also was TOTALLY my inspiration to TRACK EVERYTHING. This girl is the SHIZZLE. She always makes new recipes and is killer about tracking diet and workouts. Her blog rocks. 

Here is a clip of the 5-STAR CARDIO from Cathe today. Kids- SERIOUSLY this is in the leagues with Insanity cardio, I kid you not. It is 53 minutes of high intensity plyo- tons of jumping and also core work. You need NO equipment- so another one ideal to do in a hotel room for road warriors. Take a peek. My Heart Rate was 150-180 the whole time. FIVE STARS (out of five!)