MINDFUL EATING

All this talk about being mindful during yoga or now intensati have you ever stopped to think about being mindful while you eat? Sadly I must admit that I come from a family of inhalers with our food and I have to say I see with one of my children that I've passed this trait on. So often we are rushing through dinner to get to an activity or back to the television or to homework and we don't take the time to enjoy each others company or the food in front of us.
So often we eat mindlessly, stuffing food into our mouths while working on the computer, watching TV or driving in the car. Too often our food is gone before we knew we even ate to begin with. While you are in the midst of enjoying the holiday season and all the wonderful food in front of you try to remember that the pleasure of eating lies in slowing down and fully experiencing all of the elements of food. Take some time to explore a bit more with your food and start to take notice and you will be amazed on how much better it can taste, how much more enjoyable it can be and even how much less you might be eating because you've taken the time to enjoy each bite. This may seem like a silly exercise but try it with your family next time you are all at the dinner table. Just the discussion and exercise alone with certainly make for a different dinner experience and maybe atleast for one meal make you all a bit more mindful of the food on your plate.

Things to explore:
Sight, Smell, Touch, Tast, Texture, Swallow, Breath, Silence.
Look at your food and then maybe bring it to your nose and experience the scent of what you are about to eat. Touch what you are going to eat and then try to experience the moment it touches your lips, tongue, teeth, etc...Begin to chew the food slowly this time, more chews than you've ever have. Chewing leads to smoother digestion. Become aware of the taste, it is juicy or sour or sweet. As you continue to chew notice the consistency and texture of the food. Take a few extra chews before you swallow the food and then take a breath. Bring the same quality of breath that you gave to the rest of the process and then sit for minute and think about what you just ate.

What comes from this is a better understanding of yourself I think and your relationship to food. Not only that but the realization of just how good (or even bad) the food really is and what it meant to you to be able to eat it. Don't forget just how much time you put into getting this food on the table either. Enjoy it all and let it be amazing!

I joined a rowing association in my town two summers ago. They are an amazing group of people who I am sad to report that I didn't get to spend much time this past summer with as I didn't row as much as I would have liked. They are passing around emails lately asking each other for advice, tips, ways of motivating each other to keep in shape over the winter. I love that they look to each other for help. Its not always easy motivating yourself. Ask for help. Don't let yourself go, in fact, don't wait til the New Year to make those resolutions. Get in atleast 20 minutes a day of exercise, find a friend to join you, start eating better in between all those holiday parties and don't let the winter blues get you down.
Every day is a NEW DAY, go be amazing!

(Read my response if you like, in fact please read their responses as well)

http://rocknrow-marbleheadrowingclub.blogspot.com/

If you shield the mountain from the windstorms, you'll never see the beauty of the carvings. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

If you shield the mountain from the windstorms, you'll never get to see the beauty of the carvings...

We all go through obstacles, have challenges that we face every day. We have a choice on how these obstacles will affect us, Look back on the last few years and ask yourself if you have grown as a result of all that has happened. Maybe while in the middle of it all you didn't quite realize it but know now that who you are and what you might be doing might never have happened had you not gone through what you did. Hold onto this and remember as you move forward. All that has happened can make you stronger and all that comes your way may just bring you closer to the end result that you see for yourself. All that is ahead can be amazing.

The power of the positive affirmation can be amazing.

An affirmation is any statement we make whether positive or negative that if said over and over again can become belief and even produce results if said enough. I just finished reading this amazing article from Louise Hay, author, lecturer and teacher who has helped people throughout the world discover and implement the full potential of their own creative powers for personal growth and self-healing. She talks about the power of the positive affirmation. She writes "We can think happy thoughts. We can think positive thoughts. We can say, “Yes, I can do it!” We can think thoughts that make us feel joyous. We can learn to think only about all the good in the world. We can lift our thoughts up. We can greet the day with a smile. We can let the world know that we’re happy to be alive. We can express gratitude at every turn. We can love our bodies. We can be our best friend. By our actions, we’ll be an example for our children. Just by watching us, they’ll learn how to create a happy and fulfilling life."

Coincidentally, I am headed to NYC tomorrow for a one week training to teach Intensati with Patricia Moreno. Intensati is a intense workout combining yoga and cardio with the power of the positive affirmations. It not only keeps you moving but also works to harness the power of the mind. Most of us need reminders to stay mindful and positive and this week I get to train to bring this to others through movement and exercise.

Check out both links. First one, the complete Louise Hay article and second a video about Intensati. Both are amazing!

http://www.healyourlife.com/author-articles/wisdom/inspiration/your-thoughts-create-your-tomorrows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6hr_rg6YbE

READY FOR AN AMAZING NEW ISA DAY?

I was introduced to Isagenix over a year ago and now with 1-2 healthy Shakes and a few other drinks, bars and yes even amazing chocolates every day, I feel healthier, leaner, stronger and more energized. Not only that but over the past year have been able to share the products with others and have seen amazing results for them including weight loss (5-20 pounds or more), more energy, and more balance in their lives. It takes some time to convince some to take the leap and try the products but I can tell you that now that I have found them I am committed to a lifetime with Isagenix and so are so many others.

What can this mean?

As with many things in our life, ask yourselves the following questions?
Is this worth doing?
Can I do this (can I see myself doing this)?

I can tell you that I am not only committed to the products but also committed to being the best coach I can with my clients. First things first, you have to try the products, get use to the energy they give you and develop a trust as your body becomes familiar with them. You will begin to see the miracle your body is if you give it the nutrients it needs. Secondly, make a commitment to use the products in a specific way that works with your lifestyle. Something I hope we can come to figure out together. As with anything, not just one way works for everyone and I'm here to figure out just what works best with you. Lastly, how do you maintain that wellbeing you achieved? That will be our journey together to figure out what you need, when you need it and how you will need it to make it work for you.

As a certified health counselor part of my job is to help you figure out a way to live a more balanced, healthier life. I have this amazing tool in my practice, Isagenix, that can simplify things for you and at the very minimum help to set you on the right path to a healthier more amazing NEW YOU!

Go to www.danaappelyoung.isagenix.com and go to videos. Watch ARE YOU TOXIC. Its a quick video but one which will show you exactly why we can't get the nutrients we need in our world and why Isagenix is a great solution.

Take the leap and get ready for an Amazing NEW ISA DAY?

THE AMAZING NEED TO FOCUS

Where has all the time gone since my last blog. I said to myself that I would update my blog every Monday morning and every Monday came by and I felt like I had so many other things to do. I promise myself every week I will set goals on Sunday night for the week and I will stick with them. I need to focus, stay motivated and keep moving forward.

I certainly am moving forward but the need to set goals, stick with them, block and focus my time has much room for improvement. We all have so much going on in our lives. We tend to go the path of least resistance and stay in our comfort zones. Well its fall now, summer is over and its time to get moving. I have three months til the end of the year and what is it I want to accomplish by the end of 2009? What am I going to do to make it happen?

Think about this for yourself. Even its one thing you know you want to do by years end. Lose some weight, find a new job, or simply clean out your basement. Write your goals down on a piece of paper, put it by your bed, tape it to your desk in your office. Do whatever it takes but do it now. Wake up every morning knowing today you are going to get that much closer to what you desire.

Its a NEW DAY and I'm going to commit myself to making it amazing in every way I can. How about you?

Life's Journey and the Spiral

If by now you haven't noticed there are spirals located all over my logo and business card. I have always been attracted to the symbol and over the last few years it certainly has come to mean alot to me. It has many meanings but one of them to me is Life's Journey and what a journey it has been for me over the past four years or so. Just last year I found myself working with a Life Coach trying to figure out where I wanted my professional life to go. It didn't take long to figure out that I had a passion for helping others and for health and fitness. It was at this time that I decided to enroll in the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN). It wasn't long after that my friend introduced me to Isagenix and from there everything started to get clear. Fast forward and its a year later. I have been sharing Isagenix with others since last December and just graduated in July from IIN with a certificate in Health Counseling. What a journey. What now? Well, I'm sharing Isagenix and have become "Health Coach" to many. Now its my turn to give back and coach others in their journey.

The spiral symbolizes the process of growth and evolution. It can be the process of coming to the same point over and over again but at a different level, so that everything is seen in a new light. It is my life journey and yet another chapter in my book of life. Now what. Well, its time for a new chapter and I'm having a blast. I'm out to make a name for NEW DAY, Dana Appel Young, HC, AADP, Health Coach. I'm getting new clients every day. I've found something I'm passionate about and I'm going with it. The challenge of the spiral is to grow and develop at different levels of awareness. During these times of change I have to remember to be creative, flexible, patient, open-minded and constantly be ready for a new journey. The task for me will be to continue to support the change rather than hinder it. New ventures are coming my way and I have to figure out how to find room for them, stay focused and keep moving forward.

Its a journey for all of us. I know it is the symbol that I am attracted to but try to think about the sprial and what it can mean for you. Find something that motivates you. Trust the process and great energy will be released into all areas of your life. Keep evolving, keep moving forward and make it all AMAZING.