Isn’t funny how quickly things can change when you shift your perspective from “I am not good enough so I MUST lose weight” to “I love myself so much that I want to treat my body with love and respect”? It’s an empowering shift moving from a state of forcing your body to be a particular way to allowing your best body to come forth.
I remember losing 10 pounds EFFORTLESSLY in 2007. I didn’t stick to any strict menu or have a set workout routine. I just focused on feeling good. I found that I was preoccupied with living and not the number on my scale. I did make it a point to sweat everyday, but that was as simple as cranking up the music and dancing while mopping my floors. Besides that my focus was just to stay happy. It wasn’t long and everyone asked me how I went from 118 to 108. I felt sort of guilty because I didn’t make that my primary focus. I didn’t even try, it was just a by product of feeling good. I have decided to go back to that method after realizing that the egocentric way I have been TRYING this year so far hasn’t given me the results I wanted. I remember that quote “Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.”
I needed to shift into the heart. I have started looking at myself in a loving way. I have been focusing on what I do have and what I am thankful for. I am also paying more attention to what my body is able to do rather than how it looks.
Here are a few things I have been feeling lately:
I am so happy that my body is free of pain.
I am so thankful my body has healed from several injuries.
I am thankful this body has given birth to two amazing children.
I am thankful for my energy, youth, and vitality.
I am grateful that I can pick up sports with ease and participate in all sorts of recreational activities.
I am thankful for my feminine curves.
I am thankful I have found raw foods.
I am thankful I love being healthy.
I am thankful I love yoga and all forms of exercise.
I love my body and look forward to showing it how much I love it through giving it a little daily love and attention. Here is a great quote from my favorite yoga instructor, Bryan Kest “The integrity of the web is dependant on the resiliency of every strand”.
Remember to take time to honor your body in more ways than the ones that affect you aesthetically.
Here are 2 other related articles/blog posts about self acceptace and loving your body:
9 Days to Bikini- Ready: Self Acceptance & Loving Your Body is Listening to Your Body
A Special thanks to Lenette Nakauchi who sent two videos that go along with this message:
Abraham on Weight & Abraham on Natural Weight Loss
Last week I had the goal to refrain from eating past 6 pm. I had a really hard time with it and most of the days I did eat past 6. I decided to ease up on myself and just do whatever felt best. As soon as I let myself “off the hook” I suddenly lost the desire to eat past 6. Go figure! I think it has something to do with the mindset of “I MUST” versus “I CHOOSE”. Heck, even I get confused by my mind. I can sympathize with the men on the weird workings of a woman’s mind. 🙂
My Goals
Wk 1: walk 5 miles + 2 90 min yoga sessions
Wk 2: walk 10 miles + 90 min yoga sessions + drink 96 oz H20
Wk 3: walk 15 miles + 2 90 min yoga sessions+ no food past 6 pm
Wk 4: walk 20 miles + 2 90 min yoga sessions + try again on no food past 6 pm
Day 22
Completed a 4 mile walk
No food past 6 pm
96 oz H20
Day 23- Got my A$$ kicked in Power Yoga
2 mile walk
Completed 2 hours of power yoga – holy smokes I was drenched in sweat along w/ my mat & hand towel. I practically looked like I got out of the shower and put on my wet clothes straight out of the washing machine. Although this may sound gross to some of you, it felt like bliss. I was literally stoned on oxygen. I haven’t been to my favorite Sunday class in ages and man, I was worked so intensely that I was seriously blissed out. I don’t think anything could have upset me. I had no energy for it. Angry or frustrated peeps- give power yoga a shot. It’ll take the fight right out of ya! 😉
96 oz H20
No food past 6 pm- I went to Raw by Juliano in Santa Monica. I haven’t been in about 6 months. I shared a shake (dunno which one) which was really good, the Ariel salad (made w/ seaweeds and spirulina along w/ other greens (tasted fantastic), spring rolls (a fav of mine), and of course my all time fave: Strawberry Mousse (practically orgasmic!) I always get great raw food there!
Day 24- Feeling a bit sore from yoga
4 mile walk- I haven’t been running lately because my knees have been a bit sore.
96 oz H20
No food past 6
Day 25- My friend told me my butt was looking perkier!
6 mile walk
96 oz H20
No food past 6
Day 26- A bit of fat held my appetite today
90 min yoga
4 mile walk
96 oz H20
No food past 6 – I actually ate a bit more fat this day and my last meal was at 1:15 pm. I made these yummy raw vegan “brownie bites” w/ my kids. The base was nut & I think it held my appetite longer. I had about 3 Tablespoons worth. Every now and then a little fat in the diet feels good as long as it’s my last meal of the day. Plus I made a pesto (more fat) w/ beet noodles and marinara w/ zucchini noodles & then just mixed them together. Yum! I won’t let too much fat be a regular part of my diet, just here and there.
Day 27- My tummy is looking flatter (prob because no food past 6 )
Walk- 6 miles
96 oz H20
No food past 6- I really wanted to eat late because I found that I am sleeping about 2 hours less a night by not consuming food past 6 pm. I just feel light and alert even into the late hours. I found it hard to sleep this night. I never felt like I really slept, just rested. Reminded me of how I felt on extended fasts and I slept very little perhaps 2-3 hours a night.
Day 28- I made it another week! Feeling like a champ right now.
Walk- 6 miles – My knees are still achey, either from adapting to all the walking or the fact that I am walking and was running on concrete.
96 oz H20
No food past 6 pm- Woo hoo! I made it a week without eating past 6. I have to say this does have a profound affect on my appetite, my energy, my metal clarity, and really aids in weight loss. This is definitely something that is crucial in my weight loss journey.
Completed Goals
Walk- 32 miles WOW! That’s 12 miles more than I planned on getting in. I felt that I had to add more walking to make up for the fact that I wasn’t running this week.
Yoga- 2 1/2 hours in 2 sessions
H20- 96 0z everyday! I felt best when I had 48 oz before I even had breakfast.
No food past 6 pm every day. This really made a difference in my gut health. I felt that this kept my appetite in control. Perhaps it allowed more time for my tummy to shrink. I am known to be able to eat major quantities of food, which is why 80/10/10 seems to work well when I adhere to it.
Week 2 Workout Wrap Up
I added another goal of consuming 96 oz. of water daily. It’s summertime and with all the extra working out I really feel hydration is key. Normally I go for 1/2 my body weight in ounces, but find sometimes I stay out of the fridge more if I am drinking more water. 🙂
Goal
10 miles of walking/running
2- 90 min yoga sessions
Drink 96 oz water daily (weekly total: 5.25 gallons)
Completed Weekly Total
20 miles- Walk/Run
2- 90 min Yoga Sessions
1- pool cardio exercises,
1- 45 min easy stretch yoga
5.25 gallons of water
Day 8
3 mile walk
96 oz H2O
Day 9
5 mile run/walk in 60:05
96 oz H2O
Day 10
90 min yoga session
3 mile walk/run
96 oz H2O
Day 11
4 mile walk
96 H2O
Day 12
5 mile run/walk: 55:50
96 oz H2O
Day 13
90 min yoga session
96 oz H2O
Day 14
30 min pool workout
45 min easy yoga stretch class
Week One Wrap Up
Weekly Goal
5 miles of walking
2- 90 min yoga sessions
Day 1
2 mile walk & circuit training: tricep dips off couch, 3 way partner ab/oblique exercise (where one person lies down & holds onto the ankles and raises up their legs while the standing partner pushes the feet down), modified push ups, & jumping jacks.
Day 2
Easy 6 mile walk over a 2 hour period (chat time)
Day 3
90 minutes of Sunrise Yoga Sweat
4 mile walk in 60 minutes
Day 4
5 mile walk
Day 5
2 mile walk
Day 6
90 minutes of Sunset Yoga
Day 7
2 mile walk
Total Completed
21 miles of walking
2- 90 min yoga sessions
1 circuit training session
How about you? Comment below your workout wrap up!
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