Part of having a delicious life is about loving the skin you’re in. Finding movement that feels right for you can help you love your body that much more. When you take care of your body with vitality-building exercises, you are rewarded with higher energy levels and more positive emotions (not to mention a sexy hot bod).
I work out in the morning because I know there’s no way of getting out of it. At 6:00am, I’m too sleepy to reason with myself. If I make myself just get up and do it, I’m already 10 minutes into the workout by the time I fully wake up, and then I’m not resisting working out.
Sometimes I have an awesome workout. And sometimes I want to die. Most of the times, I like working out. But sometimes, if I’ve stayed up too late the night before (like last night), I really don’t want to get out of bed. I think about hitting the snooze button. But then I get up anyway.
Why? Because the best - and only - way to get in shape is to consistently put one foot in front of another. That means, just show up.
Even if it’s not your best workout day, or if you can only work out for 20 minutes. Or 15. At least you showed up. That’s 15 more minutes than you would have done had you stayed in bed. And once you get into the habit, you won’t think twice about skipping a workout. It will become second nature like brushing your teeth, just another step in your routine.
It takes about 21 days to ingrain a new habit. Once you do something consistently each day for about 3 weeks, it becomes part of your daily routine. If you continue past that time, you’re probably going to keep the habit for quite a while.
I’m 19 days into my new workout routine. I’ve noticed that the shape of my body is starting to change. All of my pants are loose, and most everything else in my wardrobe fits well or is moving to the “too big” side. And while I’m sleepy today, my overall energy has definitely increased over the past few weeks.
I highly recommend trying a new workout routine and committing to it for at least 3 weeks. Try something that challenges you. If you’ve been a runner forever, take up a new cardio sport such as biking or swimming. If you lift weights, try yoga. If you’re a weight lifter, try Tai Chi. Even if you’re in amazing shape, you may be surprised how difficult a new type exercise can be. And, if you’ve been bored with your same old routine, you might find yourself loving working out again.
Something to get you started (if you’re in New York City/Brooklyn):
Want to kick start a new diet or exercise routine? Try my week-long cleanse class - a quick, flexible, easy way to get moving. The class starts May 7, so sign up today!
Did you get your laughter for today? There are many benefits you can get just from laughing - it boosts your immune system, relieves stress, stretches your facial muscles, relieves tension in the head, neck and jaw, and can be good for alleviating headaches.
Besides all of those tangible benefits, there are many other that come with regular laughter. I think we could all use a little more merriment in our lives. Life is not all that serious, yet so many of us take everything so seriously all the time.
I want to start one of these laughter clubs - or find one to join near where I live.
My boyfriend and I went on vacation to Mexico for two weeks. We traveled from Mexico City to Playa Del Carmen on a GAP Adventures tour, seeing many ruins and pyramids, enjoying Mexican culture and mouthwatering food.
At the very end, we went to Tulum, the famous Mayan ruin on the Caribbean Sea. In front of, and with help from, our whole tour group, he proposed to me behind the pyramid. This photo is of the moment after I said yes.
It’s the last day of 2007, and everyone is getting ready to start fresh with a new year. What will you do differently?
First, acknowledge yourself for everything that you’ve accomplished over the past 365 days. If you have a list of goals that you wrote out at the beginning of the year, look over them and see how you did. Were you able to accomplish everything you wanted and more? Or did you fall short? If you did what you wanted, give yourself a nice pat on the back for all the good work you did over the year. If not, think about why you fell short. Maybe your goals were too ambitious, or maybe you didn’t focus on them on a regular basis. Whatever you decide, see how you can do better next year.
Then take the time to renew your list of goals, adding on fresh priorities and getting rid of old ideas that no longer suit you. The more specific you can get about what you want, the better your chances for achieving it. Then keep your list where you will be able to review it on a daily basis to keep your goals top of mind.
What are your goals for 2008? How do you plan to achieve them?
Feeling stuffed by all the holiday goodies? Have your friends and family heard you claim that you’ll “never eat again” more than once? There have been many meals that we have eaten mindlessly. Today, take the time to eat mindfully.
Take a slice of apple or a grape and place it before you. Look at the fruit before you pick it up. Mindfully allow your hand to approach the food. Now grasp it, and raise it up in front of you.
Notice the color and the texture. Smell it, and see if there’s a scent. Really examine it before you take the first bite.
When you bite into it, allow the bite to sit in your mouth for a few seconds. Feel the texture and sense the taste of it. Now chew slowly. Notice the change in texture and flavor as you chew it. Don’t swallow it right away - allow the bite to linger on your tongue. How does it feel and taste? Do you notice a change in flavor?
Finally allow yourself to swallow the bite. Feel what it feels like to really experience your food, one bite at a time.
For many people, exercise is not be high on the list of to-dos. But taking time to move each day gets the blood and lymph moving, helps you move toxins out of your body, and can contribute to your overall mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
You don’t need to run a marathon to get the exercise your body needs. Start out with a brisk walk or leisurely bike ride. Once you get in the habit, you’ll love how your daily movement makes you feel.
Ever think of doodling as more than just a way to pass the time while in class or on the phone? According to Katherine Revoir, doodling can be used to bridge your brain and your heart and reconnect yourself to spirit. Pretty deep. Check out her “play book” called Spiritual Doodles and Mental Leapfrogs - I’ve worked with it myself and have found that the exercises within it can be very rewarding.
Take some time out to play today. What does play mean to you? Is it playing a board game? A video game? A puzzle? Or Scrabulous with a friend on Facebook? Maybe play is running outside, riding your bike, or taking a walk. Maybe play is people watching or skipping rope or playing jacks. Or maybe it’s watching where you step on the sidewalk so that you don’t step on a crack and break your mom’s back. Block out some time to play a game - with a friend or by yourself - even if it’s just 15 minutes.
What you put out in the world is what you get back. Why not give yourself some happiness by smiling? Smile at a friendly-looking stranger and see what you get back - I bet it will be a return smile.
Smiling is easier than frowning - it takes many fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown. And it makes you feel better psychologically. Think you can feel depressed when your head is up and you’re smiling? Just try it. I bet you can’t.
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