Body Sensing for Maximum Results
(Part 4 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
I'm a runner. I've been a happy one for about 6 years now. I spend a good chunk of my week out on the trails, exploring and finding my inner peace. But it wasn't always like this.
There was a time that I would have spit at your feet if you asked me to go out for a jog. I hated to run. And now I know why.
As we all know, our bodies are pretty complex. Organs, cells, nerves, bones, muscles and everything else communicate to each other 24 hours a day. If something needs to get done, like digestion or healing a cut, your body is on the case. You don't even have to lift a finger most of the time.
For a healthy person, your body moves through these processes smoothly and efficiently. For someone who is unhealthy or out of shape, things get a little sluggish.
So this is what happened to me 7 or so years ago when I started to run again and re-live my high school fitness glory. As you can imagine, there was a slight discrepancy between what my head wanted to do and what my body was capable of at the time! My body was not processing at the same optimal level it did when I was captain of the football team. So on the days I made it out to hit the pavement, I would run fast for 3 miles, be out of breath, hurt for 5 days and then try again the next week.
My mind was still in high school... my body was still in bed.
I'm sure you've been in this cycle before. You decide it's time to change your shape, so you burst into the most difficult spinning class, hoping you'll lose all 20 pounds of excess weight in 60 minutes and then never have to strain yourself again. Instead it leaves you tired, hurt and cursing the next time you have to sweat.
It sounds funny when you read it, but this is exactly what we do.
Just recently, I was speaking to a client about running and she said she was running 2 miles a day. Unfortunately, she told me she hated it and the minute she starts she wants it to be over. Which is certainly not any fun, right?! If I hadn't intervened she would have joined all the other ranks of disappointed and dejected, should-have-been runners.
I told her that there is a disconnect between her mind and her body. She wants to run like she did in high school. Fast and efficiently. But her body, now, is only a walker or maybe a slow jogger. The best advice for her was to start off super-slow and then build up if she feels like taking her running any further.
A few days later she thanked me for allowing her to enjoy her run the morning after our class. She felt good, realized how fast she was trying to run before and didn't think about when it was going to end until she was finished.
Wouldn't that sound good to you?
It is simple to do. The most important thing to remember is that your mind may not be in tune with your body's abilities. You may want to run a marathon, but your body is only ready for a 10K. You may want to run 4 laps around the track, but your body is only ready to run 1 1/2 and walk the other 2 1/2.
So slow down. There is no race unless you're at the starting line with a numbered bib on your shirt! And even then, don't kill yourself.
This applies to more than just running. It is important to connect to your mind. Find out what it is thinking and then make sure your body is in alignment. If it is not, then don't let your ego push you too hard. You'll get injured, physically or mentally. If you haven't done any stretching in 20 years, don't jump into power yoga. If you haven't lifted weights since college, don't try to bench 225lbs.
We all have a built in sensor that tells us what is enough. Listen to it.
A few things needed to happen to me before I started to enjoy running. First, I needed to slow down. Second, I needed to stop thinking about how far and for how long I was going to run. And third, I needed to get out there and just start running... not worry about time commitments and appointments or anything else.
This is what we'll talk about in the final article of this series on body awareness: starting. You have to start before you have any fitness success!
When I ran my first marathon, I had never run more than 10 miles. As you can imagine, I got hurt, let my ego push me too far and it took me over 3 years to recover. Don't let this happen to you!
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Listen To Your Body: Part 3
Get More Mitochondria... Get More Energy
(Part 3 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
It kind of defies logic that you could get MORE energy from exercising.
Doesn't walking a couple of miles wear you out, not raise your concentration and get you moving?
For most people this is the case. They walk, run or exercise only to find themselves whipped, sore and bruised.
It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to go through your life with little energy--just enough to make it through the day and then crash on the couch.
I've spoken to many long distance runners and athletes who have supported what I know as a trainer and athlete--they all say that they feel GREAT after a long run or a tough workout.
So why are you feeling beat up?
I'll tell you in the simplest terms possible--your body isn't adjusted to activity.
In the first two parts of this series on body awareness, I spoke about how food affects your energy levels. Now I want to address how the physiology of exercise can tune you into what your body is doing when you workout, so your energy levels will skyrocket.
Yes, that is entirely possible.
The awareness of your body functions and how they create energy lead to a very tangible and logical connection between why you should start some exercise routine and the direct affect that routine has on your quality of life.
Increasing your body's knowledge and addressing your energy levels and how they build through exercise will take you to a level of heightened awareness and to the enriched and energized daily experience of good health and fitness.
Here's the meat of it.
When you don't exercise, you're muscles take a break. Sort of like everyone does on the weekend. Not working? Forget answering the phone. Same with your muscles, not working out? They're not doing squat.
It's a simple analogy... the only exception to it is that YOU go back to work on Monday. Your LAZY MUSCLES don't start work again until you put them to work.
So here's what happens while they are taking this extended vacation.
In each of your muscle cells there are little organelles called mitochondria. These little guys make the energy for your cells to use in their everyday functions, including your activity and exercise. That stuff is called ATP.
When you are inactive, your body gets smart and the number of mitochondria are reduced. If your not using them and don't need them all, your body gets rid of them. Sort of like corporate layoffs or downsizing for efficiency.
So here you are, inactive with fewer mitochondria, and you decide you need to do something about your health and start to exercise. What happens at first is that you feel like garbage after you exercise, because your body hasn't made the energy adjustments yet. You are still in hibernation mode.
After some time and when exercise becomes a routine, your body realizes that you're back on the go and starts to create more mitochondria to handle to workload and supply enough energy for you.
So now you have more mitochondria, more energy, feel better after you exercise and your body has adjusted to a state where your energy stores are readily available. Those mitochondria don't just stop producing energy when you stop exercising, they're now there to stay--just as long as you continue to exercise.
The most exciting part of this process is that you'll know when this all has happened. You'll feel lighter. You'll be more focused. You'll smile more. These special little mitochondria can help with depression, mood swings and binges. All you need to do is move around a bit, get your body adjusted to some exercise and you'll feel fantastic!
That feeling is something that you can really get used to.
Next time, we'll talk about how you can judge your health and fitness progress by sensing your energy levels.
I've found many people what to look in the mirror to judge how well they're progressing with a program. In Part 4, I'll tell you a better way that will keep you on your workout program and not leave you wondering what happened 3 months later when you've since stopped exercising and gained back all the weight.
(Part 3 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
It kind of defies logic that you could get MORE energy from exercising.
Doesn't walking a couple of miles wear you out, not raise your concentration and get you moving?
For most people this is the case. They walk, run or exercise only to find themselves whipped, sore and bruised.
It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to go through your life with little energy--just enough to make it through the day and then crash on the couch.
I've spoken to many long distance runners and athletes who have supported what I know as a trainer and athlete--they all say that they feel GREAT after a long run or a tough workout.
So why are you feeling beat up?
I'll tell you in the simplest terms possible--your body isn't adjusted to activity.
In the first two parts of this series on body awareness, I spoke about how food affects your energy levels. Now I want to address how the physiology of exercise can tune you into what your body is doing when you workout, so your energy levels will skyrocket.
Yes, that is entirely possible.
The awareness of your body functions and how they create energy lead to a very tangible and logical connection between why you should start some exercise routine and the direct affect that routine has on your quality of life.
Increasing your body's knowledge and addressing your energy levels and how they build through exercise will take you to a level of heightened awareness and to the enriched and energized daily experience of good health and fitness.
Here's the meat of it.
When you don't exercise, you're muscles take a break. Sort of like everyone does on the weekend. Not working? Forget answering the phone. Same with your muscles, not working out? They're not doing squat.
It's a simple analogy... the only exception to it is that YOU go back to work on Monday. Your LAZY MUSCLES don't start work again until you put them to work.
So here's what happens while they are taking this extended vacation.
In each of your muscle cells there are little organelles called mitochondria. These little guys make the energy for your cells to use in their everyday functions, including your activity and exercise. That stuff is called ATP.
When you are inactive, your body gets smart and the number of mitochondria are reduced. If your not using them and don't need them all, your body gets rid of them. Sort of like corporate layoffs or downsizing for efficiency.
So here you are, inactive with fewer mitochondria, and you decide you need to do something about your health and start to exercise. What happens at first is that you feel like garbage after you exercise, because your body hasn't made the energy adjustments yet. You are still in hibernation mode.
After some time and when exercise becomes a routine, your body realizes that you're back on the go and starts to create more mitochondria to handle to workload and supply enough energy for you.
So now you have more mitochondria, more energy, feel better after you exercise and your body has adjusted to a state where your energy stores are readily available. Those mitochondria don't just stop producing energy when you stop exercising, they're now there to stay--just as long as you continue to exercise.
The most exciting part of this process is that you'll know when this all has happened. You'll feel lighter. You'll be more focused. You'll smile more. These special little mitochondria can help with depression, mood swings and binges. All you need to do is move around a bit, get your body adjusted to some exercise and you'll feel fantastic!
That feeling is something that you can really get used to.
Next time, we'll talk about how you can judge your health and fitness progress by sensing your energy levels.
I've found many people what to look in the mirror to judge how well they're progressing with a program. In Part 4, I'll tell you a better way that will keep you on your workout program and not leave you wondering what happened 3 months later when you've since stopped exercising and gained back all the weight.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Listen To Your Body: Part 2
Your Einstein Inside
Releasing Your Energy and Creativity Through Foods
(Part 2 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
If I were to tell you there is an energetic, vibrant and creative person inside of you and all you needed to do was eat certain foods to let that person out, would you believe me?
Each and every one of us, at our very core, is each of these three things. Vibrant, Energetic, Creative. We each have a wonderful capability to accomplish many great things and do them all with an abundance of energy. No one was short changed in terms of their ability to have a energetic soul. That's our gift.
Now, why are you so darn worn out?
We'll, you're probably eating the wrong foods.
There's a way to release that spectacular spirit and live an enriched and energized life… eating the right foods is the first place to start.
In Part 1, "Fighting Fatigue and the American Diner Diet, " of this series, I discussed listening to your body and how important it is to hear the things it tells you after you eat certain foods. In my case, I ate a fried tofu wrap and then passed out at my computer 20 minutes later. You've probably had a similar experience.
When you can recognize how your food affects you and this process becomes a habit, you will begin to identify the particular foods bring your energy levels down. Practice listening to your body for a few weeks and I guarantee that you'll have a similar list to the foods I've listed here:
It doesn't take much to deplete your energy. Eat a large fry from McDonalds and you'll understand what I'm telling you. The nutrient balance in your body is easy to upset. A few days of eating energy-starving foods like the ones I listed above and you're feeling pretty lame--probably propped up on the couch after work because you're whipped after only a half-day of work.
So how does this apply to the "energetic, vibrant and creative person" I was talking about?
Well, when you have some or many of these energy-starving foods in your diet, your energy levels drop significantly. Your body is not getting enough nutrients to function at an efficient level. It starts to move into crisis mode and stores energy and nutrient reserves for later so that you will be able to use them in case of an emergency.
This is pretty serious stuff on the physical level. Your body is hoarding nutrients, water, and whatever else it needs and making sure you don't use everything up all at once. So what happens to you? You fall asleep after a meal. You don't have enough energy to make it through the day. You name it… your body is doing it.
The scary thing is that once that has happened over a period of time, something psychological begins to happen.
Instead of THINKING that you have low energy, you begin to BELIEVE that you ARE a tired person, that you ARE a lazy person, that you ARE the type of person that doesn't have any energy. Getting down on yourself and believing you ARE the things that your food is causing you to be is a challenging battle to fight and is probably why many people experience failure with their diets and exercise programs. They truly believe that they are what their food is making them.
You're actually none of these things. You are a vibrant, energetic and creative being, remember? It's just the fuel that you are taking in that is making you sputter. Think about the effect sugar has on a car engine. It stops it from running.
If you're putting sugars and bad oils and other toxins into your tank, your engine is going to jump and clunk and spit--just like any old car would. If you're putting in the high-grade fuel--energy rich foods--than you are burning them efficiently and are rewarded with the by-product of boundless energy. No more 2:00 blues. No more waking up more tired than you were when you hit the sack. No more "I'm a tired person. Your confidence grows. You feel good about yourself.
Stop identifying your energy levels with you and look at the foods that are causing your energy deficiency. Know that you are the vibrant, energetic and creative person.
Remember how you used to play for hours on the playground and in the backyard as a child? That playfulness is still there and wants to burst out of you... it's just waiting for you to eat the right foods.
In Part 3, I will discuss the second component of bringing the energetic and playful child in you back to the surface--exercise. Through exercise, you will be able to build energy just as quickly and effectively as eating the right foods. Put them together and you are unstoppable!
Until then, here are some foods that you should consider eating more of for maximum energy:
Put one or more of these into your everyday diet and watch how quickly you lighten up in your step and how much more energy you have everyday. You'll be amazed.
Releasing Your Energy and Creativity Through Foods
(Part 2 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
If I were to tell you there is an energetic, vibrant and creative person inside of you and all you needed to do was eat certain foods to let that person out, would you believe me?
Each and every one of us, at our very core, is each of these three things. Vibrant, Energetic, Creative. We each have a wonderful capability to accomplish many great things and do them all with an abundance of energy. No one was short changed in terms of their ability to have a energetic soul. That's our gift.
Now, why are you so darn worn out?
We'll, you're probably eating the wrong foods.
There's a way to release that spectacular spirit and live an enriched and energized life… eating the right foods is the first place to start.
In Part 1, "Fighting Fatigue and the American Diner Diet, " of this series, I discussed listening to your body and how important it is to hear the things it tells you after you eat certain foods. In my case, I ate a fried tofu wrap and then passed out at my computer 20 minutes later. You've probably had a similar experience.
When you can recognize how your food affects you and this process becomes a habit, you will begin to identify the particular foods bring your energy levels down. Practice listening to your body for a few weeks and I guarantee that you'll have a similar list to the foods I've listed here:
- Fried Anything
- Pancakes
- Sausage, Bacon
- Large portions of meat.
- Coffee (Don't be fooled, if it didn't bring you down you wouldn't need another cup!)
- Potato Chips, Corn Chips, Crackers, Other Snacks.
- Sweets, Candies, Pies (after the sugar high wears off)
It doesn't take much to deplete your energy. Eat a large fry from McDonalds and you'll understand what I'm telling you. The nutrient balance in your body is easy to upset. A few days of eating energy-starving foods like the ones I listed above and you're feeling pretty lame--probably propped up on the couch after work because you're whipped after only a half-day of work.
So how does this apply to the "energetic, vibrant and creative person" I was talking about?
Well, when you have some or many of these energy-starving foods in your diet, your energy levels drop significantly. Your body is not getting enough nutrients to function at an efficient level. It starts to move into crisis mode and stores energy and nutrient reserves for later so that you will be able to use them in case of an emergency.
This is pretty serious stuff on the physical level. Your body is hoarding nutrients, water, and whatever else it needs and making sure you don't use everything up all at once. So what happens to you? You fall asleep after a meal. You don't have enough energy to make it through the day. You name it… your body is doing it.
The scary thing is that once that has happened over a period of time, something psychological begins to happen.
Instead of THINKING that you have low energy, you begin to BELIEVE that you ARE a tired person, that you ARE a lazy person, that you ARE the type of person that doesn't have any energy. Getting down on yourself and believing you ARE the things that your food is causing you to be is a challenging battle to fight and is probably why many people experience failure with their diets and exercise programs. They truly believe that they are what their food is making them.
You're actually none of these things. You are a vibrant, energetic and creative being, remember? It's just the fuel that you are taking in that is making you sputter. Think about the effect sugar has on a car engine. It stops it from running.
If you're putting sugars and bad oils and other toxins into your tank, your engine is going to jump and clunk and spit--just like any old car would. If you're putting in the high-grade fuel--energy rich foods--than you are burning them efficiently and are rewarded with the by-product of boundless energy. No more 2:00 blues. No more waking up more tired than you were when you hit the sack. No more "I'm a tired person. Your confidence grows. You feel good about yourself.
Stop identifying your energy levels with you and look at the foods that are causing your energy deficiency. Know that you are the vibrant, energetic and creative person.
Remember how you used to play for hours on the playground and in the backyard as a child? That playfulness is still there and wants to burst out of you... it's just waiting for you to eat the right foods.
In Part 3, I will discuss the second component of bringing the energetic and playful child in you back to the surface--exercise. Through exercise, you will be able to build energy just as quickly and effectively as eating the right foods. Put them together and you are unstoppable!
Until then, here are some foods that you should consider eating more of for maximum energy:
- Fresh vegetables
- Fresh fruits
- Raw nuts and seeds
- Organic meats (in small portions)
- Fresh vegetable and fruit juices
- Fruit Smoothies
- Whole Grains
- Brown Rice
Put one or more of these into your everyday diet and watch how quickly you lighten up in your step and how much more energy you have everyday. You'll be amazed.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Listen to Your Body: Part 1
Fighting Fatigue and the American Diner Breakfast
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
I went out for lunch yesterday and ordered a portobello mushroom wrap with some fresh vegetables, no dressing at the local sandwich and coffee shop.
As always, it was a struggle to find something at a deli, restaurant or take out place that fits my somewhat stringent dietary requirements.
The server brought out the meal and after I took my first bite, I wasn't sure if I had gotten the right order.
What I was eating was something that tasted more like a mix between tofu and tempeh (a fermented soy product). It was fried and--of course--it tasted good. Everything fried tends to have a wonderful taste, doesn't it?!
This required a more extensive analysis. I examined the contents of the wrap closely--pulling out a piece of the fried food-stuff and taking it apart with a knife. Once I was convinced that there were no meat products in it, I decided that I'd give it a shot... and yes, as I had imagined every bite was just as good an the first!
Then I went home.
I sat down at the computer to check my email and do some writing--with every intention to be very productive--and within five minutes my eyes had shut and I was cat napping right at my desk.
When I woke up a minute or so later, I was instantly reminded of the times in college--and even before that, in high school--when right after a meal, I'd go to class and struggle to keep my head up from the desk. The battle was helpless to fight. I remember distinctly one 2:00PM, large lecture class during my Junior year at Marist where I'd, no fail, fall asleep around 2:15PM and wake up around 2:50PM--missing a whole 35 minutes! Every time! I'd love to find the girls that sat behind me who used to kid me after class about it. They would be a great testimonial to this story!
I now am aware of the reason why my energy stores and most likely yours are being depleted after eating.
My class was right after lunch, and whether I ate at the cafeteria or a frozen pizza at home before class, I was not getting enough fresh foods to keep me at a peak level. Not even enough good food to keep me at a CONSCIOUS level!
Eat a frozen pizza and a few mozzarella sticks from the toaster and guage how you feel in 15-20 minutes. If you're on the couch passed out with the TV on, I think I've proven my point.
On the other hand, eat a salad with just vegetables, nuts and beans or drink a fresh juice and just wait to get tired.
You'll be waiting for a long time. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and all other natural uncooked foods have more nutrients and their food life is digested quickly for immediate use. Your body does not have to labor over digestion when you eat these fresh foods. Your digestive system knows what to do with these foods and knows how to distribute them right away.
When your system gets a glob of eggs, meats, cheeses, sauteed vegetables, toast, butter, 2 coffees, cream, sugar and fried potatoes--what is known to us as the "American Diner Breakfast" it goes into a panic and rushes all your blood to your stomach to take care of the crisis. You suffer by falling asleep or feeling like a truck hit you--hard.
So here's the action your should consider taking...
In the next week, before your next installment of this 5 Part series on Body Awareness, I'd like you to take notice of how your body feels after you eat your food. Do you feel tired? Do you feel like exercising? Are you amazed that you've never noticed how poor you felt after a huge cooked meal?
Don't go any further than just noticing how you feel. We'll address what to do next in seven days.
This will begin to tune you into your own body. It's amazing how much time we spend with ourselves and we never really take the time to figure out what we--our bodies--want. Imagine if your friend was always telling you that they get sick and tired every time they eat a fried meal with no fresh vegetables. I imagine, if you were a concerned friend that you'd tell them they should consider trying a new diet, right?!
Chances are your bodies are telling you the same thing. You've learned to ignore the best friend you could possibly have. Listen to it and recognize the signals it is giving you and you've made the first step to optimal health and fitness.
In Part 2, you'll learn how to create radical change in your body image once you recognize what your body wants.
Until then, keep listening--you'll hear something.
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)
I went out for lunch yesterday and ordered a portobello mushroom wrap with some fresh vegetables, no dressing at the local sandwich and coffee shop.
As always, it was a struggle to find something at a deli, restaurant or take out place that fits my somewhat stringent dietary requirements.
The server brought out the meal and after I took my first bite, I wasn't sure if I had gotten the right order.
What I was eating was something that tasted more like a mix between tofu and tempeh (a fermented soy product). It was fried and--of course--it tasted good. Everything fried tends to have a wonderful taste, doesn't it?!
This required a more extensive analysis. I examined the contents of the wrap closely--pulling out a piece of the fried food-stuff and taking it apart with a knife. Once I was convinced that there were no meat products in it, I decided that I'd give it a shot... and yes, as I had imagined every bite was just as good an the first!
Then I went home.
I sat down at the computer to check my email and do some writing--with every intention to be very productive--and within five minutes my eyes had shut and I was cat napping right at my desk.
When I woke up a minute or so later, I was instantly reminded of the times in college--and even before that, in high school--when right after a meal, I'd go to class and struggle to keep my head up from the desk. The battle was helpless to fight. I remember distinctly one 2:00PM, large lecture class during my Junior year at Marist where I'd, no fail, fall asleep around 2:15PM and wake up around 2:50PM--missing a whole 35 minutes! Every time! I'd love to find the girls that sat behind me who used to kid me after class about it. They would be a great testimonial to this story!
I now am aware of the reason why my energy stores and most likely yours are being depleted after eating.
My class was right after lunch, and whether I ate at the cafeteria or a frozen pizza at home before class, I was not getting enough fresh foods to keep me at a peak level. Not even enough good food to keep me at a CONSCIOUS level!
Eat a frozen pizza and a few mozzarella sticks from the toaster and guage how you feel in 15-20 minutes. If you're on the couch passed out with the TV on, I think I've proven my point.
On the other hand, eat a salad with just vegetables, nuts and beans or drink a fresh juice and just wait to get tired.
You'll be waiting for a long time. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and all other natural uncooked foods have more nutrients and their food life is digested quickly for immediate use. Your body does not have to labor over digestion when you eat these fresh foods. Your digestive system knows what to do with these foods and knows how to distribute them right away.
When your system gets a glob of eggs, meats, cheeses, sauteed vegetables, toast, butter, 2 coffees, cream, sugar and fried potatoes--what is known to us as the "American Diner Breakfast" it goes into a panic and rushes all your blood to your stomach to take care of the crisis. You suffer by falling asleep or feeling like a truck hit you--hard.
So here's the action your should consider taking...
In the next week, before your next installment of this 5 Part series on Body Awareness, I'd like you to take notice of how your body feels after you eat your food. Do you feel tired? Do you feel like exercising? Are you amazed that you've never noticed how poor you felt after a huge cooked meal?
Don't go any further than just noticing how you feel. We'll address what to do next in seven days.
This will begin to tune you into your own body. It's amazing how much time we spend with ourselves and we never really take the time to figure out what we--our bodies--want. Imagine if your friend was always telling you that they get sick and tired every time they eat a fried meal with no fresh vegetables. I imagine, if you were a concerned friend that you'd tell them they should consider trying a new diet, right?!
Chances are your bodies are telling you the same thing. You've learned to ignore the best friend you could possibly have. Listen to it and recognize the signals it is giving you and you've made the first step to optimal health and fitness.
In Part 2, you'll learn how to create radical change in your body image once you recognize what your body wants.
Until then, keep listening--you'll hear something.
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