Thursday 16 July 2015

A Space for New Potential



Your Show, Photo shoot, the Wedding, or perhaps your Weight Loss Challenge is over. Whatever fitness goal has been met, the task has been accomplished: Now what?
It is perhaps at this point that the challenge truly begins. How does one transition from a focused goal oriented program to a healthy and manageable daily routine?
How do we start living, enjoying more free time yet not lose everything we worked so hard for?
More importantly how do we deal with the mental games that ensue or the fear of “Slipping back” without being obsessed?
 All the work, dedication, the prepping, training, everyone cheering you on with encouraging compliments, and now the time has come to relax.  
We begin to feel the need to give excuses as to “Why” we are not depleted, in contest shape, or photo shoot ready. As if that look is attainable year round.
Is there a way to avoid this?  
The cliché response would be “How about acceptance”
Which sounds great…however it is our perseverance and goal setting that makes us who we are.
It is our expectations, dreams and hopes that create the want and desire to move forward.  The initial goals of the show, photo shoot, wedding or weight loss challenge that were set and attained, now have become a platform to reach for new possibilities.
My challenge is this: to see my current physical and emotional state not as a set of deficiencies but as space opening up to new potential…



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Wednesday 1 July 2015

Intermittent Fasting

I started incorporating intermittent fasting 3 years ago and more recently again in December.  I am an avid believer in living a healthy lifestyle and planning your meals to work within your goals.  However, what I find is there tends to be a constant focus on what and when I am eating. One of the things I really enjoy about fasting is it removes the continuous thought of my next meal.
 With intermittent fasting I usually try to abstain from eating for a 14hr period.  I stop eating roughly at 9-10pm then eat again around 11-12 the next day.  This being said I am not strict with the exact hours and try to just go by how I am feeling.
Normally I wake at 6am to do cardio, and then go about my daily routine. During this fasting period I still have liquids, BCAA’s, Vegegreens, water or coffee, with choosing not to have any solid foods.
I have also found fasting enables weight management. Incorporating an intermittent fast even several times a week cuts down on the meals I consume. During holiday season or when I have a series of events to attend I find this very beneficial. I still feel mentally clear, and surprisingly I have even more energy than usual.
Another interesting fact about fasting; when your body feels hungry there is a hormone released called Ghrelin. One function of Ghrelin is GH release. As we age GH production slows down.  However, Growth Hormone is what keeps us young, prevents wrinkles, aids in muscle recovery, and speeds up our body’s ability to heal. We want to keep GH levels high! So that is another little bonus.
There are many articles written on Fasting and the benefits. I strongly urge anyone wanting to try this method to look into it further. Based on the success I have had with fasting,  I now use it on a regular basis.

Over the years I have tried many different ways to create balance, find a program that works for my body, to feel healthy and happy in my skin.  This journey of Fitness and Health is all about finding what works best for you…figuring out your calculation if you will…mind, body and soul…



                                                                           

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