Set your Intention

I know it's been a while since I last posted but I thought it timely to post about setting up for a brand new year. So thanks for reading & here we go...

I'm done with the concept of "resolutions". It carries the assumption that something is wrong & needs to be fixed.   So instead, I plan to set a positive health & wellness Intention this year. 

So what is an Intention? Here's how it's defined on the web: 

-a thing intended; an aim or plan

-the healing process of a wound

-Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French entencion, from Latin intentio(n-) ‘stretching, purpose,

Basically all of these fit for creating an Intention.  As it relates to health & well-being, it's about setting a plan that will not only help with any healing that's needed but also helps to stretch and evolve oneself both physically & mentally. I'm not talking about a magic wand that addressees everything, but I am talking about creating & committing to a mindset that helps keep you on the path to a tangible & achievable goal for your overall health.   

Setting an Intention can be as simple as a commitment to walk outdoors everyday, even for a short time.  Another example, (not as simple) can be to set an Intention to be mindful whenever you eat. Food is available to us 24/7 and it's ready for us fast (drive-thrus, salad bars, microwave meals). In turn, we're all guilty of eating so fast that we can't even remember what we had for lunch. If you are mindful when you eat (and not multitasking) you can actually enjoy your food. All of your senses come into play (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) and you really get to savor the moment of eating. The other side benefit is that you aid your digestion process by chewing your food slower, and then sending the macerated pieces through your system slower as well. (Benefits can include less reflux, gassiness and/or sleepiness from "inhaling" your lunch too fast.)

My Intention is to commit to a consistent & longer daily meditation practice.  I started this practice last year, but I was inconsistent & pretty distracted most of the time.  However, over time, I got better & by the end of the year, I created a consistent practice for myself that helped calm the mind & the body. Don't worry, I'm not moving to the Himalayas to become a Buddhist monk, but after a year of trying out a little stillness through meditation, I get it, I like it & I'm already seeing the benefits. 

Whatever Intention you decide on, make it yours, create it with a big dose of positivity & then just get started.  Any positive intention you create not only helps you but it also has a positive effect on those around you. 

Happy New Year! Hope to see you soon. 

With love,

Barb 

Find Your Inspiration for 2015

I'm always looking for inspiration to help drive my personal, professional and health/fitness goals throughout the year and after thinking about all of the famous people who inspire me, I realized that the most inspiring person to me is my Mom, Gloria.

Born in 1931, my Mom is the rock of our family.   She is the middle daughter of 6 and has always been confident and strong.  She survived Japanese occupation of the Phillipines during World War II; and in high school and college she threw javelin & shot-put on her track and field team.  In addition, she was a model back in her home town and participated and placed in many pageants in the 1950's.  Her full time job was raising her 7 children while my Dad worked as a house painter.  

Today, she is the proud parent of 7 children and 8 grandkids and raised all of us in the US in the same 900 sq ft home that she still lives in today.    At 80+ years old, she does have short-term spotty memory and other physical ailments that slow her down, but she still has an amazing ability to provide inspiration and guidance to all of us.  In some cases she provides laser focused parenting advise to us about raising our own kids.  At other times, she entertains us with concise recollections of our own growing years.   Her biggest dream for all of us has been to get a quality education, live quality lives and take care of family.  We continue to fulfill that dream for her.    I thank my Mom for her strength and guidance throughout the years and continue to find inspiration from her life's example in this new year of 2015.

If you haven't done so yet, take a moment to figure out who/what inspires you and use that as your motivation for your health & fitness goals for 2015.  Happy New Year everyone!

-Barb


Contact me directly for Group Sessions and 1/1 trainings starting this month.

Also, check out barbfit.blogspot.com for pasts posts on health & fitness.

EAT: The Story of Food & $10 Off Farm Fresh to you

In my evening quests to find quality content on TV, I discovered this really interesting show on the National Geographic Channel: EAT - The Story of Food

This fascinating National Geographic series goes into the history of how we eat and how each major milestone in our history has changed what we eat and the way we eat.  One of the interesting facts for me was how the creation of canned/preserved foods for soliders during wartime, gave birth (post-war) to convenience foods for the home (TV Dinners, Spam,  Betty Croker Box Cakes, Microwave Ovens).   And of course, clever marketers and skilled scientists were behind and continue to be behind all of these products.  Since we are what we eat, seems like a worthwhile series to check out.

While you are thinking of food, I aso wanted to make sure that I passed on my $10 discount code for  Farm Fresh to You: BARB9222.  I get the small No Cooking Box every 2 weeks and it gets delivered right to my door.  Their Nantes carrots and organic fruit are really tasty.    All produce is locally grown and in season.  Here's the link to check out their website & sign up:  www.farmfreshtoyou.com

Hope you are all getting some workouts in despite this gloomy weather.  Probably a good time to get into the gym and/or take a Yoga or Pilates class at a local studio.  

Have a great week and hope to see you all for a workout soon!

Barb


Sessions in December
For those of you that want to get ahead of the Holiday Eating, I will be doing some group sessions in December.  Normally we meet Wednesdays & Fridays @ 9am, but I may be able to squeeze in a few Mondays and Thursdays.  Email me directly if you are interested and we can get a group going for the next few weeks.

1-1's 
I'm firming up my schedule for December and have some space to squeeze in some 1-1 Sessions.  Your first session includes a free 20 min fitness assessment.  Email me if you are intersested and we can schedule a time to review your goals.


Don't forget to check out my blog at barbfit.blogspot.com for previous posts on health & fitness.

What's your favorite exercise therapy?

There's a lot going on in our world that can lead you to some level of stress:  incessant news of wars, viruses with no cures, shootings, etc.   In addition, we have our personal daily stressors, being on time for a meeting, getting yourself and possibly your entire family out the door in the morning, getting stuck in traffic, etc.   Between worldly stressors and personal ones, you can build up a lot of stress that if not addressed can manifest into a real physical issue: tension in the neck, sleepless nights, weight gain and many other health problems.

So how can we handle all of this stress???  My answer: Exercise.   Given all of life's daily stressors, I use exercise for my therapy.  It clears my head, it requires me to focus on my movement, it forces me to push aside whatever is stressing me out because my body is relying on me to make it safely through whatever the physical activity is.   I exercise or do some kind of physical activity about 5-7 days a week and when I get out of that routine, my ability to manage stress diminishes with every day that I haven't worked out.   For me, there's a direct correlation between the two: more exercise = less stress and less exercise = more stress.  

In this article from the Mayo clinic Get Moving to Manage Stress   they state that "Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever".  

The Huffington Posts in their article: How Does Exercise Reduce Stress highlights scientific benefits :  

[Exercise] forces the body's physiological systems -- all of which are involved in the stress response -- to communicate much more closely than usual: The cardiovascular system communicates with the renal system, which communicates with the muscular system. And all of these are controlled by the central and sympathetic nervous systems, which also must communicate with each other. This workout of the body's communication system may be the true value of exercise; the more sedentary we get, the less efficient our bodies in responding to stress.

So what better excuse to go for a long walk, hike or bike ride with a friend when it is a proven stress reducer.  If you already use exercise as your stress reducer, what are your favorites?  My top 3 are Running, Yoga and more recently Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP).  Running has always been my go to.  I can do it anywhere and I find a calming rhythm in my pace, my cadence and my breathing.  Yoga is my next favorite as it calms my mind while it sets me in repetitive motions that require strength, balance and flexibility.   SUP is my most recent favorite.  Every time I go out on a board whether with friends or by myself, I work my core and my arms via paddling and get a mini escape from land and usually a pretty awe inspiring view of the shoreline from the water.  

So get out and participate in your own favorite exercise therapy this week, I'm sure it will help you with life's stresses.  Have a great week and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb


If you're interested in group sessions or 1-1 personal training sessions,  contact me @ barbmh@yahoo.com   Also don't forget to check out my past posts on health & fitness at barbfit.blogspot.com 

Some free Stuff for my So Cal Friends

Hope you are all having a great week.  For those of you live in Southern California, I wanted to pass on  a couple free health and fitness related items that I am also doing.

Next week I'll be attending the IDEA World Fitness and Nutrition Expo in Anaheim, CA to get some continuing education credits for my NASM personal training certification.  I'll also be checking out their Expo where there will be over 300 Leading Brands in the fitness world: equipment, technology, nutrition and a lot more.  The Expo opens on Thursday, August 14th at Noon and here's your free pass to check it out  IDEA Fit EXPO Free Pass.  Sign up soon as there are a limited number of free passes available.  Hope to see you there!

For my friends in the South Bay (Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo, Torrance) I also just signed up for the Blue Zones Project through Beach Cities Health District.  Just complete their survey and you will receive their discount card.  I got 10% off at Good Stuff restaurant and plan to use it at Grow on Wednesdays for a discount on their fresh fruit.  All this, for FREE!  For more info and to sign up check it out here: Blue Zones Project.

Enjoy your free stuff and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb


Sessions this week:

Group Sessions:
I'm available for a Wednesday and/or Thursday Session at 9am.  I will need 4 to run the session so email me for more info and if you'd like to join.  You are welcome to bring a friend!

TRX Sessions:
I am a TRX Suspension System Qualified Trainer and would be happy to show you how effectively use the system.  I'm still running a 20minutes for $20 session and move you through you a quick & effective High Intensity Interval workout with the TRX that you will love.  Email me for more info.

1-1 Training Sessions:
If you're looking for 1-1 Training, I currently have openings and would love to create a custom program for you that you can stick to.  If you've been thinking about training for a while and need to kickstart a program, contact me and we will get you started!

Don't forget to check out my past blogs on Health & Fitness at barbfit.blogspot.com 

How much time will you dedicate to health & fitness this summer?

There are a lot of reasons to be grateful for the summer: warm weather, school break & family vacations.

And in this season just like I've written in the Fall, Winter & Spring you also need to dedicate time for your health & fitness.

Sometimes it's easy as the warmer weather inspires consumption of lighter foods such as fresh seasonal fruits & vegetables. Or you end up on a vacation that includes outdoor activities for 10 days straight. Take advantage of these easy ways to keep up with your health & fitness.

And of course, sometimes it's hard -  Your kids are out of school & there's no time to get a real workout.  Or that 10 day vacation you're on has a decadent all you can eat buffet that you can't pass up.

Whether it's easy or hard, carve out some time everyday this summer to do something active & make a conscious effort to be mindful about what you eat without stressing yourself out.  Living an active life & eating for your health is a lifelong commitment.

And, if you need a little more motivation, come join me for a workout.

Have a great week!

Don't forget to check out my blog for past posts on health & fitness. 

http://barbfit.blogspot.com/



Group Sessions this week:
Wednesday at 9:30am and/or Friday at 9:30am.  4 persons min needed to run the session.  Email me if you'd like to join us.  Hope to see you for a few sessions this summer!


TRX Sessions & Demos:
I am a TRX Suspension System Qualified Trainer and I would love to show you how to effectively use this system.  I use the TRX for quick and intense 20 min workouts when I don't have a lot of time.  So, let me show you how it works.  I'm offering a 20min for $20 session with the TRX that incorporates muscle conditioning combined with High Intensity Interval Training all on the TRX.  Email me for more info.  

Commit to One New Goal for the Next 8 Weeks to Improve Your Health

Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly can be a daunting task when you are at the beginning of your journey for improving your health.  It's also just as difficult, when you've made good progress towards your goal.   Many times you hit a rut and don't see any further changes.  Furthermore, with your job, overall life responsibilities and commitments to friends, family and co-workers, where will you find the time to exercise and/or start a diet???

Well, it's hard; and I've definitely been there (multiple injuries, pregnancies, vacations...).  So, my challenge to you today, is just to commit to ONE new goal that you can stick to for the next 8 weeks.  It's a way to make progress without being overwhelmed by all the steps.  Let's just take ONE step today.  

Here are some ideas for that ONE new goal you can achieve:
-Drink enough water every day
-Add 1 more day of exercise/week (min. of 20 minutes, ex. Yoga 1x/week, Run 1x/week)
-Eat more green vegetables every day
-No Coke, Diet Coke, Vitamin Water (or other sweetened beverage) for 8 weeks
-Choose to walk instead of drive if it's a short distance
-No added sugar
-No fried foods

I'm sure you can think of other things, but just pick one.  Log your progress in a journal, or on your phone and/or with an app (ex. MyFitnessPal). Then, in 2 weeks, check in with me and let me know how you feel.  If you cut something out, do you miss it or crave it? If you added something, did you notice the difference?   Then, in 8 weeks, when you have this ONE new thing down and "mastered," let's come up with the next goal you can achieve;  and let's continue this lifetime journey and commitment to ourselves, our friends and our families to live a long, healthy and active life.

Have a great week and hope to see you for a workout soon!

Barb



Core Group Sessions:
I have an intensive in progress and have 1-2 drop in spots available.  Email me if you'd like to join.

1-1 Sessions:
Getting ready for summer beach weather?  Let me know if you're interested in 1-1 sessions to get yourself on the right track.  I have a few 1-1 spots open and would love to create a custom program for you.

Don't forget to check out my previous posts at barbfit.blogspot.com for past posts on health and fitness.