Meditation and its benefits

I never thought about meditation before.  Recently I went through a surgery and having to lie low with no physical activity for 4 to 6 weeks, well that wasn't anything that I saw as being fun.  The farthest thing from fun actually. I am an active person that does at least one to two workouts per day starting at 4:25 am. I am always on the move and don't handle sitting still very well, I get bored quickly and find that I feel better emotionally when conquering a task. How am I, as an active person, going to abstain from any activity?

Leading up to the surgery friends and coworkers would ask me this question, "what are you going to do with your time?" and I didn't have an answer.  Now I knew it was extremely important not to do anything that would risk my body healing 100%.  I knew that the purpose of this surgery was to take care of some longtime health problems that were causing me pain every day, all day.  I wanted to come out of this being 110% and being able to work out harder, longer and for the best results of my life.  I am only 34 years old and have a ton of living to do so to push myself too soon wasn't an option, but how was I going to stay still.

My first week was filled with grogginess and throbbing pain.  But by the second week I was feeling much better and my energy was coming back. Oh no, what was I going to do, you can only watch so much Good Morning America and daytime TV before you start feeling helpless...and I got this on day 2 of my second week. Then a friend asked, "Have you tried meditation?" I laughed and responded with an..."Um, no".  She suggested I try the Headspace app on my phone and said it would help.

So I starting looking more into it. I found this video and it opened my eyes to the benefits of meditating. I didn't have to sit for hours for lasting results? 5 minutes... Really?



"Silence your mind, calm your nerves and just 'be'.  Your body will speak to you". My thoughts; a sarcastic, sure it will. 

However, I would try anything to sit still for a bit and feel good about it.  When I am not working out I feel guilty; yes, I realize I have an addiction...at least it's a healthy one. [LOL]

So I sat down and downloaded the Headspace app on my phone and the description reads, "Ever want to sleep better, feel calmer, focus more and just get some relief from that busy mind? Well it's probably time to get some headspace.  Headspace is mediation made relevant to modern life.  Learn for free with Andy Puddicombe, the man the Times (London) call "The Expert's Expert'. Also featured in Vogue, Timeout, Huffinton Post and on the BBC." ... he might know a thing or two, so why not give it a try. 

A happier, healthier mind couldn't hurt, right? I do think I could benefit form a sense of calm and clarity in my life. 

So I started from the beginning with Day 1 - Take 10: [10 minutes a day for 10 days]

This was my first time ever meditating, I have done yoga and Pilates before and felt it might be the same kind of mind set... not quite.

You have to approach it in the right way. The app gives you several videos that explains everything to you, every step and how the mind actually works and reacts.  How to begin and how to calm your mind.  This was extremely helpful for someone new to this mediation subject, like myself. 

I learned that it isn't about stopping your thoughts while meditating, it's about letting all your thoughts in and then just letting them pass. You get to understand the way you feel.  "Holding the seat on the side of the road", let the volume of traffic on the road pass, don't try to run out in the street and control it all, don't get caught up in it all.  Step back, allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go. But how? I am always tempted to jump out in traffic and try to control everything in my life. Like perhaps most of you as well. 

The tip Andy gives: don't 'try' with meditation - you can't try to force mediation to work.  Let your mind come to rest naturally. 

This is my 10 minutes. Sitting back and relaxing...I'll be back. 

Wow...impressive, I wasn't able to totally clear my mind and actually had quite a few thoughts distract me but Andy was able to pull me back in and just getting a centered sense of self for that short time did make me open my eyes more refreshed.  I'd say it was better than an afternoon nap that we are never afforded in our hurried lives.

Worth the 10 minutes and worth keeping in mind and perhaps even turning into a daily routine.  Do you mediate? If not, I suggest giving it a try.

With a quieted mind I find myself not itching to move as much, just sitting calmly feels O.K. With a little more meditation I might be able to silence my mind enough and work on my minds clarity and focus in these next 3 to 6 weeks. 

Using images to help motivate and inspire

I love using my creative juices to help motivate others through fun images.  Every photo I take with my phone I see as a potential inspiration or motivator piece.

Here is an example, I am currently on bed rest from a recent surgery and I am covered in a pink blanket. I took a quick picture, added some words and boom...something that gets someone to push play tomorrow morning!

It makes something like working out more fun. Some folks have a long, hard journey ahead of them and positive motivation and things that help inspire them are huge.  I know they were important for me to keep at the front of my mind at 250 lbs. What was I working so hard for? What was going to make me get up every morning and push play?  This is my why! My daughter has helped to open my eyes and transform my life.

She has amazing energy and all I wanted was to be able to grow with her and keep up with her, to show her all that this world has to offer her.  Thoughts like that made me create this image...

There are so many images and sayings out there ... all I have to do is to match my audiences attitude. To provide them that knowledge that it is going to be a hard, up hill road but I am here to help them, to push them, to support them and to pick them up when they fall.  We all have bad days, heck; bad weeks and it's fine.  Just remember to get up, brush yourself off and dive in full steam ahead again.

Other things that I create are from the shirts I might be wearing or what I look like after a hard fought run.

I like to share what I am doing in my fitness journey, to show my followers my before and after pictures because I am no different than any of them.  I just found my 'why' and focused on it and determined to succeed.  Decide. Commit. Succeed.  Of course, always remembering my goals.

And something to always keep in mind. Keep it light...sometimes you need to sit back and laugh a little. Laugh at your form. You know, that form you just can't get, that move that Shaun T is doing and you have watched over and over again and still find yourself just jumping around for the whole 30 seconds he is doing it because you don't get it.  #TrueStory :) 

You could freak out and throw stuff or keep calm and workout :) 

Do images like these help motivate you? Do you like funny, serious, spiritual or a good mix of different kinds?  

Another exciting chapter...

It's time to add another exciting chapter to my life.

You may have seen this logo before...it may even have scrolled across your TV at some point.

My personal adventure with Beachbody started 4 years ago.  I hit a wall one day when running to a meeting at work; which I was obviously late for and when I got there I couldn't put two words together due to my wheezing.  It wasn't only embarrassing but it was alarm bells going off in my head.  I had a one year old at home, I needed to be healthy for her and for me. 

I started asking folks at the office what they were doing for exercise. P90X was thrown out there along with the comment about anyone being able to do it.  So I dabbled with a co-workers copy in the gym at work and then DECIDED to take it home and COMMIT.  And after 90 days I was 20 lbs down and feeling amazing! Add on an Insanity challenge, a little Asylum and 2 years later I was down 50 lbs! 

With a bulk of the weight off I was more energetic than ever and determined to be as healthy as I could be.  I wasn't aware of it but I had become addicted.  If I wasn't getting up and working out everyday I just wasn't feeling quite right. There are healthy addictions! 

So the new chapter in my life is about truly helping people get healthy and fit. I want to stop my own trend of obesity and pay it forward.

It's all about my health and fitness, it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. It's how I am choosing to live my life. 

For me it's all about: 

1. Gaining strength

2. Gaining energy

3. and the freedom to do what I want

Accountability is the key to fitness success.  

Before Beachbody I didn’t have accountability, it’s part of my life now, like brushing my teeth. If I don’t get to workout at least once a day, you don’t want to be around me J

What do you want in life?  When I ask myself this question my answer is...pay it forward. I want to help others realize their true potential.  There is no reason why we all can't be fit and healthy by deciding to make the commitment.  

It’s not about weight loss.  That’s just an awesome side effect. 

Incredible fitness programs, incredible nutritional products and an incredible support system!

You have to work hard… it’s not a diet or a quick fix! 

Im a Beachbody Coach! BOOM!

Let me help motivate you and hold you accountable for eating right and fueling your body for a healthy more fit you.  And you can help me write this exciting new chapter in my life!

Engage with me and let me help you stay motivated and accountable. Reaching a new stage in your life.

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Lets get this party started!

It's been more than a few years since I have been active on this blog. I have been busy trying to find something different, something better, something more. Well...I am back. This is by far the easiest and best free option for a simple blog.

I don't have time to maintain everything regarding a blog. What I do have time for is sharing my fitness goals and my unique recipes! So I will start there with my next post.

Feel free to drop a line and let me know what you are interested in.

Spring is here!

Spring is finally here and I am thrilled. I recently got laid off from work...they were experiencing a "forced reduction" and I "was selected". It wasn't a good day, however I have picked myself up and am on the move. Forward moving is the only mode, 3 interviews already and I'm hoping for something perfect to land in my lap soon.

Now back to spring...a perfect time to be out of work. I find myself lounging in the sun from 10 til 11 - 11:30am and getting some much needed color. Berkley and I take long walks in the morning and enjoy each others company throughout the day. I am glad she is here because job hunting is stressful and boring and she keeps the mood very light.

Hope spring is a breath of fresh air for you. It has been for me and is definitely a time for new beginnings and new life.

~Sarah

Side Note...

Has this winter been long enough for you? It has been for me. Long enough that I have seriously thought about changing winter as my favorite season. Spring is looking so much better, not that I like the brown, gross soggy ground, grass and melting snow banks, but I do like the over 50 degree weather. 60-70 degrees has become perfect for me. So with summer reaching the 80s I have decided I like Spring the very best. Until of course next winter when I long for the beautiful snow covered moutains to ski down, but for now, snow snow go away come back some other day...and make that day in November sometime.

Feel free to let me know what you think of the seasons...I know most people don't like winter, but I didn't mind it when I was skiing more. But now that I am only skiing a few times a season I can do without 118 inches of snow. That is what was officially measured for this winter in Concord NH. 4 more inches and we would have beaten the all time high record of 122 inches which was made in the 1800's!

~Sarah