You may or may not know this, but I lost one of my best friends almost a year ago, December 23, 2010. My best friend “Tininha” was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a few months after her wedding. We met each other when we were 2 years old and we remained friends all those years until she died last year!! Only God knows how much she fought for her life!! She had more than 10 surgeries over the years.  Even though I was living here, in San Diego, for many years the distance did not separate us. We were always there for each other. Phone calls and emails were constant, but I wish I had been able to stand by her by her through all of her treatments.  She was my shoulder to cry on. She was always there for me, and me for her. When she shaved her head and sent me a picture I cried!!!  Right after that happened I was there to see her.  Thankfully she had all the love and support of her friends, a lovely husband and her family! Her positive attitude always amazed me and I think that helped extend her life.

Recently I found out that another good friend, Allison was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her surgery for double mastectomy is scheduled for Monday, November 14^th. After that she begins chemotherapy for 4 months.  I have known Allison for a while, maybe 6 years now.  At first she was only a Personal Training client and used to take my classes; Boot Camps and Body Blast at SDAC. As I got closer to her I saw the special person she was. Her soul and heart were beautiful! She is always happy!! Even when going through a hard time in her personal life she always had a positive attitude about everything.  Always smiling!!!  We became good friends; going out together, partying together, and having lots of fun. Now that she is going through this challenge in her life’ I  have decided not to waste time like I did with Tininha and do something big for Allison  something that will make a difference in  her fight  against breast cancer. Casey, another personal trainer and Vai Fitness instructor has done a lot of research and experimenting with “Superfoods”.  He discovered that certain “Superfoods (i.e. spirulina, bee pollen, cacao) are being used by doctors to CURE cardiovascular disease and in some cases cancer and other diseases previously considered terminal. Unfortunately this research is being pushed aside due to the strong influence of big pharmaceutical companies who are more concerned with profits than progress. Watch the documentary, “Food Matters” and you’ll see the importance of addressing your diet, especially with these “Superfoods”. To read more about this research check his blog at   http://ckfitnotes.com/2011/11/12/lets-save-a-life-with-superfoods/

So our idea is to help Allison during her chemotherapy by seeing that she gets all the strength & nutrition she can with plenty of “Superfoods”!  These super foods are expensive.  I have committed to raise a minimum of $ 500 within 6 months; but my real goal is $1000! I am donating part of my revenue from Vai Fitness to Allison and Casey is donating the money that he makes teaching Body Blast for Vai Fitness to Allison. Bonnie is walking 60 miles this weekend in AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER for Allison.

You can make a donation sending a check to Vai Fitness LLC, 1130 7^th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. We are asking each of our friends for a donation of only $5.

Thank you for your support; financial and emotional. Your donation will help Alison beat breast cancer!

Silvia Giamanco

PS :If you know of anyone affected by breast cancer,  Together we can save some lives – are you in?

2. Drink coffee

3. Sleep more

4. Do things by hand

5. Move Briskly

6. Eat Brreakfast

7. Fill up on fiber

8. Don’t eat late at night

9. Maintain good posture

10. Drink more water

11. Chew Gum

12. Drink green tea

13. Eat Salmon

14. Don’t snack in the car

15. Watch less television

1. staying hydrated can fight off fatigue and help to maintain energy levels

2. keeps muscle cells hydrated when exercising

3. can lower risk of heart attack

4. will help lower blood pressure

5. transports nutrients and oxygen in our blood streams

6. helps weight loss

7. reduces the risk of certain kind of cancers

8. keeps skin nourished

9. helps in digestion

10. can increase metabolism

So now you have heard it… make sure you stay hydrated and healthy!

The Nike free is an extremely comfortable shoe that stimulates barefoot running and helps to strengthen the foot. It has cushioning, traction, and underfoot protection.

Under Armor Apparition ( $99.99)

The Under Amor Apparition has breathable mesh and other synthetic materials for an overall comfortable feel.

Vibram Five Fingers Sprint ($80)

Vibram five fingers is a unique shoe different from anything else. The shoe covers each toe ( like toe socks) and also stimulates barefoot walking. The shoe has a hook and loop closer to keep it secure and is designed for light hiking, running, and fitness training.

Nike Women’s Shox Turbo+ ($99.99)

This new model of shox are  good shoe for lifting weights. They are attractive and comfortable but not good for anything with a lot of foot movement.

Adidas Clima LS Fitness Shoe ( $74.99)

This shoe is designed to keep your feet cool and dry during workouts and is extremely comfortable.

1) take the stairs when you can

2) park further away from the entrance

3) sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair to strengthen your abs and correct your posture

4) set an alarm for every hour to stand up, stretch, and take deep breaths

5) use the bathroom on a different floor

6) leave something in your care that requires you to walk back to it during the day

7) get a headset for your phone so you can move around walk you talk

These are just a few tips to stay healthy during the work week. Also remember to eat healthy and drink lots of water!

1) Exergamming…. new things such as the Nintendo Wii have lead people to exercise in their own living room! All you have to do is turn on the TV, grab a control, and start your exercise!

2) Low Carb Diets have been extremely popular in the past ten years. Things such as the Atkin’s Diet and South Beach Diet were taking over. In recent years, people have learned that carbohydrates are not the enemy and in moderation actually have benefits.

3) Health Gadgets- Nike even has a foot chip to monitor your exercise! With things ranging from the body bug and GPS trackers, technology has played a huge role in fitness recently.

4) Dancing away the pounds! Pole fitness has become increasingly poplar for women who are not afraid to let loose!

5) Pilates, yoga, meditation, and an overall healthier lifestyle have also been really popular and people believe they have huge benefits.

1. Fact or fiction: cardio burns more calories than strength training. Fiction—new studies show that strength training is superior to steady-state cardio in caloric burn. The other huge benefit to strength training is that it continues to boost your metabolism after your workout and also builds muscle that will increase your fat-burning potential after your cardio workouts.
2. Fact or fiction: you can reduce cellulite through exercise. Fact—cottage cheese thighs affect everyone, including the fittest athletes. While exercise can’t prevent cellulite, it can help reduce the appearance of dimples. Since cellulite is fat, you can reduce is appearance by toning and maintaining a good diet.
3. Fact or fiction: crunches are the best way to target flabby abs. Fiction—crunches aren’t very effective for one primary reason: most women initiate their crunches with their hip flexor muscles without engaging much of their core. This movement may get the surface muscles to strengthen, but does nothing to improve the deeper muscles underneath, which are also essential to a flat stomach. A better move for flat abs is to practice the Pilates move of the “plank” or “side plane”.
4. Fact or fiction: exercise improves your ability to learn. Fact—it sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. Several studies discovered that those who exercised right before attempting to learn had improved capabilities. Other studies also discovered that physical activity improves attention span and memory as well.
5. Fact or fiction: the morning is the best time to exercise. Fiction—actually, the best time of the day to work out is between 4 and 6 p.m. since muscle strength and temperature peek at this time of day. Plus, if you’ve eaten breakfast and lunch, then you have fuel stored up. Additionally, your pain threshold and mental clarity are best at that time of day. However, the most important thing to do is pick a time of day to exercise that works for you and that you can stick with.
6. Fact or fiction: running a marathon increases your risk of a heart attack. Fact—marathons do cause short-term damage to the heart, but not permanent damage. A May 2009 study form Winnipeg’s St. Boniface Hospital and the University of Manitoba tracked 14 athletes that participated in the Manitoba Marathon, and all showed cardiac stress immediately after the race. After a week of rest, however, the runners’ hearts showed no long-term effects, and for most, heart function had returned to pre-marathon levels. The most important things to do if you’re new to marathon racing is to talk to your doctor beforehand and make sure to training appropriately before running the race.
7. Fact or fiction: lift weights quickly to increase the burn. Fiction—actually, if you’re lifting weights quickly, you’re probably using more momentum than actual muscle to lift. Try lifting weights slowly and you’ll get more burn. The downside? Most people don’t have enough patience for a slow lift.
8. Fact or fiction: always stretch before you run. Fiction—this is a hot-button issue in running circles. While “stretch before running” used to be the conventional wisdom, the belief is starting to shift thanks to several studies. For example, a review by epidemiologist Ian Shrier, M.D., of six stretching studies in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found that none of the studies showed that stretching before exercise prevented injury. Furthermore, Olympian Jeff Galloway has coached more than 250,000 runners and no longer recommends a pre-run stretch because of the increase in injuries he’s seen from pre-run stretching.
9. Fact or fiction: skinny people are always healthier than overweight people. Fiction—the key to good health is not just how you look, a.k.a. your weight. Instead, better indicators of good health are low blood pressure and cholesterol, and resting heart rate.

- The Injury Board

Encouraging words are often all it takes to push a fitness routine further or try harder. If you want a workout buddy but don’t know how to find one, follow these tips. It won’t be long before you’re hitting the trail with a comrade in arms!

• Meet someone in a fitness class. Familiarity has a way of making people feel comfortable, so it won’t seem odd if you strike up a conversation with someone you see regularly in class. I used to go to the same yoga class every week and eventually became friends with a classmate. In no time, we were sharing rides to the studio and dinner afterwards.
• Join an exercise group. Most cities have running and cycling groups — guaranteed ways to meet people who like exercising with other folks. A simple Internet search should help you find a group, or, as an alternative, check with your local sports store. The sports stores in my areas host free weekly exercise events that include running, cycling, and yoga.
• Sign up for a partnered sport or group lessons. Some sports — like rock climbing — lend themselves to finding a partner because you can’t do the sport without one. You can use Internet forums to find a partner, or go to a specialized gym where they’ll help you. If you’re new to the sport sign up for group lessons. You’ll meet other people who want to learn the same activity as you, and who are also on the same skill level.

Once you’ve found yourself a partner, make sure you make the most of it, and don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to one person. The more exercise buddies, the merrier!

- Fit Sugar

This is one of our favorites: the Bright Blue Cali Capri!