fitness

Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip: 7/10/2012

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Most of us have tried dieting at some point.  We have gone through the ups and downs, and the “in-between” seems to remain the only constant.  For many, dieting it the final ditch effort to reach an end result.

“Its beach time, and now I have to lose 10lbs”

“I have a part to go to and I need to fit into that outfit”

These types of connections to the way we eat and the way we engage the body in fitness only lock us into places of limitation.  When we truly take our practice of bettering the body to both our physical and energetic core we begin to make lasting changes.

They body’s physical core is made up of the muscles of the Latimus Dorsi, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and abdominal region.  These area also the body’s largest muscle groups and when the core is worked in unison you are facilitating a full body workout.  The larger muscles also burn more calories due to their size.  So the more you work the core, the deeper and more effective your workouts will be.

So, how do I work the core–do a plank.

I know it sounds simple.  One single exercise engages all of the above mentioned muscle groups and also helps to create balance and alignment.

In many spiritual traditions the energetic core is located in the solar plexus.  Doing meditations to also help strengthen our connection to this deep center will resonate to our physical center.

The foods we put into our body are also able to help us facilitate alignment.  When we eat things that are in our highest good.  When we avoid polluting the body with toxins we are able to create both physical and energetic balance.

Take your practice to the core.  In the coming weeks I’ll be posting videos and guides to show you how to structure workouts to engage the core.

Love and Light!

Mike Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

The Changing Face of Spirituality

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One of the beautiful things about my job is that I get a front row seat to the world of spirituality.  Managing a book store gives me access to not only what is entering the world, but what people are seeking.

“I’m spiritual, just not religious” is a common phase that is tossed around a lot these days.  I am seeing more and more people coming into a greater state of alignment with their own vibrations and this is causing them to question old patterns, ideas, and concepts.  Questioning the world around us is powerful. It is common ground that we can all reside in.  The beauty of life is all the unknown.  Even in debate and disagreement we are able to grow.  If we only sit at the table with people who share the same ideas and beliefs as us we only get more of the same.  It doesn’t mean we have to accept someone else’s reality, but it allows me to at least share in a moment.  Challenge is good.  Challenge allows for us to move through resistance.

For me, spirituality is about expansion and not limitation.  I am seeing so many people reaching across the aisle to connect with others.  We still have a lot of disruptive energy in the world around us and communities are coming together to respond to these shifts in consciousness.

We are becoming more active in our spirituality.  Yoga, Qi-gong, breath work, and nutrition have been areas I’ve seen a lot of people starting to come into alignment with.  We must honor the temple the soul resides in.  New energy is coming in constantly, and we need to be able to hold and channel that energy out to be of the highest service.

The new generation of light workers are awakening to their purpose.  We all are.  Latent healing and intuitive gifts are activating in everyone.  Many of us have felt some resistance in the shift.  Resistance is not always bad, but let your resistance open you to expansion and not limitation.  Do not let your fears get the best of you.

I’ve noticed many drifting into old places.  Others are drifting into the future.  We only truly have the singularity of one breath in any given moment.  Don’t take it for granted.  The past shapes us, and the future helps to guide us… remember that the destination is the road beneath us.

Find joy and appreciation in all that you do.  Even if you do not like your job, appreciate it.  The resistance you feel from going in to that place day after day will only inspire you to grow into new opportunity.  Everything can be “good” if you find the gift it is bringing you.  Upheaval is a state of cleansing.  The more we tune into our intuition daily the more we come into greater alignment with that divine flow.

What are you moving yourself into?  Where are the waters of the divine taking you?   What is your resistance?

Michaell A. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT
www.michaelbrazell.com
www.deviantyogi.com (yoga blog)
www.soulinteraction.com (spirituality blog)
www.blogtalkradio.com/michaelbrazell (radio show)

PBP2012: “F”- Fasting for Spiritual Growth

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Fasting is an important aspect of coming into alignment with our spirituality.  Fasting allows us to come into alignment and to see where our personal power might have been surrendered to situations, things, food, or people.  Fasting takes a bit of planning as well.  One of the things that I like to do with my fasting is to take a few days to really plan it out.  What do I hope to gain?  What will I be giving up?  How long do I want to fast?  Being sure of our reasons for fasting and where we hope to go with it is an important aspect of the entire process.

Fasting also does not have to just be about food.  We are constantly facing distractions, and there are a lot of things that deplete us of our energy.  Fasting from the internet, cell phones, or even talking for a day can bring us back into alignment with the world around us.  Fasting from food can show us where we might be reaching out through our emotions towards foods that might be harming us.  Set a spiritual goal for your fasting cycle.  Allowing yourself to find a deeper connection with your divine self.  Pick a favorite book, some new chants, or even a physical practice like sacred dance/yoga.  Set a schedule for your fast, and stick to it.  Showing up is one of the hardest things to do in our spiritual practice.

Remember, there is no such thing as failure.  I set a time parameter for my fasting cycle, but if I do not reach the entire goal I consider the time I showed up a success.  If I didn’t make it to the end, I sit with that and I see where my stumbling stones might have been.  I journal a lot during my fasting period.  I look at my emotions, I go deeper into my divination practice, and check in with my emotions constantly.  If I am removing something from my experience checking in with my emotions it allows me to see what power I might have given away.

Take a few moments and think about how you can deepen your spiritual practice by allowing something in your experience to sit on a shelf for a while.  What is something you feel you can’t do without?  That is where you start.

M. Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip 03/6/12

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Here are your Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tips!

Fitness:  Start small.  Like anything, if we make the fitness process complicated or overwhelming, we are going to be less likely to do it.  Start small and easy.  As soon as your feet hit the floor do 1 lunge, 1 push up, or one 10 second plank.  If then you feel like adding a little extra you can, even if you only do the one, you at least showed up to your fitness practice.  Sometimes getting the energy going can be the hardest part, and showing up is essential.  Just being present and fully conscious in that first push up of the day can make a big difference in how the rest of your day will go.  Start today!

Nutrition: Plan ahead.  My theory on planning is simple: If you have time to tweet, email, or Facebook–you have time to schedule your meals for the week.  Many of us live busy lives, and being busy causes us to reach out in convenience.  If you did not plan ahead and forgot to bring your healthy snacks, then that bag of chips becomes that much more attractive.  It only takes a few moments to pack some veggies, nuts or even to decide where you will go.  Busy lives also do not always sneak up on us.  We know when we can expect things to typically go haywire.  If Tuesdays are always crazy for you, then especially plan to be more mindful on that day.  Stress also causes us to reach out in convenience.  Knowing you have a healthy option at arm’s length can also help to reduce guilt, stress, and anxiety associated with not taking care of yourself.

Post, share, comment, and be present!

Michael Brazell CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

 

 

Tuesday Spritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip: 2/28/2012

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Here are your Tuesday spiritual fitness and nutrition tips!

 

Fitness:  Breathe.  It might sound easy, but I see many people in a state of waking apnea.  Breath is motion, it is essential to life.  When we take control of the breath and breathe with intention we can move stagnation out of the body.  When we hold our breath it is hard to move.  As a fitness trainer I see many people huffing and puffing through workouts, some even turning bright shades of red by holding the breath.  If you do not breathe during a workout:  The blood pressure rises, your core weakens, and you can’t give 100% to the exercise since you will tire out quickly.  Try running while holding your breath.  It’s almost impossible.  We we become conscious of the breath not only in working out, but in our daily lives we see where stagnation is present, and we take responsibility for moving through it.  When the breath controls us, we end up hyperventilating.  Take a moment today and see where you might be holding your breath.  Exhale through the experience, inhale in new experiences.

Nutrition: Balance.  Sometime in our desire to be mega healthy we forget about balancing out our nutrition.  When we want to build muscle we may focus on trying to get as much protein as possible, but forget it is carbohydrates that fuel the body through those strenuous workouts.  Certain levels of fats must also be taken into the body for vitamin uptake and energy.  I’ve said it before, and I can’t stress enough the use of a diet journal.  It does not need to be complex, but a place where you can scan your intake and see where you might be lacking.  A simple dietary intake for those living an active lifestyle is: 60% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 10% from fats.  You take the amount of calories you are planning to intake and multiply that number by the percentage (or use a calculator) and this will give you the amount of C/P/F you are supposed to intake for the day.  Don’t get too hung up on exact numbers, but this is a simple guideline for creating balance in your diet.  I’ve never been a big fan of math, but we can make our high school math teachers proud by using simple numbers to create balance in our diets.

 

Comment, share, and grow!

 

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

 

Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip: 21 Feb 2012

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Here is your spiritual fitness and nutrition tip!  Enjoy, get moving, and create the best you possible!

Fitness:  The fitness world can be an overwhelming place to step into.  Just like any new addition to your life you’ll want to take some time to educate yourself on what fitness is and how you can best apply it to your life.  Reading books about fitness, other people’s journey into fitness, blogs, and even watching you tube videos on fitness can be a great way to get the ball rolling.  This is a time you want to really activate your discernment.  Trust your intuition when it comes to the things you are reading.  The one true axiom in fitness is: “If it is too good to be true, it probably is.”  Do not trust quick fixes and promises.  Skip over advertisements and read about processes, workouts, and application of techniques.  Even reading a few books on anatomy to learn about how the body works can help you understand the process your body goes through when moving into a greater state of health.  Often we go running into new things without arming ourselves with the information necessary to be effective in our pursuits.  Take a few moments to read and grow.  I’ll post some resources in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Nutrition:  Sugar.  Most of us have a love hate relationship with it.  It creeps in to areas of our lives, and in some ways can be addictive.   We also need to take caution with the fruits we are eating.  Many of us give up cakes and cookies and make a transition to heavy fruits.  This is a good thing, but if you are eating too many fruits that are high in sugar you can also create the same overload effect.  This is especially important if you have sugar issues like diabetes or high blood sugar.   You’ll want to supplement your diet with fruits that are low in sugar.  You can check this on the glycemic index.  Even healthy foods have limitations as to quantity you want to consume.  Having a good mixture of low glycemic foods in the body keeps the insulin levels balanced out, which will also keep you feeling satiated.

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip: 2/14/2012

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Here is your Tuesday Tips for living a life of fitness on all levels!

Fitness:  Rest.  It’s a word that I typically do not personally invoke enough when it comes to my workouts.   Rest days allow us to reconnect into our bodies, and it also allows us to give the body a break from a structured workout routine.  During your rest days take time to meditate, or if you MUST do something active let it be something that is less impact than your usual workout.  It also allows the body to heal.  The act of working out is breaking down the physical to rebuild it brand new.  Days off, and rotating the body parts you are working is an important way to avoid injury.  Meditation is a workout for the mind, it allows us to be present, but it gives the physical body a bit of a break.  Take time to allow yourself moments to rest, and pencil them into your workout schedule.

Nutrition:  Keep a food journal!  No, not one of those little online applications.  The electronic versions are great and personally use one, but there are other things that you should also log when you are connecting to your food for greater health.  We of course look at calories, fats, carbohydrates, proteins.  You’ll also want to log how you feel when you eat.  If you are reaching out for unhealthy foods due to an emotional upset, this will give you a few moments to detach from the action of reaching for food in a negative way.  It allows you to also see where your emotions are during the day.  You can also write positive affirmations for yourself that are more personalized than something you’d get online.  The action of taking time to physically write something out in itself is an act of spiritual connection.  We are holding something tangible, and its a more “real” connection.  It slows us down.  Which is very important when looking at how we are connecting to not only our food but to the world around us.

 

Much love and light, and happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

Michael@michaelbrazell.com

 

 

Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip 2/7/2012

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Finding time to integrate fitness in our day can be a challenge.  Here are a few tips to get the process going!

 

Fitness:  Consistency is important when it comes to integrating a fitness plan into action.  Try and workout at the same time every day.  Once you get yourself on a solid routine it will be easier for you to maintain it, and it will be also be something you can look forward to doing.  Early morning workouts can be a great way to start the day, and evening workouts can be a great way to release stress from a hectic day.  Choose a time that works best for you, and commit to sticking with it for a week.  It might mean that you have to get up a little earlier, or cut out a happy hour here or there, but you’ll be glad you did!

 

Nutrition:  Eating with consistency can also help us bring our metabolism into greater alignment.   First be sure that you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day.  This will keep toxins flushed out of the body, and it helps to keep you balanced.  If you work out in the mornings you first meal should be no later than 30 min after the workout.  The day should then be divided into 6-8 smaller meals and snack throughout the day.  This keeps your metabolism constantly fueled.  Too often we eat snacks or drink juices that are high in sugar.  This causes your insulin to spike making you feel more hungry.  Having a consistent diet also gives you something to look forward to every couple of hours.  You’ll be less likely to binge at the sushi bar, or eat an extra dessert.  If you are someone that has trouble breaking free from your computer you might need to buy a countdown timer to remind you that it’s time to fuel up the body.   Write out your diet plan, journal it, and keep with it.  There are also a lot of great apps that you can download to your phone for easy tracking of calories, foods, and exercise.

If you have any questions, want to see tips on specific topics, or just have comments—feel free to leave them below!

 

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com

 

Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip 1/22/12

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Here is  your Tuesday Spiritual Fitness and Nutrition Tip!

Fitness:  Affirmations are powerful in how we connect or disconnect from moving into fitness.  We have to take caution as to what we say less we create the experience or emotion.  If we were to say, “I have no time to workout, life is just too busy”- it becomes our reality.  If there is time to complain about there not being enough time, you just wasted time you could have been doing push ups, squats, or jumping jacks.  “I am too tired to workout”– in the time it took you to plop down on the bed, turn on the TV, and find the perfect show to watch you could have run a few times around the block.  We have to listen to what we are affirming.  Some of these affirmation are stored in the subconscious (I’ll be doing an entire blog on this in the next few days).  Some we speak daily.

Here are a few common negative fitness affirmations:

“I’ll never reach my goal weight”

“The gym frightens me”

“I’ll never have the perfect body”

“I’m too busy to workout”

“My life is too chaotic to spend time in the gym”

—What all of these are saying is simply this: “I do not have time to take care of the body that will allow me to be part of this wonderful physical experience.  My temple is in shambles, and will not take part in its restoration.  I willfully damage my connection to this divine vehicle.”

This is basically what you are saying by not committing to moving into greater states of health.  What will it take for you to show up to your life?

Here are some positive fitness affirmation to add into your day:

“I make time for my body, my health and my well being”

“I am committed to my health in all areas of my life”

“My body is the temple of my life, I am committed to its upkeep fully.”

“Each day is a new opportunity for me to connect to my body through fitness”

“Fitness comes easily to me”

“I am perfect, and all my imperfections add beauty to my experience”

—You get the hint, now right a few of your own.

Nutrition:  Simple, fresh and easy.  Nutrition needs to be simple.  This can be one of the most overwhelming areas when looking at making lifestyle changes.  Start with micro shifts into more sound nutrition choices.  Instead of eating fries or chips with your meal, have an apple.  Keep fruit, nuts, and veggies handy through your day if you are a chronic snacker.  Keep a food journal for a few days to see how many calories you are actually consuming.  Not eating enough calories can be just as bad as eating too many.  Many smart phones even have some useful apps that can help keep track of your daily intake.

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

michael@michaelbrazell.com

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

http://www.deviantyogi.com

Tuesday Spiritual Nutrition and Fitness Tip 1/17/2012

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Every Tuesday I’ll be bringing you a fitness and nutrition tip to help move you your week.  Subscribe, share and don’t miss out!

Nutrition:  Don’t tell yourself that you “can’t have something”.  We are programmed from a very young age that when someone puts a limitation on us we will rebel and do it anyway.  Someone saying “Don’t push that red button”, just makes us want to push it.  The same works with nutrition and diet.  When we tell ourselves that we will never have sweets, carbs, etc.  we only create a stronger desire for them.   This is affirmation work at its best.  Affirmations can work both ways, so we have to use a positive affirmation to eliminate the buried negative one.

Negative Affirmation:

“I will never have sugar again, its what is causing me to gain weight”

–This makes all sugar negative, and when we inevitably have something containing sugar, we hold onto more guilt.

“I allow myself to enjoy all aspects of eating.  I am in complete control of what fuels my body to be at its very best”

An affirmation like this one still gives me permission to have that cupcake, and without the guilt, and with more enjoyment.  Life is about enjoying what we have in front of us.  Allow yourself to engage in treats, but give yourself permission to be in control.  If you get a cupcake, eat 1/2 and give the other to a friend, or save it for another day.

Our relationship to food is 90% psychological, learning to balance this relationship will help you moving forward, and will be the focus of future blog posts.

Fitness:  “I don’t have time to workout”.  Well, I don’t have time to listen to limitations.  There is always time.  We find time to watch TV, we find time to go to Starbucks, we find time to complain about not working out.  All you need to do is consciously connect to your day and find spots to add in a little fitness.  Take the stairs instead of the escalator, if you are going to Starbucks pick one that is further away (and if it means you’ll be late getting back to work, more reason to move faster–adding in cardio).  See how easy it is to simply add in a few moments here and there.

Here is a personal example:  So we are stuck at my shop doing in inventory this week.  I’ve been off my personal routine, but I am not going to let that stop me.  Every hour my phone buzzes, I take a break, go into the back and do 25-30 push ups.  In 8 hours I’ve done over 200 hundred push ups, an each time it only takes me 30 seconds.

There is NO EXCUSE not to add some fitness into your day.  Connecting to the body is one step in connecting to the soul.  So, stop complaining and start doing!

Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT

http://www.michaelbrazell.com

michael@michaelbrazell.com