Adding photos to Twitpic - so much fun! Check out our booth ... on Twitpic

Adding photos to Twitpic - so much fun! Check out our booth ... on Twitpic

Check out @billybush & Kit Hoover (in KALYX!) getting fit... on Twitpic

Check out @billybush & Kit Hoover (in KALYX!) getting fit... on Twitpic

trying twitpic for the first time...fingers crossed it works! on Twitpic

trying twitpic for the first time...fingers crossed it works! on Twitpic

KALYX Kickstart Sports Bra in action!

Check out our super sporty & super stylish KICKSTART bra in the July/August issue of Muscle & Fitness HERS!

For more information, visit us at www.goKALYX.com!

KALYX Sports Bras in Muscle & Fitness HERS!

Check out our super sexy UPLIFT bra in the July/August issue of Muscle & Fitness HERS!

For more information visit us at www.goKALYX.com

KALYX Woman of the Week: Jennifer Kaplan

Extraordinary women often do amazing things. When Jennifer Kaplan learned that her mother-in-law had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, she got serious about raising money to help expose and eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer.  How serious?  Keep reading to learn more about Jennifer's brave "Climb Against the Odds" and to see why this extraordinary mountaineer is our "Woman of the Week!"

What can you tell us about your "Climb Against the Odds?"

I will be climbing to the summit of Mount Shasta, 14,179 feet above northern California.  I will be joined by 29 women who have survived or been touched by breast cancer, and we are raising money for the Breast Cancer Fund.  It’s a challenging journey, requiring ice ax, crampons, and full forty-pound packs – but it’s nothing compared to the challenge which breast cancer presents to all women.  Only 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary; the Breast Cancer Fund aims to eliminate the environmental causes of the disease and conquer it.

What made you decide to do this climb?

My husband’s mom Diane was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall, which spurred me to apply.  I wanted to challenge myself to do something difficult, and the climb certainly qualifies.  Honoring Diane and raising money for a great cause gives it purpose.

Have you been training?

My husband, my dog and I do hikes in the hills around the bay area every weekend, and I take a slightly heavier pack each week.  I’m training with a trainer at work for strength, and I’m running to get my cardio where it need to be.

What keeps you motivated?  

I will be carrying prayer flags with the names of people my fundraisers wanted to honor.  I want to get those hopes – and myself – to the top of the mountain.

You're newly married? Congratulations! I bet it's a challenge to balance everything going on in your life right now?

It’s been tough lately, with a new job role, training, and fundraising all at the same time.  The marriage is the easy thing to balance!

How do you handle stress?

I take my dog to the park and watch her run and play – she’s my therapy dog.

THE KALYX QUESTIONS:

Vital Stats:

Name:  Jennifer Kaplan

Birthplace:  Midland, Michigan

Where you live:  Oakland, CA

Zodiac Sign:  Virgo

Nicknames:  J-Ro

Pets:  Wenley, our terrier-mix puppy

Bra Size:  Too Shy!

Favorites Things:

Vacation Spot: Dahab, Egypt

Writer:  Milan Kundera

Cocktail:  Margarita

Ice Cream:  Coconut Bliss, Espresso flavor

Flower:  Peony

Perfume:  Don’t wear any!

Pair of Shoes:  Frye boots

Just for Fun:

What's your best physical feature?  My smile

What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator?  Ice Cream, Cauliflower, Yogurt

What's your favorite form of exercise?  Yoga

What's one article of clothing you can't live without?  My Jeans

What color underwear are you wearing right now?  Black

Blackberry or iPhone?  iPhone

The Nitty Grity

What is your idea of perfect happiness?  Sitting in a hammock on a beach with a cold margarita in my hand

What is your greatest fear?  Crazy killers

What is your guilty pleasure?  Trashy reality TV shows

What is your current state of mind?  Working towards healthy

Which super power would you most like to have?  I’d like to fly like Superman, so I’d never have to get stuck in traffic again.

When and where were you happiest?  Working with AIDS orphans in South Africa

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?  I’d be more patient.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?  Taking a year off the career wheel to travel, volunteer, and learn Spanish.

Where would you most like to live?  Somewhere with a terrace looking out on the ocean, in a country with liberal vacation time mandates.

What is your motto?   You can’t always choose what life will dish out, but you can always choose how you react to it.

Secrets Shared...

Your hardest life lesson learned?  There are many beautiful places to live, and I’ve lived in many, but being far away from family has been a higher price to pay for that experience than I thought it would be.

Your gnarliest wipeout?  I tried to ride my snowboard through the terrain park.  I jumped on to a box, slipped and landed on that box, square on my tailbone.

Your best advice to other women?    Don’t settle – once you find the right person they can make you happy every day.

 

To help support Jennifer in her climb:  Click HERE to visit her fund-raising page!

KALYX Woman of the Week: Anne Winfree

This week, I'm so excited to be featuring dancer, actress and Pilates instructor to the stars Anne Winfree as our KALYX "Woman of the Week."

Anne began studying dance at the age of 4, and was performing professionally as a young teenager.  Like many dancers, Anne began to experience injuries. Wanting to work smarter and stay dancing, Anne found her way to the Pilates method.  As her body grew stronger, it grew longer, leaner.  In better shape than ever, her career opportunities multiplied.  Anne certified in Pilates to share her experience with others.

Anne is the exclusive fitness instructor to actress Sharon Stone, as well as Dr. Daniel Wallace, the leader of the Wallace Rheumatic Disease Research Center in Los Angeles.  Anne challenges herself and her clients to constantly grow as athletes and individuals, and this is what keeps her clients coming back.

Anne just completed her first acting role, playing young Sigourney Weaver in the upcoming Disney movie You Again which is scheduled for release in September 2010.

Anne gives KALYX the scoop...

 How did you get started as a dancer? 
 
I think I saw a ballet dancer on tv when I was four, it must have been a special. I harassed my Mom to let me take class. She said yes eventually, and here I am.
 
Pilates? Tell us more...will it make us long and lean?

Yes! The Pilates technique is so amazing because it teaches you to find the stretch and strength in every movement. Each exercise becomes a way to get longer and stronger all at the same time. 
 
You teach quite a few celebrities - what's it like to work with some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood?

My clients are the best! They are some of the hardest working women I have ever known, they inspire me every day.  
 
You train Sharon Stone...she's amazing! What should women focus on as they get older to keep looking fabulous after forty, fifty and beyond?

Sharon is amazing! The key to her workout is consistency.  Staying consistent keeps muscles toned, revving the metabolism and fighting any ill effects gravity is having.

We work together 3 - 5 times per week doing a Pilates based workout.  Initially, Sharon felt the struggle to come into a workout with the energy to work.  Feeling the challenges of raising her young boys while maintaining the demands of her career, she was sacrificing her sleep and feeling the strain.  I encouraged her to make sleep a priority, and things shifted You have to give your body the chance to recover from the stress of hard workouts, life, etc.  so that when you are ready to workout, you can really push yourself. For anyone trying to change their fitness level, eight hours of sleep a night is a must! 

Diet is also really important - less is more!  Less white, less caffeine, less alcohol: Whites (sugars, processed flours, etc.) caffeine, and alcohol can derail your metabolism, cause havoc with mood, affect your sleeping habits. Sharon has completely eliminated these things from her diet, and the results have been huge. If eliminating them altogether is too much, know that even cutting back on these can make a big difference for anyone.

Toning and weight loss are, of course, really important to Sharon, but she has been most excited by the other benefits of her new workout.  After only a few months, she was already commenting on her improved mental clarity, lower stress levels, and she even saw an improvement in her skin tone!

What keeps you motivated?
 
I have so many amazing people around me every day. I love to learn from them, and I want to make them proud by doing my best.  I think you just have to always find new things that interest you.

How do you handle stress?

Chocolate?  No, if I can, I always try to plan extra workout time when I feel overwhelmed. Even 20 minutes of stretching can bring me back down from panic mode.

 

THE KALYX QUESTIONS...

Vital Stats:

Name: Anne Winfree
 
Birthplace: North Carolina
 
Where you live: Los Angeles
 
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
 
Nicknames: I had a friend that called me "Weeble" b/c I'm so clumsy.
 
Pets: Princess Buttercup, my dog!
 
Bra Size: Oh, my. That's personal :)

_____________________________________________

Favorites Things:

Vacation Spot: Beach!
 
Writer: F. Scott Fitzgerald
 
Cocktail: Oops.. I don't really drink!
 
Ice Cream: Chunky Monkey
 
Flower: Roses, red ones.
 
Perfume: Chanel No 5.

Pair of Shoes: My knee high black boots! I feel like Super Woman in those things.

_____________________________________________

Just for Fun

What's your best physical feature?
I'm proud of my legs. The dancing has made them strong and lean.
 
What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator?
Creamer for my coffee for sure. Apples, always apples.  And eggs, which I also eat almost every day.
 
What's your favorite form of exercise?
Pilates, of course!

What's one article of clothing you can't live without?
A sweater! I'm the coldest human ever.
 
What color underwear are you wearing right now?
Ummmmmmm........
 
Blackberry or iPhone?
iphone! i would date my iPhone if I could, I'm so in love.

_____________________________________________ 
The Nitty Grity

What is your greatest fear?
I am terrified of heights.
 
What is your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate?  I feel I've already said that, but I need to say it again.
 
What is your current state of mind?
Open, always open

Which super power would you most like to have?
Mind reading!
 
When and where were you happiest?
I think I'm happiest right now, actually. I'm so optimistic.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I wish I could spell!  I run spell check at least 3 times, no joke.
 
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I think it may be yet to come. But, I'll keep you posted if it arrives.

Where would you most like to live?
I love Southern California so much!. LA is stuck with me.

What is your motto?
MAKE IT HAPPEN!

_____________________________________________

Secrets Shared...

 
Your hardest life lesson learned?
You cannot do it alone.
 
Your gnarliest wipeout?
Four on the floor in a tutu. Live performance. Oh, yeah.

Your best advice to other women?     
You are always more capable than you can imagine!

_____________________________________________

More about Anne...

Trained initially in classical ballet, Anne has had the pleasure of dancing in several of the Los Angeles Opera’s productions, often as Dance Captain. She is also proud to count Musical Theater West, The Crystal Cathedral, and City of Angels Ballet as performing homes. 

During the Pilates certification process, Anne gained a strong understanding of anatomy and training technique.  She has worked in physical therapy settings, designed programs for athletes and dancers, and helped people with weight loss goals.  This variety of exposure gives Anne the unique ability to create a personalized, Pilates based workout for each client.  Anne's clients become their own best ally in fitness, gaining new understanding of their own body and all aspects of health.

An artist that always aspires to grow and develop new skills, Anne continues to study ballet with Mario Nugara and Stephanie Soland, both formerly of New York City Ballet. She also takes classes in contemporary styles at the Edge Performing Arts Center.

Want to know even more about Anne Winfree?  

Visit her @ AnneWinfree.com 

Want to know more about KALYX?  

Visit goKALYX.com