When our days and nights seem to run together and we all get much busier than we may want to be, sometimes we're amazed when we get just a couple things right in terms of our health. So, having just reminded myself to check up on everything going on inside my body as well as out-here is a little encouragement to do the same. For anyone who may be experiencing a freeze in their weight loss progress, (or just feeling off) first answer the obvious question, are you mostly consistent with diet and exercise? Check yes-than remember there are lots of pieces to the puzzle. Checking hormone levels, organ toxicity and vitamin and mineral deficiencies are areas of which you need to be aware. If you have met with a physician regarding these and you are in good shape, assess your stress level and of course make sure your training is pushing you to healthy limits. Before things get even busier with
the holidays make these appointments-waiting until more significant symptoms arise will only consume more of your time and money.
I want to see you all succeed so don't hesitate to ask any questions, and get referral options.
Take Care-
C

Sweat It

Finding success in a fitness goal can often directly correlate to the success you are making in other aspects of your life. While one can encourage and push the other balance is always the "happy place" I think we all return too. Trainers, coaches, and the most inspiring peers can only aide you along in something you have alread found the strength or motivation to embark upon. They may be a tremendous help and completely indespensible but you will only get so far with them. You really wouldn't want it any other way because if the genuine drive isn't coming from inside you, not only will your goal(s) not be reached but you will find it...well much less satisfying. Feeling like your not accomplishing what you want too? Take a minute to figure out what it is thats hindering you, sometimes certain things are not in our control but lots of times they are. I try to be inspired by the
obstacles in my life that I am totally in control of. Don't be too hard on yourself but keep in mind that life isn't always just going to hand us what we want...we are beings way to complex for that kind of luck. Oh and when life does just hand you those things, smile and reach higher...its your que. Gratification from inner motivation and a little bit of your own sweat can take you great places.
Take Care~

I have really been inspired this week by all the hard work and progress made. I know that it is not always easy but the hardest part of the goals that have been reached is the keeping the mental stamina and staying driven in spite of all the distractions thrown at you. Not just health and fitness goals but goals in general are always being swayed by…well the list is probably to long for many of us. But each and every one of you keep me on track as well, I find myself being driven by your successes and achievements daily. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of it. Thank you for helping me help you. While it is something we are doing together, what each client puts into it independent from my guidance will make a huge difference. Personal motivation is what will help fuel your future progress as time goes by.
 
 A huge part of avoiding a detour from the successes you are headed towards is of course staying educated and informed-this should be at the top of the list for all of us. A book entitled "The Unhealthy Truth" is new in hardback and on the best sellers list. It's a very informative book about food allergies and facts/myths about what we should really consider about the foods we eat. "The Ultra Mind Solution" written by the highly credentialed physician Mark Hyman M.D. is another I would highly recommend. One of the many important topics covered is the idea of restoring functionality-looking past symptomatic relief and actually healing your body. So check those out if you have some time or are looking for something new to read. All my "food mindful" clients will and do see results much faster and consistently than those not quite ready to make the changes. I do encourage food journals, just because it encourages awareness of your current eating habits. Good or Bad- you can see what is going in your body and go back to make changes and note the progress. Of course if you have any questions give me a call or stop into the studio-I would love to see you!
 
Take Care-
CD

I just finished a fabulous book on perspective, tons of other genuinly helpful principles as well- but the former being the bulk of the material. It was chalenging to be inspired to re-create and change certain things about my life without tangible objects. You know- doing away with the "if I had this car," "house," "motorized toothbrush," "perfect job oppurtunity" I would be happier notions. Not looking for the oppurtunitys that we already have access too-
Another thing I loved regarding this knowledge on perspective was that it wasn't a cheesy motivational message about how "You could create your perfect life." It understood the messy, it understood the questions and confusion at every age-it just challenges a mental control of ones life by grasping what was going on with your own in several lights. There is no recipe for life because every one has such different perspectives. I challenge this idea to my friends my clients and family because its caused me to think. Its caused me to focus on the vastly enriching things at the reach of my fingertips. This game of perspective change is like our own personal rubicube. Few of us with ever perfectly nor quickly figure it out but changing around the colors can help us feel like we have a bit better grasp on it.
Be Well-
Canaan

Somewhere in the past two weeks summer has decided to show up...and I know everyone is much more aware of how they are looking and feeling for the next four months-even though its would make so much more sense if we felt that way all year...so, there is no tricky way or crash diet worthy enough to meet your physical goals AND keep you full of energy. Unfortunately there are those that won't have to work quite as hard...and good for you. Keep more moderate/intense workouts too a consistant 3 day a week schedule. The other 3 days just find fun ways to be active and de-stress. (Hatha Yoga is one of my favorites) Ultimately the trick is finding what works best for you-if that never happens you will just find yourself furthur from your goals. On a personal note it would take me 3 times as long and I still would not have the same results if I did not incorporate a diet that energized me and
kept me full all day. I eat a lot just not a lot. Keep good high protien meals and snacks on hand and try for 4-5 times a day. Again find what works for you- and be confident!
Take Care

Walt Whitman said, "If anything is sacred, the human body is sacred." I think he had the authority to say this because as he himself was a fascinating individual he realized what it takes to become that. Beneath every fascinating person out there is the belief in the sacredness of humanity in some form or another. Along with that comes a kind of self respect that rarely takes on the face of arrogance or pride. When the human body is the last thing we take care it will most likely become the last thing that takes care of you. Whitman is an empowering example because he did not come from a background that was exemplary of this ideology...he was a guy with a whole mess of family issues- and found inspiration while commuting on the brooklyn ferry to make a living. And I think that's the point, that's what makes humanity so sacred-the "extraordinary in the ordinary" factor. Little things we
do could turn into things that people never forget. And things we don't like doing or going through could be where we write the greatest lines of our own poems.
-Take Care

After Hours

Ahhh walk through the door. Full day...I want to go down to the beach. Kick off shoes. Take them to the closet because I will most assuredly trip on them in two seconds if I don't causing some crazy injury you could only get from tripping over a tennis shoe. Once in closet totally distracted by the overflowing laundry basket (oversized plastic box). Start a load in the washer. Sit at my desk-need to do some work for my clients in the morning. Actually I need to make some hot tea first. My tea box has a really good quote-blows Starbucks quote from that morning out of the water. Ha what ingenious marketing that somehow makes me spend two dollars more on it then the other identical tea option. Quote from box now in my head, totally inspires a post I should make online. I didn't put the top down on the washer-close that. Get totally distracted and start organizing my laundry room (ok its
actually a laundry closet). My hot tea is cold so I decide to ice it...pretty good...I should do this more often. Sit back down. Get some paperwork done for tomorrow. Go for a run, to get some inspiration. So glad I made it down to the beach. Hurt myself anyway, my calf, my fault running in the sand. Can't help it, I love the salty air. Maybe I should have just tripped on the shoe-much funnier injury story. Grab some ice from the freezer but found some frozen chicken. Ignore my calf (will regret later). Create strange new chicken recipe. Read a magazine while I eat and wait for my bath tub to fill up-do some Yoga. Bathtub is way to full. Drain it a little. Sit and relax in the warm water. Totally tune out, but think to myself how modern America would probably try to medicate my last 2 hours-blaming it on some sort of "ADD-super distracted by deceased teabox philosophers" disorder.
Leaving me with boring chicken and too many dirty clothes. Somehow though I've found order in my chaos...it works for me...Ahhh I totally forgot to put the clothes in the dryer.

I Figure

If I take-I hope it teaches me to give. If I break a heart I hope it teaches me that mine is not invincible to the same action in reverse. Love can be controlled by no one- but what is done with that emotion can be controlled by anyone. Don't forget the voices of strangers that tell you never to change-we all can and should change something of ourselves, but something about yourself is what made them drawn to you. Some spark of your being. If you are pulled in many directions stretch don't break. Believe in non-sensical quotetry (or "not real words" such as these), cliche verbiage and strong ideals. Our pop culture is trying to do away with them-fight that and simply BE. Believe in destiny but also believe that you may not like, all its faces, its unpleasantness. In the end you will be able to realize its a ride you were meant to take. So ride it well, take the bruises with stride don't complain of their color or if they do not mend quickly. As soon as you forget their presence you will look to find them gone. Gone should be the days that you use cannot and will not. A great song says "before I die, I wanna live." A great person will live this to be true. I figure.

Autobiography

My new challenge for today came to me a few nights ago when I was browsing through an autobiography section in a used book store. I always find myself drawn to this genre, particularly because I'm fascinated by the details that make each one of us so unique. I am always encouraged by the journeys and choices that put all those characters on paper. I have never read two stories similar and I love that kind of truth (if in fact it is) professed in media. The raw beauty and ugliness found in those pages has undoubtably inspired many of us at some point in our lives. So, back to the challenge...I think it would be an amazing thing if we all LIVED as though at some point in our lives we had to print in black and white the many details that have brought us to the present. Achievements, mistakes, loves, losses and disapointments. Would you change yourself physically? Would you talk to someone differently? Maybe you would candy coat certain issues and make yourself much more likable or successful. If this be the case why do you feel the need to do so? As an exercise I encourage you to write or at least think through what the pages of your story would entail. Who knows maybe someday you will inspire a random girl in a used bookstore...

Different Shades of White

My little beach town has been touched for most of the day by little flurries coming down by the thousands. 3 1/2 years ago I would have grudgingly begun layering my clothing and embark on what was most likely the 10th day of snow in a quiet mountain town. And-I was surely hoping that the next 24 hours would not include myself sliding off the road when my bad driving and weather conditions crossed paths. But today, far removed from the mountains I intentionally head towards the open beach to try to capture in a photograph the beauty of snow falling on the sandy dunes. The color of the sand is so far from white when the flakes make their way down to its level. And standing there completely inappropriately dressed and freezing (which usually makes me sad) I was very happy to realize that I take things for granted ...that I stop seeing at times but that I could do something about that. So I don't want that mind set anymore. Let's not be unimpressed or untouched by the common good. And let's not take the sun coming up for granted just because we know it will do it again tomorrow. Ok, I'm a realist and it perhaps and most probably will-but that doesn't give us the right to overlook the miracle there. Recognizing this may cause you to spring from your bed with a new energy...or if your laid back like me maybe you will just smile as you realize the miracles that brought you to this place.
-Take Care-
CD

R-E-S-O-L-U-T-I-O-N

Happy New Year and my best wishes with all that is about to come for the next 365 days. With '09 comes all the opportunities to make your best life resolutions ever, or so they say. Diet and self help books are on special and everyone, or most people, shall I say so as not to generalize all are experiencing a "slate wiped clean" mentality. Here I've created a practical way to look at what a resolution can mean to you...or at least the way I look at it. If it helps you great-if not I at least challenge you to realize why you even incorporate this word into your own life or what it means to you.
-RESOLUTION-
Basically we are making resolve in our life, its a big action packed word because it requires change.
R-Redefining Ourselves
This is so much easier said than done but I think its something that we should always be thinking about, not just once every year. So you are not working in the field you spent 4 years or more learning about. Are you happy, healthy, and giving that attitude to others? That's the important thing. Ha, I redefine myself daily I feel like because I'm constantly craving growth and making mistakes.
E-Evoking Change
Bottom line I've learned the hard way we were not put on this earth for ourselves if lifes about relationships -which I believe it is than we have to be relational to life and all its counterparts. Let's work together...FYI I don't think pyramids or that great wall was the work of one.
S-Sleep
We all could use a little more and this is coming from someone who has a hard time doing it, I always felt like I was missing out on something but hey its important.
O-Organic
Its not just for the hippies anymore guys there is some really yummy stuff out there, and half the time your making a huge contribution to your local economy, an extra plus for those of you who care.
L-LOVE
Don't stop doing it or receiving just because of some rough '08 experiences. And this is coming from someone who has been "challenged" by love interests she embarks on. Love is healthy and its a natural and honest response to life.
U-Utopia
Create your own, make life what you want it, sure we are all dealt different "cards" but it doesn't mean we have to look at life in terms of odds. These days I think we could all come up with some psychological reason for why we should doubt ourselves or be unsuccessful. But that is the world you are creating, not physical circumstances. My Utopia isn't always blue skies but it is a place where I choose to be up more than I'm down.
T-Try
Try something new this year. Simple as that...
I-Interesting
Become it. If you don't think you are, that's too bad because I guarantee that someone does.
O-Ordinary
Don't become it. We were created for more.
N-Neglect
Yes neglect to do all those things that you think make your life more simple or perfect and do something different...I can't tell how much time I can waste on certain things, but I won't be specific so as not to offend anyone that may do the same.
So that's how I'm looking at the word this year, again happy '09 and all that CAN means...perhaps you have a better idea now.
Take Care!
CD