Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Food Integration Program
The month of March I will be leading a 14 day detox followed by a food integration program. I find that a lot of people can stick to something for 14 days and then go back to old habits.It is challenging to cut food out of the diet and for some the detox is just what they need to reset the body and start on a better path to eating healthy, clean foods. We start by cutting out all alcohol, caffeine and meat products and then dive into cutting out grains. This is a great way to clean out your system of extra waste and to feed the body the best available products out there, I promise you will see results in clearer skin, brighter eyes and a renewed sense of energy.
The food integration program keeps you on track with your goals by having a coach, me, guide you through the process of adding in food after the detox one day at a time but remaining with a strict food plan that I have set in motion for you. Controlling what your eating, so it has a purpose, a plan to make you stronger, leaner, more energized and most of all happy. Be happy with what you put in your body, each and every day, focused on maintaining a routine that keeps you at a steady and healthy weight.
I look forward to seeing a new crop of faces this March ready to clean out the body in time for Spring. Please message me for more information at ryan.katherine7@gmail.com
Monday, February 3, 2014
a little piece of heaven
I walk in the door and immediately I am greeted with a feeling of safety, overwhelming love and warmth. Warmth that comes from a devotion to self, to home and to serving. This feeling of comfort, it is what I strive to bring into my own home. A feeling that anyone who walks in the door feels my love, my heartbeat, my Self.
I grew up in a home that felt this way. A reason why I strive for that in my own home, my classes and all around me. My parents gave me so much love and taught me to take care of myself, the things that I own and taking pride in the product of my work. My work, meaning everything that I do, that I associate with and approve of. This can be as simple as making time to listen to a friend. Really listening to them. Putting forth the best quality of work at all times, not when it feels good or people approve of you, but even when they don't. Always thinking of the people around you and how to serve them. That has been my task lately, to serve. To become, a place where people feel free, that they can say anything, do anything and be exactly who they are. Just becoming aware of where I can give, all of me, all the time.
I feel like it is so easy to be blinded with dreams, ambitions and money. But take all that away and who are you? That is what I want to work on, me, the core of who I am, what I am about without all the sparkle. To sparkle all on my own, without certifications, ambassador status, client followings. I found that I give the most of myself when I am present, in the moment and dedicated to listening, not just to people talking, but listening to myself, how do I feel. If I don't feel good, how can I make those around me feel good? If I am uninspired, I cannot inspire. I have to go out into this world, put my hands on the earth, feel the sun shine on my face and spend time being quiet, being still and allowing myself to just be present for whatever shows up. Today, tomorrow, and each day after that.
I grew up in a home that felt this way. A reason why I strive for that in my own home, my classes and all around me. My parents gave me so much love and taught me to take care of myself, the things that I own and taking pride in the product of my work. My work, meaning everything that I do, that I associate with and approve of. This can be as simple as making time to listen to a friend. Really listening to them. Putting forth the best quality of work at all times, not when it feels good or people approve of you, but even when they don't. Always thinking of the people around you and how to serve them. That has been my task lately, to serve. To become, a place where people feel free, that they can say anything, do anything and be exactly who they are. Just becoming aware of where I can give, all of me, all the time.
I feel like it is so easy to be blinded with dreams, ambitions and money. But take all that away and who are you? That is what I want to work on, me, the core of who I am, what I am about without all the sparkle. To sparkle all on my own, without certifications, ambassador status, client followings. I found that I give the most of myself when I am present, in the moment and dedicated to listening, not just to people talking, but listening to myself, how do I feel. If I don't feel good, how can I make those around me feel good? If I am uninspired, I cannot inspire. I have to go out into this world, put my hands on the earth, feel the sun shine on my face and spend time being quiet, being still and allowing myself to just be present for whatever shows up. Today, tomorrow, and each day after that.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
excuse me, did you sign up for the fight?
"the nights you fight best
--C.B.
what drives us to the edge? when all the chips are stacked against us, where we have seen enough darkness, kissed death on the lips, tasted the bitter end, to the point where we must change. no, we have to change, everything; our habits, our goals, our lives.
with maturity has come this new attitude of becoming lost in the chase, instead of having to prove myself with a "see me" attitude, i chase a dream that is mine alone. i get lost in the story of me, sometimes i just get lost in a sea of what i think i want, what i wish i had and how happy i think i would be if i had it all. i recently had to sit down and reattach my goals with my dreams. i envision a life that is possible, that is tangible and that i can touch. and everyday, every single day that passes, is an opportunity to seize all that i can out of it, to truly chase the dream or to let it slip away into the arms of someone who wants it more than me. because that is the true test. do you really want it?
as children we all wanted that "toy" and we wanted it so bad. it was March, your birthday was months away, Christmas even further but we swore to our parents, buy it for me now and i won't want anything else. but by the time december rolls around we already want the next big thing. that is what i am talking about. i have heard the speech, from clients, friends even family members about what we want, where we want to be but the real question is how bad are you willing to fight for it and what are you willing to give up for that dream? it is not just something you see someone else doing that you want too, it is part of who you are and without it, your life would cease to be as it is. this is what i am talking about. these goals, these dreams.
i found my dreams, i wrote them out in my vision and i turned them into my goals. they wake me up with a little more purpose, help me to stay in the "fight" when all i want to do is eat my face off and push the snooze button another time. one day these goals will become not just a vision that i had, but a reality of a life that i have welcomed and am ready to embrace. i am here to be a light even when all else is dark, to shine bright and to love all those that i come into contact with. what are you doing?
are
when the kiss of death is mistaken for love.
when the game is fixed,
when the crowd screams for your blood.
the nights you fight best
are
on a night like this
as you chase a thousand
dark rats from your brain,
as you rise up against the impossible,
as you become a brother
to the tender sister
of joy and
move on
regardless."
--C.B.
what drives us to the edge? when all the chips are stacked against us, where we have seen enough darkness, kissed death on the lips, tasted the bitter end, to the point where we must change. no, we have to change, everything; our habits, our goals, our lives.
with maturity has come this new attitude of becoming lost in the chase, instead of having to prove myself with a "see me" attitude, i chase a dream that is mine alone. i get lost in the story of me, sometimes i just get lost in a sea of what i think i want, what i wish i had and how happy i think i would be if i had it all. i recently had to sit down and reattach my goals with my dreams. i envision a life that is possible, that is tangible and that i can touch. and everyday, every single day that passes, is an opportunity to seize all that i can out of it, to truly chase the dream or to let it slip away into the arms of someone who wants it more than me. because that is the true test. do you really want it?
as children we all wanted that "toy" and we wanted it so bad. it was March, your birthday was months away, Christmas even further but we swore to our parents, buy it for me now and i won't want anything else. but by the time december rolls around we already want the next big thing. that is what i am talking about. i have heard the speech, from clients, friends even family members about what we want, where we want to be but the real question is how bad are you willing to fight for it and what are you willing to give up for that dream? it is not just something you see someone else doing that you want too, it is part of who you are and without it, your life would cease to be as it is. this is what i am talking about. these goals, these dreams.
i found my dreams, i wrote them out in my vision and i turned them into my goals. they wake me up with a little more purpose, help me to stay in the "fight" when all i want to do is eat my face off and push the snooze button another time. one day these goals will become not just a vision that i had, but a reality of a life that i have welcomed and am ready to embrace. i am here to be a light even when all else is dark, to shine bright and to love all those that i come into contact with. what are you doing?
Sunday, January 12, 2014
milk
I want to talk about milk. For those of you still consuming milk, even in trace amounts please read. Cow's naturally release toxins through their milk, just like any other gland in our bodies we release toxins through sweating, urine, feces and yes women, our milk. With hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified substances being pumped into them daily can you just imagine what is coming out through their milk??? I will tell you! There is on average 322 million cell counts of Pus per glass, 1.5 million white blood cells (yes, cow's blood) per mL of milk sold, 15-81 different antibiotics that could have been injected into the cow to treat any illness or disease it is facing. Organic milk, while its reduced in these numbers it is not free from them. Not only do we have to switch to milk alternatives such as hemp, rice, coconut, almond or soy but we have to be so careful what food we eat that has milk in it. Look at ingredients. The only milk I would ever drink is when I see the cow being raised, how it is treated and what it is fed and then I would go milk it all by myself and drink it that evening with a huge chocolate chip cookie!
Cow's milk while it is high in vitamin D is low in Magnesium, a key mineral in our body that is important in more than 300 chemical reactions in the body including helping to keep stomach acid neutralized and bones healthy and strong. The easiest way to get magnesium is through vegetables, not milk, think fiber heavy veggies--squash, broccoli, and leafy greens. The most interesting fact that I saw in my study was that magnesium is used to treat ADHD, lyme disease, cronic fatigue syndrome, migraine headaches and PMS. Of course we can always take supplements, but can we start by eating healthy, drinking so much water and creating a diet that is laden with vegetables, superfoods and fruit! Eating healthy is just one part, but it matters and at the end of the day the food you eat is the fuel for what you want to do, whether it be to move your body and sweat or to sit all day on your couch. Each part matters just as much as the next! I don't have to harm myself or others in the process of refining myself, going through the grit and grunt of life I can be at peace with the fact that even at my greatest moments I am flawed. It is through the struggle that I find peace, through life that I find joy.
Friday, December 13, 2013
with out
"In the zone" is a common term associated with sports where the athlete is completely focused on the task at hand. Athletes are very aware of this term, of being aware with the actions of your body in order to get a direct result. Karma, living a life, an honest life in order to receive "good" in return. Living this way, as "good" as it may seem, is based on a result, you do all that you do in order to get something in return. The problem with this thought is that our society associates discipline with deprivation. We think that if we always do good, we are depriving ourself of living, YOLO (is that right?!?). True, you get one chance to live this life, so why not be the most shining, sparkling, radiant human being alive!
There is a term used in yoga, Kriya, that speaks about living a life that that does generate reaction, there is no resistance or thought behind what you are doing. Your living a life that is "in the zone" at all times. You love your job, your wife, your friends, your children, your house, your car because they all allow you to be who you are and to love everything around you. Your not thinking about if you should or should not because you already know the answer. The ability to live a life that is honest is based upon a deep connection to spirit. Your in tune with your own body when it comes to food, friends, work and outside influences. You know these people, they are all around us, they walk in the room and it lights up. When you see them, you smile and when they speak, you want to listen. They don't have to demand or ask even. They have a goal, a vision and a dream that consumes their entire being. So the question is, can you live a life that is always on point with your goals, your dream and your vision?
When you realize that you make yourself happy by living an honest life that is rooted in the spirit. And all those things, all the people and circumstances in your life can disappear, yet you can remain at peace,
because it was never really yours to begin with.
There is a term used in yoga, Kriya, that speaks about living a life that that does generate reaction, there is no resistance or thought behind what you are doing. Your living a life that is "in the zone" at all times. You love your job, your wife, your friends, your children, your house, your car because they all allow you to be who you are and to love everything around you. Your not thinking about if you should or should not because you already know the answer. The ability to live a life that is honest is based upon a deep connection to spirit. Your in tune with your own body when it comes to food, friends, work and outside influences. You know these people, they are all around us, they walk in the room and it lights up. When you see them, you smile and when they speak, you want to listen. They don't have to demand or ask even. They have a goal, a vision and a dream that consumes their entire being. So the question is, can you live a life that is always on point with your goals, your dream and your vision?
When you realize that you make yourself happy by living an honest life that is rooted in the spirit. And all those things, all the people and circumstances in your life can disappear, yet you can remain at peace,
because it was never really yours to begin with.
Friday, November 29, 2013
a note for me
As Thanksgiving rolls around this year I start to appreciate all the people in my life, the people that are no longer in my life and the people who were taken away too soon from life. If there is one person that comes to mind this Thanksgiving it is my grandfather. The vision of strong, a provider, an innovator and when I walked in the room his heart would melt, his stubborn ego would all melt away.
While he was in my life he was the perfect example of love, a love that I have strived the rest of my life to find. My parents, showed me a love that is from the tough love category, to them I owe a lot more than just a blog post. A lover, ends in love lost, time lost and wounds open. But my grandfather taught me of a love so deep and profound that can only be given from a grandparent to their grandchild. It is an unconditional love that can only happen between two people that are so profoundly opposite; me in my innocence and him in his wisdom.
Roll out my mat, see my practice today, the frustrations that I have. I realize that I have hit a place where it is time to start a new chapter of my life. It is a shift that looks like this, my life is starting to reflect how I feel inside. What is the attitude that you have toward yourself? Do you reflect outward what is going on inward? A clean car, a clean diet are all reflections of how you truly think and feel about yourself. If you think your going to fail, then you set yourself up to fail. If you look at yourself with the greatest intention, a goal to achieve and a set of shoes that you will grow in to, patience, faith and trust is all that is standing in the way of your success.
As I come in to this holiday season I think back to my Grandfather, who saw all the possibility of who I will grow up to be. A love so deep, it has taken me 25 years to understand. A love I should have for myself, the belief that I am enough, that I want to see myself the way my Grandfather saw me. So here's to Grandpa, to spoiling myself with love and positive thoughts. To being thankful for my body, my life, my dog, my job and life exactly the way they are.
While he was in my life he was the perfect example of love, a love that I have strived the rest of my life to find. My parents, showed me a love that is from the tough love category, to them I owe a lot more than just a blog post. A lover, ends in love lost, time lost and wounds open. But my grandfather taught me of a love so deep and profound that can only be given from a grandparent to their grandchild. It is an unconditional love that can only happen between two people that are so profoundly opposite; me in my innocence and him in his wisdom.
Roll out my mat, see my practice today, the frustrations that I have. I realize that I have hit a place where it is time to start a new chapter of my life. It is a shift that looks like this, my life is starting to reflect how I feel inside. What is the attitude that you have toward yourself? Do you reflect outward what is going on inward? A clean car, a clean diet are all reflections of how you truly think and feel about yourself. If you think your going to fail, then you set yourself up to fail. If you look at yourself with the greatest intention, a goal to achieve and a set of shoes that you will grow in to, patience, faith and trust is all that is standing in the way of your success.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
the other 7...
Yoga is meant to clear out and open up the physical body, the mental binds that have kept us closed off for so long. Letting go of old habits; eating habits, drinking habits, over-spending habits and habits that ultimately leave us sad, alone and crying out for help. As we start to practice yoga, those habits start to loosen. We decide to eat clean, healthy food. We drink more water. We even let people cut us off in traffic and smile. How does this happen? And more importantly, will it last? Do we want it to last or is it another temporary fix for a much deeper issue?
Yoga does involve physically rolling out your mat, becoming present and keeping the body healthy. But yoga is more than just being flexible, in fact it has nothing to do with flexibility, stretchy pants or even a yoga mat. It is about having the awareness of what your body needs, giving yourself everything that it deserves. Making this a habit, a part of your being, who you are. That you desire to eat healthy, to speak the truth and to do good in all that you put your hands to.
We are all smart. We all have the ability to discearn what is real and unreal. Everyone must know who they are, where they are, what they are doing and what they should do.
When we start to examine the practice of yoga, it devours our bad habits and it asks us to be true. To be true to ourselves, those around us and to live a life of integrity. This is what yoga really is, people who are working on this, call themselves a yogi and it has nothing to do with standing on your hands, being flexible or wearing black stretchy pants.
Listed below are the 8 Limbs of yoga, they are equal in measure, in work and when applied, balance you out to be the true essence of you. Practical, Rational and Real.
1. Relationship (Yama) to yourself and to others. How are you conducting yourself, is it honest and true? Do you want too much from others, even from yourself? Are you being honest, in relationships both personal and professional? Are you being genuine, true to yourself and making yourself happy with the decisions you make.
2. Lifestyle (Niyama) involves cleanliness, contentment, practice, self-reflection, self-surrender. What is the attitude that you have toward yourself? Do you reflect outward what is going on inward? A clean car, a clean diet are all reflections of how you truly think and feel about yourself.
3. Body (Asana) is all about keeping your body in tune. Keeping the body in working order, correcting any mis-alignments and keeping the body in physical shape is important in a long and happy life.
4. Breath (Pranayama) keeps the body calm, through the nervous system. Breath (oxygen) keeps the systems of the body in working order. The breath reflects the state of the mind, thus when you can control the breath, you can clean the body and keep your mind in the present moment.
5. Senses (Pratyahara) are hard to control, especially in an enviroment so driven by being stimulated. We can be stimulated by so many images and sounds. Even touch. That to withdraw from those, to turn towards being still, makes our senses that much stronger, our intuition that much more stronger to discern right from wrong.
The last 3 limbs are combined into Mind (Dhyana, Dharana, and Samadhi), they involve meditation and becoming more in tune with a deeper part of us, the spiritual aspect, the layers that are so deep, so in tune, that we must quiet everything else in our lives in order to hear it. Samadhi can be explained as that moment when all space and time is lost no matter what activity you are doing, getting so lost in the joy and beauty of the moment that all time is forgotten.
When we change the self, develop the self and work on the self, the world and all the problems it faces seem so much more tangible. Our self is truly the work that needs to be done, if we all focus on being true, honest and pure then the world will be better.
I will be leading an intensive 2 week detox program that starts Decemeber 1. If your interested in learning more about nutrition and wellness please e-mail me at giving.living.loving@gmail.com
Yoga does involve physically rolling out your mat, becoming present and keeping the body healthy. But yoga is more than just being flexible, in fact it has nothing to do with flexibility, stretchy pants or even a yoga mat. It is about having the awareness of what your body needs, giving yourself everything that it deserves. Making this a habit, a part of your being, who you are. That you desire to eat healthy, to speak the truth and to do good in all that you put your hands to.
We are all smart. We all have the ability to discearn what is real and unreal. Everyone must know who they are, where they are, what they are doing and what they should do.
When we start to examine the practice of yoga, it devours our bad habits and it asks us to be true. To be true to ourselves, those around us and to live a life of integrity. This is what yoga really is, people who are working on this, call themselves a yogi and it has nothing to do with standing on your hands, being flexible or wearing black stretchy pants.
Listed below are the 8 Limbs of yoga, they are equal in measure, in work and when applied, balance you out to be the true essence of you. Practical, Rational and Real.
1. Relationship (Yama) to yourself and to others. How are you conducting yourself, is it honest and true? Do you want too much from others, even from yourself? Are you being honest, in relationships both personal and professional? Are you being genuine, true to yourself and making yourself happy with the decisions you make.
2. Lifestyle (Niyama) involves cleanliness, contentment, practice, self-reflection, self-surrender. What is the attitude that you have toward yourself? Do you reflect outward what is going on inward? A clean car, a clean diet are all reflections of how you truly think and feel about yourself.
3. Body (Asana) is all about keeping your body in tune. Keeping the body in working order, correcting any mis-alignments and keeping the body in physical shape is important in a long and happy life.
4. Breath (Pranayama) keeps the body calm, through the nervous system. Breath (oxygen) keeps the systems of the body in working order. The breath reflects the state of the mind, thus when you can control the breath, you can clean the body and keep your mind in the present moment.
5. Senses (Pratyahara) are hard to control, especially in an enviroment so driven by being stimulated. We can be stimulated by so many images and sounds. Even touch. That to withdraw from those, to turn towards being still, makes our senses that much stronger, our intuition that much more stronger to discern right from wrong.
The last 3 limbs are combined into Mind (Dhyana, Dharana, and Samadhi), they involve meditation and becoming more in tune with a deeper part of us, the spiritual aspect, the layers that are so deep, so in tune, that we must quiet everything else in our lives in order to hear it. Samadhi can be explained as that moment when all space and time is lost no matter what activity you are doing, getting so lost in the joy and beauty of the moment that all time is forgotten.
When we change the self, develop the self and work on the self, the world and all the problems it faces seem so much more tangible. Our self is truly the work that needs to be done, if we all focus on being true, honest and pure then the world will be better.
I will be leading an intensive 2 week detox program that starts Decemeber 1. If your interested in learning more about nutrition and wellness please e-mail me at giving.living.loving@gmail.com
Monday, October 14, 2013
ready, set.....goals!
where you are
vs.
where you want to be
goal setting is all about a healthy push in the right direction. I write on my bathroom mirror a quote that is inspiring me this week, an intention that I want to hold myself accountable for. I see it in the morning, mid-day and before I go to bed. It holds me in the space that I want to be in. And when it is no longer doing that, I erase it and write something else. That is the essence of goal setting. Write it down, look at it everyday, achieve what you can everyday and then cross it off and start over. What do you want to accomplish in your life? Why? What for? What steps are you taking to achieve these goals?
Every week I sit down with this question of what I want. I have dreams, a vision of who I will be in 10 years and it starts with each day, holding myself accountable, renewing my sense of purpose. I have to ask myself what I really want in life. Is it money, travel, a family, will those things make me happy? Am I happy at all with nothing? Do I really know who I am? Setting goals allows you to explore who you are, what you enjoy, what you think you enjoy and the reality comes when you can cross out a goal that you thought you wanted and realized it was never your goal but someone else's.
Where do you want to be tomorrow? I want to be happy, I want to feel secure and confident in who I am. The actions of today affect that. The actions of right now are putting my dreams into reality. I set my foot down and I say YES I CAN! I can do anything I put my heart and soul into. I set out to accomplish all that I want in this life.
Start here....
1. sweat, walk, move my body, each and everyday
2. eat clean food
3. learn something new every week, challenge the brain
4. travel
Then become more focused on what really drives you:
1. save $10,000 for the trip to Africa ($200/week)
2. drink water, only water all month long
3. buy only organic foods
4. teach myself a new pose every week (or a variation of a pose)
Goal Setting will become something that you crave, that you know you need. I will be having a really bad day, go home and whip out my journal or iPad and just start writing. You have to open yourself up to an empty page, a page that has no judgement, no comments or criticism for you. It accepts you, then you begin to accept yourself and transform into the being you were created as. Enjoy the process, enjoy learning about yourself and you will find that people enjoy you when your doing what you love, 100%, with no apology.
Start here....
1. sweat, walk, move my body, each and everyday
2. eat clean food
3. learn something new every week, challenge the brain
4. travel
Then become more focused on what really drives you:
1. save $10,000 for the trip to Africa ($200/week)
2. drink water, only water all month long
3. buy only organic foods
4. teach myself a new pose every week (or a variation of a pose)
Goal Setting will become something that you crave, that you know you need. I will be having a really bad day, go home and whip out my journal or iPad and just start writing. You have to open yourself up to an empty page, a page that has no judgement, no comments or criticism for you. It accepts you, then you begin to accept yourself and transform into the being you were created as. Enjoy the process, enjoy learning about yourself and you will find that people enjoy you when your doing what you love, 100%, with no apology.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and carotenoids, antioxidants that protect the cells against damage. High in B Complex, beta-carotene, Vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium and gamma linolenic acid.
Smoothie
1 Banana
handful of raspberries
1 cup Almond Milk (or water)
1 heaping Tbsp. of Spirulina
1 Tbsp. of Bee Pollen (California blend for allergies, otherwise, any will do)
I also make Spirulina cookies that are great post workout. I add bee pollen and avocado as well. It is my quick pick me up mid afternoon as well as a great source of protein.
Note to new Spirulina lovers: use only organic and trusted brands for Spirulina that tests the quality of each batch. I posted the Health Force Spirulina above as that is what I use and trust.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
A poem
The more I study, the less I know.
The more I study, the less closed off I am.
My ego takes a backseat.
I see with a clear mind
Where I am,
Where I want to go.
Do I stay,
Do I run far, far away.
The boys, the bottles, the pills
so alluring, so easy to turn to.
Sober. Alone. Alive.
On my mat
Out in nature
Walk.
Breathe.
Smile.
This is life so simple.
Beautiful.
Grateful for this day.
For freedom.
For sacrifice.
For this life I was so blessed to live!
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