We hear this everywhere, but what does it mean "just breathe." As a yoga, qi gong and meditation instructor, I spend every class instructing on the benefits of an intentional breath, coming in through the nose and out through the nose or mouth. This intentional breath signals the body to relax and engages the parasympathetic nervous system, i.e. the de-stressing, healing response we all benefit from. When we use the power of our own breath, at any time, anywhere to create more calm, we become more present and intentional. That means that we can show up for our lives how we truly wish to be.
It's counterintuitive to think that slowing down by breathing deeply can actually be worthwhile. However, it is true. Some people call this mindfulness--which is basically bringing the mind to the place the body is--to the present moment. It's a focusing exercise uniting the body with the mind, through the power of the invisible breath.
At first, the thought of breathing deeply for even a few minutes a day may not seem like a life changer, however, through regular practice, we become more efficient breathers. We can drop into the present moment even more easily. Some people call this meditation.
There are apps available that give clear instruction on how to get started. Insight timer and Calm are two of them. Some of these guided visualizations are specific to letting go of stress or calming down before bedtime or getting in touch with the seasons. It doesn't really matter what you choose to focus your mind's eye on--if you use your breath to help you, you will start feeling better. When we feel better, we are better. We do better. We then want more of that good feeling. It becomes its own cyclical fulfillment.
I cannot recommend intentional breathing as a health, wellness and weight loss tool enough. Deep breaths are not only a self regulating technique to help us in any situation, they are also an internal massage to the organs. This is also healthy for us. Internal organs are always working hard on their own, and adding more oxygen to the system is a boost.
We may not be able to get a massage or go on a beach vacation, but we can harness the power of the breath to give us a lift at any time and in any place. It is a grounding exercise, a centering pursuit and what could clearly become the easiest way to calm down. I highly recommend it. To your health!
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Redirect Your Intention
I just returned from the Weight Watchers cruise to the Caribbean. Yes, I know how lucky I am to work on a ship. I was surrounded by 500 fun-seeking members, eleven talented leaders and a highly skilled team from Corporate Headquarters--to say nothing of the warm sunshine, fun activities and delicious meals all pointed out. I must say, under these circumstances, it was easy to follow the WW plan. Yes, there were temptations, but having so many like-minded people in pursuit of more health, more fitness, more friendship, it made it feel easier.
This was but one week of the year, and to be sure, it was not a typical week for any of us. Most of the time, we are at home, working the WW plan on our own, counting points, planning meals and snacks and trying to make the day go well. Stress from work, family, expectations, etc. can get in the way and complicate our choices. It is precisely for these reasons that we sometimes find ourselves off track. At these moments, the helpful habits have gone to sleep. The unhelpful habits have revived, and the scale starts creeping up.
This is precisely when we redirect our intention. We examine our thoughts and tease out the unhelpful thoughts. We talk to a friend and create an accountability partner to keep us honest. We go back to tracking. We return to the meeting and share this challenge with the group. In short, we are humbled.
You and I are mere mortals in the game of life. That means that sometimes things will go well and sometimes they just won't. The beauty of living a healthy life is that we get to create it moment by moment. There are so many choices coming our way, so that as long as they are mostly right, most of the time, we are in the sweet spot that leads to success. And, on the other hand, when we realize we are not playing by the rules, we can simply right our course and redirect, turn around and begin again. It's a five minute walk and a glass of water away. That's how basic and simple redirecting can be. No criticism, no judgment, no shame--just gently redirect your intention where you'd really like it to go.
It is a life skill to recover from setbacks and get over your bruised ego. We become more agile at this the more often we practice this. A healthy life is hopefully a long one. There will be twists and turns along the way. No matter, we have to show up for our lives. It feels good. It looks good on us. It makes us happy. That's a life worth living.
This was but one week of the year, and to be sure, it was not a typical week for any of us. Most of the time, we are at home, working the WW plan on our own, counting points, planning meals and snacks and trying to make the day go well. Stress from work, family, expectations, etc. can get in the way and complicate our choices. It is precisely for these reasons that we sometimes find ourselves off track. At these moments, the helpful habits have gone to sleep. The unhelpful habits have revived, and the scale starts creeping up.
This is precisely when we redirect our intention. We examine our thoughts and tease out the unhelpful thoughts. We talk to a friend and create an accountability partner to keep us honest. We go back to tracking. We return to the meeting and share this challenge with the group. In short, we are humbled.
You and I are mere mortals in the game of life. That means that sometimes things will go well and sometimes they just won't. The beauty of living a healthy life is that we get to create it moment by moment. There are so many choices coming our way, so that as long as they are mostly right, most of the time, we are in the sweet spot that leads to success. And, on the other hand, when we realize we are not playing by the rules, we can simply right our course and redirect, turn around and begin again. It's a five minute walk and a glass of water away. That's how basic and simple redirecting can be. No criticism, no judgment, no shame--just gently redirect your intention where you'd really like it to go.
It is a life skill to recover from setbacks and get over your bruised ego. We become more agile at this the more often we practice this. A healthy life is hopefully a long one. There will be twists and turns along the way. No matter, we have to show up for our lives. It feels good. It looks good on us. It makes us happy. That's a life worth living.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Consider Your Success
There are lots of ways to measure weight loss success. The one we focus the most on, the weekly weigh in, however does not tell the whole story. While it is true, we can influence the scale, we cannot control it. We can control behavior. We can control taking "brain breaks" and leaving the desk for a walk. We can control what we place in our shopping cart. We can control when we go to sleep.
When the scale is not budging, we benefit from looking at the big picture. A very normal part of anyone's weight loss journey involves a temporary standoff at the scale. It is only after a significant amount of weight loss that one can even arrive at a plateau. That means that the scale does not move for a month--even though you are still doing the same hard work you had been. What is really happening is that the body is adjusting to its new version of normal. While at the beginning of the weight loss journey, these new habits did manage to create weight loss, it is just as true that after a while, those new habits have become your new "normal." Bravo!
In order to break through a plateau, the body needs new information, new work, new challenges, new everything. Mixing up meals, spices, workouts, etc. will help your body work harder to figure out what's happening. That means the metabolism will be revving in a new way. That is a change worth working for.
A real plateau means real weight loss (like half of what you'd like to achieve) has happened. On the other hand, a fake plateau is one where the scale doesn't move, but it's because you aren't measuring food, or counting points or tracking. No judging here, but a time to revisit the basics and the reasons why weight loss matters in the first place.
We evolve one moment at a time. We are not looking for perfection, because that is not realistic. We can definitely look at progress. In our thoughts, with our habits, through our choices, we can expect to make progress, thereby getting closer to what we really want. That's not a plateau--that's a breakthrough. So, keep going.
When the scale is not budging, we benefit from looking at the big picture. A very normal part of anyone's weight loss journey involves a temporary standoff at the scale. It is only after a significant amount of weight loss that one can even arrive at a plateau. That means that the scale does not move for a month--even though you are still doing the same hard work you had been. What is really happening is that the body is adjusting to its new version of normal. While at the beginning of the weight loss journey, these new habits did manage to create weight loss, it is just as true that after a while, those new habits have become your new "normal." Bravo!
In order to break through a plateau, the body needs new information, new work, new challenges, new everything. Mixing up meals, spices, workouts, etc. will help your body work harder to figure out what's happening. That means the metabolism will be revving in a new way. That is a change worth working for.
A real plateau means real weight loss (like half of what you'd like to achieve) has happened. On the other hand, a fake plateau is one where the scale doesn't move, but it's because you aren't measuring food, or counting points or tracking. No judging here, but a time to revisit the basics and the reasons why weight loss matters in the first place.
We evolve one moment at a time. We are not looking for perfection, because that is not realistic. We can definitely look at progress. In our thoughts, with our habits, through our choices, we can expect to make progress, thereby getting closer to what we really want. That's not a plateau--that's a breakthrough. So, keep going.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)