Working Mom

Here I am, it's the end of the month and I have a really busy day, working to hit some goals, and will go at it til midnight if I have to.  I love having my own business, I have never liked having a boss or making someone else money.  However employing yourself and being your own boss takes discipline and organization, there is nobody to answer to but yourself.  I love this picture but wish Matisyahu looked at the camera, he isn't as picture happy as me, he kept turning his head back and forth, he loves being on his belly :)

Starting this morning I have been at the Active Nutrition Club most of the day.  It is in Culver City, CA, and this is where I hold my Hot Mama Free Power Walk, afterwards I was meeting with one of the moms, getting her started on a Nutrition Program, and customizing her day of eating.  My partner Ashley was at Santa Monica College at a Career Fair representing our business, and spreading the word that we are growing, and are looking for more coaches and leaders.  The flexibility is what I love the best, I am so grateful that I can work with my baby by my side.   We have an open house today for people that are interested to learn more about the coaching that we do, then I have a Zumba class, and if I haven't reached my goals for the month, I will plug away until the clock strikes twelve.  Luckily most days are not this crazy, Thank God for my supportive husband, kids in school, and my baby being a great right hand (literally in this pic!)

OMG! 7pm - Sam had to run an errand, baby is fussy and I'm trying to put my older two to sleep.  Lately I just tell them to stay in their room and play if they are not ready to sleep.  It's amazing how they have so much energy after waking up at 6am and only Ziona Sofia naps maybe for an hour during school.  You know what they say...For the first two years you teach kids to walk and talk, and the rest of their lives you tell them to sit down and be quiet - lol.

Just feeling blessed for creating my life, anyone can do it, part of it is how you were raised, genetics, environment.  Then there comes a time where there is nobody and nothing to blame, you just look at yourself, take responsibility for all of your actions, realize everything that you have done has brought you to where you are.  Once you realize this, the world is your oyster - I hear all these phrases, and I am using them, but what I really mean is, all your dreams WILL come true.  I have a great CD that is inspiring me, if anyone wants to borrow it, let me know, I am happy to mail it anywhere.

Acknowledge, Decide, Thrive,

Coach Yulia



Time Flies

This was our one year anniversary, I was pregnant with Eli Tzvi.  It was August 14, and he was born on September 13, 2008.  We met January 2007, got engaged April 2007, and got married August 2007.  We were both on the same page, and the timing was perfect for both of us, we were ready for the next chapter in our lives.

I was 34 at my wedding, 35 when my son was born, we had a plan to get to work on babies before I turned 40, Thank God it happened in the perfect order and time, I feel blessed.

Everything in life is pros vs cons, and hopefully we choose where the pros outweigh the cons.  Before I met Sam, nobody else really fit in every way.  My mother says that it has to be physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.  Sure we are two independent people that lived most of our lives single and on our own terms.  It's not easy, but who wants easy, but even though its not easy, it has always just moved in the right direction.  I remember my roommate asking me how it was going, and I said "its just going."  My amazing hairdresser told me one of her clients told her that he was with a girl for a few years, and she was perfect in every way, they never had any disagreements.  Is that real life?  He was actually envious of my hairdressers relationship which had many arguments, debates, and making up :) 

Tip of the Day:  Passion, communication, and compromise make the best relationship.

In August it will be 5 years, we have grown, but have a lot more growing to do.  I love the phrase, its not who you can live with, but who you can't live without.  Just Passion is not enough, there must be unconditional love, and a commitment to go through the ups and downs together and support each other no matter what.  My parents are an amazing example of this, married 40 years last January, and I was born nine months later in October.  Once a commitment is made, that is your homework for life, to keep the fire burning and to have each other's back.

I also love the phrase, "A good relationship is two independent people choosing to be together."  I feel it is very important to have your own identity, purpose, and goals, and a partner who supports it.  Thank God my husband liked who I was in my past, and was looking to create our future.

Thank God for the hills and the valleys, and for being present in the magic of life,

Coach Yulia

Extroverts

Hanging with their uncle

My husband and I are always around people, relatives and friends, our kids are playing with different kids all the time, and they just go with the flow.  I do not know if it is a learned behavior or genetic, but I feel grateful that my kids are social butterflies.  They remember everyone's name, adult and child, and are excited wherever we go.

My family was also always around people mainly because of my mom.  She is fun to be around and very knowledgeable, and our holiday tradition was to be invited to other peoples homes because of her.  My brother and I are extroverted because of her, but my father is social as well, but needs to get to know the people first and then he opens up.

I need people in order to function, some people are great at desk jobs or computer or factory jobs, maybe even in a lab, with no human contact.  In my Yoga classes its like an energy exchange, my students and I both benefit.  I love meeting new people, and especially now as a wife and mother, where my priorities are at home, I feel like my work is my social life.

It's an extra benefit that I get to inspire and motivate my clients and students to better themselves, and find where they feel their best their own way.  I always say in my Yoga classes, there is not one way, and there is no perfect way, there is just everyone's individual way.  Yes we have the same parts, but they are all different lengths, sizes, proportions, flexibilities, and we are different ages, levels, and come from different backgrounds.  By backgrounds I do not only mean cultural but also physical activities and also how we focus our mind.

I guess by extrovert the main thing I mean is friendly, not necessarily the class clown, or an exhibitionist, but someone that is open and enjoys meeting people.  Isn't that why we are on this earth? To form relationships...isn't that what makes life worthwhile? I think so :)

Connect, Communicate, Climax
Coach Yulia

Happiness is a Moral Obligation

These are my wonderful Yoga students at the filming of my Yoga DVD/CD Combo, www.yogastopstudios.com

This was a title of an article in the Jewish Journal, which I love to read on my downtime during holidays.  Dennis Prager writes "people should regard bad moods in the same way they regard bad breath or bad body odor:  Inflicting bad moods on others is just as obnoxious as inflicting bad breath or body odor on others.  Just as we try to brush away bad breath and wash away body odor, we should try to brush and wash away bad moods."

I find this very powerful, a person's energy and mood affects everyone they come across.  I feel in the world there are two extreme types of people, happy no matter what and worry about everything, and everyone else falls in the middle.  My mother is a happy no matter what personality, which is amazing on a day to day basis, but I feel she would find the positive in a natural disaster instead of taking action.

I am surrounded by worriers, and it is a big challenge for me, I am a lot like my mother, but I also like to take action, I would like to think I am the happy middle.  When worriers cross my path, my monster comes out, and I want to challenge it.  I strive to surround myself around happy energy, and try to inspire and create it in my Yoga classes.  Beyond the classes where I am happy to have everyone come and absorb and grow.  In my personal life I am very careful about who I let in, because I know if my buttons are pushed, I will be drawn out of my happy place.

This is always tested around raising children, makes me laugh, children take us out of our egotistical and self absorbed world that we live in before, and throw us in face first into complete honesty and reality.  Thank God there are rewards as well, but I am sure you have heard the notion that God made children cute for a reason, so we keep loving them amidst the challenges they throw at us.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend, mine was a specific holiday about the Jewish people accepting the laws of God.  It is a very powerful holiday where learning is happening non stop, and insights constantly occur into how to interact with our fellow human beings and our spirituality.  One of the things I love most about our philosophy is to be happy and live in the moment are the deep roots of it all.  Seriously, what is the point otherwise, we are on this earth to be challenged and grow, so why not make the best out of everything?  When it gets rough, maybe go to a laughter Yoga class, or see a comedy, maybe listen to some music that gets you into a happy space.  Find a healthy release, communicate with your partner and family, it does wonders when everyone is honest and gets on the same page.

I guess that is the work that each individual has to accomplish, whatever is thrown your way, find the path out and elevate.  If you stay stuck, I feel its a choice, maybe professional help is necessary, to seek it, or for family and friends to seek it for us is also a choice.  We are on this earth with free will, to consciously choose our path, the path is in our own hands.

Feel your power, use it for good, spread the happy energy,
Coach Yulia

Non Stop Friday

Wow, it's 5:30pm, I have had different thoughts, different things happen throughout the day.  I have so many ideas, but I just gotta do this now.  Today not only starts the Day of Rest, but right after is the Holiday of Shavuot.  While the rest of America is partying it up or traveling during Memorial Day weekend, my family and I will be celebrating with our community.  This will be the first time I will stop my daily blogging because on Jewish holidays we turn off from the world.  We do not drive, no TV, computer, phones are off, so I will resume my blog Monday night when the holiday is over.  We are celebrating the Jewish people receiving the Ten Commandments. 

The perfect picture opportunity just happened, I just came back from having my hair done, and my gorgeous daughter just came into the webcam and waved.  I keep on getting distracted, and all the thoughts I have keep on getting interrupted.  I think a few days off will revive me.  With three kids, when one is sleeping or playing, there is another one who wants mama.  My husband is running around getting last minute things for the next few days.  It is really crazy, I had all these ideas where I was even writing down other topics for different days, but at this point I feel blank and ready to turn off the world.  Next week will be a busy week, it is the last days of the month, my children's school is coming to an end soon, we want to visit my family.  Always trying to clean and organize house, but while the baby sleeps, all I want to do is take a breath, rest, and mostly blog :)

Honestly my friends, there is just nothing left, I am signing off, and wishing everyone to recharge from this amazing weekend.

Yulia

The Miracle of Life

Eli Tzvi

With your first baby, it's just mind boggling, I remember when Eli Tzvi finally came out after 12 hours of labor at home and 2 hours at the hospital with no epidural, just a great doula and yoga breathing, I was just in awe. With all of the science of conception and reproduction, we still cannot really comprehend how life is created. A perfect little person with all the complex systems of an adult.



 

Ziona Sofia

It is really a miracle, and with my other two kids it was a different awareness and experience.  With my daughter, she came so fast, from the house to the hospital less than 2 hours,  all I could do is just get through the contractions and enjoy her in my arms. 

   


Matisyahu

Matisyahu was a unique experience for me because I was completely present, my doulas were not available, I did the counting, breathing, and at the hospital told the nurse "contractions are for 2 hours, 5 minutes apart, 30-60 seconds,no epidural, this is my third baby!"

I went to an amazing lecture which was talking about science and God, and how science can tell you everything, every detail of creation, whether its the earth or a human, once they are alive.  Science cannot tell you how nothing became something, it is the beyond.  On a very spiritual level, we are creative beings and are living in a world where nothing is being turned into something everyday.  We ourselves manifest and create amazing things, when we reach deep inside and trust.  I am in gratitude of miracles that happen in our every day life, I am so thankful that my family is healthy and we are living comfortably and have our basics and necessities.  It is very important to start every day appreciating what you have and to,

Tip of the Day: Feel Good Now

It's only from this place of feeling good and gratitude that you are open to whatever might come your way.  If anyone is interested in finding out more on how to be in this positive space, I would love to send you more info.  We are put on this earth to work on ourselves and grow, but try not to lose our spiritual connection.  I feel my spiritual connection has kept my head above water in many tough situations.  I really do believe in "why worry in advance,"  there is only the moment, everything else is in our heads.  Whether we feel happy or upset it is our emotion that interprets what happened, but what happened is just what happened.  LOL Does this sound like gibberish?  It's an amazing course I took that has really helped to show me how I operate.  I realized I am who I am, there is no such thing as perfect, we can only do our best, and most importantly be true to our word.

Back to babies, another amazing thing about babies is that at every age and stage they are totally different.  We completely forget the baby times when we are in the moment of the toddler times.  I cannot imagine my kids as teenagers or adults, but when we are there, I will look at baby pictures and remember how wonderful it was.  Thank God we are wired to remember the good times, so we can keep having babies!

Love, Light, Laughter,
Coach Yulia

Character

I am in awe how nowadays we can find out almost everything about our baby before they are born, but the genes and character are always a surprise.  Our first son Eli Tzvi was a big shocker to us when he came out light hair, light eyes, and a mercedes symbol dimple in his chin.  My husband and I were not only amazed at the birth process, but were wondering how we created our boy.  I have always been an independent and free spirited gal, always wanted to work and have balance, so when I first gave birth, I was not automatically in mommy world.  What do I mean by that?  I think some women from a very young age want to be a wife, mother, and maybe even a home maker, which is beautiful.  I have always wanted to travel and have a private jet, which will happen :)  Once I started teaching Yoga and really celebrating my womanhood, I  really wanted to experience pregnancy and the miracle of our body creating a child.   Having the child I was not ready for 10 years ago without a partner, I knew with my personality I could never handle it alone.  So when Eli Tzvi came into the world, I told him, "I will get to know you, and you will get to know me" and it has been an amazing journey.  Some women say the moment a child is put into their arms, there is an instant love and connection, for me it was a whole new world after being single and all about me for 34 years.  Even with my daughter who made us wait three days after her due date, fashionably late, and always an attention grabber, I was overwhelmed with having energy for both, and how different a girl is from a boy.  My husband and I could not believe how high pitched the cries were, and we had no idea how to clean her equipment, Thank God my doula recommended a Qtip!

Compared to Eli Tzvi and Ziona Sofia, Matisyahu is a pretty chill baby.  I think God blessed us with every kind of situation so we could learn and grow.  Some people say boys are more high energy, or your first is intense and the second one is calm.  I honestly think it is all individual, and you never know.  In my case my first and second both super intense, always cried, always fell down a lot, the only difference is my oldest is more sensitive, and my girl is super tough, it will serve her later in life.  I guess in many ways kids are mirrors of their parents and ancestors.

Character is one thing but learned behaviors are different, sometimes positive and sometimes negative.  I think many things are also cultural, so the best we can do as parents is learn from our past, and keep learning, growing, and delving into ourselves.  Staying open to constructive criticism and being our best so the example that our children see is positive and open to change.  Children really make us look at ourselves, it really is a mirror, they say if you want your children's behavior to change, you must look at yourself first.

Deep thoughts for a Wednesday morning :) Have a fabulous day everyone, my little son just had a big poop, gotta go!

Coach Yulia

Abs!

I am so inspired by the picture I just posted on my Facebook page (Hot Guys With Abs), just in case you are not on there, just search Yulia Medovoy Edelshtain.  Let's get real my friends, there is no magic diet out there, and especially if a guy wants to gain muscle, it takes a lot more work than someone wanting to lose weight.  Did you know when your body is getting the Nutrition it needs, weight loss is just a side effect?  What I love about being a Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Coach is that it is all science, and if someone really commits to their goal, success is inevitable. 



I am excited to be my own example of this, I have posted a picture of myself today, my baby is 2 months, I am working on forming healthy habits with my nutrition program, and committing to a healthy active lifestyle.  What does that mean?  My goal is to lose 30 pounds by my birthday, October 11 of this year.  I have customized a Nutrition Program for that goal which consists of eating my Recommended Daily Allowance, which includes 2 shakes, one meal, and snacks throughout the day.  I always have my shake for breakfast, and then decide if I am going to have the second one for lunch or dinner.

Today I am leading my Hot Mama Power Walk, so afterwards I will have the best Post Recovery Shake on the market, Triathlon Magazine was highlighting our Rebuild Strength with Whey, Casein, and Amino Acids.  It is very important after a workout to get Protein in your body within 30-45 minutes tops.  What happens is your muscle tone gets replenished, and helps burn your body fat.  It is very interesting to see how the same amount of fat takes up much more space in your body, while the muscle is lean and firm.  Many people for whatever reason are bulky already, and when they start exercising, they do not lose that bulk, and this leads to my,

Tip of the Day:  Women, you will not get built, big, like a body builder, it takes a lot of work to gain mass.  People eat like crazy when they are trying to gain muscle, and that is the key, they keep their metabolism moving by eating throughout the day, so the body fat is what's getting burned off.

There is one male coach that I work with that was focusing on getting lean first, and then when he got his body fat percentage to where he wanted, he worked on building lean muscle.  As you see in my picture my midsection is what needs the most work after three babies in 4 1/2 years.  I have never had a completely flat stomach even when I was in great shape.  I am so excited to have amazing abs after 3 kids at 40!  The best part is I have a plan to get there :)

Lets work on your plan - nutritioncoachyulia@gmail.com or call/text 323.377.0707

Coach Yulia

Monday

Ahhh the beginning of the week for most people, and to do lists and plans, especially with baby I find sometimes the day flies by and it feels like nothing has been checked off the list.  I started my day teaching Yoga to kids, and then visited a client, and then went with my fellow Hot Mama Ashley to see "What to Expect When You're Expecting," it was a great movie, and it was Mommy Movie Monday, so everyone had a baby, and when you heard crying, nobody cared, it was great.  We went there not only to enjoy ourselves, but to promote our Hot Mama Club and our Free Power Walk.

I chose this picture to represent what many people feel is the start of a stable life and money, nowadays that is mostly not the case.  I feel lucky to be in the Wellness Industry where the need and demand is more and more, especially for preventive maintenance.  People are feeling that it is worthwhile to invest in their health, instead of paying doctors bills later, or getting on the "legal" drugs, which people get hooked on and addicted to as well.  It's actually kind of scary how pharmaceuticals change the chemistry and energy of a person, and the worst part, there are always horrible side effects, where sometimes you have to take another medication for the side effects.  Sorry to say but it is a big business, one I want nothing to do with, God Willing NEVER!


So today I had all of these plans to do calls and emails for my business, as well as promotion, but when I got home, baby kept me busy, I was tired, tried to lay down a little before the kids got home from school.  Once they got home I decided to help out in the kitchen and with the laundry, luckily my husband is very hands on at home, but it sure all piles up with three kids.  Before you know it, dinner time and bed time, now the older ones are asleep, we are about to give the baby a bath, and enjoy some down time, but for me it is what have I really needed to do that I haven't done yet.  My degree was a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, which steered me towards Cruise Ships and Travel.  I was so done with the "Service" industry, when I moved to LA I was looking for something totally different.

I have to say, the challenge is being my own boss and not making excuses, but I would rather have it this way than work 9-5 or longer any day.  I feel so grateful for my Health and Nutrition Coaching and Yoga, Thank You God, for giving me these gifts, so I can live the life of my dreams.

I have always told everyone that one day I will have a private jet, not for show, but to travel to every corner of the world - I really see it in my future, maybe not tomorrow, but I know I got something good going, many seeds have been planted, and now that we are refocusing from Reproduction of children to Production in our businesses - Get Ready World - HERE I COME! (by the way all my friends and clients and family, we will be travelling together, I will pick you up :)

Coach Yulia

Family Day

Today was a busy day running around to some fun events.  We actually had one more on our agenda, but with three kids, and the heat, and everything being on different sides of town, it was too much.  We went to Pasadena in the morning for a Marathon to support women from Eli Tzvi and Ziona Sofia's school running in their skirts :)  Then we headed to Culver City area to celebrate my Yoga teacher turning 80 years old, that is the picture above with my husband hanging out with Matisyahu.  My daughter was having fun at the kids zone at the marathon in the jumper, and my son was only interested in the John Deere parked on the side.

I love going with my kids to places where they are entertained and can run around.  It does get challenging at times when they do not want to do the "fun stuff" that is there.  Overall it was fun, but many times its bribing them with ice cream, and when the ice cream starts melting on them and getting them dirty, its a whole thing taking it away and cleaning them up.  Luckily for our afternoon party it was in a big house, great back yard, my kids found the guest room with toys, my son was there most of the time.  My daughter went from eating, to finding a ball, to playing with some toys as well.  The baby wanted to be held most of the time, and had healthy poop all day, yes this is what parents talk about with babies, it is totally normal talk for those of you with no kids.  I also was happy that this guest room had its own bathroom where my older son had a great poop, the port-o-potty at the marathon was disgusting, and my son took one look and walked out, he is a cleanaholic like his father.

One of the reasons I love to have my Hot Mama group is that it is so natural for moms to want to share stuff that is personal, and that other moms understand.  Women in general need to talk, and as a mom, its comforting to know others know how you feel, and most of the time we learn from each other.

We are happy to be home, it was a good long day.  Have a great week everyone!

Coach Yulia

Honor your Father and Mother

I have been enjoying having a different picture each day, and It took me a while to pick what fit today.  I decided to focus on the amazing relationship of me and my brother, because of my parents, and now that we are parents, it is so important for me to pass that on.  The big picture is the most recent, right before I moved to LA, my brother and I took a cruise to Alaska, and we took a tour to the top of a glacier by helicopter.  The top right I was 4 1/2 and my brother was 3, this was in Russia, Soviet Union times, you just did not smile :)  The bottom right is in Miami, by his t-shirt, we were already in high school, probably 9th grade for him and 10th grade for me, love the style!

To this day we are very close, we have completely different lives in different states, but I am excited that our children are friends, we try to keep in touch as much as we can by skype and other wonderful technology.

I keep on saying that my older two kids have very strong personalities, and it is quite a challenge, and now that they both can communicate, it is a constant debate about listening, give and take, and being patient through it all.  It is really important to me for them to be friends, love each other, and be in each others lives when it counts.  Thank God they are really happy with their little brother and are really sweet with him and always want to help.  I try my best to give as much attention to each one, but when they all want mama at the same time, I just have to breathe and do my best.

Overall today was a wonderful day, but it ended with them wanting to keep playing and me saying that it was time to come home.  Of course at the same time the baby pooped and was crying, and my husband was not home at that time.  I always say, somethings we just don't know until we have to know, and there is no degree to be a mother or father.  My yoga teacher says that we have kids to make happy and independent adults, and that they really do not owe us anything.  I agree somewhat, but one of the Ten Commandments is to Honor your Father and Mother, and I think it is very important to give them the respect they deserve.  I also believe that it goes both ways, our kids are not soldiers, we have to earn their respect as well by treating them as independent individuals who have choices.  Its up to us to be smart and narrow down their choices, but where they still feel they are making the decision.

I am wiped out from today, but always feel grateful for the challenges to learn and grow, even if in the moment I want to scream and run out of the house.  I keep on telling myself and I truly believe it, a life without challenge and a life without passion - what is the point?  BRING IT!

Wishing everyone with really humongous challenges, the strength to face and conquer,
Coach Yulia

The day flies by....how do I get it all done?

One of my everyday goals is to clean and organize.  So I decided to consult with Matisyahu and get his advice on how to plan my day.  He was telling me that I can do anything I want, but when he is hungry or needs to be changed, I need to stop what I am doing and help him out :)

This goal never ends of course, because the laundry piles, up, and when I meet new clients, I need to still follow up with current clients.  Managing my time and keeping a calendar has always been a challenge, and now with 3 kids, I still have not found the "perfect" system if one exists.  I honestly think like with anything else in life, there is no one way.  Some people like to use their phone, others need to write it, and the lucky few who have personal assistants, which I plan to have one day!

I like to give my all to my clients as well as my family, and there have been times when an appointment has slipped my mind, and to run a successful business, that just cannot happen.  So I am getting advice from everyone around me, and if anyone wants to chip in, please message me, I am always ready to learn more.

I am also someone that is very firm on having balance, so my Yoga class this morning that I take with my amazing teacher, who is turning 80 this coming week, was very important for my peace of mind, even though I had a million other things to do.  I always say you have to put yourself first, or who else is going to do it for you?

For the mothers out there, it is so important you take care of mama, to have energy for everyone and everything in your life.  Get a massage once in a while, find healthy activities that you like, there are options with and without your children.  Nutrition plays a big part not only in how you look but how you feel, make sure you are drinking a lot of water, and eating enough protein.  It helps your muscle tone, bone strength, and to burn 14 calories of body fat a day!   Do you want more specific measurements and facts for your goals?  Free Wellness Profiles available to anyone that reads this blog and enjoys it :)

I feel like I did not get much done today, but thank god its the Day of Rest, so there is no pressure, just to enjoy what is and be thankful.

Shabbat Shalom,

Yulia

Hot Mama

Do you see me by the door? It was right before Matisyahu surprised me, I was leading the Hot Mama Club at Active Nutrition with my fellow coaches.  Now I am back full force after baby and excited to do it with my baby and with my partner and fellow coach Ashley, she is a single 20 year old mom, with an amazing 5 month old boy.  She found the coaching work when she was 8 months pregnant, had horrible heartburn, and was gaining too much weight.  She got on her own nutrition program with Herbalife, her heartburn went away, and she lost 4 pounds of excess weight, and after baby went on to lose 35 pounds, she looks and feels better than ever.

I am so excited to lose 30 pounds by my birthday in October, with each baby I kept an extra 10 pounds, at my wedding I was 130, and looking and feeling good.  It would be great to fit into my wedding dress :)  The amazing thing is some moms have the exact opposite goal, on the outside they look slim, but are weak and low energy.  I have two that have started their maintenance program, which basically means that they get the nutrition they are missing, but stay the size that they are, and have energy for their kids and their life.

I love to customize, and add what you are missing, I do not believe in diets, when you cut things out, you lose the nutrients.  Most things in our society are high calorie and low nutrient, I switch that around, and you still eat, and its yummy, and its a science, so the body starts working like a well oiled machine!

We do our Hot Mama Club every Tuesday and Thursday at 10am, message me to add you to my Meetup Group.  The best part is that its FREE - its about building community, sharing stories, and being active together.  The best part for ME is that I get to work out, and have people to talk to, I feel like its my social life - lol. 

I feel so blessed to have a career where I get in the best health shape of my life, and inspire and teach others to get in the best health and shape of their life, not to mention having energy to do it all.

Hope to see you at our Hot Mama Club soon!

Coach Yulia
323.377.0707

Baby Got Back!

Literally! 

The topic of the tush brings up so many thoughts :) Why do we love baby tushies so much?  I remember when Ziona Sofia was born, they put her right in my arms, and what I remember most is her tiny little tushy in my hands.  The funny thing is that we keep on loving the derrier into our adult years, we want to keep it firm, and looking good.

Then there is the not so pleasant topic of digestion and number 2, which is actually one of the most important determinants of health.  The scary thing is many people let it go and it leads to surgery!  I am always amazed how lightly surgery is looked upon in our society.  Even with birth, if everything goes the way it should, it is meant to come out one way, and then pop back into shape, that is how we were designed.  Yes of course doctors are very important for the 'just in case," but it is horrifying how they do not like to work on weekends, so the women schedule their c-sections with a tummy tuck, Monday through Friday.

Digestive health is a main focus with my clients, absorption and elimination must function properly in order to lose weight as well.  My clients proudly report, "now I can poop!" and it makes me so happy that the right nutrition will heal from the inside.  Every morning I have the most delicious Mango flavored Aloe Vera, it helps with nutrient absorption, and also for severe cases of constipation, IBS, and acid reflux, it does wonders.  None of this is magic, it is just what the plant was designed to do with its healing agents, and the best part is that its subtle.  No laxative effect, just soothing and healing your digestive tract to work the way nature intended.  All throughout my pregnancy I used it as well for bloating and heartburn.  Now while breast feeding it helps me and the baby, his digestion through my nursing and Aloe helps his sensitive system feel and work good.

Tip of the day: Bodily functions should be pleasant, if they are not, something is wrong.  Bottom line (no put intended) it should feel good, then we do not think about it, when it all works right.

So back to a good looking backside, a good nutrition program and exercise my friends, and even for those of you that want to have a more defined one, that is all about gaining muscle in the right places, but burning the body fat.  It really is a science, whatever your goal is, we can get there together, with your commitment and my coaching, we are destined for success.

Sorry but I have to do this, this will definitely show you my generation :)

"I like big butts and I cannot lie, no other brother can deny" LOL (for those of you that don't know it was a popular song in the 90's that helped ethnic women get recognized for their curves) "You could do side bends or sit ups but please don't lose that butt!"

Nuff Said,

Have a great day,

Coach Yulia



The Monster Inside

This was a photo shoot I did depicting Medusa, with the amazing photographer Mark Miremont.  As I have said before, I have always been drawn to the dark and exotic, because I found it beautiful.  The funny thing is I was always naturally high and just enjoying the dress up and dance, while many people were using substances to make themselves happy. 

Tip of the day:  There is nothing better than the natural high, and now I am drawn more towards the light, the real, and the world of inspiration. 

All the stages in our lives make us who we are.  The title of today's blog refers to our dark side, which is what we work on and maybe even struggle with as we wind through the roads of life.  It shows up in different ways in different lives.  For me it was two fold, first of all in my immigrant family we communicated a lot by yelling, we all are very strong personalities that are independent and want our own way.   When my buttons are pushed, the monster still comes out.  Also from my childhood I decided that I had to prove to the world that women can live life as they want to, different rules did not apply for men and women, that left me wide open to get out of control.  Now I still like to push the envelope, but its not to prove anything, just to share my flair :)  I feel grateful for this blog to help me express myself in a positive and inspiring way.

I do not believe in regret, and Thank God because of my strong foundation of family, and my Jewish elementary school that gave me my base, I have come full circle when I met my husband.  I feel like I not only married him, but the whole community.  Yoga has also helped in my journey, I was much more of an explosive person, and now I take a moment to breathe before I react.  All we can do is learn, my father says a mistake is made once, after that its a choice.

The interesting thing is that people that have met me at different stages of my life, met a whole different person.  But my intense energy was always there, even in my elementary school, there for 5 of us who immigrated from Russia together with our families.  We were in the same class, and always very competitive, passionate, and  bringing some spice to everyone around us.  Nobody could beat us in Kickball, lol, and as we got older, we developed crushes on the boys, it all makes me laugh now.

In Miami is where I really let it all out, its a 24/7 lifestyle, and as long as I got good grades, I was just doing what everyone else was, dressing sexy because it was hot, and staying out all night, of course to balance and have fun.  I always had a good reason and a positive twist to everything.  Anyone who knows me now, enjoys my positive view of every situation in life.  Please do not hesitate to message me if you need a positive view on your situation, I feel this has helped me through many challenging times in my life.  Thank God for the positive view of my Grandmother and Mother, and that it has been passed down to me.

When I moved to LA, I was still in party mode, looking my best, exploring, playing, and overall just living it up.  Thank God that my gut, the universe, and my absolute trust in God that I am being led in the right direction, LA was the right choice.  I found Yoga and I met my husband

Trust, Live, Acknowledge and celebrate imperfections,
Coach Yulia

Commitment and Patience

I decided to take my kids to the Grove in Los Angeles on Mother's Day, let my husband have the day to himself, and just enjoy being outside.  It is a shopping center, but also has a beautiful play area with a fun fountain that dances to music, and a trolley that you can ride.  I never used to like the Grove or other places in LA because the only reason to go is shop, eat, or go to movies, everything is about "retail therapy."  It also has fake streets, with no cars, and its for families and lovers, didn't get it when I was single, but appreciate it for the simple fun with kids.  My timing was perfect, the picture above is me and all three kids, Matisyahu is on the side in his car seat, on top of the trolley car, of course Eli Tzvi wanted to go upstairs.  Everyone went out of the way to help me, Thank God it was mothers day :)

Although it was fun, it was a lot of energy, of course the baby woke up, wanted to eat, and Eli Tzvi almost jumped into the fountain, Ziona Sofia was chasing someones bubbles into the fake street where I heard the trolley bell close by - OY VEY! 

Everything in life is about commitment and patience, children especially, but also any goals that you set for yourself, and definitely marriage.  When my parents moved from Russia in 1980,  many of their fellow immigrants were getting divorced just for tax purposes.  My mother told my father that the word divorce does not exist in their relationship, and I am following the same path.  Life happens, its not easy, deal with it, face it, communicate, be patient, listen, work on it,.  Nobody has it easy, you never know what is happening in someone's private life.  As the saying goes, the grass only looks greener on the other side.  Of course there are circumstances such as domestic violence or other situations that every individual has to decide for themselves, consult with family and the leaders and guides of your community.

My kids are very independent, Thank God, but its definitely "homework from God, as my mother says.  My patience is tested every day, and I try my best to communicate and make them think they are making the decisions :)

Same goes for any goal in life, work, school, etc.  I know for me my health, fitness and nutrition goals are very important to me.  They affect my sense of self, and I want to look good for me and my husband, and be an example for my kids.  It is also an example for my clients, very important to be a role model for my business. 

I guess it all boils down to whats important to you, so you stay committed and be patient until you reach success.  I always tell people I would rather have it slow and permanent, than fast and yo yo.

Tip of the Day:  Quicker is not Better

Enjoy the Moment, Set Goals, Commit, Be Patient, Feel Good, Pat Yourself on the Back.  If you don't put yourself first and treat yourself nice, then who will do it for you?

Coach Yulia

Happy Mother's Day

Before I got married I loved photo shoots and being a canvas.  I like the extremes of Yoga me and Diva me.  So of course when I was pregnant with my first, I had to represent healthy, sexy pregnancy.  I have had fun taking a picture with each pregnancy.  I was about 8 months pregnant with Eli Tzvi in this picture.  He was due in September, it was very hot, and I found this dress for our 1 year anniversary in August.

Some people love children so much, and have wanted to be a mommy all their lives.  I always knew I wanted them one day, but also wanted a career, to travel, and enjoy my single life. 

Once I met my husband we were both in our 30's, finished with our 20's, and ready to jump right into marriage and family.  Thank God we got pregnant right away with Eli Tzvi, and it was wonderful.  I remember before I met Sam, although I was not ready for kids, I was always interested in experiencing pregnancy.  For me the kids are the work, but the pregnancy is just a miracle of how women are created.  I felt beautiful and healthy, and was active and working until I gave birth.

My hat goes off to all the moms out there, there are so many things that you do not know until you have to know.  Pregnancy, birth, and children are such amazing experiences, and they are very individual.  You can watch movies, even have nieces and nephews, but until it happens to you, you really know absolutely nothing about it, at least that is how I was.  One of my good friends who has tons of kids in her extended family, and her mother works with pregnant mothers, now is pregnant with her first.  She tells me its all new, and  she is asking a lot of questions, figuring out what is the right path with her pregnancy and birth.  The best advice I can give to pregnant moms and new moms is educate yourself, ask tons of questions, and you will find what will be best for you.

Women have been giving birth since the beginning of time, our body knows what to do, the baby  knows what to do, there is nothing to fear.  Our stress is what gets in the way most of the time, of course sometimes things happen, and in the care of wonderful midwives and doctors, the right decisions are made for mother and child.

The most important words I can say to moms everywhere is, there is only one you, and you are so special to your children, there is nothing like a mother's love.  As intense and challenging as it may be at times, we must give 100% of our love and support to our children.  The beautiful thing is that the unconditional love that they give to us is always there no matter what.

Enjoy your mothers day with your moms and your children, cherish the moment, and be present,
Yulia

How many children fit into my lifestyle?

This is an interesting question to ask yourself, your friends, and to listen to reasons why and how a certain number of kids ends up in a family.  My brother and I area 18 months apart, and we are still close to this day, for many reason my parents decided not to have more, although my mother was quite fertile, and I thank her for passing on that fertility to me.  When they decided to leave Russia to give us a better life, they realized it would be tough with no language and no money.  They are both very highly educated, but in America it was starting from scratch. 

I feel like I must have done something really good in my past life, to deserve the amazing and blessed life I have had so far.  Sure I have made bad decisions, but overall the path has been magic.  I am so grateful to my parents for raising us like adults, teaching us, but letting us always make our own decisions.  I have said before that my father married at 33, so I decided I would think about it at 33, but until then I wanted to travel, have fun, and enjoy being single.  I never dated anyone seriously, and honestly never met anyone that really fit until I met Sam.  Right before I met Sam I made a decision that I was a happy single, and if I did not meet my other half in this life, then I did not want to have kids alone.  For some people having a child really fulfills them, but for me I knew it would be very emotionally and physically intense, and I could not do it alone.  I really admire single parents that for whatever reason have to go at it alone, their strength, energy, and commitment is remarkable.

I definitely wanted two kids, because I feel it is not easy being an only child, my husband has a brother and a sister.  Thank god we were blessed with our boy and then our girl, so our decision to keep having kids until 40, made us hope for one more.  My older two got all the features of the Russian genes, and my husband and I look like our fathers, dark hair and dark eyes.  I really wanted a tall, dark, and handsome like my father, brother, husband, and father in law, who is from Romania.  My father was born in Chechnya, which the Soviet Union took over, but there is nothing Russian about it.  It is actually a Muslim country near Turkey and Iran, there were a handful of Jews living there back then, but none are there now.  This area is called the Caucasus because of the mountain range of the same name, and the Jews from that area are called Mountain Jews, who date back to Purim times.  My grandmother Zina, who my daughter Ziona Sofia is named after as well as my mother in laws mother Sofia, she spoke a language that was a mix of Hebrew, Farsi, and Turkish.

Thank you god for my tall, dark, and handsome Matisyahu, we are all enjoying him so much.  The Rabbi of our Synagogue has 13 kids, most people in my current community have at least 3-5.  I think it is a very personal choice, but highly recommend at least two, to always have someone in your corner, and someone later in life to help with parents and to have family around.

When I first moved to LA, my friends here became my family, and to this day we are there for each other just like family.  There is that saying that sometimes you love your family, but not necessarily like them.  I feel blessed to love and like the people that they are.

Shavua Tov, Have a Wonderful rest of your Weekend, and a Great Week!
Coach Yulia

Rules

This vision came to me while teaching a Yoga class.  I would always hear myself saying to the class to turn off the word, we are so non-stop, and in order to do Yoga, everything else has to stop.  So I replaced the world STOP with YOGA, and this is my trademarked business, YOGA STOP.  When I was pregnant with my first, my students really wanted to keep doing the class, so I say the DVD/CD combo is my first baby.  I was 5 months pregnant in the video with Eli Tzvi.  If you want to order it or read more about it please go to,

                 www.yogastopstudios.com

Lately I have been confronted with how rules are in every area of our life.  In order for someone to do Yoga correctly to get the benefits of tuning up the body and clearing the mind, certain rules must be followed. 

In my Jewish world we are coming up on a holiday called Shavuot, where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses to give to the Jewish Nation.  These are rules for life, and how to respect and take care of each other as human beings.  My son Eli Tzvi just got a book about rules, and how a little boy in preschool does not want to follow the rules, so the teacher tells them they will try to have a rule free day.  This boy learns that not having rules affects him the most, none of the kids want to share or play with him, nobody wants to give him a turn, and he trips over the mess everyone leaves on the floor.  He decides at the end that he likes rules and asks for the teacher to have them back in class.

I was asked recently if I am a rule follower or a rule breaker, and I had to think about it for a moment because in some areas of life, I guess when you understand why the rules make sense you have no problem following.  For instance with an appliance or a recipe, it has to be followed exactly or else the whole thing falls apart.  Apparently the same is with our lives, I went to an amazing lecture that was about the Ten Commandments and actually all 613 commandments, and how even when we do not understand why, it is important to follow, because it is for our benefit on physical and spiritual levels.  As I get older and I hope wiser, many of these rules make complete sense even on an emotional and intellectual level.  But for the record throughout my life I have been a rule breaker.

Same goes for Nutrition my friends, like Oprah said, all you need is Diet and Exercise :)  I personally do not like to use the word diet, which implies to take a way, and something temporary.  I like to say Nutrition Program, so you add what you are missing, and form healthy habits that become your lifestyle. That is what I help you figure out as your Health and Wellness Coach, as well as finding healthy and active activities that you enjoy. It is all such an individual preference, and I love to customize programs for each person's way of life.

This week I have started exercising, did a Zumba class, two Power walks, and a Yoga class, it feels so good to move and stretch and be active again.  Your body ends up enjoying it and eventually needing it, you feel off when you get off track.  Food wise I have been having my 2 shakes a day, 1 meal, and snacks.  I am also taking a multivitamin, calcium, a cell activator to aid absorption, and an Omega 3.   One day I forgot my second shake and my vitamins, it does take 21 days to form a habit, so I will just keep at it, put reminders in my phone, carry what I need with me.  This month is about figuring it out for myself. 

The Day of Rest is one of the Ten Commandments, one that I appreciate so much in my non stop life.

Shabbat Shalom,

Coach Yulia

Another Kind of Mommy Brain

Eli Tzvi - 8 months

Ziona Sofia - 6 months

These are my older kids when they were little babies, and I honestly do not remember them at this stage.  Thank God for pictures!  I also cannot imagine my baby Matisyahu as a big boy, its crazy how with our children we are naturally completely present.  When I was pregnant with Matisyahu, I was looking at other moms with little babies thinking, wow that will be me soon.  I really am reliving each day, week, and month anew with my brand new little boy.  It is amazing how our brains forget, because as they say, all we really have is now.  All the calendars, time lines, history are stories, but living is NOW.

Even with bearing children, everyone has their own individual experiences.  For some women the Pregnancy is wonderful, for others nausea and other symptoms make it not as pleasant.  I personally loved being pregnant, I felt beautiful.  The only discomforts were with my last two babies that they felt really low and uncomfortable, and towards the end the worst hemorrhoids ever.  For some women birth is the easiest thing believe it or not, and for others it is quite a challenge.  All 3 of my births were a totally different experience, but Thank God all positive.  I have a very high pain tolerance, and opted for a drug free vaginal birth, and I feel blessed that everything went according to my wishes, Thank You God.  With my first two I had an amazing doula that helped me disconnect from the world, I trusted her completely, and just focus inward on my breath and staying calm and present.  With Eli Tzvi my contractions lasted 12 hours at home, we walked around the block at 5 in the morning so they would progress, my water broke, luckily the hospital is 10 minutes away, I came in at 8 cm and gave birth 2 hours later.  It was an interesting experience because I got so good at breathing through the contractions, that I didn't realize that in the last stages of active labor, they are your signal to get the baby out.  He was 8 pounds and 15 ounces and 23 inches long, I just did not logically understand how to tell my body to push him out.  I really wanted to be a Yoga girl and do it in a squat, and my amazing doctor finally said, ok Yulia, please lets get the baby out now.  It took time to heal, and he was a cryer, and still is a super intense and independent personality today, that will serve him later in life. 

So some women have great pregnancies and great births, but after the baby is born situations come up.  I have had a situation with each baby,Thank God everything turned out fine and the babies got checked and have never had to go back.  That is why I like to labor at home, but give birth in the hospital, just a bit of reality and caution for the just in case.  I did not want to stress from the house to the hospital.  Eli Tzvi had a condition called Pyloric Stenosis, Ziona Sofia came so fast into the world, all the fluid did not come out of her lungs, and Matisyahu was 5 weeks early, but thank god almost 6 pounds and doing great.

With my daughter my labor started at 5:40am at home, doula came over, and we rushed to the hospital, gave birth at 7:18am!  Matisyahu decided to save me a month of discomfort of pregnancy, came in at a healthy weight, and is still taking care of mama, he doesn't cry, he just stretches and kvetches :)  Only to eat, change a diaper, or just for some love.

This mommy brain where we forget details of pregnancy, birth, and our children is probably natures way of keeping us in the moment, and missing the baby years, and to keep on reproducing.  It's all a miracle, and women are miracle, and how it all pops back is a miracle, feeling truly blessed.

Our purpose in this world is to Create and Reproduce, whether it's children to bring light or beautiful contributions to our world, such as building community, art, teaching, inspiring,  we are here to learn and grow.

Coach Yulia 

Mommy Brain

Ahhh family life, with the first child you are overwhelmed and super busy with everything new.  Then the second comes along, and it's a balancing act, but luckily my husband was there to take one, and I could take the other.  Now there are 3, and the only real challenge is when they want mama all at once.

My mommy brain took a turn for the worst yesterday, I had the best day ever back at work with my baby, leading a mommy walking group, enjoying the sunshine, and then it happened, my phone disappeared.  I tried to retrace my steps, looked all around, have no clue at what point it happened.

Once you give birth those 6 weeks are not only precious to bond is with baby, but for the mama to be in a no pressure, calm, pull out your boob when you need to phase.  There is very little sleep, our body is like a machine constantly producing milk, we need to fuel it right, so its constant replenishing and energy.  I forget to finish my sentences, I forget what what the last thing I said, I forget the burp cloth everywhere.

I usually have a great short term memory, but long term, forget it, I always have friends refreshing my memory of our past adventures.  So now it is quite frustrating that my brain just seems to go blank for the short term stuff.  My father is always misplacing everything, and my mother is a good detective, I have become my own good detective, but I really need to figure out a system. I am DONE with mommy brain.  My mother is a musician, and she even created a song in Russian for my father to make sure he had everything he came with.  Here is the simple translation: Where is my wallet, where are my glasses, where is my wedding ring, where are my keys, and where is my beeper (you can tell this was a long time ago!)

You know how it is when you take a vacation, or do anything different for a while, when you come back it's like restarting, everything is different.  Makes me think of Burningman, anyone been? That is for another blog.  When you have a baby, it just takes time to get back to the world.  I just came back from an amazing night out, saw a lot of friends who told me they have been following my blog and enjoying it, thank you so much, I am having so much fun writing it.

I am trying to finish it before midnight, sticking to my daily promise of posting.  I have to backtrack and tell you how amazing this day has turned out to be.  So one of my wonderful friends told me she had a blackberry I could use that she was not using, I really wanted to stick with a blackberry, and she got it all set up for me.  On the drive home, the last call I made was to tell my husband I was on the way, and then the battery died, Thank God I was able to make that call or he would be worried.

Then I go to my 4pm appointment with my friend and new coach, and someone called her, said he saw I had an appointment with her, and he has my phone, found it on the street! OMG, the universe, Hashem, the law of attraction all work in such magical ways.

Baruch Hashem, Thank God, Slavo Bogu, Vaya Con Dios,
Have a blessed rest of your week,
Coach Yulia

CORE!

Here I am at 33, a year before I got married, did a Yoga photo shoot, looking firm and lean, but with curves :) Did you know that in order to walk tall, our core is automatically engaged?  What is core? That has been the hot word in the fitness industry for over a decade.  The word CORE can stand for so many things, there is the earth, and there is the rock of the family, etc.  I decided to look it up in the thesaurus:

Definition:	center, gist
Synonyms:	amount, base, basis, body, bottom line, bulk, burden, consequence, corpus, crux, essence, focus, foundation, heart, import, importance, kernel, main idea, mass, meat and potatoes, meat*, middle, midpoint, midst, nitty gritty, nub, nucleus, origin, pith, pivot, purport, quick, root, significance, staple, substance, thrust, upshot, These are fun!

I am specifically referring to the core we use during walking, standing, and any physical activity.  There is a specific set of exercises that target the core called Pilates.  You can read more about the background here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilates.  There are exercises that you can do on special machines, and you can also just use a mat on the floor.  Some people just use their body weight and positioning, others use props such as balls, bands, and weights.  I teach a Mat Pilates class that is very different than my Yoga.  It is still a mind/body exercise, so everyone is clearing their mind and focusing on their breath and their form.  The difference is that in Yoga you go with the flow and really find where your body feels good and wants you to be, in Pilates, without the right form you can really hurt your back.  Yes, form and alignment are important in Yoga as well, but to be in tune where you body needs to be in the moment is the main goal.

I bring the Core focus into every class I teach, I feel it is the basis for everything.  For women the Kegel exercises, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kegel_exercise, are very important, especially after babies and as we age.  During core exercises you are activating your Pelvic Floor, for ladies it is the Kegel exercises, and for gentlemen it is the Perineum that needs to be activated.  Anyone that wants to learn how or talk in detail, please message me for more info.

In our abdominal area, its not just the surface that we need to work out.  Your Transverse Abdominis, your Pelvic Floor, and your Obliques all need to be strengthened and focused on during specific workouts.  Sit ups only work out a small part of your upper abdominals,and will not get you that six pack unless you do two other things.  First of all focusing on each part of the abdominals separately in your workouts, and honestly its 80% Nutrition.  All the sit ups in the world will not take out that extra layer of fat on top, and when you work out and build on top of that layer, that is what looks bulky.

I am so excited, I am starting my Tuesday and Thursday 10:30am Hot Mama Power Walk and Nutrition Group today!  It's Free to support mom's in our community, and to share and workout together.  Please spread the word, I want to meet, inspire, and be inspired by mom's from all walks of life.

Get Outside, Soak in the Sunshine, Put a Skip in your Step,

Living that Healthy Active Lifestyle, Please Join me :)

Coach Yulia