"The Don's Advice"

THE DON’S ADVICE

Don’t cry for me,

All who love me.

The truth is, I’ll never leave you.

You gave me music, you gave me laughter,

You gave me friendship, you gave me love,

I will stay with you.

I’ll cry when you cry.

I’ll laugh when you laugh.

In some small corner of your heart,

I will be there if you need me.

So, please,

Don’t cry for me.

Just remember the love we share,

And smile!

American Honey

Hands down I LOVE this song! The second I heard it I connected with ever word she sang! For some reason I feel like my childhood was a representation of American Honey. I definitely grew up in an amazing family that let me develop into the person I am today. Listening to this song in the summer sunshine definitely brings me back.

She grew up on a side of the road
Where the church bells ring and strong love grows
She grew up good
She grew up slow
Like American honey

Steady as a preacher
Free as a weed
Couldn't wait to get goin'
But wasn't quite ready to leave
So innocent, pure and sweet
American honey

There's a wild, wild whisper
Blowing in the wind
Calling out my name like a long lost friend
Oh I miss those days as the years go by
Oh nothing's sweeter than summer time
And American honey

Get caught in the race
Of this crazy life
Trying to be everything can make you lose your mind
I just wanna go back in time

To American honey, yea

There's a wild, wild whisper
Blowing in the wind
Calling out my name like a long lost friend
Oh I miss those days as the years go by

ABS 101

Throughout my teenage years and into adulthood I have been an extremely active person. Not only when I danced everyday for 3 hours but also now as I try to workout at least 3x a week.. But even doing cardio and abs religiously I never was able to figure out how to get a hard stomach let alone a "six pack" and maintain it. Until now...
I was doing everything wrong! I was doing a ton of abs but only doing a strict regiment of basic crunchs. I didn't mix it up or try anything new. That's why I never saw results.

Now. My stomach has never been stronger, I have a six pack and I have gotten rid of any stomach fat there ever was.
Here are some basic 101 ab rules and quid lines.. as well as some basic routines.
1. Regular crunches on the ground - AIN'T gonna cut it! You NEED TO ADD WEIGHT!
Whether its hand weights, ankle weights, or a weight ball -
2. Abs need to be worked everyday - Morning and night
Muscle in the abdominal area seems to fade fast if you don't do it frequently!
3. Mix it up - Use the floor, exercise ball, and flat balance ball
4. Breath! Breathing and especially exhaling during the exercise will help oxygen flow into the muscle thus giving you a "burning" feeling.
5. Lift up the toes - During regular crunchs and ones on the ball lift up your toes so your heels stay on the floor - this helps you use your core to balance as well as the contraction of the ab routine.
6. Small pulses - instead of long extended crunch movements, small tight crunches help keep the abs contracted and working.

Here are a few routines for the floor, balance ball, and flat balance ball:

1. On A Matt - 

- 3 sets of 18 : hold a weight 10-12 pounds above stomach, bring head up and crunch in the legs, keep elbows close to the ground and make sure to extended legs and feet all the way out
- 3 sets of 18: Lift upper torso off ground/ lift legs up to 90deg and twist with weight from either side of your body towards to the ground, fast small movements
- 3 sets of 18: Lay on back with legs a 90degs, place 1 hand weight on ankles and hold there while doing regular crunches up
- 3 sets of 18: Lay on back, lift up head off ground, with the weight on your ankles at 90deg legs: lift and lower ankles to ground and back up to 90 degrees. 

With Ankle weights:
- Knee crunches in
- Lift and lower legs
- Bicycle 
-Pulse with legs hoovering ground and head lifted up
- Flutter kicks just above the ground

2. On a Balance ball -

- 3 sets of 18: Hold 10-12 pound weight behind your head (1 weight flat behind the neck) Crunch up

- 3 sets of 18: Hold same weight with both hands right above chest with arms almost completely extended

- 3 set of 18: With weight do twist crunches from side to side moving weight to either side of the hip