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Jan 27, 2012

Now Here’s Fitness: 5 Tools To Help You Love Your Body AND Your Life

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Hey there everyone! Wow…I am so excited! I am writing for 30 days consecutively, here on the blog, in celebration of my new website, the year of the Dragon, and 2012. What a transformational year this is going to be for us all!!

This is day 4 of 30 posts, so make sure you type in your email at the very top of this page, where it says “Subscribe to Erin Lanahan Method by Email.” This way you can follow along for the ride and each time I post a new article, it will get emailed directly to your inbox! How cool is that?? So coooool  :)

I am actually looking for new writers to come be a part of E.L.M., and help me on the blog. I want to make sure Erin Lanahan Method is bringing you daily love, inspiration, and wisdom. However, I am only one person and cannot do this all by myself. I am busy coaching, creating products, and collaborating with other amazing companies so that I can ultimately provide you with even more opportunities to get the information and guidance you are seeking.

But that means I need some help.

So, if you have a passion for writing, and want to share your story, experience, strength, and hope, please shoot me an email at transform@erinlanahanmethod.com.

Ok, let’s get down to fitness shall we??

Here are 5 Tools To Help You Love Your Body AND Your Life:

1) Get VERY connected to the way it feels when you visualize your goals as if they have already happened for you.

Write down 5 reasons WHY you want to transform your body. Get very specific. Do you want to feel sexy when you’re lying next to your boyfriend? What does it feel like when he puts his arms around you when you feel amazing? Do you want to feel excited in the changing room at the bathing suit store because you love the way you feel and look in a bikini? Perhaps you want to feel confident and comfortable every time you walk into a room. Get really connected to that feeling. Feel what that feels like inside of you when you visualize your goals as if they’ve already manifested. Then allow the way THAT feels to be the very feeling that pulls you to the gym, drives your healthy choices, and keeps you motivated

2) Eat WHOLE, organic, chemical free foods.

The foods you eat will determine your mood, your energy, the willingness you have to make transformational decisions, your courage, and the quality of your relationships. By eating higher quality foods, you CAN and WILL transform your body and your life. Start by adding in 1 large salad a day. Make sure it has lots of dark leafy greens in it such as kale, spinach, swiss chard, collards, and rocket. Make sure it is organic. Although organic foods may cost a little bit more upfront, they will save you a lot of time, money, and poor health in the future. It is best to stay away from pre-packaged foods. Stick to the foods that grow directly out of the earth and have not been processed.

3) Put your right hand on your heart, your left hand on your belly, and send love to yourself.

It may sound silly or pointless, but showing up for YOURSELF is one of the most powerful healing and transformational tools I know. I personally have healed many addictions, eating disorders, body image issues, depression, and anxiety from using this tool alone. You can too.

Begin to practice self-love with this tool. Do this daily.

4) Use a combination of different types of exercise.

The key to living a life you love in a body you love, is to love your life and your body!!! Exercise is more than just something that gets you leaner or skinnier, or hotter. Exercise has the ability to bring  joy, peace, balance, and love into your life. Stop thinking of exercise as a one size fits all remedy. You must find the recipe that works for YOU. Try some yoga, pilates, boxing, tai chi, resistance training, running, etc. Each form of exercise promotes different types of energy and emotions in the mind, body, and heart. Choose exercises that bring joy to your day and love into your life. When you are happy…your life AND your body will be easier to love!

5) Meditation

Did you know that you can basically meditate your way to your best body? Nope…I am not joking you around. I am alive and dead serious! Meditation increases the flow of oxygen to the body, and well…it takes oxygen to burn fat! Also, the power of silence relieves the body of stress and quiets the mind, thus calming the nervous system and supporting the body to function optimally. When there is so much noise going on inside of us, we use anything to try to numb it out. We use people, food, drugs, alcohol…whatever it takes. But guess what…none of those things work for long, and at the end of the day we are still unhappy.

Do yourself a favor and start with 5 minutes a day 5 days out of the week. As you get comfortable with 5 minuets, begin to increase your time.
Ok everyone, that’s a wrap! Let me know what you are going through!

Love,

Erin

If you are ready to transform your body and your life, email me at transform@erinlanahanmethod.com to inquire about my coaching programs. Serious inquiries only please. Thank you!

 

Filed Under: Fitness, Fitness Tips, Food, Healing, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Jul 16, 2010

Fitness Tips

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Here are your three fitness tips for the week:  

1) Allow yourself to be where you are. Whatever you are feeling is OK! We so often want to run away from what we feel inside and therefore prolong it from passing through. As a result, we suffer in many ways. We may eat more, not work out, feel anxious and depressed because we are judging ourselves for not being capable enough or normal enough. Just FEEL IT. Embrace your reality NOW. You are allowed to be imperfect.

2) Stop comparing yourself to other people…you have no idea what their journey is about. Unless you are doing something nice for another…keep the focus on yourself. The world is a better place if we are all happy, so stop using others as a distraction from working on yourself. What can you do to be a happier person??? Do it!

3) Create an esteemable life. What is 1 thing that will make you stand taller, smile bigger, that will inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone and make bold moves? When we do esteemable acts, like eat clean and nutrient rich foods, exercise regularly, and take time for ourselves to enjoy our lives…we start to feel our self-worth go up. When you feel like a million dollars you are much more likely to manifest a million dollars!

That’s a wrap for this week. If I don’t see you Monday night at my talk…then come back and visit me here :) You can also meet me in your inbox every Friday in you sign up for my weekly Fitness Tips Newsletter! Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

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Apr 29, 2010

Who’s Hungry???

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Hi there! Man, I have missed you guys. I took a week off last week, from blogging and writing my newsletter, because I have had so much on my plate lately! However, as a result of  my mini break, I have a whole new appreciation for this delightful mug of peppermint tea I am sipping on…ahhhh :)   

Do you ever notice how difficult it can feel sometimes, to keep a healthy balance between work and play, or being productive and being productively lazy??? I must admit I am guilty of forgetting this on a daily basis. When we are so hungry to achieve certain goals, we can end up starving ourselves of other nutrients we really need and require in order to function optimally. I talk about life in nutrition terms because everything we need is a form of food for us. Are you familiar with the terms Primary Food and Secondary Food? I teach these terms to my clients because it’s important for them to understand that there is more than just one form of food and many ways in which we get hungry and need to be fed. Do you feel hungry??? What are you feeling hungry for?

You see, Primary Food consists of things like career, spirituality, relationships, exercise, intimacy, rest and relaxation, fun, etc. We must be fed in all these areas in order to be properly nourished. Secondary Food, is actual food that we eat, and it also must consist of all the nutrients we need for our bodies to maintain a functional existence. The last few months I have made the mistake of putting some areas of my primary food, such as rest, relaxation, and fun, on the back burner so to speak. As a result, I have grown extremely stressed out, overwhelmed, and full of tension. THIS IS NOT THE GOAL!!! I eat very healthily , fulfilling my secondary food requirements, I exercise regularly, I am growing and loving my business, have great relationships, and I am consistent with my spiritual practice. However, WHAT’S THE POINT of achieving all these things, if I am walking around on the verge of a breakdown all the time??? Seriously, at one point last week, my business coach looked at me and literally stopped our session dead in the middle because my face looked so distraught! Yes, we had a time out :-) She, among several others, told me that I needed to let go a bit and chill out. It was a bit shocking to me that it was that obvious, by taking one look at me, that I needed a break! LOL! So I decided to do what had been suggested to me by some very credible sources in my life. I am feeling so much better now as a result. I am so grateful that I have been reminded of the value that rest, relaxation, and fun can bring to my life.

My point is…we tend to forget that such a big part of being healthy is the way in which we ALLOW ourselves to ENJOY the fruits of our labor. It is so important that we seek out balance between healthy productivity and healthy laziness. They are both required if we expect to maintain a healthy state of mind and a healthy body. Sometimes, we can make ourselves sick by trying to be so healthy and perfect all the time.

What areas of your life do you feel you may be neglecting? How might you feed yourself in some ways other than with food? Many people  misunderstand their primary food hunger for secondary food hunger, and try to eat until they are full. The result…they consume more calories and NEVER FEEL FULL. Same thing goes for someone who is trying to fill their primary needs for fun by working too much…it aint gonna happen!!! Even when you LOVE your job, work and fun are two different nutrients, and we need them BOTH! Take a look at all the categories you consider to make up a ”FULL” life for you. Then write down the areas that may be lacking in your life. What are some things you can do to fill yourself back up again in those areas? If you ever find yourself eating yourself into oblivion on the couch…you may be trying to fill a hole that cannot be filled with food. If you are always go, go, go, trying to get to the place of being “happy,” why don’t you try taking a day or two off instead, and actually give yourself the time to BE happy. On that note, I’ll share the quote on my Yogi Peppermint Tea with you, lol. “Real happiness lies in that which never comes nor goes, but simply is.”

I encourage you to shop in the grocery store of life, and pick out the things that will feed your primary needs first. Please share your questions and comments here with me. I look forward to hearing from you. Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!!!

Please take a minute to review the Integrative Nutriton Food Guide Pyramid and Live a balanced life :)

Filed Under: Fitness, Food, Thoughts of the day, What I'm up to · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 16, 2010

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

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Today was an interesting day. I was reminded that so often, positive and healthy transformation, is a result of doing things we DON”T WANT TO DO…at least initially. Does this resonate with you? If you haven’t noticed, almost everything “good for us” typically appears to be  boring, bland, painfully awkward, and always involves stepping out of our comfort zone. However, judging things based on what we think we know, tends to get us in trouble every time. Do you agree? For example, eating more organic greens and actually learning a thing or two about how to cook grains like quinoa or buckwheat, may seem tedious and not quite worth the work. However, if we just do it, BEFORE we “decide” it doesn’t work, and watch our bodies get stronger, healthier, and leaner, then what we once thought was true, will no longer be so. Same thing with dating. You may decide you cannot fall in love or you may meet someone you immediately judge for not being what you want, but the truth of the matter is…how do you know until you’ve tried it first!!! Most of us feel like we should get results without doing anything to earn them. Heaven forbid we actually have to DO SOMETHING or feel uncomfortable or vulnerable for a while in order to achieve the prizes life is offering us LOL. I am sorry to break it to you people, but getting healthier physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally, will take some sort of work or practice, putting yourself out there and getting vulnerable, and letting go of everything you “think” you know. What I am saying is, to get what you WANT, you must be willing do the things you DON’T WANT TO DO to get it:)  At least at first. Once you get the results you are seeking, your perception will begin to change about what you think you don’t want to do, because you will see that what you once had resistance toward, becomes the very thing that brings you pleasure and so much joy. We all have our trust issues, and that’s ok. However, if you want to transform your body, your heart, and your life, it’s time to put those trust and commitment issues aside and dive into doing the things you don’t initially want to do or feel like doing.

Before you give up on exercise, try it first. Give it at least 6 months of being CONSISTENT and trust that it will improve your life. Before you decide eating more greens, whole foods, and organic products is too boring, bland, or difficult, try it! Give it 6 months of commitment and trust that you will feel better and better every day. Before you decide you don’t want a relationship or to be in the one you are in, date for 6 months or commit to improving your current relationship for 6 months. Be consistent, open, willing to be vulnerable and to try new things, and to listen. You might be surprised what you find.

A couple of examples in my own life, are the way I eat now compared to the way I ate a year ago. I would have laughed if you told me I’d be a raw vegetarian, if you told me this a year ago. However, by learning more and more about what I want, I began making choices in alignment with that, and as a result began feeling better and better until I was eventually eating completely raw and vegetarian. I eat this way because it brings me long-term pleasure, which is becoming short-term pleasure as well. Another example is dating. I was resistant to it for a long time and said I wanted to find a great guy, yet really wasn’t open to doing any of the things to find him. Now, let’s just say I’m making an effort to date, and I’m finding out how much fun it is again and how many great guys are out there. My point is, because I knew what I wanted and wanted it badly enough…I was willing to do the things I didn’t want to do initially, which I now find pleasure in doing!

So, What Do You Want? More importantly, What Don’t You Want To Do? Do whatever that is! More often than not, it is what we do not want to do, that is exactly the thing that will reward us with everything we’ve always wanted!!!

I would love to hear about the things you are resisting, and the goals you are seeking to achieve. Please leave your questions and comments here for me on the blog! Here’s To your Health, Wellness, and Vitaltiy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPyvJoWySNg&feature=related

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Apr 9, 2010

When The Going Gets Tough…Just Keep Going.”

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Hey there my beautiful friend. How are you feeling today? I really would like to know what’s going on with you? What’s New? What’s Good? I ask you what is new and good because it can be so easy to get too focused on what’s old and bad. We all too often get wrapped up in what isn’t going well or what doesn’t feel good, without even knowing it, so I always ask my clients what is new and good:) I know it helps me when I’m in need of a mental and emotional shift! We all have those times in our lives, when things just don’t look the way we want. Do you know what I mean? Whether it’s our job, our body, our relationships, our spiritual practice, our exercise routine, our social life, or all of the above! I find that it is so important to get use to and accept the ebb and flow that is natural and totally relevant on this journey we call life. Unfortunately, it is very tempting to entertain the idea of “giving up” when the going gets really tough on us. How many of you are going through something like this now? I just happen to be coming out of a period like this myself. A girlfriend and I were talking about it the other day and she describes these ebbs as “growing pains.” I like that because that is exactly what they are.

When life throws things in your face, that are overwhelmingly painful, or almost impossible to cope with, JUST KEEP GOING. You will move through all of it eventually. Feel the fear, the pain, the sadness, the lack of energy, and show up to your life anyway! We can’t always look and feel perfectly together, pretty, and at ease. For example, when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it goes into its cocoon while it transforms. If you were to peek at this creature mid way through it going from caterpillar to butterfly, I’m sure it would look pretty messy and ugly. However, as you know, the ending result is a beautiful creature with colorful wings that can fly! When the going gets tough, the caterpillar doesnt’ say “this is too hard, I’m just gonna stop my transformation and go back to being a caterpillar.”  In fact…it couldn’t go back even if it wanted too. That is the same with you and I. Once we have begun to transform, the process is in forward motion and will happen whether we like it or not. Embrace your process, and when things feel ugly and messy, just remember the butterfly. You too will become something even more beautiful than you were before. When the going gets tough, just keep going. You will be flying high before you know it!

Have you ever gone through something that just felt yucky? Do you have trouble staying in faith and trusting your growth and healing? What do you do when you are faced with challenges that make you want to run the other way or hide from the world? I’d love to hear from you. Please leave all questions and comments here for me on the blog!

Filed Under: Fitness, Mind Body Spirit Thursday, Thoughts of the day, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Feb 11, 2010

In the Raw…and Loving It!

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YUM YUM!!!

Well as some of you may know, I have been in school at IIN , The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, since the beginning of October 2009. I am doing the distance learning program since the school is in New York. One major thing my school emphasizes is bio-individuality. You see, there are over 125 dietary theories, all can be proven effective or “right.” IIN is not there to teach us who is “good” or “bad” or “right” or “wrong.” Their main concern is that we learn about all of the different dietary theories, try them on for size, and decide for ourselves what works best for our own lives, and the lives of our clients, based on bio-individuality. Therefore, I have become fascinate with eating a RAW-Vegan diet. I may eat fish once every week or two, b ut for the most part, NO ANIMAL products in my diet. I absolutely love eating this way. I have lost almost 10 pounds and feel fantastic, which is most important of all.

I know that eating this way is not necessarily good for everyone, however, I am going to list 10 of my favorite healthy snacks, that you can blend into your day to see how they make you feel:)

1) Raw Revolution bars- buy at Trader Joes or Whole Foods

2) Pure bars- buy at Trader Joes or Whole Foods

3) 1/2 organic, raw cucumber and 1/4 cup of raw, organic mixed nuts

4) 1 small green apple with raw, organic almond or peanut butter

5) 2 stalks of organic, raw celery and raw, organic almond or peanut butter 

6) Sliced organic Cucumber, sliced organic tomato with lemon, olive oil, sea salt and chopped garlic or garlic powder

7) raw, organic sunflower seeds and dried organic cranberries mixed into a trail mix
8) 1-2 slices of lightly toasted Ezekiel bread or Ezekiel wraps dipped in organic humus

9) raw, organic kale chips or flax crackers (buy at Whole Foods) with organic humus

10) organic *blueberries, strawberries, mulberries, goji berries and bananas, mixed together with raw, organic oats and organic almond milk

These may sound extremely healthy nutty to a lot of you, but I challenge you to look for them at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or your local health food grocery store. You’d be amazed at how good healthy can taste. Also, I use to be a sugar and carb-a-phobe, but I have since learned that if you eat the right kind of carbs and sugar, that are high quality foods, you really do not have to worry. Ok that’s all I got for now. Please leave your questions and comments here! Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Feb 5, 2010

How Bad Do You Want It?

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Whether it’s fat loss, muscle gain or better health…HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT???

Do you ever get sick of hearing yourself  talk and talk about all the things you plan to do, and then never do? Or maybe you know someone like that. I am working on a big project right now, and one thing that came up at a meeting yesterday, was that gap that so many people suffer from. It’s the gap between, what we know and what we do. You probably know how to eat healthy, what to eat, what exercises to do. I mean, I know some of the most unfit people, who know what to do but just don’t do it. What’s up with this? If you know what to do, why aren’t you doing it? You must not really want to do those things or to reap the benefits from doing those things. That’s sure what it seems like right???

So the million dollar question…HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT??? I have found in my experience, that when I really want something, I am willing to go to ANY lengths to get it. Are you willing to go to any lengths to live in a body you love, so you can feel fully expressed as your true self?

I have a client that kept saying she wanted to lose weight. She lost over 50 lbs a couple years ago, but she’d been hanging around the same weight for about a year, and so obviously she’d hit a plateau. As her trainer, it is my job to get inside of her head and figure out what is blocking her. I asked her why she was not making the choices that are in alignment with her goals. What we finally figured out was that she had a conflicting intention. She wanted to lose weight, but she was also in fear of loosing weight. She fears that if she looses the next bunch of weight, her skin will sag, her breasts will droop, and she will look old. I said to her, well how do you expect to lose weight, if you have these conflicting intentions going on. She was sending out mixed signals to the universe and the universe was not able to bring her back anything except more of where she already was, hence the plateau.

Secretly, my client was happy enough where she was to risk loosing her beautiful skin and perky breasts for the next 30 lbs of weight loss. So, therefore, she wanted to lose weight but she didn’t. That’s why she just stayed exactly the same for a whole year!!! Once we were able to dig this up and bring her awareness to it, she could make a conscious choice about what it is she really wants. I told her to just get the weight off, and then go from there, because most likely none of her fears will even happen, and meanwhile she is living in a body that could be MUCH healthier. So now that she has been able to clear that up, she is clear about what she wants and unafraid of losing the weight. I have never seen her so motivated!

It all comes down to HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT??? If you aren’t doing what it takes, then some part of you doesn’t want it and you should take a new look at things. I would love to hear from you if you relate to this at all. Are you struggling with conflicting intentions? Please share with me here on the blog! Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Jan 17, 2010

Motivation- “Biggest Loser Home Challenge”

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Well, it is a pleasure for me to tell you guys a little story that just may inspire the fat right off your body:-) Recently, I was sought out by a woman at the gym. Her name is Caren Day, and she was looking for someone to teach her about self myofascial release, or “rolling out,” and my good friend Jo Jo, at the front desk, introduced us and gave her my number. I heard from Caren about 2 days later. We talked a little bit about where she was in her life and all the pain she is feeling in her body. She’s been hitting the gym really hard, and I’ll tell you why, but she was suffering with aches and feeling beat up. She has recently decided to shape up after a long run of hardships and tragedies that manifested themselves in her own personal weight gain.

In our “getting to know each other” phone call, I learned Caren was actually competing with The Biggest Loser TV show, in her very own home. Caren actually applied to be on the show, and when she wasn’t selected, she got really serious anyway, and decided if she can’t go to the ranch, then she’ll make her own ranch. What a great idea! So Caren weighs in with the contestants every week! Please visit her blog at http://thebiggestloserhomechallenge.wordpress.com/, and follow her each day as she shares the trials and tribulations of being her own personal trainer, nutritionist, and motivator. Show her some support as she weighs in each week and compares her weight loss and progression each week, to that of the actual TV contestants!!!

I decided to interview Caren about her journey thus far, and here are some of the things I asked her:

ME: What was your motivation behind the blog?

CAREN: A friend and I were watching it last season and my friend mentioned how great I’d be on the show. That planted a seed in my head and from that day forward I decided I was going to lose weight. I auditioned for the show, but was not selected, and not long after that, I hurt my back pretty severely. After about 6 weeks of little to no movement and lots of depression, I began working with a physical therapist and finally got myself back into the gym. Something hit me and I said to myself, “I can do this on my own!” I narrowed down my priorities in order to get some focus in my life and since I’m a writer, I found that writing and loosing weight were at the top of my list, and there you have it! That’s how this all came to be.

ME: Wow, that’s truly amazing Caren, you are an inspiration. What is one thing you’d really like to share with people about your experience thus far?

CAREN: Well it looks so easy when you are watching the show because the contestants are able to completely focus on just their food and exercise and they have their own trainer. But what I’ve realized is that this is a lifestyle change, and in order to make it work, and keep the weight off forever, it takes ME. It’s all up to the individual, whether or not he or she is succesful in the long-term. There isn’t always going to be a trainer around. Buddha says it like this: “99% of the battle is a private battle inside yourself.”  It takes real commitment, and that word, COMMITMENT, has taken on  a whole new meaning to me.

ME: Incredible! I am so happy for you and really want to acknowledge you for such drive and passion. What would you say has been the hardest thing for you so far?

CAREN: Well, sugar is my weakness, so keeping that under control has been a real challenge. I also have this deeply rooted fear that has a voice, and it is constantly telling me that “no matter what I do, nothing will ever change.”  I am working through it one day at a time. However, I have learned to stop using the word “try,” because I am either doing something or I’m not. There’s no in between. To me, the word “try” is just a cop-out or an excuse to under-achieve.

ME: I think you made a brilliant point there Caren, I definitely can agree with you. I think you are doing amazing! Would you say that it is helping your process, to write the blog? And if so, how?

CAREN: I have always expressed myself through words, so the blog definitely enables me to look at each day as a mini life lesson. I am finding inspiration in even the smallest things. I have put myself out there, which is scary, because now I really have to wake up each day and just DO! However, I am really making much more conscious choices and the awareness inside of me is growing rapidly. I do run into negative influences sometimes, or those who unconsciously or consciously want to sabatoge me, but I feel that having the blog holds me accountable and makes it easier to stay on track. I am not perfect and there are times that I indulge a little. However, I believe the splurges are minimized greatly because I have people who are supporting me and tuning in to my every day experiences. Most importantly, I do it all for myself, and that feels really good.

 ME: Congratulations Caren, you have already won so much as far as I’m concerned. I always tell my clients that the best part of the getting fit journey, is the journey within. Thanks for sharing your story with me.

To get to know Caren better and to follow her each day, please check out her blog! If you’d like to contact me, please leave all your questions and comments here for me on the blog! Until next time, Here’s To Your Health!!!!! MWAH!

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Nov 11, 2009

Workout Wednesday- “No Pain, No Gain???”

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Ok, so we have all heard the saying, No Pain, No Gain. I cannot support this 100% of the time. There comes a point when we cross the line and pain is bad for us. Yes, one must work hard, and bare rigorous exercise and be brutally committed if loosing weight is something he/she really wants to do, or must do to live. But working hard and pushing physical boundaries must also be accompanied with myofascial release and body work, to ensure that the body is being taken care of in the process.

If we are not trained to use our bodies correctly, then any type of movement we do will just reinforce this incorrect alignment in our structure. That is why people suffer from aches and pains. If we push ourselves, or someone pushes us, to do such strenuous exercise, it can be potentially harmful if we are not conscious of the adverse effects of not training properly. I recommend those who want to train hard, also learn to train smart and do it with awareness and conscious actions. Please read my article on self-myofascial release.  Also, if you have any questions about how you can make sure you lose weight by working smarter, not harder…please leave them here for me on the blog:) Thanks so much! Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Oct 7, 2009

Workout Wednesday- “Bringing Your Body Back to Balance”

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That’s right, I said bring your body back to balance. First of all, we all get out of balance at times, some of us more often than others. However, when it comes to physical activity, it is much like food. We need nutrients from a variety of foods and we also need nutrients from a variety of exercise.

So often you will see people who are already strong in a specific area, only training in that area. For example, bulky, aggressive athletes doing more weights and always aiming to lift even heavier. Or, light and thin vegetarians doing yoga all the time. I also see the cardio people, such as runners and tri-athletes doing lots of spin classes or trail runs. All of the above mentioned exercise is good! However, they have their purpose and we can all benefit from a menu using all of them.

It is so important to keep your body, mind, and spirit in balance. We tend to forget that exercise is there to support balance, not throw it off. Therefore, if you are finding yourself hooked on the same routine week in and week out, step up to the plate and change it up. You owe it to yourself. Each type of exercise will work for a period of time, really well actually. So it’s ok to continue with something until it stops working. However, it is up to you to be aware of what your body needs at all times.

If you have been doing lots of weights, and you notice you are feeling really tight and shortened, then switch to doing yoga 2-3 times a week for a while. If all you do is yoga, and you notice feelings of being too stretchy or not grounded in your strength, then add 2-3 days of weights into your week instead of yoga. If you are a big runner, and you are thin but flabby or maybe you do lots of cardio but cannot get leaner, try doing a lot less cardio, add 2-3 days of weights in and 1 yoga class per week.

Personally, what I try to do is stay balanced in my week. My typical week includes 3 days of weight training, 2 days of cardio (usually outside running), 1 day of track lunges and explosive stadium sprints at UCLA, 1 yoga class, and at least 1 day off. However, even with this schedule I find myself out of balance sometimes. When that happens, I just really tune in to my own body. Do I need less weights, more yoga, more or less cardio, maybe no weights and a dance class, with 2 yoga classes, and a kick boxing session, etc. Some weeks I find my body wants all cardio or all weights, and I play around with the combinations until I get a menu of physical activity that is working for me again.

So, what does your menu look like? Are you in tune with the exercise nutrients your body needs in order to stay in balance? Let me know your experiences and please leave all questions and comments for me here on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

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