So, my sister Ashleigh is looking ultra toned and buff lately. Very cut. I learned her new physique is a result of her current (and I think long-term) obsession with "aerial yoga." In essence, it's an art that combines traditional yoga poses in the air using a soft fabric trapeze.

My sis, Ash, flying high














Instead of me trying to explain the details of aerial yoga, I asked Ashleigh to do a little Q&A with Micha Adams, a woman at the forefront of the Aerial acrobat movement and owner of the Detroit Flyhouse--one of the premier aerial yoga studios in the northeast.

ASHLEIGH: Please tell us a little bit about your personal description of The Detroit Flyhouse?
MICHA: It's adult recess!! It was our dream to create a safe space for adults and children alike to take healthy risks in a totally supportive, non-competitive environment. The Flyhouse is about creating community and we've done just that. You leave with tired arms, a big smile on your face and lots of new friends.

Micha instructing during a workshop: Photo courtesy of Spilt Sugar


















Private advanced lesson. Photo courtesy of Spilt Sugar


















ASHLEIGH: How would you describe aerial yoga to the layperson that has never experienced it? Please enlighten us!
MICHA: It's another word for trapeze or tissue... anything done in the air. Many of the poses mirror traditional yoga poses done on the ground. There is a bit of climbing, a LOT of hanging out upside down and lots of laughing.

Cirque workshop: photo courtesy of Spilt Sugar


















ASHLEIGH: How did you fall (um... ascend) into loving aerial yoga?
MICHA: Well, I taught yoga for about five years then decided I wanted to expand my practice and started learning from aerial circus performance instructors.

ASHLEIGH: What do women need to do to get started in Aerial yoga? Do you have to have a certain type of body to perform?
MICHA: It's for everyone. We pride ourselves on making this practice accessible to everyone. Showing up that first time is probably the most difficult part. The practice meets you exactly where your physical ability is at and then you grow "or fly" from there.

ASHLEIGH: Being the creator of The Detroit Flyhouse must be an incredible experience. What are some of the challenges that come with owning your own studio?
MICHA: I have found the Flyhouse to be an incredible and unique vehicle for my own, personal transformation. I have become better at setting healthy boundaries around time and energy. I have so many opportunities to show and share my love with the people who come through our doors. I love the fact that this studio challenges me to constantly find new ways of inspiring students and myself both physically and emotionally.

ASHLEIGH: You are very fit and perform with such ease. What do you do to stay healthy on a daily basis?
MICHA: Ha! I do everything! I do circuit training. I bike, swim and stretch. Of course I train on the aerial apparatus. I also have learned the value of sweet rest.

ASHLEIGH: If you could pinpoint it, what do you feel is the best health advice to give the average person?
MICHA: Keep moving!

If you would like to learn more about aerial yoga (I'm definitely taking a class next time I go back to Michigan), please visit www.detroitflyhouse.com or email micha@detroitflyhouse.com. As always, keep counting.

Labels: aerial yoga, count me healthy jewelry, countessess, fitness, fitness tips, healthy living, Micha Adams

So I was creating my travel calendar for the next four months out and I think I'm home two weekends! I'm not complaining though--traveling is up there on my list of favorite things... right next to online shopping and wine (which don't mix, by the way).

A couple of these upcoming trips require international travel, with connections and being on the plane for 10 hour stints. This is no issue, but you have to plan. Travel is broadening, but it shouldn't be for your waistline.

Here are my tips for maintaining a somewhat healthy lifestyle while traveling:

Bring Your Own Food
I'm not saying you have to lug around a full course meal or a cooler, but you do need to have back up snacks. I never eat the airplane food because I don't know what the mystery sauce is and there is ALWAYS a mystery sauce. It's not the time to be an adventurous foodie. You'll have time to do this when you land. You are stuck in a small space with lots of people for a long time. Sketchy cuisine = bathroom time.



Here is what I bring:
- Plain, instant oatmeal packets (if you have a nice flight attendant, she will zap this for you or at least ration you some hot water and skim milk)
- Tuna or salmon steak in a packet (they don't smell, promise, and you will be opening them when the airplane food smell is wafting in the air anyway)
- Light salt (low sodium salt) or Spike
- Almonds
- Energy bars (I know I preach against these, but I do use while traveling)
- Baggies of dry cereal
- Liquid stevia & splenda packets

I swear this doesn't take up a lot of room in your bag, and at least you know you'll have a fall-back snack.

Create a Comfy Environment
Here are some of the non-food items I bring to ensure a comfortable and awesome flight:

- My ful Gibson backpack
- Laptop with a stocked itunes movie library (I realize you can watch in-flight entertainment, but I prefer my screen)
- iPod
- Skull Candy headphones
- A splitter so my hubby can watch a movie with me if he's traveling too
- Kindle
- Those Colgate disposable toothbrushes
- Bottled water
- Extra thick socks because my feet are always freezing
- Lotion
- Eye drops
- Cuticle Pen
- Chapstick
- Magazines
- Huge Sunglasses (I don't wear eye makeup so I put these on when we land so I don't scare anyone)

Train in a foreign land
Just because you are overseas, it doesn't mean you have to abandon your workout. Sometimes it's hard. The treadmills aren't in English, there's nowhere to run outside, jet lag, they don't believe in air conditioning in the workout facility. There are a thousand excuses. You just have to push yourself and I swear you will feel better after the sweat session. Here are a couple things to bring to help you along:

- iPod
- Exercise bands (they take up no room)
- Workout clothes and sneakers
- A zip-front hoodie
- Workout DVDs to play on your laptop (Tracy Anderson's Mat Workout is awesome)
- My Count Me Healthy bracelet (I count water so I don't get dehydrated)











Believe me, I can pack as compact as a marine. But girlfriend, if you're traveling with me and you need something... I got you covered. What do you bring to stay healthy while flying? A little planning goes a long way. As always, keep counting.

Labels: chelsea gossett, count me healthy jewelry, countessess, fitness tips, healthy living, travel

So, it's officially the weekend and as I'm writing this I'm shoving an apple cinnamon rice cake in my mouth. Problem is, it's my fourth and there are "ecstasy amounts" of carbs in each one. Um... and I've already had two bowls of cereal. BUT IT'S THE WEEKEND!








"BUT IT'S THE WEEKEND" is the lamest and most used excuse for today's women! I say this because I use it almost every weekend--so I'm just taking a stab in the dark that it applies to a large percentage of America's female population. I say "America's" because I just can't see a French woman or Tokyo native using this excuse as often as we do. If you can prove me wrong, please let me know.

Why do we use this excuse time after time? I think it all comes down to 1) a lack of moderation and 2) stress. We read so many articles about "how to lose those last 10 pounds" that deprivation gets the better of us and we cave. At least I do.

So I'm making a vow to try a different angle for next weekend. Instead of saying "BUT IT'S THE WEEKEND" and so having another drink or falling off of the clean-eating wagon, I need to take that "split-second" moment before the backslide happens and say "No." I think the weekends are for rewarding one's self, but not so much that it undoes all of our hard work throughout the week.

As I mention often, a lot of damage can be prevented by having a sense of moderation and stress management. I'm trying to make daily efforts to work on both of these points.

Instead of... "BUT IT'S THE WEEKEND," so... :

-I'll have a snack MARATHON. Let me lace up my tennis!
- I'll chill on the couch all day
- I won't do my ab exercises
- I can abandon my healthy lifestyle
- I'll drink what I want, when I want
- I'll party like it's 1999

Let's try... "BUT IT'S THE WEEKEND" so:

- I'll eat healthy snacks so I'm ready to hit the ground running come Monday
- I'll get in some "active rest" like taking the dog for a walk or cleaning the house
- I'll do my ab exercises because I'm on a constant "Abs like Alba" quest
- I cannot abandon my healthy lifestyle
- I will curb my drinking somewhat
- I'll reach out to the people I can't catch up with during the week due to "strestic mode." ("Strestic" is a made up word combo of "hectic" and "stressed" that shouldn't be used when talking in certain circles, such as the educated).

Come next week I will be brutally honest and blog about how it turned out. Regardless, making a plan is always the first step. Count Me Healthy helps to prevent weekend slips. Look down at it. It's on your wrist for motivation. Count your glasses of wine, snacks, or just move a bead over when you've had a "clean eating" weekend day. It will keep you motivated to move over that next "clean-eating day" bead. As always, keep counting.

Labels: chelsea gossett, count me healthy, count me healthy jewelry, eating healthy, fitness, fitness tips

I recently went to an Inspirational Friends' Brunch at one of my dear friend's houses and I have to share. What a fabulous concept--getting women together to discuss what (or who) inspires them daily. It was refreshing and I left the event ready to embrace the day (no mimosas necessary.)

If you should want to throw an Inspirational Friends' Brunch, here are a few steps to get the "Good Food and Gratitude" flowing:

1) Invite different circles of friends. Everyone is inspired so it makes for fabulous common ground (which is hard to come by these days.) Also, often inspiration is the birth of a challenge and/or hardship in one's life, so it's nice to hear other examples outside of your tight-knit group.

2) I'm speaking from personal experience, but if you are a Facebook fiend, like moi, then you will probably invite some of your friends via FB. Message their accounts (in a group email) and ask them each for a song that inspires them. My friend, Laura, did this and put an amazing CD together which was handed out at the end (I offered the song "Jesus and Gravity" by Dolly Parton). Unfortunately, "Ice Ice Baby" didn’t make the cut but there is always next year and another friend already offered her spectacular casa for the second annual gathering.

3) Get some speakers together. These women do not have to have the scaling of Mt. Everest or a Middle-East Peace Keeper on their resume to be a speaker (although I wouldn't doubt this for some). Since you are the host, you make the rules. And you can invite whomever inspires you to "come on up here and hold the mic" (or the zebra-printed broom, which is what was used in place of a mic).

4) Home Cooking! Now this was a very southern event complete with sweet mint tea and amazing desserts. I'm from Detroit, so I know that Northern Women can cook it up just as well as the Southern Belles. Anyway, the food was fantastic. Ask a couple of your friends for their culinary specialties. They will love to help and it will take some of the pressure off of you.

5) The last step is easy. Just be proud of the event you put together and enjoy yourself. Gratitude and inspiration should be a reason to celebrate in itself; therefore you offered the perfect reason to throw a party.












What inspires you? Is it reason to throw a soiree (I'm betting, heck yes)? Enjoy your week and as always, keep counting!

Labels: count me healthy jewelry, countessess, entertaining, food tips, friendship, inspiration

For a while, I tried to fight watching reality television. This was due to the instant, undeserving fame these people get from the tabloids (Speidi, anyone)? Bad memories of Omarosa making the front cover of one of the weeklies because it was her "implant tell all" kept coming to mind. Alas, I gave in and tuned in, but I'm doing it for a good cause. I tape the episodes the night before and then watch them to help me through my morning cardio. Nothing gets me more motivated than a mental breakdown over tulle on Project Runway or the philandering of the ex-porn star who stole the rest of the contestants dirty socks to stuff her bra on Rock of Love Bus (yes, I watched Rock of Love, all three seasons.) I'm loving The Bachelorette, Bachelor, and I even liked More to Love, although there was something missing... oh yes--construction paper cards asking if he/she would like to spend the night with he/she in the honeymoon suite. (As a side note, I thought Tali was genuine and gorgeous on More to Love.) I'm also psyched about the new season of Dancing With the Stars. I watched the premiere and I just don't see the talent I saw last year, but then I remind myself I'm not an expert. Of course, the most motivational, wellness-wise, is the Biggest Loser, hands down. I do tire of the show's blatant, product promotions (i.e, trainer Jillian, "When you're fighting a craving, the best thing to do is chew Winterfresh sugarless gum from Carefree.") I do understand that Wrigley's or Carefree shelled out an amazing amount of money for the trainers to whip out the pack during opportune times--then followed by a commercial break featuring the product. Hey, I understand the game... in fact, I may have just purchased a pack on my way home yesterday!

They say spending countless hours in front of the flat screen is bad for you, but I really think it can be a good thing as long as you are moving while you're watching. Do you have any suggestions on other "must see" television? What show gets you through your workout rut? It can be drama, comedy, even sci-fi (within reason). I'd love to hear from you and will test watch whatever must-see you mention. And as always, keep counting.

Labels: count me healthy, count me healthy jewelry, fitness, fitness tips, health tips, reality tv

Dear Countesses

I recently asked my 21-year-old sister what she wanted to do as a career. She had just received her cosmetology license and was looking for apprenticeships. She was also tossing around the idea of going back to school to do something in the marketing field. "What do YOU want to do?" I asked. "Not what mom, dad, or your friends want you to do." She replied with, "I want a job where people look up to me and I feel fulfilled." Yes, a little bit general. We continued the talk and she said she'd love to own a salon and specialize in color.

Her statement got me thinking about when I was 21. The deep need to have people take you seriously, even though it's almost impossible. You can't take yourself seriously until you figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. At this age, so much hinges on what other people think of you that discomfort in the career world is two-pronged. It comes from not yet having the skills and experience and also this deep desire to have everyone like you.

To protect ourselves, we focus so much on our looks in our early 20's (I'm generalizing here and you could be the welcome exception). It's exhausting! I'm not saying we abandon all sense of grooming when we enter our late 20's/early 30's (I am a fashion junkie), but I think we know the routine and start to focus more on things that are a little more substantial, like family and job fulfillment. Oh, keep in mind that we are also man-hunting in our early 20's. They say that babies are intentionally adorable so that mother's will take care of them. Maybe that's why we have the most perfect booties we will ever have when we're in our early 20's (again generalizing) so people will want to take care of us. By the time we're in our 30's and the booty is starting to sag, we have the skills and experience to take care of ourselves. It's a wicked tradeoff!

I loved my 20's. But I wouldn't want to go back. I know I'm going to age and I'm cool with it. I'm really looking forward to my 30's. I look at how happy my grandma is in Florida, playing cards and drinking Manhattans at 2 pm, and so I'm even excited to, (GASP!) grow into my 60s and 70s (God willing). I'd love to hear how you feel about aging. Do you dread it? Are you embracing it? Enjoy your day and keep counting.

Labels: aging, chelsea gossett, count me healthy jewelry, countessess

Dear Countesses,

Welcome to the new Count Me Healthy Jewelry.com! Based on the amazing positive feedback we’ve received about the jewelry, I thought it was important to have a platform for you to share your goals, success stories, and suggestions.


Also, check back for frequent blog posts about new health trends, CMH happenings, new products, interviews, and topics sent in by you.

Count Me Healthy isn't a magic bullet, but it is a great way to keep you accountable while looking beautiful. Remember, the real magic happens when the small, positive changes you make lead to life-altering, life-long positive changes. You can do it.

Hope you enjoy the new site -- and remember, you can drop us a line anytime. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Make the most of this day and keep counting..
--Chelsea Gossett

Labels: chelsea gossett, count me healthy, count me healthy jewelry, healthy her, sassy stacks