Move, Breathe, Be Free

I'm taking a yoga teacher training that's, well, much more demanding and intense than I'd imagined. I'm truly enjoying it, and when I say demanding and intense, I don't mean to conjure up the idea of a dry teacher forcing us into pretzel poses. We've got reading/writing homework, a service project, long training weekends, weekly classes, daily meditations and movement series to create, etc. And, mostly, there's breathwork. Breathwork that slows you down, that takes you into yourself. It helps to guide you to your wholeness, your sense of strength or God or whatever you wanna call it.

While I'm just now taking this yoga training, I've been teaching movement for 10+ years and taking/teaching yoga for about four years. More and more so, when beginning with a new client, I suggest working on a little breathwork at first. Sometimes clients jump aboard, and tears flow or inspiration hits. Sometimes folks are too antsy, or sometimes it just feels weird and unnatural to practice breathing. And, sometimes breathing makes us feel. A lot. Sometimes too much. Or so we think.

That's why my yoga training can be so much work! It slows me down and the feelings can overflow! Breathing makes you feel - ecstatic, light, joyful, grateful. It can also bring up the typical so-called yuck - fear, sadness, anger, guilt, worry. Basically, breathing brings up your truth, so it's an ongoing process. One that takes work for me Every Single Day.

I'm not a personal trainer to "kick someone's ass" or take away the jiggle. I'm motivated by a) my ongoing personal experience of finding truth within my body, and b) the little bits and huge leaps of transformation that happen when someone connects with her body, her breath and her spirit - and essentially something Greater than herself.

So, despite what the breathwork and the connection that follows might bring up for someone (though I can guarantee you it can be juicy, sometimes scary, and mostly lovely in a life-changing way), my wish is for people to find movement they enjoy; then sure, complement and support that favorite movement with other types of physical training.

Move to feel good. Don't exercise to "get it over with" or to "mark it off your list". Practice joy within movement. Practice staying present. Practice slowing down. Practice stillness. Practice making movement (or stillness) as a way to connect with your innermost sense of being alive and free.

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Some Days You Shop

If you're wondering how much you should be "exercising", you're one of many! But, no wonder because there are so many different messages about exercise. Here's a few you might be considering:

*Something balanced and moderate like what the CDC recommends ~ About 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity/week + plus 2 days of resistance training.

*Something close to The Biggest Loser tv show ~ grueling workouts with a bully trainer.

*Something along the lines of All or Nothing.

*Something that involves no training shoes or sweat.

*Something more boring than a physics class (no offense to you physicists!).

Look, the road of fitness shouldn't equal strict rules, gym-only workouts, hardcore trainers or black/white thinking. Like I mentioned recently, think moderate, balanced and flexible - just like your diet - eat your veggies, incorporate some protein, and eat those carbs for energy! Get an array of movement, learn to tune into your body, and yes, learn proper form and function of resistance, cardiovascular and flexibility training.

Take today for example - I finished training clients pretty early, so I thought I'd take advantage of my daytime freetime to run some wedding errands at the mall. Then, I thought I'd have plenty of time at home to create some step moves for my class tomorrow - you know, have my own little class by myself at home.

Well, 11am turned into 1pm, then all of a sudden, it was 3:45pm when I started heading up 75 to go home. I'd shoe-shopped and bra-shopped until I almost dropped. Zero energy leftover for any sort of step routine, and not too much brain work leftover for my usual evening computer time.

My point is that every day is different. Every body is different. Some days you make it to the gym. Some days you squeeze in some yoga. Some days you walk with a friend. Some days you train for a 1/2 marathon. Some days you rest. Some days you shop for shoes and bras until your legs ache.

Like I encouraged a client recently: View physical fitness as a combination of all physical activity - working, playing, errands, "exercising". Add up those things to see how you are feeling strength/endurance/flexibility-wise. Then, tweak your "exercise" training where necessary to feel balanced, and of course, Listen to Your Body.

Looking Within v. NAAO

I'm a huge "do-not-diet" advocate. I'm also a huge believer that eating issues (overeating, undereating), food issues (you-name-it), and exercise abuse (or lack of exercise) issues, all settle much, much, much deeper than "laziness", or "she's just a control freak", or "too many vending machines followed by McDonald's". If those three examples truly explained overeating, undereating and everything-in-between, don't you think we could Move On?

When I got home tonight, I flipped on Campbell Brown's show on CNN featuring MeMe Roth, Founder and President of NAAO (National Action Against Obesity). If you watched, or if you're familiar with her antics, you know MeMe's claims of tough love for anyone who's overweight. In a nutshell, "stop eating junk, move, and for goodness sakes, have some self discipline!"

Now, if you visit the following link highlighting her philosophies ( http://www.actionagainstobesity.com/NationalActionAgainstObesity/Founder.html), you might find some decent points like the rising problem of obesity, dangerous food marketing, and eating a balanced diet. Then, she slides in that obesity is basically a self-inflicted illness. I could write a book here, but I won't.

Look, I make a living helping others to "listen to their bodies" by moving (aka exercising). I'm obviously an advocate of a well-balanced diet, consistent doses of various physical activities, and proper rest. But, from personal and professional experience, claiming that some whippersnapper self-discipline and a 4-mile daily run will guarantee you a thin, trim, fit, svelte 20s body-for-life is bologna.

Sure, we could cut back on the regular fast-food meals or the daily vending machine snacks filled with sugar. Sure, we could all step away from our computers and televisions and take the dogs on a walk. Sure, we could try to tax all the "fat" in attempts to solve all our obesity and health insurance problems. But, if it's too good to be true, you know the rest....

If you peel back the initial layers of health education (a balanced diet, listening to your body's signals, regular exercise and sleep, stress reduction), you'll find that a) some people are quite happy and healthy not being a certain size, and/or b) obesity can likely be a sign of emotional eating and sometimes categorized as a clinically diagnosed eating disorder(s).

I have a hard time with MeMe's light-switch notion that people should be more disciplined in controlling their weight and that people CHOOSE unhealthy lifestyles. Lucky for her ego, she oozes with self control and righteousness otherwise she might not be preaching.

Let me reiterate - Let's get healthy. Let's educate ourselves. But, let's also dig deeper to find out why we have food issues. Or, drinking issues, or shopping issues, or gossiping issues, or gambling issues, or relationship issues, etc. Or, how about sense-of-self or spirit issues?

Instead of diets, or drinking, or credit cards, let's get real and fill ourselves with self-care and healthy, supportive relationships. I know it's a lot to ask, but looking within toward the tender places might just be the richest thing you will ever find.



*If you feel you need some guidance in finding a therapist to help you with these issues, please feel free to contact me.

Be Kind to Your Body

When it comes to my personal training philosophies, I'm rarely a whistleblower. If you can do without the infamous drill sargeant bossiness of a fitness leader, I am your woman! I like to call myself a gentle personal trainer. But, inevitably, when I tell people what I do for a living, they sometimes open their eyes wide, then point to a body part, then furrow their eyebrows, and finally say, "Can you help me get rid of this?"


Okay, I'll be a whistleblower now. And, I won't be responding with a "Drop and give me 50!" Instead, I might say, "First, it's impossible to spot reduce, and Second, let's be work on being nicer to your body before we try changing it."


Anyone who's well-read in fitness plans and diets might know what I'm talking about. And, even if you've curiously browsed all the new year resolution books currently piled high in the front of bookstores knows an inkling of what I'm talking about too. Whether it's low-carb, low-calorie, Pilates, medicine balls, running programs, the list goes on and on.... So many different ways and options to get lean, tone, trim, firm, skinny, fit, gorgeous, young, and the list goes on again....


I even saw a magazine (currently on the stands as of last night) advertise a claim to "get fit and lose fat" without exercise, diets or gym memberships! Well, they caught my eye! I opened to to discover their philosophy to (in-a-nutshell) only do housework or yardwork or shop. While I wholeheartedly believe that playing with the dog, painting a room, spreading mulch, raking leaves, unloading a dishwasher and dancing with a broom are ALL fabulous ways of physical activity, what about cardiovascular health training, balancing your muscles through resistance training, balance training, flexibility training, and mindful core training?


So, while I'm not a whistleblowing "Drop and give me 50 MORE after you run 10 laps" trainer, and while I'm not an advocate of "dancing with your broom for five minutes will be plenty, darling, but don't forget to skip all carbs" - squeeze my training philosophy somewhere in the middle secured with lots of "love your body first" reminders.


Yes, you do need your cardiovascular health training, resistance training, core/balance training and flexibility training. And, guess what, that can be fit into one workout in less than an hour, or it can be broken up into bits throughout your week. But, before we tackle the exercise, let's talk about the "Can you get rid of this?" interrogation.


First, give me the benefit of the doubt, take a deep inhale, and when you're ready to try something new, read on.... If I can hand you one piece of magic, of bliss, I'd be delighted. It requires an open mind and patience. It is simply, "Be kind to your body. Be kind because your body will respond with love once you open up to listening, respecting and loving your body."


Wanna know how? Email me for specific questions, and/or look out for suggestions in my next post!

New Year - New You?

Happy 2009! Are you ready to feel fit and strong? Do you feel balanced? Do you need some guidance in a particular area of exercise? My 2 cents:

First, this is a Journey: Just because it's January doesn't mean you have to be drastic. Just because it's January doesn't mean you have to sign up for a marathon or a new restrictive diet plan to "undo" the holidays. Take it one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time.

Back to the Basics - Food as Fuel: Balance your diet, hydrate your body with fresh water. If you need deeper nutrition advice, please let me know. I'm happy to give you some basic guidance or steer you toward a great dietician!

Move Your Body - Cross Train: Consistently include resistance training, consistently include *enjoyable* cardiovascular exercise, consistently include flexibility training, and get some solid dreamland time (aka: sleep!).

I know that may sound like a lot. And, do you see the pattern of "consistence"? We're talking consistence, not obsessiveness or perfection. There's a difference. And, if it sounds overwhelming, perhaps some healthy habits need to become a part of your regular schedule. And/or, perhaps you might want to be educated more about cross training or a balanced diet. Then, the exercise, balanced eating and regular sleep aren't so daunting when including the rest of your daily activities!

You can read some previous blogs to gain an understanding of "just how much" exercise you need depending on your age and state of health. Or, email me if you have questions regarding ways to balance out your physical exercise. I'm happy to help! caroline@mybodyflow.com

Cheers to a healthy lifestyle in 2009!!