Tag: breathing to lose weight

Three Numbers to Focus on When You’re Getting Back Into Shape

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If you’re trying to get in better shape…trying to get BACK into
shape after months or years of relative inactivity…or thinking
about getting back into shape, here’s a quick tip to help you get
focused.

Before I begin, let me share a couple of things I’ve learned over
the years. Nothing earth-shaking. Just a few solid, simple ways
of approaching any sort of health-improvement or self-improvement
project you elect to undertake.

These ideas come from my own experiences.

On the positive side, from successfully getting into kick-butt
shape for sports, for martial arts and kick boxing competitions,
and so forth.

On the negative side, from having to battle weight issues at
several points in my life…as well as the mental and emotional
humiliation and anguish that come along for the ride when you are
overweight.

Potentially Helpful Learning #1: There are no rewards for quitting.
And there are no rules or laws that say you can’t “try, try again”.

In other words, most people who have tried to lose weight have
given up or quit at one time or another. This includes those who
have successfully lost weight and gotten into great shape.

It’s just a part of the process.

For example, you make some progress and you decide to “relax” a
little. Before you know it, you are eating like a fool, not
working out according to your plan, and you have regained the
weight.

Or the other common example: you start out all enthusiastic,
but don’t see the results you expected as quickly as you expected.
You get discouraged and give up.

This happens to everyone. You’re not a loser if you give up, or
if you relapse! It’s part of the process.

Give yourself permission, right up front, to relapse. Recognize
it as part of the process you have to go through to reach your
goals.

And, if and when you relapse or quit, make sure you climb back
on and continue to ride. Learn from the setback. Move forward.

As long as you get back up and keep trying, you are succeeding.
And the results you seek will surely follow.

Potentially Helpful Learning #2: Keep Things Simple!

When you’re first starting out on a project as important as
improving your fitness and health, it’s best to keep things
simple.

Here’s one example:

When assessing where you are now, and where you would like to
be, regularly measure and record these three key numbers:

(1) Your weight

(2) Your waist size

(3) Your body fat percentage (or, alternatively, your lean
mass percentage).

Why?

Well, your weight is important as an overall indicator of
health and fitness. We all know approximately the range of
pounds, kilograms or stone we can handle and still look and
feel pretty good.

However, your weight tells only part of the story.

Your waistline measurement is actually the more important
measure to focus on. Because it’s an indicator not only of
how lean or heavy you might be, but also of your chances of
developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic (and
preventable) diseases.

As for your body fat percentage: like waist size, this number
is as much a health indicator as an indicator of fitness.

You can make substantial changes to your body composition –
meaning you lose fat and put on muscle – before you lose a lot
of weight. And changes in body composition can have the most
dramatic impact on your appearance – regardless of how much
weight you have lost (or gained, if you are thin and trying
to get bigger).

So, focus on body fat percentage as an indicator of increases
in lean mass relative to fat. Improvement here will help keep
you going, even when the scale is not moving as fast as you
would like.

Those are the three key numbers to focus on.

Oh yea, there’s one more thing.

There’s a “magic ingredient” to embarking on your “get into
awesome shape” program which, when sprinkled in and over your
efforts, will almost guarantee good results.

What is it?

You’ll have to wait til my next post, my friend…

You Can Do It!

Karen

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

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Zig-Zag Your Way to Success

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When you set a goal, you rarely move directly to that goal.

Most of the time, you make progress, then you falter or fall back
a bit (or a lot), then you make progress again.

And the path or method that you initially pictured or planned, may
turn out NOT to be the best way to your goal.

The point is, you have to be flexible in your approach, and you
have to anticipate, and even plan on, the fact that your progress
will come in fits and starts.

You can even build these fits and starts into your approach.

For example, if you are trying to lose weight and get in better
shape…or if you are trying to gain weight, by putting on more
lean muscle mass… or if you are simply trying to maintain your
current weight, without having to worry too much about your
diet…you can employ the “zig-zag” method.

This term was coined by Dr. Fred Hatfield, one of the founders of
the International Sports Sciences Association, the fitness
education and certifying organization with which I am associated.

Dr. Hatfield is also known as “Dr. Squat”, because he was the
first man to squat over 1,000 pounds. I’ve watched the video of
that lift countless times. Each time I am amazed at what he did.
And he’s not even that big of a guy. But he trained like a maniac,
and he was smart about how he trained.

From training as a powerlifter, as well as coaching other
powerlifters, he learned that you have to incorporate some
deviations in your training, in order to continue making
progress.

He then transferred this approach to helping people lose, gain
or maintain weight.

Basically, with the zig-zag approach, you vary the number of
calories you consume each day.

For example, if you are trying to lose or maintain weight, you
consume a higher number of calories on days in which you exercise.
On days when you do not exercise, and your body has lower
metabolic demands, you consume a lower number of calories.

This is a way around the homeostasis your body will fall into,
if you eat the same number of calories, or same amount of food,
each and every day.

A common dieting pitfall is to reduce calories by 300 to 500
below what you normally eat. For example, you may reduce from
2000 to 1500 calories per day in an effort to lose weight
quickly.

Problem is, your body reacts quickly and dramatically to any
significant decrease in calories.

Within a week to two weeks, your body will adapt to this lower
caloric intake by reducing its energy requirements. Then you
are in a really tough place.

The zig-zag method avoids this problem.

When you vary your calories from day to day, you keep your
body guessing. One day you consume 2200 calories, the next
1500, the next 1800, and so on.

Your body never adapts, and you continue to steadily lose
weight. Or gain weight, if putting on muscle is your goal.

You can extend this method to the proportion of macro-nutrients
in your diet – in other words, to vary the relative amounts of
protein, carbohydrate and fat you are eating.

For example, on your workout days (or heavier workout days),
you can eat more carbs as well as proteins to help fuel the
activity. Your body can better assimilate carbs (as in, not
turn them into fat) if you eat them within two to three
hours after a workout.

On non-workout, or light workout, days you lower the carbs
and up the fats a little, as a form of compensation.

I like this method for a couple of reasons.

First, you automatically adapt your eating to your activity
levels. This is actually a more natural way to eat. However,
many of us have lost this “programming” over the years, and we
may not automatically eat this way without building it into
our overall fitness plan.

The other great aspect of the “zig-zag” method is that you don’t
have to precisely measure the number of calories or carbs or
fats you consume each day. Simply pay attention to what and how
much you are eating (a food log or journal helps here). If you
don’t already, read labels and reference a book on the calorie
counts and macro-nutrients of foods, so you learn the  profile
of the foods you typically eat.

Within a few weeks, you will intuitively know your level of
food and calorie intake.

I’m using this method now myself, as I take off some “L-B’s”
to get in shape for summer. I’m “tight” with my diet for
several days, then I am more relaxed on the fourth day. I
give myself a break on at least one of the weekend days so I
can have a little wine or beer and a nice dinner out.

I can tell you from personal experience, this is way easier and
way more enjoyable than the typical diet approach of deprivation
and starvation interspersed with binges and being ashamed.

This is an approach you can feel good about…and which will
make you feel – and look – good in return.

You Can Do It!

Karen

“Best Breathing Exercises: Transform Body Mind and Spirit with
Dynamic Energy Exercise!”
www.BestBreathingExercises.com
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

I Learned This Diet “Trick” in College (and Had to Re-Learn It As An Adult)

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Whether you’re interested in improving your health, enjoying more
consistent energy levels, or losing weight, you need to get more
healthy fats into your body.

This means fish oil, olive oil, canola oil, macadamia nut oil —
even coconut oil, as long as it’s organic. This also means using
real butter instead of the fake stuff or margarine.

Even animal fats are healthy in moderation.

The key is to try to eat organic and/or grass-fed meat and chicken,
and wild salmon and fish (farm raised fish have a higher buildup of
mercury in their tissues and fat).

I first learned about the importance of fat in your diet back in
college. Unfortunately, I later forgot what I learned.

Yes, I gave in to the low-fat, sugar-free everything mantra that
was (and in some circle, still is) conventional wisdom. And I
recommended a low-fat, sugar-free dietary approach to personal
training clients and friends.

Over time, though, I found that something was missing. Low fat
diets always left me wanting more. I never felt full. So dieting
was harder and became difficult to maintain. I’ve seen the same
phenomenon with clients I’ve worked with.

Then, one day, I was reading an old bodybuilding book that I had
originally stumbled upon back when I was in college…and decided
to never diet again.

The book’s author, Vince Gironda, was a famous bodybuilder and
bodybuilding guru. In his book, he mentioned that he recommended
increasing fats and decreasing carbohydrates when his students
were going through phases of heavy training.

In his experience, fats provided a more constant and longer
lasting source of fuel.

Also, he discussed the high protein and high fat, very low
carbohydrate diet the bodybuilders followed for several weeks prior
to a competition, to burn off fat and get very defined.

Wow! Vince was doing Atkins before Dr. Atkins was doing Atkins!

Well, I changed my ways. I added more fat (mostly of the healthy
variety) into my diet. I kept my protein consumption fairly high
(30 to 35% of total calories).

I ate the “real” version of most foods. I kept a solid level of
fruits and vegetables (so this wasn’t an Atkins diet). I ate
whole grains and rice instead of white flour products. I limited
my intake of sugary foods.

I found that I ate better, felt more satisfied, and actually
lost weight, without really trying.

By the way, this is part of the nutrition recommendations I give
you in the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program.

When you combine the fat-burning, metabolism-boosting exercises
in the program with a few simple, easy-to-follow modifications
to your diet — you will be well on your way to attaining your
ideal weight.

I asked three of my training clients to try the same diet. (They
were the three who, in my estimation, had the most open minds.)
They were a little sceptical at first. Then they starting seeing
results.

As one guy told me, “I’m enjoying what I eat now, and I’m not
obsessing so much over food.”

He looked great too – his weight stayed the same, but his lean
mass and definition improved.

At any rate, I learned my lesson.

Since then, when I have had occasion to put on extra weight, I’ve
eventually given up the diet approach. Instead, I’ve focused
on eating more healthy fats and protein.

Within a few days, I feel like I have more energy and I’m getting
back on track.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Vince Gironda always said that proper diet and nutrition is
80% of bodybuilding success. In my experience, it’s important to
achieving optimum body composition and weight. That’s why I include
an entire section on nutrition in the “Fire Up Your Metabolism”
Program.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Fats Don’t Make You Fat

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Will the “low fat diet” go the way of the big bull?

Has the “low fat diet” heresy finally been put away — for good?

Probably not. It’s been a staple of medical wisdom for a few
decades now.

Doctors have been telling their overweight patients and patients
with heart problems to follow a low fat diet.

Problem is, during this time the number of people who develop heart
disease or who are overweight has continued to accelerate, even
while following this low fat “wisdom”.

Over the past 5 years or so, a body of research has developed based
on results from long-term studies on low fat diets. These studies
have found that men or women on low fat diets have the same risk
for heart disease and certain cancers as men or women who eat a
diet with normal levels of fat.

They also average the same in terms of weight, weight loss or
weight gain.

This means that the low fat diet does not deliver on its highly
touted health benefits. And it’s not that effective in helping
with weight loss, either.

The problem with the low fat diet is that it goes against humans’
natural nutritional requirements. We NEED fats in our diet. It’s
the way we are built.

I discuss this in the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program in the
section on nutritional recommendations. My rational
approach to nutrition is an important part of the program.

So many of us have tried to live by the “fat is bad” mantra, yet
have not achieved the results we expected in terms our ideal weight
or body composition.

This is because of how we are wired. If you follow a low fat diet
for any length of time, your body will naturally crave something to
make up for the part of the diet it’s missing. Most people
fill this craving by adding extra carbohydrates into their diet.

This wouldn’t be so bad if they were adding extra quantities of
fruits and vegetables.

Unfortunately, the added carbs tend to be of the highly refined
variety, as in additional portions of white flour products and
“low fat” packaged foods.

Yes, the packaged foods industry jumped on the low fat bandwagon
years ago. They have reduced the fat in many of their most popular
foods, such as cookies and chips. But….

Here’s what they don’t tell you: they add other ingredients, such
as extra sugar (and its derivatives), salt, and so forth, to help
make the flavor and consistency of their packaged products as close
to the “real thing” as possible. Without the fat, these types of
foods just don’t satisfy as well.

Plus, the added sugars and carbs tend to make you want to eat even
more of them. You end up eating twice as much of the low fat version
as you would of the real thing. Bad for us consumers…but great
for the packaged food industry!

Now, does this mean carte blanche on dietary fat, and it’s OK to
eat a bacon cheeseburger and french fries every day?

Of course not.

The fats you should be eating more of are the healthy fats: animal
fats from (preferably) organic or grass fed products, including
dairy and eggs. And omega 3 fatty acids such as those contained in
fish and fish oil supplements, as well as flax seed and certain
vegetable oils.

You should probably reduce the amount of saturated fats, such as
fat from red meat, in your diet. But don’t eliminate them! You need
saturated fats too! However, you SHOULD try to completely eliminate
trans fats.

Become good at reading labels so you understand the fat, sugar,
and carbohydrate content in your favorite packaged foods. When in
doubt, opt for those choices that offer more “real” ingredients and 
less sugar and carbs.

In my next post, I’ll discuss how consuming more health fats can
benefit your lungs, breathing ability, and stamina.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Learn more about how diet can help you reach your ideal weight,
as well as achieve more consistent energy levels and better health,
with the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program. Eliminate all the “diet”
guesswork and confusion that may be holding you back. Due to
popular demand, I am carrying over the January special on this
program into February. You still have time! Get your copy today!
Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Don’t End Up Like Elvis Presley, Part 2

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In my previous blog post, we discussed the importance of deep
breathing and percussion for cleaning out the gunk in your lungs.
And I touched on the not-so-delicate subject of cleaning out the
gunk in your body for better digestive health.

Why am I spending two blog posts on this subject?

Because it’s important!

Enhancing your body’s digestive and eliminative abilities can have
a dramatic effect on your energy levels, quality of sleep, and
overall health.

It may also protect you against various illnesses, ranging from
certain types of cancer to chronic fatigue.

Another benefit: the faster your body can process and eliminate
what you eat, the better it utilizes the macro- and micro-nutrients
from the food…AND the quicker it gets rid of the wastes and
toxins that collect in certain organs, such as the colon and
liver.

This is a key to losing weight, as well as maintaining your ideal
weight, once you get there.

How do you enhance the health of your digestive and eliminative
organs?

Well, one way is through – you guessed it – deep diaphragmatic
breathing.

Breathing deeply, down into your belly, provides a massaging effect
to your organs. The stomach, intestines and colon rely in part on
peristaltic action to move food and, later, wastes. The massaging
effect from deep breathing enhances this effect.

Also, deep breathing introduces higher quantities of vital oxygen
into your bloodstream and cells. So your cells have higher levels
of energy and are able to remove their waste products more
efficiently as well.

Another very important practice is getting plenty of fiber in your
diet. If you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole
grain products, then you are probably getting enough fiber.

Unfortunately, most people only get about a quarter to one half
of the recommended daily intake of fiber.

So, you could probably stand to eat more fruits, veggies and whole
grains. You can also supplement with fiber products containing
psyllium seeds, such as Metamucil.

An easy step is to eat a salad or piece of fruit with every meal,
and as a snack.

When you first begin to increase your fiber intake, you may notice
a dramatic, and sometimes unsettling, change in your bowel
movements. This is because the fiber is literally scraping and
capturing a lot of the gunk trapped along the walls of your colon.

Stick with it. Things will smooth out within a few days. It’s
just your body adapting to a new, healthier regimen.

There are also various types of “colon cleansing” products out
there. I’ve never tried this approach, so I can’t speak to its
efficacy. (Some people swear by them.)

I CAN say that I will probably never try a “colon cleanse”, unless
someone is holding a gun to my head and making me do it.

It just seems like such as invasive way to approach the problem.
And, some health  practitioners, including physicians, are
warning that the more aggressive methods for cleansing not only
are unnecessary, but can also cause infections.

Your body can best do the job, as long as you are treating it
right through diet, plenty of fiber and water, and plenty of
good ol’ fashioned deep breathing.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’re looking to lose weight, burn fat, AND increase
digestion and elimination, then the “Fire Up Your Metabolism”
Program is for you. Learn simple but powerful movements that
force more oxygen into your system, massage your organs and help
tighten and reduce your waistline. Click here for more info.

P.P.S. For a good all-around breathing and relaxation program,
check out the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course,
Volume 1: Invigorate and Rejuvenate. Just a few minutes a day
with this program will open up your lungs, allow for fuller,
clearer breathing, and relieve tight muscles caused by stress.
Check it out here.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Want to Lose Weight…Having Panic Attacks? Help is Here

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A little change o’ pace in today’s blog post. We’ll hear from
several dear readers of my Best Breathing Exercises “Energy, Fitness
and Personal Power” email newsletter. (Which, by the way, you can
subscribe to by clicking on this link to the Best Breathing
Exercises website.)

Dear Karen,
I nearly ordered your book, the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program,  
but thought it would be a waste of money because
its for “fighting fit people”, or those who haven’t had medical
troubles.

Please write back and tell me how you see it.

Many thanks!
Auriel

KVN: Thanks for your inquiry, Auriel. The “Fire Up Your Metabolism”
Program is not for “fighting fit” people. One of the goals in
designing it was to make it accessible for everyone, regardless of
whether they are in good shape, bad shape, or somewhere in between.

In fact, when I first used the series of exercises I teach in the
program, as well as the other recommendation on diet and exercise,
I had been through a period of inactivity which had led me to gain
weight.

I had lost some weight but wasn’t seeing the results I thought I
should be, relative to the effort I was putting in. When I used
the program, it made a huge difference!

Most of the exercises are done from standing position and the
movements are pretty simple. I provide you with adaptations which
enable you to modify the exercises to make them either easier or
more challenging, depending on what you can do right now.

I also provide diet recommendations, the key ingredient for
enhancing any type of exercise to promote fat burning, and give
you tips on simple things you can do every day to keep your
metabolism humming along.

Whether you are severely overweight, need to lose 20 pounds, or
have been trying to lose that last 5 to 10 pounds….this program
can help you.

Hi Karen,
I agree with you here regarding keeping a journal [referencing an
earlier email tip, “One of the  Most Powerful Things You Can Do
to Ensure Success”]. I just finished one for my first week of
weight watchers. I kept a journal faithfully, and lost 4.1 pounds
for my first week of journaling! I was amazed to say the least! I
am so pleased that I did it. I have vowed to keep on journaling
in spite of my other difficulties. I am going to change my
thinking as well as my behavior too!

Take care and thanks for the encouragement.

Dee

KVN: Congratulations, Dee! That’s a phenomenal start to your
weight loss program. I truly believe recording what you eat,
your exercise or other activity, and even how you are feeling,
is a surefire (and proven) method for enhancing your focus and
results.

If you know you have to write it down, you think twice before
eating it. If you complete that workout, you feel good about
recording it.

You also touch on a key point: “Change my thinking as well as my
behavior”. When you think about it, your results come from your
actions (or inactions); your actions are triggered by your
thoughts. Journaling regularly forces you to come face to face
with whatever is holding you back – as well as those things that
reinforce and support you. Keep up the great work!

OK, one final question for today:

Karen,
Hello my name is Judy the breathing exercise seems like a great
idea. I have anxiety and I just started having panic attacks. I
need to find ways to relax I’m always on the go and I feel like
I have no time to stop. If you have any more ideas please send
them.

Thank you,
Judy

KVN: Judy, it sounds like you are really stressed out. First off,
the fact that you “have no time to stop” means that you have to
do just that: stop! If only for one or two minutes to collect
yourself.

Take 10 deep breaths: inhaling through your nose, exhaling through
your nose. Without straining, try to make each breath deeper and
bigger.

If this doesn’t help, you can also inhale through your nose,
exhale quickly through your mouth with more force. Sometimes this
can break through the anxiety more effectively.

If you take just a minute or two to breathe deeply, you’ll help
yourself relax and get a bit of perspective on the situation. You’ll
come back to the task or challenge with more energy and focus.

Also, I recommend you get the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy
Exercise Course, Volume 1: Invigorate & Rejuvenate. In this
course, I guide you through breathing, energy and stretching
exercises that help open up your breathing, relax you, and
relieve built-up stress and tension.

If you’re interested, you can visit the Best Breathing Exercises website
for more details.

If, after trying all this, the anxiety attacks continue or get
worse, you should see a medical professional for help. No need
to take chances, there are plenty of options for you.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van  Ness
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Start this year out right! For clearer breathing and relief
from stress…for increasing your focus, internal energy and
health…or for help in reaching your ideal weight, I’ve got the
program for you. Check ’em out at the Best Breathing Exercises  
website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

One of the Most Powerful Things You Can Do To Ensure Success in Your Fitness Program

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Article first published as One of the Most Powerful Things You Can Do To Ensure Success in Your Fitness Program on Technorati.

One of the most powerful things you can do to ensure success with any kind of weight reduction, fitness, or self-improvement program, is to keep a journal.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It can be as simple as a coil-bound notebook, or even loose papers that you place into a folder or notebook. And it doesn’t have to be elaborate, either. In fact, the less elaborate, the simpler, the better. If it’s too complicated, you’ll stop using it.

In this journal or notebook, you record your activity, what you ate, perhaps what you weighed (once a week). You might also write down (and re-write each week) what your goals are.

For example, if you have a goal to lose 20 pounds, write it down. Then make it even more specific by placing a deadline on it. “I will lose 20 pounds by March 31st, 2011.” With a deadline, you can then work backwards to determine where you need to be in relation to your goal, each month and each week.

Use each week’s goal as a driving force as you plan your week ahead. Then do the workouts, and follow the eating plan, which help you toward that goal.

Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? So simple that it probably isn’t a big deal.

Not so fast, though.

I read somewhere (seemingly eons ago, so this is not new information) that recording in a journal is highly correlated with success.

Not just success in losing weight, or achieving high levels of fitness…success in all areas of life, including financial, personal relationships, self-development, and so forth.

I’m not sure what it is about writing something down that supports, perhaps even propels, a person to greater levels of effort and, ultimately, success.

I’m sure the simple act of measuring what you are doing and where you are in relation to your goal has a lot to do with the power of keeping a record. You may be able to delude yourself from day to day — but reality is all there in black and white in your notebook.

Perhaps it’s the embarrassment of having nothing to fill in if you have not done the tasks or items you planned to do on a given day.

It may also be the wonderful sensation you feel when you record something you have accomplished. If you keep a “to-do” list, you know what I mean. There’s something really satisfying about scratching some pesky item off your list.

Several weeks ago, as I was cleaning out closets, I rummaged through a couple of boxes I had not looked at in about five years. I found an old spiral-bound notebook that I had used as a training and nutrition log some years back.

It’s funny, but I never looked through the log or looked at previous entries during the time I was using it. But looking through it now, some years later, I could actually remember what I was doing and how I felt at that time.

As I flipped through the notebook, I could see the periods when I was making great progress, as well as the periods when I was not doing so well.  During the periods in which I was making progress, there was consistency in the regularity of activity recorded, as well as in progress being made. On the other hand, the not-so-great times corresponded to more days with blanks in them, or written notes about what got in the way of my training. Some of the excuses I came up with were very entertaining!

You may already journal on a regular basis. If not, I highly recommend it. You can keep a record of just about anything in your life. It’s a great way of keeping yourself on track and focused.

It’s also a great way of memorializing the stresses, failures, advances and victories you encounter along your journey in life.

This practice can keep you on track today. And, with the perspective of time, it can make for some good reading in the future.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you have a goal to lose weight and “finally” get in shape this year, it’s time to put a deadline on it and get
cracking! If you’d like some help in wittling down the waistline and blasting off the flab, then check out the “Fire
Up Your Metabolism” Program. Limited time offer – get your copy today!

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

First Things First

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Boy do I feel great this morning!

I did a full session of breathing and energy exercises – before I
started work. It feels wonderful to do this type of exercise first
thing.

But sometimes I fall out of the habit.

As those of you with young kids know, they are usually “up and at
’em” pretty early in the morning. And your weekday routine probably
involves some combination of getting yourself ready for work or
school, getting your kids ready and off to school, making sure the
pets have food and water, and so on and so forth.

It’s easy to get caught up in the morning rush and….forget to put
yourself first. If you skip your breathing exercises in the morning,
you may find it difficult to fit them in later in the day. And this
can make a real difference in your energy levels and your breathing.

I notice an immediate difference. When I do my exercises first thing,
I feel energized, I feel enthusiastic. I am more focused and
productive when I sit down to work. I feel more creative.

When I don’t do them first thing…very different experience.

In the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume 2, I
recommend you do the Dynamic Energy Routine in the morning, before
breakfast. 

Mornings can be a low energy time for many people. Working with your
breathing first thing can help you establish control over your
breathing, your outlook, even your stress levels, for the rest of
the day. The exercises in the Routine also energize and focus you.

I make the same recommendation in the “Fire Up Your Metabolism”
Program.

The exercises which form the core of the program are also best done
first thing in the morning. From a weight loss perspective, performing
the exercises before eating your first meal forces your body to reach
into fat stores immediately.

You also jumpstart your metabolism and keep it running higher
throughout the day.

Not to mention, you have more energy right off the bat. This is a
big deal if you have to be off and running every morning.

The other benefit of these exercises is that they help improve
digestion and elimination. Within a day or so of beginning them, you
will become a lot more “regular”, if you know what I mean. And this
is an infrequently discussed – yet critical – “secret” to losing
weight AND keeping it off.

So,  if you’re not already doing this, give it a try. Wake up
15 minutes earlier than usual and do your breathing exercises.
Experience the difference it makes in your energy, outlook, and
how smoothly your day seems to go.

As for me, I have re-committed myself to taking the advice I so
readily give to others. “Do as I say and not as I do” just doesn’t
fly, does it.

You Can Do It!

Karen
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’re serious about finally dropping the weight, losing
the paunch, and strengthening your core, then the “Fire Up Your
Metabolism” Program is for you. Learn how dynamic breathing exercise
can help you unlock the fat burning potential of your body at
the Best Breathing Exercises website.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

Pay Yourself First: The Key To Wealth and Weight Loss

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Note: This was first published as an article,  Pay Yourself First: The Key to Wealth and Weight Loss on Technorati.

How would you like to increase your net worth dramatically this
year?

And….how would you like to trim down and get in your best shape
ever this year?

Interested? I thought so. Most of us would like to do both.

One of the oldest, most hallowed recommendations for investing and
increasing your net worth – even to the point that you can become
financially secure and independent – is to “pay yourself first”.

This one principle is so important, it’s biblical in nature.

The idea is to invest in yourself first, before you pay the first
bill. Take money right off the top and put it into some sort of
savings or investment account. If you can set this up to be
automatic, even better.

Then, the power of compound interest will work its magic for you.
And, over time, your initially modest monthly savings will grow
and grow into a substantial amount.

The same principle can also help you if you wish to enhance
your health and fitness.

In one of the newsletters I receive, a contributing physician
discussed a study that was done by Ohio State University’s Center
for Human Resources.

They found that significant decreases in weight are associated
with significant increases in wealth. For example, people who
shed 50 or more pounds saw an increase in wealth of $10,000. (Not
sure whether this was an increase in income or net worth.)

The researchers make the point that workplace discrimination
against obese or overweight people is the cause. And I’m sure
that’s part of it.

But I don’t think that’s the entire reason. There are plenty of
pleasingly plump, overweight and obese people around these days.
In fact, 60% of the population in this country is overweight or
obese. So working with an overweight person is pretty common.

Here’s another possible explanation:

I would venture to guess that the people they surveyed in the
study felt entirely different about themselves after they lost
all that weight.

Not only did they feel better about themselves, they probably
had more energy AND more confidence.

These are the kind of benefits you can expect when you put the
“Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program to work.

It’s not only about losing weight, leaning out and looking
better. The more important benefits are the intangible ones:
the way you feel about yourself, the increased energy you have,
the feeling of wellbeing you have when you do something good
for yourself.

At any rate, this study got me thinking about the subject of
compensation. Not monetary compensation, but giving yourself
some thing or some experience as a reward.

You could call it “managed compensation”. Here’s how it works:

There is a natural cycle of work and struggle followed by rest
and reward. You see it throughout nature. For example, the
gardener tills, plants, fertilizes, waters and weeds for many
weeks or months. The reward is the beautiful garden of
flowers, or the delicious fresh vegetables.

You can see it throughout history, going back to biblical
times. The Hebrews wandered for 40 years in the desert before
they were allowed into the “promised land”. God worked for six
days, then rested on the seventh. And so forth.

You probably see it in your daily life as well.

You crank and crank on an important project for work. When it’s
finished, you not only have the satisfaction of a job well done,
but you or your company may be rewarded as well. (Hopefully you,
but most companies don’t work that way.)

So, how can you apply this to getting active, exercising,
eating better, or taking any other type of action that can help
improve your health?

Well, as you plan your day or week, build in little rewards
for yourself – to be enjoyed IF you complete the activity or
task you assigned to yourself.

After you work out, allow yourself a nice meal to replenish
your muscles and energy levels. And /or take a nice hot shower
and relax for a few minutes.

If you’ve eaten really healthy all day, allow yourself a nice
dinner. Maybe even  a glass of wine or some dessert if you’ve
been really good.

I am an avid reader of all types of books and magazines. My
better half will attest to this. In fact, I’ve been accused of
being a “book hoarder”. (I like to think of my books as
worthwhile investments.)

Anyways, when I have completed a project that took a lot of
effort and time, I like to reward myself with a trip to the
bookstore. Browsing through the shelves can be very relaxing.
I enjoy purchasing a new book I’ve been wanting to read, as
well as the serendipity of discovering an interesting book I
was unaware of.

As a twist on all this, you might make the activity itself
your reward.

For example, most people look at exercising as something they
“have to do”. So how about flipping this? Make your workout
your reward.

After a hard day at work, frame your workout as your chance to
get away from all the crap and do something just for you. See
yourself moving those muscles and breaking a cleansing,
de-stressing sweat. Think about how good you will feel when
you are done.

It’s worth a try. Let me know what you think.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. If you’ve been telling yourself you should get started
on an exercise program…if you’re ready to lose weight….if
you’d like more energy and control over your body —  then the
“Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program may be just the ticket. To
discover how the combination of deep breathing and dynamic
movements can help you reach your weight loss goals, click here.

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011

The Most Important Number If You Are Trying to Lose Weight

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What’s the most important number if you are trying to lose weight?

You probably answered, “My weight in pounds, of course.”

Good answer, that IS an important number.

But your weight in pounds isn’t necessarily THE most important
number. Many people underestimate their healthiest weight.

Plus, the main consideration is how you look after you’ve lost
some fat and put on some muscle. When they go on a weight loss
program, most people think about losing flab in their waist and
hips, because this can have the most dramatic impact on their
appearance.

They want to lose the beer belly and the love handles. They want
smoother curves. They want a trim waistline and hips.

Some even want to be able to see their abdominal muscles, a la
Brad Pitt, or Janet Jackson (when she’s performing on tour).

For a long time, doctors and other health experts would laugh at
or ridicule this obsession with the midsection. They pushed the
BMI, or body mass index, as the most important number to be
concerned with.

The problem with the BMI is that naturally big people, people
with lots of muscle, can actually have “bad” (too high) BMI’s.  

Plus, I’ve known plenty of thin people who have great BMI’s, but
actually have a fairly high bodyfat percentage because they
never exercise.

The other issue with it: it’s so darn difficult to calculate.

So the BMI has fallen out of favor somewhat.

Guess what? Many doctors and health professionals have come around
to our way of thinking. Wanting a trim waist is a worthy goal,
after all.

Currently THE most important number is your WHR: your waist-to-hip
ratio.

It turns out that your gut size, not your weight, appears to be
the best measure of health risk.

It’s been known for some time that extra fat around the midsection
is correlated with increased risk of heart attack. This is thought
to occur primarily because this type of fat is concentrated around
the internal organs.

However, recent studies have implicated a high WHR with increased
risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.

So, if you are planning on losing weight, improving your fitness
levels, and/or getting healthier — be mindful of the fact that
extra fat around the midsection increases your risk for some of the
most serious diseases.

Before I forget, here’s how to calculate your WHR:

Grab a tape measure and measure the circumference at the point where
your waist is the smallest. This usually just above belly button
level. Then measure the circumference around your hips where they
are the widest.

Next, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

Here’s an example:
Waist measurement is 32″
Hip measurement is 40″
WHR = 32 divided by 40 = .80

So what does this number mean?

Well, the ratios at which increased risk for heart attack,
diabetes and high blood pressure starts is 0.95 for men, and 0.80
for women.

For men, a WHR greater than 0.95 indicates increased risk. For
women, a WHR greater than 0.80 indicates greater risk.

Getting back to the vanity thing: some years ago I developed a
program to help me bump up my metabolism in a safe, natural way. I
was trying to improve on the weight loss I had achieved through
more “conventional” means.

This became the heart of the “Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program,
which I recently made available again as an Ebook.

In the program, I emphasize deep breathing and dynamic exercises
that concentrate on the torso muscles, including the abdominal,
back and hip muscles.

Why? Three primary reasons:

(1) the focus of most people trying to lose weight is to get as
lean a waistline as possible, for better appearance;
(2) the muscles of the torso are the largest in the body, so
working these can have the greatest impact on your metabolism;
and
(3) combining deep breathing with movements that focus on the
core area improves appearance more dramatically through toning and
strengthening these muscles, as well as improving posture and
the health of the internal organs.

Now I can add a fourth very important reason: because improvements
in the waist and hip area can help avoid increased risk for heart
attacks, diabetes and high blood pressure — the three major
scourges of modern living.

So, while your current weight and goal weight are important
numbers, be mindful of your waist-to-hip ratio, your WHR, as you
plan and implement your weight loss program.

And if you’d like to kick start your efforts, get the “Fire Up
Your Metabolism” Program.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
www.BestBreathingExercises.com
P.S. Get yourself on the right side of your body’s energy equation.
Instead of starving yourself to try to lose weight, try boosting your
body’s energy requirements with the exercises and strategies in the
“Fire Up Your Metabolism” Program. Get your
copy today!

Copyright, Karen Van Ness, 2011