What Essential Oils Can Help Ease My Fibromyalgia?

So, I'm on a mission.  As you may or may not know, I am going to school for massage therapy.  It has been a very challenging journey so far, and I still have 4 more months to go.  On the positive side, I have 5 months done, so I am more than halfway there!

What Do YOU Feel When You Dance?

I love this question asked by Ana Masacote of Masacote Entertainment out of Boston. She is a beautiful, talented dancer who has inspired me more than she knows.

"What do you feel when you dance?"

Fibro You Can't Beat THIS Girl. I'm Covered!

I found this wonderful article today and  it has inspired me to write this blog.

I have fibromyalgia. It has changed my life. Here is a pretty basic description of what it is:

Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue (feeling tired). People with fibromyalgia have “tender points” on the body. Tender points are specific places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. These points hurt when pressure is put on them.

People with fibromyalgia may also have other symptoms, such as:

Trouble sleeping

Morning stiffness

Headaches

Painful menstrual periods

Tingling or numbness in hands and feet

Problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called “fibro fog”). 

***Side note: To all my friends and family that I have let down due to me forgetting something I'm supposed to do, please forgive me. Right now this especially goes to Osaremi, founder of TCE Events, who I totally forgot about on Saturday because I didn't write down her event like I should have. I'm still coming up with different ways to cope with my memory loss, but some things fall through the cracks. I truly appreciate those of you who work with me to help me remember stuff. <3***

I have ALL those symptoms of fibromyalgia, plus quite a few more. But, thank you Jesus, I am able to teach Salsa, Zumba, PiYo, Bokwa, perform on stage and more! Yes, there are times when I need to stop and let my body rest. And yes, sometimes I fall back on my pre fibromyalgia mindset and go hard, and then wind up knocked on my butt for a few days. But that's OK. I'm still learning how to cope with this disease, but it hasn't beat me and it WON'T beat me.

So I've been asked how I am able to physically do the things that I am able to do and I have this debilitating condition. I've heard, 'I can't even make it to my mailbox.", "I can't even pick up this case of water", "I can't even clean my house.", "I can't even get out of bed.", "I can't do Zumba", "I can't dance", the list goes on.

My answer to how I'm able to be as active as I am is... God has blessed me. He has blessed me with a passion for dance. He has blessed me with a passion to help people. He blessed me with my own businesses Love 2 Dance Fitness and Baile con Sazon before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia even though I was still active Duty Air Force.

I stress the fact that we opened the studio before the diagnosis because I don't think I would have had the mental strength to chase my dreams after I was told I had fibro. God especially blessed me with bills to pay (yes, I said it!) for our studio so that I would HAVE to teach classes! I've had no choice but to keep my body moving because I sure can't afford a full staff! :)

God has also surrounded me with people who are positive and who help me to keep going and who gave me the courage to step out and do things that most people are afraid to try.

First and foremost being my wonderful husband. He's my Boaz and he's always there for me. I don't know what I would do without him.

I'd also like to thank Reggie Santiago for standing in for me a trillion times when I couldn't show up to the studio to help teach. I'd like to thank J and Monica for helping me out so much on the fitness side of the house. I know there have been times that I've been super flaky but you lovely ladies stood by me! I'd like to thank our whole Baile con Sazon Black Belt Salsa family. Marci, Loretta, Seymore, Willie Mac, Tonino, Tashia, DJ, Max, Erik, Sara, JuanYe, April, Pepe, Edie the Salsa Freak... You've covered for me, taught me, performed with me, held events with me, held events for me, helped to promote, taken gorgeous pictures, practiced with me, pushed me, the list goes on.

So, to sum it all up, I'm blessed and God is good!

I'd love to hear your stories, testimonies, questions, comments. Tell me about your journey. I eat that stuff up. :)

God Bless and Take Care
Love, 
Tonya

www.TonyaOutlaw.com

P.S. Comment below, please. Love it? Hate it? Indifferent? I'd love to know what you think!

Pleasure, pain brain signals disrupted in fibromyalgia patients

This is interesting. And it explains a lot about what I feel at times.

"New research indicates that a disruption of brain signals for reward and punishment contributes to increased pain sensitivity, known as hyperalgesia, in fibromyalgia patients. Results published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology, suggest that this altered brain processing might contribute to widespread pain and lack of response to opioid therapy in patients with fibromyalgia."

Read more:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131105081519.htm

God Bless and Take Care

Love,
Tonya

P.S. Thoughts? Comment below, please. Love it? Hate it? Indifferent? I'd love to know what you think!

Do You Work Out on the Weekend?

"The best way to stick to a workout routine is to make it just that — part of your schedule. On weekdays, knowing you've got to fit in exercise before work or during your lunch hour is the key to seeing results and feeling healthy, even if you only have a few minutes on some days."

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Do-You-Exercise-Weekend-34465261

If you decide you do want to work out on the weekend, come and visit us at Love 2 Dance Fitness.  We have Zumba on Saturdays with the Outlaw Posse and Monica, AKA the Energizer Bunny. We'd love to work out with you!

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya
www.TonyaOutlaw.com

The Worst Diet Advice In History

This is an interesting article.  I'm not sure how I feel about all of it, but I DO believe that real food trumps chemicals that just look and taste like real food.

Worst Diet Advice

"Nutrition history is riddled with nonsense. 
People have been advised to do all sorts of strange things that challenge common sense.Some of these things are not only useless, but potentially harmful.
The worst part… a lot of this misguided advice is still being pushed.
Here are the top 5 contenders for the worst diet advice in history."

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.the-worst-diet-advice-in-history-2014-3

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya
www.TonyaOutlaw.com

The Fibro Food Connection

Those of us suffering from fibromyalgia have to think about what we put into our bodies.  This is an article that I really thought was helpful and I hope it helps you too.

Fibro Food Connection

The Fibro-Food Connection

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya

www.TonyaOutlaw.com

The Fog is REAL

Story of my life, Boys and Girls. The story of my life. :)

#dontjudgeme #justloveme #funwithfibrofog

So, who has heard of any links between iodine and different diseases including fibromyalgia?  Anyone have any insight on this?  I'd totally love to get rid of this fog...

http://i.l2df.com/1keaynM 

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya

www.TonyaOutlaw.com

You Can't Do It?

Push yourself. No one is going to do it for you.

#nofear

God Bless and Take Care
Love, 
Tonya
www.TonyaOutlaw.com

YOU are Amazing!

If you are suffering from any kind of chronic illness, it is hard not to compare yourself to others, including the person you "used to be".  I've said it many times. I "used to be able to...".

But you know what? What is important is to be the best YOU that you can be TODAY.

Don't look back. Don't give away your joy. You deserve so much more.

Thanks for the picture, Marvine! <3

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya
www.TonyaOutlaw.com

Do You Feel Like You Can't Go On?

This is a testimony to what perseverance in the face of extreme adversity can do. Always fight. Never give up. No matter what. If you still have air to breath, you still have a chance to live your life.

http://i.l2df.com/1gRnYSK

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya
www.tonyaoutlaw.com

Bokwa Fitness for Men, Women and Kids!

Bokwa Fitness is coming to Love 2 Dance Fitness Studio! This is an amazing, fun, addictive group fitness class that is good for men, women and kids!

And guess what? We've got a guest instructor coming in from Va to teach a Master Class. I am sooooo excited. We had a blast the last time she came down to teach us.Come on out and give it a try!

And if you absolutely love it as much as I do, she will be offering a Bokwa Fitness Certification Course the day after the Master Class.

Who: Toni Holbrook Bokwa Education Specialist Trainer
What: Bokwa Fitness Master Class
When: 12 April 2014 at 1PM
Where: Love 2 Dance Fitness Studio
Cost: Adults $10 in advance
         Kids $2 (Pay for kids at the door)      

Buy your tickets here: http://
http://i.l2df.com/1do9PSw

Or if you want to use Pay Pal:

http://www.tonyaoutlaw.com/events.html

Visit www.BokwaFitness.com to sign up to become a certified instructor 13 April 2014.

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya

Change is Possible!

You CAN change.  You just gotta chamge...

We are BIGGER than Fibromyalgia

You are so much BIGGER and STRONGER than fibromyalgia. Don't you DARE give up. And if you have lost hope and given up, take your life back!

God Bless and Take Care
 Love,
Tonya
www.TonyaOutlaw.com

Cut Gym Time and Burn More Calories

Cut Gym Time and Burn More Calories With These Tabata Workouts -

You know we LOVE Tabatas at Love 2 Dance Fitness. In fact, we love them so much we meet Mon, Wed and Friday to do them together at our Tabata Bootcamp!

But if you can't make it out to the studio, no worries. Just try these workouts at home:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Tabata-Workouts-30206750

God Bless and Take Care
Love,
Tonya

PiYo Beach Body Home Workout is Coming!

I am super excited about this!!! PiYo Beach Body Home Workout is Coming! Lets LEAN OUT!!!

Introducing PiYo, a high-intensity, low-impact workout for a new kind of STRONG. Be the first to find out when it becomes available. You could win a FREE PiYo kit! Watch this sneak peek of Beach Body's new at home workout program!! Watch it and you'll see exactly why it is one of my favorites! ;)




Want to try a demo?
Love 2 Dance Fitness
500 N Reilly Rd Ste 110
Fayetteville NC
22 March 2014 1 PM
FREE PiYo demo!
Sign up for your FREE demo at www.Love2DanceFitness.com

DO NOT SIGN UP ON THIS LINK! This is just FYI. If you are interested in the program, let me know and I will make sure you get your copy.

http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/piyo-workout.do

DO NOT SIGN UP ON THE LINK!

Write your name in the comments below if you are seeing this on Facebook or send me a text at 910-338-9675 or click on "Contact Us" if you are seeing this on www.love2dancefitness.com and I will PERSONALLY make sure you are the 1st to know of the release date!

This is the program that can change your life. I got licensed to teach this because I needed something low impact but high intensity to help keep me moving with fibromyalgia. This is the program that I will be doing for years to come! "This is for you and your husband. For your mom and your child. For the football player and the homemaker! This is WAY overdue and we are so excited to see it come to life!!" Thanks Michele Park for your awesomeness! :)

http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/piyo-workout.do

Don't forget - DO NOT SIGN UP ON THE LINK! Jo and I are Beachbody coaches and we will make sure you get the program.

God Bless and take Care!
Love,
Tonya