Self Inflicted Wounds or Self Growth? The Choice Is Yours!

September 28th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

Life can be funny and it can be heartbreaking. Recently, I have experienced the
best things that life can offer. Wonderful gatherings of friends, business going
in a positive direction and the satisfaction of helping others with their health
and happiness. But not too long ago, I felt like I was under water. Drowning
really with no life preserver in sight or the good looking life guard that you
dream will come and save you. I felt that I only had my own sorry butt to pull
me out of my emotional mess and I knew my “wounds” were all my own doing. The
constant bickering with myself made me wonder which one of the voices in my head
would win out. For those that know me, you may also have wondered which Wilma
would show up each day…and which one of those little voices would actually
speak out. We all know that putting your foot in your mouth not only leaves a
bad taste (especially if you work out and your socks get sweaty)but being
uncertain of your place in the world and with others is a difficult lesson in
self growth. Digging inside of yourself to see the parts that are not so pretty
and try to find a better path can be exhausting. But I am here to tell you the
work is WORTH it! I have been privileged to experience the gift of others
confiding in me with their struggles, asking for reassurance and trusting that I
have their best interest at heart. As I reflect on the passage of my
self-realization and growth over the last five years I have finally found out
that it wasn’t my own sorry butt that pulled me out of my emotional mess. There
was and is a network of souls that have guided me through and brought me to a
place of light, energy, health and love. These people have been angels, truly in
the best sense of the word. Some I am aware of and some are anonymous. With
their help and living through my self-inflicted exile brought me to a place
where I can give back to others and that has filled my heart in a way that I
never thought would have been possible. As I navigate through this world, I find
that the people in my life are what make this life worth the work. The beautiful
space that has been kindly afforded me is also an abundant source for me to
share with others. Thank you to all of you who continue to help my self-growth
on a daily basis by trusting me to help you. Please know that the realization of
self-growth in itself is a manifestation of self-growth. So when you wake up
each day remember you have a choice. To continue to self-inflict yourself with
emotional wounds or to thrive. Please, please, please choose to THRIVE…The
gift of light that you bring to others will only make you richer in all the most
important ways…and you never know who’s life your saving in the process
because it may truly be your own!

Wilma Young CPT

Tags: ,
Posted in motivation, Wilma's Blogs | 2 Comments »

What Do You Do When Your Feelings Get Hurt? Plot Murder or Eat Ice Cream!

September 19th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

>I never quite have figured out a perfect way to manage the urge to run to
the “bad for me” foods
when something in my day has had a mis-step. The irony is that with an
imperfect world and
imperfect humans there are bound to be some mis-steps in each day. (I, myself leaning toward the devil side of the “angel on
the right shoulder and
devil on the left” scenarios!) Some mis-steps
are like pebbles and
some like Mt Rushmore. But sometimes those pebbles can get in your
“spiritual shoe” and rub
your last nerve. Today I had my feelings hurt, the details of which are
truly insignificant. The
significant part is that I felt a blow to my self-esteem. Now, of course my
head is crashing with the
proper enlightened person’s response to this situation. Telling myself all
the right things. You know,
the things that when your in a good place sounds like pearls of wisdom and
when you are in a bad
place sound like pure crap and you want to tell the messenger to go jump in
a lake ! Then what
happens when you ARE the messeneger? The dilemma sets in and I say to
myself “I think I need
some Cherry Garcia”!
>
>The mental battle ensues and that little voice in your head says “you
really want that ice cream
don’t you?”. You nod like a zombie from a bad B movie and walk in a trance
towards the fridge.
Now I usually safeguard myself by not keeping ice cream and other health
killing foods in my house
but I happen to be staying in a location that several family members share
on weekends. There, in
the frozen tundra, was the inticing culprits. They were half gallon
containers of fat and chemical
laden ice cream with names that sound like a decadent walk through Will
Wonka’s chocolate
factory. Oh, those childhood memories. So I found myself contemplating
this gastronomical
equation. Within seconds I was able to pause and talk mysef down from the
ledge. It was not
because I have extra willpower. No, not at all! It was that I had prepared
for such a mis-step and
had a yummy altenative. It is a homemade trail mix I make with a small
amount of dark chocolate
but moslty nuts, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and a healthy grain cereal.
I keep this gem in the
freezer so that I can give my brain the sensation of dessert and stay on
track. So the good news
is, it gave me the fix I needed but the better news is that I was able
to realize what was
happening before I launched into a feeding frenzy. Now, I know that most
fitness and lifestyle
professionals want us to find out why we need to go to the food for comfort
and I totally concur
with this. It is exactly the reason I was able to talk myself away from the
ice cream because I have
been doing some of the mental and spiritual work needed to make better
choices. But let’s get
real! In this crazy existence there comes a time and a place when we need
to have some comfort
foods, albeit, a reduced version and not fried in batter like at the county
fairs, but still some
comfort. More times than not though, the comfort from a friend or
significant other comiserating
with your current mis-step can do more good than any trail mix or ice cream
could ever think of. I
was fortunate to also have this avenue and I am most grateful for this in
my life. If ever there is a
time to value the sweetness of companionship over the fleeting sensation of
a drug called
SUGAR, the time is now. It’s either that or I am going back to plotting
murder!

Tags: , ,
Posted in motivation, Wilma's Blogs | No Comments »

Drinking Water with Flouride? You’ve got to be kidding!

September 14th, 2011 by Angie Lustrick, CN, CPT

Recently, a client came in to see me and she had her 6 year old son with her. He was drinking a little 8 oz Arrowhead water bottle with a sports top. The graphic on the bottle showed a happy, smiling, cartoon kid on it. It was obviously marketed towards children.

My client was so happy with the water. She claimed her little boy didn’t have one cavity since he started to drink this water. My first thought was: “Why was he getting so many cavities? How much sugar is he eating?” But my next thought was far more serious: “Does she know how dangerous drinking flouride is???” She obviously didn’t and I am assuming many mothers don’t realize the long term damage. So I will share with you what I shared with her:

*Did you know that flouride is not an essential nutrient? No biological process in animals and humans depends on it. In fact, flouride can interfere with many important biological processes, which makes it potentially toxic (even at low doses!)

*The chemicals used to flouridate water supplies are largely hazardous by-products of the fertilizer industry. These chemicals can’t be disposed of into the sea by international law. Furthermore, flouride has never undergone randomized clinical trials for safety by any regulatory agency in the world. The U.S. FDA classifies flouride as an “unapproved” drug.

*There is mounting evidence that swallowing flouride causes harm. Flouride has been found to damage soft tissues (brain, kidneys, and endocrine system), as well as teeth (dental flourosis), and bones (skeletal flourosis). There are now 24 studies that show a relationship between fairly modest exposure to flouride and reduced IQ in children.

*Swallowing flouride provides little or no benefit to the teeth. Flouride works topically and not via some internal biological mechanism. It is a mistake to swallow flouride and expose all the tissues of the body to its harmful effects.

*Certain subgroups are particularly affected by flouridation. People vary considerably in their sensitivity to any toxic substance. Infants, the elderly, diabetics, those with poor nutrition, and those with kidney disease are especially vulnerable to specific adverse effects of flouride.

So, I strongly encourage you to not give your child (or anyone for that matter!) flouridated water. Even if it makes their baby teeth “appear” to be healthier, remember that those teeth will fall out when they get their adult teeth. However, the damage that is caused by flouridation is a lifetime and is irreversible. So, ultimately, if you want a healthy, smart child, give them spring water without flouride.  Always provide your child with purified water.  For more info on water, read my other blogs:

Drinking Water and Absorbing Water are Two Different Things

Don’t Take Another Sip of Water Before you Read This!

source: Flouride Action Network: flouridealert.org

Please also check out this great video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aTfyo0Xz_c

Tags: ,
Posted in General Info, Nutrition | No Comments »

Eat. Pray. Love? How Can I? When I Can’t Even Pee Without My Children Being In the Bathroom With Me!

September 10th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

Our society is full of great women. The type of women that are trying to provide a healthy, happy environment for everyone to thrive in. Nutritious food, lots of love and the occasional attitude adjustment that we all need from time to time. But in a day and age of go, go , go, how do we manage to have time for ourselves like the movie Eat, Pray and Love? We go to the movies and we see Julia Roberts and it sends this positive message but we walk out knowing that applying this to everyday life is almost a fantasy.Much like the Prince Charming on the white horse nonesense that we all eventually figure out is a just a wonderfully simple man that requires clean underwear and food on the table to make him happy! So we contemplate…when is it my turn? When will I be able to feel the peace that will keep me from blowing my horn at the car in front of me for stopping at a green ligh? So I start to pause and realize what is good in my life -call it prayer or meditation- but I find this simple focus can sometimes bring me back from the brink of homocide to a calmer sense of myself. Not easy, I know, I get it. But I want to remind you that you too want, NO, you need clean underwear and food on the table to make you happy too (or a massage, a new pair of shoes or lunch with your girlfriends). Whatever it is, if it brings you calm and inner peace it is important! Your acceptance of the great GOOD that is to be found in the small things in your day is the fuel to keep you on a positive path. The fact that your coffee turned out perfect this morning, or you had a 10 minute chat with a friend who makes you laugh, these are the things that can bring reverence and gratitude to your life. So instead of kicking ourselves becaues we can’t go to India because little Suzy has a soccer tournament every weekend until the end of time, I want you to talk to yourself with kindess and grace. Commit to your life, forgive yourself for your mistakes and remember to mark the day with the smallest of miracles that remind you of how lucky you truly are. How fortunate it is to be in a world where we have choices! Today, choose to live a happy, healthy life and remind the world how beautiful it is to be a woman and a great one at that!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in motivation, Wilma's Blogs | 3 Comments »

Angie wins Ultimate CHEK Professional Award!

September 6th, 2011 by Angie Lustrick, CN, CPT
On September 4th, 2011 Angie was honored at The 2011 Chek Conference which focuses on inspiring holistic health and fitness. This award was given to Angie for demonstrating excellence in her field. We are very proud of her and look forward to her continued success and positive impact on all of our lives. Watch Angie receive her award: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYNsDBAaixk

Ultimate Chek Professional Award

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Angie Lustrick Adventures | No Comments »

ANGIE LUSTRICK CN, CPT is FINALIST FOR PRESTIGOUS AWARD

August 30th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

The ULTIMATE CHEK PROFESSIONAL AWARD is given by Paul Chek of The C.H.E.K Institute based in Vista, CA. CHEK stands for Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology and is a philosophy of lifestyle coaching that has a exceptionally positive impact on client achievements of their personal goals. It awards a CHEK Certified Personal Trainer and Holistic Lifestyle Coach for exceptional successes with clients at a level beyond just physical training but emotional and spiritual coaching as well. Working with cases of brain injury and chronic disease management prove that a holistic approach provides long term success to even the most challenging lives and situations. Angie Lustrick has made it to the final round and is one out of three finalists for this award. On September 2nd, Angie will be giving a presentation about her journey from pre-diabetic to Holistic Lifestyle Practitioner and how that has impacted her clients, her business and her community. The attendees at this 3-day conference in San Diego, CA will ultimately decide the winner but in our book she is already the winner because she has helped so many people move forward to a happier, healthy life. Please send Angie good wishes and look for updates on this positive and wonderful opportunity for her and our Riverside community. This international exposure benefits us all.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Angie Lustrick Adventures, motivation | No Comments »

Getting Tempted by Bite-Sized Tasty Treats at Starbucks

April 8th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

The newest fad that is popping up is “bite-sized” treats. Not only at Starbucks but many food outlets are tempting you with a bite size portion of the Not-So-Good-For-You items as a way to “up-sell” you while you are at the counter waiting for your coffee or paying for your groceries. Even restaurants are jumping on the calorie train by adding mini appetizers and 100 calorie desserts. The problem is that that an extra 100 calories a day on the average person puts on roughly 10 pounds per year! With these little 200 calorie “land mines” that equals 20 pounds in a year. Plus they really don’t have the nutrition to boost your energy and create the body you want. In fact, all processed foods require additional energy from your body to digest them – making you tired and sluggish. If a food doesn’t come from a recognizable source: a plant, a tree, or an animal – stay away! I have never seen a bread tree, cupcake tree, or candybar tree! Now think of this, if you ate 100 calories LESS per day that would equal a 10 pound weight loss in a year with virtually very little sacrafice. Think about ordering an item you normally eat with cheese, without cheese. Or how about oil and vinegar dressing instead of ranch or Caesar. Maybe use salsa as your condiment instead of sour cream. Minor adjustments lead to great changes and tend to stick with you long term. Personally, I would much rather have this new habit stick to me than those bite-size treats that show through your clothes and tend to stay with you for far too long. So next time you are tempted, think about the 10 LESS pounds that saying NO today will do for you this year!

Tags: ,
Posted in motivation, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Wilma's Blogs | No Comments »

How Will You Celebrate Valentines Day?

February 5th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

We’re barely through the New Year’s resolution season and our convictions are
already being tested. The displays of chocolate with the “I Love You” ribbons
are everywhere and cupid is lurking around the corner with an innocent smile but
a devious plan. The message we get is that if you truly love someone you will
shower them with candy treats. Now we all know that dark chocolate (70% or
higher) has positive health benefits in small doses but that is not what is
being pushed. The amount of REAL chocolate in our current marketplace is
deceptively small and in some instances completely non existent. I am hoping
that if we really want to show our loved ones how much we care about them we
will consider different avenues for showing our affection. How about a
subscription to a favorite magazine. (Oxygen magazine is a great choice for you
fitness fans, www.oxygenmag.com)or maybe a massage or pedicure. Mom may
appreciate a day off with her girlfriends to go to lunch while Dad takes care of
the kids. Maybe a movie date or a hike together might do the trick. When you
think of how to show someone how much they mean to you give them something that
will add to their life not take away from it. This year when cupids pulls back
his arrow remember to target your loved one’s health either physically or
emotionally when choosing a gift. Because the best gift of all is a long,
healthy and happy life together!!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in motivation, Wilma's Blogs | 1 Comment »

“An Ounce of Prevention VS. Pound of Cure”, We’ve All Heard It Before

January 19th, 2011 by Wilma Young CPT

Our brains know this old adage and yet the New Year starts and we are on the
POUND OF CURE track before we know it. We vow to never put a sweet treat in our
mouths again, that we will go to the gym everyday and sweat away our holiday
guilt and we will force ourselves to a smaller size this year even if it kills
us. The truth is, this lasts only a fleeting moment. We already, at mid-January,
see the gym starting to look more like a library rather than a nightclub. I
think we have the best of intentions and truly want to improve our physical
bodies but somehow we think if we aren’t perfect we are wasting our time. I
think this year we need to be smarter. This year we need to take on our health
with the small steps of prevention as opposed to accumulating the massive cure
we try to impose every January. The best investment of ourselves is IN
ourselves. We are our best doctors, therapists and companions. Try a little
kindness towards yourself. Add massage and lunch with a friend to your health
routine. Remember that health is more than how many push ups you can do.
Balancing your life, living to the fullest and showing love to your family and
friends is as important to your health as the exercise!

Tags: ,
Posted in motivation, Weight Loss, Wilma's Blogs | No Comments »

A Spiritual Walking Journey

January 16th, 2011 by Angie Lustrick, CN, CPT

A Spiritual Walking Journey

The labyrinth is a sacred symbol used by many cultures and religions found in ancient sites around the world, according to Cajalcolabyrinth. Com.
Cajalco Labyrinth also states that “In a maze, you can get lost, in a labyrinth, you can find yourself. Its purpose is to enhance your own spiritual journey to the center, allowing yourself to open up to the spirit and divinity of life.”
Like most people in January, with a new year before me, I have been contemplating my life and what changes I would like to see. Each year is like another chapter in a book, with new life lessons to learn and new opportunities to discover. With life appearing to “go faster” with each passing year, I feel it is important to stop and ponder where I have been and where I would like to go. Without a plan – an inner map- it is easy to go with the tide and get whisked off to some place that later you wished you didn’t go to. The best way to prevent this unconscious, un-voluntary travel through life is to stop, meditate, and reflect.
So, I set off to Cajalco labyrinth in Corona, Ca. This beautiful sacred land is a hidden gem that I feel everyone should see at least once. Labyrinths aren’t just for introspection but they also have amazing healing properties – there energy can be felt all around you, often becoming more intense as you reach the center.
Jenny and Harry Gotts own the Cajalco Labyrinths. They have two labyrinths on their property. Jenny gave me a tour of her property. She has many paths around her house and the labyrinths; thus, she was given the nickname, “Path”. Jenny is a highly skilled glass worker. Her work is found everywhere on the property – the benches, the stepping stones, and the yard art all have intricate glass work on them.
Jenny also does stain glass windows and has some amazing pieces in her home.
Each labyrinth has its own vibrational feel, which I believe is very personal and unique to each person. The labyrinth with the four directional tree in the center felt more contemplative and emotional to me. It pulled out deep reflections from me. I sat on the center bench just allowing emotions to bubble out of me – not trying to understand what I was feeling – just being. I sat a few moments in this introspection and then I felt a great emotional release that life’s challenges are there for a reason and I will get through these obstacles to find a much richer, happier future.


Labyrinth at Cajalco

Waypoint on Cajalco property

The other labyrinth felt much more grounding to me. I felt a deeper draw into the earth. At the center, I felt my whole body tingle, especially my hands, arms, and chest. The energy felt very soothing – healing – like my body was being cleansed from negative energies and emotional blocks.
I left Jenny’s property feeling rejuvenated, much like a really good night’s sleep.
I shall return.

Jenny’s property is very close to Glen Ivy Hot Springs (one exit away on the freeway). I decided to conclude my spiritual day with a bit more rest and rejuvenation at the spa – sulfur and mud paths, to detoxify and replenish.
Interestingly, I discovered two labyrinths on Glen Ivy’s property! I had never seen these before – they must be fairly new. Or, perhaps, I just wasn’t looking for them.
One labyrinth is outside the spa, as you walk up to the entrance. It has a very powerful feel in its center. For me, its energy was more powerful than the other three labyrinths I experienced today.

The other labyrinth is inside the park, at the very back – the most south end of the property. There is a salt pool right next to it and you can feel the energy from the labyrinth in your heart while lying by the pool. This labyrinth is tiny in comparison to the others yet its energy is very prominent –don’t let the size fool you.

At the end of my spiritual journey day, I may not have had any life changing epiphanies, yet I feel a deeper peace within myself that everything is happening the way it is supposed to. There are no accidents in life and everything is unfolding the way it is intended to.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Angie Lustrick Adventures | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »