Archive for August, 2010

Is Barefoot Better?

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

For those of you that have seen Angie and I in the gym sporting our new Vibram
Five Finger shoes and wondering why we would wear such things, the following
Yahoo article gives a great synopsis.

(Baring It All: The Barefoot Running Trend – Healthy Living on Shine

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/baring-it-all-the-barefoot-running-trend-2337336/)

I have personally found that it does require more stability but it has also
allowed me to jump and land with a steadier body than in my training shoes. I
also find that gripping a bosu or stability ball is better. If it does nothing
but confuse your muscles to react to stimuli in a different manner it will
improve your physique and sports performance as the body can easily get bored
(as well as people) and stop responding as effectively to workouts.
Progressively changing your routines, your tools and your mental attitude will
bring continued success on your road to health. And if nothing else, we’ve been
able to give our morning gym members a good laugh at what I call “my monkey
feet!”

Baring It All: The Barefoot Running Trend – Healthy Living on Shine

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/baring-it-all-the-barefoot-running-trend-2337336/

My Journey to Spirituality

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Those of you who know me know that I am a big advocate for meditation. In fact, I devote a complete chapter in my book: Body by Angie to the benefits of affirmations and meditation. I started this internal journey of the mind two years ago when I noticed very successful people were meditating. I was curious enough to buy Centerpointe’s meditation CDs and give it a try. Like anything in life, it takes time to see results. In fact, I was lousy at meditation for the first three months. I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right, I couldn’t stay awake, my mind would wander, and I almost gave up. But something inside me convinced me to stick with it and so I did.
After 3 months of “trying” to meditate, I realized that “trying” was part of the problem – meditation is that act of non-doing. And once I released all expectations, all desires, all ideas of what I was supposed to be doing -that’s when I started to fully meditate.
Meditation has changed my life in many ways. I am more clear on what I want in life, more focused in my daily activities, happier, and I have developed a sense of well being.
For this first year of meditation, I concentrated solely on Centerpointe’s Holosync meditations. After that, I started checking into other forms of meditation, including brain entrainment and affirmations. I even began taking classes locally to learn how others taught meditation.
Just last weekend I enrolled in a class offered at FUN yoga studios. The instructor’s name was Jyoti. After her class she passed out flyers to let us know that her yogi teacher was going to be in LA the following day. Interested, I called up my mom to join me.
On a whim, we jumped in the car the next morning at headed to LA to discover what a real life yogi master was like. Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath looked much like what you would expect Moses to look like – with his long, golden curly hair and white robes, despite his Indian accent. My mom and I listened as he talked about inner peace creating world peace. This inner peace comes from meditation, of course. :)
We were so inspired by Yogirag’s positive energy that we ended up staying for the evening immersion to learn his particular meditation technique. So inspired that I ended up staying out till midnight on a work night! And let me tell you, it was so worth it! He taught me the most powerful meditation technique I have ever learned – I left charged and full of life from his immersion.
The next day, my staff was certain I would be super tired and sluggish. However, I came in to work that morning at 5:30 am feeling like I had slept 9 hours – charged and ready to take on the world! My positive energy was noticed by many that Monday morning and I couldn’t help but share my experience with everyone.
What this experience taught me was that life is a journey (duh!) but to be ready for the curves in the road. Don’t be afraid, follow your curiosities and interests, and marvel at where you end up. I ended up in LA on a work night, way past my bedtime, with a giant smile on my face.

El Rey Theater, Los Angeles

Yogiraj

Angie at BORDERS This Weekend!

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Angie will be the Mira Loma Borders this Saturday, August 14th from 2pm-4pm sigining her book “Body By Angie”. She will also be available to answer your questions on weight loss, health, nutrition and exercise. FREE body composition assessment will also be available.
So come out, pick up your copy and start getting in the best shape of your life!
Borders-Mira Loma
12423 Limonite Ave.
Mira Loma, CA 91752
951.361.2650

Quick Fix

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

By Scott Drexler
As American’s we seem to have this sense of urgency and are always racing against the clock. We want our products as soon as possible and we want our things done now!  All our patience has seemed to have gone out the window. I am just as guilty too. I cannot even seem to wait two additional days to receive my package from UPS, it simply must be expedited. This theme of the “quick fix” only seems to worsen when it comes to our health and well being. We want to lose weight and/or gain muscle quickly. No matter what those cheap late night infomercials tell you, (you know what I am talking about) you cannot lose a large amount of weight or gain muscle overnight. I’m sorry to break it to you, but there is no magic pill that you can take that will “shed inches off your waist” or have you looking like that Calvin Klein model you see in those monthly editions of Men’s Health or People Magazine. The truth is when it comes to being healthy, patience really is a virtue. Surgeries have to be the worst. Must we always look to some medical device or surgical knife to help us meet our goal? If you haven’t already answered, the correct response was “NO!” In fact, the majority of the time we end up worse off than we were before the surgery. Take my injured shoulder for example. I was told I needed surgery on it by an orthopedic surgeon and his employees hounded me for months trying to get me to schedule a surgery date. This injury is fairly minor as far as shoulder injuries are concerned, but you think I am going to go under the knife if I can possibly rehab it instead? Well, my first inclination was “Yes” because I wanted the quickest fix. Though I am not talking about a surgery which includes getting fat sucked out of my body, it just proves my point that I, as an American,  have no patience. So, in effect, I am not only writing this for your sake, but mine as well. Be patient, realistic, and persistent with your health and you will get to where you want to be. It just may take a little time.

My Tour of Gaiam part 2

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

To continue my experience with Gaiam, I was invited to eat at the cafeteria they have on site.  I was really surprise when I saw the menu. They had really clean foods!  In fact, they served many different vegetables (some from their own garden!) as well as natural meats.  I tried their natural chicken, babaganoush (eggplant dish) as well as their broccoli.  What an incredible meal!  I remember sitting there eating it and realizing that it would be the best meal of my day. I was traveling back that day and we all know what airline/airport food is like.  :(

At the cafeteria, I met the president of Gaiam.   She was very warm and friendly.  She immediately smiled at me and told me that I had an amazing spirit.  :)  That made me feel great.

After eating, I was very impressed

to see that Gaiam not only recycles, but they compost too!  All the compost goes right into their garden.

Finally, we went out to the their garden. The garden was shaped in the Gaiam symbol and had herbs and vegetables inside it.  On the outside where fruit trees and benches to sit.

All the employees work in the garden, each having a particular section they work on.  As mentioned before, the veggies get used in the cafeteria or are

taken home by the employees.

I applaud Gaiam for the earth friendly

and creative environment that they provide

for their employees.  My goal in sharing

my adventure with you is to inspire and

motivate all of us to take action, even in the

smallest of ways, to make a difference in

this world.