Thursday, January 22, 2015

Curvy Momagers Court | 5 New Ways to Appreciate Life



Uncrazy Your Family - Take advice from one of today's largest TV starts Taraji P Henson who says, "Loyalty and communication are huge.  Grandma Patsy, who is 92, keeps us in line.  Nobody wants to disappoint Miss Patsy!"

Make extra-nice - Leave a note with a complement for a co-worker, take the shopping cart back so it doesn't run into someone's car, tell your kids teacher how great she is with her students.  Practice a random act of kindness and give the appreciation and it will reciprocate.

Change a life - So many organizations you can donate and give your time to.  Support the ones that some won't support and change a life.  Check out Campaign for Female Education.

Catch up with some old pals - Plan that easy breezy dinner party and get your old pals together.  Nothing like a little reunion to get you laughing and enjoying how far you have really come.

Live like a millionaire - According to Ron Lieber, " The people who say money can't buy happiness are using their money wrong."  Whelp I guess we have to check out his book The Opposite of Spoiled to find out why.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

LMLIM | 71 Ways to Get Out of a Rut

Ever been in a rut?  Yeah well I'm waving my well manicure hand in the air too.  Not right now particularly but hmmm maybe about a few months ago.  If I'd had this list it would have been awe inspiring instead of what I opted for....a junk food fest.  I won't list all 71 items I found in MORE magazine here because I'll feature some on my social media platforms that you should be following me on (IG and Twitter @curvymomager) shameless plug with smooth transition and future blog posts.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

I Dare You Wednesday | Next Level

Make a contact today that will help you take your passion to the next level.  Phone call, email, text or reach out on social media taje care of that today!   You might just be surprised at the outcome.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Moms on Fiyah | Cristina Aruta, Bikini Competition Momager

It's a New Year and many of us are looking at the scale thinking I Can't.  Well trust me you CAN!  Don't believe me?  Just keep reading about one of my favorite Momager girlfriends and how she at the fabulous age of above 21 is working the bikini competition circuit.  Managing the basketball career of her son that she affectionally calls The Yellow Mamba, keeping the fire in her marriage and living her passion is why I'm celebrating her in this edition of Moms on Fiyah.

Cristina started doing competitions after she'd torn her ACL doing muay thai kickboxing and had to have surgery.  She met a trainer that suggested she try the competition but in her mind she didn't want to be buff, he assured her there were different categories in bodybuilding: Bodybuilders, Physique, Figure and Bikini.  The bikini competitors are fit, not muscular.  She got a trainer, actually went through 4 - 5 before finding the right one.  The first one told her that she'd never have a chance at entering a competition!  (Bye Felipe)  She sure showed them having competed in not 1 but 4 competitions, 1 INBA and 3 NPC shows.

Her required training consists of 30% training and 70% diet, she says eating well is the key.  Training
Photos courtesy of Cristina Aruta
for muay thai kickboxing she didn't have good eating habits and noted her muscles and abs never "popped" out.  To get competition ready she works out with a trainer at her local gym and with a nutritionist at Max Muscle in Stockton, CA.  Additionally she also takes natural supplements like fish oil, protein powders and multi-vitamins.

Now folks check out this Momagers' daily routine:

"Wake up at 3 AM, commute for 1.5 hrs. to work from 5:30 am - 2 PM. Get home at 4PM. Prepare my training stuff and leave for the gym by 4:45. Train from 5 - 6 PM. Prep, cook and eat dinner from 6:30 - 8PM. Shower and get ready for bed. This is my daily routine. So glad my son Jacob drives now. He can take himself to practice and games. I don't train when he has games. I try to schedule my training around it. If we are traveling, I try to work out at the gyms in the hotels or a 24 hour fitness gyms, since they are all over California & Nevada. If there is no gym around, I run around the neighborhood."

And I complain about going to the gym with my 15 minute commute to work.  Mouth officially closed!

Training for a competition takes 3 months consisting of major weightlifting, cardio and a good diet.  All sugar and diary are cut out.  Heading into the week before competition it's a total carb balance, cutting some and adding others.  Training stops 2 days before competition and the prep for glamour begins.  Mani/peds, hair, tanning and makeup take place during the 2 days before and fittings for the bikini of course, which can run between $100 - $1000.  WOWSERS! Competitions last all day with prejudging during the day and winner announcements in the evening.

Bedazzled her own bikini.
Like with anything Cristina notes there is a downside to pageantry.  Due to the rigorous diet she has to follow she often has to refuse eating at events making hosts feel as if their entrees aren't up to snuff.  Some have even told her she is to old to compete but she uses that as motivation and says, "I feel like superwomen when I'm out on that stage."  She is careful not to judge herself based on the other competitors.  If she win's great, her real win is stepping up on the stage.  The best part of this venture has been her transformation from old geek working at a financial firm to bikini diva!

Think you might want to try a competition?  Cristina's best advice is, "Do it for yourself.  It's YOU vs. YOU.  Train and eat happy.  Find a balance with your food."

This beautiful bikini powerhouse is taking some off time from competitions to catch up on some gains (a gym term for building up muscle) and supporting her son in his senior year of high school basketball.  Jacob plays PG / SG for St. Mary's in Stockton, CA and reps #32.  They are focusing on college options now and getting into a great program where Jacob can continue his passion!  Check out his profile on Max Preps Jacob Aruta - Max Preps Profile.  Of course every baller has a video package and here's Jacobs':


Both Mom and son have bright futures and I thank Cristina for sharing their story with us to get the motivation for 2015 kickstarted.  I don't know about you but I'm setting my clock for a 5:30 am every day this week for Crossfit class, now I just have to train my brain.

Toodles,




Curvy Momager







Friday, January 2, 2015

Top 5 Sports moments of 2014

So I'm a little late but what's that phrase..."Better late than never"  Hehehe  No but seriously my life revolves around two things (besides the kids) sports and pop culture so I decided to pick my top 5 Pop Culture moments involving sports.  Here's #5

5.  Micheal Sam.  Sam is a former MIZZOU defensive lineman of the year that graduated and went to the draft.  Problem was shortly before he entered the draft he announced that he was gay and feels that it caused him to be drafted very late in the process.  I believe he went 241 out of 259, probably not the place for a highly noted defensive lineman, \insert shrug\.  Long story short Sam was drafted, played, was cut from the Rams but then picked up to play for Dem Boys in their practice squad but was cut again.  Currently he is still hoping to be picked up but is just training for next season.

4.  The Los Angeles Clippers.  Now I'm from Detroit so routing for any LA based team is really hard for me but I've learned to love these Clippers.  Especially after meeting CP3 in Vegas this summer I'm an official Clipper fan.  The Clips make this list however because of their former owner Donald Stern.  Stern was recorded by his mistress using racial slurs that were beyond inappropriate especially for a man that owns an organization comprised of many African Americans.  And he talked bad about Magic, bye Felipe.  That is exactly what the NBA did in an historic karate chop to ending Stern's association with the league.  It wasn't easy but before the season started Stearn was out and Steve Ballmer (ah multimillionaire baller) is the new owner.  Whew I would sure hate to miss out on any games this year if he had not left.

3.  Ray and Janee Rice.  Man I know everyone has heard this story but most recently his league suspension has been lifted after being seen tossing his fiancĂ© around like her first name was Raggedy Ann inside of an Atlantic City hotel elevator.  She has forgiven him and was PO'd that America cared enough to speak their disgust about the event providing pressure on Baltimore to release him.  Sure this is a private matter, they should be able to work out at home but I'm sorry boo you should have stayed in your hotel room if you didn't want us to know.  IJS


2.  Lebron James.  Who the flip knew King James wanted to go back home?  Let's face it the weather is much better in Miami and quite frankly yes they didn't win the championship last year but um at least he would have had a chance again this year.  With Cleveland, NOT!  But be it as it may Lebron didn't do another DECISION debacle but he quietly made the move to wear the Cavalier jersey again.  He was welcomed by the city and Dan Gilbert with open arms.  Does anyone remember them burning his jersey?  Ahhh, oh well I've already heard that he's thinking he made a boo-boo.  Maybe DWade will try and get him to make a REDECISION.

1.  Devon Still.  Or as I like to call this one Man of Still and his superhero princess. Loving that I'm topping this post off with a feel good story.  Devon plays for the Bengals but as luck would have it was cut before the season only to discover that his daughter Leah had cancer.  Once the organization found out they re-signed him on their practice squad so that he would have insurance benefits to cover her treatment.  Leah is doing well, still in treatment however, and the country has embraced her and her fight with cancer.  She is one tough and cute cookie.  We are praying for you honey! #PrayForLeah

Well there you have it, that top 5 moments that were on my mind in 2014.  What was on your list share in the comments.   It's a Wide World of Sports for sure!  Happy 2015!



The Curvy Momager