Tis the season. I've done it once before. I made the transition with my oldest daughter from high school to college 4 years ago. It was a bitter sweet time. I had a heaviness in my heart when I dropped my girl off and drove away, seemingly leaving her behind. But underneath it all I knew this was how it should be. Watching your child step out into the world. I was honored and touched to be a part of that journey with her. The transition, looking back, was perfect. We are still close. I honor and admire the woman she has become. I am blessed. We are still close to this day and that is one of the greatest honors of my life.
Now I watch all the kiddos my youngest daughters age travel off on their journey. Its bitter sweet to watch. I know the emotions the moms are feeling, watching their kids step out into the world. I know dads are having them as well, but I am a mom. :) As a mom I am having some emotions this season as well.
I don't have a kiddo to drop off at school this year. My youngest started her transition into adulthood early. My last "first day of school picture" was her senior year last year. Senior year lasted all of a couple of weeks for her. It was fraught with friendships chosen from a not mentally well place. Trauma of a friends suicide. A summer in a manic depression and self destruction. I came home from work a few weeks into the school year to find her home and done with school. Our path in school was never a straight one. A mental health diagnosis had always made the journey more of a challenge. There was a school change, home schooling, and moving to the city to put her in a school that seemed to suit her left brain/right brain thinking. And for a minute it was beautiful. Then more trauma, and she crashed. Last september she passed her GED with flying colors. No high school graduation. No parties. No marking a milestone. Just another check off the list of things required to get through life. And continued downward spirals. The third hospitalization in her life. Promises and hearts broken. That was "senior year"
Now as other kiddos start school, I am unattached to the sense of how things "should be" for me or my youngest. The traditional route is not hers. I've grown to accept that. I've grown to accept that I will be judged for the way things have happened along the way. Everyone not living the actual journey always has a take on it. I accept that too. The hole left in my heart is just that my youngest's mental health demons robbed me of any beautiful transitions. Her departure was traumatic and rough. Yesterday I got a text she's moving into her own space. There was no joy in packing her, buying her linens or toilet paper or stupid little things like that. I don't even know where she lives anymore. Just that she found God, good people and a new "family" that she seems to indicate suit her better than I could. And if it's in her best interest, it will be another step in my journey of letting go. Letting go of the relationship I had hoped for with my children when they were little. Letting go of control of a reality I seem to not have the same memory of. Letting go of outcomes. Letting go of ego of others opinions. Letting go of knowing. So much to let go. How I wouldn't give to let go beautifully. Hug them and send them off with love if you are so lucky.
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Friday, January 11, 2019
Making New Years Resolutions Sucessful
Happy New Year! Chances are, if your one of the people that gets excited about new beginnings, and all the potential they hold, the new year is the mother of all holidays for you. At the beginning of the year we are inspired to start fresh. We set our New Years resolutions in our minds and in our journals with complete sincerity and inspiration. This will be the year you get organized, become the parent you want to be, find love, and everyones favorite, loose weight. The new year comes along and we take a deep breath, imagine all our potential, and set out with vigor to change ourselves for the better.
We aren't that far out from the end of last year. If your think back to December, and your progress on last years New Years resolutions, how'd you do? If you are one of the few that nailed it last year and met all your goals, I applaud you! If your are human you "nailed it" maybe a little more like this....
Why is it that we are truly inspired at the beginning of the year, yet by the end of the year we are drained, goals unmet, ready to wrap the year and start anew yet again? For each person the reasoning might be different. But the difference between what we imagined for ourselves vs reality tends to stand in stark contrast, reminding us of all our "imperfections", "flaws", and "failures".
Goals and resolutions are wonderful. Seeing yourself as the brilliant person you want to be is inspiring. But what happens when your daily life doesn't look like what you imagined or hoped? Your eating well for a while, working toward your health goal, then you fall off the wagon 7 days into the new year because of continued holiday celebrations. You decide to put yourself out there on a few dates, and your nerves get the best of you and you decide it's just easier to skip it and stay home with a good book. You are rocking the parenting goal until your teen decides their New Years goal is to become more defiantly independent, and you loose your mind with them after a long rough day. These set backs can get you thinking that your goals are impossible or unattainable because, let's face it, "I just keep messing it all up. Nothing is going like I planned it. I just so tired of the constant struggle." (not that I know and understand those thoughts or anything 😉) Drifting to all or nothing thinking is a huge hopes, dreams and goals killer.
So what if the difference between success and failure was just as simple as a change in your own mindset? One of my amazing life coaching clients shared a wonderful analogy. She says that's she if she gets one flat tire, she's not going to run around the car and slash the three good ones and sit on the side of the road stranded. How many times do we do that in our lives...seeing only the problem and becoming overwhelmed with the "problem"? For every "flat tire" in life their are a million reasons how it could have got that way. But to get your car moving forward you need to know the small steps to start changing that tire. You have to be willing to learn something new to empower yourself. It's the same in life! When your are heading on your journey toward your goal, you are going to come up against unfamiliar and/or uncomfortable challenges. Your may get tired or frustrated and just want to be done already! Sometimes you are going to maybe even get bounced a bit hard. There is no controlling what's happening out there in the world. But you can control how you see these things that are happening. You can break out of old belief patterns and find new perspectives that will put you back on the road to resolution.
Your amazing journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. What will your first step be this year? What path do you choose to walk down? How gentle and forgiving can you be with yourself if you start down the path and you decide you need to change course? How comfortable are you with not being able to see the end of the road your on? What skills and tools do you have to support you on your journey?
If walking your path toward your resolutions feels daunting, unattainable or overwhelming, have you ever considered trying to navigate the game of life with your own personal coach? With life coaching you have a neutral, nonjudgmental person, helping you decide what steps you are ready to take on your journey, and supporting you in ways that are suited specifically to your needs. Need accountability on your goals? Need help breaking the big picture into smaller steps? Need someone to give you a push out of your comfort zone? That's where I'd be honored to help. As a certified holistic life coach, I will help you look at the plays you've made up until now in life, and tap into your own strengths to change you game. My goal is to empower people to live their truest and best selves out loud into this world, and live fulfilling and joyful lives. I do this by working either in person, or via video chat, and together we find solutions to areas of life that have left you stuck. Together we learn to bust through those blocks and reveal the light on the other side. If your interested in finding out more please feel free to shoot me your questions at Naturallyjulie@gmail.com I look forward to helping you connect to the highest and best version of you that you can be!
We aren't that far out from the end of last year. If your think back to December, and your progress on last years New Years resolutions, how'd you do? If you are one of the few that nailed it last year and met all your goals, I applaud you! If your are human you "nailed it" maybe a little more like this....
Why is it that we are truly inspired at the beginning of the year, yet by the end of the year we are drained, goals unmet, ready to wrap the year and start anew yet again? For each person the reasoning might be different. But the difference between what we imagined for ourselves vs reality tends to stand in stark contrast, reminding us of all our "imperfections", "flaws", and "failures".
Goals and resolutions are wonderful. Seeing yourself as the brilliant person you want to be is inspiring. But what happens when your daily life doesn't look like what you imagined or hoped? Your eating well for a while, working toward your health goal, then you fall off the wagon 7 days into the new year because of continued holiday celebrations. You decide to put yourself out there on a few dates, and your nerves get the best of you and you decide it's just easier to skip it and stay home with a good book. You are rocking the parenting goal until your teen decides their New Years goal is to become more defiantly independent, and you loose your mind with them after a long rough day. These set backs can get you thinking that your goals are impossible or unattainable because, let's face it, "I just keep messing it all up. Nothing is going like I planned it. I just so tired of the constant struggle." (not that I know and understand those thoughts or anything 😉) Drifting to all or nothing thinking is a huge hopes, dreams and goals killer.
So what if the difference between success and failure was just as simple as a change in your own mindset? One of my amazing life coaching clients shared a wonderful analogy. She says that's she if she gets one flat tire, she's not going to run around the car and slash the three good ones and sit on the side of the road stranded. How many times do we do that in our lives...seeing only the problem and becoming overwhelmed with the "problem"? For every "flat tire" in life their are a million reasons how it could have got that way. But to get your car moving forward you need to know the small steps to start changing that tire. You have to be willing to learn something new to empower yourself. It's the same in life! When your are heading on your journey toward your goal, you are going to come up against unfamiliar and/or uncomfortable challenges. Your may get tired or frustrated and just want to be done already! Sometimes you are going to maybe even get bounced a bit hard. There is no controlling what's happening out there in the world. But you can control how you see these things that are happening. You can break out of old belief patterns and find new perspectives that will put you back on the road to resolution.
Your amazing journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. What will your first step be this year? What path do you choose to walk down? How gentle and forgiving can you be with yourself if you start down the path and you decide you need to change course? How comfortable are you with not being able to see the end of the road your on? What skills and tools do you have to support you on your journey?
If walking your path toward your resolutions feels daunting, unattainable or overwhelming, have you ever considered trying to navigate the game of life with your own personal coach? With life coaching you have a neutral, nonjudgmental person, helping you decide what steps you are ready to take on your journey, and supporting you in ways that are suited specifically to your needs. Need accountability on your goals? Need help breaking the big picture into smaller steps? Need someone to give you a push out of your comfort zone? That's where I'd be honored to help. As a certified holistic life coach, I will help you look at the plays you've made up until now in life, and tap into your own strengths to change you game. My goal is to empower people to live their truest and best selves out loud into this world, and live fulfilling and joyful lives. I do this by working either in person, or via video chat, and together we find solutions to areas of life that have left you stuck. Together we learn to bust through those blocks and reveal the light on the other side. If your interested in finding out more please feel free to shoot me your questions at Naturallyjulie@gmail.com I look forward to helping you connect to the highest and best version of you that you can be!
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Reviving Naturally Julie! Big Announcement!
Happy end of 2108! It has been quite a year! I dedicated this past year to personal and professional growth and I am now ready to take this growth to the next level in 2019. I am not offering LIFE AND HOLISTIC HEALTH COACHING!
In the last 10 years I've learned more than I could have ever imagined about mind, body, spirit connection through my work as a massage therapist. I've shared in the highs and lows of my clients lives and how the highs and lows affect them physically, emotionally and spiritually. I've also been "schooled" by my own body, mind and spirit connection, experiencing how my own internal world effected my own physical and emotional health. After much observation, study, and yes, my own life coach, I've learned how to relax into the process of creating a life I love!
My next level is taking my coaching certification to the masses. I am dedicated to facilitating my clients own ability to bring their best selves out of hiding, and coach them on how to live in their own power in 2019. So along with my massage services, I will be adding Life and Holistic Health Coaching as another modality to support my clients in their own mind/body/spirit wellness.
Over the course of the next few months I will be back to blogging here and giving you a snapshot of what it is a life coach can offer to you. If you are interested in knowing more, or beginning work with me as your coach, please email me at naturallyjulie@gmail.com. We can set up either in office, or over the phone/video coaching.
Peace and Wellness!
Julie
In the last 10 years I've learned more than I could have ever imagined about mind, body, spirit connection through my work as a massage therapist. I've shared in the highs and lows of my clients lives and how the highs and lows affect them physically, emotionally and spiritually. I've also been "schooled" by my own body, mind and spirit connection, experiencing how my own internal world effected my own physical and emotional health. After much observation, study, and yes, my own life coach, I've learned how to relax into the process of creating a life I love!
My next level is taking my coaching certification to the masses. I am dedicated to facilitating my clients own ability to bring their best selves out of hiding, and coach them on how to live in their own power in 2019. So along with my massage services, I will be adding Life and Holistic Health Coaching as another modality to support my clients in their own mind/body/spirit wellness.
Over the course of the next few months I will be back to blogging here and giving you a snapshot of what it is a life coach can offer to you. If you are interested in knowing more, or beginning work with me as your coach, please email me at naturallyjulie@gmail.com. We can set up either in office, or over the phone/video coaching.
Peace and Wellness!
Julie
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Lessons From the Ocean
I just came home recently from my 7th summer family vacation to the beach in Destin, Florida. Now for the pragmatists out there (DAD), I know I was in the Gulf of Mexico. Of course it was. Who would be swimming in the Atlantic with all those shark attacks? :) But the gulf is My Place. I would say my happy place, but through the years I have come to find it is simply the place my soul speaks louder to me than most other places I have been. Except for Israel. What my soul has to say isn't always easy to hear but it is the truest version of me. And in that I find solace, clarity, and grounding, but not always happiness. Not being Pollyanna all the time is ok with me these days. I am actively learning how to dance in the storm. That is much more functional than avoiding the rain and chasing the sun. It's more like bringing your own sunshine and making some rainbows.
While wading in the ocean I began to realize how much life is like being in the water. As the waves would come toward me I could see that like life, you cannot control the waves. Have you ever tried to control the tide? Nope. That is the moon's job. Not mine. So I stood there in the ocean looking out to the horizon thinking about life and this beautiful water surrounding me. I was relaxing and letting the waves take me where they may. I looked at all the people safely sitting on the beach, and while that is where they want to be, I want to be in the water. I don't want to be afraid to dive in. I try to not let the idea of sharks cause fear to rise up in my head or else every shadow becomes exactly that. Once you are in the water the waves change day to day, moment to moment, and wave to wave. All you can do is deal with the wave approaching you. The ones behind you may have beat you up, but they are past you. They taught you a little more about what you need to watch for in the next wave. You also can't fear the next big wave that you cannot see. In order to get through the wave at hand you have to keep your consciousness in that moment. Be aware of it. If you do you can learn to judge when it's going to crest and adjust yourself accordingly, but you can't stop it from coming. Sometimes they break just past you and it's easy. Sometimes they look larger than they end up being by the time they reach you. Other times you find yourself caught off guard and hit by a wave that you didn't expect to be so powerful, or that you never saw coming. The next thing you know your knocked off your feet and your tumbling. Your first instinct is to fight to get to the surface as fast as possible but you are disoriented, and despite your effort or strength, you cannot find your way. The water may get dark and turbulent, and the waves may keep coming and knocking you down relentlessly. Fighting is exhausting. As they come, you start to realize that staying as calm and as relaxed as possible, and going with the wave until is subsides and takes you to a place when you can stand up again might be the best way to get out of the battle with the water. Ride the wave where it takes you and get yourself back on your feet.
As you go thru the different waves that come to you, you get stronger and smarter on how to navigate the water. In the end it is just you and the ocean. Maybe your a surfer riding the big one. Maybe your a mermaid at heart diving into the waves. Maybe your navigating a boat thru the waters. Some waters belong to the surfers. Some belong to the mermaids. Some belong to the boats. It's knowing what you can handle that saves you in the end. A surfer on the beach is stagnant. A mermaid stuck in the marina isn't free. A boat stuck on a sandbar isn't going anywhere. Sometimes the boats, the surfers and the mermaids share the ocean, but not the same waves. Find your ocean. Find yourself. For me its best said in the beautiful words of Eddie Vedder.....
"I'll ride the wave where it takes me."
Peace. ~Julie
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EpkYIy6UhI4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
While wading in the ocean I began to realize how much life is like being in the water. As the waves would come toward me I could see that like life, you cannot control the waves. Have you ever tried to control the tide? Nope. That is the moon's job. Not mine. So I stood there in the ocean looking out to the horizon thinking about life and this beautiful water surrounding me. I was relaxing and letting the waves take me where they may. I looked at all the people safely sitting on the beach, and while that is where they want to be, I want to be in the water. I don't want to be afraid to dive in. I try to not let the idea of sharks cause fear to rise up in my head or else every shadow becomes exactly that. Once you are in the water the waves change day to day, moment to moment, and wave to wave. All you can do is deal with the wave approaching you. The ones behind you may have beat you up, but they are past you. They taught you a little more about what you need to watch for in the next wave. You also can't fear the next big wave that you cannot see. In order to get through the wave at hand you have to keep your consciousness in that moment. Be aware of it. If you do you can learn to judge when it's going to crest and adjust yourself accordingly, but you can't stop it from coming. Sometimes they break just past you and it's easy. Sometimes they look larger than they end up being by the time they reach you. Other times you find yourself caught off guard and hit by a wave that you didn't expect to be so powerful, or that you never saw coming. The next thing you know your knocked off your feet and your tumbling. Your first instinct is to fight to get to the surface as fast as possible but you are disoriented, and despite your effort or strength, you cannot find your way. The water may get dark and turbulent, and the waves may keep coming and knocking you down relentlessly. Fighting is exhausting. As they come, you start to realize that staying as calm and as relaxed as possible, and going with the wave until is subsides and takes you to a place when you can stand up again might be the best way to get out of the battle with the water. Ride the wave where it takes you and get yourself back on your feet.
As you go thru the different waves that come to you, you get stronger and smarter on how to navigate the water. In the end it is just you and the ocean. Maybe your a surfer riding the big one. Maybe your a mermaid at heart diving into the waves. Maybe your navigating a boat thru the waters. Some waters belong to the surfers. Some belong to the mermaids. Some belong to the boats. It's knowing what you can handle that saves you in the end. A surfer on the beach is stagnant. A mermaid stuck in the marina isn't free. A boat stuck on a sandbar isn't going anywhere. Sometimes the boats, the surfers and the mermaids share the ocean, but not the same waves. Find your ocean. Find yourself. For me its best said in the beautiful words of Eddie Vedder.....
"I'll ride the wave where it takes me."
Peace. ~Julie
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EpkYIy6UhI4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Saturday, May 17, 2014
The Size of Beauty
This morning, one of my wonderfully inspirational friends, Tari "shorty" Sanders, posted this on her facebook.
EMBRACE
The article is about a woman, Taryn Brumfit, who posted a very unique before and after picture of herself to inspire women to love their bodies as they are. She asked 100 women to describe their bodies in one word. Most of the words she got back were "frumpy" "stumpy" "imperfect" "disgusting". So she is doing a campaign on kickstarter to fund an inspirational documentary to inspire women to love their bodies and to fight the media/societal pressures women feel to be "perfect".
I donated. Women need this support. Ok...I will speak for myself. I need this support! I need this reminder. Right before I sat down with my coffee and found this article I went thru a very familiar battle in my head. My lovely hubby bought donuts for us for breakfast. He rarely does that but on occasion the girls love it. Heck. I love donuts. So I starred at the donuts and wondered what power they will have over me? In a week I am heading to Florida and am going to be in my swim suit. I have absolutely no judgement of other women in their swim suits, but I am harsh on myself. I am a massage therapist and a health coach. I find every body beautiful and only want people to feel vital in their bodies. But here I am again this morning with the head battle about my body in my head.
I have been "thin" and I have been the weight I am now. Yep. Thin felt good. But I still obsessed about staying thin. At my current weight in the past, I obsess about loosing 10 pounds. It almost can induce a panic attack. For any of my clients or friends I would find it unacceptable for them to feel that way! But I beat myself up all the time. Until recently.
So when the battle started in my head, I forced my consciousness to kick in. I have talked with my Kabbalah teacher about the issues I have and she pretty much told me, no more trying to loose weight until I get the right consciousness about it. The right consciousness for me is about living a vital, productive life. Food as nourishment. Feeling pain free and energetic. This morning...I hurt. I know for me, sugar makes my joins hurt SO BAD. So why would I really want to have that donut? So I passed on the donut.
My other inspiration is my 16 year old daughter. She has recently dropped weight and did not want to. I believe it is just the genetics she has. But she cries a lot about having lost her curves. WOW! So many kids her age are trying to be stick thin and live up to the societal pressure of "perfection" and my girl wants curves! So what am I doing trying to be thin?! What do I really want? I want for my girls and for me, and for all people, to be healthy! Healthy does not come in a specific size.
Taryn Brumfit has received backlash, saying her after picture promotes obesity. I am sick of hearing this. Do we have an epidemic of obesity...yes! But it seems to me the people who throw up their arms and scream obesity over pictures like Taryn's need to take a step back and separate obesity, health and the image that they believe needs to embody healthy. Women have amazing bodies that do amazing things. Pregnancy changes a body. Time changes a body. But it doesn't make it any less beautiful. But the world wants thin, tight, and perky, and once you are not that, you are "imperfect" My perfect body sags after a couple of kids. But I am strong. I am healthy. I work out with a trainer, who I will forever sing the praises of, Morgan Paris, who will flat out tell you "I don't care what you look like. I care how you feel" She has helped me so much on my journey to be at peace with my body. I know I still have a long way to go on my journey. Sometimes the sweet treats win out and I feel awful the next day. But I can feel myself slowly detaching from the need to be perfectly thin and making food choices based on that pressure, and striving instead to feel active, pain free and amazing! I want my girls to focus on what they can do out in the world, not how thin they "need" to be. I am curvy. I am cool with that. I am happy with that. I refuse to stare at myself in a mirror anymore and see what I think I need to hate.
Do you know what else my friend Tari has posted on her facebook? A picture of herself in a bikini, rocking the most beautiful scars from surviving and thriving after massive open heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. She shared her battle with us and I know what that scar means and I think it is the most beautiful scar ever (next to my c section scar of course:) )
Confidence is sexy. Strength is sexy. Wisdom is sexy. Kindness is sexy. Battle scars from life are sexy. It's time to redefine sexy for women. It starts with you inside your own head. Love yourself and support other women in loving themselves. ACTIVELY LOVE LIFE!!!
Peace!
Julie
EMBRACE
The article is about a woman, Taryn Brumfit, who posted a very unique before and after picture of herself to inspire women to love their bodies as they are. She asked 100 women to describe their bodies in one word. Most of the words she got back were "frumpy" "stumpy" "imperfect" "disgusting". So she is doing a campaign on kickstarter to fund an inspirational documentary to inspire women to love their bodies and to fight the media/societal pressures women feel to be "perfect".
I donated. Women need this support. Ok...I will speak for myself. I need this support! I need this reminder. Right before I sat down with my coffee and found this article I went thru a very familiar battle in my head. My lovely hubby bought donuts for us for breakfast. He rarely does that but on occasion the girls love it. Heck. I love donuts. So I starred at the donuts and wondered what power they will have over me? In a week I am heading to Florida and am going to be in my swim suit. I have absolutely no judgement of other women in their swim suits, but I am harsh on myself. I am a massage therapist and a health coach. I find every body beautiful and only want people to feel vital in their bodies. But here I am again this morning with the head battle about my body in my head.
I have been "thin" and I have been the weight I am now. Yep. Thin felt good. But I still obsessed about staying thin. At my current weight in the past, I obsess about loosing 10 pounds. It almost can induce a panic attack. For any of my clients or friends I would find it unacceptable for them to feel that way! But I beat myself up all the time. Until recently.
So when the battle started in my head, I forced my consciousness to kick in. I have talked with my Kabbalah teacher about the issues I have and she pretty much told me, no more trying to loose weight until I get the right consciousness about it. The right consciousness for me is about living a vital, productive life. Food as nourishment. Feeling pain free and energetic. This morning...I hurt. I know for me, sugar makes my joins hurt SO BAD. So why would I really want to have that donut? So I passed on the donut.
My other inspiration is my 16 year old daughter. She has recently dropped weight and did not want to. I believe it is just the genetics she has. But she cries a lot about having lost her curves. WOW! So many kids her age are trying to be stick thin and live up to the societal pressure of "perfection" and my girl wants curves! So what am I doing trying to be thin?! What do I really want? I want for my girls and for me, and for all people, to be healthy! Healthy does not come in a specific size.
Taryn Brumfit has received backlash, saying her after picture promotes obesity. I am sick of hearing this. Do we have an epidemic of obesity...yes! But it seems to me the people who throw up their arms and scream obesity over pictures like Taryn's need to take a step back and separate obesity, health and the image that they believe needs to embody healthy. Women have amazing bodies that do amazing things. Pregnancy changes a body. Time changes a body. But it doesn't make it any less beautiful. But the world wants thin, tight, and perky, and once you are not that, you are "imperfect" My perfect body sags after a couple of kids. But I am strong. I am healthy. I work out with a trainer, who I will forever sing the praises of, Morgan Paris, who will flat out tell you "I don't care what you look like. I care how you feel" She has helped me so much on my journey to be at peace with my body. I know I still have a long way to go on my journey. Sometimes the sweet treats win out and I feel awful the next day. But I can feel myself slowly detaching from the need to be perfectly thin and making food choices based on that pressure, and striving instead to feel active, pain free and amazing! I want my girls to focus on what they can do out in the world, not how thin they "need" to be. I am curvy. I am cool with that. I am happy with that. I refuse to stare at myself in a mirror anymore and see what I think I need to hate.
Do you know what else my friend Tari has posted on her facebook? A picture of herself in a bikini, rocking the most beautiful scars from surviving and thriving after massive open heart surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. She shared her battle with us and I know what that scar means and I think it is the most beautiful scar ever (next to my c section scar of course:) )
Confidence is sexy. Strength is sexy. Wisdom is sexy. Kindness is sexy. Battle scars from life are sexy. It's time to redefine sexy for women. It starts with you inside your own head. Love yourself and support other women in loving themselves. ACTIVELY LOVE LIFE!!!
Peace!
Julie
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Exercise in Disguise
Good morning! I hope your weekend was relaxing and rejuvenating for you. Sunday I went on a bike ride with my hubby in my favorite park in the world, Forest Park. We are so lucky in St Louis to have the park, and I am doubly blessed to live so close to it. To learn more about my beautiful park read on here. ( Side note...it is 500 acres larger than Central Park :) The bike ride got me thinking about how much my idea's on exercise have changed in the last year.
This spring I invested in a new bike. I was feeling healthier, and I knew a few flat bike paths in St Louis that I could manage. I thought biking would be a nice addition to my lifestyle transformation. People on bikes look healthy. So I was going with the "fake it til you make it" motto and started my transition into one of those healthy looking bikers I see on the trails in the park. Advance forward to this past Sunday morning, and several of the past Sunday mornings. Sunday morning bike rides are becoming a tradition with my husband and I. We ride into the park, do about half the trail, pick one of the many beautiful scenic spots to take a water break. We chat, I do a couple of yoga poses, he finds a sturdy branch to do pull up's on and we take in the sights, sounds and feel of being outside. It's been a really nice way to start Sunday. I have noticed the path in Forest Park isn't nearly as daunting as it was the first few times I did it. It's a nice gauge for me of my own progress to be able to conquer the science center hill without wanting to quit like I use to. It feels good.
One thing I have learned about myself is that I get bored with "exercise" really easily. Going to the gym and doing the same thing over and over day in and day out is daunting to me. Changing my gym routine at this point has been equally as daunting. The learning curve in front of a room full of people is still overwhelming to me, and I use to work in physical therapy! I know a thing or two about exercise! It's on my list of things/fears to conquer. But for now I am lucky enough to have my summer gym....the outdoors. I have a gym rat routine that I try to get in and do if I feel like I am lacking a little on my physical activity. It just wakes me up a little. But for the most part I pick activities I like and I disguise my exercise. I walk A LOT. So I pick activities that involve a lot of walking. I hike. As mentioned in a previous blog, I pick places to eat that are in the neighborhood, and that have healthy choices of course, and we walk. I like to walk after dinner if we eat at home (which we do a lot more these days). I bike. I am always looking for things to do that keep my body moving.
My wonderful friend Jill added the following exercise ideas to my facebook page, facebook.com/NaturallyJulie earlier in the week.
"Summer is a time for taking the workout outside and doing things that make you happy-there is exercise in gardening, playing horseshoes, badminton, volleyball, hide and seek, tag. Take your dog for daily walks and spend playtime chasing a ball.
Do your workout in your pool, or borrow a friend's and do it together." ~Jill
It's really all about finding out what you like to do, and doing it. Physical activity should be as individual as each person. Even more important, physical activity should be enjoyable to be sustainable. I personally don't run. I have actually told people if they see me running please call 911 because someone is obviously after me. But my sister LOVES running! It is her therapy. But she is not about the biking at all. My hubby doesn't like gyms but gets up an works out in our basement almost every single day. I have another friend that is a kayak fan. I have another client/friend that is into Crossfit. (shout out Brian!) You get the picture. Adults need to play more!
Being healthy isn't about "diet " and "exercise". It is about being consistently physically active and fueling your body well. It's a lifestyle. You dont' have to adopt all of the lifestyle at once. Just start small. Do all the cliche things you hear about. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park far away. Our ancestors hunted for the meat they ate. They gathered plants, nuts and berries. We aren't designed to eat some of the "food" we are eating or the quantities we are eating, and to be so sedentary. Our ancestors worked hard for their food. I figure the least I can do is take the spot furthest away from the grocery store door :)
Exercise doesn't have to be this dreaded task. It's about finding what you love and doing it! What do you love?
ENJOY LIFE!
This spring I invested in a new bike. I was feeling healthier, and I knew a few flat bike paths in St Louis that I could manage. I thought biking would be a nice addition to my lifestyle transformation. People on bikes look healthy. So I was going with the "fake it til you make it" motto and started my transition into one of those healthy looking bikers I see on the trails in the park. Advance forward to this past Sunday morning, and several of the past Sunday mornings. Sunday morning bike rides are becoming a tradition with my husband and I. We ride into the park, do about half the trail, pick one of the many beautiful scenic spots to take a water break. We chat, I do a couple of yoga poses, he finds a sturdy branch to do pull up's on and we take in the sights, sounds and feel of being outside. It's been a really nice way to start Sunday. I have noticed the path in Forest Park isn't nearly as daunting as it was the first few times I did it. It's a nice gauge for me of my own progress to be able to conquer the science center hill without wanting to quit like I use to. It feels good.
One thing I have learned about myself is that I get bored with "exercise" really easily. Going to the gym and doing the same thing over and over day in and day out is daunting to me. Changing my gym routine at this point has been equally as daunting. The learning curve in front of a room full of people is still overwhelming to me, and I use to work in physical therapy! I know a thing or two about exercise! It's on my list of things/fears to conquer. But for now I am lucky enough to have my summer gym....the outdoors. I have a gym rat routine that I try to get in and do if I feel like I am lacking a little on my physical activity. It just wakes me up a little. But for the most part I pick activities I like and I disguise my exercise. I walk A LOT. So I pick activities that involve a lot of walking. I hike. As mentioned in a previous blog, I pick places to eat that are in the neighborhood, and that have healthy choices of course, and we walk. I like to walk after dinner if we eat at home (which we do a lot more these days). I bike. I am always looking for things to do that keep my body moving.
My wonderful friend Jill added the following exercise ideas to my facebook page, facebook.com/NaturallyJulie earlier in the week.
"Summer is a time for taking the workout outside and doing things that make you happy-there is exercise in gardening, playing horseshoes, badminton, volleyball, hide and seek, tag. Take your dog for daily walks and spend playtime chasing a ball.
Do your workout in your pool, or borrow a friend's and do it together." ~Jill
It's really all about finding out what you like to do, and doing it. Physical activity should be as individual as each person. Even more important, physical activity should be enjoyable to be sustainable. I personally don't run. I have actually told people if they see me running please call 911 because someone is obviously after me. But my sister LOVES running! It is her therapy. But she is not about the biking at all. My hubby doesn't like gyms but gets up an works out in our basement almost every single day. I have another friend that is a kayak fan. I have another client/friend that is into Crossfit. (shout out Brian!) You get the picture. Adults need to play more!
Being healthy isn't about "diet " and "exercise". It is about being consistently physically active and fueling your body well. It's a lifestyle. You dont' have to adopt all of the lifestyle at once. Just start small. Do all the cliche things you hear about. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park far away. Our ancestors hunted for the meat they ate. They gathered plants, nuts and berries. We aren't designed to eat some of the "food" we are eating or the quantities we are eating, and to be so sedentary. Our ancestors worked hard for their food. I figure the least I can do is take the spot furthest away from the grocery store door :)
Exercise doesn't have to be this dreaded task. It's about finding what you love and doing it! What do you love?
ENJOY LIFE!
Friday, June 8, 2012
Be a Weekend Nutrition Warrior
The weekend is here and that means backyard BBQ's and being social. It also means temptation with foods that are a struggle for you if you are trying to loose weight, have diet sensitivities, or have foods that despite being able to eat (or drink) just dont' make you feel good. It's still a struggle for me too but I have found a few things that work for me when the weekend rolls around.
Make a Plan: The first thing to do is try to make a plan in your head or even write it out. Are you going to have a partner who you can go to if your resistance is low? Do you know in advance what foods will be offered where you are going and can you plan on what you will eat in advance? Can you stick to "real foods"? Veggies, protein, things that haven't been in a box? What works for you?
Bring a Healthy Dish to Share: BBQ's are usually a pot luck affair. If you are bringing a dish, pick your favorite healthy dish. Make an amazing salad. Bring some version of your favorite healthy veggie dish. Make it something nice and cooling for the body for a hot day. Fill your plate with it when meal time rolls around.
WATER: Take a water bottle or a cool thermal cup and keep drinking water. Sometimes you are thirsty versus hungry. Sometimes you are just looking for something cool to put into your body on a hot day. Fill up on water before you eat. You will eat less and the water will keep your cell metabolism burning. Skip the soda. Save yourself the empty calories and the bone depleting phosphoric acid!
Plan a Treat, Not a Cheat: For me sugar is a real temptation. In the past if it had sugar in it I would eat it. Sugar is addictive and I don't want to open that can of worms for myself again so I made a pact with myself. My favorite sweet treat is chocolate and peanut butter. If I am going to treat myself I am only going to treat with something truly worth it. So unless they are serving chocolates with peanut butter I (85% of the time) skip the sweet treats out. But I do not skip treats all together! Once a week I treat myself to a little chocolate/ peanut butter concoction. Which leads me to the next tip.
Work For It. WALK! Once a week my family and I splurge on a small treat. We don't keep sugary things in the house anymore. Too much of a temptation and too many of us have bad reactions to sugar. But if we are going for a treat, or maybe out to dinner over the weekend, we pick somewhere that is within 2 miles from home and we walk there. We meet friends there. We see friends along the way and say hi. It's become a fun family thing to do! If you can't walk to and from your outing, make sure you fit in a walk or some other form of physical activity sometime over the same weekend.
Have Inspiration at Your Fingertips: What motivates you? Are you working toward a new dress? A new swimsuit? Is there an inspiring saying? Is there a picture of that fitness model you admire? Keep a picture on your phone something you are working towards and when you are staring a struggle in the face, whip out your inspiration and make a decision. Would you like to be a step closer or a step further from your goal? Make a decision and move on:)
Just remember that none of this is about diet, and it isn't about deprivation. Be gentle with yourself. Guilt and judgement only precipitate the cycle of eating, feeling guilty, eat to feel better, more guilt, addiction to what your eating, more guilt. This is about changing habits over time. This is about planing treats and feeling like you are making a conscious choice when you eat, and not letting addiction and cravings make the choice for you. This is about living a healthy lifestyle and finding the best version of you hidden under mood altering foods and drinks. This is about finding out for yourself what works for YOU and enjoying life!
Make a Plan: The first thing to do is try to make a plan in your head or even write it out. Are you going to have a partner who you can go to if your resistance is low? Do you know in advance what foods will be offered where you are going and can you plan on what you will eat in advance? Can you stick to "real foods"? Veggies, protein, things that haven't been in a box? What works for you?
Bring a Healthy Dish to Share: BBQ's are usually a pot luck affair. If you are bringing a dish, pick your favorite healthy dish. Make an amazing salad. Bring some version of your favorite healthy veggie dish. Make it something nice and cooling for the body for a hot day. Fill your plate with it when meal time rolls around.
WATER: Take a water bottle or a cool thermal cup and keep drinking water. Sometimes you are thirsty versus hungry. Sometimes you are just looking for something cool to put into your body on a hot day. Fill up on water before you eat. You will eat less and the water will keep your cell metabolism burning. Skip the soda. Save yourself the empty calories and the bone depleting phosphoric acid!
Plan a Treat, Not a Cheat: For me sugar is a real temptation. In the past if it had sugar in it I would eat it. Sugar is addictive and I don't want to open that can of worms for myself again so I made a pact with myself. My favorite sweet treat is chocolate and peanut butter. If I am going to treat myself I am only going to treat with something truly worth it. So unless they are serving chocolates with peanut butter I (85% of the time) skip the sweet treats out. But I do not skip treats all together! Once a week I treat myself to a little chocolate/ peanut butter concoction. Which leads me to the next tip.
Work For It. WALK! Once a week my family and I splurge on a small treat. We don't keep sugary things in the house anymore. Too much of a temptation and too many of us have bad reactions to sugar. But if we are going for a treat, or maybe out to dinner over the weekend, we pick somewhere that is within 2 miles from home and we walk there. We meet friends there. We see friends along the way and say hi. It's become a fun family thing to do! If you can't walk to and from your outing, make sure you fit in a walk or some other form of physical activity sometime over the same weekend.
Have Inspiration at Your Fingertips: What motivates you? Are you working toward a new dress? A new swimsuit? Is there an inspiring saying? Is there a picture of that fitness model you admire? Keep a picture on your phone something you are working towards and when you are staring a struggle in the face, whip out your inspiration and make a decision. Would you like to be a step closer or a step further from your goal? Make a decision and move on:)
Just remember that none of this is about diet, and it isn't about deprivation. Be gentle with yourself. Guilt and judgement only precipitate the cycle of eating, feeling guilty, eat to feel better, more guilt, addiction to what your eating, more guilt. This is about changing habits over time. This is about planing treats and feeling like you are making a conscious choice when you eat, and not letting addiction and cravings make the choice for you. This is about living a healthy lifestyle and finding the best version of you hidden under mood altering foods and drinks. This is about finding out for yourself what works for YOU and enjoying life!
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