Women, Food and Weight

Inspiration: To continue to listen to the needs of the body in each moment.

Many of us, especially women, wake up each morning with the intention of having a guilt-free eating day. By this I mean, " I am going to stick to my diet." In Spanish the word morir means to die. If we translate this into our daily life, we metaphorically do "die" when we deprive ourselves.

Depending upon your level of physical activity, it is essential to eat in a balanced way. We need a minimum of calories (somewhere around 1200 according to your metabolism) to sustain our bodily functions. The beating of our heart, the functioning of our brain and organs.  Add to the mix some exercise, and you can clearly see, it is not about being restrictive, or dieting.

This is actually counter-intuitive to lasting and healthy results. In the short-term, you will succeed in reaching your so-called "goals" of maintaining what you believe to be the perfect weight. But what really is perfect? Personally speaking, perfection is peace. To be at total peace with this moment. If a number on the scale brings you peace, what happens when it changes? That is really not peace at all.

In particular, women are held to such high standards by society and the media. We see airbrushed magazines of starlets that may make some of us feel less than. Truth be told, in real-life, (but Uma Thurman really is stunning), most women do not look like this.  At the very core, all of us just want to be happy. We all have our own set of circumstances, regardless of who we are.

So today, I lovingly invite you all to enjoy some sweetness. Yes, in the form of food. A "little" bit of something good, will go a long way. It will make you "happy".:-).

Have a very "peaceful" day.

With Love,
Denise

You Just Never Know....

Inspiration: To allow room to learn the truth about an individual without judgments.

Yesterday, while working with a client at a private gym, I commented on a beautiful bracelet another trainer was wearing. For some reason it just stood out and spoke to me. It was a handmade, sterling silver wing wrapped in leather.

Shortly after, I inquired as to where he got it. After sharing the details, he told me this replaced the bracelet that Lance Armstrong ripped off his wrist after meeting him. (Guess Lance liked what he was wearing.) Anyway, this led to a conversation that I would have never expected in a million years.

As it turned out, this day represented five years since he had been cancer free. He had Hodgkin's lymphoma. This type of cancer is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. Mind you, the guy is a perfect looking specimen. He was a professional ironman competitor, placing in the top ten prior to this diagnosis. Before this particular moment, I had my own; "judgments" about him. Good-looking, cocky, successful and a bit arrogant. Not my energy.

But after this conversation, I was completely humbled. Tears were beginning to fall as I was continuing to work with my client. My heart was burst wide open. Another level of softening judgment. The level of compassion I felt go way beyond words. On some level, he obviously felt a need to share this, maybe unconsciously, with people he did not know very well. In any event, it was a true gift. We both saw one another differently for the first time.

Many us assume the worst, or possibly resent others for their success, looks or their seemingly "perfect" life. We never really do know what is going on or what someone has been through. Life is filled with many challenges. At one point or another, there comes a time where we are tested. How we rise to the occasion is totally up to us.

So I lovingly invite you to embrace each and every situation and person you may come in contact with. To look beyond the surface and be open to the possibilities that may exist.

Have a very "peaceful" day.

With Love,
Denise

Finding Sweetness

Inspiration: To find the joy inherent in each moment.

Sweetness comes in many forms. It can be the taste of ice cream on a warm summer's day. It could be a beautiful sunrise or sunset. It could be the stillness of this moment.

We can all get caught up in the daily and mundane rituals in our lives. Not stopping to pause, breathe and embrace the magic that is all around us. Just a moment of finding sweetness, can shift our perspective and change the trajectory of our day.

My favorite, is to go commune in nature. There is always something "magical" that happens for me here. Whether it be a bird that sits besides me, or the fresh air, there is always a gift. When we are connected to the natural, earth elements, there is a sense of groundedness that takes over. We feel a connection to something "larger" than what we perceive with the senses.

The pure joy of waking up each morning with the potential to create is a blessing. What we create and how we utilize our gifts, is totally up to us. Finding the joy, or sweetness, helps us to find our true essence and live our highest truth possible.

So I invite you to lovingly embrace the simple pleasures that surround you. To find something that makes your heart sing, on a daily basis. Even if only for a moment. Your world will be brighter.....:)

Have a very "peaceful" evening.

With Love,
Denise