I just went to two of my favorite websites. I have always enjoyed astrology and Tarot, ever since I was a kid and my dad introduced me to them.
I didn’t really start to explore the meaning and history of both of those tools until I was in college, but had an appreciation for their potential to reveal hidden truths. I think of the tarot as a key into your own subconscious. It feels like when ever I do a reading for myself the cards respond to that part of my brain.
The first reading I had that was significant was a reading someone asked me to do for them that turned out to be for me...I made a prediction of my own future by accident. Everything unfolded the way the cards had shown me.
I don’t always trust my readings, because sometimes I want them to say certain things to me, but generally they are accurate.
Astrology goes much deeper into our lives, because it covers more territory I think. The Tarot gives you a snippet of things to come, but astrology gives you the inner workings of your life. It can tell you why you are here, what your strengths and weaknesses are...etc.
Click here for the Tarot site....free samples are included.
Click here for Astrology site....also free readings.
Who knows what you might learn?
PS: I know this doesn't have a lot to do with fitness...unless you are looking for the right "timing" to start your exercise program.
Here are my pictures…
Exercise: bike 30 minutes, turbulance training, ankle stretches (it never ends)
Menu: Liquid
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: Patience is the companion of wisdom.
I am sure there are a few of you out there who understand this weight loss dilemma. Why do we lose more weight in the first few months of making an effort to lose weight?
I have thought about this a lot and here are the top 5 reasons I came up with...
MOTIVATION
When you first start making changes you have so many reasons why you want to lose weight
Want to wear a bathing suit in public and look good
Want to have more energy when you hang out with your highly overactive kids
Want to look more attractive to that potential mate
You might die if you don’t
You feel really bad about yourself and how you let your body go
Anyway...I am sure you can think of many more reasons. There is something really motivating about the possibility of improving your current situation, which brings me to the second reason...
HOPE
You know someone who has done it and think “if they can do it, so can I”
If you have lost weight before, you have it engrained in you that life will be better for you if you do it again
All the folks who are thin look happy (which, we know is a big lie, but anyway, it works)
You will feel better, more confident, healthier....etc. (do you know any skinny people who aren’t healthy or confident and feel like crap?) I do
It is all in the mind...if you think so...then so be it
TOOLS (next to motivation, probably the most important)
You know how to lose weight
Exercise, eat clean, drink lots of water, eat consistently
You have all of the tools to do it
How to eat healthy
How get the most out of exercise
You have read every subject on it and study religiously every day (is that too much?)
BIOLOGY
Your body is built to respond to its environment
Use muscle-gain muscle
Eat clean-feel clean
It is possible to lose weight when you follow the rules
When you are in motion, you can stay in motion
Two weeks to adapt the body to exercise...why do you think you are so sore?
Seriously....I am thinking, why were jumping jacks making me breath heavy back then, but not now.....clearly...it is more work at first and probably takes more calories to do it
FEEDBACK
That’s right, your body is giving you a lot of feedback
No pain no gain sometimes feels good? There is something about having DOMS that makes you feel like you “really” worked out.
Your muscles feel like they are popping (even if you can’t see them), because you are constantly being reminded that they are there (which might not have been the case before)
You actually feel differently as you start to move your body more
You lose weight quickly (water weight...etc...who really cares as long as those numbers go down, right?)
You can finally walk up those stairs with out huffing and puffing
Your friends, family and co-workers comment on how good you look....but can’t always point out why? (why is that?) Perhaps there is some warped sort of mechanism for our brains not to be able to notice until we have something to compare you to...like not seeing you in six months. I suggest bringing in a before and after pic if you want anyone to notice.
And by the way....why does losing weight and LOOKING GOOD always go together...I think it is a twisted part of our society. I think it should be looked at more closely. I know some very good looking folks of all weights...so I am not supporting that type of belief. It should boil down to “are you happy with yourself?”
Here is a video of today’s workout by Craig Ballantyne. I decided to really challenge myself and do his Bodyweight 500 workout. It was much better for where I am at in my fitness level.
Here is the video...
Here are my pictures…
September 1, 2009: Day 184
Exercise: bike 30 minutes, turbulance training, ankle stretches (it never ends)
Menu: Protein and veggies
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: Normally, we do not so much look at things as overlook them....Zen Quote by Alan Watts.
Strange as it may sound, today begins my journey toward six pack abs. If you read my post - Does Buddha Really Have A Belly? – Then you know this will be quite a feat for me.
This morning I kicked off my new Evolution with Craig Ballantyne’s workout called bodyweight 250. I think I am going to have to amp it up a bit next time...the only thing that was really hard for me to do were the push-ups and pull-ups.
Click here if you want to know how many pull-ups I can do and what I do to compensate for my inability to do many pull-ups or push-ups.
Here is the turbulence training video workout that I used for today...
I also became a member of Bodybuilding.com. I am planning on using that site to keep track of my statistics. They have a section called bodyspace for anyone who wants to record their fitness progress. I especially like to get ideas from other body builders.
Time to get some rest....apparently sleeping is really good for weight loss....go figure...is that why Gandhi is so skinny? Oh, that’s right, he fasted a lot and walked a lot....and made his own clothing....I was thinking he meditated a lot, which could be considered, for some folks, sleeping!
Exercise: bike 30 minutes, turbulance training, ankle stretches (it never ends)
Menu: Protein and veggies
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. ~Gandhi
I decided to kick off the new month – September that is – by entering a contest put on by Craig Ballantyne. He is a highly qualified fitness expert who has not only published many e-books, but also written articles for magazines and started several web sites. He also puts out exercise videos like crazy.
I am particularly happy with his bodyweight ideas for exercise. I like being able to take my workout anywhere I go. In fact, when I was on vacation I adopted many of his ideas for my workout.
What I like also about his workouts is that they are so ridiculously hard you know you are getting a good workout! I am always sweating and breathing heavy while doing his exercises...even with six months interval training behind my belt....and there is no end to the variations of exercises.
Push-ups and pull-ups are still really challenging for me, so I know I am benefitting from bodyweight training; and forget those spider push-ups Craig demonstrates—I am not there yet! I have found my own way to compensate for my inability to do more than 2 pull-ups or 25 push-ups.
I do what I call JUMP PULL-UPS or ASSISTED PULL-UPS
JUMP PULLUPS
I basically do a squat (while holding the pull-up bar), then jump up while I pull myself up, then slowly lower myself down and keep on doing that for a minute.
ASSISTED PULL-UPS
I pull my self up and then lower my self until one foot touches the ground for a split second and then pull myself back up again.
For those of you who have heard of a Total Gym....I also use my total gym to do pull-up. How it works is that you are pulling yourself up at an angle that makes it so you are only pulling a percentage of you bodyweight instead of your whole body weight.
For PUSH-UPS I do what I call PLANK PUSH-UPS, ANGLE PUSHUPS, and KNEE ASSISTED PUSH-UPS...
PLANK PUSH-UPS
When I can’t do another push-up I hold myself in a plank position until I feel ready to do more push-ups
ANGLE PUSHUPS
I do push-ups with my hands on a bench and my feet on the ground
KNEE ASSISTED PUSH-UPS
I drop my knees to the ground when I lower myself down, and then I straighten my knees when I push up.
Here is an example of a popular Turbulance Training workout...
PS: Tomorrow marks the beginning of evolution Three -----Turbulance Training 12 week transformation Contest Body Evolution.
Exercise: bike 30 minutes, 250 bodyweight workout, ankle stretches (it never ends)
Menu: Protein and veggies
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: You may believe that you are responsible for what you do, but not for what you think. The truth is that you are responsible for what you think, because it is only at this level that you can exercise choice. What you do comes from what you think.
Many years ago I met two people that have forever impacted my life. Even though we no longer see each other or talk to each other, every once in a while they come to my mind.
I used to live in Colorado almost ten years ago and that is where I met Shiloh Sophia McCloud and Isaiah. I ran into them while I was working. We became fast friends. One of the things that I really appreciated about Shiloh and Isaiah was how warm and welcoming they were with all kinds of people. They would have community gatherings that were spiritually inspiring.
Shiloh’s art work is also amazing. During the time Shiloh was just beginning to create her life’s dream, she was studying to become a minister. I remember witnessing her through her process with her studies. She was very certain that her life’s mission was to bring the feminine energy to her spiritual teachings. To share with the world the value of the feminine in Christianity.
Eventually she moved away to California and we lost touch.
Thanks to the internet I am able to keep track of her amazing journey toward reaching her dreams. I remember when we met she was telling me about how important it was for me to create my life and live my dreams. She encouraged me to pursue what I love and make a difference in the world.
As I have followed all of the projects and things that she has done, I see that she has become a model for all women to pursue their dreams...She is truly inspiring to me.
So....here is yet another inspiring video made by Shiloh.....who is proof of the law of attraction in action....and a model for all women who believe in their potential....
Thank you Shiloh and Isaiah for being in my life and pursuing your dreams....
I am still cleaning out the crusties in my eyes from last night. Sleep deprivation is quite a challenge. I figure that everything must happen for a reason or life wouldn’t be that interesting. Since I am a sucker for inspiration I found a video that has that kind of flavor from the back door.
I am like a teeter totter when it comes to hope and despair...well not exactly a teeter totter, but you know what I mean. Since yesterday’s practice of rolling with the punches started off pretty well and ended with a bang I need a little inspiration to get me going again.
I am also a believer in striking a balance...this particular video is a prime example of how attitude is a big part of success...
This post is a little tribute to Michael Jordon for inspiring the masses. It is hard to believe he was cut from the varsity team his sophomore year for being too short.
Exercise: bike 30 minutes, resistance training, ankle stretches (it never ends)
Menu: Protein and veggies
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: Failure and success are complementary.
I have had one of those days that is tough at work, only because my plans were thrown off by the plans that the universe had for me. It is funny how that works out. I wasn’t supposed to work tonight and I ended up being on call. I decided to take a new attitude and convert a stifling job situation to one of joy.
At first it was easy, because I made a conscious decision to roll with the punches. It was actually kind of perfect too. I just assumed that I was meant to be doing this at that time...and it did work out at first. But then I got thrown more monkey wrenches. You see, usually when I am on call it is not that busy, but for some reason tonight that isn’t the case.
So here I am still trying to blog and about to go out again on call. I am using it as a practice for today, but as you can see I am not as humorous as usual....oh well. I better get going....so all I have left to say is here are my pics...
Exercise: Free, ankle stretches (it never ends), and I biked up a very steep hill, but not on purpose.
Menu: Free day
Until next time…
Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up
Dakota
Today’s Mantra: Take a new attitude and convert a stifling job situation to one of joy.
