Think Strong and Happy, not Sculpted and Stressed

Good morning.

I received an enlightening reminder today from yogajournal.com. Since I teach fitness classes, I try to constantly remind my participants to listen to their bodies. It's so easy to join a class and try to compete with a neighbor, or the instructor, or one's self! And, there's nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself or sweat hard during your workout session. Yet, aiming for cutthroat standards can #1) get old and boring, and #2) be harmful to your inner peace and physical strength.

Since the message I received arrives via email in newsletter format, I searched for a link of archives on the yogajournal website but no such luck. Therefore, I am sourcing this next passage in pink as yogajournal.com material, not mine:

"Seek Strong, Not Sculpted, Abs"
In the American way of thinking, hard, flat abdomnal muscles are the embodiment of a healthy physique. But while strong, toned core muscles support good health, they may not be as important as Western culture would lead us to believe.

Too much belly fat is unhealthy. However, working too hard to eliminate fat can also cause serious problems. For the 10 percent of us who are actually capable of acquiring them, six-pack abs come at a price: reduced flexibility and freedom of movement. Women who work the abs too much can suffer estrogen depletion, bone weakness, and fractures. Overdoing abs exercises can also lead to a flattening of the lumbar curve, creating a weakened spinal structure.

So if you've been striving to tone your abs so you look like an underwear model, maybe now is a good time to shift your focus. The next time you practice Navasana (Boat Pose) think about how much better you'll feel when you've gained core strength, not how much better you'll look the next time swimsuit season rolls around.

You can relate this idea to any sort of exercise -- matter of fact, you can relate it to life. Try not to overextend yourself. There's always a middle road to walk on -- to balance, to breathe, to trust, to go with the flow in the mind and heart -- it doesn't always have to be the edge.

Saturday morning

Hello ~ Saturday morning, and I'm finally posting again. A glitch has blocked me from writing, so I hope it works this time. So many ideas flicker through my mind lately, and people and circumstances seem to be backing me. Thank goodness.

For example, I'm starting my own "gentle" on-site personal training business catered toward those with eating/image/exercise challenges -- Thursday I received a passing score for another certification, and just this morning a yoga instructor called me to discuss business and ideas! I meant to get settled in for a nap because I woke up so early, but now I'm thinking of going to the park to let the sunshine settle some of my excitement and flowing brainstorming!

In case you're wondering, things do happen, things do turn around. Last summer, my favorite high school English teacher Betty Fleming sent me Naomi Wolf's The Treehouse, and I got stuck on the first lesson: "Be still and listen." It took a few months (yes, several months) to become un-stuck, to combine my loves and passions, to know those things were true and possible, and to continue reading the book!

Since I started listening to my gut, listening to what really feels good and not just "right", I've met amazing, encouraging, genuine people. So, if you're struggling to find peace and "okayness" in the world and those alarm signals show up in exercise or diet obsession (or any obsession: men, shopping, that job, that grade, that acceptance letter, etc.), again things do turn around. If you're passionate and want to make every day count in its own special way, or if you want to experience that passion and zest for life, then listen. Get still and listen. Try to ease into the okayness of today instead of constantly yearning for the future, but acknowledge the goodness of today. Take the details and the warmth, and put them together on your journey toward your best self.

.....20 minutes later. Okay, here's the deal. I just lost 20 minutes worth of writing. Something's up with this posting section, so I want to jet before I lose anymore work. (My sister will love that I just used "jet". Now, I will know when she's read this.) I have a few more thoughts re: A) a Renoir painting Caroline Knapp highlights in Appetites: Why Women Want. B) Lisa Sarasohn's The Woman's Belly Book, and C) a story about a man striving for nirvana....

Perhaps those thoughts will come later this evening. Take care.