Spring Into Shape
March 10, 2010
By Debbie Lichter -
Founder of PIN-UP GIRL PILATES and
Co-Creator of ALIGN YOU Young Women’s Empowerment Workshop.
Just for being a Tribal Truth member and a dedicated leader in your community, business or network, you are eligible for a FREE Private Pilates session, and complimentary consultation at Pin-up Girl Pilates (Value $80). Call Debbie Lichter on 858.353.6162 or Debbie.lichter@gmail.com
With spring approaching, you may find the desire to do a little spring cleaning on your body and soul program. How are you coming on your New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like most of us, your resolutions are stuffed in the back of your mind and the guilt from not following through is ever-present.
The good news is that springtime gives us another golden opportunity to clear those limiting beliefs and take action on the positive practices that will help us stay on track to manifesting our greatest potential in mind, body and soul.
One area that we often get stuck is with our relationship with our body. As women we tend to objectify ourselves: We analyze our curves in the mirror, focusing on the areas we dislike and then allowing those limiting thoughts and judgments to determine how we feel about our entire being.
Well it’s time to expand the context of what we think of ourselves.
As a dedicated pilates instructor and movement educator, I am confronted, not only with my own limiting belief patterns, but also those of the women I work with. Over the years, I’ve seen profound differences in the way my clients feel and relate to their bodies before and after a pilates session. Some might walk in feeling frustrated, stressed and fat, but after a session that focuses on body & soul awareness, and aligning with their inner strength, they always leave feeling centered, balanced, invigorated and more body confident.
Mindful movement that honors your body as a complete and beautiful machine can actually change the way you think and feel about your body. From my own daily aligning practices, I have discovered 3 powerful tools to maintaining a healthy mind, body and soul.
- Daily Movement – Whatever gets you inspired—from cranking up some tunes and dancing in your living room to hiking with a friend to yoga or pilates—do something to flush out the toxins in your body and clear your mind for at least 30 minutes each day.
- Daily Journaling and/or meditation – Making time to reflect and be present to your thoughts and feelings is one of the best ways to stop anxiety, feeling overwhelmed and the myriad of other emotions that come up when we feed into our limiting thoughts, cycles and beliefs. Start with 5 minutes each morning and create a daily intention, through meditation or journaling, and then follow up with 5 minutes at the end of each day to reflect on the day’s events.
- Daily Meeting – Formal or informal, whether you’re workout buddies or work colleagues, reaching out and connecting with other women in an authentic way every day is at the heart of feeling connected to your community and to the world. As my friend and colleague Cindy Silbert always says, “We as women are powerful creators.” The path for us to create a global women’s empowerment movement is to begin locally, and support each other with the big and small events of our lives. By interacting with women in a loving and authentic way every day, you open your own heart and begin to see your value and unique gifts in a new light.
“I have worked with Debbie in both group and private settings for over three years, and I have never had such a positive experience with an athletic instructor. For me her brilliance is that she considers her clients’ intellect and emotions in addition to their bodies. Debbie knows when I’m getting stuck because of my inhibitions and works me through a movement until I gain a new appreciation of what my body is capable of. She is a gifted teacher who knows her craft and the art of pilates. When I leave her studio I feel exhilarated and confident and it shows in my posture and emanates from my core, the core that pilates with Debbie makes strong.”
-Robin Stewart, San Diego
The Importance of Mindfulness in Nutrition
January 26, 2010
1/25/2010
Mindfulness is a key element in successfully maintaining weight loss, determining which foods work best for your body, and for staying healthy and balanced in all areas of life. With countless external cues creating an environment suited to overindulgence, vigorous attention to our body’s cues is perhaps the most effective tool for health available — and it costs nothing!
We can all agree that what we eat has a huge impact on our health and energy, but what is less commonly known is how what we eat affects our appetite, our moods, and our thoughts. With hectic, busy lifestyles, we are no longer aware of the impact that our food choices have on our level of functioning, and many have lost sight of what high level functioning feels like.
When we begin to pay attention, our entire world becomes possibility for change.
By noticing how the foods we eat affect our body …
… we empower ourselves to make different choices. One of the key things clients who work with VIBRANCE experience is a greater connection between food and body wellness, and a greater understanding of the language their unique body uses to communicate with them.
When we begin to make different choices based on how our body feels, we capitalize on the body’s ability to restore and heal itself and experience a greater sense of wellness and vitality.
In the arena of weight loss, mindfulness is mandatory for sustained success.
When I first started setting everything aside to enjoy my meal, I found it boring. Painfully so! I wanted to rush through my meal so I could get back to whatever seemed more pressing at the time.
Then I slowed down even more, focusing instead on the food that was in front of me — the gloss of the dressing on my spinach leaf, the sensation of biting into a crisp bite of apple or celery, the feel of different textures and tastes in my mouth as I chewed. I became aware I only chewed about 6 – 10 times before swallowing, so I tried to quadruple that and I found I needed to take smaller bites. Then I noticed I was full long before my plate was empty.
So I started putting less food on my plate… You can see where this is going.
Multi-tasking is registered in the brain as stress; inducing a fight or flight response because the brain is divided between important duties. The adrenaline kicks in to increase our attentiveness, but ultimately this has negative impact on our short term memory as well as our overall health and well-being.
When we multi-task while eating, we do not pick up on the very food cues that initiate digestion. The smell of food, even the thought of food starts our systems preparing for digestion and assimilation. Chewing begins the process of tearing down a meal and key enzymes located in saliva are responsible for digesting carbohydrate. The sight of our meal cues the hormonal cascade that lets us know we are full 20 minutes after we begin eating.
When stressed or distracted, our digestive system takes a backseat. The body isn’t interested in extracting vitamins from an orange when it’s white-knuckling it through a stack of emails or preparation for a board meeting. Consequently, digestion is impaired and stomach troubles, fat storage, and blood lipids increase while the ability to detoxify, extract vitamins and minerals, feel full and be satisfied decreases.
Simply sitting down, looking at your food, and paying attention to how it feels will make you feel more satisfied. Make it a habit and you’ll likely drop some weight, improve your digestion, and you may even find out you don’t actually like the convenience foods you’ve been eating all this time. (it’s happened before!)
Give it a try for one meal a day for the next 10 days and let me know what the effects are. I’d love to hear back from you.
More information:
Aimee Gallo is founder and director of VIBRANCE Nutrition and Fitness, serving the nutrition and fitness needs of women nationwide. It is her mission to help others utilize the right foods, exercise, and the art of radical self-care to help them live the best life they can imagine for themselves. To learn more, visit www.vibrancenutrition.com.Eat This Not That
January 10, 2010
“The soul of the world is nourished by your happiness”
–Alchemist
Eat this not that, don’t even think of eating this. Who do you believe? As a
practicing nutrition consultant, I have believed it all, followed many gurus,
and have read so many books it makes my head spin. The final outcome is
simple; trust yourself. Take all the amazing information, tools, and health
care professionals support and apply it to how your body feels.
Every day of the month your body is different, whether you are male or
female. Try not to control what you eat with your mind; however listen to
your body’s needs. On a personal level, I eat vegetarian 70% of the month,
and listen to my body’s cravings for meat. The meat my body usually craves
is lamb, duck, and dark meat chicken. If you just listen to marketing, the
latest fads, or our unhealthy healthcare system, you will most likely have been
programmed that these foods are “bad”. The minute we label a food “bad” or
“good” it is bringing more confusion to our personal health.
Becoming free from the labels and restrictions toward your optimal health can
be known as “heaven on earth”. We always want to get to “heaven”, bliss,
vacation, or whatever this means for you. When I ask my clients what their
“perfect day” looks like, it usually consists of food that is healthy and
nourishing. It includes picnicking with loved ones, activities, a nice barbecue,
etc. Rarely does it include pizza and soda. Which on some days can be the
perfect food. An example to eat pizza for me is a cold, rainy night watching
movies, not before a marathon or scheduled surgery. Those are especially
sensitive times to treat your body as a super-healing vessel. If you decide to
never eat “bad” again, I commend you on your perfect life of no change. One
thing I do know is life changes and the more we respond with ease versus
reacting with stress, the better we will support our health and the people
around us.
Does this mean you can eat whatever you want? If you experience any of
these: low energy, undesirable mental and emotional health, physical disease
symptoms, or not happy with your weight, you may want to begin your health
and nutrition journey. Most likely it is what you are eating or not eating that
is causing this unbalance in your body. The main goal is not to feel guilty and
overwhelmed while you begin this journey. Stress is definitely not going to
assist your health. Changing your nutrition gradually is the number one way
to improve your stress levels and health.
Simple Strategies to get your started:
1. Start Reading: Find a book by a reputable resource and author you can
relate too. One of my favorites is “Eat, Move & Be Healthy” by Paul
Chek
2. Start Implementing: Begin by adding healthy alternatives to your
daily routine. For example, add 10 ounces of room temperature water
within 10 minutes of waking, or breathe 5 times before every meal, or
walk up a flight of steps daily
3. Start Gathering: Journal about your health for 3 days including; food
logs, sleeping and activity schedule, bowel movements, water intake,
energy level and list of medications or supplements you are taking.
Then consult with a health care practitioner that practices prevention
not disease management.
4. Start Listening: Take note of how your body feels through out the day,
week, and month. You will begin noticing patterns, especially when
your energy level slumps. If it is every day at the same time it may be
the meal that precedes the slump. You can implement conscious
snacks an hour prior to prevent the slump. For example: fruit and nuts,
veggies and hummus, dark chocolate and herbal tea, and more water.
5. Start Being Happy: Enjoy your food. Don’t call it names. Eat food
that feeds your body and soul.
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it -
even if I have said it – unless it agrees with your own reason and your own
common sense.”
- The Buddha
Believe in your self and your health will believe in you.
by Heather Fleming
Founder of Conscious Nutrition—A movement replacing dieting and
restriction with a thriving life.
www.consciousnutrition.com
Staying Vibrantly Healthy in Old Age: A Tribute to my Grandfather
January 7, 2010
By Tanya Paluso, December 17, 2009
Seven years ago, my mother received a call in the middle of the night. It was my grandmother. “Your dad just died. I’m in the hospital. He wasn’t supposed to go first.”
My grandfather was strong and healthy; people thought he’d easily live until he was 100. My grandmother expected him to take care of her as she became weaker with Parkinson’s disease. So that night when he died suddenly of an aneurysm in the brain, it came as a complete shock to everyone in my family.
The reason I’m telling this story is that it has shaped my view on the relationship between stress and health; eating nutritious food or taking vitamins, like my grandfather did, may not necessarily mean you are healthy and going to live a longer life. So what are the secrets to looking and feeling good after you hit 65?
A few years ago, author Dan Buettner worked with National Geographic and some of the world’s top longevity researchers to identify four hot spots where a large number of people lived into their 100s. Termed “The Blue Zones”, these areas are: the mountainous Barbagia region of Sardinia, an island off the coast of Italy; the Japanese island of Okinawa; a community of Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, Calif., about 60 miles east of Los Angeles; and the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, in Central America.
Many of these centenarians in the Blue Zones showed low stress levels and a balanced lifestyle. While my grandfather walked everyday and made sure he ate nutritious food, his whole purpose was to care for my grandmother, bringing his blood pressure up and draining his energy. This happens to so many of us; we neglect nurturing ourselves and instead let pressure build up inside of us until we explode, like what literally happened inside my grandfather’s head.
On one hand, my grandfather was an excellent role model in that he knew the importance of nutrition. As you get older, drink even more water and eat less salt. Experts say we should increase our calcium intake for our bones, but it’s the ratio between calcium and magnesium that keeps bones strong and flexible. Eat whole fruits and vegetables like Jack LaLanne, the famous body builder, and take it from the 100 year olds in Barbagia, Italy, to get plenty of antioxidants.
He also got a lot of movement. As your body gets stiffer and tired, it’s even more essential that you exercise on a daily basis. Walk, ride a bike, do yoga…anything to get off the couch, circulate your blood and increase muscular strength and flexibility. Even better, get social while exercising by joining a group class; it’s more motivating and fun.
What my grandfather didn’t do was create a balanced lifestyle and support structure to decrease the pressure of taking care of my grandmother. According to Dan Buettner’s research in the Blue Zones, many of the centenarians lived so long because of their strong social networks and connection with their community. My grandfather did what many of us do: think he could manage it all on his own and pretend like everything was ok. He didn’t reach out for help or create other forms of social interaction. He didn’t volunteer, have a hobby, or keep up with his bowling club. All he did was care for her.
My grandfather was a hero by committing to take care of his sweetheart of over 50 years. But by taking on that burden without balance and recharging his batteries, he ironically did what he didn’t want to do: leave her on her own. She was bitter and angry at him until she passed away a few years later.
A balanced life with social interaction, a loving support structure, nurturing and reenergizing yourself if you have to care for a sick one, maintaining your exercise and nutrition, and finding a purpose later in life that lights you up – that’s holistic health. By creating this balanced and harmonious lifestyle, you can increase your energy and keep living healthily into your senior years. Who knows, you may even join the centenarian club.
Top 10 Healthy Habits for the Holidays
November 3, 2009
by Tanya Paluso, from Dec ’09 Rancho Magazine:
America is coming around the stretch, only weeks away from the Nov/Dec holiday season. While San Diegans don’t have the snow, the famous Rockefeller Center tree or ice skating outside, we have the typical shopping extravaganzas, the family get-togethers and the massive quantities of Grandma’s best mashed potatoes and other favorite dishes.
While the winter holidays represent a celebration of giving, family and gratitude, they also make us the sickest. Have you ever noticed that flu season falls directly after the holiday season? No coincidence with all the over-stuffing of turkey in our bellies, partying to celebrate the new year, stress of having 30 relatives over for dinner, high anxiety at the after-holiday department store sales and financial burden of the whole thing.
Seem depressing? It doesn’t need to be. There are ways to keep yourself and your family healthy, happy and in the true holiday spirit this year. By incorporating these 10 habits during the holidays, you can reduce your stress, avoid gaining weight, enjoy your family, and set yourself up for a healthy new year.
Food
1. DRINK WATER
Drinking water before you go out or go to a party can reduce the quantity of
food you eat. Drinking water after you go out will help detox your body and keep you hydrated.
2. EAT SWEET VEGETABLES
Sweet root vegetables, such as beets, carrots, turnips, onions, and sweet potatoes are naturally winter vegetables. They keep you grounded and focused, decrease sugar cravings and give you the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
Exercise
3. EXERCISE SOME EVERY DAY
Stay on your exercise routine, and schedule it if things become hectic. It will lower your blood pressure, keep your spirits high and help your digestion.
Get outside and walk with your family and friends, whether it is around the neighborhood block or on a nature hike at Torrey Pines.
4. BREATHE
Set aside a specific time (like when you are shaving or combing your hair), to
take a few deep breaths. This helps you to quickly reduce stress during the
hectic holidays.
Career
5. WORK LESS
Enjoy your holidays, your friends, and your family by committing to not take work home during the holidays.
6. WORK EFFICIENTLY
Start setting goals and map out your activities on the calendar for the coming year.
Increase focus and energy through new food choices. Make a commitment to add some healthy choices instead of eliminating unhealthy ones. This is called the Crowding Out Theory. If you add something healthy, it will naturally crowd out the foods that do not support your wellbeing.
Relationships
7. TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF
Give yourself a treat, such as a massage, facial, or go to a yoga class. Go with a family member or friend.
8. CONNECT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES
Take time to really connect with your loved ones.
Have some loving and meaningful conversations. Play with the kids. Do something charitable during the holiday with your family and friends.
Inner Calmness and Awareness
9. ENJOY NATURE
Visit a flower shop, a garden, a zoo, a beach. Reflect on who/what you are grateful for in your life. Thank the people who have helped you or made a difference in your life.
10. LISTEN TO MUSIC
Music is an integral part of the holiday season. Make a point to enjoy music that uplifts your spirit at church, a concert, in your living room or even on your ipod.
By taking time to slow down, be present and take care of your body with these tips during the holidays, you will naturally feel better and healthier. Be conscious of how you usually do things and when you know you are doing something that may negatively affect your health, don’t beat yourself; instead, go back to this list and choose something. A healthy mind will produce and sustain a healthy body. It will also produce a happy holiday.
The Trillion Dollar Wellness Industry
November 3, 2009
by Tanya Paluso, from Oct ’09 Rancho Magazine: Supplements. Liquid nutritionals. Home fitness equipment. Skin care products. Smoothies. Water filters. Organic food.
Have you purchased any of these items in the past week? Chances are you have, and you are contributing to the next trillion dollar industry.
U.S. retail sales for the consumer packaged goods health and wellness industry reached more than $112 billion in 2008, representing growth of 9% over 2007, according to the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), Harleysville, PA.
These numbers will continue to increase, making it one of the most stable and lucrative industries.
The Baby Boomer Generation is actively seeking ways to look and feel younger, spending millions of dollars on preventive health products and services. Generation X also has been spending more as they enter their most productive and highest spending years. Obesity numbers have increased dramatically each year, and health insurance has become a major financial burden to most companies.
This creates an incredible opportunity for people to invest and become stakeholders in the wellness industry. There are a plethora of options for those who are entrepreneurial, unemployed or seeking a career change. From service provider such as a nutritionist, personal trainer or massage therapist to product distributor, there is a place for everyone who wants to contribute to the health of others and make a lot of money.
There is a reason the words “health” and “wealth” come together in the same sentence – the wellness industry will be making the world’s next millionaires. Those who are generating wealth in the wellness industry are also learning how to lead a balanced lifestyle and take care of their body, becoming healthy themselves and teaching others how to prevent disease at the same time.
However, there is one major caveat that all consumers and entrepreneurs need to be aware of: product integrity.
Many companies have jumped on the bandwagon and created products based on current trends, like antioxidants. They throw a bunch of super fruits together and put it on the market. This does not necessarily mean it is what your body needs. Goji berries, for example, have a specific purpose in Chinese medicine, yet most Westerners think because it is a super fruit, they should eat a whole bag of it. Creating homeostasis, or balance, in the body is more important.
Questions to consider when looking at various wellness products:
For supplements: does it have fillers? How quickly will your body absorb the actual vitamin or mineral?
For liquid nutritionals: does it have preservatives? Is it based on a trend or it is actually formulated by a respected doctor?
For water filters: what is it filtering? How is the pH affected? How long will the filter last?
For skin care products: your skin is your body’s largest organ, so consider would you eat this product? Is it organic? Does it have parabens, Propylene Glycol (PG), Mineral Oil, artificial color or Triclosan? These are just a few chemicals that are linked to causing irritation and can be potentially toxic.
It is exciting to see so many people and companies promoting health and wellbeing, but like anything that is commercialized, you have to do your research and see if it is just a trend that will eventually fade out or the real thing that will bring you true holistic health.
Are you a Chameleon, Butterfly or Dragonfly?
November 2, 2009
From Cindy Silbert’s blog September 30, 2009, “Divine feminine connections across the country”:
What I love most about authoring this book is watching how the Divine Feminine finds her way into people’s lives and having them share their experience. This book will truly connect you with the Divine Feminine and if you are ready to become fully expressed, it will find you.
The quiz from the book found two women, a mother and daughter, Lynne Cessante and Margaret Heath. Lynne discovered the quiz online through Women4Wellness. (the link to the quiz went out when I spoke at a women’s tea). Lynne passed the quiz on to her Mother in Michigan (where I was born!!). Margaret took the quiz, and shared it with her women’s group. Upon doing so, Margaret began to receive specific divine guidance to draw a picture for each woman and to write in symbolism messages for the women from the divine. She deeply touched the hearts of each woman and discovered a gift that she has.
When Lynne saw the drawings (Lynne lives in California) she contacted me and asked if I’d like to meet her Mother Margaret on her upcoming visit. It took me less than a second to say, “Yes!”. We had such fun sharing our stories and we laughed as I teased them about their “Michigan accents” (my son still thinks Michigan is a planet that I came from). I was so happy the Divine Feminine put me in touch with my “home girls” and newly found soul sisters.
This is what I’m talkin’ about! This is the way the Divine Feminine works. She finds you and brings forth such incredible wisdom and beauty it takes your breath away. Mine was taken away when I received the drawing and message Margaret created for me. Please visit Margaret’s site, she is an amazing woman with transformational gifts.
Now both Lynne and Margaret are reading the book – I can’t wait to hear what opens up for them, now that we know what the quiz alone can do!
Thank you Tanya, thank you Lynne, thank you Margaret and thank you Divine Feminine!
Want to discover your True Self? Take the Quiz Now!
About Cindy Silbert:
Cindy’s natural gift is to listen beyond words as she guides women to thrive in every aspect of life from home, work, love, body, soul and money. She is an Author, Coach, Speaker and the Creator of Life Cultivation, a dynamic fusion of eastern and western practices. Life Cultivation transforms your personal or business life through one-on-one coaching, books, workshops and online member programs.
Cindy founded www.BringUtoLife.com and www.CindySilbert.com to inspire and guide women worldwide to realize full self-expression and lasting fulfillment. Cindy’s gift is coupled with over 25 years of experience and education in business, marketing, transformation, and coaching. She currently resides in Del Mar, California with her husband and son.
Contact Cindy Cindy to schedule your free 15-minute coaching consultation.