A Lasting Peace will be partnering with Alive Center in Naperville, Illinois on March 5th from 5:30-8:30pm for a special event and vegan potluck. 


Diana Piedra created ‘A Lasting Peace’ which is a community based on the idea and desire to create something sustainable and real in our society. Here, especially in this part of the world, there is a false sense that everything is perfect, she says.


“It isn’t perfect and it doesn't have to be. It is our rough spots and our differences that create the character of our culture and I believe we should celebrate all that,” Piedra states. “But there is animal abuse and sex trafficking and all kinds of real issues that need to be addressed.”


The Professor of International Human Rights in Chicago, Benjamin Wolf, will be the main speaker for the event as well as presentations from Hesed House, World Relief and Reclaim 13. 


Benjamin Wolf is a U.S. Congressional Candidate from Wicker Park in Chicago. Hesed House is a local organization whose goal is to end homelessness, World Relief "envisions the most vulnerable people transformed economically, socially, and spiritually” and Reclaim 13 fights human trafficking. 


“It is our hope that many will come to support these amazing organizations and to learn more about them. This will be very informative,” says Piedra. “T-shirts and tanks are for sale and donations will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit Hesed House, World Relief and Reclaim 13.”​

Details
Cost: Free
Date: March 5
Time: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm


Venue
Alive Center
500 W 5th Ave 
Naperville, IL 60563
Phone: 630-778-6093


Contact:
Diana Piedra
[email protected]
Ph: 815-341-2186

Today! After bootcamp. #AYFit #AcroFit #acroyoga #playfuntime :) At Hot Yoga Naperville!

It's pretty easy to get carried away with creating new goals for the new year. But I am going to focus on just one.

That's not to say I dont have a laundry list myself. You know, the list of self improvements or "the things I used to be able to do", but can't now. Every year we get older, fatter, slower, less ambitious... Well, okay, not all of us. I suppose I should speak for myself. But every moment of every month, of every week, of every day of every year, we change. Some of us have been riding the good train for a while, balancing it all, tweaking little imperfections here and there. Some of us have been working on little goals here and there: a month of sobriety, a month of yoga, train for a 5K and the like.

Last year at this time I completed my first marathon and was recovering from a broken collar bone which led me to quit yoga. Ive been a quitter for almost a year now. I was able to teach bootcamp and slowly but surely workedmy way back to full range of motion for my arm as I vividly remember working on push ups and holding my body weight and eventually climbing and cycling again. The last few months I have been doing more yoga because in the last year of not doing yoga I have become much more inflexible and gosh darn it if my whole body doesnt ache and groan with muscle fatigue! There is nothing like a good old hot sweaty vinyasa or a long slow yin class to make my body swoon.

Have you ever seen that meme? Isn't it true though? I am so lucky to be surrounded (mostly) by really fabulous human beings: thoughtful, considerate, nice to me, grateful, hard working, self starting, optimistic, upbeat and HONEST. Honesty is important... especially when you're being honest with yourself.

Every now and then I am put through the fire though. I hate. Yep - It is true. I become a hater. Then I walk through silent doldrums.

I remember someone told me what some other person was doing to them, and I said, "Wow - that person hates you! What ever did you do to him/her?" 

​... Sometimes, probably all the time, you don't want to know... And I wish I didn't know.

Hope you all have been having a greatly successful week of working out and eating right! I have had some questions on weight loss and nutrition. Of course, I ALWAYS emphasize following your body - really taking the time to tune in to what your body is REALLY telling you and how you can treat your body right! I think attending some of these outside workshops will certainly give YOU additional insight into how your body responds to working out and eating right - and how you can use that MATH & SCIENCE to get to where YOU really want to be.
So, I'd like to tell you a little about the Energy Bar, Snap Kitchen AND give you a few helpful links to help you on your weight loss and healthy eating journey.
THIS SATURDAY at 11AM with Victoria -> (RSVP today or tomorrow please please :) ) How to improve performance, heal from injury, stay injury free and get the most from your body and workouts: Energy Bar - with video: http://theenergybar.com Address: 640 S Washington St #180, Naperville, IL 60540, Phone:(630) 517-5944

Another great upcoming workshop:
Saturday, March 6th at 3pm with Ellen -> SNAP! Kitchen - downtown Naperville off Chicago Avenue - for healthy "fast food": http://www.snapkitchen.com
This place will give you great ideas also for how you can pre-pack and pre-prepare your nutrition for the week so that it's EASY for you to staying alignment with your HEALTH GOALS.

Helpful Links:
Body Mass Index calculator for calculating caloric intake v weight loss and weight maintenance:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
Nutrition guidelines for clean eating: http://www.choosemyplate.gov

Protips:
One thing I have been reading about in my CE studies for personal training is building a SUPPORT SYSTEM. I remember when I was about 8 years old I told my family I wanted to be vegetarian. It was actually exactly when I really started to put together where our meat came from - and it wasn't Jewel. I also started learning about health and cholesterol and it seemed like a win win situation - and that is exactly what I explained to my mom. My mom looked at me in the face and smiled politely and said, "Sure, whatever I wanted to do." She would be supportive of me.

Every night I would have to come inside for dinner at 6 or I'd be in trouble. That night I came in, washed my hands and sat down at the table enthusiastically talking about playing kickball or whatever with my friends and how I Could Not Wait for dinner (my mom always was a good cook!). My mom proceeded to plate the spaghetti and then pour the meat sauce... wait.. what? Mom, this is meat sauce.

"Noo," she said.

“Yes, mom. I can SEE the ground hamburger.”

“Oh, that?" <loving chuckle> "Thats NOT meat.”

THATS WHAT SHE SAID! That's not meat???? I could clearly see it was meat! Why do people do this? I don't know. at the end of the day and for the following 24 years I would have to watch out for mom sabotaging my vegetarian ways. Mom... oh mom.

Now- no, I do not think my mom had ill intent for me and my journey - I think she just didn't think I should be a vegetarian or maybe it was bad for my health or maybe that I didn't take it seriously. I shall never know. What I DO know is that as much as I loved her, she was NOT going to be my support group and cheerleader for this life choice. This made me really strongly focus on MY path and, eventually, I found a support system. It was always an uphill battle - but an educational one. No one ever benefitted from something that just came easily. I wouldn't trade the struggle for anything.

Okay - that's it for now! Hope to see you soon.
Cheers to your health!
Michelle

Attendance BOOST and web11:54 AM

Hey Bootcampers!


Hope this note finds you well. I meant to send this out yesterday, but did not get a chance. Because... Life, that's why.... AND that's also WHY I wanted to send you this message as well. 

Begins February 1st! Sign up at the studio, Complete the challenge, Win a free week of classes!