fithiphealthy

LAUREN BOGGI FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST! 20 May 2013

Bouncing Forward...

ME ON MONDAY (RISK). 15 May 2013

Since the Queen of Hearts article debuted in the May issue of Philly Mag, I've received many emails from entrepreneurs, people asking my advice, and women asking me questions about business, in general.  Which I love, BTW.  I adore helping women; I think that we women should be helping each other.  All this has really made me think a lot about my past, my story, and how Lithe as a business would have been very different if I had listened to people tell me what I shouldn't do.

Last week I found this picture.  It was 2007.  Jordan had just purchased his loft (two years later it became our loft).  I had just opened Lithe Rittenhouse, and my dog Edie and I were somewhat homeless.  Two months prior to this picture, I signed a lease on an awesome corner one bedroom apartment in the loft district.  Just one month into my lease the economy tanked and my lovely realtor Nella allowed me to exit my lease when I realized I had bitten off more than I could chew.   

The irony of the story is that just six months prior, Jordan and I had just started dating and he had asked me to move in with him.  I said no; I was Miss Independent.  Been there, done that.  Guess who went crying to Jordan when she realized that she couldn't make ends meet?  Yours truly.  There I was drinking wine, sobbing on his couch asking HIM if I could move in.  It was so ironic, that he decided to snap a picture of the moment.  Guess what?  It was one of the best decisions that I've ever made.  I could have gone home to live with my parents, I could have stayed with a girlfriend temporarily, or listened to all of my friends who told me not to do it (I heard he was a player).  At that moment, I had hit rock-bottom.  I was so scared, and I would have loved to have some sort of commitment from him, but I went for it anyway. 

One thing that I've always subscribed to in my personal life and with my career is that I've always trusted my gut and I've always done things that I'm not totally quite ready to do.  I've also always accepted the possible consequences of failure. You know the feeling that you get when you're like, 'what have I gotten myself into?' When you get that feeling, you have to hold on tight and push through it.  Take that feeling and run with it because something really great usually happens. 

Image of Lauren from 2007 via Jordan

WARMTH. 14 May 2013

Josie Maran's Argan Tan Extending Body Lotion, Nora Kogan's Mama ring, Loeffler Randall Marta clogs, Madeline Weinrib cotton carpets, do TERRA Citrus Bliss essential oil in my water (via Mama's), my Mint Julip recipe and Domino Mag (it's back!). 

Images via brand websites and Lauren via Jordan

LITHE IN PHILLY MAG! 7 May 2013

Check out The Cult of Lithe Queen of Hearts feature by Richard Rys in Philadelphia Magazine's May issue.  Kudos to Richard for having the guts to enter our culture (and experience the workout!).  Thank you to our Lithe Instructors Jaime Powers, Kim Sauer, Meg Grauzlis and Tirsa Rivas for enduring an arduous 14 hour shoot and body painting session.  And, thank you to all the Lithers of Philadelphia for shaping Lithe's history, and loving this workout and lifestyle; I'm so honored! 

Images via Philadelphia Magazine and Jonathan Pushnick

ME ON MONDAY (MY WELLNESS RECOS). 6 May 2013

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting my recos from wellness to healthy food here in Philadelphia and beyond.  This week, I'm talking about the people that I trust with my body and mind.  If you're super busy and always on the go, you know that sometimes it takes a village to care for YOU.  I highly recommend the women above; they're true healers, experts in their fields, and I'm lucky (and proud) to call them my friends.  Read about my go-to's for when I want to really feel beautiful inside {clockwise}:

Mother's Helper:  Paige Chapman of Mama's Wellness Joint.  Have you been to the Joint?  Like Paige, it's completely beautiful and serene.  I go for Paige's yoga, raw milk, Salt of the Earth, raw local honey, and her ridiculously amazing selection of essential oils.  What's our history?  Paige was my doula. 

Eastern Medicine Master:  Julie Schwartz of Julie Heals/Queen Village Acupuncture.  Julie has been my acupuncturist and herbal guru go-to since 2007.  She has shortened the healing time of muscles in spasm,  turned Mars from his breech position at 38.5 weeks with acupuncture/moxibustion, and helps me monthly with stress management.  What's our history?  She married Jordan's best friend, Mark and her daughter Sophie is one of Mars's BFF's.  For those of you who Lithed from 2007-08, you may have experienced our collaborative workout, Lithe EnerChi. 

The Muscle Mender (who really knows your workout):  Tiffany Nork of Lithe's Body Boosters (she previously owned On The Spot Wellness).  Since 2008, Lithe Instructor and "Lithe Therapist" (Tif's our in-house, certified massage therapist), has been kneading away our chronic sore spots, peeling away super tight connective tissue, and correcting our muscular imbalances with her own two hands and her therapeutic Lithe Melt "mini-balls" since 2007.  What's our history?  Tif began Lithing in 2005 and became an instructor in 2006 (currently, she is my "oldest" instructor).  I see Tif bi-monthly for psoas and piriformis tightness from all the tucking and squeezing that I do, and those crazy, hurt-so-good spinal rolls that only she does.  And, because she performs true bodywork, it really works.  Those of us who swear by her know it's not an ordinary massage. 

Image of Paige Chapman via Paige, Julie Schwartz via Dominic Episcopo and Tif Nork working on Lauren at Lithe Old City via Johanna

 

TALKING BIZ WITH MICHAEL HINKELMAN. 2 May 2013

  

Lithe was featured on Talking Small Biz (one of my favorite biz columns) where Daily News columnist Michael Hinkelman interviews local entrepreneurs about how they started their businesses, the challenges they face and how they are growing their businesses.  Check it out, I love the Q&A format.

Image of Lauren wearing Lithe's Hot-Stepper Dress via The Daily News

ME ON MONDAY (LOVING YOUR ATHLETIC BODY). 22 Apr 2013

I may not always be at the studio, but I can hear you...
 
I'm always keeping an ear out for negative body image and eating disorder-triggering conversations at Lithe; it's part of my job.  Since 2005, Lithe has been all about body diversity, from the instructors that we hire, to our branding message.  IT IS what we stand for, and we pride ourselves on being a positive, happy, healthy environment for all women.  

We don't usually hear much negative talk within our walls, but springtime always increases the negative body image chatter about skipping out on sculpting classes for something higher cardio because, "I can't afford to take a class like Cinch, it doesn't have enough cardio/calorie burn.  Or, "Omg, I ate so much for breakfast today...a whole bowl of cereal."  Or, "I won't dare lift anything heavier than 5 lbs because it makes me "bulky."

I'm piping in to remind you that, these types of misconceptions are exactly why this blog and the Lithe Lifestyle exists.

Did you know that mixing Lithe's CCS Cardio and CCS Sculpting is the best way to achieve the results that you are looking for?  When our more traditional, slower-paced,“strength” workouts are performed with the correct timing (think: Sculpt, Cinch, Skinny Jeans, High Waisted, Thinny, Peeled, Wings, Walk-Star, Waspie, Split or Sleeveless), form, precision and intensity they also really get the heart rate up and train the cardiovascular system just like our more aerobic cardio workouts (think: Rock Steady, Hot Legs, Skinny Mini, Spirit, Hot-stepper, Higher Power, Weightless & Twiggy).

Food is also your friend.  If you really want your body to work for you when you're Lithing, you need to feed it right-whether that's making the most of 2 classes a week, or building up to a marathon mileage of 4 to 7 classes per week. 

What the bulk?  Who's building bulk?  You're getting bulky?  No, you really aren't; You're building an athletic body.  If you'd like to remove the fat that's sitting on top of your lean muscles, change your diet and increase your weights to eights and watch you become your leanest yet.  Want to learn more?  Read all about the old bulk myth (#1) in my column for Huffington Post's Healthy Living.

Today I'm reminding you that you are all athletes.  I challenge you all to think like the athletes that you are and love the body that you're building. Our workout will make you: strong, athletic, femininely cut, curvy, and confident.  Our workout will not train you to be skinny.  If you have a body, you are an athlete (thank you, NIKE!).  Love your athletic body.  Feed your athletic body.  Challenge your athletic body.  Accept your athletic body.  Be proud of your athletic, LITHE body.  

Lithe Instructors Liz Galbally, Lauren Boggi Goldenberg, Cat Keirnan & Bianca Pallotto wearing Lithe's Hot-stepper Dress via Dom

LITHE IN FITNESS MAGAZINE! 11 Apr 2013

 

I loved developing a Lithe workout exclusievely for FITNESS MAGAZINE and I love seeing it in print even more.  Want to try these moves at home?  Check out this video.   

LITHE (AND LAUREN) ON GO RECESS! 9 Apr 2013

Read all about Lithe and Lauren on GoRecess!

LITHE ON LOCATION! 3 Apr 2013

During our last sunset on North Captiva Island, I decided to do a few toe touches on the beach.  Jordan captured the moment and it turned out to be a really great shot! Have you been Lithing on location?  Send your pictures to blog@lithemethod.com

Image of Lauren Boggi Goldeberg via Jordan