I thought I’d hate it. I was convinced it would make a mockery of people struggling with their weight in the name of good television. But no! I absolutely love the show! NBC’s “The BiggestLoser” is perfect health inspiration best enjoyed when you’re feeling fat. Here's why...
You’ll immediately stop feeling sorry for yourself as you watch brave, severely overweight individuals, grunt and sweat for their lives.
You’ll get misty-eyed as participants rally through a physical challenge for the simple pleasure of opening a care-package from their loved ones.
You'll get over your body dimples, stretch marks and other bodily hang ups as you watch determined people let it all hang out as they get on a scale in only spandex shorts and tops.
You’ll be inspired by regular folks who are willing to look at their “stuff” and finally deal with the consequences from a lifetime of horrible eating habits.
You’ll discover new ways to move your bodacious booty that will shame you in never using the “exercise is boring” excuse again.
You’ll be moved by people who are re-programming their personal preferences for nurture-on-a-plate to nurturing relationships.
And the most touching of all is the video diaries of the people who are "playing along" at home and on their own without support or a team experts.
While I may not agree with all of the tactics the "experts" use, if you're going to watch television, you might as well focus on something inspiring.
Catch an episode of "The Biggest Loser" the next time you're feeling fat and maybe you'll be inspired to get off your bum too.
PS -- You can watch the recent episode recaps and highlights online. It could be an inspiring way to spend your lunch hour.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Enjoy the Process
Ten weeks ago, my partner Drew and I began Tai Chi lessons. Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese form of exercise combining mindful movement, meditation, martial arts techniques and the study of Taoist philosophy.
We have found a terrific teacher in Rich Marantz with classes in nearby Manchester, VT. Rich studies with one of the master teachers of China’s Wudang Mountain. (Yes, that’s the same Wudang Mountain featured in the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” for you movie buffs like me. Cool!)
Last week, this is what Rich shared with our class…
“If you wait until you “get” Tai Chi to enjoy it, you will never get it.”
It made me think of how true that was for many areas of our life. Whether it’s ballroom dancing, a new exercise class or a special project, if you wait until you totally “have it down” before you allow yourself to have fun, you’ll find the process much harder, experience fewer results and it will be impossible to stick to.
Here’s my version of Rich’s Tai Chi wisdom for Wild Woman Wellness:
If you wait to be that “perfect weight or perfect size” before you enjoy your body, you’ll never reach the “perfect weight or perfect size.” And if you do happen to reach that goal without a shred a joy in the process, you won’t be any happier when you get “there.”
How many times have you or someone you know said the following – “When I lose weight, I’ll ENTER FUN ACTIVITY HERE.” This way of thinking is completely backward and prevents you from reaching your health goals. Women are so used to beating themselves into health. No pain, no gain, right? Wrong. We only have to look at our health history to see that doesn’t work for very long.
I suggest another approach that puts an emphasis on enjoying the process of getting healthier combined with using your brain power for your benefit (and not your downfall). That’s right, this approach is for thinking women.
If you take pleasure in your self-care, you naturally become attracted to healthy living. If you find healthy living fun and attractive, then you naturally integrate it into your lifestyle and for good.
The challenge is women have mistaken body-bloating activities that are fun-on-the-way-down, like sugar binges, cocktails and carbo-loading, as true pleasure. While I’m all for a great glass of wine, making the wine the centerpiece of my enjoyment is not pleasure but self-abuse and a form of addiction.
You as an infinitely intelligent woman must learn to use your power for good. Use some of your brilliance and creativity to come up with fun ways of eating well and exercising.
Here are some examples of making health a Wild Woman Wellness experience:
Feeling frumpy in your old clothing but waiting to lose those last 5-10 lbs before you get a good fitting pair of pants? WWW SOLUTION: Get a pair of jeans that fits the booty you have now and one that makes you feel good about what you got. Chances are you’ll look 10 lbs lighter with proper fitting clothing anyways. (Have you seen the August issue of Oprah with the feature on how to find jeans for your body type? The best!) And when you feel good, you make more “feeling good” choices like eating lots of vegetables.
Been craving a girl’s night out of dancing but feel intimidated because you have more jiggle than you care to wiggle? WWW SOLUTION: Sign up for a belly dance class series and get moving now. The new moves will give you confidence, you’ll learn to love your curves (as the women with more curves look the best in belly dancing class) and you’ll even tone up an ab or two. Then get yourself a new sleek outfit and hit the dance club. No man can resist a woman who loves herself.
Trying to lose weight but can’t stop dreaming about baguettes, bagels and penne a la vodka? WWW SOLUTION: Be gentle with yourself and give yourself a few weeks to wean yourself off refined flours. The idea is to add in good foods before you take something out of your diet. This naturally crowds out what doesn’t work for your body with a lot less effort. So, before you take out the baked flour products experiment with having protein at every meal and snack. You’ll notice your craving for breads decline as your blood sugar stabilizes.
Try those ideas on and see what’s it’s like to work with what you got on your way to becoming who you want to be.
We have found a terrific teacher in Rich Marantz with classes in nearby Manchester, VT. Rich studies with one of the master teachers of China’s Wudang Mountain. (Yes, that’s the same Wudang Mountain featured in the movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” for you movie buffs like me. Cool!)
Last week, this is what Rich shared with our class…
“If you wait until you “get” Tai Chi to enjoy it, you will never get it.”
It made me think of how true that was for many areas of our life. Whether it’s ballroom dancing, a new exercise class or a special project, if you wait until you totally “have it down” before you allow yourself to have fun, you’ll find the process much harder, experience fewer results and it will be impossible to stick to.
Here’s my version of Rich’s Tai Chi wisdom for Wild Woman Wellness:
If you wait to be that “perfect weight or perfect size” before you enjoy your body, you’ll never reach the “perfect weight or perfect size.” And if you do happen to reach that goal without a shred a joy in the process, you won’t be any happier when you get “there.”
How many times have you or someone you know said the following – “When I lose weight, I’ll ENTER FUN ACTIVITY HERE.” This way of thinking is completely backward and prevents you from reaching your health goals. Women are so used to beating themselves into health. No pain, no gain, right? Wrong. We only have to look at our health history to see that doesn’t work for very long.
I suggest another approach that puts an emphasis on enjoying the process of getting healthier combined with using your brain power for your benefit (and not your downfall). That’s right, this approach is for thinking women.
If you take pleasure in your self-care, you naturally become attracted to healthy living. If you find healthy living fun and attractive, then you naturally integrate it into your lifestyle and for good.
The challenge is women have mistaken body-bloating activities that are fun-on-the-way-down, like sugar binges, cocktails and carbo-loading, as true pleasure. While I’m all for a great glass of wine, making the wine the centerpiece of my enjoyment is not pleasure but self-abuse and a form of addiction.
You as an infinitely intelligent woman must learn to use your power for good. Use some of your brilliance and creativity to come up with fun ways of eating well and exercising.
Here are some examples of making health a Wild Woman Wellness experience:
Feeling frumpy in your old clothing but waiting to lose those last 5-10 lbs before you get a good fitting pair of pants? WWW SOLUTION: Get a pair of jeans that fits the booty you have now and one that makes you feel good about what you got. Chances are you’ll look 10 lbs lighter with proper fitting clothing anyways. (Have you seen the August issue of Oprah with the feature on how to find jeans for your body type? The best!) And when you feel good, you make more “feeling good” choices like eating lots of vegetables.
Been craving a girl’s night out of dancing but feel intimidated because you have more jiggle than you care to wiggle? WWW SOLUTION: Sign up for a belly dance class series and get moving now. The new moves will give you confidence, you’ll learn to love your curves (as the women with more curves look the best in belly dancing class) and you’ll even tone up an ab or two. Then get yourself a new sleek outfit and hit the dance club. No man can resist a woman who loves herself.
Trying to lose weight but can’t stop dreaming about baguettes, bagels and penne a la vodka? WWW SOLUTION: Be gentle with yourself and give yourself a few weeks to wean yourself off refined flours. The idea is to add in good foods before you take something out of your diet. This naturally crowds out what doesn’t work for your body with a lot less effort. So, before you take out the baked flour products experiment with having protein at every meal and snack. You’ll notice your craving for breads decline as your blood sugar stabilizes.
Try those ideas on and see what’s it’s like to work with what you got on your way to becoming who you want to be.
Monday, September 18, 2006
The Best "At Home" Yoga Ever
I’ve tried a lot of different types of yoga tapes. Some were too hard. Some were too cheesy. Many lacked the ability to turn me onto their yoga style. So, when I received a yoga DVD that put all others to shame, I just had to share it with you. My favorite yoga DVD for the home yogi is Shiva Rea’s “Yoga Shakti.” Here’s why you might want to check it out for yourself…
1. It offers a Variety of Guided Practices (in the Vinyasa Style of Yoga) - This two-disc DVD doesn’t have just one or two workouts like most videos/dvds. It offers FOUR pre-set, 30 – 90 minute guided practices to choose from. Nice variety! But that’s not all…
2. It’s Specifically Designed for a Home Based Practice - When you do a lot of yoga at home, you like to mix it up a bit, don’t you? (I know I do.) The unique feature of this DVD is what’s called the “Yoga Matrix.” It is an a la carte menu of all the yoga sequences that make up the four, guided practices. With a click of your remote control, you can select and customize your practice from the 30 different yoga position flows (in Vinyasa style yoga – you repeat a set of positions in what’s called “flowing”), in the order that you choose. So you can choose one brief sequence for a 5-minute stretch or customize your favorite poses to address the time limit or desire you have. But just when you think it couldn’t get any better…
3. The Music is Awesome -The ambient fusion soundtrack by some of the heavy hitters of the world music scene is food for your soul. I loved it from the first time I popped it in. Sometimes I set up my DVD before I’m ready to practice, so I can just listen to the music. If I could buy the soundtrack alone, I’d do it. Need I say more? I think I will…
4. It Appeals to Your Senses – Just in case the above features weren’t enough to set the mood for you, wait till you experience the little groovy details. From the vivid, orange colors of the DVD case, to the outrageously beautiful cinematography that makes a traditional yoga studio backdrop pale in comparison, and to the stunning Yoga Goddess, Shiva Rea, as your personal teacher… It’s the next best thing to a yoga retreat. (It’s official. I now think Shiva is the coolest chic ever and I’m dying to be her new best friend.)
5. You’ll Learn Something New – The DVD also includes interviews with Shiva and like-minded colleagues on what yoga means to her, how to meditate, the fascinating story of how she and her team traveled around the world to put this DVD together and more. Oooh la la. Education, entertainment and the promise of firm buns all in one package.
Consider the “Yoga Shakti” DVD a must-have if you do yoga at home.
Get yours here.
Learn more about yoga teacher Shiva Rea and her products at www.ShivaRea.com
Friday, September 08, 2006
PMS Rescue: A Movie for Your Health
"I think a woman wants love and freedom at the same time. When I was writing the book, I was exploring that concept. I think a lot of women can relate to it."
— Author Sue Monk Kidd
Sue Monk Kidd, one of my favorite writers and author of "The Secret Life of Bees" and "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter," has announced in her September newsletter that her most recent book, "The Mermaid Chair" has been made into a film for Lifetime Television. It's airing this weekend, Saturday, September 9th, at 9pm EST and then again on Sunday and Monday night. It's a chic-flick to the rescue ladies!
It's been my experience that a film revolving around women's journeys (and especially of the romantic-comedy sort) can lighten your mood fast and is incredibly healthful during PMS. Here's why...
When our body prepares for menstruation, muscles tighten and contract (think achy lower backs) as it gets ready to shed the lining of the uterus. Then there's the hormonal surge that makes us hungrier, more sensitive and craving sweets (which is our body's natural solution to stress as sugar is expansive). Yet we carry on with our life, never honoring this energy shift and wonder why we get so cranky. Here's a fun solution to this problem.
(Read more about this effect here.)
A light, funny and women-centric movie can work just as well as a mood-altering sweet-treat, without all the extra calories, carb-bloating and puffy-face, sugar hang-over in the morning. Now don't get me wrong, I love a "make you think" art film like the next movie buff. In fact, I've been known to obsess about my Netflix queue to the annoyance of my Netflix "Friends." But during PMS, a girl needs a ro-co. (That's code for romantic comedy)
So that's why I'm recommending that you plop yourself down in front of the tube and check out Ms. Kidd's story. While Lifetime TV has been known to pump out a few "cheesy" movies, I can't help giving props to this writing goddess. Consider that this flick may be just what you need to feel-good when you really need it.
Here's to PMS Rescue in TV form.
Warning: I have not, obviously, seen the movie myself. So if it stinks, well, try the book.
Here's a synopsis of the movie, from LifetimeTV.com
"Take a journey of mystery, passion and self-discovery with Academy Award® winning actress Kim Basinger in a powerful story based on the best-seller "The Mermaid Chair." The movie follows married mom Jessie, who just sent her daughter off to school and now feels alone and listless in her 20-year marriage. When this restless wife gets a disturbing phone call, she must return to her childhood home on a beautiful Southern island to deal with the shocking behavior of her mentally unstable mother. During this visit, she finds herself undeniably attracted to a Benedictine monk. While struggling with this temptation and delving into her family's secretive past, Jessie undergoes a spiritual, artistic and erotic awakening. Her experiences on the island lead Jessie to discover her true self and what she really wants from her life."
Check your local listing here. I'll be hitting the record button and saving this for a PMS emergency.
Get a copy of the book here.
:)
Happy weekend!
— Author Sue Monk Kidd
Sue Monk Kidd, one of my favorite writers and author of "The Secret Life of Bees" and "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter," has announced in her September newsletter that her most recent book, "The Mermaid Chair" has been made into a film for Lifetime Television. It's airing this weekend, Saturday, September 9th, at 9pm EST and then again on Sunday and Monday night. It's a chic-flick to the rescue ladies!
It's been my experience that a film revolving around women's journeys (and especially of the romantic-comedy sort) can lighten your mood fast and is incredibly healthful during PMS. Here's why...
When our body prepares for menstruation, muscles tighten and contract (think achy lower backs) as it gets ready to shed the lining of the uterus. Then there's the hormonal surge that makes us hungrier, more sensitive and craving sweets (which is our body's natural solution to stress as sugar is expansive). Yet we carry on with our life, never honoring this energy shift and wonder why we get so cranky. Here's a fun solution to this problem.
(Read more about this effect here.)
A light, funny and women-centric movie can work just as well as a mood-altering sweet-treat, without all the extra calories, carb-bloating and puffy-face, sugar hang-over in the morning. Now don't get me wrong, I love a "make you think" art film like the next movie buff. In fact, I've been known to obsess about my Netflix queue to the annoyance of my Netflix "Friends." But during PMS, a girl needs a ro-co. (That's code for romantic comedy)
So that's why I'm recommending that you plop yourself down in front of the tube and check out Ms. Kidd's story. While Lifetime TV has been known to pump out a few "cheesy" movies, I can't help giving props to this writing goddess. Consider that this flick may be just what you need to feel-good when you really need it.
Here's to PMS Rescue in TV form.
Warning: I have not, obviously, seen the movie myself. So if it stinks, well, try the book.
Here's a synopsis of the movie, from LifetimeTV.com
"Take a journey of mystery, passion and self-discovery with Academy Award® winning actress Kim Basinger in a powerful story based on the best-seller "The Mermaid Chair." The movie follows married mom Jessie, who just sent her daughter off to school and now feels alone and listless in her 20-year marriage. When this restless wife gets a disturbing phone call, she must return to her childhood home on a beautiful Southern island to deal with the shocking behavior of her mentally unstable mother. During this visit, she finds herself undeniably attracted to a Benedictine monk. While struggling with this temptation and delving into her family's secretive past, Jessie undergoes a spiritual, artistic and erotic awakening. Her experiences on the island lead Jessie to discover her true self and what she really wants from her life."
Check your local listing here. I'll be hitting the record button and saving this for a PMS emergency.
Get a copy of the book here.
:)
Happy weekend!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Movement Motivation: Find Someplace Beautiful
This summer I started walking on a nearby trail in Southern Vermont, just a 5-minute drive from my house. Now I have known about this trail for the past two years that I’ve lived in upstate New York, but it remained a passing thought as I drove by on my weekly errands. You know, the “Yeah, I should try that sometime.”
Well “sometime” came in like a bear when I began to experience bouts of anxiety for the first time in my life. Despite all the wonderful blessings I could see around me, I still found myself breaking into cold sweats at night and waking to incessant worrying in the morning. Sure, I had experienced occasional nervousness in my life (usually before a big event or the like), but full-blown anxiety?
Well, what could I do but go ahead and try to implement what I intellectually understood about anxiety. I needed to get out of my head and into my body fast. Translation: Time to get off my tush and upgrade my exercising. Clearly my body was no longer satisfied with my on again and off again exercise habits.
On my first walk on the soft, earthen trail, it completely took my breath away. With my dogs trotting ahead of me, I let myself take in the natural beauty. The path brushed along open farmland straight out of a naturalist’s painting; a glittering stream gurgled on my right and Tasha (my lab mix, girl dog) couldn’t resist jumping in; a fantastic Green Mountain backdrop loomed into the sky, and even a few dairy cows stopped their grazing for a moment to cheer me on (man are they big!). It was a beautiful tapestry that immediately had a calming and grounding affect on me.
It was so beautiful, energizing and fun that I found it easy to hit the trails several times per week over the summer. No matter what my mood or energy level was, the refreshing environment seemed to also refresh my spirit. Sometimes I felt lazy, so I strolled along and shortened my walk to 20 minutes. But more often, I would walk briskly for 40 minutes or more.
What I most want to highlight in this post, is that exercise can be more than a grind and definitely more inspiring than a routine trip to the gym. If you’ve been feeling anxious or scattered, getting outside and moving your body in beautiful surroundings may be just the solution for your mind AND body.
According to Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder,” spending time in nature could the cure for your mind-body blues. The author sites recent studies that show increased productivity, improved concentration, a better ability to deal with negative stressors and a significant reduction in Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms… just by spending time in “green spaces.” If nature does this for troubled souls, imagine what it could do for a regular gal like you. I highly encourage you to find a local park, nearby hiking trail or waterside walkway to get your own dose nature nutrients.
The trick to filling up on this type of soul food is to pay attention to your environment. I like to think of it as a form of active meditation. For example, notice what you find attractive, unusual or even funny on your walk. Maybe notice what you find in abundance… things like pebbles, dandelions or flowers. And when you find yourself over-thinking or worrying again, bring your mind’s focus back to the environment that you’re walking in. You’ll feel inspired, calmer and energized.
Oh, and did I mention you’ll also get a leg-toning workout? You will.
Here’s a picture of the trail I enjoy with my dogs Thai and Tasha a few steps ahead.
Having a hard time staying focused and on track? Read more about Richard Louv’s research that demonstrate how being in green spaces (nature) reduces stress and profoundly increases your ability to feel focused.
Well “sometime” came in like a bear when I began to experience bouts of anxiety for the first time in my life. Despite all the wonderful blessings I could see around me, I still found myself breaking into cold sweats at night and waking to incessant worrying in the morning. Sure, I had experienced occasional nervousness in my life (usually before a big event or the like), but full-blown anxiety?
Well, what could I do but go ahead and try to implement what I intellectually understood about anxiety. I needed to get out of my head and into my body fast. Translation: Time to get off my tush and upgrade my exercising. Clearly my body was no longer satisfied with my on again and off again exercise habits.
On my first walk on the soft, earthen trail, it completely took my breath away. With my dogs trotting ahead of me, I let myself take in the natural beauty. The path brushed along open farmland straight out of a naturalist’s painting; a glittering stream gurgled on my right and Tasha (my lab mix, girl dog) couldn’t resist jumping in; a fantastic Green Mountain backdrop loomed into the sky, and even a few dairy cows stopped their grazing for a moment to cheer me on (man are they big!). It was a beautiful tapestry that immediately had a calming and grounding affect on me.
It was so beautiful, energizing and fun that I found it easy to hit the trails several times per week over the summer. No matter what my mood or energy level was, the refreshing environment seemed to also refresh my spirit. Sometimes I felt lazy, so I strolled along and shortened my walk to 20 minutes. But more often, I would walk briskly for 40 minutes or more.
What I most want to highlight in this post, is that exercise can be more than a grind and definitely more inspiring than a routine trip to the gym. If you’ve been feeling anxious or scattered, getting outside and moving your body in beautiful surroundings may be just the solution for your mind AND body.
According to Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder,” spending time in nature could the cure for your mind-body blues. The author sites recent studies that show increased productivity, improved concentration, a better ability to deal with negative stressors and a significant reduction in Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms… just by spending time in “green spaces.” If nature does this for troubled souls, imagine what it could do for a regular gal like you. I highly encourage you to find a local park, nearby hiking trail or waterside walkway to get your own dose nature nutrients.
The trick to filling up on this type of soul food is to pay attention to your environment. I like to think of it as a form of active meditation. For example, notice what you find attractive, unusual or even funny on your walk. Maybe notice what you find in abundance… things like pebbles, dandelions or flowers. And when you find yourself over-thinking or worrying again, bring your mind’s focus back to the environment that you’re walking in. You’ll feel inspired, calmer and energized.
Oh, and did I mention you’ll also get a leg-toning workout? You will.
Here’s a picture of the trail I enjoy with my dogs Thai and Tasha a few steps ahead.
Having a hard time staying focused and on track? Read more about Richard Louv’s research that demonstrate how being in green spaces (nature) reduces stress and profoundly increases your ability to feel focused.
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