breathing exercise – Page 3 – Resilient Edge Wellness

How to Make HIT Training Work For You

October 26, 2012kvanness01

How would you like to spend less time exercising…do less exercising when you are working out…and still get great results? How would you like an approach to fitness, getting in shape, losing fat that can actually fit into your schedule, no matter how hectic your schedule is?

In my last tip, I discussed the comeback of HIT training. Actually, it’s more like an ongoing cycle. HIT training seems to periodically cycle up and down in terms of attention, number of adherents, etc.

In today’s society, everyone from parents to executives to business owners to students are busy. So the prospect of trading long, boring cardio sessions of 45 minutes to an hour, three to four times per week…(the traditional area people focus on) for two or three short, 20 minute workouts per week…is a no-brainer for many people!

The trick to keeping your workouts short, yet still achieving good results, is to (1) exercise with sufficiently high intensity, to the point where you are really huffing and puffing; and (2) focus most of your efforts on certain types of exercises.

To point #1: Obviously this means pushing yourself. However, to work at a sufficiently high level of intensity necessitates using an interval, or pulsing, approach.

Interval Training involves working hard for a short period of time, followed by either a complete rest or a slower pace of the target activity. For example, you run at a good clip for five minutes (the work interval), then run more slowly or walk for five minutes (the rest interval). That’s one set.

Or, you perform repetitions of a compound movement, such as a squat or pushup or bench press, and push yourself to momentary muscular failure (that is, you can’t do another repetition without cheating, breaking down in form, or your movement becomes super slow). Then you rest. That’s one set.

Put together a sufficient number of sets of high intensity effort, and you’ve got yourself a super workout! And the good news is, you only need about 20 minutes to complete such as workout. In fact, if you are really pushing yourself, you probably won’t want to do more than 20 minutes!

I think people shy away from high intensity training because they associate it with highly intense levels of effort and think it is too tough for them to do. But the truth is, just about anyone can successfully adapt this type of training, no matter their present level of fitness.

The key is to set the intensity and duration of your work interval at a level sufficient to push yourself — but not push yourself over the edge.

Just about every activity I can think of lends itself to interval training. It just takes a little creativity.

For example, strength training is naturally interval in nature. You perform sets of repetitions of exercises, interspersed with rest periods.

Walking and running are also naturals for intervals. Simply walk or run faster for a period of time, interspersed with periods of walking or running more slowly.

Certain breathing exercises are interval in nature. Typically, each exercise is done for a certain number of repetitions. You pause briefly (rest interval) and move on to the next one. Also, breathing floods your system with oxygen, creating immediate surges in energy levels and metabolism.

Now, to point #2: Notice that the type of exercising – walking, sprinting, resistance training – as well as the types of exercises – squats, pushups, bench press – I discuss are either full body movement OR compound exercises.

Compound exercises involve multiple body parts. They tend to be the most effective exercises because they involve the large muscle groups, such as quads, gluts, chest and back. These muscles require more energy and focus to work hard. Focusing on them means you can train your entire body with fewer movements.

In addition, compound exercises make much more significant demands on your entire system, especially if you push yourself…meaning more calories burned not only during exercise, but post-exercise.

In fact, a short but high intensity exercise session, focused on as few as five exercises, can actually elevate your metabolism for 24 to 48 hours AFTER the exercise session.

Imagine what this could mean to your efforts to get into better shape, burn off some fat, or get stronger?

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. In the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program, you have a complete, fat burning and muscle toning program at your fingertips. When you perform the core set of exercises in the program, you combine the power of deep breathing, intensity and focus with compound movements activating the large muscles of your body. This combination is a powerhouse when it comes to activating the fat-burning potential of your body.

For more information, or to download your own copy of the program, go to http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/metabolism.html.

Anchor Yourself with Attitude Breathing

June 24, 2012kvanness01

It’s amazing to me the amount of research that is now being done on the connection between body, mind and emotions.

The connection is indisputable. Many medical doctors and scientists have embraced it and try to leverage it in their treatment of patients.

Tuning in to this connection can help you enhance your health, overcome specific illness — and help you improve the way you go through life.

In particular, a lot of research has been done in the area of managing stress. Herbert Benson, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, popularized this area with his book, “The Relaxation Response”. He and his team proved the effects that relaxation techniques, including deep breathing, meditation and a positive outlook, can have on patient outcomes and health.

Subsequently, Dr. Benson performed follow-up research that lead to his book, “The Breakout Principle”. Here, he demonstrated how the same principles and techniques can help each of us relax and think more clearly as we handle the stresses and challenges of each day. This, in turn, can help us perform at a higher level and get into the “flow” of whatever activity we are doing.

You recognize the flow when it happens — although you are not aware you are in it until afterwards.

Have you ever spent hours immersed in some activity, only to look up at the clock and be surprised at how much time has passed? You were experiencing the flow.

Sometimes it’s difficult to get into the flow. If you have a gazillion things going on, or are pressed for time, you may feel blocked. You may be unable to relax sufficiently. Or you may be draining your own energy by allowing negative thoughts or emotions to take roost in your brain.

These feelings can be especially cumbersome when you are at work, perhaps facing a stressful meeting, discussion or situation. Or, maybe you are having trouble getting your kids to comply with a request.

No matter what the situation, to “unblock” yourself and handle the stress of the moment, I recommend you try a technique called “Attitude Breathing”.

This specific technique was developed by the Institute of Heart Math, which studies body-mind-emotional connections.

It’s easy to do.

(1) Focus on a person or situation for which you are really grateful. Cultivate a feeling of gratitude as you slowly relax and soften your breathing.

(2) Next, shift your attention to your heart and solar plexus area. Acknowledge what you are feeling. Ask yourself which feeling or attitude you could substitute that would be more constructive in the current situation.

For example, you might tell yourself to “stay calm”, “stay neutral”, “get all the facts before I go off”, etc.

(3) Pretend to feel and breathe this new, more constructive attitude in through your heart. Breathe it out through your solar plexus and stomach to “anchor” it. Continue to breathe in this way until you feel like the new attitude has settled in to your solar plexus and heart.

This simple but powerful technique helps you anchor your inner power and calm, and bring your thoughts and emotions back into balance.

It’s great to do first thing in the morning, or any time you are feeling stressed, anxious, or overly emotional.

Lately, I’ve had to do quite a bit of traveling. Ah yes, the joys of airline travel, missed connections, late night arrivals when you have to be in important meetings the next day, adjusting to different time zones, etc., etc.

Don’t get me wrong – I love to travel. It’s just when the trips come one after the other, it can be a bit much. And, even though I sometimes bring my family with me, I can’t do this every time and I do miss them when I am away.

All this can add to stress levels. So I make sure that I devote at least a few minutes every morning when I first wake up, and a few minutes in the evening, to do this exact exercise. I focus on what I am grateful for – usually my family, my health, all the opportunities in my life. I breathe in the feelings of joy, gratitude and peace I get when I think about these things, and “anchor” them in my heart.

I find this simple exercise really helps ground me and remind me of what is important in my life, and the ultimate reasons why I am working and traveling.

This is why I wanted to share this wonderful little practice with you.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you have an interest in discovering even more highly effective breathing and visualization techniques, consider the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate & Rejuvenate. In the course, I guide you through breathing exercises which help you instantly relax and tranform stress…and have you feeling in control within minutes. Claim your program CDs today at the Best Breathing Exercises website.

The Power of Being In the Moment

May 1, 2012kvanness01

There is a concept in traditional martial arts called “beginner’s mind”. The Japanese word for this is “soshin”.

As a beginner, the first time you do something you really have to concentrate and focus in order to do it correctly.

The idea of soshin is to continue to be like a beginner when p erforming various tasks. No matter how trivial a task is, retain the mindfulness of a beginner when performing it.

Have you ever engaged in some kind of creative work, or have you ever become so engrossed in doing something, like playing and laughing with your kids, that you lost all track of time?

This happened because you were living in the moment. You truly felt more alive and energized by doing it.

It’s an incredible feeling, almost a state of flow.

This is one of the things I love about the martial arts…and one of the reasons I highly recommend it for kids and adults.

During hard training, you have to concentrate 100% on the instructor’s commands and on your movements. When sparring or fighting, you have to be totally focused on your opponent and your own strategy and tactics.

During these times, I lose all sense of obligations and responsibilites outside of the training hall.

I stop worrying about what needs to get done, or the latest problem or issue. Although these things await me, for the moment I can just …. be. And enjoy!

Performing conscious breathing, or other types of breathing exercises, can help you create these moments of presence.

When you focus on your breathing and on how your body feels in response to the breathing, you are in the moment.

And at least for this moment, you forget about responsibilities, issues, and demands.

You stop dwelling on health problems or aches and pains. And you help yourself to relax and feel calmer, more centered, and more in control…regardless of what is going on around you.

Breathing exercises and being in the moment are not instant cures for all that ails you. But awareness of your breathing and of the present moment can help you lead a calmer, more relaxed and healthier life. It can imbue everything you do with more power.

I encourage you to put these concepts to work by making them a regular part of your life.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

http://www.BestBreathingExercises.comcom

P.S. Discover how you can use your breathing to enter a state of effortless flow and power with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate. The movements coupled with complete breathing will invigorate, rejuvenate and relax your body, mind and spirit. Pick up your own program CD’s at the Best Breathing Exercises website.

How To Be In Control, Naturally

April 27, 2012kvanness01

A few days ago, I discussed the prevalence of stress in our lives. It’s become so chronic that we get used to it as a sort of baseline.

We can even become addicted to stress as a way of being.

Once you become aware of how you act in your world, and react to the stress that is a natural part of it….you can then do something about it.

Probably the simplest (and often overlooked) way to put the kibosh on stress-oriented behavior is to focus on your breathing.

A great way to learn how to breathe naturally and completely is through the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume I: Invigorate & Rejuvenate.

In the course, I teach you the Complete Breath. And I also teach you seven exercises, combining breathing with specific movements, that open, free and relax you.

The most important thing is to simply become conscious of your breathing.

Here’s a great example from my own life that you may share.

Our son, Miguel, who is 7, is a great kid and a good student. But, like many kids, he is sometimes anxious about school and therefore resists getting ready. He’ll use all the stalling tactics, like not getting dressed, refusing to eat breakfast, etc., etc.

When I’m in reactive mode, rather than thinking mode, I respond to his escalations in resistance with escalations of my own. This typically results in yelling and screaming and tears. We make it to school on time, but it’s not a very pleasant way for us to start the morning.

On the other hand, when I catch myself, I resist being reactive to Miguel’s tactics. Instead of rushing about and worrying whether we will be ready or not when it’s time to leave, I take a moment to observe my breathing. Invariably, when I’ve been in reactive mode, my breathing is tight and I feel tense.

Chances are, you’ve experienced a similar reaction when in a situation of stress, like trying to get the kids ready and off to school. Your breathing is “tight” and very shallow. You probably have tension in your jaw and forehead areas, as well as in your shoulders and back.

This is a typical physical response to stressful conditions. I’m not sure why it developed in us this way, because it certainly doesn’t seem to help us cope better with the situation.

At any rate, by the simple act of observing your breathing, you will automatically and naturally release some of that tightness. Take advantage of this. Take in 4 to 5 deep breaths.

Don’t force it. Just allow yourself to slowly and smoothly inhale.

If you find you are forcing the inhale, switch your focus to the exhale.

Blow out all the air – without straining – then relax and see how fully you inhale. “The exhale takes care of the inhale”, if you do it properly.

So, next time you are stressed out, or about to enter into a demanding or stressful situation… take a moment or two to become conscious of your breathing.

Give yourself the gift of a minute or two to just sit (or stand) and breathe smoothly, calmly and deeply.

You’ll find yourself naturally relaxing, yet feeling energized at the same time. The perfect state for performing well and dealing with the challenges life throws at us.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Be Sure To Protect This Focal Source of Energy

April 25, 2012kvanness01

Stress is stealing away your life, even if you don’t realize it.

Stress, fatigue and chronic pain manifest physically as increased tension and tightness in the body, particularly in the large muscles of the torso, such as the chest, shoulders and back.

This is why neck and back pain and headaches are so prevalent today.

Stress can also cause your breathing to weaken and become more shallow. When you take in less oxygen, your system doesn’t work to capacity. You feel physically fatigued and mentally foggy and fuzzy.

These reactions to stress put into motion a cascade of hormonal and neuromuscular changes that can have dire consequences for even the hardiest of us.

Your posture also changes when you’re under stress. You turn in your shoulders and hunch forward. You may notice that you cross your arms more frequently.

These are all signs of the protective impulse…. of your body collapsing in on itself in an effort to protect you physically from more abuse. Problem is, the tightness and tension in your muscles, along with the stressed, hunched posture, create huge imbalances and overloads on your spine.

The spine is the foundation of your body and one of its critical centers of energy.

Sitting, standing and walking compress the spine to varying degrees. The high proportion of time many of us spend sitting is particularly tough on our backs. After years of sitting at desks, in meetings, on the couch, or on airplanes, the spine loses its resiliency.

This in turn affects the entire nervous system, causing decreased energy, backaches, headaches, neck and shoulder tightness….even moodiness, irritability, and the inability to concentrate or focus.

So..how do you counter this postural reaction that places so much additional strain on your lower back?

The secret is to free the tension and tightness from your entire torso area, so that the breathing spaces are wide open and free and the spine is extended and lengthened.

Open breathing spaces mean full, complete breathing. In turn, this enhances your lungs’ capacity to infuse larger amounts of oxygen into your body, and more effectively remove wastes and toxins from your system. Elongating and loosening the spine helps free up vital nerve force and energy and also releases tension.

The combination of the two is a powerhouse!

It leaves you with a loose, relaxed, energized feeling. It not only invigorates you – it’s a major pathway to physical health and wellbeing.

You may think it difficult to achieve this combination of opening, freeing, and releasing.

You may think you have to pay big bucks to visit a chiropractor or massage therapist every week.

Well, it’s not difficult at all. Nor is it expensive. With just a few minutes of listening, you can learn how with the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate.

The course consists of two series of 7 exercises. The first series focuses on dynamic breathing coordinated with easy, flowing movements. The second series helps stretch, relax and rejuvenate your entire torso area, with special emphasis on the spine and back.

These amazing exercises stimulate, strengthen, and rejuvenate you.

They help you instantaneously relax AND improve your energy levels. You’ll feel more in control, rather than at the whim of the latest crisis. After doing the exercises for just a few days, any back or neck pain you have been experiencing will be history.

The Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate provides you with a quick, easy, enjoyable way to rejuvenate and protect your foundation.

To learn more about this incredible course, head on over to the Best Breathing Exercises website.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!”

www.BestBreathingExercises.com

What Can Doing Your Taxes Teach You About Better Fitness?

April 16, 2012April 16, 2012kvanness01

Well, tomorrow is one of the least favorite days for American taxpayers.

It’s the final day to submit your tax returns without incurring a penalty – unless you have already filed for an extension. And even if you get an extension, you still have to pay what you THINK you owe by tomorrow…or be hit with another penalty.

I was reminded of tax day during this morning’s trip to our local post office. I dropped off some orders I was shipping to customers, nd couldn’t help but notice that the line at the counter was longer than normal.

When I lived in Northern Virginia, I used to ship my orders from the Merrifield Regional post office. This post office was -and is – featured on the local, and sometimes even national, news every year on tax day. It’s incredible to see people in a long traffic jam, using the improvised drive-through that the post office sets up. It beats trying to get inside, where it’s wall-to-wall people.

The post office stays open until midnight, for those brave people who wait until the ultimate last minute to do their taxes.

I’ve never understood this obsession with waiting until the last minute to mail in your taxes. Some people do it deliberately, and with pride, every year…year after year.

I guess it’s their way of “stickin’ it to the man”, not giving up a blessed cent, nor filling out those dastardly forms, until the last possible moment.

The annual tax deadline is instructive. It demonstrates how much more efficient you can be when you have a deadline — either self-imposed or mandated from some external force, such as the long arm of the tax man.

For example, I usually complete my taxes by the end of February or early March.

Because preparing taxes is such a tedious process, I break down the overall task into smaller steps: gather the statements and records I need; organize everything; complete the P&L statement and document deductions; complete the returns on Turbotax; file everything away.

Doing this in steps involved a little time each day over a period of a week or so. Not a terrible process – but not terribly efficient, either.

This year, however, I procrastinated…and had to complete my taxes this weekend. With my back against the wall, I cranked through the record gathering, organization, calculations and statements, and completed and filed my tax returns within about three hours.Plus I also cleaned out old records and reorganized files and folders so I am better organized for the coming year.

What had taken me a week or more to get done in previous years…I completed in only a few hours this year.

Talk about the power of a deadline!

The deadline is a powerful tool to apply to any important action you want to take – or know you should take – to improve your life or your health.

As an example, you may be good about working out on a regular basis.

But you may begin your workout without a plan as to what you are going to do, and how long your workout is going to last. So you may dawdle and do less effective exercises. You may not reach the level of intensity you need to, for long enough, to propel yourself forward toward your fitness and health goals.

As an alternative, even if you have all the time in the world for your next workout (is that true of anyone anymore?), try setting a time limit for yourself.

Set a deadline of one hour from now and get going.

You’ll immediately notice a significant change in your approach. You’ll be forced to plan what you are going to do, and for how long.

You may budget 10 minutes for warming up, then move into a more intense cardio workout for 20 minutes. Then you will spend 20 minutes on strength training, followed by 10 minutes to cool down and stretch.

Of course, you can train in such a way as to combine these separate activities as well. A lot of that is driven by your breathing, and with the level of intensity you bring to each activity and exercise. This approach is what I teach in the Best Breathing Exercises programs.

With a deadline-driven approach, you don’t have time to dawdle or dilly-dally. You automatically move from exercise to exercise with more efficiency. You focus better, and you get more done in one hour than you might have achieved in two hours during your “old” way of working out.

This approach offers an outstanding way to increase the quality, intensity – and results – of your fitness program, or any other endeavor that is important to you.

You Can Do It!

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The great copywriter, John Carlton, is fond of saying, “The deadline is mankind’s greatest invention – because without it, nothing would ever get done!” Use this powerful tool in your own life and see how much more focused and productive you become.

Harness The Force of Frustration

March 18, 2012kvanness01

When it comes to your fitness and health, you’d probably say that they are important to you.

Yet how committed and consistent are you at taking action in these two areas, each and every day?

Since I’ve been laid up after surgery and quite limited in the type of exercise I can do right now, I’ve been giving the concept of frustration a whole lot of thought. To say I’m feeling frustrated at times is an understatement.

I’m used to moving a lot, doing something every single day for my health and fitness, using physical activity and expression as a key outlet for the stress that builds up from a busy, engaged life. I’ve had to re-focus my usual activities to ones I can support now.It hasn’t been easy, but I’m beginning to get into a groove that supports and energizes me.

But let’s get back to you….

It takes a lot to make significant changes in your lifestyle, your schedule, and your attitude and outlook…changes that will propel you towards greater things in your life.

It’s a lot more comfortable to stay where you are, with what you know, and dream about “If only…”

If only I were thinner. If only I could put on more muscle. If only I could get control of this stress and anxiety and live in a more relaxed manner. And so forth…

Seeing the need to change, thinking you ought to change, even wanting to change are all good. But they don’t quite get it done when it comes to actually taking the consistent, sustained action that will enable you to reach your goals.

No, it takes something much stronger. And that something is… frustration.

Yes, that negative, nasty emotion. But it’s true, something very negative can help you make positive changes.

I used to abhor frustration. I hated the feeling. I think frustration and boredom are the two states I seek to avoid the most.

However, I realized from my own experience, as well as working with others, that you’re not reallly ready to do the things and think the thoughts you need to, until you are at the end of your rope and ready and willing to do what it takes to get out of the situation you are in.

If, for example, you get to the point that you are really frustrated with your anxiety and levels of stress, and the fact that you don’t seem to be improving…Or you are frustrated with your appearance and inability to lose the weight…then celebrate.

Get happy! Put your hands in the air and shout “Hur-rah!”

I’m serious. Because when you get truly frustrated, you are ready for a breakthrough.

You are at the point where you begin to ask yourself the right questions, and look for the information or resources that can help you.

So leverage the frustration you may be feeling and use it to help energize and support your efforts to change or improve.

Here’s one more thought on frustration: it can also trip you up.

Once you are on the path to losing weight, or gaining the upper hand on stress…you may at times experience little or no progress.

You may get frustrated at how slowly things are changing. Or you may get frustrated at yourself for slipping up or backsliding. You may think you’ll never reach your goals.

Well, once again, use this frustration as a tool to energize yourself. Don’t let it put you into a funk, or get so down that you give up.

Here’s a great quote I heard a long time ago, that helps describe this point:

“How long would you give the average baby to learn how to walk before you didn’t let him or her try anymore?”

That’s a crazy question, isn’t it? You’ll give your kid as long as it takes, and all the love and support to help them. But dadgummit, that kid is going to learn how to walk!

And think how frustrated babies and toddlers can be at times, when they are trying to master a new motor skill. But they keep at it, again and again and again, until they finally get it.

Why not apply this same approach to yourself?

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. I’d love to help as you leverage your frustration into action, and seek the information that will help you take smarter steps towards your fitness and health goals. Visit the Best Breathing Exercises website for information on the products and programs that can help you transform your health and energy levels.

Nature’s First Adaptogen

February 21, 2012kvanness01

Feeling tired? Stressed out? Not losing the weight or fitting in the exercise as you resolved to at the beginning of the year?

If so, read on….

A fascinating class of compounds called “adaptogens” help the body heal from disease, imbalances or other stressors and return to homeostasis, or a steady, healthy state.

Exactly how these compounds work is not well known. They basically can correct any problem. If you have too much of something, they help reduce and bring you back to baseline. If you have too little of something, they help increase and bring you up to baseline.

Pretty amazing little critters, aren’t they?

Most of the known adaptogens are herbal or chemical in nature. Ginseng and rhodiola are two fairly well-known examples. Gynostemma is another widely used herb for adaptability as well as anti-aging.

There are also classes of mushrooms (not the type you may be thinking about!) that are used to enhance recovery, such as athletes recovering from hard training or road warriors recovering from a tough travel schedule.

The problem with herbal compounds is that you never know for sure about the quality or amount of the active ingredient you are getting with each dose.

You have to be very careful about selecting a quality supplement from a manufacturer that is known for quality and care in creating its products.

I rarely ever plug a specific supplement or company. But I know people are curious as to what I do or what I use.

Here at the Van Ness household, we’ve been drinking Spring Dragon Longevity Tea made by Ron Teeguarden’s Dragon Herbs. It’s a broad spectrum health promoting tea with specific adaptogenic herbs. It actually tastes good (which is saying something) and can be taken in the morning to help get you started, or at night to help you relax.

I take specific supplements, such as a quality multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplement, on a daily or every other day basis. But I also like drinking or eating many of my “supplements” because it’s a more natural way, as opposed to downing pills and capsules. Your body can mor easily assimilate the nutrients it needs from food or drink.

Probably the most effective, and usually under-appreciated, adaptogen is the most natural one. It’s also free.

Yes, of course… it’s breathing.

A few minutes of conscious, relaxed breathing each day can smooth out the rough spots and help you to better manage stress and tension. It can energize you and help increase your stamina. It can improve your mental focus and acuity.

Added as a complement to exercise, it can even help you burn fat and lose weight faster.

If you are underweight and wish to add some healthy pounds, breathing can help you balance your energy and, along with a rational diet, gain healthy lean weight.

Even if you develop the habit of doing some deep breathing each day, you may not be sure whether you are breathing correctly.

It should be a no-brainer, right? I mean, it’s something each of us does, on average, over 17,000 times a day.

Problem is, most people have forgotten how to breathe in a healthy, natural manner. They breathe shallowly, often through their mouths. They have trouble when they have to breathe deeply, because the structures that support deep healthy breathing are out of shape.

This is one reason why I include a lesson on how to breathe completely in Volume I of the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course: Invigorate and Rejuvenate.

It’s also why I sequenced the exercises the way I did in the Dynamic Energy Routine – part of the Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II.

The first series of exercises combine movement with breathing to help you understand how deep, dynamic breathing should feel. The movements also help open up and strengthen the structures that support healthy breathing. At any rate, I highly recommend at least a few minutes each morning of conscious, proper breathing. It can make an enormously positive difference in how your day starts out.

It can help you gear up and maintain higher levels of energy throughout the day…as well as better cope with the inevitable stresses and strains that go along with having a busy and productive life.

Of course, if you would like to discover some ideas and techniques to help you develop your own “best breathing” program that meets your unique needs, then look into one of the programs available through the Best Breathing Exercises website.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Why Goals Are Not That Important

January 17, 2012kvanness01

I trust you have begun 2012 in fine form.

If you’re like me, you have probably been inundated with emails, articles and other such talk about setting resolutions and goals for yourself.

I’m a huge proponent of setting and working towards meaningful goals.

But I have to admit one thing:

Goals in and of themselves are not the most important thing.

What IS important is the person you become in the process of achieving your goals.

In order to achieve more, you need to become more.What you become determines what you can achieve and realize in your life. What you become is just as important as what you do.

The real reason to set, work towards and achieve goals is your own personal growth. Growth that helps you create a better life for yourself…and have a more positive and profound impact on the people around you. Growth that helps you make a difference in your world, your community, within your circle of family and friends. Growth that is in alignment with your highest personal values and vision for your life.

Here’s the exciting thing about having a goal:

When you focus on a goal, you immediately begin improving because you have become aware of a new and exciting direction in which to take your life.

You’re already mentally and emotionally shifting in that direction.

As you think about what you would like to achieve, do, or bring into your life this coming year….think also about the type of person you will have to become in order to realize your goals.

For example, some years ago, when I set out to overcome a serious and chronic health problem – a severe case of asthma – I not only thought about the obvious goals, like reducing or eliminating the asthma attacks, or breathing more clearly, or getting off all the darn meds.

What really motivated me was picturing the kind of person I would be if I were free from asthma.

I thought about how great it would be to lose the fatigue and anxiety, to have abundant energy and confidence. To be able to participate fullbore in just about any activity I wanted to – without fear.

You may face your own health or fitness challenge. Have you set a goal and made the commitment to begin overcoming that challenge?

If so, keep in mind the transformative power of deep breathing and dynamic energy exercise

No matter what your goal is – losing weight, improving stamina, transforming stress into positive energy, becoming more flexible and open in body and mind – you can get started more quickly and easily if you put one of the Best Breathing Exercises programs to work for you.

It’s not magic, and you have to make some effort. But remember this: “The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get by it, but what they become by it.”

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If your goals for 2012 include getting more fit…breathing more clearly..>overcoming stress and anxiety….or feeling more energetic and healthy, then you owe it to yourself to check out the Best Breathing Exercises programs.

Let me help you make 2012 your healthiest year ever!

Finally – Achieve Your Goal to Lose Weight

January 5, 2012kvanness01

If you’re like 80% of adults, you probably made a resolution to lose weight and get in better shape in 2011.

If you want to lose weight, or have been told by your doctor (or a significant other) that you ought to lose weight….I’m here to help you.

But first, full disclosure.

I’ve battled my weight, off and on, for many years now, going back to college days.

Yes, even though I’m a fitness trainer, producer of information products that help thousands of people improve their health and energy levels, a black belt in two martial arts, and a former collegiate athlete – I too have had a few periods in my life when I have been overweight.

When I was overweight, I resolved to diet and exercise in order to lose the pounds and firm up. I typically would join a gym and embark on a conventional program of doing cardio, lifting weights, stretching, and doing lots of abdominal exercises.

I even tried yoga and pilates (before pilates was popular!). I also put myself on a diet and was very careful about what I ate.

I experienced success for a time. I would lose weight, usually up to 10 or 15 pounds. I would be feeling good about myself. Then, I would inevitably hit one of those momentum-stealing, motivation-sapping plateaus, and the weight loss would stop.

It was hard to stay motivated at these times, because the pounds just didn’t come off as quickly as I expected. I felt like I was working so hard and depriving myself. I should have been seeing better results.

Each week, I stepped on the scale. And each week, I was disappointed at my lack of progress. Even worse, I sometimes found that I had gained weight! Maybe it was just “water weight”, but who cares? I was so frustrated and heartbroken that I would cry whenever I looked at myself in the mirror.

I knew there was a beautiful body – MY beautiful body – in there somewhere. But how could I get to it?

If you’ve tried and failed to lose and keep off a significant amount of weight, I’m sure you can understand my frustration and despair.

This is the point at which most people say, “Aw, what’s the use!” and give up on their quest for a great body.

I wasn’t done yet, though. I decided to investigate and try one more thing – something I thought could accelerate my results and melt away the pounds.

Here’s what I discovered:

Through my training in martial arts, energy disciplines and breathing methods, as well as research I have done into old-time methods of physical training and health enhancement, I came to a realization:

All the exercising and dieting I had been doing was good for me, and I was getting some results. BUT I was missing a key ingredient: deep breathing.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re trying to lose weight:

One of the primary actions of deep breathing is to provide the body with ample quantities of oxygen. Oxygen provides the spark which heats up your metabolism, which in turn increases your body’s need for energy, or calories.

When you engage in deep breathing on a regular basis, you pull more oxygen into your system. This causes your body to more quickly burn the calories you take in from food and drink. It then goes into a deficit, and turns to fat stores as an additional source of energy.

Priming this mechanism is the secret to dramatic and lasting weight loss. And the key is oxygen: the more oxygen you take in, the faster the results.

So I leveraged this information I already had, but had taken for granted. I put it to use. And my results were fantastic!

Not only did I lose the weight, including those last 5 or 10 stubborn pounds that you can never seem to get off…I also toned my waistline and core to the point I could actually see my abs!

Later, I shared the exercises and recommendations in this program with a few of my private training clients. They also achieved wonderful results using this method.

Maybe you have a lot of weight to lose. Perhaps you would like to radically improve the results you’re getting from your current fitness or weight loss program. Or maybe you want to lose that last 5 to 10 pounds so you can see your abs.

Whatever your situation, you can put this program to work immediately to help reach your goal.

I call this the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program, because that is exactly what it does.

I encourage you to check it out and put it to work for yourself. You can read more about it at http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/metabolism.html.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with Dynamic Energy Exercise!” http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Another full disclosure: I’ve let myself slip – yes, me, the so-called health nut – and I have some weight to lose. One of my priority goals for 2012 is to get back into fighting trim. But I don’t have a lot of time to try to fit in workouts. So I will be following a very focused program – the approach in the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program – so I can get the results I want in less time. Why don’t you join me? Discover how at http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/metabolism.html.