Motivation Issues

Lately,  I have been having an issue with motivation.  Not for working out, but for doing basically anything else. The only thing that I am motivated to do is work out.  I need to reel in my mind and get back into the swing of things.  I'm doing really well in school and I want to keep it up till the end of the semester.  I feel like I'm losing my momentum already.  Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.  Spring break kind of knocked me off balance.  I would prefer to keep doing school full force and get out a week earlier than to have that little break.  It took me half of the spring break to adjust to not doing anything but work out and go on hikes.  Now I'm having trouble getting into the swing of things.  I'm studying but I just feel a bit distracted.  I don't know why I end up wasting my time with trivial things on the interweb.  Damn you interweb (shaking fist at sky).  I'm hoping I'm just in a funk.  Now that I can recognize that something is going on I can change it.

I have started meditating and chanting.  I even started playing the clarinet again. It has been really great.  I am going to practice more.  I thought I forgot how to play but I started to remember.  I never forgot how to read music but I thought I forgot how to play the clarinet.  I'm really glad I tried playing again.  I can't believe how weak my embouchure is.  I need to definitely start practicing again.  I decided to take up some more hobbies since I'm in school and not working.  It is weird adjusting back to student life.  I'm still getting the hang of it.  Eventually I'll get a part time job when I have a break in between semesters but until then I think I'm going to start up some old hobbies.  I am going to keep practicing the clarinet, I am going to increase the amount of time I meditate to 30 minutes and then hopefully an hour, and I'm going to continue learning Spanish with Rosetta stone.  I'm super excited to be in this new chapter in my life, I very much look forward to what the future holds.

I'm finally getting back in touch with my inner well rounded nerdy student side.  Get ready!!  Nerd out!!

A New Beginning

Today marks an event that is going to change my life.  Today I close a chapter in my life, an amazing journey that had its fun times and its tremendous challenges.  Today I end a long time dream to begin a new one.  I have ended my career in television and the entertainment industry and will now forge ahead into the medical field.   Granted, there will be challenges on the way, but it will be a new adventure and journey.  The destination will be a better work life balance but most of all fulfillment. 

Being able to help people and give back is something I have always strived for and now I have the ability to dedicate the rest of my life to helping people.  I can now focus on what is most important to me and that is being a caring giving human being.  I will now have the time to get centered focus on my mental health and also my physical health.  I'm letting go of the past to open up a bright future with endless possibilities.  I'm getting back to the balanced person I once was.  A long time ago I lost my way in this world but I finally found true self again.  I'm super happy and excited to see what my new future holds. 

Thank you all who have been a part of this journey the good and the bad because it got me to this exact moment.

Anger

People ask me a lot about why I'm angry and what causes someone so little to be so fired up all the time.  Well, I for one don't look at anger as a bad thing. I also look at my intensity as the passion I have for life and humanity.  I have a problem with injustice and I see it every day and it angers me.  It angers me that human beings are blatant about their evil nature and how they treat others.  You see it in the media everywhere from news to movies with all the violence, which is causing fear.  When people should be getting angry that there is so much violence and discrimination towards our fellow human beings.  It is prevalent and running rampant in our society right now.  You see it in politics all the time. The class warfare that has been going on for years until we are reaching our breaking point and now people are starting to get angry and rightfully so, they should have been getting angry earlier.  I found this awesome explanation of anger.

Anger is not something that most people embrace.  Dark and seething or unpredictable and explosive, anger can take on a myriad of forms.  Its destructive qualities are enough to make most of us run for the hills or try to ignore and deny its existence.

Anger is something we consider dark and dangerous. While that is true, it is also true that anger when accepted and understood can be a powerful tool for healing and an agent for change and transformation.  Have you ever noticed how anger can increase your energy, strength and stamina? It is amazing how many miles we can walk or how strong we can become when we are in the throes of anger.  Anger can also be part of the healing process when someone is going through a physical illness. When we see this phase happening however, it tends to make us feel uncomfortable.  We don't want to see the people we love feel angry.  But there are times when anger is just what that person needs.  It gives them the fuel to fight the fight and feel better.

Anger can help clear our system and connect us to our own personal truth.  It blasts through our self-doubt and the hurt that we may be carrying and shows us what we need in order to heal.  It gives us the permission to take care of ourselves.  It helps us push past our fears and connects us to what we want and need.  Anger is like fire, it is powerful and can be extremely destructive.  It can consume us if we are not careful, attentive and conscious.  But also like fire, anger can burn through our limitations.  It can ignite our sense of truth and shine a light toward an authentic and rich inner life. ~ My Inner World

Anger is the necessary catalyst for change.  People need to get fed up to start changing. They need to stop being so concerned with the individual and gaining material wealth. They need to start getting angry that people are treating each other as if others are less human and making it excusable to treat a huge population of people like they don't matter.  I have been using my anger to fuel the fire needed to be able to survive.  I came from a family chalked full of crazy and anger to the point of violence. Being exposed to such anger obviously has its affect on how much I tend to embrace it.  It keeps me pushing forward to keep achieving, will this anger ever subside?  I do not think so, at least not for me. Life is a constant battle, I'm at war with this post industrial society.

Cardio Barre Studio City

I recently took a class at Cardio Barre in Studio City. I found an awesome deal through groupon to take 10 classes. I definitely recommend taking an intro class before taking the beginners class. I found the workouts to be very challenging. The class is a little awkward and disorienting at first because they have the bars all around the room and in the center of the room so everyone is facing different directions. I'm glad I took the intro class so I could learn all the moves. The exercises involve a lot of ballet movements that promote strength and body control along with a fast pace to keep your heart rate pumping. It felt like one of the quickest hours I've ever experienced. I'm not a fan of most cardio workouts but this one I definitely had fun with.

How do you know a work out class is good? When the time flies by as you are working out and having fun. When most people think of working out, it seems like a chore but taking different classes and finding what works for them can make a world of difference on their perception of working out.
If you are someone that is not interested in using weight machines or are intimidated by the gym environment, I recommend taking Cardio Barre classes. They have levels for all people from beginner to advanced. The instructors are very friendly and helpful.

Eating Natural Foods or Paleolithic diet

Recently, I was on vacation and I lost about 7lbs. I wasn't trying to lose weight but for some reason whenever I go on a vacation I lose weight. I started to wonder why and this is what I found out. When I leave the country to go to the Caribbean, I get exposed to more natural organic foods than I get exposed to in America. The fact is most of these 3rd world countries cannot afford to have packaged/processed foods as we have an abundance of in the States. That means the food I eat is natural and organic which is easier for my body to absorb the nutrients needed without the additives we get here. I also drink over 3 liters of water a day, which is not the case in the States. I did some research and discovered the wonders of a Natural Food diet or paleolithic diet. It's premise is to eat what is only in season and available like our ancestors did before we became an industrialized nation. I don't believe in fad diets but I do agree with a lot of what is recommended in the natural food diet.
What can you eat on the Paleolithic Diet? You can eat all types of proteins, for example, wild caught fish, all seafood, red meats, lean meats like chicken, turkey, and eggs. The trick is they have to come from animals that feed naturally in the wild, not corn fed, which is a little tougher to find out here. You can eat all the vegetables and fruits that you wish as long as they are organically grown, not injected with hormones to produce all year round. I recommend going to your local farmers market to get in season veggies and fruits. It is cheaper and you get to sample all the goods to find different foods that you like. Some farmers markets carry naturally raised meats for a cheaper cost as well. Nuts are a good snack but are high in fat so I wouldn't recommend eating them all the time. Part of the paleolithic diet does not recommend eating carbs through any type of wheat or grain but you can get them through sweet potatoes, veggies and fruit.
I disagree with cutting out all carbs, I believe you should not deprive yourself of foods. It will set you up for failure right from the start. Healthy living is about making good healthy food choices most of the time, it is perfectly alright to eat chocolate, drink or partake in not so healthy foods. It will make it easier to stick with the lifestyle change. The point is to eat more of the good foods and less of the bad foods. The more good healthy foods you eat the less you will crave or overindulge in the not so good for you foods.

Benefits of Calcium

As we get older our bones start to lose their strength, it is important to make sure you are consuming enough calcium. Not only does calcium promote healthy bones but it can also help with weight loss. Calcium is a mineral that works with vitamin D to help shed fat. Calcium is stored in fat cells; the theory is the more calcium a fat cell has the more fat that cell releases to burn. It also promotes weight loss by binding to fat in your GI tract preventing some of it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

It is recommended to eat foods rich in calcium instead of taking supplements. Calcium vitamin supplements are harder for the body to absorb the calcium needed. There are plenty of foods that are rich in calcium that aren't dairy products. When you think calcium products most people think of the obvious milk, yogurt, cheese but there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are rich in calcium. For example, fish which are also rich in omega 3 fatty acids which is good for heart health, figs, apricots, soybeans, tofu, orange juice, grapefruit juice, soy based drinks, spinach, pastas, cereals but be careful with the pastas and cereals since they have high carbohydrate content. Remember moderation and portion control is the key.

A calcium rich non dairy super food is a leafy green called Komatsuna leaves. It has 4 to 5 times more calcium than spinach. They can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups or pasta dishes. Eating fruits and vegetables is key to a healthy lifestyle they are low in calories and chalked full of daily vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy and fit.

4th of July Healthy BBQ Alternatives

Well its that time of year again, with 4th of July around the corner that means one thing, barbeque's and get-togethers.  Now, there is the true test to sticking to a healthy diet.  Fortunately, there are plenty of healthy alternatives to having a BBQ. 

For instance, instead of beef or pork hot dogs you can use a healthy alternative of Tofu Dogs, turkey dogs, tofurky dogs and even vegan hot dogs are available.  For an alternative to burgers, there are turkey burgers, veggie burgers and tofu burgers.  For a good and healthier alternative for burgers you can stuff the portobello mushrooms with cheese and vegan or turkey chili.

Now let's talk about sides.  There are plenty of side dishes that won't ruin your healthy lifestyle either.  If you feel like chips you can have baked chips, kettle chips or you can slice up some sweet potatoes add a little chili powder or spice and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  A veggie pasta salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, grilled baby squash or any summer vegetables like bell peppers, or zucchini can do the trick.  There are plenty of salads that can be made without the traditional lettuce.  For instance a spiced marinated tomato salad  , a all veggie or all fruit salad can be very satisfying. 

As you can see, it just takes a little creativity and imagination to make any BBQ a healthy one.