Energy Follows Intention

I have a great sign by my front door that says "THINK ABUNDANTLY Energy Follows Intention". It really does, doesn't it? I think back over the years and I can recall those times in my life where my thoughts were complete abundance whether it be financial, professional or personal. I made my own reality.

So why do I struggle more with it at 40 than I did at 21? Experience vs. naivety? My husband would say I fill my life up to more than I can swallow and, granted, I sometimes operate out of a place of fear that if I don't take advantage of what is presented to me now, it won't be there tomorrow.

Now it is time to slow down while encompassing as much as I can. My life is so rich in the things that matter. I have an incredible (and large) family, I have delightful and wonderful friends and I am constantly honored and awed by the women who I teach and train with. I've been presented with abundance and opportunity and I need to make the choice to LIVE ABUNDANTLY. It is not a chore, it is a choice.

Sundays are my days that my boys are with their dad so my choice for today is husband time, organize time and me time with some hot yoga. I've got to remember that abundance is given to me, I don't need to heap it all on to my plate at once.

Blog, journal, track, scratch, document....why?

Write it down.
Work it out on paper.
Log it into a spreadsheet.
Blog into on blogger or bodyspace.
Keep a notebook.

For years I've been writing it down. I write down my routines and my clients' routines. I have a hefty rolodex of information stored in my brain but it doesn't always fire away as quickly as it used to.

I taught my Thursday afternoon cardio/sculpt class. The first time I taught it, I felt like it sucked-couldn't stand it-felt embarassed by the quality of it. Being one to prepare, I tweaked my song list out and wrote and re-wrote out the routine. I ran through it twice and still tweaked it out some more right before the class. Having no shame at all, I printed out the routine and taped to the mirror in class and referred to it as needed. I felt much better about the quality of class I was presenting.

I have spreadsheets that track my weight, I have spreadsheets that periodize my lifting, I have spreadsheets the calculate my percentages lost/gained, to goal, etc.
I have a sweet little notebook that my son gave me for mother's day that has measurements and workout notes in it for the past couple of years. I also have several websites that I've used for years to help me track food and fitness.

It makes a difference. It brings your awareness back around to what your process is and what goals you're striving for. I don't do it for anyone else's eyes but my own but I will always share my templates and references. It keeps me on track and shows me my progress, especially when I'm not feeling it.

My favorite food tracking website is:
http://caloriecount.about.com/

Have a great weekend!

Personal Challenge

When I was in my 20's it was ALL about me...narcissism at it's finest.

In my 30's it was about the climb. The educational improvement, the corporate movement, the super mom club. Damn, the 30's were tough but I achieved a lot. I took my life into direction that I never thought I could, that I was told that I couldn't (unfortunately I had a lot of nay sayers in my life..was even married to one). It laid the foundation for where I wanted to go in my 40's.

Now that I am at the front step of my 40's, I want to find balance, peace and productivity. I'm not interested in the climb anymore, I'm interested in challenging myself. One of the ways I accomplish this is by challenging myself to learn more, grow more and teach more. I love prepping for certifications, it makes me feel broader.

I was introduced to the practice of yoga 20 years ago by mother. We had been estranged for about 7 years when circumstances in my life redirected me to her. Although we would not stay connected for very long, the gift of yoga and spirituality that I gathered through our time together has permeated my life in various forms.

So with that, I will reacquaint myself with my yoga practice (which my mother would have despised). As I ran through a practice this morning, I noticed great areas of weakness and inflexibility. One of the ways I challenge by students and clients is to acknowledge their weakness and master them. Today I found that I no longer have the physical strength to do the Crane Pose (see photo) and my short term, personal goal is master the concentration and develop the flexibility and strength to perform this pose for 5 yogic breaths.

I'll keep you posted but if you see me with a black and blue spot on my forehead...well you'll know why.

Namaste.
v

Visualization

Sometimes the most productive thing to do in our transformation is visualization. I recently read an article by another fitness friend and he spoke about starting his transformation by visualizing walking on the treadmill. The action of visualizing actions and outcomes prepares the psyche for the challenge. It takes away the fear of the unknown. A study was once completed showing that the atheletes that visualized performing their sport actually had a physical reaction to the visualization, which improved their performance.

There is a plentitude of websites, books, classes and lectures available on creating your own reality through visualization. It's not difficult and nor time consuming. So what do you want to visualize? What's your challenge or your goal? Is it to walk a mile in less than 10 minutes or run a marathon? Still yourself and create that movie in your mind. Review that movie until it becomes so familiar and so real that your body feels it. Take the action and move into the reality that you created.

My current visualization practice is focusing on my physical and personal balance. I'm trying to develop greater flexibility in all areas of my life so I'm taking time to reflect and to practice balance.

Calorie Requirements and a Zig Zag Diet

If you are serious about weight loss, understanding and having an awareness of what your daily calorie requirement is is essential.

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

This is one of my favorite calorie calculator websites. A great way to kick start your weight loss or jump off of plateau is with a zig zag diet. Much like the concept of muscle confusion, zig zag calorie consumption is way to confuse the body into utilizing more nutrients and calories. You can make this as complicated or as simple as you like. My schedule is often pretty crazy, I like to keep my numbers simple. I will do a zig zag that is 1800/1600/1400 for moderate weight loss. The thing to keep in mind is that we need to make sure that we get enough "clean" protein to sustain our muscle development. Clean protein means, skinless chicken, fish, turkey, egg whites, whey powder, etc. Depending on your level of intensity and weight training, an average person needs between .75-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you weigh 120 pounds, you should aim for 120 grams of protein per day.

I have found over the years that 80/20 rule holds true for weight loss; 80% of what gives you a successful weight reduction is a clean diet, 20% is dependent on exercise. This doesn't mean you can sit on your recliner and eat broccoli, get up, hit the gym and eat right. You'll have a double prong approach that will speed up your results and you'll also feel better.

What's your goal for the week? 2 pounds off? 60 minutes of cardio day? 20 real push ups? Do it.

January Improvements

Over the years I've experimented with many different types of periodization. Periodization refers to introducing variety into your workouts by means of reps, sets, rest periods, tempo, intensity, super-sets, eccentric training, etc. The variety is contained in "cycles", usually 1-2 months each. At the beginning of each year, I try to develop my calendar.

2009 is different for me. Last year I was staring down the barrel of my 40th birthday. I really wanted to be shredded (see photo). I spent a great deal of time following a competition diet and periodization between heavy lifting and multi set lifting. I neglected my flexibility and the basics of strength.

My first cycle will be to reintroduce over all fitness. I'm incorporating yoga into my weekly routine and focusing on body weight strengths. What does this mean? I'm focusing on excercises that are based on body weight resistance; push ups, pull ups, chin ups, crunches, lunges, plyo and yoga.

My personal goal is to be able to do completely unassisted pull ups. What's your goal?

Don't forget......GO STEELERS .....!

Biggest Loser

It's that time of the year again, BIGGEST LOSER! The thing that I really enjoy about the BL at CFA is the camaraderie that ensues. Our bunch is quite supportive and down right humorous!

The kick off is Monday, January 12th. The players will weigh in with their starting weight and we'll check our weights on the following 10 Fridays! I learn something about my eating habits every time I do the biggest loser. I also got some great tips last year for snacking options.

I'm looking forward to spiraling back down to a more comfortable weight.
Happy New You!

Welcome Back, are we ready?

Welcome Back! I wanted to do this blog for myself and, especially, for all the awesome people that come to my classes and friends who are always asking for information! Today will be the first spinning class of the new and we've added a sculpt class to the Thursday lunch time spot so there's no excuse not to get in great workouts!

So it's 2009 and I'm sure we all ended 2008 with some over indulgences. I think January is a great time to great reacquainted with our health and well being. The party obligations are over, the weather is cold and gray...it's the best time to hit the gym, grab a fitness magazine or try a new healthy recipe. This is the greatest time to GET MOVING!

I want to just remind everyone of some basic information to get their fitness regime started.

#1 Lots of water....hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Depending on your workouts and your goals, a minimum of 64 oz of water daily. Don't worry about the running to the bathroom, your body will find stasis and balance out. I personally shoot for 120 oz of water a day.

#2 If you are looking to lose weight, keep in mind that a weekly deficit of 3500 calories (or 500 daily) is equal to one pound. You can shed those 3500 calories either through diet or excercise but the best is always a combination.

#3 Changes start on the inside and work their way out. Be patient, be persistent and be responsible. Your beginning to move the sludge and goo out of your system, it takes a jump start to get it all moving.

Please feel free to post questions or requests. I'm happy to share what I know. I will also give wrap ups and reviews things that come up in class.

I'm glad we are all back and excited to get back to fitness for love!

Cheers!
V

PS: Here's the link to all of the University's fitness class for the first part of the year:
http://www.cmu.edu/athletics/university-programs/fitness/images/spring09_mini1.pdf