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| From Karen |
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The Warrior Within
This month is dedicated to the Warrior Within...that elusive but ever-powerful female force within each and every one of us!
What exactly is a Warrior Woman? Our HLP Manifesto says it all.
"She is powerful but gentle, strong yet sensitive. She eats and trains with the seasons, and her life and choices follow the cycles of the days and the seasons. She lives and walks in her truth, takes responsibility for her life and choices, and she is compassionate, brave, honest and non-judgemental."....and so much more. (HLP-ers, a copy of our Guiding Manifesto is in this month's Articles section!).
So in our Spring Training Session, it's all about coming to know the Warrior Within, and using her awesome power to create positive change in our lives and the lives of others. Because simply, that's why we're here: to constantly learn, shed, change, and grow into our greatest potential. And spring is the perfect time, as everything is opening up, blossoming, shedding, growing....
When we touch bases with the Warrior Within, we soon recognize that we all have a purpose, and while you may not know what it is just yet, there is always a common denominator: it is about service, plain and simple.
Ask yourself one question: How do you serve? I know my answer. Do you know?. Invite the warrior into your life today!
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Training Tip: No clutching!! |
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Did you know that when you clutch a piece of training equipment really hard, you're actually diminishing your success?
Yep. It's true. Sports scientists have long shown that when you, say, grip the leg extension machine too hard with your hands while doing a leg lift, you are actually not able to lift as well! True.
Intuitively, I always knew this to be true. Think about it...there is only so much energy to go around the body, so when you are using it to clutch hard with another part of your body (like your hands), all the blood and nervous system transmissions are forced to shunt away from the bodypart you're working and move toward the death-grip you've got on the machine!
This energy drain is also evident when someone huffs and puffs while lifting (now, there are times to huff and puff, for sure, but some guys do it just for show!). So controlling the exhale out of pursed lips is best. It conserves energy!
So grip lightly, and exhale with control, and your training - and your energy - will improve tremendously! |
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spiritual - Taking the Warrior Stance |
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In my Healthy Living Program, we learn to take the Warrior Stance...
What is it exactly? Simple, really. When you stand, you recognize that you are standing on sacred ground - Mother Earth herself - and you feel the energy from the earth coming up through your legs, into your core and filling your body with that life force!
See, everything has energy in it. Even if you can't see it, it emanates out of everything. And we are just bundles of energy, really. (Remember your grade 12 geography class, when they taught us about radiation and energy that emits from everything, and that we can only see a very short part of that light spectrum?).
Woo-woo stuff you say? Yeah, well, some of us are 'gifted' in seeing other things that others can't, like energy arcs, chakra colours, auras and such. (I used to be a 'meat and potatoes' non-believer too, until it happened to me!)
For me, it's about honouring the earth and all things it provides, and I'm grateful for its bounty. So when I go into the gym, I first give a silent thank you at the door for being able to train my body (there are too many people whose disabled bodies will never know this simple pleasure, like my son, Tristan). Then, I take the stance: legs shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, I close my eyes in meditation, take a deep breath, grab the bar and lift with focus and reverence....
And as I lift, I envision all that lovely red-brown energy spiraling up from Mother earth into my body. And I smile....because I'm connected, a part of something so much bigger than me. And you are too!
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| I'm Doing It ....Again! |
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Here we go again!.
I'm heading back to the stage in May for the Kelowna Regionals, in the physique category this time. I've got my diet all dialed in, my macronutrient amount lined up (protein, carbs, fats, water intake) and I've got my 5-day split routine humming along smoothly...
So why am I doing it again? Because last time was just a warm up really. It had been 20 years since I competed, and as that 20-year-old fat came off my body, I could really see where my body needed some more carving.
I'm living proof that you simply do not need drugs or fat burners to create a strong, aesthetic physique. And I'm also proof that your body's metabolism does not slow down with age. It only slows if you slow - on the training, attention to food etc.
And yes, there are some clients-now-competitors competing with me (that's the coolest part!) and I'm video-ing my progress which I'll upload over the course of the next 10 weeks! Stay tuned!
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Train like a warrior. |
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When I tell clients to train like a warrior, a lot of women think that means to lift maximum weights every workout. No, that's not it, really.
Training like a warrior is a mindset, first and foremost. It means many things: you factor yourself in and you don't sway from that scheduled commitment with yourself; you don't get flustered by others who may try to derail your efforts (recognizing it's their fear or jealousy that's doing the talking.)
Training like a warrior means you value yourself enough to want to keep your body (and mind) strong and clear. It means that if you succumb to injury, you will honour that and nurse yourself back to health, but the injury will not define you for life- you rise above it and reclaim your power.
Training like a warrior is about seeing the weights as your tools, and you use them to better yourself, so you are able to move through your days with health and confidence. And if you falter, or you miss a day, (and we all falter), you simply pick yourself up the next day and get back at it. Because life moves in ebbs and flows, and you are a part of that natural ebb and flow.
That's what training like a Warrior Woman means to us!
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| Eat your fats! No, really! |
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When I see women taking the low-fat route, I just wanna scream!
That's old left-over teachings, I'm afraid. In fact, if you want to lose weight you gotta up the fat!
 You need (good) fat to burn fat, and when you restrict it, guess what the body does...it hoards it! Yep! It's the same principal at work as when we cut calories too much (remember that one...it'll put you into starvation mode and you will plateau and stay there!). Your body hangs onto the very thing you are drastically limiting it!
So ladies, do yourselves a favour and up your fats. Eat your Omega 3's at every meal. And in the meantime, clean up your (carb) act...you know, the nasties like nibblies, alcohol, sodas and the like. Fat isn't the enemy...it's all that other stuff that creeps into your diet that IS!
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| Book corner |
| - Jon Gabriel |
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The Gabriel Method
When Jon Gabriel's life took an unexpected turn, he suddenly was awakened to the marvelous gift that he had been given -- the opportunity to live -- and was disgusted at how he had treated his body.
At over four hundred pounds, walking, sleeping, and working was a struggle against gravity, and his life was a constant battle between emotional and physical satiation. He was slowly killing himself with food.
What he teaches is that your body has a reason why it's holding on to weight--and it's not your fault. Fat is a cushion--a protective barrier that our mind believes is helping to protect us. And if you can change that belief, you can change your body and your weight.
This is all about changing your mindset so you can start losing the pounds. Health and wellness starts within, and Gabriel is living proof!
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Fitness workshop with IFBB pro Michelle Krack! |
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When IFBB Pro and coach, Michelle Krack approached me about doing a full day Training, Nutrition and Posing seminar workshop on the Island, I jumped at the chance! 'Yep, I can get sign up for ya!' I said!
Sure enough, about half of the seats went to my current Healthy Living Members and Challengers clients. Seems everyone is getting the 'maybe-I'll-compete-one-day' bug or they simply want to know what it takes to train, eat and live like a competitor, and how to get your physique in the best shape of its life!
The seminar is full, with 20 lovely ladies showing up on April 6th to learn from this amazing Overall Canadian Figure champ (one of many wins Michelle has!)
Thanks ladies for all your support. You are a group of elite women...Warrior Women indeed!
SIGN UP has begun for my 10-Week Best Shape of YOUR Life Challenge! and Advanced 12-Week Challenge (you must have completed the 10-week to sign up for this).
We start April 8th! Only 20 seats. Let's get summer-ready!!
See what others are saying! CLICK HERE!
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