SUMMER IS HERE!!!!!!!!!

Well, I guess I didn't need the temp reading in my car to tell me it's Summer...since it has been reading 100+ degrees lately (oh how I miss Cali!) or the fact that when I went to the Harkins Theater Summer movie pass this morning with Pry'nce and had to stand in a ridiculously LONG line to see a movie I had never even heard of before..."Clifford, the Big Dog Movie..." or something like that and kids were stepping on my toes, running and screaming, laughing with popcorn spilling out of their kids packs to inform me it was Summer.  I know it's Summer because all my FAVORITE cute halter tops, Maxi dresses and casual shorts are staring at me in my closet saying..."it's time to put me on girlfren and you better look good in me too!"  YES...my clothes talk to me, don't yours?

The reason I want to talk about it finally being Summer is...during the summer all of us busy moms have our kids in a bunch of different activities.  Whether it's summer camp, swimming lessons, soccer games, or playdates our kids have got some busy social calendars!  My son is only FOUR and I am constantly at the Disney Store buying a birthday gift for him to bring to one of his many friends birthday parties and he's only in PRESCHOOL!  Let's face it, our weekends are spent driving our kids around to their social events.  Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy it and love the fact that my child enjoys playing with other children and has lots to do to keep himself entertained and happy....but what about time for FITNESS??? 

Now fortunately for me, I live and breathe fitness because I have the privilige to change lives and touch souls through the power of fitness every day for a living as a Personal Trainer.  However, I still need to take care of my fitness needs as well.  I am proud to say that I managed to get in my 60 minutes of cardio BEFORE the morning movie and another 30 minutes of weights during the naptime BEFORE the afternoon play date.  Here's the deal...CHOOSE A TIME every day for yourself.  Fitness is key to living a longer, healthier life and allows us to be more active with our children who enjoy going outside and actually "playing" like we did (or at least I did) when we were kids.  Take at least 30 minutes a day to do something FUN and ACTIVE for your health...if that means turning on some music and grooving while you throw a load of laundry in or do some squats as you prepare tonight's dinner...or even doing some side bends as you brush your teeth in the morning but you've gotta do it.  Also, even if it's just for 20 minutes...after dinner, go outside for a bike ride or walk to the neighborhood park and as your child plays on the slide, throw a frisbee around with your hubby or friend.  FITNESS IS FUN and can be done any way that makes you happy and allows you to burn a calorie or two.

I will wrap this up by saying...Summer is here.  Instead of waiting for the New Year (like most people do) to say you'll do something for your health and fitness...do it NOW.  Enjoy the beautiful mornings and evenings by doing something ACTIVE...and before you know it, your cute summer clothes won't be "begging" you to put them on...but instead will be asking you to ADD more cute clothes to the rotation...and maybe even in a smaller size!  Have a beautiful rest of the week and have fun at those pool parties...

As always...STAY FIT AND HAPPY!
Famisha :-)

Getting it done!!

So people wonder how I can be so passionate about exercise.  Well here's the deal...it's health and wellness people...it's MENTAL health and PHYSICAL health...which results in GOOD health.  One thing I've discovered in life is there are NO guarantees, but if I can do everything possible to control my destiny when it comes to my health and well being...well, I'm gonna do just that!

I've gotta say, working out can truly be fun.  Now my husband thinks I'm crazy which is funny seeing how when we met, he was a professional athlete...NO not a NBA player which one would assume with as passionate as I am about basketball (okay the LAKERS!), but instead was a BMXer/Downhill Mtn Biker which I knew nothing about.  He tells me "you know Famisha, it isn't that fun and not everyone enjoys working out..."  I find this a pretty interesting statement since every time we go on our big family bike rides on a Sunday and I'm grimacing because my thighs are ON FIRE and the wind is blowing hard against us which of course makes your legs burn even MORE...I glance over at him as he pulls our 46lb child in a bike trailer and he's just smiling and enjoying himself like it's no big deal, really?! 

So here's my point for this blog of the week...everyone has their own idea of what is actually FUN when it comes to exercise.  There aren't any RULES...just do it!  I personally love intense bootcamps (which is why I teach them), weight training, cardio on the elliptical but these are "typical" types of text book exercising.  But you know what else is fun exercise?  Turning up the stereo in my home gym and getting my groove on with my four year old son as we dance and dance and laugh and laugh!  We do this sometimes for 20 minutes and guess what...that counts as exercise!

So whatever you do...take the time this weekend and upcoming week to just GET IT DONE!  Find at least 20 minutes to MOVE and get your heart rate up.  Your mind and body will thank you later...I know I'm glad that my Saturday workout is now complete and so it's time to go have some fun with my son for the day who yes, once again CHALLENGED me to an "Ab Crunch off!"  I know he's just a child, but I was not going to let a four year old out crunch me!  So I might be sore later...hahaha!

Thanks as always for taking the time to read my blog and my words of wisdom for the day is GET IT DONE!  Burn some calories this weekend and upcoming week!  And as always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

FEELING GOOD TODAY!!

Hi everyone and Happy Sensational Saturday!  I am so happy to say that I just had a fabulous 90 minute (60 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weight resistance training) workout after not being able to workout for 2 days due to surgery on my arm.  Now I'm sure you're thinking..."ummm...what's the BIG DEAL about 2 days off?!  Shouldn't you take 2 days off?!"  Well, to answer your question...YES and NO!   No working out for me meant I couldn't teach my INTENSE Wed morning bootcamp class @5am...now the sleep in was nice, but the GUILT for not being there to instruct my bootcampers and put in work with them was alittle overwhelming and then Thursday was actually fun because it meant spending the day with not only my son of course but also my parents for a bit.  It was very fun to watch my son and dad (his Paw Paw) play together on my dad's puttin green...hey!  at least I got to enjoy WATCHING them be active, right?  But I must say I actually SURVIVED taking two whole days off from physical activity and let me tell you my body in a way said "Thank You Famisha!"  I will say however, that teaching Boxing bootcamp yesterday to a room full of hardworking, fitness goal seeking warriors was tons of fun and being able to get back on it today has felt great!

So here's my point...YES...there is actually a point to all this madness!  It is OKAY to take 2 days off to let your body rest and recover.  Now if you don't exercise that day, then you must focus and be on top of your nutrition...PROPER food intake is key!  Like I always tell my clients...energy IN vs. energy OUT.  If you know you're going to go out that night and woop it up...like me and my hubby last Saturday, shout out to my bro Marlon for babysitting for me so I could FINALLY have a date night with my hubby!!  Then you make sure you start your day off right with as much calorie burn as you can for that day so that you can enjoy your self that evening.  Life is about smart choices...I chose to drink a cocktail or two on my date night so I also chose to do a 90 min workout to start my day off right so I could end my day off right with some adult fun!

One more thing, exercise doesn't mean you have to KILL yourself in the gym like I enjoy doing to myself most of the time...but it also means MOVEMENT.  Going on a bike ride with your family which I did enjoy doing last night with my hubby and son to the park OR it can mean gardening which brace yourself...I will be doing later on this beautiful morning with my son.  I am planting some more seeds in my flower gardens...that counts as exercise.  Whatever you do this weekend, just get outside and enjoy the beautiful day.  Go for a walk, bike ride, a nice run, garden, throw a frisbee, fly a kite...whatever it is...just MOVE.

So guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm feeling good today and I wish YOU the same!  Take some time to do something for your health and fitness this weekend and week...

As always...Stay Fit and Happy!
Famisha :-)

MOMS! You CAN get in shape!!

Hi everyone!  Welcome to my very first blog!  If you are taking the time to read this...I thank you.  I've decided to start a fitness blog because fitness is something I'm very passionate about.  Something else I'm very passionate about is my FAMILY.  Being a mom is a FULL-TIME job.  Now if you're like me, you also work a full-time job and when you aren't doing that, your other full time job begins which is...name tag please, MOMMY.  I love being a mommy and frankly with all the things I have accomplished in my life and let me say humbly I have accomplished and done some pretty amazing things already in this lifetime...becoming a MOM is and will always be my biggest, best and proudest accomplishment ever!

As we moms all know and should try to remember there was at sometime in our life a time that we were an individual...not "oh are you Pry'nce Millman's mom?"  But rather "Hi!  I'm Famisha La'Pree (if it was for an audition) or Hi!  I'm Famisha La'Pree J-Millman if it were for work as a Personal Trainer, social gathering, what have you.  Well, now that we've established that there was life before child, I want to also let you know something else....YOU CAN STILL BE A BUSY MOM, WIFE, DAUGHTER, SISTER, ETC and be the size you want to be, feel good about yourself and most importantly be a great example to your child on how important it is to get away from the DVD, COMPUTER, VIDEO GAME, etc and actually PLAY.  Going for a walk, riding bikes, playing basketball, kicking a soccer ball or even playing tag...it's all FITNESS related.

I must say, however, that even though I work for a beautiful fitness facility and have access to some fantastic equipment at work...well, I'm lucky enough to also have a home gym.  And let me tell you...NO EXCUSES!  My four year old son has seen me work out (or as he calls it "put in work") since he was 6 months old chillin in his bouncy.  Nothing makes me prouder than having him stand next to me and imitate the exercises he sees me do in the mirror or challenge me to a "AB CRUNCH OFF!"  It is so important that we instill the importance of health and fitness to our children at a young age so they see how fun it is to MOVE and keep their joints...growing joints that is, nice and strong and healthy.

I'm going to stop now because I could go on and on...but would like to once again THANK YOU for actually taking the time to read my VERY FIRST BLOG and promise to add a PART 2 very soon on how you can make FITNESS FUN for both you and your family!  I will also be posting my YOUTUBE video soon of me and my 4 year old son working out together in my home gym and how it really is fun exercising with your child.  Not only do YOU feel good, but so does your child.

Stay Fit and Happy!
FAMISHA :-)