Life Manifesto!!!!

illustration by morgan l. johnson

live fully
seek serenity
laugh often
tread mindfully
savor simplicity
love passionately
think globally
exude creativity
treasure tranquility

living a luxe life is about relishing consciously in daily luxuries.

think cashmere meets your favorite yoga pose, think you get a promotion and your grandmother says she's proud of you, think fresh raspberries on warm homemade granola cereal, think marshmallows and whipped creme on your hot chocolate, think art supplies meets creativity on a free sunday afternoon, think reminiscing with your best childhood friend, think fresh flowers from a farmers market, think blooming cherry blossoms, think loyal canine companion, think good book meets blazing fire on comfy couch, think living your life out loud!

Summer is close..are you prepared??

Hey All!  

Spring vacations and warm weather are RIGHT around the corner with summer and bathing suit season following...but don't freak out! You still have time!

The end result of your hard work is NOT just a great physique, but it's the journey getting there that gives you a renewed life-changing appreciation for yourself and those around you. Being successful in your fitness goals extends so much further than just a number on the scale, or a new size----it produces a positive energy and confidence within you that no other accessory or material item can produce. I'm glad to hear about the successes people have had! So awesome!

I'm sorry to report, though, that there's NO quick fix! It takes focus on nutrition and exercise. Let's break that down, shall we? You need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day, strength train every other day (or even every day if you're working different muscle groups), and watch your food intake carefully. Of course, the more you move throughout the day, the more calories you'll burn in addition to those workouts you're doing. So take the stairs, play with the kids, and move more!!!

Remember, it's NOT about restricting calories and skipping meals (those will cause you setbacks)...it's about finding the right ratio between the calories you burn and calories you consumer. It's tempting to go to the route of skipping meals because that does tend to show a loss on the scale, but what you end up losing is mostly water and muscle. It you're looking to maintain your weight, you would want to balance what you're eating with what your burning.

If your goal is to lose fat, then the calories you burn in a day needs to be HIGHER than the calories you've consumed or your body will not burn existing fat stores. Don't aim for too much of a deficit though. I wouldn't recommend more than 1000 calorie deficit or less than 1200 calories consumed for anyone. Your metabolism will slow down as a result of too little calories leading to the loss of much needed MUSCLE (not good!). So the ratio is very important for fat loss. Always check with your doctor to be safe because I don't know your specific medical needs/history and those play a large factor into effective weight loss.

You NEED healthy food to fuel your workouts and give you lasting energy throughout the day and to keep your metabolism running efficiently. But you have to be aware of approximately how many calories you should be eating and PLAN your meals so you don't go long periods of time without food. By planning your meals/snacks ahead, you can be sure to have a healthy option to eat wherever/whenever you need it. Another great idea is keeping a food journal, then you know exactly what you're eating and you'll be less likely to consume food you're not writing down.


Something important to remember: You cannot snack on fat free processed foods and think they don't count. In fact, I recommend eliminating these foods all-together! Companies advertise these foods to be good for you, but they're not! Trust me! Empty calories are calories with very little nutritional value and do nothing for your body. They leave you feeling hungry faster and, in many cases, craving more food and/or sugar. That's what can cause you to eat more calories than you need. Your best best is to remove them from your sight, or from the house. Does ANYONE in the house need those?? Probably not!

If your metabolism is slow, which for most people it is the culprit, then the way to increase your metabolism is to add muscle. Lifting light weights and doing a lot of reps, works the existing muscles' endurance. Lifting HEAVY weights with fewer reps, on the other hand, will result in a new muscle which increases your metabolism. You burn more during your workouts AND at rest. But you will have to give yourself about 2-3 months for your body to make the transition to a faster metabolism and really start shedding the fat. It does not happen over night. You can't complain about a lack of results until you've done the right things consistently for at least 8-12 weeks straight. You'll see even better results as you continue long term after that. Patience is a virtue. Give yourself time for the results to kick in. Do you know how many calories you consume, or should be consuming in a given day in order to shed fat safely and effectively? You can check the daily calorie needs calculator on www.Freedieting.com . It's usually right on track!!

As far as cardio...to improve cardiovascular fitness 3x/week is good, but for faster fat loss, you really need to be VERY active every day. So you need to plan some type of cardio or activity for every day. I recommend alternating steady state cardio and interval training. With super busy schedules and lives, I know it's not always likely that it will happen every single day, but if you plan on it, then you're more likely to make it happen most days. That's going to help you lose fat faster due to the calories burned each day.

And, like I always stress, it's important to be selfish sometimes...especially when it comes to your health because it makes you a better person for those you love and those around you! So let go of the excuses! You can do it...I KNOW you can!

Relaxing Breath...let it all go!!!

For the modern man/women who finds that they'd rather be on the yoga mat than out with Mr/Ms. Not-So-Fabulous or dealing with the company's latest drama, here is a breath sequence to bring you back to balance:

Bring awareness to the breath. Is it fast, shallow, slow or smooth? Notice each inhale and exhale. Without altering it, just observe and begin tuning it (or the challenging situation) out. After a minute or so of simply being aware of the breath pattern, focus on your on the inhale, count silently 1, 2, 3, 4, and on the exhale, 1, 2, 3, 4. Take long, slow, fluid breaths in and out of the nose. After a couple of minutes here breathing four full counts, focus on drawing the breath into the belly, next the lungs, and finally the chest. Now exhale the chest, lungs, and belly. By placing your hands onto these three parts of the body, you can bring awareness into each area to ensure the breath is flowing there.

This simple breath technique can do wonders to restore balance and tranquility to a challenging situation. The 3-part yogic breath will assist you in overcoming the body’s automatic fight or flight response. Breathe fully and feel fabulous.

Energy Boost!!

Energy aides:

• Drink 6-8 cups of water a day. Water aides in regulating the body's temperature and is required for the distribution of nutrients, electrolytes, hormones and other chemical messengers throughout the body.
• Carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats supply the body with sustained energy. The right combination of carbohydrates, proteins and fats eaten at regular intervals will help keep energy levels high.
• L-Carnitine is a nutrient that helps the body turn fat into energy. Red meat and dairy products are the primary sources of carnitine. It can also be found in fish, poultry, tempeh, wheat, asparagus, avocados and peanut butter.
• Ginseng helps the body generate the energy it needs. It is known as an "adaptogen" which helps the body use its natural resources to buffer physical and mental stress.
• Eating healthy snacks every three to four hours will help keep blood sugar levels even and control energy "highs" and "lows".

Energy inhibitors:

• Too much sugar creates a brain-energy crisis, and leads to the inevitable sugar crash.
• Not drinking enough liquids can cause the body to feel fatigued due to dehydration. A healthy diet should include water, fruit juices, skim milk or other liquids.
• Too much food at once can zap energy from the body. Portion control is the key to healthy eating.
• Eating fried or fatty foods can make you feel sluggish. Too much fat at once can interfere with the body's ability to use glucose for energy.
• Not consuming enough calories to burn inevitable leads to situations with little to no energy.

Ayurveda guidelines for sustained energy:

Ayurveda prescribes fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain, rather than caffeine and sugar, to support sustainable energy. These are foods rich in chetna, the healing and nurturing influence of nature, which prevents fatigue-causing toxins from settling in the body.
Ayurveda tips to energize the body:

• Dates and figs are excellent sources of energy. Try an energy shake of four to five dates, one cup of milk and a pinch of cinnamon powder.
• Whole grains such as rye, quinoa, amaranth and millet are high in protein and minerals, and provide the body with sustainable energy.
• Eat several peeled almonds daily to increase strength and energy. Ayurveda healers recommend blanching and peeling almonds.
• Start your day with stewed apples, a juicy pear or fresh fruit.

Reflection!!

 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most
frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won't feel insecure about you. We are all meant to shine,
as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God
that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

So as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same. As we are
liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically
liberates others.

tranquiliT smanquiliT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy this week,  focus on gratitude, bringing to light the positive even in the negative. Every challenge and struggle has a lesson or opportunity deep in its core. sometimes it is very hard to determine what that could possibly be or you may want to throw up your hands with a "i'm SO over the lesson, please help me out here" request to GOD. it's normal, we all struggle and I like to believe we're all doing the best we can. Somedays we just don't have the energy to put our best foot forward, somedays it is better for us to show our best faces to the world by staying in bed! when you have the mindset of "tranquiliT smanquiliT," know that your yoga practice that day may be curled up on the couch with hot tea rather than 

eka pada bakasana 

(one-legged crow).

Shanti (Peace),

Sherry

Off the top of my head thought!!

At times my mind seems to race from one thought to another..but in all that confusion I reflect on.....

Every day you are given a fresh canvas on which to paint. What do you want your masterpiece to look like? explore the ways in which your life contributes to your community. What small step can you take today to make a difference in someone else's life, ultimately affecting yours?

May we all live a life that has a positive effect on others in our own unique way, you have a special gift. explore it and let it shine. thank you for so positively affecting mine over the past year through this blog.

Peace,
Sherry