hiking in the desert - the Arizona Trail

We met in Oracle, Arizona at the COD Ranch for 5 days and 4 nights of exploring, hiking, eating, yoga, yakking,  javelinas, games, dancing, bonding, coyotes, tea by the fire and oh yes – fat loss!  Some of us wanted to get back on track, some of us were newbies, some of us looking for a chance to fully immerse ourselves in healthy living with like-minded people.  No matter what we were looking for, we all found what we needed and more!

My personal highlight came on the 4th day.  Samantha and I led the group on a meditation hike:  70 minutes of silent walking in the desert.  We all had much to think about; things to let go of, ideas to embrace, concepts to consider.  My three faithful therapy dogs were along for the mediation and stayed right along side us.

At one point near the halfway mark, the dogs took off in a streak.  I knew they’d heard a pack of javelina off in the brush.  I saw them go and knew there was nothing to be done but wait.  And walk.  I heard the scuffle and the voices of my dogs – trouble.  I pulled slightly ahead of the group to meet the dogs when they returned.  I stepped off the trail and met the dogs and let the group pass me.  I’d already noticed BabyDoll’s hindquarters were chewed up and bloody.  I bent to examine her.  Samantha and I waved on the group and I cleaned up BabyDoll best I could.  Javelinas are sort of like a cross between large rodents and wild boar – they have tusks and curved long teeth that do quite a bit of damage.  They travel in packs, can’t see very well and so tend to just charge, goring anything in their path.  BabyDoll had been bitten and gored.

Samantha went back to tend to the group.   I pulled up in the rear with BabyDoll, Mangas and Seb.  We had about 2-3 miles to go.  Once we got through the green gate, the meditation was over and it was obvious there had been some deep letting go on the trail.  I shared what had happened with BabyDoll – and while there was general concern no one got into the drama. We loaded her up and got her back to the Ranch – and on to the vet – and into surgery – and here she is later that day:

BabyDoll with Sheri and Lisa

The piece I loved about this adventure is that this group was so focused – so deeply attentive to the task at hand of inward contemplation – that we were able to move through a javelina attack with NO DRAMA.  No excitement.  The group did not even know what had happened.  I loved that a group of women could be taking care of themselves in the desert and allow Life to flow around them without messing with their tranquility.  That’s focus.  I’m also pleased that Samantha and I were able to hold that meditation space for everyone else.  It was a beautiful thing.   There was a little bit of noise when I asked if anyone else had seen the hairy tarantula crossing the trail, but hey, that was later.        –Sheri Lynn

The retreat at COD was a life changing event for me.  I’m still trying to really sort everything out, but I definitely had several

Lisa, Kelly, Donna

epiphanies that will serve me well.  My ‘growing up’ in this process really started about 6 weeks ago after I climbed the mountain to Upper Rumble lake.  The following week I had the best workout with Jamie EVER.  Instead of ‘boo-hooing’ I pushed really hard in my head with my power and with my breath and just ‘went for it’.  Ever since then, I have really been enjoying the workouts and the cardios — just a mind switch, really.

So, I believe I was already on a better path mentally and then I got to go to the retreat. . .

HOLY F’AROONIE!

My Attitude
If I had to sum up the retreat, I would say it was a full out cleaning process from my head to my toes.  As I swept away some of the false beliefs that were continuing to limit my success, I realized that I do have the power to change, I want to change, and nothing is going to stop me.  More importantly, I have a better set of tools to deal with faulty thinking.  I am human, and I know there will be both mental and physical obstacles along the way.  Patience, persistence, integrity, and joy will get me where I want to go.

My Eating Habits
I’m on the next step in regard to my eating habits.  I am weaning myself off of American Whey and whey powder in general, and I am focusing more on vegetables and healthy fats.  I got some great new food ideas at the retreat and I’m going to expand my cuisine a bit — I was getting kind of bored with my food.

My Exercise Habits
Why is it that I HAVE to move now?  There must be reason for it, but it feels a bit freaky sometimes.  I LOVED LOVED LOVED the desert hikes, the Yoga and the workouts, each and every one of them.  Can I continue to love them in the midst of work and responsibilities.  Yes, I believe I can.

Mangas

My Choices
The retreat made me realize I have real choices.  It made me realize that I like living with sunshine, I like dogs more than I thought (that spicy little Mangas did it for me), and I want more out of life than what I have now.  My biggest challenge is finding out how many of my relationship problems are my fault and how many of them are not my fault.  My hope is that they have all my fault because then I can solve them.  My fear is that they are not all mine and that my hb will not want to fight for me .  My commitment is that I am going to look at my issues through clear eyes and not through the haze of denial.  Either way, I am happy with the place in my journey right now.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!!

Donna

OTHER COMMENTS:

“It was a welcoming safe environment to learn and talk about a sensitive issue for many of us…”  J.

“This was much more than I expected.  The sessions with Sheri Lynn were both informative and thought provoking.  They were appropriate for people at any stage of transformation…”  L.

“…This has been the REAL beginning of my transformation.  It has been educational, emotional, and spec-fucking-tacular!” M.

“…hands on full immersion of the GT system – clean food, info, exercise and no interruptions from ‘real’ life!  Almost one on one with staff – support, bonding, fun, hard work mentally and physically…plus the benefit of starting right where you yourself are.”

“…great food, lots of group activities, hiking and making new friends really helped me solidify my dedication to healthy living.”

“It’s not just weight loss and I don’t think some people get that.  This was a real eye-opener, and I loved the yoga.”  K.

“Interspersing the conversations with Sheri Lynn with yoga and hiking gave me time to incorporate the content.  The opportunity to have the Team eat with us and share candid conversation expanded the information for me… I would unconditionally recommend this retreat to people…”

This workout can be done at home with little or no equipment.  It is designed for all fitness levels.  Do each exercise 12 – 15 times, 3 sets.  Have fun with it and let me know what you think!!

Front Lunges: Stand with feet hip distance apart. Start on right side.

INHALE: step forward into lunge

EXHALE: return to standing with feet hip distance apart

Repeat 15 times on this side, switch sides

Front Side Raises: sit on stability ball if you have one, otherwise do this standing.

Bring feet hip distance apart, arms are at the sides.  Use dumbbells if you have them, 3-5 pounds are fine.

INHALE: prepare to lift arms to your sides

EXHALE: raise arms to shoulder height

INHALE: return to starting position

EXHALE: raise arms out in front of your chest, shoulder height

Repeat 15 times in each direction.

Reverse Lunges: Stand with feet hip distance apart. Start on right side.

INHALE: step back about 2 feet with right foot into rear lunge

EXHALE: return to standing with feet hip distance apart

Repeat 15 times on right side, switch sides

Push-ups: these can be done against the wall, on the floor on toes or knees.  Keep elbows at the sides.

INHALE: move toward the floor or the wall

EXHALE: return to starting position

Repeat 15 times.

Bicep Curls: sit on stability ball or stand, bring feet hip distance, arms at the sides, use dumbbells, 3-5 pounds is fine.  Full soup or bean cans work for dumbbells at home!

INHALE: prepare to lift lower arm

EXHALE: lift lower arm to contract bicep

INHALE: return to starting position

EXHALE: repeat

Repeat 15 times.

QUICK BLOG POST… I Need YOUR HELP, So I Can Better HELP YOU!

I’m putting together 4 NEW and FREE E-Reports to help all you guys and gals who want to know what it takes to burn body fat, get athletically LEAN and carve out sexy midsections and athletic abdominals.

I can’t tell you yet the names of the reports as I don’t want any other trainers to steal my ideas.lol

BUT… what I can tell you is that all these reports are bad-ass and will help thousands and thousands of people out. One of the reports I’m having a lot of fun writing is my report on infomercial abdominal and fitness training gadgets and gimmicks and how to avoid getting ripped off by the junk some people will promote to make a buck!

WHAT I ‘NEED’ YOU TO DO…

Is to post your comments and questions below, telling me what you would like to see addressed in these new reports. Write down whatever is most important for you to know.. your burning questions on any topic, write them in the comments section and Bryan and I will do our jolly best to answer them in our reports.

Thanks everyone!

Ian Graham, ABS Co-Author and BEST Body Award Winner
Sculpt Your WHOLE Life, Not Just Your BODY

http://www.AthleticBodySystem.com

Here’s my pink poodle!  How cute is that?  Too bad she says the costume is too small.  A friend gave it to us awhile ago, and I was really hoping it would fit this year.  But my little poodle says it’s “TOO TIGHT!”  Oh well, at least I can post a cute picture of her. 

“Too Tight!” – have you ever felt that way about your clothes?  (Yeah, me too).  Let’s use that little phrase “Too Tight!” to our advantage as we enter the calorie laden holiday season.  Keep thinking “too tight” as you pass on the second piece of pumpkin pie and throw the extra Halloween candy in the trash.  Better the trash than your hips!  For more tips on what to do with that Halloween candy, check out my article, “Halloween Survival Guide.” 

P.S.  Thought you would enjoy seeing my son’s costume.  He made it himself with great excitement.  Can you guess what animal he’s supposed to be?

Answer:  A Lion

By Barbara Russi Sarnataro
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

How many New Year’s Eves have you spent sipping champagne and vowing to get more fit in the coming year? And how many times have you failed to follow through?

“December 31 over a drink is too late to set goals and make promises,” says Justin Price, owner of The Biomechanics, a personal training and wellness coaching facility in San Diego, Calif.

Fall, on the other hand, is a great time to start a fitness program because “‘you’re going to create good habits for the holiday season and the upcoming winter months,” says Price.

Chris Freytag, a fitness instructor and fitness expert with Prevention magazine, agrees.

“With the change of seasons comes a renewed time to rethink and restart,” she says. “‘What’s so special about January?”

Besides, says Freytag, a mother of three, moms with school-aged kids “think of September as the new year.”

Here are 10 ways to start making the most of the season. And who knows? This year, you might be in great shape before that New Year’s Eve party rolls around.

1. Take advantage of the weather. Fall can be a treat for the senses: the crisp air, apple picking, pumpkin carving, a gorgeous canopy of fall foliage, and the crunch of leaves underfoot. These months are a great time to exercise outdoors and enjoy cooler temperatures.

“Walking, hiking and cycling are all awesome in the fall,” says Todd Durkin, MS, fitness coach and owner of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, Calif.

Discover park trails and take in some new scenery, whether you’re walking, biking, or in-line skating, he suggests.

In places where snow falls early, try cross country skiing or snowshoeing. Or, if you live near the beach, get out and play volleyball, throw the Frisbee around, or play a vigorous game of fetch with your dog.

“It’s a great time to do beach activities because it’s so much less crowded,” says Price.

If you’re near a lake, try kayaking or canoeing, for an excellent whole-body workout and a great change of pace.

And remember, it doesn’t have to seem like exercise to be a great workout.

“Raking leaves or doing some fall outdoor yard work is a great way to get the heart pumping, and it’s great calorie-burning,” says Freytag.

2. Think outside the box. Always wanted to learn to tap dance? Attempt to box? Master the jump rope? Ask any schoolchild: Fall is a great time to learn something new.

Many classes at gyms and elsewhere get started in the fall, so look around and see if something intrigues you.

And with the kids in school, parents have more time to check out those classes, Freytag says.

Fall is the perfect time to gain new physical skills, Price says, because you burn fewer calories when you begin a new activity (thanks to the learning curve). If you learn something new now, by next summer, you’ll have mastered the skill — and you’ll burn more calories doing it, just in time for swimsuit season.

3. Be an active TV watcher. Many people get geared up for fall premieres of their favorite television shows, says Freytag. “If you’re going to sit down and watch hours of TV, get moving,” she suggests. “Make a date with exercise and TV.”

While you watch, you can walk or run in place, do standing lunges, do tricep dips off the couch, or lift weights. During commercials, do push-ups or sit-ups. In a one-hour show, you probably have close to 20 minutes worth of commercial interruption.

4. Integrate exercise into your life. You already know the obvious suggestions: park farther away from your destination; take stairs instead of elevators; take a walk during your lunch break. Here are a few that are less obvious:

* If you’re spending the afternoon taking kids to soccer practice, instead of reading a book or visiting with another parent, “why not walk around the outside of the field while they practice?”, suggests Price. “Or (if you feel comfortable) warm up and cool down with the kids.”
* Or try “walking meetings,” like those Price and his colleagues at Biomechanics often hold. ‘”We go for a walk, we brainstorm, and we figure out who’s going to take what responsibilities,” says Price. “‘Things get achieved much more quickly,” he says, and everyone feels better for doing it.
* You can even get moving while you get motivated — for fitness or other life goals. ‘”Get some inspirational music or find a motivational talk and download it to your iPod,” suggests Durkin. Walk while you listen for 30 minutes.

5. Rejuvenate yourself. Fall is the time to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit, says Durkin. Get a massage after your run. Learn to meditate. Take an art class. Treat yourself not just with exercise but other activities that promote wellness, he says, so you can feel good physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

6. Remember the 30-day rule. “‘It takes about four weeks for the body to adapt to lifestyle changes,” says Price. That’s why people who give up on their fitness programs tend to do so within the first 30 days.

So, when the alarm goes off in the morning and it’s darker and colder, don’t roll over and hit the snooze button.

“Try to stick with a program for a month,” Price says. “After a month, behavior patterns will have adapted and it will be much easier to stick with it after that.”

7. Strive for the 3 Cs. Freytag calls commitment, convenience, and consistency “the three Cs”, and says having all three will lead to a successful fitness program.

First, exercise takes commitment. When a client complains to Freytag about a lack of time, she responds: “Tell me something I haven’t heard before. We’re all busy; that’s just part of our lives.

You have to start planning exercise, just like you do everything else,” like meetings, dinners, and getting kids to lessons and practice, she says. “Put in on the calendar, because later always turns into never.”

Convenience means choosing a gym that’s close by, or an activity you can do at home, or a time when you’re not likely to be interrupted.

Finally, there’s consistency. “I’d rather see a brand-new client work out for 10 minutes a day rather than one hour every month,” Freytag says

8. Deal with darkness. The best way to enjoy fall is to exercise outdoors. But it is getting darker earlier, and staying dark later in the morning, so be smart and safe.

“Just because it’s 6 p.m. (or a.m.) and dark doesn’t mean you can’t work out,” says Durkin. If walking or running outdoors, he says, “wear a reflective vest and carry a flashlight.”

When cycling, affix a light to your helmet or bike.

If possible, use trails or a local school track to avoid vehicle traffic. Try to work out at the same time every day, so drivers get used to seeing you.

9. Dress in layers. When exercising outside, layer your clothing. Before your body warms up, you may feel chilled, but once the blood gets pumping, you’ll feel overdressed.

These days, there’s no lack of great weather gear. Freytag and Price recommend clothing with wicking, often called “DriFit.”‘ This fabric wicks moisture away from your skin so you’re not exercising with wet fabric hanging on you.

Freytag suggests three layers: “The inner layer should be a moisture-wicking fabric, so it wicks away sweat and you’re not chilled. The second layer should be a warmth layer, and the third layer should be a protective layer (like a windbreaker or rain slicker, depending on the weather).”

“And don’t forget the sunglasses,” she warns. UV protection is important year round. Fall sun can be blinding at certain times of the day.

10. Find your motivation. “People are motivated by different things,” says Durkin. It’s important to first discover what your individual goals are, whether it’s losing weight, strengthening and toning, or preparing for a race or event, says Durkin.

But goals aren’t enough to get you there; you have to be motivated by the day-to-day workouts, he says. So choose something you’ll enjoy doing and will be likely to keep up, whether it’s walking or hiking with a friend, working with a trainer, or taking part in a “boot camp” class.

Creating a challenge for yourself will motivate you, as will encouragement and accountability, he adds. “You want to know when you’re doing a good job, and when you’re not,” says Durkin.

Remember too, that anything worth having takes work.

“Tell me something you can do three times a week for 10 minutes and be great at? It doesn’t exist,” he says. “If it was easy to be great, everybody would be great.”

Link to Barbara Russi Sarnataro’s article here

I love working my abs.  Maybe  it’s because they are pretty easy for me to get.  I don’t hold weight in that area…now my love handles are another story hee hee!  This morning I did Cathe’s Cardio and Weights because I like to let Mike sleep in on Saturdays and not wake him up with the treadmill.  Then I dusted this DVD off.  I forgot what a great ab series this is.  Cathe kills you and there are many mini workouts to do.  My weight was 114 this morning so I lost 5 lbs in a month   5 lbs WITHOUT extensive cardio I may add.  Here’s my October tally MOVE IT.

Tony is sending me a new diet to follow next week.  I have a feeling it’s gonna be tough but i’ve only got 2 more weeks to go!

Question for you.  I’m going to buy some King’s Hawaiian Bread because i’m craving it and Angela has never had it.  OMG, if you haven’t been on their website check it out.  LOTS of good recipes on there.  My question is what should I make to go on the side?  We will be traveling a few hours to Louisville so it will have to be something that last and that is good cold.

This was the mother of all weigh-ins today. LOL. I haven’t had a scale for almost 6 months, but now we moved into a place that had one in the garage, and it seems to work just fine. Especially since I weighed less with all my clothes on than I did the last time I weighed myself necked.  It must be accurate.

Actually now that we’re doing our own cooking and I’m back on fat-free cream cheese, when I use it, and the same for skim milk vs. whole, that alone can make a heck of a difference. We use Shedd Spread instead of butter and the fast food is almost non-existant. Except for pizza, I probably had enough burgers etc. to last me almost a lifetime. It is so nice to have a home cooked meal, knowing that the ingredients are healthy or at least healthier.

Now I need to pick up on a few of the good habits I left behind, like adding flax oil to yogurt for breakfast every day, things like that. It will come. With just moving the budget’s a little tight right now, but it will get better.

If any one else reading this is revisiting the scale for the first time in along time, welcome! We can watch it go DOWN together. LOL

Christmas is now just 8 weeks away – can you believe it?!!

With the average person gaining between 5-8lbs over the xmas period, now is the time, to start tightening the calories and getting the hard work in.

Not only to get yourself in good shape before the Christmas “overload” but chances are you have a Christmas party coming up and the chance to show yourself off!

Therefore, commit the next 6-8 weeks to hard work, (aim for 4-5 workouts a week, and not just cardio workouts!) minimise alcohol, certainly during the week remove it, and cut back on processed foods like takeaways and packaged food. Look after your body and the results will be visible to both yourself and others – surely everyone want to look good and get great comments?!

Keep your eyes on my youtube account, by clicking here, for some great workout ideas that will keep the calories burning all day long, and sculpting a great body! Feel free to click the subscribe button to my YouTube account, as I’ll be adding more workouts/videos over the next few weeks!

ACT NOW – Christmas will come fast!

Thursday

Oct 29, 2009

Day 3

Feel much better today.  Woke up minus the headache and body stiffness but still have noticeable kidney pain. Also, my body temp feels lower, and I find myself taking a hot shower a couple times a day and wearing long sleeves and jeans for a change. I’m stoked to have one more day off to adjust to all this before having to get back to work Fri night.  I currently work as a bartender and it takes a lot of patience, ability to remember, plain old labor, etc.  So tomorrow night we’ll see how I function at work totally raw.

Cravings…pretty bad today…craving grilled ham n’ cheese sandwiches and marinated tri-tip steak….it’s difficult to imagine eating this way for more than a month or two…

I’m also allowing myself to be kinda boring for now with regards to food prep, and unique smoothies, etc.  I want to get a little more into raw recipes, I especially want to learn how to make raw “chips” so I have crunchy salty snacks (I found a good recipe online for kale chips)!  But I don’t have the money for a food dehydrator and need to take one baby step after the other for now.

I was spoiled when I did the raw thing in SF because there are SEVERAL amazing raw restaurants there, and raw food vendors at the huge farmers market’s that sell these amazing wraps and shakes and stuff.  Here in Palm Springs…not so much.

Looking forward to that energy rush that comes with raw eating, but hasn’t happened yet.  It actually feels like my body is telling me to chill and lay low–I’m sure after all the abuse I’ve subjected it to that it needs major cleansing.

What I ate today:

• Watermelon Juice (LOVE THIS STUFF!)
• Lot’s of h20 w/ lemon squeezed in it
• Huge combo salad: Spinach, lettuce, olives, red peppers, a whole avocado, black pepper, lemon, olive oil, topped with this incredible product called RAWMESEAN (walnuts, sea salt, nutritional yeast).
• A mango
• 2 sweet sexy pears! *&^% delicious these organic pairs
• Raw chocolate & almond butter
• A raw bar made with nuts and dates
• Some delicious figs I bought and ate while walking around the Thur nite Farmers Market
• My asian slaw salad again
• A real chocolate shake! Raw honey from farmers market, cacao powder, hemp seeds, almond butter, dates…insanely thick, creamy and delicious!

As you can see I’m eating a good amount.  That’s really key with this way of eating.  Eat what you want.  DO NOT concern yourself with any of the following:

1. Calories (all calories are not the same–no matter what they say)
2. Carbs (raw honey is the food of the gods!  real fruit sugar IS NOT the same as corn-syrup even though they are both “fructose.”
3. Fat (your body thanks you for the olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, and nuts!)
4. Percentages--forget it.  Listen to your body, it will tell you what you need.  Fershizzel my Nizzel.