My not so formal Yoga Teaching Resume

So I just moved back down to south Florida from Massachusetts. After a year and a half in New England, I grew and learned so much about myself and life. I found a yoga studio and a community that would influence and inspire me to pursue my 200hr RYT.

I discovered different styles and approaches to yoga that I never experienced before… classes so special and unique to me that I have been elated over the idea of bringing these amazing classes and experiences with me to south Florida.

I want to give people the experience that I have had. Mentally I transformed, physically, I began to move better, feel better and stronger than ever before.

So, here I am… and while I’m from south Florida and know a lot of people. The yoga community and industry is new to me here.

I want to teach. It’s what I want to do. I also need to pay my bills. So I hope that between my approaching new studios and networking as much as I can- that I will be able to do so.

What do I teach? Below are descriptions of the classes I would love love love to teach in studios down here in south Florida. If you know of any teachers, studio owners, and could help make the connection that would be amazing. I also teach privates, bridal and corporate classes.

My teaching style: I feel that ambiance is a big component to helping to create the experience for us to get lost on our mats. A welcoming and comfortable vibe. I love to create the space, music and energy that suits the class and demographic I am teaching. I love teaching mindful classes and using the Fluid approach of throwing out little “nuggets” throughout class that may stimulate your own contemplative thinking that you can use both on and off the mat. I hope that I can give practitioners an experience that they can take with them and feeling better than they did when they walked in to class.

Broga® Yoga is geared for men, but open to all. Strong, energetic,and challenging, Broga combines core-strengthening, muscle-toning, stress-reducing, clarity-enhancing yoga postures with functional fitness exercises for an awesome workout of the body and mind.

Broga creates a platform for those who have always wanted to try yoga but for whatever reason they have not. This class is encouraging- ACCESSIBLE , sweaty and Safe!

Fluid – All Levels
In this Fluid Yoga class, we will dynamically link the flowing nature of the breath with mindful, continual movement and creative sequencing. This heat-building vinyasa flow will not only increase strength and flexibility, but also train the mind to be more content and relaxed throughout the most difficult challenges on and off the mat.
Using the classical elements as inspiration, we will become grounded and refine our balance with the earth, explore flowing movement and grace in the manner of water, ignite fire within our bodies through core strengthening and detoxification, and empower the air flowing within us through breath control and mind training. All classes end with a guided savasana, to embrace our space element and rejuvenate the spirit. The ultimate goal is for students to leave class feeling peaceful, powerful and full of bliss.
Come prepared with an open mind and mindful approach. These classes are ALL LEVELS

SPA Yoga
SPA Yoga is a great way to end the long work week, or weekend.

Spa yoga is 75 min slow flow floor based yoga class that is based on the Fluid Yoga Sequencing. This class flows through the body’s senses to discover a deeper awareness. The physical practice spends time opening all energetic points of the body to leave the practitioner with a blissed out feeling.  We will end with a relaxing 15 minute guided meditation.

During SPA, you may discover extra hands on assists and massages, a calming candlelit room atmosphere, delightful scents and beautiful music in the background.

Be prepared to feel like you just walked out of a SPA!

FLUID Bliss: Where Fluid Yoga Flow and SPA Yoga Meet

Rev up your body with a slow Fluid Yoga vinyasa flow of smartly sequenced asanas designed to promote strength and flexibility, then renew your spirit and mind with the SPA Yoga signature floor-based, whole-body sensory experience. We’ll find balance between movement and stillness, effort and rest, steadiness and ease—in a 50/50 split of standing and floor work. Close practice with a luscious extended savasana that will bring you to your happy place.
—

It’s a Yin / Yang practice with a FLUID / SPA VIBE.

* This is an ALL LEVELS 75 min class with both standing and seated postures set to music

FLUID YOGA + YOGA NIDRA
In this Fluid Yoga class, we will dynamically link the flowing nature of the breath with mindful, continual movement and creative sequencing. This heat-building vinyasa flow will not only increase strength and flexibility, but also train the mind to be more content and relaxed throughout the most difficult challenges on and off the mat.This is a 75 minute vinyasa session followed by a 30 min Yoga Nidra Shavasana. Yoga Nidra, also called Yoga Sleep is a form of deep relaxation with a guided meditation. You won’t want to miss!Using the classical elements as inspiration, we will become grounded and refine our balance with the earth, explore flowing movement and grace in the manner of water, ignite fire within our bodies through core strengthening and detoxification, and empower the air flowing within us through breath control and mind training. All classes end with a guided savasana, to embrace our space element and rejuvenate the spirit. The ultimate goal is for students to leave class feeling peaceful, powerful and full of bliss.Come prepared with an open mind and mindful approach. These classes are ALL LEVELS

** if you can help spread the word or have an interest in helping me to get started down here – I appreciate it!

Email: missSammieRose

My top ten favorite fitness related gifts for the holidays!

Buying a gift for a fitspo? I have lots of ideas but to start here’s my top 10, with budget in mind and in no particular order:

1. Gym boss $19.95

This awesome old school beeper looking gadget is my favorite workout accessory ! It can add a fun element to change up your training or if you teach classes of any sort it’s a great addition to keep in your “tool belt.” The Gym boss is an interval timer, it allows you to set up time intervals and will automatically beep or vibrate when the time interval is up, and you can set how many rounds you want it to repeat for. I have a lot of fun working with cardio if I just pick a few movements, set some time intervals and get lost in my headphones!

http://www.gymboss.com

2. Polar Heart Rate Monitor FT4 $99.95

This guy is a great motivator gift! It’s a watch and also a heart rate monitor. You do have to wear a band around your sternum to monitor but for me I find it fun and motivating to see your calories burned and heart rate, you can see your improvements and compete with yourself! It can also be worn as a watch by itself. I bought myself the FT7 but I only use the features that are on the FT4. If you’re buying a gift for someone who really enjoys tracking numbers, the FT7 can be set up where on your computer (or maybe even an app now? I’m a little behind) you can track your calories burned, heart rates, etc over time and see them on a graph. If you’re fitspo is a simple person – the FT4 is super simple and does the trick!

http://www.polar.com/us-en

3. The Dolce Diet Living Lean CookBook $24.99

The Dolce Diet is hands down (in my opinion and thousands of others) THE BEST healthy recipe compilation that has ever existed. Seriously, everyday I tell my clients who are “bored” with their food choices to buy Dolce!

If your fitspo likes to cook, or is looking for delicious healthy recipes… look no further. Vegan, gluten, athlete- all recipes are marked making this the most user friendly recipe book I’ve ever come across. For example, if “Supafly Chicken Salad” has a G,A next to it, I know it’s G-gluten free, A – athlete (in other words it’s nutrient dense and fueling with protein, carbs and fat that the body needs for physical activity). Every recipe I have made from Dolce is delish!

This is a recipe book the whole family would love, and is delicious and nutritious. And how much easier would eating healthy be if it was something everyone would eat?!? Your fitspo would love this. Either of the two or both! And if you check out his site, there’s even a holiday dishes recipe guy!

http://dolcedietshop.com

4. The Stick (Sprinter Stick) $34.95

This guy is like a “toothbrush for your muscles. ” If yourfitspo lifts weights or runs or even spends a lot of time in dress shoes, The Stick is great to roll out areas that are hard to really get or leverage on a foam roller. The Stick is extra awesome to use for tight neck muscles, upper traps, calves AND the bottoms of your feet ! It’s crazy how tight the bottoms of your feet can get and this contributes to a lot of other tightness. I love my Stick for my neck, calves, feet, scar tissue areas and my glutes and quads for enhanced recovery of a serious leg day! Your fitspo would love this compact muscle hygiene tool !

http://thestick.com

5. The Scoopie Double Protein Pack $7.99

If your fitspo likes their protein shakes, powdered greens or any other powdered shakes or supplements, they will love this genius invention! The Scoopie allows for you to keep a scoop on the go and the funnel cap allows for you to just pour the powder right into a water bottle! A life safer if you forgot your shaker, or if you forgot to clean it! As for the 2 pack; why not? They also have some fun colors available!

http://thescoopie.com

6. Theracane $35 (ish)

Another muscle hygiene tool, the Theracane allows you to reach deep and very localized areas and gives you leverage to hit what you might otherwise need another person and their thumb for.

http://theracane.com

7. Foam Roller

Everyone could benefit from foam rolling! What might start out as a love/hate relationship will develop into an all love relationship for a foam roller and its owner. The best muscle hygiene tool there is, foam rolling helps with recovery, posture, mobility,circulation, and a ton of other fantastic things. If your fitspo is new to foam rolling – look for a medium soft one. If you squeeze it, it should have some give. If they roll at the gym you can go for a medium. I personally avoid the foam rollers with all the nodules or funky surfaces because when it comes to rolling certain areas, such as the IT band…some taughtness is necessary to protect your muscles and joints from unsafe hypermobility.

Performbetter.com has some the blue being on the softer side , white medium soft, black medium firm. Otherwise marshalls, sears, target, etc carry them. You can also get your fitspo a how to foam roll print out!

8. Protein shakers (can’t ever have too much of these)

9. Just Drank One Gallon water jug $14.95

What fitspo doesn’t drink water or need to drink more water? So how about knowing that your drinking is bringing clean water to communities who need it. Just Drank One donates a portion of proceeds to building wells in communities that don’t have clean water. This is a water jug to be extra proud of and your fitspo will feel great about it!

http://www.justdrank.com

10. Myobreathe muscle rub

Myobreathe is just my favorite pain relieving gel. It relieves muscle strains, swollen joints, you name it. I’ve had two ankle surgeries and Myobreathe is the only thing that brings me relief and helps with swelling (aside from good old ice! ) I like the roll on so it doesn’t get on your hands!

Other New fitspo gifts inclide a new pair of headphones. ..perhaps a yoga mat, Spotify subscription, depending on the fitspo. .. protein powder, etc!

My apologies on the late post considering Hannukah started and Christmas eve is tomorrow but birthdays work too!

If you buy on Amazon Prime donate to my friend awesome non-profit Bodhi and Mind, they are really changing life’s of women recovering from breast cancer with free private yoga, it’s amazing.

Lots and lots of love! !
-Sammie Rose

Ethics in Training : Doing what your client wants even if it’s not what they need

As a fitness professional you need clients to make a living, how else are you going to get paid?

So with that being said… there comes a time where ethics come into play. When you have the client who requests specific goals that are not in their best interest — do you just do what they ask and take client and take the money?

Yes we provide a service…but do we do what we are paid to do-or– are we paid to do what we do?

And on second thought… when you know you are not the right fit and know that someone more credentialed and experienced in working with that specific type or needs of a client…do you refer out? Or just take them to make the cash even though you know you aren’t the best for the job?

The clients need and want to know what’s best for them and that is what you are there to do. Even if it means passing them on to someone else.

Just my thoughts. .. too many people doing training programs that maybe they wanted but it’s not what’s best for them … it’s our job as professionals to educate them on the “whys” and value for them to develop a program that incorporates their goals but is designed around they fact that they have a bulging disc in their neck, or two knee replacements, or post shoulder injury or have an exaggerated pelvic tilt, kyphosis? Etc.

We need to be more professional to be respected as a profession the way we deserve. As a trainer you are an essential part of your clients health team…they see you more than most of their doctors. Communicate what’s best for them and refer them out when it’s in their best interest.

Thoughts. Ethics in fitness 🙂
-Sammie

Understanding the “hip hinge” for deadlifts and good mornings and in yoga :)

So maybe you’ve heard it before or are a trainer who has a hard time cueing this movement… or even for some yoga postures as well. I find “hinging at the hips” to be a tough movement for people to get so I explain it like this…

When you are hinging at your hips, your hips are acting just like the hinge on a door. From your hips down to your feet is the “door frame” (stationary) and from your hips up is the “door.” So if you think of opening and closing this “door” or hinging at the hips to perform a good morning or a deadlift… it might help to think of this metaphor. 🙂

If you can get access to an FMS stick or a light weight stick /broom handle this is a great mobility drill to help with the hip hinge… pretend you have an apple under your chin to keep spine as neutral as possible.

**Remember the first step of any exercise is to set your self up. This means your feet are grounded and even, back is tall,strong and engaged, shoulders back ,core is engage.**

I always do more of a squat to pick up my weight for a deadlift and then set up at the top… or I pull it from a rack unless I’m going light. *Most deadlift injuries occur from that pull from the ground…so avoid going so low that the weight is touching the floor…unless you have bumper plates. Protect the spine — 🙂 your hamstrings will not miss out, in fact you may feel it more and you’ll allow your back to stay fully erect and engaged throughout the whole movement .

Hope this helps when you think of the hip hinge 🙂

-Sammie

Are “gains” really gains if they work against you?

What good is building muscle that works against you?

One of the things I love most about training clients in their 40s and up, is that they actually care about feeling better and moving better. They value a strength training / fitness program that enhances the things they do in everyday life.

The problem I have with our aesthetic obsessed fitness phase exploding all over social media and into the minds of so many people is that so many of us are doing more harm than good…but we’re so focused on “gains” or building muscle in specific areas or improving our PR’s that were screwing ourselves out of the whole point of lifting or working out in the first place. Unless of course you don’t give a sh*t about how you move ten years down the road… or being able to move without pain. (Pardon my language.) I want to feel good…I want you to feel good…I want EVERY BODY to feel good 🙂 !

Don’t get me wrong- I want aesthetics. ..and I have trained for aesthetics only before but what I have learned that if you train for function, aesthetics follow– just look at professional athletes!

We need to understand our body is structured for gravity to work WITH us and our lifestyles alone are fighting against it. So when you are lifting and your gains aren’t well balanced and well thought out specifically for YOU and how YOU move… your strength could literally be working against you.

Let me give one of the most common examples. .. two really drive me nuts, both have to do with the spine- but one irks me a little more than the other.

First let me say that there is so much depth to what our “core” truly is…and you can think of it as layers like an onion…but our pelvis and spine are the foundation to which all these muscles and tendons attach and insert and originate from. With that being said let’s say your have a lot of upper body push work in your training and posturally your shoulders are rounded forward you need to incorporate enough of the right pull work to combat this.

I’ll go to a specific example that happens to my body. My hip flexors get tight and shorted giving me a “sway back” or anterior pelvic tilt meaning my hips are tilted forward. So the muscles that pull the hips forward are tight and shortened and the muscles that would push my hips to neutral are weak. If I ignore this and train it gets worse. Aesthetically sure it’s cool…but it makes for major imbalances and certain muscles in my back to be over active just to sit up straight. My erectors have to compensate for everything else that’s inhibited from this…which leads to low back pain and who wants that?

Just think of the movements that you are doing in your training…and how your body is designed to function and train for balance so you can train for the long run and can see the most out of your work!

A over developed chest could be exaggerating the posture of rounded shoulders…so incorporate exercises where you consciously pull the shoulder blades back and sit up tall.

Just some thoughts… we all do it. I check myself all the time. Muscle stuck in one position is pulling onto something – so is there something keeping the bones in a neutral place? That’s the key. (Add some flexibility and mobility in the mix of course and you’ll be able to train and move your body in the long run.)

PS. This is coming all out of love!! Its okay that aesthetics motivate but lets strive for more! This is the biggest fitness has ever been and it’s also the most educated we ever been on human movement– take advantage of what we now know 🙂 .

-Sammie

Changing the way we SQUAT …

In June I went to a Perform Better Summit where I had the opportunity to learn from the superstars in the field of human movement.

 

It’s so interesting how much changes as we learn more about human movements patterns. Here are a few things that some of the best PTs, and Strength and Conditioning Coaches, Spine specialists, etc had to say:

Heavy Back Squats are out. Back squats are squats when the loaded bar is placed on the shoulders behind the neck (probably the most well known of this staple movement.)

Mike Boyle shared that he has removed back squats from his athlete’s training regiments all together. Stuart McGill would back this decision. There was a consistent pattern with athletic injury… lots of spinal injury that occurred during heavy back squats.

Some of the other greats also agreed this is a lift that places the spine in such a vulnerable position for injury to easily occur, especially when we load our back squats with an extremely heavy loads, the amount of compression directly on the spine is very great. 

They haven’t eliminated squats all together… but with bilateral squats (meaning using both legs at the same time) they are going to the FRONT SQUAT and Goblet Squat.

These squats place the load in the frontal plane of the body and the compression on the spine is more in line with how we are designed to move.

Another thing changing In the foundations of how we train and will train in the future… is moving away from bilateral movements (both legs at the same time) and focusing more on unilateral movements (single leg movements. )

Gray Cook and Lee Burton really put this in perspective in explaining human movement patterns. Let’s start from a baby…when we start to crawl… we move one arm and one leg at a time right? Then when we go from the ground up … how do we stand up? One leg at a time right? And then how do we walk? How do we run? Unilaterally.

So wouldn’t it make sense that that is how we train?

Mike Boyle found that strength wise… his athletes were stronger on their single leg lifts (combining the weight per leg) then they were doing the bilateral equivalent on many lifts.

These guys are changing the foundation of how we will all look at training … and they already have with systems like Gray Cook’s FMS (Functional Movement Screen) and Thomas Meyers in his training fascia studies. Training fascia is the future of training!  So cool- future post though . 🙂 

As far as my training goes… I keep back squats but only with light to medium weight. I move well and practice with good form. I do not max out or train “heavy” back squats… I removed these from MY repitoire a while ago and felt super validated after hearing app these guys speak. 

I strongly recommend checking out these guys on YouTube and their sites… they will teach you so much and the way you look at training and will help you move better!

Taking it one step at a time 🙂 

Unilaterally, 

Sammie Rose

Making fun of people in fitness…why it’s not cool.

People in the fitness community making fun of people in fitness… look, I have a sense of humor — who doesn’t love a good laugh? I mean, you can’t take everything too seriously, but I have a problem or a dislike with what I have seen and continue to see happening with memes, picture posts , and videos poking fun at people who as a movement and as a community we should be supporting and encouraging.
Posts making fun of someone using a machine wrong, or people in body building competitions aren’t cool. I’ve seen people post pics that they snap while at the gym making fun of someone overweight in the gym – one making jabs about how slow this person was going on a piece of cardio equipment. How is that funny? On the contrary that deserves a hellsss yea! Not only for the fact that they are in the gym doing something to better themselves- but they’re coming into a place that intimidates a lot of people for many reasons- some of which I am pointing out with this post.

What are we proving about our community as trainers and fitness enthusiasts? How is this encouraging and how is it representing our field. Instead of posting a video or clip making fun of someone… why not use that opportunity to make an informational post with out exposing or putting someone down who for all we know is doing their best…or accomplishing something major for themselves.

The other day I saw a video of a guy doing a body building routine and he didn’t fit what we as a society created as the “standard” and; yea, his routine was a little out there. .. totally out of the norm.. but shouldn’t we be supporting and giving him props?

I don’t know just something to put in perspective. .. we should encourage people and by making fun we are devaluing something we are so passionate about and really giving the field a bad rep.

Support, encourage and educate. You never know someone’s story and maybe they just don’t know any better but by making fitness more intimidating they might be discouraged to keep growing and learning. Don’t you remember the time where you felt lost or uncomfortable in the gym?

And would you have the confidence to get up their on stage rocking it even though you don’t fit the mold?

To everyone out their doing their thing … I think you’re awesome and don’t be afraid to ask a trainer for guidance… that’s how I started 🙂 To those poking fun at those trying and doing… evaluate your thought and how you are representing the fitness community and influencing those uncomfortable and intimidated by it already.

Mindfulness 🙂
Much love,
Sammie Rose

My sister opens up about her Mental Illness for the first time.

I have witnessed my older sister suffer from depression and bipolar disorder for years. She helped me more than I could ever put in words. She understood me… and helped me to accept that this was bigger than me. It was something that I could not combat on my own.

There is so much more to be said about how having a sister with Bipolar disorder helped me, she saved me really. Anyway, I am soooo incredibly proud and kind of in awe … she opened up about hers ♡♡

I have two sisters and out of the three of us…two of us are Bipolar. Slightly different cases,  but many of this similar struggles.

Here is what she posted on my Facebook feed underneath my post:

I have been so taken a back by the responses I have received to my last blog post opening up about my Bipolar Disorder. .. and I have so many thank yous and love for you all…and to everyone who opened up and shared with me I am so grateful we were able to connect ♡

All of it has been just incredible…your comments and support- but I have to say… last night when I saw this comment pop up on my Facebook news feed I was ecstatic! ! In tears…so many emotions…so proud and so happy. It wasn’t my place to share my sister’s story in my blog although I wanted to, as she was such a HUGE part of my story in so many ways.  She helped me when no one else could… I would go to her house and just cry and cry and cry. .. I didn’t understand anything… I didn’t know who I was… I was so confused…so frustrated. ..defeated… and she was the only one who understood. It was the greatest gift I could ever receive ..to be able to have someone say– Sammie I get it. She pushed me to get help… or to at least recognize and accept that maybe I couldn’t conquer this on my own… that in fact, it was conquering me… Anyway…there is so much more to this story now that my sister has opened up and shared hers! Ahh I’m soo excited for her. Seriously, it’s so freeing ! And now SHE can help people too… My sister suffered severe depressions. .. I was lucky my family had been through this before and was pushed to get help before it became more serious. My sister was diagnosed in the 90s. It was a different world then… we didn’t know what we know now.

My sister was able to prep me… let me know it’s not a magic pill or fix…it takes time and dedication to figure out the right medications and treatment. Many times that’s why people don’t follow through… it can take years. I am still figuring it out, and it’s soon frustrating sometimes!!!

But it can get better. ..communicate with your doctor’s…for example- the first medication I was put on was Lithium. Lithium has the longest track record for treating Bipolar disorder… but for me it wasn’t right… I felt stagnant. So we tried another… and it’s trial and error, and medication helps. .. but it does not eliminate your symptoms of depression or anxiety or whatever you struggle with,  but it helps you to be able to build the tools and be present in your life. You have to be determined to fight for your life, and what I mean by that- is to literally be willing to fight to live consciously, and to be present. The scariest thing for me about my struggles with Bipolar disorder was literally looking in the mirror and not know AT ALL who I was.

My sister’s and I never got to meet our grandmother. My father’s mother took her life when he was 12. In the 60s mental illness was not talked about. I have just recently learned of her struggles..and my sister and I fight for our dad.

When you are not in control of your mental state or your emotions you don’t make decisions that you would make if you had more control. If you could see through the storm. Don’t do what I did and waste time denying yourself from living your life.

And who cares what anyone else thinks? If they don’t understand you… I do. And please… if you are friends or know someone struggling with some form of mental illness… don’t give them any advice on “snapping out of it” or telling them not to take medications. We need to stop that already.Your brain is wired…billions and billions of connections firing up at all times… if one is off it can cause all kinds of disruptions. It’s not an EMOTIONAL disorder … it’s a brain disorder.

Okay that is all for now 🙂 I kind of got carried away…
So proud of you Beryl!!

♡,
Sammie

Opening up about my Mental Illness for the first time.

What’s up guys?! This is kind of a heavy post for first thing in the am, or for any time for that matter… but I have been wanting to open up for a long time and begun a post like this multiple times– stopping myself because I’ve been afraid. It’s not the most comfortable thing to allow yourself to be totally vulnerable.

But what the heck… here it goes… if my story can help one person the way others have helped me- it is beyond worth it to me to put myself out there. So here it goes, this is for the person who needs it. This is for breaking the stigma.

In June of 2013 (a little over a year ago) I stopped everything I was doing in my life and starting working on my mental health. I made it my number one priority…

For years I struggled with symptoms of Bipolar Disorder but refused to accept it, and refused treatment. It was within in the last year (2013) that it got to the point where denying myself of treatment was robbing me of really living my life. Like any other illness, without treatment mental illness gets worse. For years I was able to manage functioning in my life but things progressed and once it hit a certain point I was no longer in control of my life. My bipolar disorder was robbing me of living, if I wanted a life… a successful life, a conscious life, a life with friends and family… I needed to do everything I could to get better and I had to do it ASAP.

Bipolar Disorder is also known as Manic/Depression. A person with Bipolar Disorder experiences the extreme highs of mania and the extreme lows of depression . While every persons symptoms vary somewhat a person diagnosed with Bipolar 2 disorder tends to be in a depressed state much of the time, and experiences shorter spans hypomania.  Bipolar 1 Disorder varies from Bipolar 2 in that people (like me…hi :))  with Bipolar 1 Disorder the person experiences the extreme lows of depression as well as the extreme highs of HYPERMANIA. Hypermania can manifest itself in many ways, for me it typically comes with weeks of 2-4 hours of sleep a night, still feeling full of energy,  rapid speech (for those who know me … I know you’ve experienced that! Lol) … it comes with insane amounts of creativity and believing I have just come up with 15 multimillion dollar ideas that MUST be executed. I would over commit myself in all aspects of my life, I would make poor spontaneous decisions- many of which I faced the consequences for…but you feel invisible and don’t even think about it. And I was often irritable and angry with people who didn’t deserve it. My depressions got worse… fast. I lost passion for everything. I isolated myself more and more… and yes, there were days I didn’t want to be here. I had no energy… I didn’t understand WHY …WHY when I knew what I wanted to accomplish in life I couldn’t get myself out of bed… to the gym… or as gross as it is to share…even shower. Bipolar 1 often comes with what is called mixed episodes… where you can be both manic and depressed at the same time. That is where it gets real scary…because you are in a depressed state and you actually have the energy to do something about it. Often times I felt like I had 4 television shows playing simultaneously in my head at the same time  mentally EXHAUSTING. Bipolar disorder also comes with anxiety (at times debilitating anxiety),  trouble focusing and is often thought of many mental Illness rolled into one.

It’s extremely frustrating and tormenting to not understand yourself. To not know what it feels like to be present in your own life. I will open up more over time and please feel free to ask me any questions…

But where I really want to go with this post is to say that if it weren’t for my immediate family, and a specific close friend, I may not have sought out treatment. I may not even be here now, I sure as hell wouldn’t be where I am right now-  and I know not everyone has a family or friends who “believes” that mental illness is a real thing… or they don’t believe in medication … or for whatever reason you feel alone and discouraged from getting help.

I, Samantha Rose have Bipolar 1 Disorder… but it does not define who I am… it has, however, given me strength and empathy and adds a hell of a lot of elements to my character and personality ! Many of which I embrace and would not be who I am without them.

There is nothing to be ashamed about and it IS real. It is very real. You deserve to feel what it feels like to consciously live your life so can develop the right .tools to help you to function and be successful and happy.

I work extremely hard on my mental health… every week, everyday…I constantly work on it going to therapy twice a week I go to therapy to better understand myself and build tools to help me, I take my medication (for those who are biased in this aspect… I decided a pill was worth my quality of life) … and I practice yoga and meditation which have all made a tremendous difference; and I can say for the first time in I can’t remember how long, I feel like I am present in my life. I make my decisions.

It is still a struggle… many days are a battle within myself but with hard work it has gotten much better and it can for anyone else! I promise you have to believe.

My untreated Bipolar Disorder robbed me of years of my life… and it robbed my sisters and I of a grandmother and my father of a mother at age 12.

It’s real. You’re not alone if you’re going through it… and for those who aren’t. ..it may be impossible for you to fully understand but I hope together we can end the stigma so people can feel comfortable and open to get the help they need to live their lives as we all deserve to ♡

Please share this with anyone you know who you feel it might make a difference. It is not easy knowing someone,  being in a relationship with someone or loving someone who suffers from a mental illness… but I promise you- your support,  encouragement and presence in their lives could quite possibly be what keeps them holding on or even encourages then to seek out the treatment they need to live a quality life.

Thank you for taking the time to read a part of my story and allowing me to share this with you. Please don’t suffer in silence and if you notice behaivor in someone you know or love… just ask them… if they are okay? That simple question can change everything.

I love you all… let’s end this stigma. It’s real… it’s a medical condition that science is now referring to as a brain disorder over a mental illness… educate ourselves and others. STOP THE STIGMA … no one should feel they have to suffer alone.

Much love and appreciation,
Sammie Rose ♡

Fat is Fat and Muscle is Muscle.

Just some facts I want to shed light on.

Muscle tissue is muscle tissue and fat is fat… one can never become the other. They are completely different tissues made of completely different cells.

So the old myth of turning fat into muscle is busted. And the notion that you can’t build muscle while cutting fat simply makes no sense.

What do you need to build muscle?
●Adequate protein and complimentary training.
●Vitamins and minerals and nutrients to heal, recover and function.
●Aquate calories from carbohydrate and/or fat storage to meet your body’s needs.

What do you need to burn fat?
●A calorie deficit.
●healthy functioning metabolism

So wait, how do you eat enough to build muscle and still be low enough in your calories to burn fat? And wouldn’t my body start to eat my muscle if I’m in a calorie deficit?

Again, muscle is muscle and fat is fat. Metabolically your body is smart. It’s made for survival. It functions in a way that your muscle tissue is the LAST place it will go to break down cells for energy. Here I am referring to your actual true muscle tissue…your red meat.

Your muscle tissue is a storage house of glycogen. *Glycogen is basically stored forms of carbohydrates.* Another example of how smart your body is.–> It totally makes sense to store some energy right in the muscle so when it needs to grab some quick…it’s right there.

In the same token you don’t need thousands of grams of protein to build muscle. Don’t do that…your kidneys will NOT like that. (Blog to come on why too much protein is not good.) There is something called your Nitrogen Balance. This would be measured in a lab in your urine (via your kidneys 🙂 ) Anyway, in order to build muscle tissue you just need to be in a positive nitrogen balance…even by one little decimal point.

I guess my point is… muscle is built from protein… it works and runs on carbohydrates and some fat as fuel… but one does not become the other and so you not need to “bulk” in order to build muscle and you aren’t necessarily going to compromise muscle if you are trying to lose fat because they are two totally different things. You do; however, need to make sure you are meeting your protein needs to build and/ or hold muscle tissue while consuming fat and carbs to both fuel your muscles and give your body what it needs to function optimally while being in the caloric surplus or deficit according to your goals and training. 🙂

Just clearing the basics,
MUCH LOVE!
-Sammie Rose

Ps. I think you are awesome.