August 2008 Newsletter

Francie - Our Little Angel

Total Fitness has become the guardian angel of Francie an orphan cat at Atlanta Pet Rescue. Francie needs a permanent loving home.

Six year old Francie is very pretty with her dramatic coloring and her very unusual tail that curls over her back. This is a cat who really enjoys attention. She goes to a lot of trouble to climb down from her on-high little bed and greet visitors to the cat room. Francie clearly likes people, lap time and being petted. It's just that there are some rules. Francie doesn't like other cats so she wants a home where she doesn't have to share her food bowl, her water bowl, her bed her littler pan or (most importantly) her person.

You can adopt beautiful Francie or another deserving cat or dog by visiting the Atlanta Pet Rescue - directions here.

The Power of 4: Paula Owens' New Book Hits The Shelves
by Catherine Carrigan, catherine@totalfitness.net

Total Fitness is pleased to announce that our colleague Paula Owens has published her first book, The Power of 4: Your Ultimate Guide Guaranteed To Change Your Body and Transform Your Life.

This is the only book on the market that is includes action steps you can take to improve your nutrition, lifestyle, exercise and supplementation - the 4 Powers - under one cover.

Best of all, this book encapsulates the teachings that we espouse for all our clients here at Total Fitness - what really works, not just hype.

"THE POWER OF 4 is a compilation of my philosophy from over twenty-five years of experience helping people change their physiques and transform their lives," Paula said.

And she should know. At age 50, Paula is a fitness model and holistic lifestyle coach. Paula holds a masters degree in Holistic Nutrition, a bachelors degree in kinesiology and numerous professional health and fitness certifications. She is a highly sought after expert for nutrition, exercise and lifestyle transformation who is known for producing results naturally. Paula is a national seminar presenter and keynote speaker as well as a health and fitness columnist.

"Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Paula's book is that it took so long for someone to transpire all of this information to share with the public," said Harry O. Eidener Jr., Ph.D. "I sincerely believe this book should be used as a text in any institution of higher learning where the student is pursuing a degree in nutrition, exercise physiology or dietetics."

Charles Poliquin, Olympic strength coach, is one of many fans of Paula's new book. "The collection of health and lifestyle wisdom tips is a direct reflection of her soul and intentions - precise, direct, pensive, thoughtful, and of course, always very kind and caring," he said. "No waste, no excess verbiage - just the absolute best - like Paula."

If you want to learn more about the highly effective techniques we use at Total Fitness, you can purchase your own copy by visiting our webstore at this link: http://www.totalfitness.net/1ShoppingCatalog/store.htm.

Upcoming Seminar, Sept. 13: How To Be Happier With Your Body
by Catherine Carrigan, catherine@totalfitness.net

Please join me and fellow exercise and nutrition coach Allison Pelot on Saturday, Sept. 13, for a four-hour workshop on "How To Be Happier With Your Body".

Last month's newsletter article about body image and developing a healthier relationship with food and exercise brought a strong response from our readership. So we decided to hold a workshop to help you move to the next level. Many people fail to achieve their health and fitness goals because of underlying emotional blocks. Learn how to identify and clear those blocks and take the steps to loving yourself the way you are now.

What you will learn:

1. How to have a better body image
2. Where your personal thoughts, feelings and beliefs about your body originated
3. How you really want to look and feel
4. What steps you can take to develop a healthier body image
5. How to love your body more today, right now, just the way it is

Time: 12:30-4:30
Where: 1951 Northside Drive
How Much: $55 at door, $45 if you sign up 2 weeks in advance. OR bring 2 or more friends and attend for $45 each.
Who: Both men and women are welcome in this class, teenagers and adults.

For more information, please contact Catherine Carrigan or Allison Pelot

Keeping Health Costs Down
by Nina Lynn, nina@totalfitness.net

According to a recent article in The New York Times, approximately 50 million Americans do not have health insurance. Furthermore, nearly one of every five adults with health care still do not have sufficient coverage to prevent financial hardships if they become seriously ill or need hospitalization.

This is bad news for those of us who are already struggling to fill our gas tanks and feed our families. However the good news is that there are steps we can take to insure our good health and prevent illness that could cost us financially as well as emotionally.

1. Drink plenty of water. (I know, you've heard this one before.) Every metabolic process that occurs in your body needs water to complete. Trying to lose body fat? Drink more water. You should be drinking ½ of you body weight in ounces of water every day, more if you are sweating or exercising. Don't worry if you're not thirsty. Most people's thirst signal is so weak that by the time you ARE thirsty you're already quite dehydrated. Another tip for drinking water is to add a pinch of sea salt for better absorption and cellular hydration.
2. Eat whole, unprocessed foods, preferably organic. Take the time to prepare meals yourself rather than relying on fast foods. If you need ideas for healthy recipes, visit our FREE recipes site at the following link: http://totalfitness.net/nutrition%20recipes.htm.
   
   Your body NEEDS meals with high nutritional value as opposed to fast food, which is VOID of nutritional value. It actually costs your body nutrients to digest and process fast food. It's a lose, lose situation. If you do not provide your body with the nutrients it needs for proper functioning, it will degenerate and can lead to such diseases as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. You CAN NOT underestimate the value of good nutrition.
3. Reduce intake of caffeine, sugar and alcohol. In cases of adrenal fatigue, many people are self-medicating with these toxic chemicals to keep themselves going. If you have been trying to kick your addiction to these or other harmful substances, or want to find out if damaged adrenals are affecting your ability to lose weight, contact a Total Fitness practitioner in your area.
4. Stop smoking. Enough said. If you need help, and who doesn't, contact a Total Fitness Practitioner near you. Not only do we specialize in fitness and nutrition, we also use specialized kinesiology to empower you to reach your health and life goals.
5. Get moderate exercise. The body MUST move on a daily basis to remain healthy, vital and young. The intensity and frequency of your exercise plan depends on your level of fitness and overall health. Unfortunately, people tend to either under-exercise, the "I don't have time for that" group, or over-exercise, the Boot Camp "till you puke" group. There is, however, a happy medium. Walking in nature, an easy bike ride, yoga, qi gong, or moderate weight training with a trainer, are examples of sensible choices for most healthy people. If you need to join a health club to commit to regular exercise, remember that the cost of your membership could save you thousands in health care costs. Using common sense and a professional trainer will get you on the right track.
6. Sleep 8 to 9 hours every night. Studies show that between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. your body undergoes physical regeneration and between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. psychological regeneration occurs. If you don't get to bed until midnight, you are cutting into your physical regeneration, and if you rise before 6 a.m. you are missing out on some psychological regeneration. The closer you can adhere to this schedule, the more your body and mind can rest and recover. Sleep may very well be the fountain of youth.
7. Like sleep, REST is vital to a healthy and youthful body and mind. Stress has been linked to almost every major disease AND to weight gain and obesity. Rest is your secret weapon against stress, and the good part is that it is enjoyable! Rest may take the form of meditation, a nap in a hammock, a hot relaxing bubble bath, qi gong, or even reading something spiritual or uplifting. Resting shifts the body into the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, aptly called the "rest and recovery" system. People typically spend their days in the sympathetic, or "fight or flight" branch of the nervous system, staying busy and stressed just to make it through the day. Being in a constant flood of cortisol, the stress hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, causes a steady breakdown of the body systems leading to premature aging, degeneration and eventually disease. Finding time during your day for rest will help reduce stress and even reverse its damage.
8. Keep a positive outlook. This is much more important than you can imagine. The "cup half full" attitude can keep you healthy, happy and alive well into old age. Staying in a state of gratitude is another "magic pill" against the potentially deadly effects of stress. Next time you are feeling down, make a list of 100 things that you are grateful for. This will shift your energy immediately and you'll feel better and less stressed.
9. Reduce your exposure to electromagnetic frequencies. Our environment is saturated with EMF's from electrical wiring, Wi-Fi, computers and cell phones to name a few. These invisible EMF's have been linked to conditions such as headaches, arthritis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. You may feel their effects yourself simply by entering a mall and feeling immediately exhausted by the lighting and white noise. Here are some suggestions to reduce your exposure to EMF's: Keep your computer tower, printer and wiring away from where you sit, don't hold your laptop directly on your lap, talk less on your cell phone, instead make most of your calls from a land line, or use the speaker feature of your cell phone, don't keep your cell phone close to your body, keep your alarm clock 5 feet away from your body, replace your electric health care appliance with the real thing (razor, toothbrush, etc.), and stay away from electrical appliances in general when you can.
10. Do something everyday that makes you happy. For me it's playing with my baby grand daughter, for Catherine it's walking in nature with her dogs. What is it for you?

For more information about how you can implement these changes, listen to these radio shows:

1. Free Yourself From The Prison of Limiting Beliefs. An Interview with Rob Williams
2. How To Get a Great Night's Sleep
3. The Effects of EMFs: Are we microwaving our bodies as well as our food? An interview with David Getoff Naturopathic Doctor
4. How To Break Your Unhelpful Habits, with Judith Wright
5. The Worlds Healthiest Foods, with George Mateljan

Self-Love, The New Diet Craze
by James Williams, james@totalfitness.net

If you've been a regular Total Fitness newsletter reader, you are aware that we encourage people to eat well, exercise in a balanced way, get enough rest and release stress.

The ability to revise all those areas of your life simultaneously is key to turning your weight-loss goals into reality.

However, you must have something special to be able to do this. Something special drives you to do what it takes to be healthy regardless of the pressure you are under in other parts of your life.

When that something special is missing, you stop short of your greatness. When it's present, you easily create the health and body you want. That something special is self-love.

That Special Something
To be willing to take action to become a healthier, more fit person, you must love yourself. Here's why:

Getting and staying slim and healthy requires you to be consistent. You must consistently master the outer activities of eating, exercising, resting, and managing your stress more effectively every day for the rest of your life.

If you stop doing healthy things, you'll stop feeling and looking healthy. To be successful at the outer activities, you have to do inner activities that clear out the old, unresolved beliefs that sabotage your efforts.

When you do both the inner and the outer activities, you are addressing the whole problem.

Many people try to succeed in their health and fitness programs by using mental willpower, but that approach isn't an effective long-term solution.

This is because your emotions are the most powerful motivating force you have and can override your mental will.

If your old beliefs are creating a daily emotional rollercoaster, then your health program will only be effective on the days you are calm and stress-free.

The Triad of Motivation: Thoughts, Emotions, and Intuition
Emotion is your most powerful ally. It either helps you to be consistent with new habits and see them through to fulfillment, or it pushes you to throw in the towel.

When your emotions are positive, you'll have an easy time getting things done and life is rosy. However, if one of life's challenges comes your way and an old belief triggers stress, you might start feeling negative emotions that divert your thoughts away from doing healthy things for yourself and block access to your intuition.

As the above heading reveals, your thoughts and intuition complement your emotional powerhouse to help you make change permanent. Thoughts serve as an alarm clock to remind you to do those outer activities day-in and day-out. Intuition helps by making you aware of how to successfully do the outer activities, or it may guide you to the best source of help. To make change successful you have to use the triad of motivation: your thoughts, emotions, and intuition.

But hold on a minute... what has self-love got to do with motivation and being fit and healthy? When you love yourself, just as you are, your old beliefs will no longer be in the way of your continuing success. When you love yourself, just as you are RIGHT NOW, you are able to easily generate the emotions that motivate you to take care of yourself and do what needs to be done to be healthy every day. One of the common things I notice is that people with healthy levels of self love make a change for themselves and not to please anybody else or be at a specific weight or dress size by a set date.

When you don't love yourself enough, it is because you have been keeping unhelpful beliefs alive in your cell membranes. These unresolved past beliefs may include unhelpful thoughts, emotions or memories. Some originate from our self-talk, others come from other people's opinions which we've taken to heart. Ultimately, unresolved past beliefs act like a proverbial rain cloud in your daily emotional life, clouding out the joyful sun-like rays of self-love that are your true nature.

When you have too little self-love in your life, creating positive emotions and motivating yourself becomes difficult or impossible to sustain. Unhelpful beliefs keep you in Henry David Thoreau's state of quiet desperation and triggers self sabotaging behaviors.

Past Feelings Feed Fat
Your cellular memory systems have also recorded your thoughts and feelings every time you've looked in the mirror. When you consider how many times you've probably used a mirror during your life, you can imagine that any uncomplimentary thoughts may have been uttered thousands of times. Repetition just increases their power to sabotage your best efforts - so change your self talk!

Throughout your life, have you ever had moods where you've felt sad, depressed, angry, or frustrated about the way you look? If so, these detrimental emotions created stress hormones in your body that then led to the production of free radicals.

These types of free radicals damage your DNA and the mitochondria of your cells, which produce energy. When your cells are replaced, damaged DNA is used, and this makes the replacement cells malfunction. Over time as stress accumulates, your cells work inefficiently and your energy levels drop because the mitochondria are so damaged that they can't function properly.

The kicker is that your cells have a hard time using body fat for energy and it becomes incredibly difficult to reduce body fat or feel healthy. Groups of similar cells which we call organs then start working less effectively and disease may manifest.

In summary, thoughts and feelings from your past which you've taken to heart still live on in your physiology. They affect your cellular health, your energy levels, looks, and your motivation to nourish yourself, exercise or rest in a healthy way. You can break the pattern of inconsistent action by revising the unhelpful beliefs locked in your physiology.

Once your beliefs have been revised and new, more empowering ones are planted, you will gradually feel a greater spectrum of positive emotions and generate the self-love to see through any change from start to finish. Your body will also change and physically you'll look and feel healthier and happier.

Generating More Self-Love
Here are 10 powerful ways you can increase your self-love and motivation to be healthier. You may need to repeat them often to generate enough love to change your lifestyle for good:

1. Identify and revise your old, unhelpful beliefs. Here at Total Fitness, we use kinesiology to identify and clear these beliefs, both in person and over the telephone.
2. Spend time around supportive people. Dissolve relationships with people who do not help you to feel good about being you.
3. Get a friend to help you go through your wardrobe and throw out clothes you don't feel beautiful in. Even better, hold a yard sale, or donate the clothes to a charity shop or other family members or friends.
4. Toss out clothes from your distant past which you'd like to be able to wear again, but can't presently fit into. Holding onto them just keeps you focusing on your past when your body was different. That makes it harder to accept the size and shape you are now and keeps you physiologically stressed.
5. Get a new hairstyle, have manicures and pedicures regularly, or buy a new dress. Go out with friends who support you in your efforts to be healthy.
6. Repeat daily affirmations that tell your unconscious that you accept yourself just as you are now. Forgive your past feelings and choices and feel content and grateful for the life, looks, and health you have now.
7. Catch your uncomplimentary self-talk as soon as it starts and nullify it by silently saying "Cancel, Cancel."
8. Do something to brighten your environment, such as buy flowers for yourself regularly and take care of them by changing the water every day or two. Once a day, look at them for a moment and feel admiration for their beauty.
9. Every time you look in the mirror, compliment one thing about how you look. Use only positive language and smile at how beautiful you are! Try to compliment a different thing each time. If you can't think of something new, then keep repeating the same thing over and over. As a man, it has taken me 25 years to accept how I look and to be able to feel beautiful. Start listening to people who love you - maybe their compliments are true!
10. Take daily antioxidant supplements to minimize further DNA damage and shift your physiology towards greater health. A healthy physiology is vital for a toned body. Speak with a Total Fitness practitioner to determine which antioxidants will work best for you.

Recommended reading: Joy: The Happiness That Comes From Within by Osho, ISBN-10: 0312320744

For more information, listen to these radio shows:

1. Willingness: The Key To Motivation. How to Become Willing to Make Changes in Your Life
2. Lower Your Stress and Slim Down
3. Exercise According To Your Body Type, an interview with Dr. Carolyn Mein, D.C.
4. Achieve Your Health and Fitness Goals Without Fear - Jump-Start Your January!!
5. You Can Have The Body You Want. An interview with Michael Neill, NLP Master

Healthy Recipe - Peaches and Cream
by Catherine Carrigan, catherine@totalfitness.net

This is a different and fun way to enjoy your protein shake and a delicious way to make sure you get enough protein at breakfast. You can add a little healthy fat by sprinkling with chopped almonds or ground flaxseed.

Ingredients:

• 1 peach, sliced and diced
• 4-8 ounces goat yogurt
• 4 scoops Healthy Whey
• ½ cup frozen mango
• Stevia to taste

Directions:

• Slice and dice the peach and put it in a bowl or large cup.
• Put the goat yogurt, Healthy Whey, stevia and frozen mango in a blender.
• Mix to the consistency of cream. Pour over the chopped peaches.

What's healthy about this recipe:

1. Goat yogurt is a great variation for those of us who like yogurt but who don't want to overdo cow's milk products.
2. Healthy Whey is organic whey protein from free-range cows in New Zealand. It is loaded with amino acids that help you build muscle and support the anabolic processes in your body. Don't make the mistake of using cheap, chemical-laden protein powders instead. Remember, you hold toxins in your fat cells so you want to choose the cleanest diet you can. You can purchase Healthy Whey at our webstore by following this link: Healthy Whey.
3. Stevia is non-toxic and nutrient-rich, containing substantial amounts of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamins A and C and over 100 phytonutrients. Stevia has been used to reduce cravings for alcohol and tobacco, to normalize blood sugar levels, and to regulate blood pressure. According to research conducted at The Hiroshima University School of Dentistry and the Purdue University Dental Research Group, Stevia retards the formation of plaque and suppresses the growth of cavities.
4. Mangoes contain phenols, this phenolic compound have powerful antioxidant and anticancer abilities. Mango is high in iron, pregnant women and people with anemia are advised to eat this fruit regularly. Mango is effective in relieving clogged pores of the skin. It is also valuable to combat acidity and poor digestion. Mango is high in antioxidant and low in carbohydrates. Mango is a rich source of vitamin A(beta-carotene), E and Selenium which help to protect against heart disease and other ailments.
5. Being from Georgia, how can we not love peaches? Peaches are low in calories, and are a good source of healthy carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are known to be a vital source of energy to the body. They are very important nutrients. Therefore, peaches contribute to a well-balanced diet. Peaches also contain phytonutrients, antioxidants, carotenoids and flavonoids.

Special Offer for Total Fitness Clients

Our client, Sally Larsen, creator of Sally B's organic skin care, has created an important new product: herbal deodorant.

Many people are not aware that traditional deodorants are a major source of aluminium and parabens.

From now through the end of September, you can buy one jar of Sally's herbal deodorant for $18 and get a travel size completely FREE.

To purchase any of Sally's fantastic organic skin care, or for us to review your current skin care products, make an appointment with your Total Fitness practitioner and we will be happy to use kinesiology to show you how what you have been using has been affecting your health. Many clients, including those who run spas and give facials for a living, are astounded at how much better their results are when they clean up their diets and use organic personal care products.

For more information, purchase this radio show: Drop Dead Gorgeous: The Effect of Cosmetics On Your Health. An interview with Kim Erickson.

Yoga and Qi Gong Classes in Atlanta

Yoga Classes: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Holy Spirit Catholic Church
4465 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA.
$15 per class or $65 per calendar month.

Qi Gong Class: Every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
1951 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA. $15 per class.

Booking appointments with Total Fitness

To schedule an appointment to find out about a personalized fitness, nutrition or healing program that will help you get results, please contact us:

In Atlanta

Catherine Carrigan catherine@totalfitness.net

James Williams james@totalfitness.net

In Los Angeles

Nina Lynn nina@totalfitness.net

In Phoenix

Paula Owens paula@totalfitness.net

You can also visit us on the web at www.totalfitness.net