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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: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Mar 28, 2011

Everything Ebbs and Flows: Let Go and Embrace your Process

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I hope you had a fantastic weekend! I totally did:) I met up with friends, danced, laughed, and just had a seriously FUN time. This is such an important part of life. Don’t you agree? I believe living a FIT Life means living a life that is well-rounded, balanced, and fulfilled in every way. Here’s just a little video I got inspired to do before I went out Friday night. Enjoy!

 

Please leave your questions and comments for my here. I LOVE hearing from you!

xoxo,

Erin

 

Filed Under: Fitness, Food, Thoughts of the day, What I'm up to · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Oct 26, 2010

So…What’s the Follow Through Feel Like?

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I was speaking with a client earlier this evening and we discussed the challenges for her around making healthy choices when she is out to dinner. It was only moments before this, that she shared with me, in detail, what she wants for her body and her life and how she wants to feel on a daily basis. Does this resonate with you? Are you out there, shooting for a healthier, fitter body, but then having trouble making choices that are alignment with what you say you want? Why do you think you do this?

I have found, that more often than not, someone who is not making the choices in alignment with what they say they want, is either unclear about what they really want or they just don’t have enough of a relationship with the outcome of their healthy and unhealthy choices. What do I mean? Well, for me, I KNOW how I will feel after a large burger and fries and a slice of chocolate cake. I KNOW how I will feel after 4 slices of pizza, a side of spaghetti with garlic bread for dinner and cheesecake and a latte for dessert. I also KNOW how I will feel if I order steamed fish, a big green salad with lots of veggies and avocado, and a side of whole wheat pasta or brown rice and fresh fruit and a small piece of organic dark chocolate for dessert. I KNOW the difference between eating the foods that match my goals and desires, and the foods that do not match my goals and desires. So what I am saying is, sometimes you just may not be conscious yet about how food makes you feel and about how it affects your mood, your day, your week, and your life.

Food literally BECOMES US. It becomes our cells, our hair, our blood, our energy, our skin, and our thoughts. This determines our relationships, our energy levels each day, our creativity or lack thereof, the way in which we experience ourselves in the world, and the way others perceive us and feel about us too. That’s right…the BEST way you can begin to change on a cellular level, in order to make positive shifts and revamp your ENTIRE life, is to change what is going into your mouth! First, you need to have the proper awareness and consciousness around food, so begin by noticing how food makes you feel and how it can positively or negatively affect your week, your interaction with others, and your life!

Here are three tips you can use daily to begin to connect to what you REALLY want and to make the choices that support that:

1) Write out what you want for your life, your body, your career, your health, your family. Get very detailed and clear until you can feel this in your body and feel deeply moved and inspired when you read it back to yourself. Bring this feeling with you to every meal. Ultimately IT will make choices for you.

2) Follow the food through. Once you have gotten more clear about HOW food makes you feel, you can then follow your cravings to the end BEFORE you give in, and see if you still feel the same way. Ex. You’ve been noticing that when you eat dairy it makes your skin break out and you get cranky by 4pm. Therefore you stopped eating all dairy a couple of days ago, and you feel AMAZING and your skin is already beginning to clear up. Then you get taken out to lunch by co-workers and you go to a Mexican restaurant. You see the caso dip and the quesadillas on the menu and think “OMG I REALLY WANT THIS, IT SOUNDS SOOOOOO YUMMY AND I’M STARVING!” But, then you remember that you want to feel full of energy when you get back to work, and that you are really loving your skin right now. You follow the caso and quesadilla option all the way through. You imagine that you’ve eaten the caso and quesadillas, and you can feel how bloated you are after lunch, and you’ve still got 4 hours back at the office and you’re suppose to workout after. However, now you are feeling fat and lazy, and really just want to go home and sleep, so you cancel with your trainer on the way back to the office and he charges you for the late cancel. You can feel the grease on your face already. You get back to the office and grab a chocolate bar out of the vending machine because you need a “pick me up.” Then you get home and yell at your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife and have no tolerance for your kids. You say things you don’t mean. You’d like to be affectionate and maybe even intimate, but you just feel too gross and tired and angry. You go to bed, feeling fat, lonely, angry, and anxious. It is hard to wake up the next morning because you slept crappy, and therefore you run late to work. On the drive to work you notice a BIG pimple coming up right between your eyes.

Cut back to you at the table. You do not get the caso and quesadillas because you followed them through and now you KNOW that is NOT what you want. What you WANT is to feel energized, sexy, patient, creative, on top of things, on time, and you want to get a kick-ass workout in later! So you go for the black beans and small side of Spanish rice, no cheese, steamed broccolli or a big green salad, and maybe some steamed fish or grilled chicken. AHHHH, you feel great after lunch. You just know you will have an awesome workout, get home with lots of energy for whomever is waiting for you, or if you will be alone, you’ll be able to rest feeling nutured and loved because you did wonderful things for yourself earlier.

3) Always do the VERY best you can. It’s about progress, not perfection. There is no need to feel guilty over eating something “bad.” Just realize it makes you feel yucky, let it go, and do something differently next time!

Ok, I wish you well! Please leave all questions and comments here for me on my blog, or contact me at ELM.Coaching@yahoo.com if you would like a FREE Health Coaching Consultation.

Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

xxoo Erin

Filed Under: Fitness, Food, Thoughts of the day, What I'm up to · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Oct 6, 2010

What’s In the Way IS the Way…

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To get to the other side, we must face the challenge at hand.

Well, I don’t know about you, but this weather is really resonating with me right now. After all the heat and dryness last week, this feels like such a treat! The rain feels so cleansing to the air and land, which happens to be a perfect vibrational match to the cleansing I feel inside of me. I had such an amazing weekend! It was my birthday on Saturday, and I spent the weekend at a ranch in Topanga Canyon, doing healing meditations and lots of introspection and reflection work. I feel so grateful for the information available to us within our very own bodies.

Have you ever heard the saying “What’s in the way IS the way?” I love this saying because it is so true. For example, when your kitchen is extremely clean, and a dish or two gets dirty…its pretty easy to wash them right away, and to maintain the clean state of the kitchen. However, when work gets busy, and you are out and about and running around all over the place, it doesn’t seem like it takes long for the dishes to pile up does it? When there is a kitchen full of dirty dishes, most of us will feel a lot of resistance, and try to avoid it for a while. The bigger the mess, the less we want to dig in  and do something about it. But like the saying goes…”What’s in the way IS the way.” The only thing that will get your house clean again, and create a comfortable space for you to live in, is actually doing the dishes!

This is what my weekend was like. Our bodies are like houses. It is important for us to keep them clean. I try to keep mine maintained the best I can, but there are times in my life that get very hectic, or there are transitions I am going through that make it more difficult, and as a result things will get a bit messy in my body and therefore my head. These messes are typically made up of suppressed emotions as well as less than ideal food, eaten on one too many occasions, LOL. I usually can tell things are “piling up” and getting messy, when I start feeling “dark” feelings like confusion, sadness, depression, claustrophobia, anxiety, or hopelessness, or when I begin over- thinking a lot and totally spinning out in my head. This brings me to the gratitude I feel for meditation, reflection, and introspection work. When we go within, we can take a look at what needs to be cleaned, and then, by bringing our awareness to it, and allowing ourselves to fully feel what is there…we GET to wash ourselves clean of it. So many people drink, use drugs, food, sex, or shopping, to numb their feelings out. Just like a smelly, dirty kitchen, the bigger the mess, the scarier it is to face. We are never quite sure what we may find when we stick our hands in there. However, when we use “numbing out” agents to avoid our feelings inside…we get nowhere! The only real way to heal and to feel better, is to walk into the mess and clean it up. It’s never as bad as it seems from the outside looking in. When we heal ourselves from the inside out, it makes a positive shift in our actions, and therefore we begin to make much healthier choices.

I got to clean up a lot of messes inside of me this weekend, and I am feeling extremely good about who I am. I am truly grateful for this life I GET to live, and for the journey we are all on together. Today, take 5-10 minutes to turn inward. Ask your body to show you where there are any messes that need your attention and cleaning. Then stay focused on your breath and allow the silence to love you and nurture you. You may be surprised how much relief you get from this gift to yourself.

Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

Yours In Spirit,

Erin

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Oct 1, 2010

The Battle of the LBs

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This morning I awoke to a frantic text from a client who has gained 15 pounds in the last few months. This client has been unable to keep a consistent schedule in, and outside of  the gym with me, and her eating habits have been on a roller coaster due to some family and work challenges that have kept her traveling quite a bit. She and I worked really hard to get this weight off, and she kept herself at a weight and lifestyle she was happy with for a year and a half. “Why is this happening?” “I worked so hard for so long, and now I feel terrible again.”  She is very upset and feels defeated. Does this sound familiar?

The Battle of the Lbs can be an aggressive battle if we let it…but it doesn’t have to be.  What has happened is, my client got comfortable and instead of getting more clear about her intentions for her health and fitness…she got less clear. In the beginning, she was motivated by a break-up…but eventually, external motivation WILL ware off. Also, things happen…we get called to take care of others, and it is not always going to be easy to stay committed to our healthy ways. But it ultimately comes down to this…HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL IN YOUR SKIN, AND WHAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO MAKE SURE YOU ACHIEVE IT AND MAINTAIN IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY? (And beware of excuses my dear friend) We must get clear about what we want, and continue to deepen that vision and tweak it with regards to new goals and desires. Ultimately, what matters most, is that we do the very best we can in every moment (because that’s all we CAN do), and obviously “our best” will look differently, depending on the day, but nonethelss…DO OUR BEST. Unfortunately, most people wait until they are in unbearable pain to change their behaviors and actions. Why? Why wait until you are in so much pain you feel defeated?

What I have learned over the years is, first of all…We are NEVER defeated. Also, just as importantly, what I want more than anything…more than abs, more than my “skinny weight,” more than ANYTHING, is to be happy and to feel comfortable, beautiful, and sexy in my own body…from the inside out, independent of anything external.  This does not mean I don’t also want to look good, it just means that I approach looking good from a different place. If we approach it from a healthy place, we get to keep the results. If we approach it from an unhealthy place, we will eventually fall back into our old ways. It is so important to really get clear about how you want to FEEL. How does it feel to try on clothes at a store, how do you feel when you are walking through the grocery store, how do your favorite jeans feel when you button them? Then get clear on your visualizations. What do you SEE when you look in the mirror? What do you see when you go to a party? How do you see the world from the eyes of a body you love? What do you hear yourself saying to yourself? Are you visualizing hearing loving words from yourself? All these things help us stay on track…so we can keep the battle of the LB’s at Bay. We are human beings…our weight will fluctuate throughout the year, as Mother Nature intended it to, however, there is an ideal minimum and maximum for each of us that we do not have to exceed if we have the proper tools to reach for.

This morning, I did a short coaching session with this client. I instructed her to do the following:

1) Write down exactly how she is feeling, so she can refer back to the pain she is experiencing right now, and therefore can use that instead of having to recreate it later. This is a helpful tool, because when you feel like you are getting off track, or you are forgetting the pain you can potentially cause yourself, you can read over this particular journal entry and it can bring you right back to the pain. This will help you make better choices in the future, so you never have to create this particular feeling again.

2) Write 3 pages of a free flow of thought this morning, followed by a list of her intentions for today and 5 things she is grateful for. This is an exercise I have assigned her to do every day. In the morning, as soon as you wake up, before doing anything else…take a mental dump! Write down anything and everything that comes to your mind, even if it is “I don’t know what to write” or “I’m so tired, this sucks.” It doesn’t matter…just keep writing and do not stop. This must be with a pen and paper, not typing. Write for 3 straight pages (front and back count as 2). Then, following the 3 pages, set your intentions and write them down. What do you intend to feel, see, create, do, ect, for today? How do you intend today to unfold? After all of that, write down 5 things you feel really grateful for…even if that is “I am grateful for this pen in my hand.”

3) I told her to write a journal at the end of the day, about how the day went, what feelings came up around each meal, when she gets the most hungry, and what foods make her feel the best and most satisfied. This is a great tool, because it tracks what actually happened throughout your day, and you can see if you are staying in alignment with your intentions you set for that day or not.  The way we do one thing is the way we do all things, so it is important to identify patterns, and then to look at what’s going on underneath the surface.

My client and I will do a coaching session on Monday, to review her writings, and, as long as she remains willing to do what it takes to feel better, and commits to the process…she will be on her way to living in a body she loves!

Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

For Health and Wellness Life Coaching, you can contact me at ELM.Coaching@yahoo.com for a FREE consultation.

Thank you :-)

Erin

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May 6, 2010

How Bad Are Your Bad Habits?

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Which Way Are You Going???

Hello there! How are you feeling today? Do you realize that our bodies are such amazing, brilliant , intelligent, and wise organisms that really tell us everything we need to know? Therefore, if you are not already, I urge you to begin to tune in and turn within, to check-in with what your body is telling you at all times. Your body will send you very clear messages when it is not feeling well, when it’s fatigued and needs rest, or when you are putting things in it that are harming you.

We all know there are certain behaviors that will reduce our life span. Our bad habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, eating unhealthy processed foods, and living sedentary lifestyles can and WILL take their toll. New research states that when all four of these bad habits come together they can prematurely age someone by 12 years! That is mind-blowing right! 12 years is a lot of years older, and I cannot imagine any one of us wanting to speed the natural aging process up.

Integrative Nutrition guest speaker Dr. Walter Willett, the chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, was quoted by Time magazine saying, “conclusions are profoundly important and worth replicating: healthy lifestyle practices that are modest and simple—specifically, not smoking, getting regular physical activity, eating a good diet and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption—can profoundly affect our chances of living to an old age.”  It is really simple people…reduce the chemicals you put into your bodies and enjoy the benefits of a more youthful, longer life. 

You would think this should be enough to know for people to really get the motivation to take action and responsibility for their health. Afterall, it seems so easy right? However, as a Health Coach, I see it all the time, that this is not the case. I am very passionate about my job and what I do because I get to help people overcome these challenges on a daily basis. I help my clients get to the root of their issues, so we can heal them on every level. We uncover the reasons for why they are not making healthy choices, that align with what they really want. As a result, they are able to resolve these core issues and I get to see people lose weight, gain energy, eliminate sickness and fatigue from their lives completely, and gain radiant, glowing health from the inside out!  

Are you someone who struggles with eliminating processed foods from your diet? Do you find it difficult to enjoy your life without excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking? Are you just plain stuck, sedentary, and unable to make any real positive changes toward getting healthier and more fit? Please share your questions and comments here for me on  the blog, or better yet, email me at ErinLanahanMethod@gmail.com for a FREE consultation!

I truly hope you take your health and wellness seriously and do for yourself, all the things you need to live a FIT life. You deserve to feel great every day! Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!!!

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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: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 2, 2010

What Should I Eat???

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???????

Did you know there are over 125 dietary theories? I am learning about all of these theories at IIN, and I have to say, they all make sense!!! Here’s the thing, all the diets out there do work, but the problem is, they only work temporarily, and most people are unaware of whether or not the diet they are on is even good for their health. That’s right, too many people are forgetting that the goal is to be healthy, not skinny. Get healthy, and the rest will follow. You see, one man’s food is another man’s poison. What that means is, we are not all meant to eat the same things. Therefore, diets don’t work! They may produce short-term results, but do they last? Have you ever known anyone who’s gone on a “diet” and kept the results they got for more than 3 or 4 months?  

Did you know that food literally becomes us? It becomes our thoughts, our feelings, and ultimately, our actions. It’s a scary thing to me, that so many people are unaware of the importance of the food they put into their mouths. It’s beyond calories, what’s fattening, too many carbs, etc. What I am talking about is quality of life! That’s right…Quality of Food plays a HUGE role in determining the quality of our lives.

As a lot of you may know, I’ve been eating a raw, primarily vegetarian diet since the end of December. I NEVER thought I’d say that, LOL, but it is true. It has been a very cool experiment thus far, and I have gotten some really cool results, however, I remain open to new information as I learn it. My only goal is to eat the foods that create the healthiest me and provides my body with the right amount of nutrients for living an optimal life. What we eat should be based on our unique bio-individuality, because we all require different combinations of nutrients. What I am finding however, is that there are some things that seem to be a common thread in ALL the dietary theories that have been proven to produce the best health.

1) Eat more Whole Foods!

2) Buy organic! (this is sooooooo important)

3) Buy local and seasonal foods as much as possible!

4) Eliminate refined and denatured foods!

5) Avoid hydrogenated oils!

6) Eat more greens. Green, greens, greens!!!

7) Eat good fats! (omega 3′s and 6′s)

These are some basic guidelines that I follow, no matter what! If you are really concerned about living your best life, I suggest you follow them too. Don’t get so caught up in which diet is the newest thing, or what has worked for others. Stick to the basics, per the above, and you will find as you get healthier, the fat will melt away. Fat is full of toxins, so as the body detoxes, it sheds the fat. If you are wanting to gain muscle, really focus more on the way you are training in the gym. You can up your protein, but be careful not to sacrifice your health in the process. Remember, we all have our own unique shapes and sizes. Embrace your body, and as I always say, make the most of what you’ve been given. That said, try new things. Experiment, but find what makes your body feel the best. Work with your doctor if you must to figure out which foods your body likes and does not like. Use your intuition…You know what is good for you and what is not!

Do you ever feel confused by all the diets and theories you hear about, that tell you what to eat and what not to eat? Do you ever feel like you are fighting a never-ending battle? Tell me about some of the challenges you have had in the past or maybe current ones you are facing now about how to choose the right foods for your body and good health. Do you eat for vanity or for optimal health? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave all questions and comments here for me on my blog.

If you’d like to find out more about your unique bio-individuality, and what foods and life choices are in alignment with that, please contact me via ErinLanahanMethod@gmail.com for a free Health Coaching Consultation!

Thank you! Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

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Mar 17, 2010

Be an Explorer of Your Own Life!

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File:Moraine lake.jpg

What’s In Your Bigger Picture!

Well it’s another week and I’m still in Colorado dealing on my mom’s health issues. We’ve been staying in Beaver Creek since Saturday, but today we are back in Denver seeing the surgeons here. I thought we might get to head back to L.A. today, but it’s looking like mom needs surgery. At this time, we are still awaiting answers as to how the next few days will unfold. However, I must say, this trip has been a real journey for me. It has been anything BUT easy, and things change every day, yet I’ve remained in a good place overall. I really believe I have kept my good health and sanity through all of the adversity because I CHOOSE to be an explorer of my own life.

Often times, we are called on a journey, it is not always the journey we expected to be embarking upon at the time. However, what I have learned more than anything over this last week and a half, is that when I am an explorer in my own life, I GET to discover the beauty with and within me at all times.

For example, yesterday I woke up completely exhausted and totally resistant to facing ANOTHER day of phone calls, research, and all the things I knew that HAD to be done before the day’s end. I felt claustrophobic, angry, frustrated, and just plain emotional. I really didn’t feel like running or doing anything for that matter, however, something in me knew that a good run would be the only thing that would truly make me feel better. I tend to forget that exercise serves a lot more than just my physical health and body. IT keeps me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fit as well. I got myself some running shoes on Saturday and had already found a good route on a run I went on Sunday, so I really had no excuses not to go yesterday (Tuesday). Knowing this, I suited up and hit the trails!

As I started out on the running path, I  widened my gaze and took in my surroundings. It was SO BEAUTIFUL! The Rocky Mountains and snow and the rushing water in the river beside me, really helped me begin to put my life and this journey into perspective again. I decided I would be an explorer in that moment and for the rest of my run and the day. I ran and ran until I found a little side path that dead-ended at a rocky cliff that overlooked the rushing white water river. I decided to place my hands down on a couple big rocks and I just started doing push-ups and planks and core exercises. Then I stood up and did jump squats, split squats, and hamstring stretches. I even threw in a little bit of yoga and meditation. During my workout  it hit me…I have everything I need to be well, and to be happy, NO MATTER WHERE I AM OR WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, as long as I am WILLING to be an explorer of my own life.

Yesterday, I had many obstacles to overcome, but even so, I had a great experience and it was an amazing day. Yes, I had to pack up my moms entire apartment alone, and then clean it entirely with my brothers help. Yes, I had to call doctors and health insurance agencies. Yes, I had to talk to friends and family and tell the same details to them over and over again. However, by starting my day out with such a great run and outside exercise routine, I was able to connect with something bigger than myself and everything began to make sense and fall into place again. Being an explorer of my own life, allowed me to stay open to all that I was experiencing in each moment, and I was open enough to know that I had a choice to feel good or bad, to grow or get stuck.  Exploring myself and the world around me as I ran down the running path, allowed new ideas to enter my mind. The courage shift and to try new things began to flow from my innermost self that loves and appreciates movement and connection with nature. I was determined to feel good and to be well no matter what, and when we CHOOSE to be an explorer of our own lives, we GET to have a new experience of our circumstances and the way in which we experience the world and ourselves in it. 

Have you ever been called on a journey you didn’t expect? What happens to your habits and routines when you are faced with a list of tasks you must complete whether you like it or not or want to or not? Are you an explorer of your own life? Do you take what’s in front of you and make a conscious choice to have the best experience possible with what you have been given? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Please leave them for me here on the blog. Afterall, we are all on this life journey together and can always learn from one another:) Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!!!

Are You Moving Against The Flow Or With It???

Filed Under: Fitness, Mind Body Spirit Thursday, Thoughts of the day · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Mar 12, 2010

Staying Healthy in the Face of Adversity

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Wow, it has been a long week for me so far. I got some bad news about my mother’s health on Monday and took a last-minute flight out of LAX at 715am Tuesday morning. It’s never easy when we are taken out of our routine and thrown into the face of adversity. How do we stay healthy? It is so important that we do because there is already enough to cope with when we are facing hard times. Why should we make it even harder by putting our bodies under unnecessary stress that comes as a result of eating foods that do not serve us. We tend to let our health and well-being fall by the wayside because “it isn’t convenient” to go out of our way to eat healthily and exercise when other things are the “priority.”  However, doing this is exactly why my mom is in the hospital right now. Bottom line is, if you don’t have a well-functioning body and mind, what are you capable of?? The answer is…not much!!!

How many of you let adversity and obstacles get in the way of making healthy choices for yourselves? I know it’s not necessarily easy to stay nourished, and to commit to this way of life, but I promise you, there is a way! I’ve been in a small town on the outskirts of Denver. There are fast food restaurants on every corner, it’s almost impossible to find a normal restaurant, and even when we do, there is nothing all that healthy on the menu. I feel so lucky to have located a Whole Foods. I have to drive out of my way a bit to get there, but I eat all my meals there because I know it’s important to maintain and sustain my wellness and healthy state of mind. Eating fast food and junk food for “convenience purposes” would have me much more of a mess than I already am and my mind would not be functioning optimally. I don’t think I could handle feeling any worse right now, so eating lots of fruits and veggies, and food that nourishes me and keeps me feeling alive and connected and energized, are what I need to get me through all of this.

I was going to run this morning, but last night realized I forgot to pack my running shoes. I NEVER forget my running shoes! Right there tells me that I’m highly stressed and not thinking straight as it is, however there was nothing I could do about getting running shoes at 10 pm last night, in order to hit the treadmill this morning. I had to just accept it. Exercise would be a great form of relief for me right now, but since I cannot get to a gym, and don’t have running shoes, I must eat even cleaner to make up for the fact that I am not detoxifying through exercise or producing any extra endorphins. Also, I know it’s extra important that I take at least 10 minutes a day, to myself, to meditate and breathe. Otherwise I will go CRAZY!!! When in the face of adversity, we MUST take care of ourselves. It’s the only way to get some relief!

Do these things sound impossible for you? Have you ever been in my situation, facing hard times that made life much more difficult and took you out of your normal routines that keep you sane? What did you do? How do you cope in these situations? How do you stay healthy in the face of adversity? Do you make your health a priority or do you pretend it’s not important while you tend to “bigger issues.” I am curious to know what you do and why. Please leave all your questions and comments here for me on the blog. Here’s To Your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!

Filed Under: Fitness, Food · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,
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