journal

Figure Competition Face Plant

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:58:36 +0100

Wow. Almost 6 months since my last entry! Sorry guys!

I could beat myself up for totally failing at meeting my New Years proposal of doing “one post each week for the whole year” but that would be, after my latest adventure, kind of silly, a bit ridiculous and not at all helpful in terms of my overall evolution as a human. The truth is, I’ve been BUSY, and I’m not using that as an excuse but in all honesty I’ve been grinding thru some stuff and writing a blog post a week really didn’t fit into my process.

So, what have I been up to?! Well let me tell you.

Last November, November of 2012, I decided that I was going to do a Figure Show. This goal had lingered around in the edges of my mind for at least the last 6 years and joined by 3 other trainers that I work with at Catalyst, we set off down the path of Competition Training.

And, what an adventure it was!

At first I was quite resistant to the idea of donning a bejeweled bikini, clear “stripper heels” and an otherworldly fake tan. If you know me, you know that none of those things make ANY sense. Neither did getting on a stage, posing down or whatever else was involved. The ONLY part of it that made sense for me was the complete determination that it takes to engage in such an adventure and the single-minded focus that is required to do this.

When it comes to personal goals and focus when I’m in – I’m IN. I don’t ask questions about achievability; I’m “nose to the grindstone.”

In fact, for both reasons I chose to do make this my goal.

Test my mettle against something close to crazy…?? Let’s DO IT.

Take on a challenge that seems completely NOT my thing…?? DONE.

I enjoy the process of confronting myself, asking hard questions and pushing myself out of my comfort zone; I have learned more about myself in these places than anywhere else.

Several times in my life I have made what could be perceived as abrupt decisions (walking away from my Engineering desk job to pursue Personal Training…uh??? Mom and Dad were not on board…) but it all turned out for the best. I am eternally grateful for being taught to get in there and fear not failure. There is ALWAYS an opportunity to course correct, I believe this entirely. In navigating thru life this way I have come to realize that something special happens in the background when you make these types of decisions, even when it backfires like THIS adventure did; you come out stronger, more capable, more aware and better off. It’s almost like the frills and ruffles come off of your idealistic dreams and you slowly polish the raw material. Over time, things get more true and you become more honest.

It’s cliché but failure does teach us more than success.

I’m sure you’ve noticed my reference to failure here and while I didn’t really FAIL, I sure as hell didn’t make it onto the stage, nor did I get my bejeweled bikini, my “stripper heels” or even a tan; I didn’t get my hair or makeup done, not even my nails were did…

So, what happened???

(Before I go on, I want to make it very clear that the coach that I hired to guide me thru this process is AMAZING and has a VERY balanced approach to this all – in no way was I ground into a pile of broken competitor bits by a negligent coach. Macey Boudreau is a total GEM, thru and thru.)

At about 5 weeks out, the point where competition shit gets REAL, shit got REALLY REAL for me. There was a moment along the way when I decided that I needed to put my reluctance to get on stage aside and REALLY dig in, if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right. I started visualizing myself on stage, I even came up with a stage name/persona – I was completely convinced that I was going to crush this. I got in touch with my Ego and we made plans to be “the sleeper”… the one that surprised everyone! It was going to be AMAZING!!!!

And then I started to get tired… very very tired. I pressed on, pushed thru, dug deep because after all, anything worth having is worth really working for, right??? We adjusted my diet and workouts; things got better…

And then, there was THE posing practice when everything changed.

I noticed that despite making incredible advances and feeling really awesome about myself I was STILL the “fluffiest” girl in the lineup. I was 5 weeks out from my chosen show and I didn’t look even CLOSE to the girls who were 8 weeks out… this did not make me feel motivated or prepared, the stakes seemed high and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I began to realize that to get where I needed to be I was going to have to find more energy... Realizing this really spooked me and the winds that were driving me thru every workout, every meal, every day… they just vanished. I hit the proverbial doldrums, I was dead in the water.

I also started noticing red flags. My finger nails were growing out broken, I looked SO tired, I was waking up throughout the night, I couldn’t nap even though I was completely exhausted, I was snappy – and not in the well dressed kind of way; everything seemed intense and overwhelming… folding the laundry was temper tantrum inducing. I didn’t like it, it didn’t feel right, I wasn’t my best me, I wasn’t even my mediocre me. There was only one decision to make and that was to call it off.

NOT an easy task.

There’s the initial relief but just like an earthquake there were many aftershocks. There was feeling embarrassed because I was the only one of 4 to not make it on stage and because I’d been talking about with EVERYONE; there’s the anger at my body for not cooperating with my mind and letting me down. There was jealousy, envy and all sorts of ugly emotions. There was the absolute rebellion against working out and eating right. And there was the reintroduction of “perfectionist panic,” a beast I thought I was done with…

It’s taken me almost 6 weeks to get back on my feet and feel good about life and myself again. I ate A LOT of food that wasn’t on any meal plan that was ever given to me. I walked into the gym and then turned around and left, on several occasions. I was at maximum introvert setting for many weeks.

It’s been rough, and yet, as I write this today I can say that I don’t regret a single moment of it. This is going to sound insanely cheesy but the whole process has brought my mind and my body closer together. I can see that my body didn’t let me down, I didn’t fail and that I have actually grown despite it all. In fact, my body probably saved me from getting into really gnarly territory that it, or I, wasn’t interested in slogging thru. I avoided the full potential of the post competition perfectionist pendulum and I’ve gotten to know myself on a much deeper level, which in my books is more valuable than anything and more true to my own M.O. than all that other jazz.

I’m not a super hero. I may never be one and I’m completely ok with that. The real takeaway here is that no matter where you find yourself, if it’s elbow deep in a bag of chips you swore you weren’t going to eat, 3 weeks without going for a single one of your daily runs you promised you were going to take, it’s ok…

We all set goals and we all take detours. The most important thing to do in these moments when it’s SO easy to beat ourselves up, is to stop, take a deep breath or 20, take a look around and really see where you are, make the decision to course correct and make a better decision; meet yourself where you are and forgive yourself for being human and MOVE ON.

Staring at the Onion

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:22:16 +0100

Time is flying this January. In a few short days we’ll be square on the start of February and that means, only 11 more months of 2013 left! EEK! I hope this month, despite it’s speed has brought you success in the ~~goals~~ intentions that you set and that the tone of 2013 is proving to be fruitful!

This last post for January is going to be a bit of a ‘round-up’ post, one that intends to tie the previous 3 together and helps firm up the ideas that I touched upon. In general, the posts revolved around intention and awareness, the process of becoming aware of your current location and where you might like to go, how you might like to change the scenery or an adventure you might like to actualize. At a deeper level they were about getting real with yourself, sitting down to actually think about who you are in all of this and starting to recognize what works, what doesn’t and making a plan to engage with the path before you. Of course this is all very integral to a life fully lived and a process in and of itself. Like it or not, there is more than meets the eye and it’s all a bit like an onion – layer upon layer needs to be peeled back, delicately. The process might make you cry or you might find the sweet spot that you needed to make something more delicious.

Now, this might be all well and good to write about setting intentions and creating awareness, it’s a fairly standard discussion in my world, but if we are realistic there is a trend that begins each year and fizzles by Spring and talking about it doesn’t seem to change the reality that much. Everyone makes the same statements, sets the same intentions etc. every year - New Years Resolutions. Sure, you set intentions and goals but WHY haven’t they turned into a reality yet?

Are you stuck staring at the onion??

I’m sure that by now, you’re aware that I LOVE quotes and phrases… They motivate me and act as a lens to see fresh perspectives. One phrase that has proven to be extremely motivating for me is, “If you want something that you’ve never had, you must do what you’ve never done” – Thomas Jefferson. And it’s this phrase that cuts right thru it all and gets to the very bottom of it.

So many of us WANT to change our ways, we WANT to lose the weight, run the 10k, be more organized, learn to bake a mile high lemon meringue pie but it’s our habits and comfort zones that prevent us from rushing forth into our lives and actualizing our dreams. We are willing, until we are up against the wall that separates the familiar and the unfamiliar. We are determined, until we see the valley between the known and the unknown. We are uncomfortable with the now, glamorize the future, until, we are faced with the discomfort of making a lasting change, then all of a sudden what we have now doesn’t seem so bad and we fall back into the groove of the same old same old.

The unknown is a universal aggrevant; it requires of a leap of faith and a handing over of control, but more so it requires trust. It requires trust in yourself and/or trust in those that you’ve enlisted to help you make the change and ironically, it’s this trust that when fostered, helps us fear the unknown a bit less and allows us to make changes when we first become aware as opposed to dreading the effort it might take.

Another phrase, very similar to the first that I stumbled upon just this morning is “Nothing changes if you change nothing.” It’s almost the same, but ever so slightly different. It’s the truth, in plain English and it calls you to change SOMETHING if you truly want to change. It forces you to be brave and take the first step, pick something and change it and TRUST that it will all be worth it!

So, GO! Stop staring at the onion and start peeling back the layers.

Nutrition - Eat What you Deserve.

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:38:32 +0100

We are all familiar with the standard adage, “you are what you eat” and as old as that advice may be, it still holds true. In every sense of the word, we ARE what we eat; each bite passes through our body ultimately incorporated into our next generation of cells by way of nourishment or toxins. But it isn’t that simple, food also offers an experience of enjoyment and functions as a social agent as well. Nourishing ourselves can be complicated.

At this point in time, there are more options for food than ever before. We have a full range of foods that span the gap between absolute garbage and apparent super foods. What can makes feeding ourselves so confusing is that the media is terribly wonderful at continually spinning the ever revolving door of information; one day bagels are the best, the next they’re the new cigarette… One day the simple egg yolk is going to kill you, the next it’s liquid gold. To add to that, our bodies seems designed to crave all the wrong things! I don’t blame you for feeling confused if you do. But, like most other things, it will do you a world of good to stop reading the headlines, avoid any food that you see advertised or wrapped in gimic and head back to the basics.

When I say basics I mean REALLY basic. Like before you were a kid, basic. Go back to a world where there was no new fangled contraptions, machines, packaging or preserving. Back to a time where food was prepared by hand and for the immediate consumption of people that lived very nearby. If you’re great grandmother couldn’t make it, don’t eat it. In fact, just like fitness and intention, the more complicated or glamorous its made out to be… the worse it probably is for you.

This is generally where a lot of heal digging happens. When I talk about this with my clients, friends or people in general, specifically when I say ‘eat more vegetables’… I hear all about the time it takes, the expense it incurs or the effort it requires to shift ones palate to accommodate this simple way of eating. And to that, I respond with a curt, ‘suck it up Buttercup!’ I’d even add that it SHOULD (even tho it doesn’t) take more time, be more of an investment and require more effort. This is your one and only body, you’re one and conceivably only life that you are literally creating with every meal. To hand over the control of your health and wellness in exchange for convenience or indulgence is irresponsible and given the suspect ingredient lists of so many ‘foods’ these days, each morsel really does take you either closer to or farther away from health. Which brings me to another phrase I return to often. “We feed ourselves the food we feel that we deserve.” And I invite you to ponder that for the next few weeks. Consider it at each meal and see your choices thru this new lens. Food seems complicated, I understand, but we can uncomplicate it by seeing it as a tool for health and allowing it to be truly enjoyable because of it’s value and not the other way around.

As the theme of this month is about engaging with yourself and building an awareness of where you’re at and where you want to go, nutrition is yet another opportunity to do so. Experiment with your likes and dislikes, try new things, substitute something natural for an old standard convenience food; discover a new perspective, reconnect with a simpler more wholesome way of attending to yourself.

Fitness - What is it?

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:23:16 +0100

I had 3 really inspiring conversations today about the idea of fitness and what it really is. I’ve also been watching the whole concept of fitness for the past little while and pondering the various applications of the word. It seems that the industry that I call home uses this word, and an absolute tonne of ‘supporting’ imagery, in a lot of ways and it also appears as though almost every ‘expert’ claims that they have their own unique map that lays out the best route to the mythical land of fitness. At first blush, fitness looks a little something like an every ready beach body that can climb a mountain after running a triathlon and following that by crushing some serious weights, of course looking HOT the whole time… An exaggeration of course but after months of really looking at the images on Pinterest, not by that much! With all the imagery and info out there it’s hard to know which route to take on your own personal journey of fitness. And I’ll even argue that it’s BECAUSE of these images and this information that it seems so confusing. In all reality most of us don’t look like these images and that’s inherently alienating. The brass ring is hung before us and we feel that that is the standard. So if fitness isn’t that beautiful brass ring that the internet and magazines polish so nicely…. What is it?

To me, the kernel of truth at the very center of the entire ball of string that fitness is, no matter WHAT your reason or push may be, it’s freedom. Fitness is the freedom to live your life as comfortably and capably as possible. Fitness is a feeling as opposed to hard data or even collections of trophies and flags. (Note: while hard data can help inspire us to keep moving it doesn’t actually define how we feel as we experience life on a day to day level.) Fitness is also an ever changing adventure because as soon as you get good at one thing you’ll find something else that you wish you were better at and there’s your next project.

Fitness, is about settling into your body, gaining an awareness of your own personal start line, your own limits and setting your sites on your very own finish line. It helps to get clear on what it is you are looking for, what you want to feel in your very own body and how you wish to improve or strengthen your relationship between your body and your life. In getting clear it also helps to get real about your expectations.

Fitness, can also work nicely as a moving meditation. It teaches us patience and determination. It can show us aspects of ourselves that are easy to ignore or that we haven’t unearthed yet. Giving up before the timer goes??? I’ll bet you do that in other places in life. Finding some hidden strength to lift more that you ever have??? I’ll venture a guess and say you’re capable of crushing another obstacle elsewhere.

A few of the conversations that I’ve had around this subject have centered on the negative down slope of defeat. New Years Resolutions are BORN from this, the biting off more than you can chew, setting your goals too high and not breaking it down into manageable steps – and this all stems from that strange brass ring.

Which brings me to the kernel of truth again, freedom. No matter what your regimen or goal is your fitness pursuit should feel like freedom. If you find yourself constantly back at square one and frustrated by a lack of results try a slower approach, start with small things and add on as the months change – you’ll be amazed at how far you got in one year as opposed to planning your next fitness goal rerun 11 months early… The best place to start is exactly where you are and if you are honest about where you are, push yourself when it’s right and respect yourself when it’s not you’ll get far further ahead than just barreling thru the bricks.

To go from zero to hero in 6 months or even a year is a bit unsustainable. You risk injury; burnout or worse, a blow to your ego, which may set you back even further. The focus of attaining fitness ought to be on building a foundation, or if you have a foundation working on the ground floor and upward from there. Freedom ironically comes from discipline and by establishing a deeply rooted habit you avoid the trap that is treating fitness like something you do once to get into your summer clothes and you allow it to develop into something that you maintain over the course of the rest of your life.

Ultimately, fitness is your very own process of engaging with your body and creating a conversation about what feels comfortable and what makes you feel strong, empowered, prepared and excited to wake up each day. There are no limits to what you can achieve with your body and never underestimate it’s ability to lead you to places you never thought you’d go but don’t forget the other side of it and remember to respect and honor your body, check in and make sure you’re not chasing someone else’s idea of fitness!

Setting Intentions

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:21:38 +0100

Now that we’ve settled into the New Year, and all the remaining decorations have been packed away, the cupboards have been purged of Holiday junk (right???) and we have our game faces on, thought I’d unveil my own plan for the coming year.

Last year was a whirlwind of NEW and AMAZING things for me, and the very nature of that left me feeling a bit “vaporous” at times. This year, I’m digging in. I’m going deeper and shoring up my foundations; my intention this year, is to be more consistent and stay focused on creating a denser broth.

It seems only appropriate to have my first post be about INTENTION. Intention, by definition, is to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to set an aim. A lack of intention will end in us wandering, aimlessly, without meaning or direction. But by having an aim, ‘the cosmos’ align and create absolute magic. When we have intention, direction and purpose even the most impossible things become astoundingly possible.

Setting intention helps you take more control of your life. You decide what you’re going after and if you stay connected to that end point and the energy that it brings into your life, the entire world seemingly conspires to let you attain it! The stars come to YOU; you stop chasing THEM. All “fluffy stuff” aside, setting intentions sets up an environment that calls into question your actions, thoughts and behaviors and by way of that forces you to filter out the things that keep you from reaching your goals.

Now, you could set an intention every day, create a “babysteps” plan or, you could set an intention for your entire life, a broad stroke that encapsulates the vibe you want to feel in Life. Better yet, you could do BOTH and have a spectrum of intentions that work synergistically to create the full hum of the life you dream of. Your intention could focus on your career, your family interactions, your organizations skills, fitness, nutrition, finances, ANYTHING.

The point is that as you take stock of your life and shine light into the corners you are bound to find a few articles that need some attention. Setting intentions is about creating awareness in your life and finessing the things that you feel could benefit from some care; polish and push yourself to be the best that you can be, on your own terms. It’s NOT about checking off a vague list of things that other people suggest for you.

Here are a few steps to setting an intention:

1. Get clear about WHAT you want; visualize it to the point of absolute clarity – if you set a fuzzy intention, you’ll get a fuzzy result. Think about WHY you want to do what you want to do, HOW it will make you feel when you’ve accomplished it, WHEN you want to accomplish this new level by and WHAT you’ll need to do to make this a reality. It’s these details that separate a dream from a real shift in being.

2. Write it down. Writing out your intention makes it concrete. It pulls it out of the ether of your thoughts, separates it from the half detailed notions you have and sets it in stone. Writing it down also gives you something to refer to frequently, a touchstone.

2b. (Optional). Share your intention with someone. This doesn’t have to happen and whether or not it does is completely dependant upon whether or not external accountability is a motivator for you. Personally, I am more driven when I keep my intentions to myself and really let the flame build some momentum before I share my plans. Get to know how you function and choose the path of highest accountability.

3. Check in regularly with the intention. Keep the note that you made close by and ask yourself often if your actions are getting you closer or farther away from your goal. It’s this checking in that keeps you on track, without it another year rolls by and your old habits rock the groove so to speak and you end up making the same gestures year in and year out. Make the choice to develop a new habit or way of being and your life will become a more fruitful adventure of growth and wonder!

4. Reflect on your Intentions – Assess your accomplishment, any hurdles you may have come up against and how you can either recreate this success in other places of your life or do a better job than this go round. Notice, without judging, your success and set backs – build these into your next intention setting session.

5. Don’t overwhelm yourself – It’s easy to get excited and make a list of a billion things that you think will help you have the perfect life. If your list is too long you risk overwhelming yourself and heading right back to square one. Another aspect of a long list is superficiality; the more tiny details you put on the list the more likely it is that you’re angling towards perfection and not awareness or actual freedom. Approach intentions like an onion – peel back the layers one at a time, make each one count and settle into your new shifts before embarking on the next – it’s this behavior that makes new habits a lifestyle and not just an attempt at being “better”.

Setting intentions is about getting real and honest with yourself, addressing the fabric of your being and making changes where you see fit. They can set you free to live the life you’ve always dreamt of and they have the power to really change your life in a way well beyond your wildest dreams. There is magic in the act of setting intentions and it’s a magic that has a domino effect. If you feel like you’re ready to make a change in some vein of your life, start small and feed off your success! What have you got to lose?!

Bone Broth - Liquid GOLD

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:29:53 +0100

Recently I’ve set off down the path of making my own broths. I have to admit that up until now I’d thought of it as a hassle and avoided it because I it was messy and time consuming – how wrong was I?! In the last 2 weeks I’ve made 2 different broths – one beef and one chicken and my new consensus is that the minimal investment in time and effort is one of the greatest you can make in terms of your kitchen as the payout is HUGE. Homemade bone broth is a culinary GAME CHANGER as well as a Nutritional GOLD MINE. The effort to return ration is akin to walking into a convenience store to buy a lottery ticket and hitting the jackpot!

The thing about broth is, by it’s very nature, it is made from the stuff that keeps our bodies functioning and recreating itself. It is a massive dose of minerals, vitamins, gut stabilizing gelatin,

Bone Broth offers:

Unsurpassed Flavour – as an already avid soup maker I am pleased to say that I have made 3 pots of different soup (Sage Butternut Squash, Mexican Tortilla and Basic Chicken “Noodle”) this week using my own broth as a base and I’m already very pleased with how much depth my soups have gained. While store bought soup stocks are fast and convenient, once I’d made my own broth I couldn’t help but wonder HOW on EARTH a factory could ever recreate this – if I let myself imagine their process vs. my own I was left with a vivid image of what a factory probably DOES to approximate a passable broth and my decision was made. Like most foods produced in a factory – broth was decisively moved to my “handmade only” list.

Cost Savings – On average 1 Litre of Soup Stock will run you around $4-5, depending on the quality, and if you catch a deal or not. That stock generally gives you a heaping does of Sodium, a strange does of yellow or brown to inform you of its flavour content and potentially a whole host of other things you didn’t bargain for. Depending on how you go about making your stock, you could get almost 4 Litres for next to nothing given that you can simply throw scraps of vegetables and a left over carcass or two (you’re just throwing them away anyway) into the freezer and making a stock when you have enough stuff.

Health Benefits – You know how whenever we’re sick we tend to want soup? Or whenever a friend gets sick we tell them to “eat some soup”? Well that all comes from a HUGE historical base and in general, when it comes to things like that, it’s some sound advice based in tradition. How could generations of loving Grans be wrong?! Well, they weren’t and here’s why. One of the functions of the skeleton, aside from holding creatures up and allowing them to move is to act as a bank for minerals and other nutrients. The center of the bone is a veritable factory of red blood cells and gelatin, both of which are of incredible value to our own bodies. By simmering bones we allow all of those minerals and nutrients to leach out into the water, thereby producing a rich source of life supporting goodies. Handmade broth is an incredible source of Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous and other trace minerals. Aside from minerals bone broths also offer things like Glucosamine, Gelatin and Chondroiton. Sound familiar? You’ve probably heard of or read of them if you’ve been interested in supplementing for arthritis or joint pain. All three are heavy hitters in this area and it is logical that we could support our own bone, joint and connective structures by taking in the very nutrients that create them.

Added Bonus! – Nothing beats coming home to a house that smells of a delicious broth that’s been simmering all day. There is little else that is that comforting and proves to inspires you to nourish yourself fully.

And so you can see just how valuable a true bone broth is; using the recipes below you can see that they are easy to include and not nearly as intimidating as you might think.

**On the note of convenience – once you’ve made a stock you can portion it out into use immediately and freeze for later portions. This helps you have stock on hand for future and will keep you rolling in gold. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray so you have stock available to use with vegetables and in sauces.

Beef Bone Broth

4 Liters of Water

3-4 Lbs Bones (Beef bones)

1 Onion, roughly chopped

2 Carrots, roughly chopped

2 Ribs Celery, roughly chopped

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Sea Salt

1 Head of Garlic, each clove smashed

1” Chunk of Ginger

· Pitch everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer – just so you can see small bubbles coming thru.

· Let this simmer carry on for 8 hours at least up to 24 hours.

· Strain thru a colander and then let cool at room temperature for a bit. Once it’s cooled put it all in the fridge. A layer of fat will rise to the surface – skim this off.

· Your broth will/should turn into a gelatinous goo. This is AWESOME-SAUCE – literally. It will turn back into a liquid once you heat it back up. You can freeze your broth in single serving containers or keep it refrigerated for 3 days.

Chicken Broth

Bones of 1 – 2 Chickens

1 Onion, roughly chopped

2 Carrots, roughly chopped

2 Ribs Celery, roughly chopped

1 Head of Garlic, each clove smashed

1” Chunk of Ginger

Enough Water to cover the whole lot

Follow the same directions as above.

Recommeded Reading

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:37:22 +0100

I read a lot of books. Well, I START a lot of books, become completely fascinated by the notion of the book and then I go on a researching tear to find out as much as I can about that first thread. I DO finish the majority of books that I start, just in a less than typical timeline. There are, however, a few books that hook me and keep me locked within their pages and their pages alone until every last word is absorbed. These books have a special place on my bookshelf and call my attention time and time again. I find myself telling people about them constantly and considering their lessons almost weekly.

Three such books that I find VERY applicable to the subject of nutrition, fitness, transformation and LIFE are:

1. "Women, Food and God" by Geneen Roth

2. "Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul" by Deepak Chopra

3. "Nourshing Wisdom" by Marc David

Each of these titles approach nutrition, thoughts and behaviour in such a way that as you read you can actually feel other facets of your mind being polished; attention being subversively drawn to various influential and limiting perspectives. They are like the literary version of those 3D pictures of the 90s, you absorb the material presented and then when you least expect it, out of the corner of your eye, absolutely NO denying it - the REAL image appears and you are shocked; amazed; delighted.

As I read each of these titles I felt connections, undeniable and rock solid connections form and replace other faulty wiring. My awareness was shifted and dark corners illuminated. I felt myself GROW. It's for this reason that I recommend these titles.

They are also captivating, gentle, humurous, engaging and forward in a way that shakes you by the ankles and then gives you an encouraging hug. It's for these reasons that I also recommend them. Near perfect books for anyone starting the journey into knowing yourself better and freeing yourself from the complexities of a malnourished (be it physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually) life.

Get these books; beg, borrow or steal them. They will radically shift your perspective.

Amazing Berry Crumble

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 20:47:02 +0100

D and I are BIG fans of crumble. We're not picky about what type of crumble, be it Pear, Apple, Strawberry, Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Mango, Peach or any combination thereof. We make it for dessert and end up eating it for Breakfast. We have been known to make as many batches as there are days in a week. D is a major Carbivore and has a preference for sweet things at breakfast. I on the other hand lean more towards a Paleo persuasion but enjoy a sweet treat here and there. Crumble/Cobblers made of whole, natural and healthy ingredients are obviously a beautiful compromise for our vastly differing but mutually focused diets.

And on that note I'm posting a recipe that is currently BLOWING OUR MINDS. It's SO simple. REALLY clean. and most importantly DELICIOUS! I found this recipe in a book I'm reading right now called "Everyday Paleo" by Sarah Fragoso. (Note: I WOULD post a picture but this stuff is akin to the Pokaroo... Its never seems to be around long enough to get an artful shot!)

Ingredients

3-4 Cups Fresh or Frozen Fruit (if using Berries I think 4 cups leaves a better ratio of crumble to Berries, which in OUR house IS a big deal.)

1 Egg

1 1/2 Cups Raw Almonds

2 Tbsps Fat (either Coconut Oil or Organic Butter)

2 Tbsps Cinnamon

Steps

Preheat the Oven to 350 Degrees.

In a 9" square baking dish put the Berries.

In your food processor, combine the Almonds, Egg, Fat and Cinnamon.

Press the crumble topping evenly over the top of the berries. (For this purpose I think Frozen works better as they are more compliant to the pressing out of the topping.)

Put it all in the oven for 30 minutes. When it's done let cool for 15 mins and DIVE ON IN!

I can feel the season shifting from "winter" into SPRING! and I'm getting pretty excited about longer days and the cherry blossom storm thats on the horizon but that being said THIS RECIPE has me SUPER excited for summer as I can already taste the fabulous combinations of summer fruits that will find their way into this dish!

Bones and Calcium

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:36:47 +0100

Last night I was at the gym and while I was doing my warm-up there was an ad on the TVs. It was for a new fantastic 'high calcium' yogurt. In typical TV land fashion the ad was complete with little scales going up and down as this brand was compared with that brand and the two women sitting on a bench were subtly put into a "calcium competition". I was struck with the simplicity and potential misinformation of it all and decided that I needed to investigate more deeply and write a post focusing on Calcium, what it is, where to find it, how the body really absorbs and uses it and the best way to keep levels up where it needs to be for a long healthy and active life.

So lets get started!

Calcium. This important mineral makes up 2% of our body weight and 98% of that resides in our bones, 1% in our teeth and the remaining 1% circulates in our body doing what it needs to do (more on that later). Our bones serve as a Calcium storage unit as well as the foundation from which our muscels hang and thus articulate as we live our lives. It makes sense to focus some attention on building and maintaining this vital bodily foundation.

Calcium doesn't just absorb into the body when we eat it - other minerals, hormones and nutrients are important to ensure proper absorption. Vitamin D and Phosphorous, for examples are required in order for Calcium to be absorbed from the digestive tract.

Once in the system, Calcium works in tandem with Magnesium to regulate heart and muscle contractions as well as nerve conduction. So you can see that Calcium is very important just to function smoothly in a day-to-day way, above and beyond just producing a foundation.

When our blood Calcium levels are too low to maintain cellular functioning the body takes matters into it's own hands (you should have been getting more Calcium in your diet) and releases hormones which will inspire both the drawing of Calcium from the great reservoir that is our skeleton and a greater rate of absorption in the intestines. It works to correct the levels of Calcium in the blood any way it can. An ongoing state of low dietary Calcium intake, which remders the increased intestinal absoprtion response moot, and the body drawing Calcium from the bones ends in what is medically known as Osteoporosis. The precursor to Osteoporosis is Osteopeonia.

Both of these conditions leave the bones in a very precarious position, brittle, weak and looking like microscopic swiss cheese. As we age, if our bone density decreases and this porification of our foundation continues we are left vulnerable to breakage of bones. The weak bones don't break cleanly like a bone of a healthy body, instead they shatter and often times it is the inability for the body to heal the messy break that turns life swiftly down a dire path. Again, we can see just how important it is to bring awareness and attention to creating and maintaining a healthy skeleton.

How, exactly, do we create and maintain a healthy skeleton? That comes down to balance, like so much else.

Factors that contribute to Calcium absorption:
- Body Needs (growth, pregnancy, lactation etc.)
- Vitamin D, A and C
- Milk Lactose
- Acid Environment (Hydrochloric Acid, Citric Acid, Vitamin C)
- Protein Intake
- Fat Intake
- Exercise
- Phosphorous Balance

Factors that detract from Calcium absorption:
- High Fat Intake
- High Phosphorous Intake
- High Protein Intake
- Low Stomach Acid
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Lack of Exercise
- Oxalic Acid Foods (Beet Greens, Chard, Spinach, Rhubarb, Cocoa)
- Phytic Acid Foods (Whole Grains)
- Stress
- Vitamin D deficiency

As we can see it is a balancing act. One thing can help absoprtion but too much of that item will actually cause the opposite effect. So, much like everything else, moderation is key. Getting enough protein is important, but taking on an Atkins style diet might be overkill. Sufficient dietary fats is also important, but again, too much and it swings in the opposite direction. Interestingly, dairy products, the very thing that inspired me to write this post, are, when balanced properly, a good source for absorbable Calcium. While skim milk products tend to contribute to a release of Calcium (the ratio of Protein to Fat is disrupted), a higher fat, whole milk will act beneficially to Calcium absoprtion as the Lactose and properly balanced Protein- Fat ratio lends itself to easy Calcium absorption. What happens when your trainer has told you to eat Fat Free Greek Yogurt?! You guessed it, BALANCE; be sure to include a healthy fat such as Avocado, Nut Butter, Udos Oil etc. and you'll be reaping the benefits of a healthy protein-fat ratio! Other good sources of Calcium are Broccoli, Cauliflower, and many types of Peas and Beans (Pinto, Adzuki, Soybeans). Nuts, specifically Almonds, Brazil Nuts and Hazelnuts, Seeds, sunflower and sesame, also contain good amounts of Calcium. Molasses is fairly high in Calcium and fruits such as Figs, Citrus, Raisins and Dried Apricots have a decent amount.

What about supplementing. Quite often supplements come into play when we just don't want to MANAGE our diets. We worry that we aren't doing a good job and so we lean on the insurance that supplements seem to offer. Take a pill and live life knowing your bases are covered, right? Well not so much. Taking supplements is tricky business and to take JUST a Calcium supplement can send things into a spiral of deficiencies and imbalances. Calcium can help with the absorption of Vitamin B12, but too much and it competes for space in the blood and pushes out other vitals such as Magnesium, Zinc, Iron and Manganese. You are better off investing the energy you might put into sorting pills into eating a well rounded diet that looks something like 50% Carbohydrates (veggies and whole grains), 30% Protein (Lean and Clean), 20% Fat (Healthy sources such as nuts, seeds and oils there of.)

Another way to ensure a strong healthy bone structure is to MOVE your body. Use it as it was designed to be used; actually give it the opportunity to function as it was miraculously built to function. Exercise, weight bearing exercise, such as weight lifting, jumping, running, playing!, puts your body into "growth" mode. This signals your body to strengthen the structure that all the muscles are animating so as to equip it for more and safer mobility. The body has no option BUT to build better bones, absorbing all the calcium you're feeding it and storing it in its bones for fututre stability. Doing this exercise outside is a double health bonus as the Vitamin D that is produced in our skin with the help of the natural Sun increases Calcium absorption.

Now that we've investigated a bit into Calcium we can see that it is an extremely important mineral for us to be aware of and to make sure that we are getting enough of. That being said, depsite the importance of it it's not exactly rocket science how to get the right levels. Nature built our bodies in a way that its environment could support it and if we focus on maintaining a balanced diet, remain curious with our vegetable palate, keep our Protein-Fat-Carb ratios in line, and follow a whole foods diet as well as include vigorous and challenging activity in our daily list of priorties our body will generally take care of the rest.

The 'Itis's'

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:26:27 +0100

The human body is an incredibly well designed “machine.” It responds to our mental cues without a moment’s hesitation and for the most part completes the actions that we require it to with ease. It also takes care of millions of other functions without us ever asking for it or ever having to know, its done it from the moment we came to life and will continue until the day we die. It simply runs and functions to provide us with the ability to live our lives. This, of course, is all in an IDEAL situation.

There are as many malfunctions as there are functions in the human body and some make their presence more loudly known than others. Unfortunately, it’s usually the full volume red alert sirens that get our attention. One of which is outright pain. The most frustrating of which is chronic pain – the un-ignorable, full stop, do not pass go nor collect 200$ kind of pain.

One of many sources of this pain, and the most applicable to my work, is joint/structural pain (ie Bursitis, Tendonitis, various knee issues, the aftermath from surgery etc). This pain is the most frustrating because it gets in your way and forces you to slow down when you really just want to get on with either the process of changing your life or simply just keeping on with the trajectory you were on. To slow down feels more akin to a FULL STOP. It’s a hard reminder that we aren’t perfect and that sometimes we can’t just “reach out and take it.” It’s also a very hard pill to swallow when your doctor says “you can’t do _____________, anymore.” How do you absorb that information gracefully? What will you do NOW?! It is potentially one of the many possible moments when we will truly understand that “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.”

Lets take a second to discuss the ITISES. Bursitis, Tendonitis specifically.

Itis refers to inflammation.

Burs, refers to the Bursae – small fluid filled pouches that sit between bone and muscles or tendons and are designed to create a frictionless environment when we move our joints. The typically inflammed Bursae reside in the Shoulders, Elbows, Hips and Knees (in truth there are 150 Bursae in the body!) Bursitis is caused quite simply by the combination of repetitive movements and excessive pressure. A delicate structure designed to create a moveable and forgiving space is forced repeatedly into an extremely tight position and required to work under extreme pressure. You wouldn’t last very long under those conditions either!

The result is an angry element that needs some space and ease.

Tendonitis is, you guessed it, the inflammation of a Tendon. It is similar to Bursitis in that it arrives after overuse of a particular element. Consistently doing an activity can put strain and aggravation on the tendons utilized during that action; Tennis Elbow – constant swinging of the arm, Jumpers Knee – frequently seen in Volleyball players from the constant fast and explosive jumping.

Interestingly the onset of Tendonitis and Bursitis has been linked to high levels of stress. If we look at it from a more philosophical perspective, when we are stressed we are tight; our energy, our shoulders etc. These conditions might be physical manifestations of an inner landscape that needs tending.

How do you know if you’ve developed Bursitis or Tendonitis?

The symptoms of each are a range from aches and pains and local stiffness, to a burning that surrounds the whole joint around the affected area. There may be swelling and some heat and redness, but not necessarily. In Tendonitis there may be some visible knots in the muscles around the area. Tightness generally sets in the day after the offending activity. If you have these symptoms it is best to get to your doctor and have them take a look.

What do you do if you’ve developed one or the other?

First and foremost, REST the area. Give your body some respect for what it’s accomplished and put up with and let it recuperate. Pain means stop. Give your body some time to heal itself in an environment that doesn’t require so much of it. While you’re resting consider a new approach; consider a way to support your body on the road to the goals that your mind has set for it.

Upon resuming activity it will be important to ensure that you aren’t asking too much of the smaller details in your body. Strengthen the larger, more capable and dynamic parts (ie Muscles). The rationale here is to create a structure that is able to bear the weight and brunt of our activities, gracefully and for a long time. To engage in activities that are beyond our body’s limits, is to put unnecessary and ignorant force on the finer details (ie tendons, bursae, etc.)

It is also very key to assess your form at this point. If you’ll be focusing on building up the base you must be certain that the movements you are training into the bodys memory are accurate and safe. Most injuries stem from poor form and sloppy movement.

While you are building up these foundational elements do not forget stretching. Stretching creates space and reduces the tension produced in and around the joints after hard work and forces you to slow down both physically and mentally. You can’t overestimate the value of stretching for the Mind, Body and Soul.

I strongly maintain that the body speaks to us in an increasingly loud voice. The longer we ignore its input the more it is forced to call our attention to the problems. If you are feeling some small twinges during training be sure to take a minute and assess what you are doing. If you’ve already been diagnosed with one of these frustrating issues be sure to be gentle and understanding with your body. After all, it’s the only one you’ve got, and if this one gets damaged, you’re stuck with it until the game is over. Train Smart.