Every once in a while something new comes along that catches my eye...and this is one of them.
Take a minute to read the article below and I hope you'll see what I mean!
WEIGHT LOSS AND STRESS - and THE POWER OF GETTING INTO PLEASURE
Have you found a correlation in your life between feeling stressed out and gaining weight?
When you’re stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol which slows down your metabolism, causing you to gain weight. And when you are stressed, this same hormone triggers you to reach for fattier, saltier and sweeter foods.
Chocolate is comforting in the first few bites, but emotional eating to comfort stress can lead to adding on extra pounds, which is not comforting and only adds to the stress in your life.
What’s a girl to do? There is one sure-fire remedy for stress, and that’s PLEASURE. And by it’s very definition, it means feeling good.
When you are in PLEASURE, or what I like to call Body Joy, you release neurotransmitters called endorphins― and your body feels light and beautiful, happy and free, and naturally high! Endorphins are those natural body messengers that make you feel SO GOOD after taking a brisk walk, or dancing in the living room, or running down the beach with a dog or child. Endorphins are your body’s natural reward system for taking the actions that are the most healthy and truly comforting for you.
You have to understand that getting into PLEASURE is essential in your ability to lose weight.
You know, in our cultural learning of the best ways to lose weight–we are usually trained that we need to suffer to do it. Things like working out and dieting are very hard to maintain because of the energy of depriving yourself, of not following your body’s natural design of feeling good to lose weight.
One of the best ways to tap into your natural PLEASURE and your natural sensual self, is to DANCE. Dancing and rocking your hips to the beat and shaking your delicious booty, is a sure fire to activate your Pleasure center.
Women’s pleasure center is in their hips–it is where the core of our movement comes from, we feel things in our gut, being tapped into our sensual selves makes us feel overflowing and creative in every area of our lives.
Shaking your hips and booty just feels so good! And tapping into your natural wellspring of creativity, pleasure, sensuality, and power gets you on your way to feeling great in your body and knowing that anything, and everything, is possible.
It’s not about grueling workouts or riding an exercise bike for an hour–which just conditions you to believe in the necessity of struggle, it’s about getting into joy and play and being “in” your body.
If you are ready to experience sustained weight-loss through the power of pleasure, then you have to check out Theresa Stevens’ free training on the power of pleasure and happiness to help you lose weight. Visit her website here: {affiliate link}
Tapping into your body’s natural pleasure, beauty, and energy is deeply satisfying in every area of your life. Click Here! to learn more today!
Theresa Stevens
Inspirational Dance Teacher and
Founder, Lovelight Samba
************
And let me know what you think, OK?
Showing posts with label women's wellness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women's wellness. Show all posts
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Stepping UP! Beyond Baby Steps…
It’s been 20 months since I was “released” from my job and career of 25 years, and committed to never going back to work for someone else again.
And boy, does that scare me. Still.
In fact, fear stopped me in my tracks again this month, and it took everything I have learned and know to manage that energy in a way that made it possible for me to grow through that fear rather than shrivel up, fall down and never get up again.
If you’ve read my special report, Becoming a Wise Well Woman- How to Baby Step Your Way to More Wisdom, Well-being and Wealth in Your Life, then you’ve read my admission that I am often afraid. Baby Step #7 reminds me to transform my fear into positive energy. Easier said then done, sometimes, I know!
So as I worked through my Baby Steps this month to transform my fear, this time I grew much stronger than I was before, and ready to STEP UP in a BIG WAY! And I know now that that’s how it’s supposed to be.
For a few years now, I’ve been developing my self-care practice, embracing simple rituals, and creating what has become my 12 Baby Steps. And I’ve taken lots of baby steps, forward and back, and then forward again, and some even in circles.
Now it’s time for me to STEP UP, beyond Baby Steps, onto a new level. One of my mentors,
You see, I’m “Stepping UP” and I know that I am called to take you with me when you are ready to go. At each and every step, I will turn and reach back to anyone who has been willing to do the work to get there.
Like me, when you are ready, you will know that it’s time to STEP UP!
How will you know you’re ready?
Your favorite self-care practices are fully integrated into your daily life.
You consciously choose how you live each day.
You’ve developed a network of mentors, gentle guides and compassionate friends and you use them for support!
You have gathered a box full of tools and treasures that provide inspiration and motivation, especially when you feel blocked, stuck or fearful.
You honor your voice and speak your truth boldly, without hesitation.
You can clearly “see” your vision – you can actually see yourself stepping up effortlessly.
You’ve adopted a system and committed to a process to identify and take inspired actions.
You’ve learned how to celebrate and give thanks and you are thrilled to share your success!
Simple, isn’t it?
It’s really all a part of your life’s journey. When you claim the journey as your own, amazing things will happen for you.
Certainly, mastering the baby steps is not easy. It takes time and practice and commitment to change.
And believe me, if I can do it, so can you!
I wish you well-
Nanette
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Breathe In, Breathe Out: Baby Step #2
In my special report, Becoming a Wise Well Woman: How to Baby Step Your Way to Wisdom, Well-being and Wealth, I talk about conscious breathing, Baby Step #2 – Breathe, as a way to bring some relaxation into your life. It really works for me. Yet, I am aware that relaxation isn’t the only benefit experts talk about that comes from conscious breathing. Certainly, there is plenty to share on the topic.
These baby steps are so simple, and yet so powerful that I feel compelled to elaborate. And since I’m not a breath expert, I decided to do a little research to share with you.
In fact, most experts agree that we are generally oblivious to the power of our breathing. We breathe in and out all day and all night long unconsciously, almost automatically. In fact, our breath really is on “autopilot”. Unless we have suffered a debilitating injury or illness, most of us never have to think about breathing.
We breathe in life-giving oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, cleansing our systems continuously. On his website, www.breathing.com, Mike Grant White shares with us that breathing suplies over 99% of our entire oxygen and energy supply. Clearly, optimal breathing improves vitality and quality of life, and poor breathing causes or worsens illness and disease.
Carlos R. Zalaquett, Ph. D., who created a health series for college students titled “Breathing Techniques” (http://www.coedu.usf.edu/zalaquett/Help_Screens/breath.htm), describes the vital role that oxygen plays in the respiratory and circulatory systems. He continues to highlight the dangers of irregular breathing and the contribution to the general deterioration of health in individuals of any age. Dr. David Anderson, a senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging, has seen evidence that slower, deep breathing helps some people lower blood pressure. Dr. Woodson Merrel, author of Power Up: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Revitalize Our Health and Feel 10 Years Younger, believes that the practice of deep breathing can increase your energy. “It makes a dramatic difference in lowering down the level of stress and calming your nervous system,” he says.
Johnnie D. Jackow Sr, Fitness Expert/Author, is often quoted saying “Oxygen is fuel for your body as is food.”
And we’ve all seen on http://www.Oprah.com and in the magazine, Oprah’s famous “Breathing Spaces” feature. In an article on breathing in a recent issue, the author described one of the best ways to calm yourself down when you are stressed is to simply stop what you are doing and take a deep breath.
In a famous “What I Know For Sure” column titled “Cure for Being Overwhelmed”, Oprah described the cure as simply being to take a day and do nothing!
And she went on to write…”And I wrote in my journal: I am grateful for my breath and the recognition that I am here, alive. Breathing. I am grateful for life.”
We know now that simply by concentrating on taking air in, and letting air out, you can actually decrease tension in your body, relieve anxiety and improve circulation. Some say you can improve metabolism, too. Combine all these things and you can achieve optimal health.
Wow! Can it be that simple?
Yes and here’s how you do it:
There are many practices and techniques, some include deep breathing, and some counted breathing, some imaginative breathing, some circular breathing. For me, for my “Baby Steps”, I focus on natural, slow, gentle breathing.
The best description I found comes from Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, and author of The Miracle of Mindfulness. He describes a technique he calls “watching the breath”:
Your breath should be light, even and flowing, like a thin stream of water running through the sand. The instant you sit down to meditate, begin watching your breath. At first, breathe normally, gradually letting your breathing slow down until it is quiet, even and the length of the breaths fairly long. From the moment you sit down to the moment your breathing has become deep and silent, be conscious of everything that is happening in yourself…Making your breath calm and even is called the method of following one’s breath. If it seems hard at first, you can substitute the method of counting your breath.
As you breathe in, count 1 in your mind, and as you breathe out, count 1.
Breathe in, count 2. Breath out, count 2.
Continue through 10, then return to 1 again.
Thich Nhat Hanh goes on to describe in his writings “the miracle that happens when we attend solely to our breath.” When we focus solely on our breathing we stop thinking, and that is a miracle already, he contends. In his teachings he says that because we think too much, we are not truly ourselves, and that by focusing on breathing in and out, we stop thinking and begin to be where our body is. Thinking separates our body and our mind, and by practicing this form of concentration we achieve Oneness of Body and Mind, seeing clearly and deeply, that which is true in ourselves.
I call it “quieting the noise” in my head! And simple, relaxed, conscious breathing helps me to do that every day.
Baby Step #2 on the path to becoming a Wise Well Woman.
So, when you’re feeling overworked and overwhelmed, just stop for a minute, and take a breath. You’ll be surprised by how relaxed you can become!
These baby steps are so simple, and yet so powerful that I feel compelled to elaborate. And since I’m not a breath expert, I decided to do a little research to share with you.
In fact, most experts agree that we are generally oblivious to the power of our breathing. We breathe in and out all day and all night long unconsciously, almost automatically. In fact, our breath really is on “autopilot”. Unless we have suffered a debilitating injury or illness, most of us never have to think about breathing.
We breathe in life-giving oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, cleansing our systems continuously. On his website, www.breathing.com, Mike Grant White shares with us that breathing suplies over 99% of our entire oxygen and energy supply. Clearly, optimal breathing improves vitality and quality of life, and poor breathing causes or worsens illness and disease.
Carlos R. Zalaquett, Ph. D., who created a health series for college students titled “Breathing Techniques” (http://www.coedu.usf.edu/zalaquett/Help_Screens/breath.htm), describes the vital role that oxygen plays in the respiratory and circulatory systems. He continues to highlight the dangers of irregular breathing and the contribution to the general deterioration of health in individuals of any age. Dr. David Anderson, a senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging, has seen evidence that slower, deep breathing helps some people lower blood pressure. Dr. Woodson Merrel, author of Power Up: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Revitalize Our Health and Feel 10 Years Younger, believes that the practice of deep breathing can increase your energy. “It makes a dramatic difference in lowering down the level of stress and calming your nervous system,” he says.
Johnnie D. Jackow Sr, Fitness Expert/Author, is often quoted saying “Oxygen is fuel for your body as is food.”
And we’ve all seen on http://www.Oprah.com and in the magazine, Oprah’s famous “Breathing Spaces” feature. In an article on breathing in a recent issue, the author described one of the best ways to calm yourself down when you are stressed is to simply stop what you are doing and take a deep breath.
In a famous “What I Know For Sure” column titled “Cure for Being Overwhelmed”, Oprah described the cure as simply being to take a day and do nothing!
And she went on to write…”And I wrote in my journal: I am grateful for my breath and the recognition that I am here, alive. Breathing. I am grateful for life.”
We know now that simply by concentrating on taking air in, and letting air out, you can actually decrease tension in your body, relieve anxiety and improve circulation. Some say you can improve metabolism, too. Combine all these things and you can achieve optimal health.
Wow! Can it be that simple?
Yes and here’s how you do it:
There are many practices and techniques, some include deep breathing, and some counted breathing, some imaginative breathing, some circular breathing. For me, for my “Baby Steps”, I focus on natural, slow, gentle breathing.
The best description I found comes from Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, and author of The Miracle of Mindfulness. He describes a technique he calls “watching the breath”:
Your breath should be light, even and flowing, like a thin stream of water running through the sand. The instant you sit down to meditate, begin watching your breath. At first, breathe normally, gradually letting your breathing slow down until it is quiet, even and the length of the breaths fairly long. From the moment you sit down to the moment your breathing has become deep and silent, be conscious of everything that is happening in yourself…Making your breath calm and even is called the method of following one’s breath. If it seems hard at first, you can substitute the method of counting your breath.
As you breathe in, count 1 in your mind, and as you breathe out, count 1.
Breathe in, count 2. Breath out, count 2.
Continue through 10, then return to 1 again.
Thich Nhat Hanh goes on to describe in his writings “the miracle that happens when we attend solely to our breath.” When we focus solely on our breathing we stop thinking, and that is a miracle already, he contends. In his teachings he says that because we think too much, we are not truly ourselves, and that by focusing on breathing in and out, we stop thinking and begin to be where our body is. Thinking separates our body and our mind, and by practicing this form of concentration we achieve Oneness of Body and Mind, seeing clearly and deeply, that which is true in ourselves.
I call it “quieting the noise” in my head! And simple, relaxed, conscious breathing helps me to do that every day.
Baby Step #2 on the path to becoming a Wise Well Woman.
So, when you’re feeling overworked and overwhelmed, just stop for a minute, and take a breath. You’ll be surprised by how relaxed you can become!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The Secrets of a Wise Well Woman Revealed
Is there a secret to being a wise, well woman?
Am I a wise, well woman? And for that matter, what is a wise, well woman?
When can I consider myself a wise, well woman? Do I earn that designation somehow and do I have to be “old” to be wise? Maybe when I’m old, someone will tell me.
If I asked you to describe a woman who is wise, what would you say? What words come to mind?
Gentle, kind, thoughtful, like a grandmother…
Smart, intelligent, perceptive, like a college professor…
Caring, compassionate, intuitive, like a nurse…
Selfless, giving, open-hearted, like Mother Theresa…
And to be well, means to be what?
Physically and emotionally healthy.
Balanced.
Centered.
At peace with oneself.
Mirriam Webster’s online dictionary tells us
To be WISE is:
characterized by wisdom : marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment; and suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.
To be WELL is:
To live to an extent approaching completeness; without doubt or question; in a kindly or friendly manner; with skill or aptitude; where wellness is the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.
For me, the secret to being a wise, well woman is really no secret at all…
A wise, well woman is one who presents her authentic self to the world
each and every day, with joy and pride, and encourages others to do the same.
She shares her truth with courage, openly and honestly.
With passion, the wise, well woman lives life on life’s terms.
She chooses each moment to step bravely in the direction of her higher purpose. The wise, well woman extends love to all.
She is guided by a deep faith in the God of her choosing, and
she carries a message of hope to all those in need.
And who might I use as a role model? Pat and Ruth Williams compiled a wonderful book called “How to Be Like Women of Influence”, full of more than enough incredible women to chose from:
Mary Kay Ash, Anne Frank, Golda Meir, Helen Keller, Oprah Winfrey, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa and Sandra Day O’Connor, are just a few mentioned here.
Each of these women has been an inspiration to so many! Who is your “woman of influence” ?
And who might you be influencing today?
Someone is looking up to you. Are you living as a wise, well woman?
In the spirit of wisdom, wellness and prosperity—
Nanette
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Am I a wise, well woman? And for that matter, what is a wise, well woman?
When can I consider myself a wise, well woman? Do I earn that designation somehow and do I have to be “old” to be wise? Maybe when I’m old, someone will tell me.
If I asked you to describe a woman who is wise, what would you say? What words come to mind?
Gentle, kind, thoughtful, like a grandmother…
Smart, intelligent, perceptive, like a college professor…
Caring, compassionate, intuitive, like a nurse…
Selfless, giving, open-hearted, like Mother Theresa…
And to be well, means to be what?
Physically and emotionally healthy.
Balanced.
Centered.
At peace with oneself.
Mirriam Webster’s online dictionary tells us
To be WISE is:
characterized by wisdom : marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment; and suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.
To be WELL is:
To live to an extent approaching completeness; without doubt or question; in a kindly or friendly manner; with skill or aptitude; where wellness is the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.
For me, the secret to being a wise, well woman is really no secret at all…
A wise, well woman is one who presents her authentic self to the world
each and every day, with joy and pride, and encourages others to do the same.
She shares her truth with courage, openly and honestly.
With passion, the wise, well woman lives life on life’s terms.
She chooses each moment to step bravely in the direction of her higher purpose. The wise, well woman extends love to all.
She is guided by a deep faith in the God of her choosing, and
she carries a message of hope to all those in need.
And who might I use as a role model? Pat and Ruth Williams compiled a wonderful book called “How to Be Like Women of Influence”, full of more than enough incredible women to chose from:
Mary Kay Ash, Anne Frank, Golda Meir, Helen Keller, Oprah Winfrey, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa and Sandra Day O’Connor, are just a few mentioned here.
Each of these women has been an inspiration to so many! Who is your “woman of influence” ?
And who might you be influencing today?
Someone is looking up to you. Are you living as a wise, well woman?
In the spirit of wisdom, wellness and prosperity—
Nanette
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Can Creativity and Discipline Co-Exist?
For the past few years, my personal mission has been to present my most authentic self to world each and every day. My authentic self is my most creative self, and yet, seemingly in contradiction to my mission, I am a successful operations manager now committed to the life of an entrepreneur as a business consultant.
As I counted my blessings in 2008 and set goals for 2009 I kept hearing the question – how do I honor and integrate my creative side with the discipline I know it takes to grow a small business and to lead a fulfilled and happy life?
And how can I help the passionate women I know answer the same question?
One thing is very clear—“disciplined” does not typically make the list of words any one would use to describe me. Self-discovery, for me, is all about creating, allowing, and exploring in a pure, natural flow. Professionally, I support current management philosophies that encourage the creative process in problem solving. I explore myself each day by writing in a journal, sometimes sketching in it, too.
If I commit to that activity each day, isn’t that a routine even if I don’t do it at exactly 7 am each morning? Doesn’t that take discipline?
And doesn’t writing engage my creativity?
And if I ask myself two simple questions each day, without fail, and focus on the answers, doesn’t that take discipline, too?
In my ongoing practice of self-discovery I have learned to uncover limiting beliefs, and certainly identifying myself as not having discipline is one of those.
So, what is this thing, called discipline, I don’t think I have, anyway?
Dictionary.net gave me these clues:
1. Subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; habit of obedience.
Now I see why this word evokes some repulsion.
Rules, submissiveness, control and obedience…these words are the epitome of anti-creative and do nothing to support imagination, inspiration and innovation, signature traits of the entrepreneurial spirit.
And aren’t the best leaders those that “think outside the box”, sometimes bending the rules? Certainly, being submissive never got anyone recognized for his or her contribution to an organization. Aren’t most breakthroughs born of some form of disobedience?
But as I read on, this came next:
2. To accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control so as to act systematically; to train to act together under orders; to teach subordination to; to form a habit of obedience in; to drill.Ok, so the “obedience” thing still makes me tense, but now I’m getting closer to a definition I can appreciate and embrace…to accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control as to act systematically.
And then:
Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience. –C. J. Smith.
Now I get it—being a creative soul does not require me to live in chaos!
Order and regularity can be the foundation for the serenity that provides me the freedom to create. Out of simple systematic processes will come the moments of inspiration that are the new programs of my future. And simple, regular, disciplined actions taken will propel me toward my vision and goals.
I will grow a successful small business teaching others how to integrate simple, disciplined processes into their lives, so that their creativity will flourish and allow them to grow, too. I engage my creative side “playing” regularly at my favorite creative re-use center, Trash2Treasurefl.org. Recently I re-arranged my workspace to support my visual inspiration.
And to support my ideal life, and create new habits, I developed a program I am now calling “The Personal Strategic Plan for the Wise Well Woman™”. And it’s working!
So, do creativity and discipline co-exist in your life? Share your thoughts with me…I’d love to hear them.
In the spirit of wisdom, wellness and prosperity…
Nanette
As I counted my blessings in 2008 and set goals for 2009 I kept hearing the question – how do I honor and integrate my creative side with the discipline I know it takes to grow a small business and to lead a fulfilled and happy life?
And how can I help the passionate women I know answer the same question?
One thing is very clear—“disciplined” does not typically make the list of words any one would use to describe me. Self-discovery, for me, is all about creating, allowing, and exploring in a pure, natural flow. Professionally, I support current management philosophies that encourage the creative process in problem solving. I explore myself each day by writing in a journal, sometimes sketching in it, too.
If I commit to that activity each day, isn’t that a routine even if I don’t do it at exactly 7 am each morning? Doesn’t that take discipline?
And doesn’t writing engage my creativity?
And if I ask myself two simple questions each day, without fail, and focus on the answers, doesn’t that take discipline, too?
In my ongoing practice of self-discovery I have learned to uncover limiting beliefs, and certainly identifying myself as not having discipline is one of those.
So, what is this thing, called discipline, I don’t think I have, anyway?
Dictionary.net gave me these clues:
1. Subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; habit of obedience.
Now I see why this word evokes some repulsion.
Rules, submissiveness, control and obedience…these words are the epitome of anti-creative and do nothing to support imagination, inspiration and innovation, signature traits of the entrepreneurial spirit.
And aren’t the best leaders those that “think outside the box”, sometimes bending the rules? Certainly, being submissive never got anyone recognized for his or her contribution to an organization. Aren’t most breakthroughs born of some form of disobedience?
But as I read on, this came next:
2. To accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control so as to act systematically; to train to act together under orders; to teach subordination to; to form a habit of obedience in; to drill.Ok, so the “obedience” thing still makes me tense, but now I’m getting closer to a definition I can appreciate and embrace…to accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control as to act systematically.
And then:
Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience. –C. J. Smith.
Now I get it—being a creative soul does not require me to live in chaos!
Order and regularity can be the foundation for the serenity that provides me the freedom to create. Out of simple systematic processes will come the moments of inspiration that are the new programs of my future. And simple, regular, disciplined actions taken will propel me toward my vision and goals.
I will grow a successful small business teaching others how to integrate simple, disciplined processes into their lives, so that their creativity will flourish and allow them to grow, too. I engage my creative side “playing” regularly at my favorite creative re-use center, Trash2Treasurefl.org. Recently I re-arranged my workspace to support my visual inspiration.
And to support my ideal life, and create new habits, I developed a program I am now calling “The Personal Strategic Plan for the Wise Well Woman™”. And it’s working!
So, do creativity and discipline co-exist in your life? Share your thoughts with me…I’d love to hear them.
In the spirit of wisdom, wellness and prosperity…
Nanette
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