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Sep 30, 2009

Workout Wednesday- “The Pain/Pleasure Dynamic”

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I know I know…this was the title of yesterday’s post too. However, I talked about the profound Pain/Pleasure dynamic as it applies to Nutrition yesterday, and today I want to talk about how it applies to exercise. Now, the first I ever heard of this in this way, was in the book “Awaken the Giant Within,” by Tony Robbins, who is a brilliant man. He helped me put into words, something I have been describing to clients for a long time. That’s why I am sharing this with you…because it’s awesome!

So, if you haven’t already, please read yesterday’s post. As I explained in it, everything we do is based on pain or pleasure and how we associate things with both. For example, I know some people who HATE to exercise. They associate more pain with working out, than they do with feeling overweight and unhealthy. What they are typically doing is choosing what actions they take based on short-term pleasure rather than long-term pleasure. It may feel better in the moment for them to sit on their couch eating chips rather than go to the gym, but in a month when they have a reunion or a wedding to attend, they will suffer a lot of pain when they feel bad about themselves. So, ultimately, it comes down to what causes you more pain in the long run, unless you are fulfilled by the quick fix. I find most of us are never fulfilled by the quick fix. It just leaves us more and more empty and farther from what we truly desire. So, WHAT DO YOU WANT? Do you want short-term pleasure or long-term pleasure??? Personally I want long-term pleasure because I am seeking long-term happiness, not a quick fix.

So next time you are on the fence about working out, ask yourself these questions. “In the short-term, will it cause me more pain to work out or to sit here and watch TV?”  ”In the long-term what will be more painful, to be fit, feeling great, and ready to show up for anything, or to be overweight, unhealthy and feeling embarrassed about my body?” “Which do I prefer, short-term pleasure or long-term pleasure?” Once you have answered these questions HONESTLY to yourself, you will know what to do.

So any questions for me? Please leave them here. Here’s To your Health!!!

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Sep 29, 2009

Nutrition Tuesday- “The Pain/Pleasure Dynamic”

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Everything we do, all the choices that we make, are all based on whether or not something causes us pain or pleasure. Tony Robbins talks a lot about this in his book, “Awaken the Giant Within.” For example, those who procrastinate put things off because the doing of them registers as more painful than the not doing of them. It is only when putting things off becomes more painful than taking action, that a procrastinator finally decides to take care of business. This is the same for everyone and everything.

When it comes to diet, some people associate pushing desert away with pain, while others feel complete pleasure by saying no to dessert. The person who gets more pleasure out of eating the cookie, is choosing short term pleasure, and will most likely suffer later when they are over weight and frustrated with their health, where the one who resists dessert is choosing long term pleasure, even though they must pass on the delicious cookie in the moment. This is not to say that eating a cookie is always long-term pain, but if you are wanting to lose body fat, most likely it is not the best choice, unless it’s your cheat for the week.

What I am saying is that all it takes is a simple shift in our thinking about what causes us pain or pleasure. Being aware of this can act as a guide to making healthier, wiser decisions. If I want to maintain a lean, healthy body, then I understand there are certain things I just shouldn’t eat most of the time or ever. Therefore, if I find myself reaching for a brownie or a piece of pizza, I ask myself, “Will this cause me long-term pleasure or long-term pain?” My goal is to always choose long-term pleasure over short-term pleasure the majority of the time because I prefer long-term happiness.  Ultimately, for me,  no food tastes as good as thin feels. Even if something tastes amazing in the moment, after it’s gone, or when I wake up the next morning, I will not feel as good if I ate junk than I will if I ate clean. I know this as a fact now, so I have been able to link bad eating habits with pain instead of pleasure. This is a very helpful tool I suggest trying. First of all, set your goals and your intentions for what you want to achieve. Then, based on those goals and intentions ask yourself before each decision you make if what you are about to do is going to cause you long-term pleasure or long-term pain and you’ll then know what to do. Usually if it leads to short-term pleasure or instant gratification, that typically means you will pay for it later!!! Keep me posted on how this works for you in your life! Please post all questions and comments here for me on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

See this video below to help make new pain/pleasure associations. It’s gross though, so beware!

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Sep 23, 2009

Workout Wednesday- “Changing with the Seasons”

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As the seasons change, be aware of how you feel and change with them. We too, change with the seasons.

Hey everyone. How are you doing this week? I know I’ve been hearing a lot of people say they are a little low energy or feeling a bit off emotionally. I am experiencing something similar, but I do believe it’s all a part of the Summer ending and the Fall beginning. As the seasons change, so do we, and I think many of us are feeling the shift internally. Instead of sitting around moping, I think it’s a good time to get even more active. Throw yourself into your workout routine and really push the envelope.

For example, I have been really craving the gym lately, even more than usual, so I am going to capitalize on that. I am also eating quite a bit more, so I have some extra calories I need to burn, LOL. They have actually turned out to be a great source of fuel for my workouts. However, today it hit me. I’ve been doing the same amount of sets of my full body circuit, for about 4 months now. Even when I make the exercises harder, it only challenges me a little bit more. So in order for me to really crank it up, and make the most of where I am internally, I am going to add an extra set or two of my full body circuit. So on the days I do 2 sets, I’ll do 3 and on the days I do 3 sets, I’ll do 4!!! Yep, this should be interesting to see what happens. My body, mind and spirit seem to be really craving more of everything, so I am just going to trust that and go with it.

Where are you internally? Do you feel the shift of the seasons inside of you? Are you feeling a bit like you need to shift things in your life as a result? If so, let me know! I’d love to help you figure out a good way to compliment your life with a few good fitness tips. Please leave your questions and comments here for me on the blog! Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Sep 22, 2009

Nutrition Tuesday- “Be Aware”

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When we are kids we learn to eat for comfort, celebration, happiness, as a reward, or something to sooth our pain.

Do you struggle with cravings? Do you ever find yourself over eating? Or maybe you stick to a certain diet for a good while, but then find it impossible to keep going and remain fulfilled longer than 3 or 4 months. Well, there is a reason for these things. I wanted to bring this to your attention because I am hoping to bring you some awareness about why you do what you do.

You see, if you are suffering from major cravings you cannot seem to curb, or over eating, or get burnt out nutritionally from any one specific diet you’re on too long, then you are most likely entering a transformative place in your life. There are our primary foods, and our secondary foods. Primary food includes, career, relationships, spirituality, and exercise. Secondary food is actual food. However, if we are not fed first and foremost by our primary food, we may feel hungry for something all the time, until such time we get that void filled. A lot of people confuse the hunger for a primary food or foods for being a craving for a secondary food. This is a big problem, because secondary food cannot and will not EVER fill the needs we have for primary food.

Therefore I encourage you to start asking yourself questions. When you feel hungry, try drinking some water. If you are craving sugar, try eating a piece of fruit. If these things don’t help, most likely you are emotionally hungry and should really begin the search for what primary food your soul is craving. Otherwise you may over eat or jump from diet to diet. Also, when you feel like eating something unhealthy, pause first. Maybe go and meditate for 5 minutes, and then re-assess. It’s important to differentiate where your hunger is coming from so you can be aware of it and know a better approach to satisfying what’s really going on in your body.

Please let me know if this resonates with you. This is really just a glimpse into cravings and hunger and why our minds get to thinking we are hungry for the wrong things. I welcome any questions or comments you have for me here on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Sep 10, 2009

Holistic Thursday- “Living a Fit Life”

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I hope you all know just how much I truly enjoy writing to you and sharing my life with you. This blog is an outlet for me to do something that I love a lot. I am such a believer in people doing what they love in life. It is so important, and is a main ingredient to living a fit life. Fitness comes through exercise, eating healthy, and making choices that honor every part of ourselves. I’m talking about  following that voice within, that urges us to try new things and take chances even when we are scared or don’t know how.

You see, working out and eating in a way that respects your emotional, mental, and spiritual well being is a piece of living a fit life. The other piece is exercising your ability to evolve, grow into the best version of yourself, and experience a happy, joyous, and free life. We need all of it if we want to be living a fit life.

A dear friend of mine, and colleague, Margalit Ward and her partner Shannon Bindler, run a company they call Get Up Girl, which is a women’s coaching group. They “offer inspirational programs, such as, coaching, workshops, and retreats, that help women create an ideal vision for their personal and professional lives. These dynamic group and individual settings encourage participants to honor themselves, remove obstacles, and create a clear action plan for achieving success.” (Don’t worry guys…if you are interested in this kind of support, let me know and I can direct you to the right people:)

I am a big fan of Get Up  Girl,because I am a big fan of YOU. We all need help sometimes, getting to where we know and feel in our hearts we want to be. That is what I do. I help you get closer to living a fit life, as the highest, most authentic you. Working with people like Margalit and Shannon brings me tremendous joy because together we can truly make a difference in each others lives. (Yes…you help us as well, as we all learn from each other:)  

If you are feeling a bit lost, or need a change in direction in life, or are feeling blocked from achieving your goals and dreams, I strongly suggest signing up for one of Get Up Girl’s workshops or events. They even have a free workshop tonight at 7pm-9pm and next Thursday at 7pm-9pm, called “Take Charge of Your Success.” Check them out on their amazing web site for more details: @ www.GetUpGirl.org.  Make sure to read their rock’n blog too :) They can truly help you shape your life into a Fit Life! Please leave all questions and comments for me here on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!

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Sep 9, 2009

Workout Wednesday- “The Fountain of Youth”

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 Found! Fountain OF Youth

We all talk about the benefits of working out to look good, feel better, strengthen our muscles, keep our hearts healthy, etc, but not many people talk about the importance of resistance training for bone density maintenance. I have to wonder…is this because they don’t know???

One of the first things I tell new clients over the age of 30, is how weight/resistance training (not cardio) contributes to overall health in more ways than just the obvious. At the age of about 21 for girls, and 25 for guys, we all naturally begin to lose muscle. In fact, we can lose up to 5% per year if we are not working out. What does this mean? Well, since 1 lb of muscle burns 50-100 calories at rest, then what it means is a seriously slow metabolism and an atrophied body with really bad posture by the time you’re in your 50′s…if you are lucky to last that long even. We need  to maintain a certain amount of muscle to avoid “shrinking,” “hunching over,” and having hip replacements and the like.

When we loose our muscle, aside from the fact of losing the ability to burn fat, we run the risk of loosing bone density. Our bodies literally begin to deteriorate. Therefore, we must build a certain amount of new muscle tissue each year just to counteract what we are losing naturally. If we don’t, then after our muscle has withered away, the deterioration will then move into the next level…our bones!!! Resistance training has been proven to contribute to the building and strengthening of new bone density in people with and without Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is real and it tends to be more active in females, but females also have a lot less muscle then men just genetically. In my opinion, both genders are equally at risk in different ways, and both need to nurture their bodies against the deteriorating effects of aging.

I like to call excercise the Fountain of Youth, because it really is one of the only ways we can keep ourselves young. We will all get older, and age, but why not do what we can along the way to age gracefully, peacefully, and joyfully. I welcome any of your questions and/or comments here for me on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Sep 9, 2009

NutritionTuesday- “Eating to Feel Good”

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WHAT’S YOUR BASKET FULL OF???

Well, hope you had a great Labor Day weekend and wore all the white in your closet just one last time LOL :) I actually got confused by the holiday yesterday and was thinking today was Monday, and therefore am just now getting this post up at 7:45 pm Tuesday. Sorry, I’m a bit late but at least it’s up!

Lately I have been researching all different kinds of diets, and philosophies because I have been very aware of the importance in eating the right foods for my individual body. One persons food is another persons poison. Also, certain diets such as Macrobiotic or Raw, as amazing as they are and as much as I recommend them, are just not good to do year round, for most people. I find that cycling these different theories based on bio-individuality, is the best solution for health and vigor.

For me, I am intuitively able to tell when my body needs me to be eating more protein, or when I am requiring lots of fruit or none at all. I go through phases of being really hungry all the time, and then there are times when I barely think of food. So it has been very helpful for me to learn how to keep a healthy diet throughout every phase my body’s cycle is in.

I am also becoming more and more aware of the quality of food I put into my system, and the energetic difference it makes on my daily life. Whole and/or Organic foods have a lasting effect on how good I feel overall, where foods that are somewhat processed can make me feel good for a little while, but eventually begin to drain me of my positive energy. For the most part I avoid eating meat because it is hard on the digestive system and it is a very low energy food. Let’s face it, meat is something that is DEAD, so you take on that DEAD ENERGY when you eat it. It’s not that I never eat it, just rarely. I choose to eat fish for my animal protein when I do, because it’s a little easier to process, but it tends to be high in mercury. It’s best to eat as much live foods (from sprouted grains, raw fruit, veggies, nuts, etc) as you can each meal, and we all need a certain amount of protein to sustain our strength, but again, the combination of these foods considered to be beneficial, vary for the individual. Every body has different needs.

I still eat a big steak every now and then, when my body tells me to. I have gotten my instrument so clean, that I am able to tell what my body needs and when, based on the cravings I am having. I also have learned to pay close attention to my cravings in order to differentiate from the things I think I’m craving vs. what I am actually craving.

The bottom line is, eat food to feel good. If you want to feel good for a few minutes or and hour or so, and that’s it…well, then go for the foods that do that for you. I personally like to feel good all day every day, and therefore choose to eat the foods that do that for me. Of course I am not perfect and therefore basically stick to a 90/10 rule, eating good energy foods 90% of the time and whatever I want for the other 10% :) Luckily for me I typically WANT to eat what make me feel good!

I know learning how to eat better can feel very overwhelming, but if you want a better life, you gotta start somewhere. Why not start with what you eat??? Eating clean will lead to an overall better life! I am happy to help you on your journey. Please leave all your questions and comments here for me on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Sep 2, 2009

Workout Wednesday-”Fitness for Fun”

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I am always telling my clients how important it is to make fitness fun. If you don’t have fun with what you are doing, you won’t do it as much, or get as good of results. Whenever I start to get bored with things, I start exploring and experimenting with new things. Last week, I was kind of sick of the gym and just not feeling it…very unmotivated to lift a single weight, and therefore, I decided to just go with my own flow. Instead of my usual routine, I did a lot of long runs, a day of martial arts, and I took a hip-hop dance class!!! It was awesome!!!

I have been wanting to to some boxing and get back into dancing for a few years now, and have just found every excuse in the book not to do either of them, lol. However, EXCUSES BE GONE!!! I just went for it. It was my 2 nd week of boxing actually, and that is such a nice change from weights! Also, the hip-hop class was so fun and I worked my butt off…literally. We were popping, and locking, and dipping and sweating like crazy. I woke up the next day feeling lean, and fulfilled. There is something to be said about moving your body in different ways. It really helped me to connect my mind and body in new and improved ways and I am appreciating what it did for me mentally, spiritually, emotionally, AND physically. I felt like I was re-awakened into action. I plan to do that dance class again tomorrow night, and I cannot wait!!! I will be attending Millenium Dance Complex this week as well, which is a very hip and edgy place to go, and can be a bit intimidating at first. However, the instructor was great last week and really did a good job moving slowly and explaining everything smoothly so the entire class could follow along and shake their bodies to the beat:)

Are you wanting to try something new? How long have you been feeling demotivated by your same old routine??? Let’s have a chat. Leave all your questions and comments for me here on the blog! Here’s To Your Health!!!

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Sep 1, 2009

Nutrition Tuesday- “The Craving Game”

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Happy Tuesday everybody! I hope you are having a great week thus far. I am feeling excited to be back to the blog and I’m feeling really refreshed after a week of no blogging! Instead of blogging last week, I decided to try a few new things and to explore and experiment as my research for future blog inspiration.

One thing I played around with was what to do when I just don’t want to eat the things I’ve been eating. Like, when egg whites and oatmeal and brown rice just aren’t cutting it anymore and all I want is SUGAR!!!!!! LOL, yes, this happens to even me sometimes, but what I have learned and continue to learn, is that this is not something to worry about. There is a real reason for why this happens.

My tendency is to go “OH NO…I’m loosing all control!!!” But this is not the case, especially if I really pay attention to what is happening in my body. My cravings for food and exercise were different last week. I was wanting to eat a lot more, craving sugar, and feeling more like doing long runs than doing circuit training in the gym. So, I decided to just go with what I felt. However, in the past I may have mistaken this shift in craving for depression or the need to binge on junk food and too much time in the gym. But I realize now, that actually, my body was legitimately wanting foods that satisfied a different nutrient requirement than what I’d previously been eating for the most part. At the same time, my body was craving more cardio. So in actuality, it wanted “more food” but then it wanted to use the extra food for fuel on my long runs…which makes perfect sense!

What I new I wanted was sugar, what I thought I wanted was chocolate, cookies, candy, cakes, comfort food, etc. What I did instead was a ton of fruit, prunes, high fiber cereal with agave syrup, almond milk, low glycemic chocolate, apple juice and Macro Greens, Ezekiel raisin toast with all natural peanut butter, and LARABARS :)   

You see, my diet consisted of mostly all natural, whole, organic foods, loaded with natural sugar, vitamins, minerals, and a ton of nutrients!!! I found that by following my cravings but looking for healthier alternatives for what I “thought” I wanted, I actually didn’t gain a pound, and in fact may have lost one or two. What does all this mean??? It means that our bodies know what they need and they require different nutrients at different times, depending on what’s going on inside of us. Therefore, it is good to follow those cravings as long as you make sure to make the healthiest choices available that satisfy the same cravings. For example, prunes instead of star burst, High fiber cereal with agave vs. sugar cereals, fresh fruit vs. cakes and sweets, and a couple bites of low glycemic chocolate vs Hershey’s. I also found that by purchasing my new amazing find…MACRO GREENS, from Whole Foods, my days felt highly nourished and my body a well working machine. By Thursday I had so much energy, I actually did a 70 minute run AND a circuit workout in the gym:) I was shocked, for having such a quick turn around from what I “thought” was the beginning of me slipping back into some bad, old habits!!! Wow, its amazing what can happen if you just LISTEN to your body’s needs and realize you should always eat to feel good, energetic and nourished!!!

So, are you experiencing any major cravings, falling off your diet, or making unhealthier choices now than you were? What are some of your eating habits and challenges? Let me help you play the Craving Game!!! Please leave all your questions and comments for me here on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

Stock Photo of Papayas and cherries

 

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Aug 20, 2009

Holistic Thursday- “Holistic Hotties”

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Yes, that’s right…you can be holistic AND hot!!! In fact, Devon Crabtree and myself live very holistic lives. We approach our work in this way as well. I have always focused on manifesting hotness from both, the outside-in,  AND the inside-out! What it comes down to is… HEALTH. Yeah, don’t seem so bored, lol. Believe it or not, if you do what is healthy, and live by certain standards, the hotness will just follow.

However, I know we all wanna be healthy and hot , so obviously we work towards having both of them simultaneously. There are four main key points that nutrition and exercise should address.

1) Prevention

2) Stress Relief

3) Energy

4) Fat loss and/or building lean muscle

Devon and I are currently planning our first talk, as a team, and we are planning to be giving this talk in late October in West Hollywood. We will be speaking about these four topics, listed above. We will also be addressing the “how to” on finding your hotness holistically, and the importance of looking and feeling good if you want to be successful in your business. We are both very excited about this and each of us have lots of amazing information to bring to you. For those of you in L.A., we look forward to having you in the audience and will be sending out all the info soon. We will most likely be posting our lecture on-line afterwards for those of you who cannot make it, whether it be you live elsewhere or have other engagements.

Please leave your email and phone number for me at ErinLanahanMethod@gmail.comif you are interested in attending, and we will send you all the info in a couple of weeks:). You can also leave your questions and comments here for me on the blog. Here’s To Your Health!!!

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