Athleisure & 2017 Fitness Trends

Athleisure in the park in my Ceres8,com activewear

Welcome to the year 2017 in the Millennial Generation.  Millennialism is not generational though, it's a vibe you will find with those of all ages.  Even GenXers like me have picked up on some Millennial tendencies.

Some of the 2017 Trends in Health and fitness are pretty cool and those are the ones highlighted in this post.

#NoMakeup Movement

Celebrities are posting #nomakeup pics with this hashtag proudly pushing the No MakeUp Movement.  Natural and organic is the way to go.  Aside from being easy and time saving it saves on cosmetic costs.  There are many options for safe cosmetics that won't hurt your skin or body but they can run up a bill.  I love getting dolled up for photo shoots and love the look, but I also think being without makeup is real and that eliminates the essence of FAKE.  We have enough fake smiles and 'polite' pleasantry frauds out there in hoards today, so it's nice and refreshing to see a more REALness among girls catching on as a trend.

#Athleisure

Yes it's ok to wear yoga pants in your daily life!  If you do not agree then don't wear them, but there are reasons behind why women, MANY women, love to and do wear active wear outside of the gym. Not everyone works a wallstreet job, many now work for themselves and at home, not everyone is into being an 'image' all day, every day, fake.  Its real for many to go for comfort and cost effective fitness clothing as an everyday choice, with no makeup!  Many ladies today work what used to be considered non traditional jobs, working with their hands and 'man' tools in industry and self employment, getting their hands in the mud so to speak.

Health Tonics

Kambucha and other brews, wine with herb elixors, juicing and teas are very hot.  This is a wonderful trend, highlighting raw, whole foods, organics and REAL.  This eliminates all processing and gets you from nature to your system in a few small treatments.  

Rather than just juicing, people are now brewing and adding extras to their smoothies and juices beyond bodybuilding and eating healthier.  Focus is on details that are a custom fit to the individuals personal health needs at that moment.  Tweak your nutrient intake with some great ideas along this line.

Drinking Hard is Passe

The social scene is sobering up with more people opting for non alcohol beverages and more attention to the social aspect, the people they are with rather than the buzz.

Drinking as an excuse to get out, as a way to feel more confident interacting is common but it should be something you look at, you should not need to go about things that way and living with it affects your life as this avoidance habit and numbing habit will be your go to in other ways in your life. Look carefully and you may notice, if you are one who can be real with yourself.  Many who drink daily seem to do so for reasons other than just enjoyment on occasion.........they say its fun but if you need booze to have fun.......need I say more?

Nesting rather than going out

There are many reasons more people opt to stay home, the driving, parking or transportation there, costs that up, dealing with partiers who are over exuberant in your space at events.......being comfy at home and the trend of entertaining.

Cooking and entertaining is very common and not all frew frew any longer.  Dinner parties with formalities happen but are not the majority of entertaining anymore.  Its safer, cheaper and often tastier to enjoy a few friends at home for the game or celebration.  Cooking has become a trend itself and EVERYONE is trying it, concocting recipes from Food Channels and online that they want to share and be proud of!

More people are also opting to stay home alone more often, enjoying all our comforts in this day and age.  There really is no comfort or need you cannot establish in your living space.

Which of these trends do you fall into already? Which might you adapt into your lifestyle?

#22pushups #22KILL PTSD Challenge

Spider Pushups using Bosu

This new Challenge is all the buzz and caught my eye when a friend was posting his pushup challenge.  Then I was double nominated!  Anyone can do it even with just air pushups, its open to all, just look at some of the videos submitted with those who have no arms and legs, those who are paralyzed or bed ridden.  There is no excuse nor cost other than a bit of creativity, maybe some sweat and muscle if you are able.  Here is the website with info.  I will be nominating some of you so watch out!!!

#22pushups To Honor Those Who Serve

I love this idea and the cause is great and the condition is personal to me.  So I am going to take it on and give it my own Angel Twist!

My 22 days posted up at the https://www.facebook.com/22Kill official fb page and will share it to my FitPix facebook page.
facebook.com/fitnessfigure

I plan to vary my pushups, vary my videos and recruit others into the mix keeping it fun and helping bring awareness to this.  Its already caught like wildfire so lets keep the numbers raising so that they can achieve their 22 million pushup goal.  You are helping to bring attention to this cause and you can bet you know someone who has this, even if they have not told others or they may not even know it themselves.  Its a sneaky and quiet problem and those who suffer are usually misjudged.
I hope many of you have joined or plan to, its such a simple effort and act on your part.

Watch for my Day 1 launch today!  Who shall I nominate first?

Modeling Comeback and Hot NEW Yoga Wear Ceres8

Theres a new contender in the yoga wear / fitness apparel market.

 Ceres8 working painstakingly since Ive know them, for a year now, toward perfecting a line of affordable and accessible clothing in fitness and yoga.

Active wear can be daunting in many ways from cost, durability to funciton and fashsion.
Ceres8 starting with the release of its yoga line with prototypes crafted from fabrics personally chosen by the Ceres8 founder.  Style, fit, fabric, design, right down to the creation of patterns all hand approved, traveling to China, Spain and Brazil.

The sets shown today are from the Spain creation.
This is just the begining, starting the launch with yoga pants and tops that will cause the well-known competitors to stand and take note!

Im excited to be chosen to test out this line and love the look and feel.  I have been out of the modeling scene for a few years due to personal life stuff although had a few model gigs come about during that time but I am so excited to be back into it.  I can't wait to strut it out in the other prototypes coming!

The fabric feels amazing to the touch, fits snug yet feels like comfortable, light second skin.  It covers well and is very well made.
It holds the body in a flattering way with its stitching, showing symmetrical to the body in pattern and design.  This highlights and flatters rather than accenting any areas most women are concerned of.
Free moving is how these sets feel and I absolutely love it!  The hold is firm but not binding.

Get yours at Ceres8, you will be shocked at how afforadable this line is.  Be one of the first to order this unique new line and wear it before everyone else!

Fitness Challenges free to join in!

My new website

is up and launched as I ramp up my Online Fitness and Weight Loss system, meanwhile putting one-on-one personal training on hold for now.

I am looking at motion forward with life, home, and business so as I look at my amazing options and opportunities, I am taking mainly online clientelle for the time being.  We shall see where the wind takes me.

There are amazing inspired ideas in play toward where my business and career direction may go but I will only share once I have secured some definates.  I am not settled on any choices yet.  Besides, why not do it all and have it all!

In the meantime, come Lift with Linda, sign up with my amazing new program which you can read more about and join at lindacusmano.com

I will also be holding free Fit Challenges so check back often, click on the Motivation tab in the main menu at my site and take the challenge!

Now that my marketing, media and online stuff is streamlined keep your eyes out for posting about the exciting events and opportunities coming up as I expand my Fitness in new ways.

5 Comeback Fitness Trends 2016

Photo by Robert Poetker

This year it's the year of recycled fitness trends:

Yoga is making a big comeback it's not getting old anymore.  The yoga trend was starting to be old hat in the last couple years and it's been revitalized by enlightening people on the various types of yoga and applying yoga in various other ways to lifestyle and fitness goals.
Yoga is used for rehabilitation, mind work,  relaxation, strength and balance as well as flexibility. There are many purposes and applications with yoga to just about anyone.  There is always a pose that somebody should and could be doing.  I apply various poses like pigeon to help clients expidite and efficiently attain their goals.

Bodyweight training has increase in popularity because people are now combining exercises showing some time efficiency in their training,  People are learning to condition plus train different body parts within one movement as well as accessing different result such as flexibility and strength throughout the one exercise.   Bodyweight exercises are perfect for this as they are low maintenance and can be done anywhere with no equipment needed.  You can find several modifications to movements to help get you from beginner to advance, working with present strenth toward more.  'I can't do that' is not as popular of a tern when it comes to bodyweight work, today there is always a way to work this type of training no matter how weak you are at these exercises to begin.  Learn the progressions for the key to accomplishing these types of lifts.

Functional training has become first and foremost with just about everybody no matter what your goals are.  Functional aspects of training is now something that everyone is aware of for example core… like planks.
More people are paying attention to their joints and their connective tissue so that they can lift more and be better towards their goals without the injuries.  This is not just for athletes.
Functional training does give you all kinds of results but it's also injury prevention and that's it's highlight.  Functional training directly hits weak spots.

HIT HIIT are making a comeback.   It was popular a few years ago then things went quiet on that front but a lot of people adopted this type of training for a short burst cardio that was very effective for fat loss and sculpting.  It's making a comeback again with new twists that keen trainers are introducing to this form of exercise.
As we know science always expands and evolves.   There's always a way to make things better and somebody always finds that way and highlights it so that the rest of us can learn.  That's what's happening with high intensity training and high-intensity interval training.

Exercise for older adults is becoming very mainstream and popular.  More and more of the third aged individuals… as we used to call them, are getting on board to understanding that movement and exercise is a crucial part in dealing with some of the assumed problems that come with age.
I personally don't believe in that, I think that if people are active throughout their lives they don't adopt a lot of these supposed  older age issues.  For example arthritis, this is not a for sure sentence for everyone,  although many seem to think it comes with age no matter what.  The other fallacy is that once you are afflicted and it hurts, you don't move, don't use it.  There are levels between and there is always something you can be doing during your health issue, be it considered permanent, degrading, chronic or acute.  Again many times chronic is not really your sentence if you know what to do and there are so mnay great trainers now that can and will help you even with just free advice.
Do not submit to your 'condition'.

So there is your trending fitness for 2016, bringing back around full circle which is alway the case. But it comes back improved and revitalized.

I did not forget the TRX but its a bit stale this year, old hat, lets see how that becomes revitalized over the next few years, you know it will!

Contact me if you want to try some of this and we can get you on a program, Angel@lindacusmano.com.  Mention this article for a 25% discount.  ;)))

Pneumonia, 💔 & Rant

What a way to start off a fitness competition prep blog.

I'm not even going to count this as my first post for that series.  

I'm just gonna put this in as a rant

 🤒😷🤕🤐😲

I'm sitting here in bed with pneumonia, hoping I'll be better by Monday because I have one gym that needs me, a second location that's going to be on the go, competition prep to begin after 'post anorexia' and 2 Untrained major knee reconstructions in the past 3 years ..... yet here I sit weak and sick and of course that seems to be when the pain and anger from poisoned blood, Halloween heartaches, cowardly lion liars and dying Divas seem to hit me the most.

This past three years and I guess the sum of my life has me now in a place where it's me myself and I riding solo till I die.  I tried to trust again one last time and that got blown out of the water, I'm done.  When you let things in and they make a fool out of you, there's a last time at some point.  If blood can try to kill you, who do you trust?  But I guess that's common if you go right back to the days of the Bible where blood was killing blood for riches.  Pretty pathetic what people kill for nowadays - throw their own mother under the bus, their own sister under the bus, will throw anybody under the bus, sometimes it seems like the criminals have more code of ethic than some of these supposed God-fearing good people.

You try so hard to see for the good and then  just keep seeing the coward, the liar, the pervert, the hypocrite…, it's really sad especially when you're so sure there's more, you can't just keep trusting to just keep getting betrayed right?  And  if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck right?  Painful to be wrong about.

Don't you hate it when you're sick?   I feel like such a crybaby lol. 

Well I'm gonna keep it real.  And today for me this is what's real ;)))

I'm working on my mind and my heart for such a long time now, I'm working on improving that and personal growth.  I don't like being the person that writes all that crap I just wrote and I will keep working on refocus to positivity, I've had some really good days there ….. now to stay there longer.

I find it the bulk of my work to refocus when I  keep feeling the pain from the past creep up because it's never going to allow me to move forward, it really is like shackles and it really is 'you in control' me in control of my thoughts, emotions, feelings and my mind.  

Pain needs to be forgotten, left back and at this point the forgiving and forgetting part ….. I don't seem to so far and don't know I can ever do that but amnesia is a good way to go for me ;)))

  Wishing ill on others,  even if I'm justified for, good stuff isn't going to come if that's where my heads at and it's going to poison the already awesome stuff that's happening and I've seen that on days when I'm really wobbling out, it starts to affect the good stuff because I'm so unable to focus anywhere other than pain.  Just like the law of attraction… It Just keeps bringing more circumstances and rendezvous's and situations that cause pain.  Besides - poison money from death begets same - I might actually feel sorry for some of those people because you can't do such evil shit and not have evil in your life from it.

  If you feel like a victim you bring more stuff that's going to make you feel like a victim, you just keep attracting it.  I need to get onto the victor side of the stick.  When I've been there I've seen the positive results come easy and effortlessly exactly what I want in better detail than I could've imagined.

In the end it's not the others that are getting poisoned it's me poisoning myself, they don't deserve my energy or thought because they didn't value me, my gifts, my sacrifices, my love my compassion, my loyalty, my forgiveness, my trust… none of it was valued. 

 I guess the anger comes from having even offered that to those who didn't deserve it but took it willingly yet never recognized it or appreciated it.   I'm sure there's a bunch of you who are actually reading this right now saying yup been there done that…. I know I'm not the only one and that's probably why am open enough to share this.

If I can keep focused on the positive things in my life I know they will flourish and bring more positivity, some of this other crap the creeps in my head every once in a while and obviously when I'm weak and sick LOL

just ends up attracting more crap affecting on to the positive stuff that's been happening and I can't give that kind of power to poison.   It's my job to stop introducing the poison because the poison isn't there anymore it's my mind keeps bringing it back.

So rant over!! 

Moving forward, time to start looking at how to treat a girl who's an experienced competitor client at my age, coming in with poor rehabilitation on 2 knee reconstructs on same knee, a ton of atrophy, malnourishment and a shrunken stomach that's got a worse temper than any bitchy woman I've ever met.

There's been very little working out for the last three years, my body does not only need to come back for stage quality physique but fitness performance because I don't just do the 'stand up and look pretty categories'… I do fitness baby  ;)))

  If it was an easy category then they would have 2 hundred girls entering just like bikini lol.

So when I'm feeling better I'll start my fitness, prep blog and let you know how I'm going to attack this girl client, what kind of foods, what kind of training, she has some very specific needs that are quite unique ;)))

Ha ha I've always been unique but I'm definitely not doing a typical comp prep.  

And that's how I refocus to some positive.  I look forward to accomplishing these goals and feeling strong and titanium again.  

This is one area I'm really confident in.  I know I can achieve what I want, it's an excellent place to focus because there's no wobble or resistance really.  I do have work to do but I also know what my body will do for me that's why I can already see it done, let me tell you it's amaaaaaaazing!!  Lol 

Enough emo shit - time to heal up n go lift some mf weights!!! 

Interview with Fitness Professinoal Antonio Carlos Rowe

Q. What motivated you to take your training in the direction you have chosen.
A. I was very small growing up....nickname was "Bones". i got tired of being the smallest. When I started playing competitive basketball at 12 years old, I knew I had to get bigger....by 16 i was in the gym training and I grew quickly. Playing a competitive sport like basketball started me on the path...never looked back.

Q: What is your background that applies to fitness.


A. My background in Basketball and athletics is responsible form involvement in fitness. Growing up in the Caribbean in the 70s and early 80s without all the technology young people now have, most of spent all of our time outdoors, running riding swimming...all year around.


Q: Many find it hard to live life, work etc whlie keeping on a regular exercise program and proper diet what makes you successful in this endeavor?

A. In order to maintain the balanced lifestyle requires discipline. I am a coastal engineer and project manager by training, so being organized and disciplined is a necessity for my profession. I have just translated that to a healthy lifestyle which includes training nutrition and rest. Once I started seeing the benefits it became easy.

Q: How did you get into fitness modeling?

A. I used to model costumes for our local carnival (Crop Over). Once people saw the photos fitness modeling followed.
 


Q: You have been working out steady and strong for a few years now, what is your favorite exercise and why?

A. I have been working out since I was 16.... So it is 31 years. All leg exercises are my favourites, however I have had to remove squats as I damaged L5 disc in my back.

Q: Eating clean can be difficult; do you have a favorite clean meal? Add a recipe and pics if you have.
A. Tuna. Straight out of the can is my favorite clean meal

Q: What tips can you give others which can help them stay meal organized and keep up a training schedule?
 A. To stay meal organized and maintain a training schedule I would offer the following advice; set small achievable goals, track your progress, and be consistent. Rome was not built in a day....achievement of the small goals will keep you motivated....and make sure you have a good support system (friends and family) to keep encouraging you.

Q: Once you have accomplished so many of your fitness goals, what happens then, what are you future fitness aspirations?
A. My future aspirations are just to continue living a fit, healthy lifestyle and hopefully inspire others to do so. Unfortunately with the damaged disc in my spine there is little chance of me taking part in any competitive endeavours. I would like to complete a triathlon.

 

Linda Cusmano 2013 Charity Swimsuit Calendar

Linda Cusmano 2013 Charity Swimsuit Calendar Linda Cusmano Charity Swimsuit Calendar
This calendar is now on archive as of 2014 but there are still copies available of the 2014 which I have personally if you are interested in purchasing.  Contact me lindacusmnao.com

Spotlight Interview on Linda Cusmano ~ contest pics!!

Spotlight on Pro Fitness Athlete Linda Cusmano 

click this link to read the interview with RXGirl 

view routine and physique contest pictures below

Spotlight on CBBF Competitor Linda Cusmano

Spotlight Interview with CBBF Competitor Linda Cusmano

David Aboody / Twix Pix Jericho Beach Micro Bikini Shoot

3rd in Canada Fitness Short and more updates......

3rd Place Fitness for Canada

What a whirlwind summer it has been!  I got into the leanest shape of my life but yet again life decided to challenge me with obstacles before my provincial competition with knee injury then other things which inhibited my ability to make nationals in the lean condition I wanted.  Yet I did not give up.  I almost did not do nationals and was wavering the night before registration......but I followed my instincts and am so glad I did, I entered and due to lower number of girls entering my class I made qualification for next year by default!

Although I did not look top 3 worthy in my 'trainer' eye, I made top 3, third place in Canada for Fitness Short and the Michael Jackson routine in this case seems to have increased my placing unlike the BCs where it brought me down to second- different judges with differing opinions I suppose.  I am also so happy with all the work all these years I have put toward my backside!  Crowing achievement for me.
Had I come in lean I think I could have had a great chance for first and overall even with my watered down routine - so with this best placing yet and what I know, I am rearing to go for next year and do not have to go back to the Provincials next year where the judging for me seems to be the most challenging.

I am now hoping Nationals comes back to Vancouver next year as it makes the whole comp prep etc so much easier and cheaper for me.  This year was to be my year or so I thought but I guess the universe thought I was not quite ready yet.  I did enjoy the results and prep regardless of all the hell going on around me, I think keeping focused kept me sane.

ACL and Mensicii tears

I was called in for a surgery date Aug 31st but due to the calendar project I am trying to lift off the timing is not ideal but in order to be in full jumping gymnastics condition by next Nationals I do have to get in by beg of Oct at the latest so I am putting those prayers out there!!!  It could be 6-8 months rehab depending on if they can fix my meniscus......I almost wonder if I should not, they said my knee will be the same anyway and it shortens healing time....hmmmm.  The hardest thing to do is hold me down, longer healing time is not appealing but if I have to I will.  The doctor is amazed I can walk and considering how strong I am he, and many of my network firmly believe it was the stress I was dealing with this year which caused my knee to go and you know what, I agree.  Our body manifests stress in other ways if you keep it in and I kept it all to myself for months maybe years, still kinda am but working on it as I have an amazing support of friends and few family members who have been checking on me and sending love.

Modeling

I have had a marathon of photo shoots, some for magazine submissions and some for promo and they vary from bodyfat stages which is very cool!  I was sad that the one shoot I did very lean I was also under a tremendous amount of stress and you can see it in my face, I look sick, so some of those shots are sad, my body looks terrific, shredded but my face looks dark, gaunt, sunken and sickly so it ruins some of the shots. 

I am hoping to do more shoots indoors throughout the cooler season as well.  Some opportunities did come up but being 5'3" had an impact on my castings so I wait for the right opps to come which fit my body type!
Keep your eyes open on my facebook page for new photos posted daily, articles which are to be published soon and magazine features!
Make sure to visit my fan pages and click LIKE:
Linda Cusmano Fitness Figure
Body Rush Personal Training

I will be booking forward for any modeling work as well so anyone seeking a fitness model, here I am come and get me!

Fitness Training

Personal training is now settling in since my change over in the gyms I use, Sept is coming and the new clients are signing up, old ones who took time off are coming out of the woodwork seeking to get back into shape before Winter hits and holidays dictate indulgences.  The gym change was devastating to my business due to new fees and location difference but such is life, and you rebuild.

Pair training is popular right now, 2 people share the session and its costs.  I do have space for 1-2 more pairs so anyone interested and local to Vancouver can contact me to set up a schedule for your weekly ass kicking!

I have a  few new projects on the go for modeling workshops and (ANNOUNCEMENT) a weekly online bikini workout for those girls seeking to look like the bikini division competitors and model, the soft, sleek and sultry look. 

I am also going to be posting 'exercise of the week' videos to challenge you to try some new exciting exercises for fun, a taste of training along with me, and I will encourage you to video yourself or take pics of yourself doing them and share them!!!  I encourage many of you to try them and incorporate them into your workouts, especially if you hit a wall and are tired of the same old or just wanna have fun, feel strong and show off a lil!!

Travel Training

 

I have had numerous offers to be flown out for a week to clients outside of my area to work with and train them, teach them nutrition etc for a week intensive, setting them up and then monitoring from distance with future visits.  I have had to decline these for many years but am now able to look at this option for future requests so anyone interested can contact me.

Enjoy the rest of summer everyone!!!  Lots of Angel Luv to you all!!

Linda Cusmano

You Tarzan.....Me Jane

Canyon Run
Mid way through my trip to LA I continued my exercising adventures out door with some canyon running  which was intense, up and down a path of about 3 inches wide with rough surface, uneven dusty ground, rocks and roots.  My knee did great, my health loved this dry heat and found myself super exhilarated.  Diet was hard to balance with frequency and type but I felt I came back fuller.  The shock of my twist in training also seems to have helped to further the LEAN but with a fuller body and less stress.
Once I hit the bottom of the canyon, before heading back up I decided to monkey about on the fallen trees!

Canyon Run

Climbing Trees

 

Of course the highlight of my trip......

Workout and Sightseeing
I spent some time doing the touristy thingy, kind of.  I went to train at LA Fitness......what a casino.....I don't know how anyone can train there.  No one puts weights away, there is an overload of members in there training at the same time, its just way to big for my britches.  Rather train with a band at my hotel but I did train there and had a hard time getting in my exercises efficiently due to curious spectators who wanted to kindly ask questions which I am very okay with!

 These pictures pretty much speak for themselves, a little bit of Hollywood BLVD.

Tigra and Purple Stain
Tigra, the lead singer for Purple Stain is also a talented specialist with nails and body.  She gave me my first manicure and it still looks amazing, although she may have created a monster because now I think I may do this regularly!!!!  I have always done my own nails but the pamper factor may have slightly sucked me in.

While she pampered my hands she invited me out to watch her on Monday night so I did!  I hit the House of Blues and caught some great shots of Tigra at her best!  The First few shots show a bit of the Parish Room where they performed.

 

 Thanks for a great time, great nails and the cool purple bead necklace!!!

Last Day
I went to a park and played.  It was a nice mellow way to catch some sun, contemplate my time away and watch the dogs play!  Monkey bars and swings can be a fun way to try new exercise ideas and play at the same time.
Thanks to Cindy Legare and her awesome Legare fitness clothes I was stylin in comfort!!