Mind, Body and Soul: Physical Healing

I have returned to the gym to continue my weight loss with firming up. I waited until the loss came from eating less to go back to the gym because without the decrease in calories, I have a tendency to reward my gym time with food treats. I know, I know-I was an addictions counselor for years. I quit smoking because I was excusing my addictions therapy group early so that I could have cigarettes in between sessions. In my defense, I will say that this was before smoking was classified as a drug.And I did quit i

I mention all the above because I am filled with new energy on the days I do my interval training at the gym. I also read some energy tips from The 10-Minute Energy Solution by Jon Gordon. His secrets for more energy: (1) more water, (2) 10 minutes of silence everyday (I require more, I suppose because I am in the meditation habit), (3) exercise (you knew it would be there), and real food (not processed food). Also every one needs to get enough sleep every night. If you are running on empty, rest as soon as you can.

I suggest that anyone who has too little time to get the proper rest, to do a time-study of a typical day. Can you cut out some email, some conversation time, some TV time, some of the home chores? One way for blessed energy inflow that I see few women utilizing is getting the home cleaned by someone else. Working outside the home with a family is double duty for most mothers. Doing the home chores is the 3rd job that can be hired. Then the time at home can be enjoyed by all family members.

Technorati Tags : energy, weight, gym, addictions, rest, water, meditation

For your weight loss library, Changemaker will be including the basic features of some books you may want to use. At the beginning of the review, we have listed the name of the book, the author, and the ISBN number if you wish to buy the book. The rest of the post includes actual content from that book for you to better be able to determine if this is a book for you.

Stress: 65 Ways to Relieve Tension and Stay Healthy. Charles Inlander and Cynthia Moran. ISBN:0-8027-7505-5.

Use an exercise notebook to list the results of the following tests throughout your exercise program. One recommended by this book is The Ultimate Workout Log by Suzanne Schlosberg.

The tests are:

* Determining your resting heart rate
* Your target heart rate zone
* Your working heart rate
* Total body weight
* Dress, pant, and shirt sizes
* Body fat measurements
* Push yourself up
* Abdominal curls
* Stretching to the ceiling
* Determining your cardiovascular fitness
* Taking your measurements

In the book listed above, the recommendations for your program include evaluating how much time you spend on the couch. If you spend more time there than being active, the deconditioned workout routine is recommended.

For the deconditioned workout routine and for the conditioned workout routine, use the following steps:

1) Select your favorite exercises,

2) Determine how many sets and repetitions you want,

3) Determine how much weight for dumbbell you will use,

4) Cardiovascular exercise-your goal should be to reach

your target heart rate zone.

The tips they list for exercise are: squeeze something, hang loose, try aerobic exercise, take a walk, get into the swim of relaxation, don't let stress give you a pain in the neck, learn and maintain good, anti-stress posture, work your jaw, and exercise on the job.

Technorati Tags : stress, tension, workout, heart, exercises, aerobic

Welcome to Changemaker Family of Blogs. Changemaker is committed to the basic belief that each person has the opportunity for self-discovery and the potential for self-healing. As individuals, we sometimes choose paths that may be harmful to us. To get off that path and onto a new road takes exploration and experimentation.

The Changemaker Test offers education for self-discovery as we believe that the change within a person involves the courage to see (insight) and the courage to act (action). The test will teach anyone 10 or more labels about themselves.

Therefore, by using the labels to change themselves, the changemaker is the person who decides to learn and make the change happen.

In advocating the self-discovery model for understanding ourselves and others, Changemaker believes that the Changemaker Test can be used to help groups of persons interested in learning about themselves.

Healing begins when, in spite of all the negative self-talk going on inside a person, that person feels someone caring and loving them for no apparent reason. This unconditional love comes in spite of attempts to search for a motive.

The Changemaker Family of Blogs includes five blogs that each includes one of the basic topics from our main site, kathyberman.com.

1) answersbyemail.com -I wrote the Changemaker Test in 1990 and have only recently included it in my work. As a counselor and teacher, I realized that most of the self-discovery labels were only known by counselors. So I took the 5 major personality indicators and arranged a "test" that anyone can use to find 10 of his/her labels.

Therapy is the study of personality but it has been high-jacked by the mental health field to define mental illness. I say high jacked because most people need information/education and not therapy. I don't believe you can help anyone negatively. I have always pictured a person in denial as sitting out in the cold wrapped up in a thin blanket called denial. Many times people want to "help" by yanking off the blanket. How does that help anyone except the "helper's ego"?

2) changemakergroups.com - Changemaker Groups provide short-term specialized direction and solutions to help others to better understand themselves and us. With this direction and self-knowledge others will learn to implement techniques designed to lead to greater self-mastery. These groups are started by lay persons interested in self-discovery and helping others. Anyone with compassion for others and the humility to know that he/she doesn't have the answers for anyone's life except his/her own life.

Groups are the recognized best method for people to gain information and acceptance from others. One of the main underpinnings of AA is that all members are peers. Anyone has the opportunity to share and to be heard. The Changemaker Groups can be started at several free online community sites and/or in person.

3) cmlibrary.com -In 2005, I began selecting and defining the books I felt were the best for ten main topics developed in Changemaker. The topics are core (basic selection of 4 books that could be the foundation for life change), creativity, exercise, food, health, meditation, peace of mind, personal development, spiritual direction, and stress reduction. The core books are comprehensive and may be all the books someone needs. I have included several books I've used as my "textbooks" for my personal growth.

4) healingforyou.com -This blog will include all the topics needed for healing mentally, physically and emotionally. It also includes many links to tools to help you in your spiritual journey. I believe that each of us has a soul and our main life quest is the discovery and growth of our soul. I also believe that our soul is awakened by our creativity and that maturity is becoming that joyful, playful child that God created in us.

5) highenergygoals.com-I quit drinking alcohol in 1976, smoking in 1988, but I had gained weight. For over 10 years, I tried eating different ways with no weight loss. Then in 2006, I developed my basic weight loss plan. I lost 20 pounds which I have kept over for over a year. I am now beginning my Phase 2-20 more pounds. The High Energy plan includes food suggestions, exercise suggestions, and emotional and mental techniques needed for stress reduction. The plan is created by you to include the food, exercise, and techniques that you most enjoy. I know that a total life plan has to be enjoyable to be used.

Yoga requires very little room to practice-just room for your body on the floor. You may choose to use a yoga mat. A site that has great variety in yoga mats and meditation products, matsmatsmats, also has a catalog that you can download.

A short glossary of the basic yoga poses, abc-of-yoga, will help you to get started with the basic poses. This extensive site may be all that is needed for your yoga education. It gives information about yoga and meditation, health, exercise, postures, equipment, and tools. It also has a members site and a links directory.

One of the best sections on this site is under "yoga exercises and postures" as it lists the yoga exercises under these sections;(1) warm-up poses, (2) standing poses, (3) seated poses, (4) twist yoga poses, (5) supine poses, (6) inverted postures and balance poses, (7) backbends, and (8) finishing poses. I especially like their warning that yoga is not a competition but a way to learn to relax.

Some of the best yoga products are for sale at Gaiam which is a lifestyle company with ideas and products for mind-body fitness, solar living, apparel, home and outdoors, wellness, and DVDs (and audio and books).

The Yoga Site has a directory of yoga retreats across the US, Canada, Central/South America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Australia.

Wai Lana has weekly asanas (exercises) with a video to learn that week's pose. Flickr has many pages of yoga poses.

My favorite yoga CDs are: (1) Sara Ivanhoe's 20 minute yoga makeover (ISBN 1-59443-546-4) and (2) You Can Do! Yoga (ISBN 0-7662-1904-6).

Tags: yoga, exercise, poses, retreats, asanas, yogaCDs

The Changemaker products are available at kathyberman.com.

The Changemaker Test only (explanations included for all personality labels) ($19.00)

The Emotional Eater Diet (also labeled the Changemaker Diet) ($19.00)

The complete Changemaker ebook (which includes Changemaker test, explanations resources for small groups, and the Emotional Eater Diet) ($29.00)

Changemaker Online (which includes everything in the ebook but it is interactive as it is a password-protected blog) ($29.00)

My eight basic recovery tips for my physical health are:

1. Have a plan for your healing your body and work your plan.

2. Decide your heaviest eating time period. Be sure to have healthy foods on hand for those craving periods.

3. Don't ever go on a diet. Diets are deprivation. Life is to be lived and enjoyed. Instead develop your own food program. Your food program should include the things you love to eat. Choose to eat from a small plate. Eat half as much as you used to eat.I use a 1/2 cup measure.

4. Remove food temptations from your home. If you are eating right, you will never be uncomfortable after eating.

5. Plan daily times for exercise. You may need to schedule several shorter periods rather than one long one. The new recommendation is for 60 minutes per day. I belong to a gym because it gives me motivation when I see all the other people there. I was not a natural lover of exercise. I am now because I have an exercise plan and I follow it.
But mainly I exercise because it makes me feel better.

6. Divide your exercise among strength, balance, aerobics(cardiovascular), and flexibility.Rotate among these types of exercises throughout your exercise week. The main reason that people don't complete exercise programs is because they are bored--plan your exercise to be fun. Also learn to monitor your heart rate. Since I am 64 (in 2004), I checked with my doctor first before I joined the gym. I believe anyone at any age should see what their doctor recommends for them. Learn to measure your target heart-rate zone. This zone is the number of beats your heart beats per minute. Learn to measure your heart rate recommended for your age.

7. Develop a list of 20-30 healthy things that you like to eat that are 100-200 calories each. Be sure to include several of these daily and always have them on hand.

8.Break away from people who aren't supportive of your choice to be healthy. Criticism is not support. You need to be around people that love and support you. From time to time, you may have someone around
you who is draining your energy. They "yes, but" you about everything. I say about these people that I can't emotionally afford them. How can I help anyone if I allow one person to drain me? Our energy is like a battery--drain the battery, no energy.