Deciding to try out the Metabolism Miracle was a big leap of faith for me. In some ways, it represented a return to dieting or some sort of admission that intuitive eating didn’t work. However, when I took a step back from those fears, I was able to see it for what it was: just some good info about how to even out my blood sugar to curb not only my food cravings and halt/reverse runaway weight gain, but also my rollercoaster mood swings. I knew that something had to be out of whack. When I read MM, I realized this was it. My insulin was off. Simple as that! I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. It wasn’t that I was stuffing my face all the time (which I knew I wasn’t), it was how my body was reacting to the type of food I was eating and when I was eating it. Light bulb!
I was afraid that Step 1 of MM was going to feel too much like a diet. I didn’t want to return to the mentality of deprivation that came along with many such “plans” in the past. That did not manifest at all during the 8 week period. It just felt great to be fueling my body with what made it feel good. I kept a positive spin on how I viewed my choices: now that I had the information I had been lacking, I could choose not only on the basis of taste, but on how my body responds to each food. Why would I want to eat something that made me feel bad? Having this knowledge gave my inner intuitive eater a boost. I knew before that I wasn’t feeling right eating what I was eating; I just wasn’t sure how to fix it. I tried gluten free; I tried cutting out the caffeine. I just didn’t know what the deal was. I had an inkling that carbs might be the problem, but I thought people who cut them out completely were unrealistic and setting themselves up for failure. Therefore, I ignored my intuitive sense and kept going.
Until I stumbled on MM. Suddenly, it all made sense and came together in a way that seemed not only livable but if it worked, would greatly improve my quality of life. I still don’t believe that I could live my whole life avoiding almost all carbs. I am so happy to know that isn’t even necessary. Carbs are delicious and are a great source of fuel for the body. So now, moving on to Step 2, it is great to know that they are back. Having a serving of carbs every few hours throughout the day will help me keep my blood sugar steady while allowing me to enjoy a wider variety of foods. I have always “needed” to eat every few hours, getting cranky if I went over 4 hours between meals or snacks. Now I know why that happened and how to prevent it: eat! Some people trying to eat this way are worried about watching the clock. I have no such concerns. I have always felt the need to eat like this, I just now know to keep the carbs to one serving at each meal/snack and to keep the type of carbs on the lower end of the glycemic index (think whole grain as opposed to white versions of most foods). The piece about eating right when you get up and right before bed blew me away at first, but now makes perfect sense. How nice to have your bedtime snack “mandated”!
So as of right now, having completed 8 weeks of Step 1 and moving on to Step 2, I feel fantastic. I cannot help but be pleased to have let go of 16 pounds of unneeded insulation and four inches around my middle :) I’m not on a lose weight quick scheme. I’m on a help my body return to its natural balance plan. I do expect to release more weight on this journey. I know I’m carrying more than my body needs to function optimally. But how much that may be or when it will happen, is not my main concern. I have faith that I will know when that point is for me. And then, I’ll move to Step 3…
Senin, 28 Maret 2011
Rabu, 16 Maret 2011
Yoga Teacher Training
The opportunity to participate in yoga teacher training this year has been a transformative experience for me. When my teacher, Martha, approached me to join the class, I was overwhelmed first with surprise, then gratitude, and finally, not a little bit of trepidation. The thought that she saw the potential in me to teach yoga myself was a shock; it was like she saw right into my secret hopes and dreams – the ones I was afraid to admit even to myself, let alone pursue at the time.
For the past ten years, yoga has been an anchor for me throughout both the hectic and calm periods of my life. I discovered yoga at one of the most challenging times in my life while teaching middle school in Northeast DC. My friend and co-worker was training to become a yoga instructor and offered free lessons to teachers once a week to practice her craft. It was a life raft in a sea of stress. From then on, I was hooked, even pursuing work-study options at a studio so that I could swap my time instead of money for the ability to take classes. When my career choices took me to my current employer, I was overjoyed to find that yoga classes were offered at an affordable price right on-site at lunchtime. I have taken advantage of this benefit for the past four years, never losing sight of what a gift it truly is.
At the time Martha first brought up the possibility of joining her teacher training course, I was at a crossroads in my life. I had recently given up the pursuit of dieting to lose weight and was working on making peace with my body and healing my battered self image. I was making progress but was still mired in self-defeating thoughts about not being the “right kind” of person to be a yoga instructor. What if the teacher training was too physically demanding for me? What if, once certified, my students questioned my legitimacy based on how I look? In the end, I decided to take a leap of faith and trust that this was the right thing at the right time for me. I could not be happier with the decision.
Throughout the training, my understanding of yoga has grown and evolved. Although I always knew that yoga was much more than just the asana postures, I must admit that my interest had mostly focused on the physical, mental, and emotional benefits I received during classes. I didn’t really delve into the spiritual aspects or even seek out chanting or mediation on my own. Teacher training has not only broadened my undertanding yoga but has also introduced me to the power of positive thinking. This, in particular, has helped me tremendously in my personal life. Anytime I find myself dwelling on the negative, I can hear the narrator from the Yoga Life CD telling me to change those thoughts around before they begin to spiral. I have been working to cultivate a more satvic approach to life, which has encouraged me to be more circumspect and balanced in my interactions with others.
I also am extremely grateful to have participated in this training with such a varied, compassionate, and supportive group of people. Learning alongside Luke, Satya Deva, Ananda, and Ram has not only been a joy but also an eye-opening experience in seeing the full range of possibilities of teaching yoga to different populations. Luke’s work with the elderly and those with physical limitations has shown me that yoga is not only for the young and extremely fit; it’s for anyone who is open to exploring its benefits. Satya Deva’s classes with his students really illustrate the power of yoga to reach even those you might least expect to want to sit still or have the attention span to focus the mind on asana for an hour or more – yoga can be for everyone (including teenagers!) Ananda’s full-hearted compassion for those she works with is heart-warming and an excellent example of how to share ones love for humanity through our practice and teaching. Listening to Ram talk about his gym based classes gives a real-world perspective on one option for teaching in the future; I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the apparent flexibility and creativity he is able to employ in his classes within the gym culture as well as his ability to appeal not only to the stereotypical yoga types at the gym, but also some of the more muscle-bound weight lifters and others you might not expect.
My mission going forward is to bring this deeper understanding with me to each of the classes I will teach. I now have a base of knowledge gleaned from study coupled with first-hand interactions with my fellow trainees and wonderful instructor to guide and support me every time I step on the mat to share my love of yoga with my students. This training has imparted me with a firm grasp of the asana to competently instruct the class on how to do each pose as well as the benefits and contraindications for each. Even more importantly, I feel empowered to take the experience to a deeper level in a way that gives those in my classes a glimpse of the greater meaning of yoga along with the confidence and information they need to practice yoga in the best, safest way for them to feel great about themselves and their practice of yoga.
For the past ten years, yoga has been an anchor for me throughout both the hectic and calm periods of my life. I discovered yoga at one of the most challenging times in my life while teaching middle school in Northeast DC. My friend and co-worker was training to become a yoga instructor and offered free lessons to teachers once a week to practice her craft. It was a life raft in a sea of stress. From then on, I was hooked, even pursuing work-study options at a studio so that I could swap my time instead of money for the ability to take classes. When my career choices took me to my current employer, I was overjoyed to find that yoga classes were offered at an affordable price right on-site at lunchtime. I have taken advantage of this benefit for the past four years, never losing sight of what a gift it truly is.
At the time Martha first brought up the possibility of joining her teacher training course, I was at a crossroads in my life. I had recently given up the pursuit of dieting to lose weight and was working on making peace with my body and healing my battered self image. I was making progress but was still mired in self-defeating thoughts about not being the “right kind” of person to be a yoga instructor. What if the teacher training was too physically demanding for me? What if, once certified, my students questioned my legitimacy based on how I look? In the end, I decided to take a leap of faith and trust that this was the right thing at the right time for me. I could not be happier with the decision.
Throughout the training, my understanding of yoga has grown and evolved. Although I always knew that yoga was much more than just the asana postures, I must admit that my interest had mostly focused on the physical, mental, and emotional benefits I received during classes. I didn’t really delve into the spiritual aspects or even seek out chanting or mediation on my own. Teacher training has not only broadened my undertanding yoga but has also introduced me to the power of positive thinking. This, in particular, has helped me tremendously in my personal life. Anytime I find myself dwelling on the negative, I can hear the narrator from the Yoga Life CD telling me to change those thoughts around before they begin to spiral. I have been working to cultivate a more satvic approach to life, which has encouraged me to be more circumspect and balanced in my interactions with others.
I also am extremely grateful to have participated in this training with such a varied, compassionate, and supportive group of people. Learning alongside Luke, Satya Deva, Ananda, and Ram has not only been a joy but also an eye-opening experience in seeing the full range of possibilities of teaching yoga to different populations. Luke’s work with the elderly and those with physical limitations has shown me that yoga is not only for the young and extremely fit; it’s for anyone who is open to exploring its benefits. Satya Deva’s classes with his students really illustrate the power of yoga to reach even those you might least expect to want to sit still or have the attention span to focus the mind on asana for an hour or more – yoga can be for everyone (including teenagers!) Ananda’s full-hearted compassion for those she works with is heart-warming and an excellent example of how to share ones love for humanity through our practice and teaching. Listening to Ram talk about his gym based classes gives a real-world perspective on one option for teaching in the future; I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the apparent flexibility and creativity he is able to employ in his classes within the gym culture as well as his ability to appeal not only to the stereotypical yoga types at the gym, but also some of the more muscle-bound weight lifters and others you might not expect.
My mission going forward is to bring this deeper understanding with me to each of the classes I will teach. I now have a base of knowledge gleaned from study coupled with first-hand interactions with my fellow trainees and wonderful instructor to guide and support me every time I step on the mat to share my love of yoga with my students. This training has imparted me with a firm grasp of the asana to competently instruct the class on how to do each pose as well as the benefits and contraindications for each. Even more importantly, I feel empowered to take the experience to a deeper level in a way that gives those in my classes a glimpse of the greater meaning of yoga along with the confidence and information they need to practice yoga in the best, safest way for them to feel great about themselves and their practice of yoga.
Selasa, 15 Maret 2011
Selasa, 01 Maret 2011
The Shaolin Temple In Your Living Room
With the exception of Rou Quan, all of my DVDs can be practiced in a space the size of a yoga mat. What can't be taught in a DVD I don't teach. I'm not interested in wasting my time or my student's time. Morihei Ueshiba was correct when he said, " Progress comes to those who train." But training incorrectly and without direction is like not training at all. My DVDs and books take you step by step through exactly what is taught in the Shaolin Temple with a focus on health and combat. These are the two aspects I'm passionate about. I give you the key to unlock the gate of the Shaolin Temple , but it's only your sweat and training which will open the gate and let you in.
Transformation
My DVDs are designed to transform your mind and body into a martial artist's mind and body. This means you become fighting fit, flexible, have strong will-power, inner confidence, sharp reflexes, peaceful sleep, an abundance of energy, look younger than your years, and there is a glow to your skin and eyes.
If you are starting from scratch then I recommend that you begin with these two DVDs. The Eight Treasures Qigong is taught in my book and on The Way Of Qigong Volume 1 DVD. If you are only going to learn one Qigong then learn this one.
It's important to work your body internally and externally. This is like the two wings of a bird. The Qigong changes your internal body and the Kung Fu changes your external body. In the Shaolin Workout you learn kicks, traditional punches, and forms to give your body strength, flexibility and co-ordination.
The training is flexible depending on how much time you have. You can do the Qigong and Workout on alternate days or you can do the Workout in the morning and the Qigong in the evening or even do them both together. If you have time, it's a good idea to go for a run before you begin your Shaolin Workout. If you want to build your health and fitness then I recommend that you train at least 4 times a week to get the full benefit. For martial artists and fighters, you need to train 6 times a week.
You can happily practice The Eight Treasures for the whole of your life. But if you want to go deeper into your Qigong practice then once your heart is stable and you know the form without thinking you are ready to go to the next level.
This is a sitting Qigong. It seems easy but if you let someone sit for half an hour and not move, unless they're an experienced meditator, they will find it impossible. Not many people can do simple movements because they lose their focus. We go to the toilet everyday to get rid of our waste but we tend to carry a lot of rubbish around in our mind. This sitting Qigong is about focusing and de-toxing the mind of its rubbish.
In Shaolin Workout 2 I teach traditional punches and kicks, the first part of Xiao Hong Quan, and a little bit of fighting. A lot of Chinese Kung Fu is for performance, many people don't realise that Shaolin can be used for fighting. With Shaolin we start in a traditional way to build our strength then we move into fighting. This makes our background, belief and foundation different. So when you learn Shaolin Kung Fu, you are not just learning about fighting, you are learning to train intelligently.
You will know when to move to Qigong 3 & workout 3 because you will have built up your experience. You can then alternate between the workouts, finding the best movements and making them become special. You can practice them over and over again.
Martial arts is not about levels, its about how to get fit and how to know your body. You need to know how far to push yourself; no one can tell you when you need to go to another level. I always feel that I'm a beginner. Don't think that simple things are easy; making simple things not easy is martial arts.
When you learn all of the three Qigong forms, you don’t have rules; you can do anything you want.
With Qigong we don't move a lot. Rou Quan is similar to a moving Qigong. It's the only DVD where you need more than the space of a yoga mat. It's called soft fist because it combines internal and external. Some people call it a Shaolin Tai Qi but just like Qigong, it's much older than Tai Qi. As well as improving mental and physical health, this thirty-six-movement form can also be used in self-defence.
In the beginning you really need to focus on your inhale and exhale. You know when you can do this form because you are no longer thinking of breathing. This means you just practice. The form is now inside you. It's become a habit like driving a car. You forget inhale and exhale.
In Shaolin Bootcamp I teach different body movements to strengthen your upper and lower body. In the beginning, don't focus on whether the movements are correct or not, just do it. The students who'd been training with me many years and were in both DVDs took one week to recover after the filming. It's a very tough workout. Don't underestimate it.
This is the best way to get fit, lose weight, and give your body real strength so it's ready to go into the ring. The Bootcamp is designed to keep us moving; push up, stretching, punch, shadow and speed training. It's designed this way for a reason: this kind of training is guaranteed to get us fighting fit. Melting the fat and toning the body. It's giving our body new challenges while increasing its speed, coordination and power.
Some older people believe that all they have to practice is some gentle Qigong or Tai Qi exercise. But this isn't true because once we get to about the age of thirty, not only do our organs shrink but also our tendons, muscles and bones. In Qigong For Upper Body and Qigong For Lower Body I address these concerns by teaching a Qigong form that links hard Qigong with soft Qigong. This is the first time I've taught hard and soft Qigong on a DVD. For fighters or young people who find it difficult to concentrate, these forms are more challenging so easier to focus on, they will increase the power of your punch while increasing your peace. Strengthen your Mabu and your meditation. They strengthen the internal organs while strengthening the external muscles. This is a tough Qigong, you can see from the sweat that is dripping off me. It uses your muscles in a new static way that is different from a push up. It gives your muscle Qi, energy, power. This is the Zen way to train intelligently. In the Qigong For Lower Body we do a form which involves stamping and lots of lower stances to make the legs and bones strong.
This is the first DVD I made. It's not a teaching DVD but gives an insiders account of a day in the life of my training. This is still my favourite DVD.
When you martial arts reach a higher level, you need to forget everything and give everything you have. If you are in a bad situation, you can't do anything but take your opponent's punches or kicks. Kung Fu is not just about how heavy you can kick or punch, it's about how much you can take. Practicing Kung Fu Ch'an will make your confidence grow and also show that in order to take someone's kick or punch, you need to have a good Qigong background. Kung Fu Ch'an is about how to make your mind become a fighter's mind.
In Volume 1, I teach creative ways to increase the power and speed of your kick and punch. In Volume 2 I teach Chinese Sanshou takedowns. These takedowns can be used in mixed martial arts, cage fighting or UFC. They are a very important skill to have so you can have more chance of surprising your opponent and winning a fight.
Our bodies tend to look for an easy way out so don't let your body get lazy. Alternate the training from my DVDs. Do Shaolin Workout 1 on one day and Bootcamp the next, keep changing and developing and moving forward. John Wooden, a successful basketball coach said, " When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur.... Seek the small improvement one day at a time."
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