Archive for the tag - inspiration

4 Wiser Ways To Think About Exercise.

February 4, 2015 By

Male bodybuilderFor a lot of people, going to the gym is a dreaded chore. But that’s only because they’ve framed it as such.

Today and for the rest of our lives, let’s re-frame the way we think about the gym. By doing so, we can dramatically shift the experience of working out - and the sustainability of our exercise commitments. Which, of course, can lead to better results and goals achieved.

Instead of the same old, sad gym story that you’ve been telling yourself, try these new paths forward:

  1. Going to the gym is a choice. In the same way that brushing your teeth is a choice. In other words, while skipping the gym is an option, it has some pretty undesirable consequences. And unlike brushing your teeth, skipping the gym results in more than bad breath and poor oral hygiene. When you skip the gym, you’re spitting in the face of your goals, your health and the life that you want to create for yourself.
  2. Going to the gym is an investment. A lot of people think about the gym as an expense. And those same people end up dropping their gym membership, forgoing their fitness goals and gaining an unhealthy amount of body fat. Your car payment is an expense. Your monthly contribution to your retirement plan, on the other hand, is an investment. Going to the gym is much more the latter. Your workout will yield dividends not of money, but rather of health benefits and improvements to the quality of your life. Invest in yourself.
  3. Going to the gym is a gift. With more than 600 muscles and as many as 360 joints, it’s clear that your body is made to move. We are born with arms and legs - not a chair glued to our ass. So give your body the gift of movement that it so deeply craves. In turn, your body will thank you through improved function and better health.
  4. Going to the gym is an act of love. Here’s a very honest question to ask yourself: Do you workout because you hate your body? Or do you workout because you love your body? Instead of viewing the gym as an act of resistance, view it as an act of love. Instead of working out because you hate this or that about your body, do it because your body deserves time and attention. And if you’re not ready to love your body, at least view exercise as a way to support your body and your goals.

And if you need a little gym-spiration, download Davey Wavey’s Bootcamp Workout. Through 3, 15-minute at-home workouts, you’ll transform your body and incinerate excess fat.

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: ,

4 Exercise Phrases to Replace NOW!

October 29, 2014 By

Our words have a lot of power.

They might not change reality - but they can change your perception of reality. And that’s a pretty big deal. As such, it’s important to choose words wisely.

14410557274_d803a6b38c_zChoosing words wisely is especially important when it comes to health and fitness. Through the words we express, we can dramatically shift our experience of exercise - and, ultimately, our results. To that end, I’ve picked a few key fitness phrases to replace in your vocabulary.

  1. “I hate this exercise.” When we say that we hate an exercise, what we usually mean is that it’s difficult. And if an exercise is difficult, that’s a good indication that we need to do more of it. Let’s be clear: You’re at the gym to exercise and get stronger. To get stronger, we need to challenge ourselves - and it’s these difficult exercises that help ensure results. Rather than hating difficult exercises, embrace them! Don’t hate the exercise, love it!
  2. “I want to be skinny.” The dictionary defines skinny as “lacking sufficient flesh; very thin; emaciated.” Despite the images we see and the messages we hear, skinny isn’t a wise fitness goal. Instead of aspiring to be scrawny or gaunt, let’s work towards healthy, strong, athletic or fit. There are so many words more deserving of our attention.
  3. “I need to go to the gym.” When you say it like that, going to the gym sounds like a chore. And if it sounds like a chore, it will feel like a chore. Going to the gym isn’t something to dread. On the contrary, going to the gym is a tremendous gift to your body - and it’s a step in the direction of your goals. You don’t need to go to the gym. You want to go to the gym and to experience its benefits.
  4. “I’ll never look like that.” Why in the world would you root against your goals and your body? By feeding yourself negative sentiments, you’re fighting against the reality you want to create. Instead of building walls up, knock them down. Be your biggest cheerleader. Rather than focusing on the ‘nevers’, bring your attention to the changes that you can and will make - and let each day be a step in the direction of your goals.

At the end of the day, what you tell yourself and the people around you becomes your truth. So let’s use language that keeps us in alignment with the truth we want and the goals we wish to achieve. Bring awareness to what you listen to, what you tell yourself and what you tell others.

P.S. If you want a strong and healthy core, download “Davey Wavey’s Six Pack Program” and use discount code “YouTube” to save 25% during checkout! It contains five, 12-minute ab workouts that you can do at home to achieve real and lasting results!

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: ,

Exit The Weight Loss Pity Party.

September 9, 2014 By

pity-partyToday’s guest post is by Davey Wavey’s good friend and spiritual weight release coach, Diane Petrella.

“I look so fat in this dress!”
“It’s so hard to lose weight.”
“I’m a hopeless case.” ?

Sound familiar?

While we all need to vent our feelings, staying stuck in negativity isn’t venting at all. Rather than releasing emotions, it stirs up your frustration and poisons your mind and body. Your weight-loss journey becomes harder than it needs to be when you weigh yourself down with pessimism and join in negative conversations with friends. But when you make the decision to end the complaining, your journey—and your body—become lighter.

See For Yourself

Every word you think and speak produces a physiological reaction in your body. Try this simple exercise and notice what happens:

Get yourself comfortable and take a few deep breaths to settle yourself. Now, with your eyes closed, repeat the following phrases silently to yourself while noticing the sensations in your body:

“I hate my body.”
“I feel disgusting.”
“I’m a loser.”  

Now, bring your attention back to your breathing to clear those thoughts from your mind.   Close your eyes again, and repeat the following while noticing the sensations in your body:

“I am gentle with myself.”?
“I am kind to my body.”?
“I am strong.”  

Open your eyes. Most people notice some tension in their body when they say the first set of phrases and a relaxing sensation with the second. What about you?

A diet of toxic words and self-abusive insults harms your body and dampens your spirit. But when you make a conscious decision to feed yourself loving words, your spirit lightens and your body relaxes. You stop fighting with yourself and open the way for a peaceful—and more successful—weight loss journey.

Word Power?

To release weight with less effort, be mindful of how you speak. Stop repeating unkind, disrespectful words to yourself and replace them with encouraging and kind words. I know… this may feel hard to do at first because you are so used to talking to yourself in a negative way. Changing any habit takes time. The important thing is to make the commitment to speak to yourself with compassion and then make it a practice that you develop. For example, if you catch yourself speaking disrespectfully to your body as you look in the mirror first thing in the morning or try on outfits for a special occasion, apologize to it by saying:

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me for speaking to you that way.”    

An apology to your body reminds you of your commitment to speak to yourself with kindness. Then, give your body a supportive message such as, “I intend to take good care of you” or, if this feels natural, “I love you” or “I want to love you.” You can also gently say the following words as a kind of mantra to infuse your body with calming energy: peace, love, ease, relax. Think of these phrases and words as anchors to help you stop, shift your focus and regain your confidence and strength.

Exit the Pity-Party

I know… we can all fall into complaining sessions with friends. And to a point, venting helps. But beyond the initial bonding through shared experiences or just needing a friendly ear to release frustration, complaining with others serves no useful purpose. If anything, these conversations weaken you. They taunt you to the cookie jar by justifying the limiting belief that, “Everyone agrees with me that it’s hard to lose weight, so what’s the point?”

But remember this: YOU are the point. Your health, your future, your dreams.

And when you join in toxic complaint sessions with friends and co-workers about how hard is to lose weight, how difficult it is to avoid sweets, or how impossible it is to find the time to exercise, you lose the point of you and your health. Reclaim your power and commit to no longer participate in negative conversations, in your head and with others. When you find yourself with people eager to jump on the complaint bandwagon, practice this: Say nothing, change the subject or, when possible, leave.

As you release the habit of complaining and speak supportive, encouraging words, you lighten your mind and heart. And when your mind and heart feel lighter, your weight loss journey becomes more peaceful… helping your body become lighter as well.

____

P.S. If weight loss is one of your goals, download The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program, co-written by Diane Petrella. By building a stronger relationship with your body and through proper nutrition and a strategic exercise program, you’ll create lasting and sustainable weight loss with ease.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,

5 Tips: Mindful Eating to Lose Weight & Improve Health.

August 7, 2014 By

89696614I’m not a big fan of diets and restrictions.

In fact, I don’t think that a healthy lifestyle is about less. It’s about more; it’s about an abundance of colorful, nourishing foods and a full array of flavors. It’s about freeing your body from excessive fat and living the life you’ve always wanted.

One powerful step in losing weight and improving your health is mindfulness. At first glance, it can sound like a lot of new age gimmickry and wishful thinking. But mindfulness is a change in perspective that opens up new dimensions in your life.

Albert Einstein once said that you can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it. By practicing mindfulness, you’re able to see the world anew - rather than simply treating the symptoms of an underlying problem.

Here are five ways to practice mindfulness from farm to tummy:

  1. Be mindful of where your food comes from. Is eating sacred? I think so. After all, it’s through food that we fuel our bodies to experience this tremendous gift of life. Without food, there is no life. In some ways, the food we eat is an offering to our bodies - not unlike an offering that a pilgrim might make at a temple. When food is viewed in this light, the source of your food - and knowing how it is grown or handled - can become increasingly important. While organic foods may or may not be healthier (the debate is ongoing), there’s an energetic benefit in knowing that your food is grown in a sustainable way.
  2. Be mindful of what your food contains. Ignorance is not bliss, especially when it comes to the foods you eat. By paying attention to the nutrition labels on product packaging, you’ll be more knowledgeable about the foods you eat - and better able to make informed, smart choices. Beyond saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, sugars and so on, it’s important to read the list of ingredients. If you can’t pronounce it, do you really want it inside your body?
  3. Be mindful of how you prepare your food. Whether I’m cooking for just myself or some friends or family, I make cooking an act of love. In fact, I even bought a so-called gratitude board. While it looks and works just like a cutting board, a gratitude board is a reminder to give thanks for the food you are preparing. With gratitude and love in mind, it becomes much easier to make wiser food choices. Moreover, mindfulness of food preparation carries over to restaurant eating. When dining out, mindfulness helps ensure that your food choices support your goals.
  4. Be mindful in your eating ritual. There are many ways to be mindful while eating. First, it’s about saying grace. If you feel silly offering a prayer over the food you’re eating (like a Twinkie, for example), then do you really want to eat it? Second, it’s about being aware of the food you’re actually eating. Rather than mindlessly munching in front of a television, enjoy the eating experience without distractions; you’ll be less likely to overeat.
  5. Be mindful of how your food makes you feel. When you swallow your food, your body is just getting started. How do you feel after you eat? Though fried foods may taste good, they probably make your body feel sluggish or slow and unmotivated. Similarly, soda can spike your blood sugar and can cause highs and lows. Evaluate how your body feels, and make this part of the eating experience. By paying attention to how you feel after eating, you may notice that your crave unhealthy foods less and less.

What are some of the ways that you bring mindfulness to eating? Let me know in the comments below! And for more information, download Davey Wavey’s Insanely Easy Guide to Eating Smarter!

Filed Under: Nutrition, Tips, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

The Gym Is My Church.

August 4, 2014 By

Frenzy__Bodyscape_by_FrenzyModelWhen I was young, my mother would drag my family to mass each Sunday.

For a grueling 45 minutes, I’d fidget in my cold, aluminum chair listening to outdated Bible passages and sermons about the perils of birth control and homosexuality. More than anything, I remember the smell. The stale perfume of musty holy water and frankincense, it hung thick in the air like suffocating cobwebs.

Needless to say, the experience never resonated with me - and it certainly didn’t bring me closer to God, the universe or anything resembling truth.

In more recent years, I’ve found something that has. While it may sound ridiculous to some, the gym is my new church - and, for me, it’s a million times more effective. As Marquis De Sade once said, “Your body is the church where nature asks to be revered.”

As I’ve said before, our body is the vehicle through which we experience life. By keeping that vehicle in good condition, you’re honoring life and expressing gratitude. The act of sweating, running and lifting is prayer in motion - and, in this case, actions may speak even louder than words.

You don’t need a building of wood or stone in which to worship. Instead, you need only go outside your front door and take a run through nature. Through breath, you connect to your surroundings - and feel a sense of overwhelming and pervasive oneness.

When I run or lift weights, I find myself hypnotized by the rhythm of the movements. A set of repetitions - be it squats, crunches or bicep curls - turns my attention inward. Each exercise becomes a meditation that quiets my mind and centers my being.

This isn’t to say that church doesn’t work; it just hasn’t for me. Exercise, on the other hand, is truly sacred.

Is exercise sacred for you? Let me know in the comments below.

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5 Tips To Improve Body Confidence!

July 22, 2014 By

Today’s guest post is by Davey Wavey’s good friend and spiritual weight release coach, Diane Petrella. Diane is also one of the contributors to The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program.

loveYou probably know how challenging summer can be when you’re worried about extra weight. Nothing like shorts and tank tops to trigger body insecurity, right? There is a solution and a way to embrace summer with confidence and joy. No, it’s not about changing your summer wardrobe into long-sleeve shirts and sweatpants. It’s about changing your mindset.

Here are my top 5 steps to getting body-confident, even in the hot weather:

1. Don’t Criticize… Apologize

Yes, you heard me… apologize. When you’re stuck in self-criticism about your heavy thighs or waist, you don’t need to deny how you feel. But you need to know how to stop. One way is to apologize to your body for speaking badly about it. As in any relationship, a heartfelt apology clears the air and helps you refocus. And the relationship you have with your body is as real as a relationship with a person. Use an apology to turn things around whenever you catch yourself in destructive thinking. Simply say to your body, “I’m sorry for talking about you this way.” Then do the best you can to end the negative self-talk and move on. Repeat as necessary.

2. Wear Clothes You Love

You deserve the best. So stop wearing clothes that feel uncomfortable or that you don’t like but only wear because they hide your body. (Plus, it can dampen your spirit to put on a dark, baggy sweater on a beautiful day, don’t you think?) Splurge a little on something you really love. It’s better to buy a few quality items you adore than 10 things that are “just okay” and happen to be on sale. And disregard what anyone says about what you “should” wear, especially to the beach or pool. Don’t force yourself to wear a bathing suit if you really don’t want to. If you feel more at ease in a t-shirt and shorts, go for it. Your comfort level—in clothes that make you feel good, too—is all that matters.

3. Compliment Others Generously

One of the best ways to shift attention away from your own body insecurity is to flatter someone else. If you like the blouse of the woman next to you at the check-out counter, tell her how pretty it is. If the cashier at the diner looks fabulous in her sundress, let her know. The more generously you give compliments instead of keeping your thoughts to yourself, the more love you give to the world… and the more that love comes back to you. Putting a smile on someone’s face keeps things in perspective because as you brighten their day, you brighten your own.

4. Pamper Yourself

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is the most important thing to do. While it’s never the wrong time to treat your body with love and respect, those moments when you feel especially insecure about your body are exactly when it needs your extra love and attention. Real body-confidence transformation can happen with just a small act of self-care. Maybe a gentle yoga class helps you feel more present in your body. Some love a leisurely hot tub soak or foot bath—while for others, booking a spa appointment for a facial or massage is in order. Even something as simple as a bright new lipstick, cute hair clip or hat can put a spring back in your step and raise that body confidence a few degrees.

5. Create your Self-Love List??

I learned about the extraordinary educator, Marva Collins, in a positive psychology workshop. Marva founded a school in Chicago for disadvantaged students. These high-risk children excelled beyond anyone’s expectations and Marva received national recognition for her work.

So, what does this have to do with weight loss?

It’s simple. Marva understood the power of love. When her students misbehaved, Marva did not harshly discipline them. Instead, she instructed them to write a list of their positive qualities, from A to Z.

As they wrote “I am adorable, I am beautiful, I am courageous,…” Marva’s students flourished from her love-inspired approach.

Take a page from Marva’s notebook and create your own self-love list. Use her approach to improve your body confidence and overall self-worth. Write down all your wonderful qualities, from A to Z. (Yes, I know, there are some tough letters. Use a dictionary.) Start each sentence with “I am…”??

Here are a few of mine:

“I am accepting of myself.”?
“I am big-hearted.”
?”I am confident.”??

This isn’t just a “nice” exercise. This works because you train your mind and brain to scan for the positive. Do this regularly, and especially when feeling self-critical, to move beyond body insecurities and focus on what matters most.

If you dread summer activities and the more revealing clothes of hot weather, I invite you to try one or all of these steps and see if your mindset shifts. Experience what it’s like to allow your self-love and acceptance to rise… along with the temperature.

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Goods Foods Vs. Bad Foods.

July 1, 2014 By

Basic CMYKWe all know that things like ice cream, pizza and French fries are unhealthy choices. From a nutritional standpoint, these foods have lots of cons. Foods like these are often loaded in calories, saturated fats, salt and/or added sugars.

Recently, I read the following quote by Elisa Zied, MS, RDN, CDN:

I don’t like saying there are good foods and bad foods - it’s so judgmental! I’m not saying French fries aren’t loaded with calories, fat and sodium, or ice cream isn’t rich in calories, fat and sugar, but saying they’re ‘bad’ foods invokes guilt on those who enjoy these comfort foods. Eating and enjoying food - even foods that aren’t the most nutritious - shouldn’t ever be done with guilt or shame. Eating should be one of the great pleasures of life! And if you learn to eat with pleasure, you may even feel more satisfied with less food.

When we eat with shame and guilt, these negative feelings can actually result in eating more unhealthy foods. That’s because many of us turn to food as a way to comfort and sooth through emotional eating. And as we eat even more of these unhealthy foods, we feel even more guilty - and the spiral of shame continues downward. It’s a cycle that needs to be stopped.

Moreover, labeling foods as good or bad isn’t doing you any favors. Dividing foods into categories of good and bad - and especially depriving yourself of those so-called bad foods - is the perfect way to trigger a binge. What you resist will always persist.

If you want a slice of cake, eat it. Enjoy it. Savor each bite.

But also pay attention to how your body feels afterwards. While healthy foods like salads, vegetables and fruit nourish our bodies and energize us, less healthy foods tend to make our bodies feel sluggish and unhappy. This is part of the eating experience, and when you tune in to it, it may make those unhealthy foods like ice cream, pizza and French fries a little less desirable.

If you love life (and I hope you do!), you must honor the vehicle through which you experience life. That vehicle is your body. When you look at your body in this way, the food we eat becomes more than just flavors. It’s also fuel. And because we want to keep our bodies in good working condition, it becomes easier to make food decisions that support your goals.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , ,

I Hate My Body - Help!

May 30, 2014 By

Dear Davey,

I hate my body. There’s no point in mincing words. When I look in the mirror, I’m disgusted by what I see.

You talk a lot about loving your body. It sounds great and wonderful, but how can I possibly learn to love a body that I hate so much?

From,
Lex

too-fatHey Lex,

I appreciate your honesty and know that many people, to varying degrees, can relate to your experience.

First and foremost, it’s important to give yourself the gift of professional help. When we are in difficult situations, it’s important to lean on the people who are trained to help us. Reach out.

Recently, I came across an amazing list compiled by the National Eating Disorders Association and Margo Maine, PhD. It’s 20 ways to love yourself, and it goes as follows:

  1. Think of your body as the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.
  2. Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often.
  3. Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember it is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.
  4. Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.
  5. Walk with your head held high, supported by pride and confidence in yourself as a person.
  6. Don’t let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.
  7. Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, and that feel good to your body.
  8. Count your blessings, not your blemishes.
  9. Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one!
  10. Be your body’s friend and supporter, not its enemy.
  11. Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months.  Your body is extraordinary—begin to respect and appreciate it.
  12. Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.
  13. Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.
  14. Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for the Three F’s: Fun, Fitness, and Friendship.
  15. Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Loving your body means you get to feel like that again, even in this body, at this age.
  16. Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself—without mentioning your appearance. Add to it daily!
  17. Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, “I’m beautiful inside and out.”
  18. Search for the beauty in the world and in yourself.
  19. Consider that, “Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way.”
  20. Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.

After reading through the above list, it’s my hope that at least a few of the points will resonate with you. If they do, put them to work for you. And if you have any additional suggestions, please share them in the comments below!

Love,
Davey

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Brick Walls Are There For A Reason.

May 27, 2014 By

RandyPausch(500x340)At my crossfit gym in Los Angeles, there’s a great quote about brick walls. It references a now-famous speech by Randy Pausch, a professor from Carnegie Melon University who was given only a few months to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Pausch gave a speech called “The Last Lecture” which went viral on YouTube.

The quote is as follows:

The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.

And when we do want something badly enough - and when we go after it no matter what other people tell us and in spite of the obstacles we face - brick walls show us how strong we are. We don’t realize our strength until we’re put in a position that tests it.

By overcoming obstacles and realizing our goals, we have the opportunity to see what we’re really made of. We see our intrinsic greatness, which so many of us choose to hold dormant within.

Don’t be like the other people. Make choices that are bold and in alignment with your dreams and desires. Be strong. And let your greatness shine.

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Never Diet Again: Mindful Eating!

May 21, 2014 By

PrintWhile there’s a time and place for dieting, it’s not the only tool in the toolbox. Rather than counting calories or adhering to a strict diet plan, I practice a strategy called mindful eating.

So what is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is consuming food with intention and attention.

The intention is to care for yourself and to nourish your body. It’s not to pass time. It’s not to satisfy a craving. It’s not to feel better about a problem. When eating, the intention is that the food will give your body the fuel it needs.

Attention is noticing the food you eat. Be aware of its taste and flavor. Be aware of your enjoyment of food. And be especially aware of the effects it has on your body. Paying attention to your food is powerful; and it’s not something that’s easy to achieve when eating in front of a television or computer.

With a combination of intention and intention, you may find that you eat slower. You may be able to distinguish between true hunger and emotional cues for eating. You will also be guided towards healthier food choices that are both enjoyable and nourishing. And you’ll be able to use the food you eat as fuel for a high energy and vibrant life.

In other words, by eating mindfully, you shift away from negative and destructive eating habits and create healthier patterns.

 

Filed Under: Inspiration, Nutrition Tagged With: ,
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