It’s my favorite question.

If you’ve heard me lecture or present on business or teaching you know that “what would it look like” is at the heart of my approach to well…everything.

The very nature of the question implies that all things are possible.  That anything is possible.  And that whatever it is, isn’t subject to some pre-existing template.  You get to decide.

The Olympics kicked off this past week and each of these tremendous athletes have someone close to them who imagined what it would look like if this bundle of talent standing next to them were cultivated and trained to it’s highest possible level.  The athletes themselves must ask themselves daily, what would it look like if I do or do not make it to the team.  What will it look like if I make it to the podium?

“What would it look like” kicks off all our staff meetings.  It kicks off my project and program development.  And it kicks off most of my problem solving efforts.  Because what it does look like is simply never as important as what it could look like.

Potential is everything.

The question is a visual one.  Can you see, really see what it would look like?

If you can, even if it’s only a glimmer….go get it.

~Alycea

January is closing up shop so we should all take stock and see if this first month is still on track.  Did you (we) hold steady in our resolve to better, improve, maintain and the like?  Or did you (we) veer wildly off course, distracted by the promise of …well, nothing really – that’s the screwy thing about distractions.

Somewhere during this month, my hard fast shooting date turned into a fluid “likely to be March …but not sure of dates yet..” sort of timeline.  Which threw a serious monkey wrench in my tight as nails schedule.  Not to mention grossly lessened my resolve.  The control over my own elements and environment are so much more easily managed and tolerated.  Once it’s out of my hands, you’ll find me scarfing down apple danishes and marshmallows while I watch tweets and status updates flit across my screen.

I did, in fact, stay focused on the positive aspects of this development.  Namely that I will never ever regret  having had even more time to prepare.  I won’t be sorry I had extra time to get in shape, rehearse, script and brainstorm.  But right now I’m right where the pause button always puts me – in the doldrums  – and the best possible cure for this is focusing on other people and new projects!  In this way I can redirect the attention away from myself,  feed off of the good spirits and creativity around me and channel my energies to good use.

So far this week I’ve downed some cheesecake, pie and more Skinny Cows than I should BUT I’ve also cranked out a neat new teacher’s tool, mapped out a nifty Pilates tech gadget and established a formula for ongoing wellness retreats that I’m really  stoked about.  And now – some 5 days after the proverbial “fall” off the wagon, I feel ready to regroup and hit the mat.

Inspiration and motivation come in many forms.  My abs may be a little less impressive this week but the creative part of my mind had a week-long intensive and that felt really, really great!

Alycea

Next week:  From Tutus to Cha-chas….

I signed up today with a trainer I know for a 21 day Cardio Challenge.

(reminder if you are just tuning in, I have under 6 weeks to be in kick-butt shape for the DVD I’m filming)

Key to success, any success, is accountability.  For some, this means simply charting, recording or calendaring your goals.  Others are event driven.  A race, a reunion, a big affair can certainly serve to hold you accountable to others.  For me, this is tough – I’m simply not motivated enough to hold myself on task and events come and go without any measurable achievements.  I am far more motivated by the praise and encouragement of others.  But there are some caveats here.  And I think just by writing this down, there will be some self-discovery on my part.  So bear with me.

~First - It can’t be someone too close to me.  Friends and family don’t hold you that accountable.  In fact, they piss you off sometimes.  But even worse, you’ll tell them where to go when you find yourself slipping off the wagon.  Relationships are strained, love is lost and well….you know the rest.

~Second – It has to be someone I like or look up to enough to want to impress!  In my world this means someone who doesn’t know me very well.  It’s as though I get to make repeated good “first impressions’ – and as it relates to fitness this is a very good thing.  Think Groundhog Day.

~Third  – Someone I know “a little” is infinitely more motivating than a total stranger.  If you think someone might expect a certain level of commitment or performance from you, you are that much more likely to deliver.  And by “you” I mean “I”, of course.

~Fourth – It’s gotta change up periodically.  The same person gets too familiar, too sympathetic and suddenly there I am making excuses about my shoes being not right or my shoulder being tweaked today or a bad night’s sleep.  All total cop-outs.  I’m just looking for the easy out.

You may have your own rules about this but I’m betting none of us give much thought to the exact type of person that takes us across the finish line.  It’s January and there’s no better time to sort this out so go ahead and examine what type of person would make you work the hardest, go the extra mile, and push hard in spite of your softer tendencies.  I am thrilled when I am pushed to the limit and happiest after a grueling workout where I went boldly outside my comfort zone.  But it takes a certain type of coach to get me there!

21 days from now I hope to have completed my Cardio challenge (note to readers:  I hate cardio – remember, former dancer, pilates guru, you get it…).  My coach?  The lovely and talented trainer extraordinare Jewel Elizabeth.  I barely know her, she is NOT friends  or family, and being in the biz herself I sense that she expects me to succeed – this is the magical formula for me!

Think about it.  What (and I mean Who) would make you truly accountable?  All input welcome, as always.

Alycea

Ok – I’m not asking for any slack here.

Remember this blog right now is serving as an insider’s view so that all you folks who think us exercise peeps are genetically blessed can get a “behind the scenes” glimpse of our regular struggles.  And also to keep me on track with my fitness, health and weight control as I prep for a video shoot.

Today is Monday and it’s a notable Monday because it has been 7 days since I had my last diet coke! Let me clarify.

By “last” I mean the one before right now.  I’ve changed my goal from cold turkey never again to “maybe just one a week”.  I’m not giving it up forever but I’m dramatically weaning myself off the toxic stuff.  Before you judge me too harshly – know this.  I don’t drink coffee. There, see, I’m not as pathetic as you thought I was 5 seconds ago.

So Yay for me!  If I can have one Diet Coke a week – I figure my body can flush it out in 6 days time!  And how much better is one a week, than one (ok, sometimes 2) a day?  I am very impressed with myself!

It started with a cleanse!

Last Monday I began a 3-day juice cleanse and stuck to it!  I even added an extra day of cleansing on my own on Thursday since I had some juices left over.  On Christmas Day I ate, but lightly. And this weekend I’ve been watching calories and my protein vs. carbs ratio, so I think I’ve got a handle on it.

Of course, everyone wants to know how much weight you lose on a cleanse and if it all comes back immediately.  For me, it was about 4-5 lbs.  And so far, no, it hasn’t come back but it wasn’t really about the weight – what I’m really trying to control is my sugar cravings and seemingly insatiable hunger!  If I had my druthers, I would eat non-stop, pretty much all the time.  So that’s the gauge by which I am measuring my success.

Did it work?

I can’t say I’m less hungry.  But I didn’t even think about a diet coke until today.  And I absolutely have not been gorging on sweets so two out of three is a healthy start.

I will also say that the cleanse was tolerable – I had very little confidence that I would complete it and certainly didn’t imagine I’d go one day extra.

For anyone that wants to try:

Blueprint Cleanse - Renovation – level one

You can choose 1 or 3 days or more.  First timers – tread lightly.

They are quite popular and this is my only complaint – cleansing is often an impulse choice.  At least twice in the past month, I’ve tried to get on their calendar to begin and was told they were sold out or I’d have to be on the wait list.  I shopped around for some other sources and came up with American Yogini as well as Organic Avenue.  Some folks recommended Clean by Alejandro Junger but I am never going to prepare my own juices and mixed (think breakfast and morning duty with two kids)  - it’s just not gonna happen.  So I did, in fact, wait it out and went with Blueprint.  But from a marketing perspective, my business mind was screaming “don’t make a hungry person wait if they are willing to starve themselves..right this second!”

In the end, I prevailed.  The New Year is in a few days and I think I’m off to a good start but maybe one more cleanse will knock back that nast Cheetos habit.  (just kidding ….  sort of)

Next up: The Pilates gal goes rogue with brand new workouts!…stay tuned.

Today I cleanse!

And tomorrow too.

This goes on for three days and then Christmas eve and Christmas day come to thwart my detox efforts thus leaving me back at day 1,… again. 

And again. 

Sounds  a little like groundhog’s day.

Here’s the deal.  The real deal.  Despite notions to the contrary, health and fitness gurus struggle with food, weight and well-being just like everyone else.  I am no more above a binge, purge or protracted period of laziness than anyone else! But I have a job which holds me to a high standard and in just two short months I’ll be filming a video.  If that inspires fear in you, imagine what it does to me, as the voice, face and yes, body of the project.

So I’ve decided to blog about the process.  My personal “get in shape” efforts as well as the behind the scenes process.  If you have questions, comments or just want to weigh in on this thread, please feel free.  I’m rallying all the support I can get.  And I’m hoping that in the process of coaching me through this, you’ll awaken your own “inner” coach and find yourself just a tiny bit more motivated. 

Today begins day 2 of my 3 day Juice detox.  Is this smart on Christmas week?  I’m not sure but I know my body well enough to know that kickstarts are really really helpful.  Plus, I have a nasty diet coke habit I’m trying to kick.  So with a bit of a haze around me and a fairly sour stomach – I’m reaching for the trademarked Green Juice that will be the staple of my day.  It didn’t help that I had a 6:30am radio show to wake up for – or that I have a midnight one tomorrow night but I will not be deterred!  (hey, juice cleanses are NOT cheap!)

So here we go…….stay tuned!

Alycea

In about 2 hours we will film a segment for the TV Guide Network and I have the customary nervous energy I seem to manifest before these events.  No matter how often I am on camera or in the press, my jitters remain a steady level “8″.

Today it’s my earrings I’m obsessing about.  I have 4 styles of tops, my favorite workout pants as well as sneakers and lots of hair ties.  But my schedule was such that I had to teach a client very early today and as a result I left my earrings at home.  I realize that no one viewing this program will be astonished by the absence of earrings.  I don’t imagine my  mother will say, “Alycea, I can’t believe you forgot to wear earrings!”.  And yet, with a tightly pulled back ponytail, I’m convinced that my head will look naked and unprofessional without just a bit of bling.

Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff?  Isn’t that what they say?  The earrings are simply a vehicle for me to focus my attentions on.  In truth, I am prepared with a model at the ready, a script of things I’d like to touch on and a support team to rival the president at a press conference.  But I can’t just sit here waiting…..  You see the problem?

So what’s a nervous girl without a Green Room to do?

..do you think Century 21 is too far to go for earrings?

Wish me luck!