I went to get my nails done on Saturday. Because it was the Labor Day weekend here in the U.S., the salon where I go was slow. In fact, I was the only customer. Mia’s 3 year-old daughter was hanging out with us while her Mom worked on me—her last customer of the day. While I had a great time interacting with my new young friend, here’s what struck me the most. After playing games on her iPAD for a while she jumped up and said she felt like she needed “to move” and started running around the desk where customers are greeted. After going around once, she stopped and asked me to count each time she came around. She wanted to go around 5 times. So she ran and I excitedly called out the number of each round and cheered her on. In addition to being adorable, she was demonstrating that we have an intuitive knowing of when and how our bodies want to move. But this knowing gets quieted—and often silenced. It starts with parents telling their kids, “Sit still!“ Mia didn’t tell her daughter that she needed to sit down and be quiet. She actually remarked that her daughter knows when she needs to exercise and she let her run. This inner knowing gets further silenced when kids head off to school where they have to sit unnaturally at desks for hours on end and only play at certain times. Experience after experience teaches us to quiet that body wisdom. So by the time most women are adults, they have forgotten that they ever liked to move, much less connect with the guidance that tells them when, how, and how much. […]
What Do You Really, Really Want?
I had an awesome workout this morning. Why was it so good? Because I focused on all the reasons I wanted to move my body instead of all the reasons I didn’t. I was able to push myself and see progress. Most importantly, I was having fun! Not only did this focus help me during today’s workout, but it’s actually helping me create positive momentum so that my next workout will be great, too. Most women feel like they HAVE to exercise or eat healthy. It feels like something they are being forced to do. They may spend most of their time dreading upcoming exercise and then complaining about it in their mind the whole time they are doing it. With chronic thoughts like that, is it any wonder dieting and exercise seem so hard? While you can’t go from hating to move your body to loving it in an instant (that just feels like a big fat lie) you can begin to focus on all the reasons you WANT to move your body and eat healthy foods rather than all the reasons you don’t. This will make a huge difference in creating the body you want. Here are some of the reasons I love moving my body and eating foods that feel healthy to me. I invite you to create a list of your own. I love moving myself towards optimal wellness. I love having fun moving my body. I love that moving my body is more like play than work. I love being out in the sunshine and fresh air, and how freeing that feels. I love the energy I generate by working out and eating well that carries me throughout my day. I love the clarity of mind I have […]
Do This One Thing to Shift Your Mood and Slim Your Body
True confession time. I woke up in a funk this morning. My first conscious thoughts were negative ones. It had gone on for a few minutes before I caught myself. So I grabbed my headphones and listened to a guided meditation. That worked great until my feet hit the floor. One of the dogs had thrown up in the night and my husband hadn’t cleaned it up. He had stepped over it in fact as he went to the bathroom. (To be fair he didn’t actually see it.) Grumble, grumble, grumble. And all the stuff I’d been stewing over as I woke up came flooding back. It’s SO easy to get caught up in a negative thought spiral. And like a stubborn 2 year old, I wanted to stay there. In fact, all I wanted to do was go back to bed and just hide under the covers all day. The last thing I wanted to do was exercise. The truth is, I’m not perfect. I’m human. I can have doubts and worries and self-criticism. I am a work in progress. The good news is these old thoughts patterns pop up less and less frequently. And I do have the desire to shift my energy, as well as the tools to help make it happen. So instead of going back to bed, I did my workout—anyway. One of the best ways to shift negative thoughts and feelings is to move your body. Consistently working out with intensity increases oxygen levels in the body and helps you tap into endorphins that create an amazing feeling of being in love with life that continues way longer than your workout. Not only does exercise boost energy and positive feeling all day, […]
Proud to Be a Weirdo!
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” ~Joseph Campbell True confession time. I’m a weirdo. My favorite workout right now is dance walking/running. Not familiar with this? Check out this video: Truth is, I have been a secret dance walker/runner for years. There would be times when I would be out running in the early morning hours when I felt so good and the beat of the music resulted in such exuberance that I spontaneously burst into dance. But I would abashedly stop as soon as I saw a car coming. Last year, I wrote a blog about spontaneously bursting into dance on the treadmill—and immediately falling off. A fellow blogger informed me it was the best workout ever, and pointed to some videos on YouTube. I watched them and spent the Winter dance walking/running on my treadmill. And I loved it! It’s so much fun! And it definitely uses more and different muscles then walking or running. Now that the weather has warmed, I’ve taken my work out to the streets of our little town! Yep, I look like a total goof. Yep, people driving by may stare at me. (I don’t know as I’m too busy focusing on what I’m doing, but let’s assume so.) Yep, people are probably judging me. (Maybe even you!) Here’s the thing. So what? Is the fear of what others “might” think ever a good reason to do (or not do) anything that feels right to you? I think not. So I’m embracing my own individual brand of weirdness and doing the workout that I enjoy. If it makes me a weirdo, so be it. I’ve I come a long way baby! Still, too […]
It’s Supposed to Be Fun!
I’m going to date myself here. I vividly remember when running as a form of exercise started to become popular in the mid 1970s. And it was downright weird. In the rural community where I grew up, it was startling to see someone running down the side of the highway—particularly if the person turned out to be one of your parents. It was absolutely mortifying. Now, running is commonplace. Hip even. The women I work with often think they hate exercise because they think it means they have to take up running. My advice is to find the way of moving your body that you love. What keeps you from doing this? Often it’s fear that someone will think you are weird. Most women will not even dance around their kitchen or living room because they are afraid their partner or children will think they are strange. If this is you, I’ve got some tough love for you. So what? And here in lies the key of why you are stuck in the rebound weight-gain cycle. As long as you are living your life based on the fear of what someone “might” think about you, you are not free. And it’s not the other people that need to change and stop judging you. You have to get to the point where you don’t care what they think. Easier said than done, I know. Chances are, the core of what is going on is you think you have to be perfect to be lovable. You are setting yourself up for an impossible task because everyone’s definition of perfect is different. The only way you can succeed is if you accept that perfection means “unique unto itself, unlike […]
Don’t Exercise. Have Fun!
I just discovered there is a hula-hoop fitness class in town. That sounds like so much fun! I’m always looking for pleasurable ways to move my body, so I’m definitely going to check it out. The key to moving your body consistently is to enjoy it. A limiting belief of many of the women I work with is that they have to take up some form of exercise that they hate. Depending on what your goals are, there are many ways to achieve the results you’re looking for. One of my fabulous readers takes tap dance lessons for exercise and enjoyment. Another woman I know uses dance for her cardio—including fire dancing—and she looks amazing! Yet another jumps rope. And there are many more effective non-traditional “exercise” options. Picking something that you actually enjoy doing significantly increases your chances of long-term success. Think of it this way. If you are starting a workout program that you hate, are dreading and despise every moment while you are doing it, how long are you likely to sustain that program? Hint: Not very long! This is another example of how harnessing your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and aligning them with your actions is like adding a rocket booster to your ability to achieve your goals. If you think about your workout and want to do it, are excited about how fun it’s going to be, and love how you feel afterwards, just imagine how likely you are to do it consistently—and see results. So shop around. Try a variety of different ways to move your body—even some non-traditional options. Find the way that moving your body feels good! Together we can do it! Here’s a couple of my favorite examples of non-traditional exercise. Just watching these videos makes me feel good!
12 Motivating Reasons to Move Your Body
I just had a fabulous workout. Why was it so great? Because now I feel like I could take on the world. This is the Number 1 reason I make moving my body a priority. It feels so good. This good feeling lasts way longer than the initial endorphin rush. It feels good to: Move with ease. Be strong and slim. Have more than enough energy to face my day. Have confidence in my ability to physically do everything I want. Have confidence in what I am capable of. Love my quality of life. Not your typical reasons to exercise, eh? Beyond my personal experience that I feel physically and emotionally better and have increased energy when I regularly move my body, the research into the health benefits of consistent exercise are staggering. Truly, this is the magic bullet everyone is looking for. For instance, consistent exercise can: Double survival rates of breast cancer patients, and can significantly reduce the chance of developing breast cancer in the first place. Strengthen the body’s immune system. Help relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Boost blood flow to the brain, which increases the energy of brain waves that are responsible for quick thinking, focus, creativity, and problem solving. Prevent and treat osteoporosis. Help manage diabetes. Reduce the risk of addiction and relapse. Slow premature aging of the skin. Promote healthier digestion. Reduce aches and pains. Contribute to optimism and a positive mindset. Study after study shows that even moderate exercise plays an important role in promoting sound physical and mental health and emotional well-being. If the benefits of exercise could be put in a pill, everyone would be taking it. The great news? You do NOT have […]
How’s This for a Reason to Get Your Workout In Today?
Are you physically capable of taking on every goal you have set for yourself? How about just taking on the life you have right now? For instance, can you easily: Carry in the groceries and that big bag of dog food? Run up and down the stairs numerous times as you tidy and clean? Take on that landscaping project you have in mind for the Spring? Dance for the sheer joy of it? While studies show that exercise plays an important role in promoting sound physical and mental health, more practically, it also adds to quality of life. Being physically fit allows you to do and be more of Who you want to be. Ironically, this isn’t one of the many benefits of exercise that is often cited. Most often we focus on the external reasons to exercise—weight loss or maintenance, a healthier heart, reduced risk of high blood pressure, stronger bones and joints, a stronger immune system, etc. Those reasons are awesome, but alone they may not be enough to get you out of bed to go move your body. But what about: Having the energy or stamina to play with your kids or grand-kids? Getting out and enjoying a hike with your family? Taking on a do-it-yourself project around the house? Going horseback riding, water skiing, zip-lining, or canoeing? All of those activities are easier, safer, and more fun if you consistently move your body. Even small things make a BIG difference to quality of life. For instance, if feels good to be able to easily carry a box to the attic or basement, haul the laundry basket, or climb several flights of stairs. These are little moments of joy that are added to your […]
How to Make Exercise Fun!
“I hate exercise.” That’s a sentiment that I hear often from my clients. But when they dig a little deeper, we discover it’s actually not true. Think back to when you were a little kid. Did you love to run and play? Do you remember the freedom you felt on the playground? Do you remember a time when moving your body felt good? What were you doing? Maybe it was riding your bike? Roller skating? Dancing? Somewhere along the way, you were forced to give up “play.” Responsibility got in the way; maybe school or your studies, getting a job, or starting a family. “Exercise” became something you “had to do” to lose weight. And being the responsible adult that you are, you may have picked responsible “exercise programs” that you didn’t enjoy. You forced yourself to do them. You took it like medicine because working out was “good for you.” Is it any wonder many people think they hate exercise? Who would want to take nasty tasting cough syrup every day? Certainly not me, and probably not you. What if you created a new “rule?” What if this “rule” was that moving your body should be fun. Having your movement be fun doesn’t mean that it’s not effective. Depending on what your goals are, there are many ways to achieve the results you’re looking for—and have fun! For instance, a fabulous reader told me yesterday that she’s gotten back into shape doing gymnastics and hula dancing! In addition to the old standbys, like walking, running, weight-training, yoga, tai chi, and Pilates, I know women who are in great shape who have achieved their goals by doing everything from fire-dancing, to boxing, jump-roping to hula-hooping. And […]
Celebrate Your Way into Working Out
Woo hoo! I got a 20 minute workout in this morning! Doesn’t sound like much? I am celebrating! Why? Because I’ve missed my workouts for most of the past two weeks due to a chest cold. While 20 minutes is less than half of the time than I normally spend, I did what I could do. And it felt good! It felt satisfying to get back to regularly moving my body. It felt like progress. It felt fun to focus on wellness. An interruption to your workout routine is actually a key time to focus on progress not perfection. Too often you may be disappointed, frustrated, and discouraged because you aren’t where you were or where you expected to be. It can take a few days—or even weeks—to get back up to full speed and intensity if you’ve been sick, injured, or are just under a lot of stress. (Holidays anyone?) When you focus on what you’ve “lost,” where you “should” be, how “hard” it is, etc., you are actually getting in the way of your comeback. It will be hard because you believe it to be. I know. In the past, coming back from an illness might very well have sent my workout routine on the skids for months. I would have focused so much on the negative elements of my recovery that I literally made it 100 times harder to get back into a healthy routine. Think of it this way. If all you focus on is how much you are dreading your workout, how much you hate exercise, how horrible sweating is, how hard it will be—how likely are you to sustain your workout program? Not very! Pretty quickly, even the idea of working out can be emotionally […]
Stay Connected!