What’s your inner voice telling you?

“We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.” – Earl Nightingale

As a movement professional and coach I allow my clients to turn on their own light bulbs.  I’m there as a guide and a facilitator.  I’ll help them until they can do it themselves, but at Mind Body Balance we encourage our clients to be independent (not dependent on us).  There is a whole world for us to inspire to movement.

There is far greater joy and power to watch someone figure it out for themselves; and they do, as long as you create that “place” in which it’s possible that you will be there for them on the other side. Sometimes you just have to close your eyes, hope for the best and push through to the other side.

Fear is only as thick as a Kleenex.
The body is fluid and open to change.  The mind is concrete.
Overcome the concrete mind and the body is ready and willing to be freed.

When it comes to movement, we all have an Angel on one shoulder and the Devil on the other. I know I’m being cute, but think about it. We have the Angel saying, “Yes.  Yes.  Buy vegetables, attend your Pilates today.  You’ll feel better for doing so.”  Meanwhile the Devil is saying, “Ice cream, French fries, be a couch potato.   Come on, I’ve been doing this “plates” thing for five minutes it isn’t working.  Let’s leave.”
Okay so this isn’t a perfect situation of what’s in our head, but you get the point I’m trying to make. We each have two voices; one that is trying to demolish our goals and self-esteem and one that promotes our goals and self-esteem.  Some of us might have a whole committee to deal with.

I was fortunate to have a mother that said I could do anything, that I am a survivor.  At Mind Body Balance “Can’t” isn’t a word that is said in our studio.  As a matter of fact, it’s grounds for a stern “Kim talking to.”

I will accept phrases like:

• “If not today, tomorrow.”
• “Every time I try I get stronger.”
• “Yes, I can.”
• “I release and let go.”… Etc.

We all have a negative voice in our head.  My negative voice tells me things like, “I’m not good enough, strong enough or worthy enough to get what I want”, etc.  You have these voices too, maybe a mob of voices.  These whispers are always with us, good and bad.

Starting a yoga practice can help quiet these voices and put them into perspective. There is something to be said for being still, quiet, peaceful and content with our body and mind in this fast paced world. Our life paths take us through light and shadows, we constantly are faced with choices between good and evil, truth and lies, kindness and coldness.  These interior voices face off on the battlefield of the mind daily.

Changing our mind’s thoughts to positive (turning down the volume of those negative voices) takes practice.  They can be changed as easily as changing a channel on the television from Jerry Springer to the Discovery channel.  We are what we “turn on” at the moment.  It requires diligent repetition of positive statements, and constant, consistent, constructive application.

Daily practice.  Daily practice.  Daily practice.  Daily practice.  Did I say “Daily practice?”

Over time you will observe your interior voice change.  Along with this, will come a change in your results. Take charge of your inner voice today.  You can tell it what to tell you.  Choose the positive voice.  You are worth it, and more.

Is your inner dialogue overly critical? You deserve to be spoken to in encouraging ways. You have the power to change your critical inner voice to a loving and supportive one.

Post your most reoccurring negative voice here and then tell us how you are going to turn it into a positive. Feel free to help each other turn that negative voice into a positive.  Remember, we are a community at Mind Body Balance.  Inspire others to movement.

Marathon Blog #7

“There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life. There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that mine. O traveler, if you are in search of that don’t look outside, look inside yourself and seek that”-Rumi

Well, we just finished up our Trail Half Marathon and I have to say I had to dig deep. My practice long runs went much better for me than the race day run did. I was having stomach issues and found that my shoes for the rocky portions weren’t supportive enough. I had many mental struggles after the 10 mile marker and lost the personal pace that I had set.  When Danny Dreyer talks about it being a mental race he isn’t joking. We did a hard 13.1 miles and I think this took us to a new physical and mental level and reminded us that we still have work to do.

Our next race is in Northville on June 25^th. It is a timed 10 mile run of a 12 minute pace. So, you guessed it, we will be working on our speed over the next 6-8 weeks. Don’t let this scare you.  It will come, just as the endurance keeps coming. Remember that the strength of your mind is your driving force through your training. Keep your eye on your long-term goal and remember how far you’ve come.  It’s something to celebrate!

Just as in Pilates, when you hit a certain level of performance you really start to focus on flow and rhythm.  In doing this, it doesn’t mean that the quality of movement is lost; it just means you have to find it quicker and stay centered. As we do speed runs this is also true.  You still must focuses on form.  Good form increases your speed.

Here is a checklist to remember when working on speed:

•  start slow and gradually pick up speed,

•  stay focused on your body sensing,

•  relax your lower body,

•  allow the stride to be long out the back

•  allow the core to be strong,

•  focus on your arm movement as it sets your pace,

•  pick up your feet (not your knees)
•  relax the shoulders, hips, pelvis, calves, ankles

•  remember, effort with ease.

We will be dong interval speed drills and ladder speed drills. Interval speed drills means you’ll pick a pace that you can maintain for a long distance, run this for 1 mile and then take it up a notch for the next mile and then back down a notch for the following mile etc. Remember, to increase speed, just increase your lean. For the ladder drill, start out your first mile slow and then each mile after that pick up the pace slightly. Notice that I say “slightly” and “notch” or maybe even “a gear” I do NOT say to sprint 🙂

Remember this month’s goals are to improve form and learn to use our gears more.

Some additional things to strongly consider: fasting/ detox cleanse & new shoes.

I’ve logged over 160 miles on these shoes. I need to get another pair so that I can have them broken in for the event in October. At this pace I’ll need a new pair in October. I do not want to run on an old pair or a new pair. I will also pick up a pair of trail shoes as well.

I have noticed on the long runs that stuff seems to be coming out of my body through my throat and skin so I will be doing a fast in May and then will continue with one daily fast per week. I used to do this on a regular basis and got away from it. I’ve asked Sherri to talk about this in more detail in May’s Balancing Act Marathon Tip. I really encourage you to give this some thought.

It is time to sign up for your June 25^th, July 8^th and October 16^th race (this one is expensive and goes up in price starting Tuesday) so get signed up you don’t want to be like some of our clients that were shut out of our last race.

Here is a race day schedule:

Month	Training for The Half	Training for The Full	Link to Race
June 25th	10k	10 mile	http://www.solsticerun.org/
July 8th	15k	15k	http://www.moonlitformarrow.com/
August
September 10th	5 mile & 10k	Mellow full	http://www.runwoodstock.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
October 16th	Half Marathon	Full Marathon	http://www.freepmarathon.com/

Here is your training schedule for May: (it is now time that I’ll start dividing the long runs out for Half/ Full Marathon)

Week #	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1	Active Rest/ Nap	Yoga	Yoga/ Short Run	Short Run	Breathing Class/ Pilates	Pilates	Long Run
2	Active Rest/ Nap	Short Run/ Yoga	Yoga	Short Run	Breathing Class/ Pilates	Pilates	Long Run/ Holistic Health Class
3	Active Rest/ Nap	Short Run/ Yoga	Yoga	Short Run	Breathing Class/ Pilates	Pilates	Long Run
4	Active Rest / Nap	Short Run/Yoga	Yoga	Short Run/Holistic Health Class	Breathing Class/ Pilates	Pilates	Long Run

Week One: This is an active rest week for those that just came off the half marathon. This means short runs are about 45 minutes and your long run is 6 miles. (Interval Focuses of Form/ Speed)

Week Two: Short runs are now 50/60. Long Run for FM is 9 miles & HM is 6 miles (Ladder Focus of Form/ Speed)

Week Three: Short runs are now 50/60. Long Run for FM is 10 miles & HM is 7 miles (Interval focuses of Form/ Speed)

Week Four: Short runs are now 50/60. Long Run is for FM is 11 miles & HM is 5 miles (Ladder focus of form/ speed)

Budgeting: Fast Food vs. Wellness Services?

“It’s amazing how fast you can go through $7,000 with beer, pizza and The Gap.” –Ben Affleck

People groan at the words budget, exercise, and healthy food. Why? They relate sinking, depressed, deprived feelings to these words. Well, if you have these feelings you aren’t alone. To the vast majority of us, it denotes scarcity, deprivation and limitations; none of which seem pleasurable. Exercising usually means eliminating fun, pain, boredom, sweat, feelings of inadequacy, something we do when we are stressed out. This is not my idea.

My idea is designing a plan to achieve healthy (not magazine) bodies; reaching all those goals you would like to accomplish over time without the heroic effort. Movement should be an enjoyable process not a bitter, restrictive, fearful pill to swallow.

An action plan for fitness and healthy eating doesn’t have to be written in stone, it should be flexible, adjustable and one that reflects your values and your life. All of these decisions and commitments that you make give you the power to change so you don’t feel trapped.  You aren’t stuck.  It wouldn’t make sense to create a plan that made you feel stuck. You can change things if you are willing. 

The power of a plan is that you can decide at the beginning of every week or month how you will spend your calories burned/ your fuel you use, how much, when and how. Then when you add up your cumulative calories burnt for the week or month you see whether or not you want to change your decisions for the following month or design a plan that works for you.  Then, work your plan.

I happily move spending calories I burn in the wisest of ways!

Add up your last four week’s receipts of eating out. I would bet if you commit to eating just a portion of those meals at home, you could afford a Fitness Coach, yoga or Pilates very easily. Notice I didn’t suggest to stop eating out completely; just slow the pace a little bit so you can find some balance between eating and moving.

Marathon Blog #6:

“Some people think that successful people are born that way. A champion Is someone who has fallen off the horse a dozen times and gotten back on the horse a dozen times. Successful people never give up.” – Jean Driscoll (8 time winner of Boston Marathon, Wheel Chair Division)

The goals this month are to build to a continual running time of 20-30 minutes. It’s all in the pace, folks. Time and patience are required to making it to your first marathon or, for that matter, any marathon.  You need to be at the start line healthy and ready to run. Focus on your form, pace and body sensing; not on measuring.  To establish a strong mental attitude regarding your running: keep track of your midweek runs, plan ahead, space your runs evenly throughout the week and have fun. This is a difficult time in your running program. You must remember what your long term goal is and keep in mind how far you have come!

Congratulations for coming this far.  We are about one third of the way through the training program.  It is time for a celebration.  Treat yourself to something that allows you to reinforce your success (i.e., body work (like a massage), yoga class, pilates, a quality vitamin, new running outfit). Just do anything; something that inspires you and makes you feel great, whatever that may be. Think about it.  For the marathoners, you should be able to comfortably and safely walk/ run about 13.1 miles.  Jump into a half marathon to test yourself.  For the half-marathoners, you should be able to comfortably and safely walk/run about 6.5 miles.  Jump into a 10K to test yourself.   Remember, the events/ races are there to test your hard work and to allow some fun, positive energy in your training.

Trail etiquette:                     
Stay on the trail and follow the marked trail
Leave no trace behind you carry out what you carry in
Run in single file in the middle of the trail
Respect closures/avoid trespassing on private land
Do not disturb or harass wildlife,
no ear pods or ipods please, be in the present moment of nature
Give courteous and audible announcements well in advance of your presence and intention of passing “on our left” and show respect when you pass
Yield to all bikers, hikers, horses, etc. Uphill runners yield to downhill runners, Slower runners yield to faster runners, move over but stay on the trail
Be friendly, let other trail go-ers know they have a friend. “Thank you.” “Hello, how are you?” “Beautiful day.”
Run in smaller groups, it is less intimidating to others
Run with a buddy and let someone know your plan
Thank your volunteers
Familiarize yourself with the course map and have one with you
Be patient with the conga line.  Yell out “Trail—to your left or to your right” the slower runner should stop, step aside and make it easier for the faster runner to overtake.

This is not an all-inclusive list by any means but it should get you in the right mindset come race day to use your social intelligence and to help preserve nature.

Field trip on week two. Start and finish at Silver Lake in Pinckney Recreation Area. From I-94, go to US-23 North, (it jogs in Ann Arbor, and actually joins up with M-14 for a while, but stay on US-23 North), exit on North Territorial Rd.(first exit north of M-14). Head west 10 miles to Dexter Town Hall Rd. Turn Right (north), go one mile and the park is on the left.

Our group run will meet at our Start/ head of our Trail Marathon (running on a softer terrain (such as dirt trails) is easier on our joints, but look out for hard-to-see bumps, holes, tree roots, etc. We will plan to run 5 miles in and 5 miles out.  This will give us just enough of a taste to see what we are up against come race day. This allows us to find the location and see how much time we need to allow to get there. This will also allow us to experience a good portion of the trail ahead of time so that we can practice our hill technique as a group and offer support. This isn’t going to be an easy race, but learning something new keeps our mind vibrant. It gives us zest in life. You are going to face challenges on this run.  Think of it as a new adventure that will help you grow. Remember this whole process of training for such an event was to learn about your body and yourself. Learning can be a stretch goal at times and bring up feelings that are uncomfortable; physically, mentally and emotionally. Allow yourself to evolve as a person and don’t self-deprecate. Remember, I asked Sherri to hold classes at Mind Body Balance for our convenience.  Many of the classes have been outlined to follow the items that will come up in our training. She brings us a holistic way to handle these non-physical aspects of our training.

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” –Albert Einstein

Hills?  In SE Michigan? Yes!  This race in May has a few of them and they will bring a challenge to our race. Why did I pick a race with hills?  Because having them included in our training is a great way to build stamina for the Ambassador Bridge and coming out of the Windsor tunnel, etc. There are several techniques that I encourage you to train with in April. If you are doing long runs with me, then you’ll be doing the Munson hill with me too. You can lean into the hill, hinging from the ankle-joint (ankle will stay down) keeping the stomach strong to support the back. Focus your attention only a few feet in front of you. Don’t over-stride up the hill. Pump your arms and walk up the hill. Be patient, take your time get to the top and then you’ll be going down the hill soon  🙂  Let cresting the hill and looking back be satisfying.  Don’t shy away from the hill because (as the ladies that ran with me last Saturday found out) it isn’t as much work as you think it will be; especially if you use my favorite technique of going up laterally. Here is a key element to remember.  Do not overwork your legs.  Your upper body will need to work harder on the uphill and reduce your lower body effort (70/30). Relax, shorten your stride, and shift your speed down. Think of a car shifting to go up a steep hill, Pump your arms forward (start at the hips and bring the hand up as if you were going to throw an uppercut to your chin) and lean into the hill. Memorize this check list to use when faced with a hill: shorten your stride, lean into the hill, swing the arms up to the face, relax your lower half and keep your heels down.

Okay, so I mentioned that I’m a fan of lateral up the hill. Now you can go half-way up the hill one way and then switch to do the other half or if you have a lot hills in your run just do one hill one way and one hill the other so that you are working your body uniformly. Going up a steep hill is difficult.  If you overstretch your Achilles tendons you will tire out your calves quickly and keep you from moving forward with zest. So, turn your hips into the hill and move laterally up it. It is like a cross step up the hill with your heels down so that your Achilles tendons aren’t overstretched and the calves don’t get over worked. The beauty of it is that you are using lateral muscles of the leg, it is like using a fresh set of muscles. This allows our body to work one set of muscles for running and one set for going up the hill conserving our energy. So, turn into that hill and go up it half-way one way and half-way up the other way.  Others might look at you funny, giggle or call you a newbie, but guaranteed they’ll give it a try out on their next run and start laughing at how easy it is.

Downhill running.  Relax (quads and calves) and surrender to the speed. Let the leg and pelvis rotate as need be.  Come into your 100 curl.  This will protect the lower back and sacrum.  Take smaller steps, zigzag down the hill if there is enough room, relax your shoulders away from your ears, let your body-weight ride softly down on your heels using the back of your legs as brakes and stay off your toes, think of dropping your tail bone down to your heels. This is new terrain for us so be present, do our body sensing

Water, carbs, etc….thanks to our ultra-athlete/ MBB member (Mary Kapp) I’ve been trying out some water devices because it has become the time where we need to start bringing our own water and carb/ electrolyte replacements on our long runs and to our events.  You can’t always count on the supplies at an event, that it agrees with our system or that it is timed when you need it).  So far, I like the Amphipod handheld thermal lite 12 oz.  It retails for about $22.  Here is a link to learn more and/or purchase. http://www.amphipod.com/products/hydration/bottles-handhelds/handhelds/handheld-thermal-lite-12oz

I personally have found a great recovery when I fill it with coconut water (Meijer, Health Matters, Trader Joes, Whole Foods all carry this) and 2 oz. of my Body Balance liquid vitamin (purchase this from Sherri Eby). I’ve been testing this vitamin out at Sherri Eby’s request for about 2 months now. I was sold when I started to include an extra dose during my long runs. The recovery is amazing, no soreness at all :), no deep fatigue the next day (just an hour early to bed and a nap on Sunday and I’m like new). I’d been testing out some Gu (carb/ electrolyte gels) and Mary and Tressa have gone shopping for me as well (thank you ladies for spoiling me). Some of the gels didn’t settle well in my stomach and the ingredient label was a bit scary too. So, once again I went to our resident natural-path and asked her to whip something up.  Sure enough, she took that challenge on and accomplished it. The natural “gu” is superb and we are in the process of just finding a better package for it.  But the important stuff to know is that the stuff that goes in it is better than anything on the market 🙂 Five gold stars for Sherri!  Mind Body Balance will be handing out one container of this mix to each of you at the 10K (so make sure we know you are signed up by commenting on this blog, otherwise you will be left out).  If you like it then Sherri will let you know how to order more from her for future events and long runs. My second choice is Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gel.

Upcoming events to sign up for:   http://www.solsticerun.org/  This is the link for our next race after the half-marathon. This event is on Saturday, June 25, 2011 in Northville, Mi. It is a solstice run to benefit cancer. This is a 10 mile run and it does have a requirement of keeping a twelve minute pace or we will be disqualified at the eight mile mark. This will push us to keep up with our training schedule 🙂 If this is too much pressure, or if you are training for the half in October, then sign up for the 10K. This race will fill up quickly and the deadline to register is May 15 for $40.  After this the rate goes up. This one has a really cool shirt.

http://www.moonlitformarrow.com/ this is a link for our following race which is Friday, July 8^, 2011 in Greenville, MI  It’s a little bit of a drive so we should carpool. This is the moonlit miles for marrow run.  It benefits marrow and stem cell programs. This is a 15K (9.3 miles) trail run in the evening.  Again, this will take one of our training sessions off the pavement and onto a softer surface. The cost for this race is $37.90.

If you hear of other runs in our community or runs that you find that look fun. Please post them on our blog in the comment sections so that others can see it and sign up too. Make sure you include a link to the registration site for the race so that we can find it with ease.

Week #1	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1	Active Rest & Nap	Short Run & Yoga	Yoga	Short Run	Pilates	Pilates	Long Run/ 10K Event
2	Active Rest & Nap	Short Run & Yoga	Yoga	Short Run	Pilates	Pilates	Long Run/ Field Trip Run
3	Active Rest & Nap	Short Run & Yoga	Yoga	Short Run	Pilates	Pilates	Long Run
4	Active Rest & Nap	Short Run & Yoga	Yoga	Short Run	Pilates	Pilates	Long Run/ Happy Easter no Group Run
5	Active Rest & Nap	Short Run & Yoga	Yoga	Short Run and Sherri’s Class on releasing stress and creating beauty	Pilates	Pilates	Rest and eat right our Event is tomorrow

 

Week One: Short run is 40/50 and a long run is our 10K. Remember to do a five minute warm-up and cool down. Congratulations you are a runner. Body sense and watch your heart-rate monitor to determine when and if you need to walk.

Week Two: Short run is 40/50 and a long run is 10 miles. Remember to do a five minute warm-up and cool down. Congratulations you are a runner. Body sense and watch your heart-rate monitor to determine when and if you need to walk.

Week Three: Short run is 40/50 and a long run is 9 miles. Remember to do a five minute warm-up and cool down. Congratulations you are a runner. Body sense and watch your heart-rate monitor to determine when and if you need to walk.

Week Four:  Short Run is 40/50 and a long run is 4 miles. Remember to do a five minute warm-up and cool down. Congratulations you are a runner. Body sense and watch your heart-rate monitor to determine when and if you need to walk.

Week Five: Short run is 25/35 and a long run is our first half-marathon. Remember to do a five minute warm-up and cool down. Congratulations you are a runner. Body sense and watch your heart-rate monitor to determine when and if you need to walk.

 In Chi Running or Walking by Danny Dreyer read chapters 10 and/or get caught up.

Marathon blog #4

So many of you are off to a great start! What I love most about the stories that you are sharing with me is that you are making this training your own. You are all listening to your bodies, having some light bulb moments and acknowledging the emotions that come up along the way.

For example, some of you are learning the art of a warm up… That if you just race off from your start point, mindless, you get cramping in your calves, wheezing, etc. (if this happens then slow down). Remember, you should start-off slow and build speed over a five minute period of time and during this time you shouldn’t feel any tension, cramping, your breath should be full.

I’ve heard about the “a-ha” moments, stretching at the end of your workout. For those of you that workout with me on Saturday, you find that even though it is your long run, you aren’t that sore & tight the next day or two. This is because we do a good stretching program at the end. If you skip your stretching program at the end then your body starts to speak loudly until you listen and give it some much needed “love.” You can’t skip this. It must be part of your routine.

I’ve heard stories of: the run was great but afterword’s I was angry, I was happy, I am amazed I did it, I’m proud, I’m fearful to start to exercise, I’m embarrassed to exercise with others, etc. You are certainly going to learn a lot about yourself during your training times. Look, you have nothing but time while you are out in nature. This is fun. This isn’t about punishment, judgment, competition or having an expectation. This is about learning about yourself, your body, being healthy, enjoying the outdoors, having fun with others during movement, exploring yourself and personal awareness. Please don’t put yourself into a box that you create for you.

Be patient and allow yourself some grace. As you become more efficient, work on your technique you will have a sense of joy and as this joy increases so will your efficiency in your running. I know I rocked my 5 mile run on a very cold day. I felt great. I enjoyed it but then came my short runs the next week. I felt okay, but I wasn’t looking forward to them. Remember, our mind is like concrete; sometimes it’s visualized as a road block. Our body is fluid. I’m always trying to create a fluid mind to match my body. Running is inexpensive, running goes with you anywhere, and running clears the mind chatter and helps you keep it in sane perspective.

This training needs to be fun. You need to be having the time of your life whether you picked walking, running or a combination of both (that’s me). Your heart will beat stronger, your bone density will improve, and you’ll burn calories and increase your cardiovascular efficiency. A lot of people get injured while running and never make it to the start line. Why? In my personal opinion it is because they over-train (going beyond what the body is capable of), attack their training with the same stress they live daily, have poor alignment and use poor running technique.

This is why we offered you some additional services such as Sherri Eby to help with holistic health and emotions. Chi Running by Danny Dreyer will help with your running program. We like Danny’s philosophy because it fits with our philosophy of movement at Mind Body Balance. Please make sure that if things are coming up during your running that you strongly consider using one of these additional services for a period of time. I know that my breathing is limiting me (still working on expanding my respiratory muscles from my old injury) I’m rereading my Chi Running book to remind me of good form so that I run with mindfulness. I’ve shared with many of you some of the things that I say in my mind “Breathing in I Smile, Breathing out I smile”, “Inhale God’s Word, Exhale his Love”.

I’ve shared some running techniques based on what I see in your running form when you pass me on the trail. By the way, I’m glad that you pass me because when we get together you shouldn’t feel obligated to go at another’s pace. We are all there to support each other. Chat before and after, maybe during, but the bottom line is to first listen to your body and feel what it is telling you.

Please don’t make your training program about peer pressure, wanting to be the fastest, trying to prove your value, wanting to keep up with the Jones’, etc. This is about you and you define your own success, no other. Danny Dreyer talks about Master Xu in his book and I love the saying “Let your mind do the work….let your body relax.” Your running should be with ease. You should run down that trail as if you are the air that blows through the tree leaves, you should leave no foot prints behind, and your energy should be united between body, mind and spirit. The process of this training is your goal. The events are just fun social gatherings for us to have community with one another.

Learn what your body can and can’t do and teach your body new skills and habits. Danny Dreyer’s techniques make sense on so many levels I really hope that you get his book as I recommended in the very first blog and absorb every page. I know mine is well used.
“Principles are deep Fundamental Truths that have universal application. Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value” –Steven Covey

Your reading for this week is to cover the next three chapters in Chi Running by Danny Dreyer (chapters 4, 5, 6 by months end) these chapters are on form and technique. Danny’s principals are very similar to those that Joseph Pilates left us (Centering, Control, Concentration, Flowing, Precision, and Breathing) remember Joseph called it Contrology (the complete coordination of Body, Mind and spirit). So with this said, you should be spending your time on form these next four weeks and listening to your body. For example, if I start to get tense while running or something starts to “talk” I start to walk until I can correct my form, quite my muscles and relax.

I send it good thoughts. I don’t get mad or discouraged. Instead I ask it what it needs, why do I need to carry this tension, can I let the tension go, my left side isn’t tracking right because I have numbing or I’m a little sore the next day. How can I work on my technique to help it, etc. While the table below offers suggestions, please use your best judgment and listen to what your body is telling you. Maybe you need to walk the long runs and not shuffle at all. Maybe you need to stay with a different interval then what is recommended but can still go the time and distance. All of this is fine, giving you permission to listen to your body. Just stay healthy, injury free and consistent with your program; helping you find the balance that works for you. If you get discouraged go back and re-read the blogs because they offer great suggestions and serve as good reminders.

Week #	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1	Short Run	Yoga	Short Run/ Yoga	Pilates	Pilates	Long Run Breathing	Active Rest/ Nap
2	Short Run	Yoga	Short Run/ Yoga	Pilates	Pilates	Long RunBreathing	Active Rest/ Nap
3	Short Run	Yoga	Short Run/Yoga	Pilates	Pilates	Long RunBreathingSherri’s Class	Active Rest/ Nap
4	Short Run	Yoga	Short Run/ Sherri’s Class	Pilates	Pilates	Long Run Breathing	Active Rest/ Nap

Week One (intention is Body Sensing) a short run is 30/40 it is a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down with a 2 minute shuffle/ jog or fast walk and a 3 minute walk. The long run is 4 miles same warm up, cool down and interval.

Week Two (intention is Breathing) a short run is 35/45 it is a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down with a 3 minute shuffle/jog or a fast walk and a 2 minute walk. The long run is 5 miles same warm up, cool down and interval.

Week Three (intention is lean/ posture) a short run is 35/45 it is a 5mintue warm up and 5 minute cool down with a 4 minute shuffle/jog or fast walk and 1 minute walk. The long run is 6 miles same warm up, cool down and interval.

Week Four (intention is effort with ease) a short run is 30/40 it is a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down with a 2 minute shuffle/jog or fast walk and 3 minute walk. The long run is 4 miles same warm up, cool down and interval.

If the above mentioned intentions don’t make sense, then please consult your Chi Running book. Focusing on your reading and working on your form will go a long way and help yourself create a strong base in which to grow on.

Now is the time to sign up for your second event: The 10k. And guess what? You’ve already gone the distance. “Yes, You Rock!” http://www.martianmarathon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=61

Make sure to register before March 2^nd or you will have to pay extra!

So everyone is asking me who is going to the March 13^th event: the 5k. If you are going walking or running, please comment below so that everyone can see and help inspire those that are sitting on the edges looking in wishing they had the courage to sign up too. I confidently know that all of my clients can walk a 5k. so please join us it is for a good cause.

What is the wise thing to do?

Recently Andy Stanley has inspired me to do some self evaluation. I was recently preparing for a leadership conference this year.  When you enrolled early you were gifted a book entitled The Best Question Ever by Andy Stanley. Two weeks before the conference my excitement was building and I thought I probably should give it a quick read before I attend….you know, so I’m prepared and all…..

Of course, like many items that grab us, we always say “If only I had this earlier in life.” But, the truth is, I probably wasn’t ready for it until now.  He said in his book “You can overspend, overeat, and overachieve, but you can’t over-live.”  Lets look at this for a moment.  We all know that our time is limited on earth, right? You would think this would inspire us to look at our life differently, but instead, we all spend our lives asking for more time instead of evaluating how we invest our time we already have.

I think a better idea to ponder would be how to use our current time.  For example, what do you do with all of your extra time? You might be thinking, “Well, I have no extra time.” But, for you parents, I bet you thought you had no extra time when you were single.  You found time for your first, second, and third child. Where did all that “time before children” go?  Away?  Where did your life go? 

I get clients all the time that say, “I know I should take care of myself but I just don’t have the time!” WHAT?  Think about your past experiences (family history your own health history, etc), your current responsibilities (parent, care giver, productive citizen, etc.), your future hopes and dreams (grandkids, children in college, trips in the golden years, etc.).  What is the wisest way to invest in your health?  Now, you are all smart enough to know how to manage your time, see were your time-wasters are and to understand that time is life.  But, often times, we don’t prioritize our health until it is too late.

I see clients that routinely, for years, ignored this very aspect of life.  Then finally something happens in their life and their health gets pushed up the ladder to the top rung. They, of course, are often looking for a quick fix (a magic pill) and get angry that I can not accomplish their goal (reduce pain, lower cholesterol, lose weight, etc.) in just a handful of sessions. It is almost as if they are laying there, thinking, “This won’t work, this isn’t helping me.”etc.

At this point, I tell them, “The body is fluid and has the ability to repair, heal and change over time.  The mind is concrete.”  In other words, if you are saying unkind, negative things while we work together, we should just stop working together.  You are working against your body and you “know” that it won’t change.

You aren’t ready to change your lifestyle until you are ready.  You are only ready when it has nothing to do with the externals floating about in your life.  In one, or even five sessions you aren’t going to see this big difference other than you may be sore and realize that taking back your life is going to be hard work.  Sorry to be the barer of bad news but…  It’s the truth. 

If you allow your exercise sessions and the small lifestyle changes to accumulate… now you are talking about real movement that has a measurable benefit in your life. I know we are a society that wants immediate gratification.  Because exercise doesn’t supply this it is easy for our mind to “fight to be right” and say things like, “It will not hurt if I miss one day.”  Healthy lifestyle factors have a compounding effect.  Consistent, small investments of time have a value.  In the end, that time makes a difference.

If you are like me, you live and learn.  I’ve found myself, many times, wishing I could go back in time and actually listen to my father’s advice.  But I can’t go back.  In fact, we can’t go back for many things such as living, loving, re-prioritizing….the critical aspects of life.  We cannot go back and make up for our mistakes or lost time. You know you’ve done it with your health.  In fact, at the beginning of every year I see it.  Many clients wanting me to brow beat them with outrageous workouts, trying to make up for “that lost time of exercising” in their life.  It’s as if logging 2-3 hours a day makes you feel “in control.”  You’ll feel you’ve regained your footing, then you’ll wake up the next day and have a hard time getting out of bed or you injure yourself.  And so, the brain says, “See, I told you we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Your health matters.  It is one of the top five things that matter in your life and you can’t make up for lost time.  Two of the biggest crises’ that Americans face today are obesity and metabolic diseases; both of which stem from making decisions.  We eat too much.  We spend too much on trends and magic pills.  It isn’t because we make too little income or have too little time.  So we look for others to blame for our behaviors like fast food, finances, employers, etc.

You know something about cars, right?  But most of us don’t work on them by ourselves. You don’t expect your mechanic to make wise suggestions and decisions about your car without first knowing how the car works, right? You don’t try to make wise decisions about your family’s finances without first seeking out a financial planner and knowing the laws and principles that work in these areas of your life.  So, why then, would you not seek help in mastering your health? How would you expect to make wise decisions?

Make a health care team for you today that includes:

• You,
• An integrative fitness professional,
• A doctor that respects movement and nutrition,
• A physical therapist if needed,
• A nutritionist and
• A “body-work” professional.

The Model Body Fantasy!

Many of us have a passion for the things that we would like to do or to create.  This passion fills us with joy but we sit in our living room thinking that will never happen. Who would want to pay me or finance me?

Many people share their health dreams with me, with friends, with co-workers, with family and some just keep the dream to themselves.  And you know, if we don’t act on these health dreams or passions we will go to our death bed with many regrets and wish I would’ve…….

How many of us wish for these health dreams and hope that one day we will just wake up and be in the body you wish for? How many of us wish we could just play with children with out getting out breath? How many of us want to go walk in the park or woods but are afraid you won’t make it back to your car? How many of us avoid physical activities that we are invited to because you are afraid of slowing down the group? Well, you can sit there worrying or you can get up and do something about it!

Start experimenting with an open mind. Try a Yoga class at a local studio. Try a couple (or five) gyms in your area. Talk with various personal trainers or Pilates Instructors. Join a couple of sport groups at your local YMCA. Look, not all gyms, studios or fitness professionals are made the same. We don’t all have similar philosophies either and we all have different specialties.  You won’t know what will work for you until you pick up the phone, drag yourself to the location or class and do it.

I understand that not all clients are right for me. My philosophies are different because I don’t believe what’s out there is working.  Take a look around.  Do you think its working? I teach self-efficacy and don’t believe in beating up or punishing my clients into good health or a smaller size. Sometimes I get a client that wants that (and yes I could do it for them) but it takes a lot out of me and I know they won’t be successful in the long run. I want my clients to be with me for twenty one months (this is how long it takes to change a lifestyle) and then I want them to only come to me because they want to, not because they need me any more. I want to fill their tool box and teach them self-care tools so that they don’t need me.

Judy Hudson said this “Your body prior to Pilates is like a clump of clay. Pilates sculpts your entire form one Pilates execution at a time. Like a true artist you are never done with your art. You refine, fix, contemplate, experience set backs and move on. Your workout is always a work in progress.” Let’s face it! You may not even know what Pilates is (or given it an honest try) so how do you not know that it will inspire you and change your life. Again, Pilates instructors are not all made the same.  Some are actually teaching it and some are promising to try to teach it.

Once you awaken your body to movement, to the muscle control, to the lengthening of your spine, to connecting your mind and body, you have a new-found awareness of movement throughout your life. You will find strength and energy you didn’t even think was possible.

There is magic in the movement and movement done well is a feast for the eyes to watch.  Sloppy, strained, constricted movement is not pretty to watch and can hurt you. Everyone deserves (and should start with) some private sessions instead of muscling your way through sloppy calisthenics on your own. Just like you wouldn’t think of designing a bridge, a car or a submarine, the human body is no exception.  You need a good design of movement and you need a professional to help you accomplished what that might look like for you. We all have a starting point.  Like the three previous examples, there is an idea in your head of where to start and what the end result might look like.  We all need help with the middle.

I’m not a therapist I can’t help you figure our your fear or your hang up, but I can tell you it is time to get over it and get moving!

I climb to outrageous heights of success!

If this whole “economy thing” has taught my husband and me anything, it’s that we never really have a safety net. You think that you have all the basics covered.  You’re living a responsible life.  You’re a productive part of society that your parents would be proud of. But really… there is no safety net.  It is an illusion, if you will. Since this is the case, you might as well soar to tremendous heights and go after your dreams.

Think about it.  There aren’t jobs that can’t be taken away through loss of work or being fired.  No matter how good you are at it. There isn’t a house that can’t be lost to fire, natural disaster or foreclosure. There isn’t a life that can’t be lost to an accident, terminal illness or jewels or wealth that can’t be stolen away or depreciated. Yet we seem to define our entire life by these very things; giving up our dreams, creativity and passion for the illusion of security.

Maybe it is time that we start to re-define who we are as a person.  When you get right down to the fact of the matter… all we really have is the one and only internal self. Go after your hopes and dreams and if you fail (which you are bound to do at times) have the faith and belief that you have what it takes to get back up, that you are still worth fighting for. I know it is very scary, thinking that you can swim with sharks or survive the toughest storm.  But if you seek balance and have goals, grit, determination, will, resilience and creativity you may just find that you can lead a happier life.

I see clients (more often than not) that are afraid if they actually take a lunch and movement break that they won’t look like a team player; that the boss won’t think they are working hard enough or that they could lose their job for taking a walk and eating away from the office. This is really sad to me because getting up and moving, stretching and eating mindfully makes us more energized, pain free and increases productivity. Or the story about the obese, sedentary, diabetic worker who had to pass a physical to keep their job was afraid to tell their doctor that they are exercising and share their fitness and eating diaries because they had convinced themselves that it could get them fired. WHAT?

Let me just go off on a rant here.  If you can’t take time to eat a mindful lunch, walk around from time to time and or share your movement success with your boss for whom all of these actions help improve your quality of life, productivity and health. Than maybe you are either working for the wrong the company, have the wrong doctor or you need to revaluate your beliefs and thoughts because they are leading you to an unhealthy lifestyle and that, in and of itself, will jeopardize your job security not the healthy lifestyle choices.

“Doubt destroys. Faith builds!” – Robert Collier