Happy Yoga Wellness

Using essential oils in your yoga practice

2012-01-27T03:26:00.001-08:00

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Skills to Master in order to live a happier and healthier life

2011-10-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

We are often flying by the seat of our pants in life with little room to contemplate what this is all about. I recently have been reflecting inward more as I journey through my yoga studies and I am quite surprised by the serious neglect I have given my body and soul. Marriage, children, mortgage, work -- it's so easy to get lost in this fast-paced world. I decided to take a moment and jot down a few skills I believe are necessary in life if you want to be fully alive and enjoy every moment.

1. Devleop and follow a regular activity to improve your physical health.
2. Identify your individual needs and values in life.
3. Explore your relationships. Who is making you sad/happy?
4. Develop short and long term REALISTIC goals.
5. Organize and simplify.
6. Practice loving kindness.
7. Develop a spiritual practice.
8. Identify your life purpose (OK, that's a big one and no easy task -- but it's empowering to think about!)

Organization Tip of the Week

2011-08-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

I decided that since I have so many 'jobs', I better find a way to organize my supercharged multi-tasking. Labeling tote bags is a great method for me because it allows me to keep things in one place under the designated label, it keeps it off my counters, off the floor with the dog hair, and it looks pretty! You don't have to spend a lot of money on doing something similar. Use recyclable grocery bags and designate them to different areas of your life. Just be careful to weed through them every once in a while. These aren't supposed to be trash bags!

Plant Seed, Pull Weed - A metaphor for our lives

2011-08-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

I have recently begun to love gardening. I enjoy planting a seed and watching it grow, the excitement of my children when they find a new flower or vegetable, the butterflies it collects, and the beautiful colors it adds to my home. Although, gardening is not easy as I learned this summer. There were some days that their seemed to be more weeds than anything and I thought I would never be able to get rid of them. Refusing to use chemical weed killer, I was forced to pull the weeds -- ONE AT A TIME.

Gardening seems to be a lot like our own lives. We are constantly planting good things by creating new, healthy activities or surrounding ourselves with good people. However, ever once in a while, we must pull those 'weeds' -- get rid of unhealthy habits or say goodbye to individuals who are unhealthy to us.

Here are a few pictures of my garden over the years:

My favorite day did not include my children......bad mother or wise mother?

2011-08-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you are on total summer overload at this point. Vacations, camps, company, and just the general drain from lots of time in the sun and pool. Today, my children visited one of their 4 sets of grandparents to celebrate yet another celebration for Ada's 6th birthday. It didn't dawn on me until I was home alone and there was total silence that I felt complete peace and how much I truly needed the time by myself. Of course I didn't spend the entire time lying on the couch watching t.v. -- I completed a curriculum for K-5 Math Club we are offering at USNA, graded several assignments for the online class I teach, and prepped for my Health Coaching client I have a meeting with tonight-- but it was all done before 12:00, which is normally not the case. I typically have to start and start throughout the day feeling a low sense of accomplishment.

The best part of the day came with doing one of my favorite things -- reading in bed. I spread all of my health-related articles I had been saving for a rainy day (which by the way, it happens to be), sipped on some ice coffee, and completely immersed myself in learning. It was truly a great day and no, my children were not around. So, should I consider myself a bad mother? No, I'm very wise to allow myself this time to rest, recover, and prepare for what will be a very loud house in about 3 hours.

I know it's difficult to carve out a little time for yourself when so much is going on that you are responsible for. And most of us don't have that magical grandparent, friend, or babysitter that can whisk the children away for an entire day so you can get things done. But just know that personal time is extremely important to your mental health and wellbeing. Here are some recommendations to get that little bit of 'me time' in at least once a week:

1. The obvious -- hire a 'Mommy's Helper' or ask an in-law or friend to help watch the kids while you go to your favorite coffee shop and read a chapter or two of a your favorite book while sipping on a (low calorie of course) refreshing drink.

2. Playdates - find a friend that can switch playdates with you. He/she watches your kids while you get away and then you return the favor. You both will enjoy the time alone.

3. Get up an hour early than your children's awake time so you can sip your morning cup of coffee, tea, or glass of water in peace. (Please no comments from the new parents whose wake time is prior to 5 -- obviously this is not a good idea for you)

4. Work with your significant other to establish times when you can get away and he/she can watch the kids. As a wife of a 50/50 household, my husband and I have times when he is alone with the kids and vice versa. Sometimes it is not always 50/50 and so make sure you express that concern with your signficant other. Don't hold in your frustration citing 'It's not fair...you get to...". Be sure to communicate.

5. As your children get older they will be more self-sufficient. Don't feel guilty about not being actively engaged in their activities every minute of the day. They will enjoy doing their own thing while you slip away to have fun with your own hobby.

6. Join a gym that offers daycare services, which are usually complimentary. Take your favorite exercise class, slip in to a yoga class, or just sit at the cafe and read.

7. Step away from the Facebook. Yes, it's entertaining and a great way to keep in touch. But your kids don't want to remember you as the Mom or Dad who was constantly behind the computer or checking their phone for the latest status updates. It's not important about what is going on in other's lives, try to focus on your own health and wellness. Set aside a little time in the evening to check in after the kids are asleep. Spend the time you would normally be on facebook during the day focusing on something that genuinely makes you happy.

Overall, it's all about finding the right balance and what works for your unique family. If you are having difficulty finding how to find time for yourself, please send me a note (bmutch@verizon.net). I would be happy to help you find ways to carve some 'me time' in your life. Heck -- I might even babysit!

ox,

beth

Facebook - procrastination device?

2011-07-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

I recently realized that I was spending entirely too much time on Facebook and not for good reasons. Yes, it is a great way to keep in touch with friends and loved ones. It's also a good source of information from experts, breaking news, and the occaisional coupon. And I must say it does amuse me when I am waiting in line at the grocery store. BUT, when you are checking facebook habitually (in-between minor tasks such as folding underwear, while stopped at a red light....and then the next red light refreshing the updates, after bathroom breaks, etc.)-- you might have a problem. I found that facebook was becoming all too much and I was using it as a procrastination tool.

How do you break free from a 'procastination device'? It's more complicated than you think. Most likely that procrastination device, such as facebook, has become a part of your behavior and routine. Therefore, it can be much more difficult to stop using. Treat the habit as a challenge and follow some of the following helpful suggestions.

1. Find out what you are avoiding and address the issue either by talking with someone or writing in your journal.

2. Make an alternate plan. For example, use the time to do a load of laundry or to try some different yoga postures.

3. Limit the exposure. Allow yourself a few minutes at a certain time of the day, but none other.

Remember that you might have some days that are more difficult than others to break that habit. Be kind to yourself and find someone to help you through the process. You will be amazed at the power of having to be accountable to someone else.

As for me -- I'm taking a sabatical from my personal Facebook account for a while. I'm not going to deactivate it entirely because I would still like to use it for my business, but I certainly won't be checking in to see all the hundreds of status updates through the newsfeed. I will count on those who love me to send me email updates or maybe even a call to my voicemail to let me know if anything is new. And for the news--I'll just wait for my MSNBC alerts on my Iphone.

ox,

beth

Summer Challenge - Grow your own vegetable garden

2011-05-07T19:34:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year --- time to start weeding, planting, and figuring out what to grow in your garden. Why not try some veggies? Once again I am testing my green thumb at growing veggies in the front yard. Last year we had corn and tomatoes-- no luck with the squash and the pumpkins almost made. Overall it was a fun educational project to do with the kiddos!

Here are a few pics from my 'before' shots. I'll update in a few weeks about the progress and lessons learned. I have a lot of work to do!

Email me pics of your own veggie garden to post on my blog: bmutch@verizon.net

How do I proceed? - simplicity is the key

2011-04-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

This is a little prayer for you to keep in mind as you navigate life's ups and downs. It's from a journal entry of mine as I sat one morning TRYING to meditate, but found my mind going in a million different directions, otherwise know as MONKEY MIND.

As I sat in silence and tried to meditate, I realized my mind was going in a million different directions and I began checking my list of things 'to do'. The thoughts were making me more anxisous-- which was the opposite of what I was attempting to accomplish. I decided to pray for clarity. I felt compelled for better direction of why I am here on Earth. Is it merely to accomplish those meaningless (and annoying 'to do' items)? What is my purpose? And without a second of contemplation, I realized that I only need to do three simple things on Earth -- to love, to be kind, and to show compassion. If I continue to live by those 3 principles, it doesn't matter what I do by profession. By living those characteristics, I will continue to be lead in the direction I am intended to go--- lucrative or nonlucrative/ ambitious or nonabmitious -- it doesn't matter.

A picture of a clay yogi with hands to her heart (Namaste) that my little girl, Ada, made for me.
I am truly blessed.

Organization Tip of the Week - The Laundry Room makeover

2011-04-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

I have several BRILLIANT friends that offer helpful tips on how to manage motherhood, work, and life in general. I am so thankful for all their advice. For example, my good friend recently shared with me that she got a large shelf for her laundry room and uses it to keep her family's clothes instead of putting it in their bedroom drawers. EUREKA! This is brilliant for me for several reasons. Several years ago I decided to fold all the clothes in the laundry room rather than carry them upstairs to fold--which often resulted in nonfolding and annoyingly sitting in clean laundry baskets. The only problem now is that I do fold all the clothes in the laundry room, but now they often stay in the laundry room. It was becoming a pain to then carry all the clothes upstairs and put them away. By keeping a shelf for the clothes in the laundry room, I am able to save valuable time. The clothing shelf also makes sense for us because it adds more space in the kids room where the clothes used to go. All of those little toys that I keep almost vacuuming? No longer a problem. Now Ada has her own 'toy shrapnel' drawer.

A picture of my new favorite 'toy' as I continue to fill it with the clean clothes:

Yoga Journal 21 Day Challenge - Day 11 through 21 - Schedule your 'practice'

2011-02-21T05:48:00.000-08:00

Ahhh........spring semester. Yes, this is the time of year that most challenges me. Extra classes to teach, the humdrum weather, snow delays/cancellations, husband traveling to far off places, etc. Alas, my days 11 - 21 were a blur and I'm not even sure what day we are on now. 33? Sounds like a good number.

Yoga is a part of my life and like most things in our life, some days will be a bit more challenging to fiit 'it' in. For some people that 'it' might be exercising in general, reading, laughing, resting, and even for some -- bathing (God bless you all you new Moms out there). We keep hearing that it is so important to take time for ourselves. We live in such a fast-paced world--- family, friends, work, money, cleaning. I am getting a bit stressed thinking of it all. In addition, we are all taught to put ourselves on the bottom of the 'to do list' (all of us except those Housewives of _______....who are these women?)

Yes, we are all aware that it is important to take time for ourselves. But many of us have difficulty doing that. The best advice I have ever heard is to make an appointment for your 'me time'. Put it in your planner and stick to your schedule. Would you skip out on your dentist appointment? I know I wouldn't because I would get a nasty call from their office. Well, don't skip out on your own appointment or else your get a nasty call from your own Monkey Brain!

Today is President's Day. I have papers to grade, laundry to fold, toilets to scrub, dresses to make and children to love and feed. BUT, at 11:00 I have an appointment with my yoga mat. Don't even think about calling or texting me. The phone will be OFF.

Email me if you would like to talk more about scheduling your own 'me time'. I can help you figure out a way to carve out this time in your busy schedule. bmutch@verizon.net

ox,
beth

Yoga Journal 21 Day Yoga Challenge - Day 10 - Ashtanga

2011-01-19T19:32:00.000-08:00

I truly admire the dedication and flexibility of those practicing Ashtanga Yoga, but know that this is officially not the yoga for me. I recommend you Google 'Ashtanga yoga' to get a better idea of what I am talking about. A good place to start is: http://www.ashtanga.com/. There is also a great documentary on Netflix (watch it now....or as most would say, 'instantly') titled, Ashtanga, NY, that I think you would really enjoy (as well as see some of the poses I am referring to).

I did like the Vinyasa flow style of this practice and keep finding that this is a common denominator in all my yoga studies--------flow of movement with breath. I also like to incorporate a spiritual practice with the flow as well.

I suppose what I dislike about the Ashtanga practice is the cult-like chanting and hero worship that turned me off in so many christian organized religions. It also didn't appeal to me because all my life I have had some sort of goal or challenge which pushed me towards, what I thought was, SUCCESS. I am only now realizing that I don't need to bend my body into crazy, distorted poses to prove that I am worth noticing. My true study of yoga has taught me that I don't need that kind of overachiever-esque recognition. Yes, I want to discover who I truly am....but more importantly, I want to teach others how to spread love and compassion. This is my life calling and I think yoga has helped me get there....just not Ashtanga style. Sorry Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. You have many followers and I'm sure I will read more about your style in my studies, but I'm sticking with the Yoga Sutras for now.

Yoga Journal 21 Day Yoga Challenge - Day 8 and 9

2011-01-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

My mind is spinning with all this information! I think I reached a bit of a yoga saturation point on Day 8 and needed to put the book down. I was actually considering learning Sanskirt! I took some time to reflect and focus-- two of my favorite things.

Day 9 was busy and a snow day for the kids to throw me for a loop. But, I managed to throw my yoga mat in the car so I could stop off at the BSC for my favorite yoga class with Jan G. Today was lab day and I was thankful my students did not catch anything on fire or blow anything up. I taught throughout the day and was a bit tired. Still I made it to the gym and even ran for a bit before hitting the yoga mat. Yet what I found was Jan G. called in sick and instead we got a certified Pilates/Turbo Kick/Intense Kill Yourself group instructor. The first half of the class included ab work and then the second portion I spent the majority of time either in downward facing dog or plank--- sometimes with a leg up. I'm going to pay for it tomorrow!

I like the vigorous workout, but it didn't give me much time to meditate. I think that sometimes it's nice to have a calming yoga session and other days it's good for you to exert yourself. I feel good. My muscles are tired, my body is stretched, and I made it through what I thought might be a hellish day.

Yoga Journal 21 Day Yoga Challenge - Day 5, 6, and 7

2011-01-16T15:58:00.000-08:00

I have learned a few things about my yoga practice the last few days:

1. I'm not a fan of large group yoga classes where you are afraid that you might accidentally hit someone with your stretch or worse yet, have an entirely too close view of someone's bum.
2. I'm not a fan of early morning yoga classes (yet).
3. I think I've decided which school I intend to apply for yoga teacher training. Or at least I have narrowed it down to two: Yama studio in Baltimore or Baltimore Yoga Village
4. Inconvenience of finding a class, balancing time -- mom duties, work duties, and wife duties -- makes me realize that a dedicated home practice is essential for a yogi like me.
5. I need to finish my yoga studio so I can start my regular yoga practice in a sane environmnet. I would say it is about 80% finished.

My plan for this week are to have a home practice Monday, Tuesday with Jan at the BSC, Wednesday at Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness with _____, Thurday and Friday will have to be home practice again. For now, I'm back to reading Stephen Cope and his Yoga and the Quest for the True Self --what a great book!

Yoga Journal 21 Day Yoga Challenge - Day three and four

2011-01-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

These past two days have been a REAL yoga challenge for me. I have been so busy and committed to events that I found it quite difficult to devote even a half hour to my yoga practice of asanas. So, I decided to take the past two days to reflect and read. It helped that my sweet husband set the 'coffee alarm' for 4:30 this morning, which I did not become aware of until 1 1/2 cup of coffee later around 5:30 -- At which time the caffeine gave me no other option than remain awake. So, I continued to read.....

I am still trying to learn all the Sanskirt terms and figure out all the various styles of yoga and am finally starting to wrap my head around all of the concepts and different yoga schools/certification. I want to find the one that really speaks to me and that I believe in. However, the more I read, the more I realize I am a little of each. It's the same way I feel about the different forms of the christian religion. There is never a perfect fit. But isn't that what yoga is about.....searching inward for the truth. The truth can only be of an individual basis. My truth is independent of others and I must keep searching and continue on my path to enlightenment.

Yoga Journal 21 Day Yoga Challenge - Day two

2011-01-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

Today is Tuesday and it's yoga day at the Brigade Sports Complex (BSC). It's the day that Jan is the teacher and I really enjoy the way she delivers the session--- the flow is great and she is always spreading education about the philosophy behind yoga.

Today was also the first day of class (I teach at the Naval Academy) and a snow storm was predicted to start at the exact time my yoga class would commence- 4:00. Luckily it held out and Drew picked up the kiddos. I was free to an hour to myself of a favorite yoga class. To me, this is heaven! Funny how our priorites change when we give up materialism and focus on better ourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Besides the shirt I wore that kept riding up when I was doing downward facing dog (no longer one of my yoga shirts)-- the class was just want I needed. I felt my alignment was better than previous classes and I feel much stronger. And I must say that I felt very relaxed when I got home, which helped in other areas as well...if you know what I mean ; )

Yoga Journal 21 Day Yoga Challenge - Day one

2011-01-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

I have been completely consumed with yoga for the past year or more. It first started with studying different religions trying to figure out who I was, which lead me to Buddhism. I liked a lot of the teaching behind Buddhism, but there was still something not quite right. Then I found yoga-- and WOW! I have finally found the 'church' where I belong. I am starting on this new path and am being lead in the direction of a teacher training, but I feel that before I can commit to a certain style of yoga, I need to read everything there is and try all the different classes. I still have so much to learn.

My most recent journey has been with the Yoga Journal's 21 Day Yoga Challenge that started January 10. Each day Yoga Journal provides you with lessons and other materials that you can incorporate into your home practice. As a busy, busy, busy working mother I appreciate that yoga is something that you can do in your own home.

This first day I started with a wake up at 5:30 (thank you Drew for making the coffee go off via coffee maker alarm) to try and do a little meditation to start the day off. That was hard! I found that in the morning I have nearly 5,000 different thoughts that cross my mind in a manner of 30 minutes. I also am half asleep, so I had trouble concentrating.....hence the cup of coffee. The great thing about yoga and meditation is that noone judges you about how well you do--- or at least they shouldn't judge you. It's a personal journey and therefore something you must practice. I like the idea that it is something I am doing to better myself.

I didn't have any yoga class scheduled and so I was left to my own home practice using Yoga Journal's demonstration. I have a small studio set up in my basement and so went down there after eating dinner. Lesson learned-- (1) children running around while upstairs makes it difficult to do yoga and (2) doing yoga with a full belly can be very uncomfortable (3) having run 3 miles prior to my yoga, I found that yoga REALLY feels good to stretch your muscles.

So my first day wasn't perfect, but I did practice. I am a yogi, that's what I do.....every day--- except maybe full and half moons because I read today in Ashtanga yoga they do not practice yoga on those days since we are 70% water. The scientist in me gives this credibility. Hmmm.....back to my reading and research.

Don't buy cheap razors

2011-01-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

We are all trying to cut back on expenses at this time. I keep looking at different ways we can save money: get rid of cable, fires instead of fuel heating, no dinners out, etc. So, I decided the other day that I would save some money on razors when I noticed how terribly expensive they really were. My lesson for you-- don't buy cheap razors.

You can imagine why I am telling you this and probably even feel some sort of sympathy for the razor burn pain I endured. However, I think there is a bigger lesson here. Yes, we need to save money and be more frugal during these difficult economic times. But, there are certain things that we should not skimp on-- our health being one of them. Exercising and nutrition are two areas in your life that you should treat like royalty. Don't tell yourself you can't afford to exercise. You can do it in your own home without paying a cent. Do you doubt this? Just contact me and I'll get you on the right track. Cite this blog entry and you can have it for free!

2011 New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-28T19:12:00.000-08:00

Some people I talk with claim they don't make resolutions-- my husband being one of those. To me, it's just another excuse to sit down and think about your past year, what went wrong, what went right, and set the intention for what direction you want to go in the following year. Since I am a firm believer in daily resolutions, my love for new year's resolutions should come by no surprise.

2010 was a huge year for me. For the first time, my children are both in school. I can not even explain how different things are now. All of a sudden they are so grown up! We just played our first family game of Monopoly. No more Chutes and Ladders (well, maybe for the 5 year old).

Another huge accomplishment was I cleared out nearly 30 bags of wasteful clothes and began my mission to not only declutter, but to dematerialize. Simplicity is the key. I also stopped eating meat and got rid of all my leather products. But I will save that for another post.

As for the work side of my life: I started a business, finished my degree at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, merged my hobby with my Health Coaching practice, realized I do NOT want to be a personal trainer at a large gym (sorry, Big Vanilla) and finished a few other certifications that I won't bore you with.

So how can I top all this for 2011? Well, I have found myself at a very unusual time in my life--- I have no certification, degree, huge mental understaking that I am undergoing. I have a B.S., M.A., Ph.D., C.H.C., and C.P.T. to add to my name. What more could I possibly need--- or afford? All of the sudden I have all this free time for the first time since 1993! That being said, the following list (in no particular order) are some of my small goals for 2011. I'll be sure to blog about my progress and the lessons I learn along the way.

1. Be kind to mean people (this one is going to be really hard for me)
2. Volunteer tutor at local school
3. Run a 1.5 mile in 12:40 or less (my USNA friends will understand this)
4. Teach Ada and Andrew to play tennis
5. Teach Andrew Gaelic and Ada French (their choices...a word a day)
6. Cook something new (I hate cooking)
7. Study Ayurveda
8. Study yoga and increase my practice
9. Finish NASM certification (OK, one more certification to complete)
10. Regular ETSY additions - 1/week
11. Continue to reflect on ME to better understand my purpose in life
12. Keep a journal in order to remember my epiphanies
13. Read the Yoga Sutra and Bhagavad Gita
14. Read The E Myth Revisted
15. Do the laundry every other day (as the kids get bigger some tasks are easier...i.e. cleaning....but the laundry keeps growing!)
16. Keep doing whatever I did in 2010, because it seemed to work
17. Laugh a lot!

Whew! I am on a roll........that's it for now. I'm sure I will think of more. But we should all be careful to not overwhelm ourselves and those around us when we make our resolutions.

Cheers to the BEST year ever!

And if you need some help making your own New Year's Resolutions.....shoot me an email: bmutch@verizon.net. That's what I'm here for-- to help you realize your true potential!

ox,
beth

Mean People

2010-12-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel like a child complaining about being treated unfairly when I tell my husband about an encounter with a 'mean person': "She is so rude and mean. I don't deserve to be treated that way!"

So, it's rather ironic that out of desperation I recently resorted to asking my 8 year old son recently how he deals with mean people. Why would I ask an 8 year old such a question? Because it's something I have been dealing with all my life and I'm exhausted. EXHAUSTED! I want all the mean people on earth to move to a continent together and then I will never have to deal with them again.

So, what did my son tell me? He said, 'just ignores them'. Huh. That sounds easy enough. Apparently not for someone like me. Mean people consume my every thoughts. It's as if I need them to know that their behavior is unacceptable. I daydream different ways I can express my dissatisfaction with their behavior and before I know it, I have an entire dialogue in my mind--theme song included. This, my friends, is why it is so exhausting for me and at 35 years of age, I am ready to make a change.

It's ironic that my little man would tell me to 'ignore them' when I have been reading about a similar philosophy in my yoga studies. In yoga, you practice a lot of inward reflection. You focus on bettering your own self and therefore others should not affect this practice. In other words, you can not be concerned with others' behaviors and why should you? You can't do anything to change them. All you can do is love them. That's right. The struggle is that you must love your enemy.

So today I will sit and meditate loving thoughts about that woman that flipped me off as I accidentally turned down a one-way street and I will even send positive thoughts out to a family member that once gave me used socks as a Christmas present. I can't change them and they do not define who I am. I am a loving, generous person and they can not strip me of these qualities.......no matter how much they make me cry. So bugger off mean people! My happy energy is here to stay!

Book Review - 'Skinny Bitch' by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

2010-12-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

I was recommended this book by a client that I met recently and decided to check it out. My overall opinion....not impressed. As a critical thinker, I look for substantive references and I couldn't find them in this book. Instead, I found reference to sites such as 'www.milksucks.com'. I think the authors could have done a better job convincing me of their point if they used better references to back up their statements.

However, it was a quick read and made me start thinking of a few things--- vegetarianism, alternative sweeteners, government control of food/drugs. I think it's a great book if you are starting out and intend to continue your research on the topics (highly recommended). Most importantly, the authors state at the end that it is not their intention to make people read the book so they can get skinny. Rather, that was to attract buyers (#1 New York Times Bestseller....I think they accomplished this goal). Their main objective is to help people eat healthier. I can't argue with that point. Nice job ladies!

What is a 'Health Coach'?

2010-12-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

Many people ask me, 'what exactly IS a Health Coach'?

My response: We all know that eating right and exercising regularly are the key to better health, weight management, and necessary for monitoring stress levels. Then why do we have so many overweight, unhealthy, and unhappy people? It's because left alone, we are all guilty of taking shortcuts and not always doing the right thing. A Health Coach monitors your progress, educates, inspires, and makes you accountable.

Does Health Coaching sound like something you could use? You can find a Health Coach through many wellness centers in your area. You should also check out the Institute for Integrative Nutrtion database of IIN graduates in your area. Please email me if you have any questions. I love being a Health Coach and am here to help you in any way that I can!

julie's journal

2010-11-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, my youngest sister went through a series of physical and emotional events that left her without direction in life. I was a junior in college and far away from home. At that time there were no cell phones or email and so any news I got was from a short phone conversation from a payphone (do they have those anymore?). By the time I graduated, she was in serious condition and needed surgery. However, I felt it important that she continue with her high school education. So, what would any 'normal' person do???......design a curriculum (without any formal education training I might add) and send it to her for distance learning. Keep in mind, that since I was in 1st grade I had been dreaming about being either a teacher or a doctor.....I would mostly say teaching, but I LOVED science (plus my Dad is an M.D. and so that had a big influence on me). Anyway, I was so excited to get started on my first teaching assignment! Unfortunately she did not get better physically and her education was put on hold. The good news is that she is doing GREAT and about to complete nursing school! I love you Julie!!!!

Luckily, I came across a hard drive recently and found some of my notes from my curriculum that I made for her and I have to say........this is so much fun! Maybe I will take my own class! You should too.

By the way.........the blue editorial comments are new within the past 24 hours. Everything else is from about a decade ago.

-Athena (what I called myself in our curriculum. pretty clever, huh?)
ox,
beth
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Inspiration Lesson #1 July 31/ August 1

The following exercise is from the book Where Do I Go From Here by Dr. Kenneth Ruge.

1. Read the description of what each block means is on the next page.
2. Read Beth's Page as an example. I did have something as an attachment but over the years have lost it. Sorry! I would have loved to read what I wrote a decade ago :)
3. Draw your own diagram. It can be as simple or complex as you want.
4. Put the piece of paper somewhere you will see it often (i.e. front of your notebook or on your refrigerator)

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Getting Started Lesson #1 July 31/ August 1

1. Get on the internet and go to myyahoo.com Every time I read this, it makes me chuckle....
2. Make your own e-mail account. It's free!!
3. Write an e-mail to mutch@usna.edu This will let me know you have taken the first step to success.
4. Get a notebook with dividers for each subject you will be studying. Remember, there are millions of notebooks lying about the basement of your mother's. No need to spend a ton of money!
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Good Job! You're done with your first two days I wish life were this simple for me these days.........this was definitely pre-kids :)

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The Gentlest Lessons Teach Us the Most

What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner. -Colette

All of us know about learning life's lessons through pain, struggle, and loss. But few of us realize that it is often the gentlest lessons that teach us most.

Seven years ago our family went to a political convention held at a beach resort. While my husband attended workshops, Katie and I played on the beach. One afternoon there was a surprise activity for the cildren: a ride on an elephant around the hotel parking lot. Katie was delirious with excitement. That night, as my husband and I tucked her into bed, I said, "Life is always full of wonderful surprises if we're open to them. Some mornings you wake up not knowing what will happen during the day and you get to ride an elephant!

A couple of days later we returned home and awaiting me was an invitation to join a group of American journalists on an all-expenses-paid, weeklong journey to Ireland to cover Dublin's celebration of its millennium. The group was departing in ten days. Now there are many things that I am, but spontaneous is not one of them. After I had come up with every conceivable reason to turn down a free trip to my favorite country in the world-my passport was out of date, who would look after Katie, I'd have to juggle my work schedule, I'd just returned from a vacation-my husband said quietly, "So you're not going to ride the elephant?" I smiled at him, gently learned the important lesson about being open to receive, and enjoyed one of the most delightful weeks of my life.

If we are willing to learn our lessons gently, they patiently await us in countless ways. Today, try listening to the wisdom of children; accepting the loving kindness of a friend; reaching out to those in need; asking a colleague for advice; acting on your intuition; laughing at your foibles and frailties and accepting them with love; observing how your pets live so contentedly in the present moment; rediscovering the surprising healing power of spontaneity; focusing on the good in any situation you are now encountering; expecting the best of every day; and realizing what a wonderful life you're living-sooner rather than later.

Of course, the unexpected often catches us by surprise. But if we are open to and grateful for gentle lessons, new teachers will appear in our path. Serendipity can instruct us as much as sorrow.*

*Excerpt from: Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach

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Journal Entry #1 August 2

How do you feel about your life? Do you feel like you are making the most of every day? Spend at least fifteen minutes writing about how you feel right now.

Do you know what the word "serendipity" means. If not, look it up and put it in your journal also.

THINK LIKE POCAHONTAS! (family inside joke)

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Journal Entry #2 August 3

Do you think of yourself positively? Write a description of yourself and include how you see yourself physically and your personality.

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Journal Entry #3 August 4

What can you do TODAY to make yourself a better person? Write down a few things you can do to improve yourself.

Congratulations, you made it through the first week. You will also be receiving a schedule in the mail for the remainder of this month and also for September. Be prepared for next week. We will begin the first two chapters of The Bell Jar, study your first five vocabulary words and learn about the life of Vincent Van Gogh. The week of August 10 through August 19 will be your "Inspiration Seminar" when you will use the beauty of the beach to discover yourself.

Oh and do you remember this tiny box and what it meant to you at one time? You still have this inner strength Julie-- we just need to rediscover it. And we WILL do it TOGETHER!

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I wrote this in 2001 when I was serving our country as a Surface Warfare Officer on a destroyer somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea.........no training or experience as a life coach, but it was intuitive. This is what I am here for: to help others achieve their goals. Please let me know if I can help you or someone close to you achive THEIR goals. I would be happy to!

Love always,

Athena (aka..........ox, beth)

The Struggle

2010-10-31T07:25:00.000-07:00

I have been studying Buddhism for several years and most recently, Yoga, in all my limitless 'free time'. Studying the two ancient 'philosophies' has been a slow process (as it should be) and I am doing it on my own without a teacher. Nevertheless, I am learning so much about myself and the world.

My latest awareness came with a recurring theme amongst the two philosophies: life is supposed to be a struggle.

What? I thought we were on this world to obtain perfection and that struggles were a streak of bad luck. I mean-- every magazine, movie, and now social media can at times seem to look like others have a perfect life. Unforunately this can make us feel very inadequate and then can intensify when we go through something difficult in life that is unexpected. For example, a few weeks ago, my printer broke. Not a huge deal considering a few years ago (ten maybe?), home computers and especially printers were obsolete. Not the end of the world. Then my computer crashed. OH MY GOODNESS. Devastating, yes.........but, I'm not done. I woke up last week and did my usual routine: snooze alarm once, get up at next alarm to make the coffee, back to bed to wait for the beep (another excuse for a snooze alarm) and then cup of coffee and a shower. Didn't happen. My coffee maker flipped out spewing steam only. And then today, my sewing machine kicked the bucket moments after I began sewing my inspirational dresses for an upcoming event. The only thing I could think is: what did I do to deserve this and why is the world (especially technology) conspiring against me? Noone else seems to have this problem, right? Why me? Oh, poor me...

The Yogic and Buddhist answer to this question is: look at the obstacles in your life as a lesson. What should you learn from the turmoil? How can it make you stronger emotionally? Many times these circumstances are out of your control and instead of becoming upset, step back for a moment and think about what you can learn from the situation. For me and my current situation -- technology conspiring against me-- I decided to do some other things I had been planning to do, but couldn't because I wanted to sew. My pencil drawer has never been so organized and I'm finally able to sit and read in my beautiful sunroom. Oh, how beautiful the leaves are today! Perhaps my lesson was to stop with tecnhology for a moment and enjoy the beautfy of fall. Breathe in, breathe out.......smile.

And in conclusion I will leave you with something to ponder as I depart on my way to the sewing machine hospital:

But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for.
-Paulo Coelho

I hope you have a very happy day!

ox,
beth

Investigation: Cravings

2010-01-29T14:50:00.000-08:00

I was at the drug store picking up some gauze for my son's pinewood derby "Mummy Car" when I got a sudden craving---all I could think about was eating a milk chocolate bar with creamy caramel center. It was so strange that I would have this craving because I'm not normally a chocolate or sweets person (however, I have been known to down an entire package of Doritos) AND I had not eaten that particular candy bar since I was a child. Could it be emotional eating? Hmmm....my week was relatively quiet and even though it is Friday, I don't feel especially worn out. There is a mountain of laundry I have waiting for me at home that is rather daunting to think about. But still, my stress level is relatively low. So what made me all the sudden crave this food?

When you crave certain kinds of food, it's your body telling you that it is being deprived of certain nutrients. Interestingly, when one craves chocolate it could often be a sign of Vitamin B and/or magnesium deficiency. Are you craving salty foods? It could be that your are sodium deprived and/or dehydrated. Sugar cravings often mean that you are lacking in essential nutrients, most likely amino acids. The next time you have a craving, take a minute to reflect on why you might be craving that type of food and what it means. You should also check to see what time the craving takes place. If it is an early afternoon craving, like mine was today, it could likely mean that you did not get a well-balanced breakfast (and no, mine was definitely not well-balanced this morning). Taking the time to reflect about what and why you are eating will help you better understand and perhaps improve your eating habits. Many of my clients have found great success in keeping a food diary and tracking their daily eating habits. Be sure to also jot down your moods throughout the day and evaluate which foods seem to have the biggest impact on putting you in the best mood.

I know what you are thinking---did I give in to my craving? Of course I did! I figured that if I had such a strong craving for something that I had not thought about or tasted for twenty years, then I should probably listen to my body and just go for it. I ran into the drug store, grabbed the mummy wrap and found my caramel/chocolate bar. Luckily, after three small squares the sweetness was too much for me to handle and I didn't want anymore. I decided to save it for another emergency chocolate craving. Which reminds me, I should probably take it out of my purse before one of my dogs get a hold of it!

I'm off to take some much needed vitamins! Have a safe and happy weekend!

ox,

Beth

Becoming HEALTHY

2010-01-28T06:48:00.000-08:00

I would like to share with you my personal journey to health and happiness. Although I do not have a dramatic weight loss picture to show you....I feel as if I have spent my entire life on some sort of diet. I am the classic definition of a yo-yo dieter. Those pesky 10 pounds lost and gained over the years have been my nemesis. I have tried faddish diet plans, diet pills, and strict calorie restriction diets combined with obsessive workouts. I have starved myself of nutrition to the point that I could not concentrate (I blame some of my lower grades in college on that fact). All of this focus on permanently irradicating that nasty little ten (ok...maybe 20) pounds from my body was exhausting, and I might add depressing.

A few years ago, while watching Oprah (of course), I came across yet another diet: Bob Greene's Best Life Diet. I liked the way he explained that dieting does not need to be all about losing the weight fast. One should concentrate on getting healthy first and with that, you will lose weight and feel better. After reading his book and doing more research I decided that I wanted to make a commitment to get HEALTHY instead of trying to fit in a pair of jeans that I hadn't worn since college (during the diet pills + starvation + running days). I focused on my own outlook about how I viewed myself and found that I really had a negative self image. I really thought about how many negative things I had done to my body (I have since apologized). I made a commitment to abandon all comparisons to others--especially those airbrushed size-0 model pictures we are over-exposed to. Instead, I started really reflecting on who I am as an individual. During this process, I decided that I did not need to be a certain size or look a certain way. I just wanted to be healthy and happy.

I must add that during this time I also started reading a lot about Buddhism, Ayurveda, spirituality, nutrition, exercise, and medicine---both natural and prescription. This should come as no surprise to those who know me as I have always had a passion for becoming a medical practitioner. I became very interested in the idea of preventive medicine and how we can use nutrtion to heal our bodies. I began eating more whole foods, drinking more water, ate less salt, and consumed lots of healthy fruit and veggies. For the first time I didn't obsess about how many calories I was eating. What I found was that I no longer craved food that was bad for me and I felt so great that I GENUINELY wanted to exercise!

My own experience and interest in health and exercise inspried me to get my Personal Trainer Certification, Life Coach Certification, Pilates/Yoga Certifications, Stress Management Certifications and enroll in the nutrition program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrtion. I want to help other women in my community find the same balance in their lives, stop being negative towards their body, and develop a lifestyle that will help them become more healthy and more importantly....HAPPY.

I hope you will continue to follow me as I spread the good word of healing our body through proper nutrtion and exercise. I want everyone to realize the power of preventive medicine!