Ready for a fun, free Thanksgiving Fitness Event?
BellaVita is hosting a Pre-Thanksgiving Zumba Dance it out Class, LIVE! Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for everything we have, we are grateful for our resilient community. The pandemic has struck the world with uncertainty and changed many aspects of our lives. It’s no surprise that our stress levels are at an all time high. Despite the chaos of 2020, we cannot wait to celebrate the holiday season with you for our first in person event since Covid-19. The perfect stress release! Zumba is an intense cardio workout, guaranteed to get your heart rate up while promoting a better mood. No experience necessary! Even if it’s for just an hour, you can shift your mind away from daily worries and focus on gratitude and fun in this dance workout! Don’t allow 2020 to make you forget about the things that we’re already so lucky to have. Join us to get a workout session in before your yummy feast! Oftentimes when we think of fitness we have one image in mind: a person with well-defined muscles who often spends a lot of time being active and eats little to no processed foods. This image is often perpetuated and reinforced when we see fitness influencers across all social media platforms. While we cannot deny that such a person is indeed very fit and healthy, we must also examine the issues that arise when we only have this image in mind at the idea of fitness. For the everyday person with a busy schedule, this may create unrealistic and unsustainable standards in regards to what it takes to pursue fitness; it is especially intimidating for anyone hoping to make healthy lifestyle changes for the first time. We hope to spread the message that this is not the only way to be healthy. In trying to achieve the single idealized image of fitness, many people enter a negative spiral of perceived “healthy” habits. For some, the attempt to cut back on calories while increasing physical activity can generate results opposite of the intended goals; not only is the body not given enough time to recover, but it also does not have sufficient energy to fuel the increased physical activity. This can lead to weight gain and muscle loss. For others who completely deny themselves of foods that they crave, the deterioration of mental health can lead to a yo-yo cycle of denying cravings and binging; over time, this will also result in weight gain. In order to break away from such unhealthy habits, we should expand our idea of what it means to be fit and healthy, and the process it takes to get there. People are so different, ranging from their lifestyles to their genetics. As such, we should respect that everyone can have a unique fitness journey that does not prescribe to only a single image. People should not feel the need to make large-scale, immediate changes to their lives. They do not need to give up on sweets or other “guilty” pleasures. They should not feel regret about occasionally overeating or taking rest days. Most importantly, they should not neglect the state of their mental health in the pursuit of fitness and health. Here at BellaVita, we aim to create a community that respects everyone’s differences in their fitness journey. Not only do we emphasize physical health, but we also integrate a mental health and meditation focus. We recognize that in supporting a healthy mindset, we can further promote physical wellbeing. Improvement takes time, and we hope to welcome and support our members throughout the whole process. Written by Daphne “Life is hard. Everyone has their own personal struggles, but it is up to each individual to try and make the most of it.” Meet our newest BellaVita team member Jeff. May his personal journey be a source of motivation to us all! One in three-thousand.
If I were a betting man, I would say that those are not the best odds in the world. That probability is nothing when compared to the odds of being struck by lightning – 1 in 114,195. It is also far better odds than getting attacked by a shark – 1 in 3,748,067. Now that you think about it with that frame of mind, 1 in 3,000 doesn’t seem that unlikely. 1 in 3,000, according to the American Heart Association, is approximately the probability of an infant being born with Tetralogy of Fallot – the most common complex congenital heart disease. I was born a blue baby, called cyanosis, and the doctors instantly knew that there was more or less something wrong with my heart. They soon after diagnosed me with this disease and fourteen short months later I had my first open-heart surgery. The tetra of Tetralogy of Fallot that I live with, refers to the four main symptoms that persist in most cases but can vary in severity on an individual basis. My parents were told after the surgery that this is something that could limit me growing up, but were told to also let me do whatever I decided to do and to let me decide how far and hard to push myself. And push myself I did. I decided to never use this as an excuse when playing with other kids at recess or gym class. We would run around and chase each other, play all different kinds of sports, and my personal favorite, Red Rover. I decided to never use this as an excuse throughout high school when playing sports. I tried every sport growing up as a kid and soon started to excel at them and stood out amongst my non-heart diseased pupils. I decided to never use this as an excuse for lack of fitness and instead was able to compete at State finals for track and field in high school and then went on to compete at the collegiate level in football as well. Life is hard. Each individual has their own personal struggles, but it is up to each individual to try and make the most of it. That right there is the mentality I try to use every single day. Sometimes in life, we are dealt the short-hand and it is up to each and every one of us to make the most of it. If I had lost a race in high school, it wasn’t because of my heart condition. Maybe it was because I miss-paced myself or got out to a slow start. Instead, I would use that loss as fire and determination to come back next time and make myself better. That’s all it really comes down to at the end of the day. What can I do today to try and make myself better than yesterday? Inspiration is created by you. Try different things and figure out what inspires you; then get more of it in your life. Dear BellaVita Family,
BellaVita was built by our diverse, individualized community, our people. Since 2013, our mission has been to improve the lives of our members. Body. Mind. Spirit. BellaVita’s customized wellness services recognizes there is no one size fits all. Our members' results have proven to do just that! For the safety and wellbeing of our community, we were forced to lock our doors on March 13, 2020. This put us in an unimaginable, devastating circumstance that we didn’t see coming. To keep our community together, we published weekly wellness classes and kept in touch through email, social media, and other virtual platforms. From darkness comes light. BellaVita is excited to announce we have adapted and expanded to virtual offerings, making it easy and convenient for you to join us anywhere! We have successfully transitioned our partnerships with schools, corporations, and developments virtually. It has been so inspiring to come together stronger than ever during this time of crisis. As NYC reopens, we posted our last free YouTube video of our stay at home with BellaVita series. You can still join our previously posted classes from the comfort of your home. If you have any questions, requests, or recommendations, we want to hear from you! Or if you’d like to bring BellaVita to your school, company, or home email: info@bellavitaworld.com In health, The BellaVita Team! PS. We know finding motivation can be a challenge especially during these times (the struggle is real!) -Check out BellaVita's feature in Hollywood Beauty Magazine to learn 3 effective ways to motivate yourself now! Find the motivation to accomplish what you set out to do, you are unstoppable! Written by Ashley; edited by Briana Dear BellaVita Community,
What a crazy time we live in. The last couple of days have been especially heavy. We are reminded again by another senseless act that our country needs change. Although these calls for change are not new, they are necessary. Our actions hold the power to create the life we wish to see. In the face of the unknown, it is common to feel anxious, scared, and alone. Our hearts and minds are with you, all day, everyday. We hear you, we are learning and want to do our part. In the midst of a crisis, it’s crucial to find inner peace and de-stress. Let us help you by joining a BellaVita guided meditation led by our Bella Sasha. Click here We have been posting free BellaVita classes on our Youtube channel every Monday and it’s been key to taking care of our community. For more personalized classes and coaching, please contact us directly to schedule and let us know what we can do for you. BellaVita stands with you as we fight for equality, justice, and safety. Black Lives Matter. In Health, BellaVita Team Dear BellaVita Family, BellaVita was established as a wellness community in NYC. Our number one priority remains the health and spirit of everyone in our community. We deeply believe that during these difficult times it is especially important for us to come together in solidarity so we may find strength through wellness. BellaVita consists of like-minded individuals committed to individual health, the health of those around them and the health of the community as a whole. Although we have to practice social distancing, we are connected through technology. 2 ways to join us: MOVE- While classes are canceled through March we are switching to weekly virtual classes to be featured on YouTube(click here) and across all of our social media platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook). CONNECT- What is lacking during this time is interaction, our social media channels will provide an outlet to engage in discussions. If you wish to share words of wisdom, pictures, stories, or videos to feature on our channels, please send it to us. We will link it to you if you would like. Please keep yourself healthy by focusing on guidelines from the CDC. The CDC COVID-19 website remains an important resource for up-to-date information about the virus. If you have any questions/concerns don't hesitate to participate in discussions or email us at: info@bellavitaworld.com In health, love & light, Carla & Bella Strawberries are a staple of February whether you’re celebrating Valentines Day, Galentines Day, or neither because you don’t buy into the idea of consumerism. Whatever you’ll be celebrating this month there’s a good chance that it could be celebrated better with whipped cream. I like to think I’m a good cook, but I never knew that whipped cream could be made with just:
1 cup of heavy cream 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract The whipped texture starts to form after a little mixing on either a stand or hand-held mixer with the whip attachment Also, make sure to chill your bowl and mixer in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before cooking #TastyThursday Nowadays, when we’re all living busy lives with our fair share of stressful situations and bumps in the road, it’s all too easy to get swept up into dwelling on all the things we have to worry about, wishing we could have this or that. Especially with the prevalence of social media, we’re often found comparing our lives to the picture-perfect and filtered ones we see online. At the end of the day, we all have so much to be grateful for. Even the fact that you have access to a device where you can read this post is a luxury that some could never imagine. With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s an important reminder to express gratitude and thankfulness for all the good things in your life. Gratitude doesn’t have to just be a one-day endeavor, though. Instead, gratitude is a pivotal tool you can incorporate into your daily routine to drastically improve your life. There’s even scientific backing to it! Dr. Emmons, a leading scientific expert who specializes in gratitude, has found that gratitude can actually increase happiness levels in your body by 25% as well as strengthen your immune system. The best part of all these benefits is that you can experience them too, starting today. Here’s some easy ways how.
With the weather getting colder and the leaves changing color, we also know that all of our favorite holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are right around the corner. With these holidays also comes busy schedules and plates full of unhealthy dishes so for someone trying to stay fit, the holidays can seem like a daunting time. Luckily, health doesn’t have to be all or nothing and by following some of these tips, we at BellaVita hope to make keeping up with a healthy lifestyle during the holidays very much possible and even easy.
By Juhi Chandiramani Oftentimes, we are challenged to maximize the skills we do not know we have. Little did I know that this is exactly what working in BellaVita entails. My journey begun a little over 3 months ago when I applied for a marketing intern position I found online. At the time, I was confused about what exactly BellaVita was. Prior to my interview, I read up about BellaVita on various websites; however, one week into the internship, I discovered that it is more than merely a series of classes offered weekly. It is a range of fitness and wellness opportunities encouraging growth and perseverance for all types of individuals; from corporate wellness and physical education in schools, to specialty classes and fitness & wellness residential memberships, BellaVita truly has it all. As a marketing intern, I was taking on many tasks such as planning events, creating promotional content, managing social media accounts, handling customer relations, and several others. I worked closely with Izabella Steele, founder of BellaVita: Fitness & Wellness, along with a few other interns with whom I have grown to develop priceless relationships. By the time of my first event at the company, “Stretch & Destress”, I was getting the hang of everything; this allowed me to enjoy meeting and familiarizing myself with different members, and to ensure that all their needs were met. Initially, I did not quite understand the deeply personal level of connection that BellaVita fosters with its members. Upon exiting the venue, all the members looked deeply satisfied and grateful for the event. It, then, became clear to me that BellaVita does more than provide all the services mentioned above; it aims to touch each and every member by enhancing the overall quality of their lives with its services. Through time, I became more aware of the bonds that I, personally, created with members and instructors. I learned that, ultimately, passion has and always will be the focus. BellaVita concentrates on fueling each of its members, clients, instructors, and team members’ passions. Whether it be passion for Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Health, Teaching, Marketing, Finance, or Management, passion always takes precedence here in BellaVita. |
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